[Outpost 7] A Most Wondrous Exchange! (Inactive)

Game Master Michael Hallet

Once the others break the ice Scratch turns up to add to the discussion "Name's Stitch. Stitch of Clan Steeltoe." He spits on his hand and offers up a firm, yet slightly disgusting handshake.

"So, what she said.. and where's all the cool old guns hidin'?"

"You'll have to help me out. We have lots of books here."

"Of course. We have some idea of its nature." Samna looks around at the shop, "Has the shipment from the Pathfinders been filed already? How is your shop organized."

Frowning, Erikanesh, scratches the frills at the top of their head thoughtfully.

"While I don’t wish to impede the Pathfinders, I purchased the grimoire because of its author, an Issian shadowcaster who specialized in crafting shadow-infused relics. I am working on a treatise about these relics, the grimoire is invaluable to their research.

This collection, the Dakrivil Archives, is restricted and requires visitors to be members of a university or other scholarly institution; as an independent proprietor, I don’t qualify, much to my vexation. You, as Pathfinders are however. If you could obtain the research I need from this collection, I’d be able to finish my notes and could turn the grimoire over to the Society.

Rhaegal growls softly at Erikanesh, tossing his head in impatience. "What research do you need from these Archives? If we can get to see them, we'll need to know what to look for." He snorts. "They will allow a Dragon to view it."

"Yes, we will be happy to obtain this research. Can you give us the titles?

Unusk seems pleased to have a much more straightforward task than last time.

"Oh of course. We can help you and finish your research. They will not deny Pathfinders, especially Dragon Pathfinders, access to their archives! "

Jinlong still appears a bit flustered by his introduction...

"Yes. Research. My favorite." Scratch repeats the line that got him through many Pathfinder classes back in the day.

The Forae Logos is in Absalom’s Wise Quarter, north of the Coins District where the Grand Bazaar is located. As members of the Pathfinder Society, the PCs are readily granted access to the Dakrivil Archives upon request. During the discussion, the librarian comments that they have good timing; the collection is scheduled to be sent out the next day on long-term loan to a university in Goka, so the PCs only have one day to research!

Each research check attempt takes 2 hours, and the PCs have a total of 8 hours to research. A PC wearing the brooch of inspiration applies its item bonus to their research checks, and a PC wearing the greater choker of elocution gains a +1 circumstance bonus on research checks due to their ability to find materials in its granted languages. Instead of attempting their own research check, a PC can Aid another PC by succeeding at a DC 20 Athletics check to bring books to their companion or Perception check to spot relevant volumes.

Research Checks DC 18 Academia Lore, Library Lore, or Shadow Plane Lore; DC 20 Arcana, Occultism, or Society

You may now make the first 2 rounds of checks.

"With appropriate guidance, I'm sure you'll be fine, Scratch." Samna reassures the dwarf. "Anything we need to know about this archive before we research in it?"

"Hand me a list of books to search for, Rhaegal. I'll go look for them"

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22
Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14
Perception, HP: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32

"Let's see. There are certainly some strange tomes here..."

Using the choker of elocution.
Society: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 12 + 1 = 27

Society: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 12 + 1 = 32

Jinlong, do you want the Brooch of Inspiration to make your own Society checks? Then the three others can use Athletics or Perception to aid us.

Arcana DC20: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Arcana DC20: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

While Rhaegal isn't the best, he shows that a dragon's understanding of magic is good. "Ah, see this bit about the roasting enemies in flame. Erikanesh will enjoy that."

"You seem to know something about all this yourself, Jinlong. Maybe you ought to help with the research itself and let me be the gofer." I think we have more helpers than people trained in research skills, so we might be better served with us meatheads helping you even though your aid skill is better than your Society.

"I'll do my best to help you, Scratch, if you tell me what you need."

Athletics to aid: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

Sure, but the brooch gives +2 to RK with Lore. Jinlong has Society but Perc is higher.

Research Points: 5

Scratch and Unusk still to go.

"Well then Olov, lets go find the books on the weird stuff and I'll tell you about the time I spent a few months in the Mwangii fightin' oozes!" The pair head off to do some research.

Occultism DC20: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Occultism DC20: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

Forgot to do my second check, sorry!

Athletics to aid: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27

"Why don't I bring some books over to you all?"

Athletics to aid: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30
Athletics to aid: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23

6 Research Points The PCs discover a tome on the history of shadowcasting that mentions the grimoire’s author, Estailir Veritar, and his studies under his mentor. The book details several of the magical advancements Estailir and his mentor made together before the latter’s death, including a long-lost spell capable of allowing a mortal to subsist on shadows without other nourishment.

You have a new direction for your research, but you find the books you are looking for are in bad shape. Careful handling is required.

