GM miteke - Wardens of Sulfur Gulch (Outpost VII)

Game Master miteke

dot and delete

The PCs will begin in the River Kingdoms city of Tymon, at Smine’s Weaponworks, which doubles as a covert Pathfinder lodge. You may determine yourselves whether you were summoned or happened to already be there. The the adventure will begin with a briefing by the dwarven venture-captain and master weaponsmith Holgarin Smine who operates the lodge.

Disguised as an adventurers’ boarding house, Tymon’s low-profile Pathfinder lodge rests directly above Smine’s Weaponworks, the city’s eminent smithy. The smell of burning coal and laborers’ sweat permeates the building, though a bowl of cloves and aromatic bark makes an earnest attempt to downplay the industrial ambiance.

You may RP the events leading up to the briefing (that means prior to entering the lodge for the briefing) as a way of introducing your character to the others. Be polite and do not assume any actions or presence by any of the other players until they themselves post it. For example, do not accidentally bump into another player at a bar if they have not posted that they are at a bar. If you are knowledgeable about Golarion, I encourage posts that describe the setting.

Farrokh's ongoing investigation into the arts of transmutation had found the stocky Nexian in the settlement of Tymon in the River Kingdoms. A firm believer that true mastery of transmutation can only be gained via a combination of both arcane skill and physical training, he had traveled to the city keen to gain some insight into the training techniques and dietary practices espoused in the metropolis's famed gladiator colleges.

Upon arriving in the city he checked in with the local pathfinder lodge and had only just started getting his bearings around town, when a messenger accosted him in the street informing that Venture Captain Smine had some urgent business that needs attending to.

In appearance Farrokh has the look of an unassuming merchant from Nex. He tends to favour loose clothes which make it hard to gauge much about his physical capabilities and he does not wear any obvious arms or armour aside from a couple of rather mundane looking daggers.

Mechanically Farrokh is a wizard who specialises in transmutation magic. He favours fighting on the front line, either using his magic to enhance himself or his allies (whichever makes most sense given the composition of the group he travels with). He has spent time studying at the Magaambya, learning some of the techniques developed by Old-Mage Jatembe and as such also has access to a small number of druidic spells. Having split his time between physical training and arcane study he is not quite as learned as many of his wizardly colleagues, however there are still a number of scholarly fields in which he has significant skill.

As an elf with a large backpack filled with bottles and alchemical-looking substances slung over her shoulders, and two pistols secured in straps around her belt, she strides into the bustling smithy. With a nod of acknowledgment to the diligent blacksmiths toiling away, she ascends the stairs to the meeting room upstairs.

As an elf with a large backpack filled with bottles and alchemical-looking substances slung over her shoulders, and two pistols secured in straps around her belt, she strides into the bustling smithy. With a nod of acknowledgment to the diligent blacksmiths toiling away, she ascends the stairs to the meeting room upstairs.

Per intro:

So at this point in time you have not entered the smithy. Would you mind amending the post to describe the journey there or something prior to entering the smithy? The scenario intro begins with you walking through the door so I figured I would have the party collect and begin with the lot of you entering the smithy.

My apology. I thought the lodge only consist of the upper floor of the smithy establishment. Unfortunately the post has long past its editing period, so I have to repost.

An elf with a large backpack filled with bottles and alchemical-looking substances slung over her shoulders, and two pistols secured in straps around her belt, she strides into the bustling smithy. With a nod of acknowledgment to the diligent blacksmiths toiling away, she ascends the stairs to the meeting room upstairs. walks down Venture Captain Colin Rosenthal(my -1 character)'s mobile Pathfinder Lodge, sailing ship Argama, in the port of Tymon. She waves goodbye to her families on the ship, then takes out a missive from her red trench coat. "Elu was told to 'Wait for orders in Tymon'......Elu wonders if the Society is having problems with Rasmiran again." she speaks to herself as she reads.

The young errand boy that's waiting by the dock notices the arrival of this pink-haired elf, and runs up to her, "Meet outside the smithy, from VC Smine."
"Thank you."Elu hands the boy a gold piece, and start heading toward the Pathfinder Lodge.