I need one person to make a DC 20 Thievery check. Failure will make further research more difficult.

Thievery +10; Jinlong would rather not make the check if he can help it! :)

You might be the only one with Thievery, Jinlong. GM, can we aid him on this check?

Anyone have Guidance? :)

The idea here is that the books have to be moved and opened carefully. If you can think of a convincing way to aid someone with that, I'll allow it.

"Well, what if we rig up a good ole gunpowder cart? 'Cept, instead of touchy gunpowder, we load those fragile books up on it to keep 'em in one piece?" He starts to sketch out the idea for the others to wrap their head around.. not everyone's seen a gunpowder cart before.

Yeah, you have better thievery than I.

Rhaegal nods at Jinlong. "You have more delicate claws and can take care of the pages without destroying them." He touches Jinlong's dragon spikes. "I believe in you." The pendant around his neck glows softly.

Casting Guidance!

Jinlong gulps. It's not every day he's put on the spot. He takes a deep breath and feels the warmth of Abadar's blessing in the form of Rhaegal's spell.

Thievery, Guidance: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 1 = 19
Thievery, Guidance, HP, T-Shirt: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 10 + 1 + 1 = 18

AGH! NOOOO!!!

Scratch crafts a small cart and they carefully start to move the books, Jinlong trying to gently pull it along, but they fail to spot a deceptive dip in the table and it causes the wheel to bounce and the book to fall out. The binding breaks as the book hits the floor scattering pages everywhere.

Jinlong regains a hero point for being the one to step up and try.

You get 2 more research attempts each, but the state of the book has increased the DCs

Research Checks DC 1820 Academia Lore, Library Lore, or Shadow Plane Lore; DC 2022 Arcana, Occultism, or Society

"Don't worry, Jinlong. That book looked like it was going to fall apart with our without us."

Samna continues to pursue the books, looking for mention of Estailir Veritar.

Using the choker of elocution.
Society: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 12 + 1 = 30

Society: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 12 + 1 = 33

Jinlong lets out a strangled yelp as the book falls. He makes a grab for it but trips and face (snout?) plants on the floor, the book bouncing off his back and scattering pages everywhere.

Jinlong attempts to salvage the situation by carefully going through the scattered pages, hoping to find what they were tasked to find.

Society: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Society: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Society, HP: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
It's not a crit fail, that's the important thing! :)

"Ah crap." Scratch mutters as their plan falls just short. He helps sort out the mess and gets back to the dreaded research.

Occultism DC22: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
Occultism DC22: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Luckily one of the jarred free pages is just what he's looking for. "Sometimes its better to be lucky than just plain GOOD!" He holds up the find.

12 Research Points The PCs find a biography on Estailir which posits that he sabotaged a ritual his mentor was attempting, resulting in her death. The book paints the shadowcaster in an unsavory light, though it acknowledges he made great contributions to the field. Tucked in its pages is a 3rd-rank scroll of darkvision.

There is one for threshold to reach, but it will require getting 6 more research points in the last 6 rolls.

Looks like the three folks capable of making primary checks have already posted, and an aid won't help any of them. Just in case I'm missing something, though...

Olov continues doing whatever he can to help the research.

Athletics: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16
Athletics: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25

Rhaegal uses the Brooch of Inspiration to detail dragon magic.

Arcana: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 9 + 2 = 16
Arcana: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 2 = 20

Unusk can only assist with getting books down from high places.

Athletics: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18
Athletics: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33

Jinlong can only help look for the correct books.

Perc: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32
Perc: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

He spots one of the more obscure volumes and points it out to Unusk.

You finish your research without further discovery and report your findings to Erikanesh. She is pleased with what you uncovered and as promised, returns the tome to you.

You head back to the Grand Lodge and Biglock informs you that the time is late and he will have more tasks for you in the morning.

Make your daily preparations and let me know when you are ready to continue.

Nothing different with Jinlong's prep. He's ready

Unusk wakes up and says a prayer to the Dawnflower.

All set here. I realized that Unusk's cantrips weren't on her profile, but they are there now.

Same. No change for Olov. Ready to go.

Rhaegal rises with the sun. When they are ready to set off, he uses his dragon magic to put more into his step.

Casting heightened Tailwind as normal.

Scratch spends the morning reloading spent cartridges and mixing up his stash of explosives. Level 3 infused reagents x6 batches so a total of 20 arquebus rounds and 10 moderate alchemist fires

"Nothin' like the smell of fresh gunpowder to wake you up am I right?" He asks the barkeep as he mixes some old gunpowder into his morning coffee. "So how about that free breakfast I saw for preferred members eh?" He grins, always on the hunt for a free meal.

That's his morning routine!

"I prefer a bit of cream myself, or just a hot tea." Samna checks the edge of her blade, but is otherwise ready to adventure.

The next day you return to the Grand Lodge. Biglock greets you enthusiastically when you enter the meeting room.

"Mr. Glovely, fetch the device!"

A few minutes past and the gloves return empty-handed.

Biglock grins as Mr. Glovely’s hands gesture over him in an exaggerated shrug. “What treasure do I have this time, you ask? Well… we don’t have it. At least, we don’t anymore. The Pathfinders found a clockwork familiar in the vault. Zarta thinks its internal memory could have information about the Alliance, which might be handy in the future. But the little critter’s absconded; we thought it was inactive, so we didn’t expect it to escape. It was spotted scampering through the Grand Bazaar the other day. Zarta suspects it’s taken refuge with the Clockwork Caravan of Sihn Siphandon—he’s a traveling inventor who passes through the Grand Bazaar sometimes, and it’s exactly the sort of thing he’d take an interest in. But you’d better hurry and find him before his caravan moves on!”

Biglock lends the PCs Cordelia’s construct key (Pathfinder Society Guide 123), a tool developed by one of the Society’s venture-captains, and a greater crafter’s eyepiece. He explains the key’s capabilities and urges them to use it on the familiar to render it dormant for easy transport, though he doesn’t expect it’ll be hostile.

With an array of colorful tents and stalls surrounding a crystal-clear fountain, this plaza would normally be buzzing with activity and cheer. Today, it is in utter chaos, as a horde of screaming shoppers rush away from a curious clockwork wagon, upending tents and stalls as they flee. Battered clockwork creatures are arrayed around the wagon, bearing blackened scorch marks and deep gashes. More clockwork creatures are smashing at the caravan’s doors in an attempt to reach its occupant, a disheveled, dark-haired man taking cover behind a broken window. “If you’re here to see the caravan,” he calls, in between ducking flying shards of metal, “I’d suggest you come back later! But if you’re here to lend a hand, I won’t turn it down!

Weapons likely would not be drawn before combat begins.

MAP: Slide 4

One of the creatues continues chopping up the stall with its halberd.

⚠️Red
✅Unusk
✅Scratch
✅Olov
✅Rhaegal
⚠️Blue
⚠️White
Samna
Jinlong
⚠️Yellow
⚠️Black

I've got Blazing Armory, Runic Weapon (formerly Magic Weapon) and Heroism (+1 Perc/Atk/Saves/Skill Checks) to any who need it.

Rhaegal moves to see two of the clockwork creatures. "Metal minions should bow before the might of the Dragon!" He opens his mouth and spews acid over the clockwork creatures.

Acid Kobold Breath (Reflex DC22): 3d4 ⇒ (4, 1, 3) = 8
Recharge time: 1d4 ⇒ 4

◆ Move
◆◆ Kobold Breath on White and Red (see green line)

"Ah, this is a problem I can solve!"

Unusk draws her scimitar, runs up to the nearest clockwork creature, and strikes. She uses her free hand to try to unbalance it.

+1 striking scimitar, snagging strike: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (6) + 16 = 22
ouch!: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (1, 6) + 4 = 11

It is off-guard to everyone while in her reach if that hit.

Reflex (white): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30
Reflex (red): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34

The constructs are quick. The small, quadrupedal construct is lightly splashed while the upright one with the halberd avoids it completely.

Unusk snags one of the smaller constructs.

Map: Slide 4

⚠️Red
Unusk
✅Scratch
✅Olov
Rhaegal
⚠️Blue
⚠️White (4 damage)
Samna
Jinlong
⚠️Yellow (11 damage, off-guard)
⚠️Black

Hearing the sounds of a fight Scratch grins and hustles around the corner, his rifle almost leaping into his hands. "You keep gettin' grabby with 'em Unusk and I'll blast holes!"

He tucks himself between two stalls, aims and fires a large rifled slug of steel at the off guard yellow construct then ducks for cover as he reloads.

BOOM!

+1 Striking Arquebus: Concussive, Fatal d12, Kickback: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (19) + 17 = 36 Damage (P/B): 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (5, 1) + 2 = 8
Replace Damage with Fatal Damage if a Crit, then x2 (P/B): 2d12 + 2 ⇒ (3, 5) + 2 = 10Extra Fatal Dice Damage (P/B): 1d12 ⇒ 11
One Shot, One Kill (Precision): First Strike, Stealth for Initiative: 1d6 ⇒ 4

So a lot going on there, with snipers and fatal stuff. 8 damage plus the 4 precision on a hit, or 39 total on a crit. If a crit: *Firearm specialization: The target must succeed at a Fortitude save against your class DC(22) or be stunned 1.

Free action to draw weapon, Stride, Strike yellow, Covered Reload: AC26 for the round.