My apology. I thought the lodge only consist of the upper floor of the smithy establishment. Unfortunately the post has long past its editing period, so I have to repost.

I actually had guessed that is what happened. the fact that the smithy IS the lodge is easy to miss.

A nifty looking raft, with a large lean-to, gently comes to a rest at the docks of Tymon in the River Kingdoms. A tall dude, with pointy ears in a dark grey cloak, disembarks, stretches, turns back and tosses a coin to the Elf handling the raft, ”Thanks for the ride, Fin. Give my regards to Kezhia when she awakes…”

He walks thru the port district and into the market district, whistling as he goes. Finding the smithy that the summons mentioned, he nods and then eyes the shops around it; spying a nearby pub. He enters, takes a seat at window table facing the smithy; he nods to the attractive server for an ale and some bread, then awaits, watching for others arriving outside the smithy…

Reesa smiled as she received the missive. She loved the whole process of getting her assignment and being able to pitch in and help the team. As she opened the note she found the destination. She didn’t remember meeting Smine before, but no matter, she was sure it would be exciting.

The aasimar whistled a jaunty little tune as she gathered her travel pack and began making her way to the Smithy. She had a radiant, almost otherworldly beauty and elegance as she almost glided her way through the streets. She wasn’t one for highly displayed armor or weapons. It was clear her talents were not based on battle.

Meanwhile, a hundred feet away and hidden amid the branches of an oak, a figure keeps watch upon the entrance to the smithy.

Stealth (+ distance): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Meanwhile, a hundred feet away and hidden amid the branches of an oak, a figure keeps watch upon the entrance to the smithy.

[dice=Stealth (+ distance)]1d20+10

Would you prefer we RP this as an uninvited appearance, or as if you were you summoned?

She was probably summoned. Shonne often scouts for ambushes though. Once she figures everyone has arrived she'll sneak in, and try to blend into the wallpaper. Shonne's one of my least talkative characters. ;)

Character sheet updated for game.

The smell of burning coal and laborers’ sweat permeates the lodge/smithy, though a bowl of cloves and aromatic bark makes an earnest attempt to downplay the industrial ambiance. The door opens on the gathered Pathfinders, letting in the echoes of hammers on metal while also revealing a soot-stained dwarf dressed in blacksmith’s garb: Venture-Captain Holgarin Smine (see NPCs, slide 1). In one hand, he effortlessly carries a large basket, while the other holds a magnificent double-headed axe of lustrous adamantine. He sets both on the table before removing a cloth-wrapped bundle and a selection of bread, cheese, and cider from the basket.

“All right, Pathfinders. Got a task for you — dangerous lands, dangerous task.” He speaks in his infamously staccato manner. “You come well recommended,” he adds with an approving nod. “I know you’re up to it.”

The dwarf unwraps the bundle, revealing a sheaf of twine-wrapped notes. “Ever heard of Gojan the Sharp? Early Pathfinder, renowned explorer, he wandered Numeria for a decade. Found all sorts of strange places outside Silver Mount he couldn’t explore in one lifetime; one of ‘em was Sulfur Gulch. Society’s known about lots of these places, but not that one. Long time ago, the gnome Eylysia hid away the findings.” Smine exaggerates a scowl, adding, “Not good Pathfinding policy, that. Always report. You know that already.”

Patting the stack of notes, he continues. “Some others found the notes, so it’s good as new to us; you’d be the first to explore it. Trouble is that it’s Kellid territory—Ghost Wolves’ land. Lots of Kellids hate Numerian technology, but Ghost Wolves? They really hate it. The good news is Gojan did the Ghost Wolves a big favor and never collected. They owe us one, and that favor’s going to be not killing Pathfinders when they explore Sulfur Gulch.” Smine picks up the axe reverently. “We’ve set up a meeting with Xol-Nomag, the current chieftain. Bring this as a gift. Get safe passage. Don’t get killed by Kellids. Then go to Sulfur Gulch, and find out what it’s about—what was it for, who lived there, how it all worked. If you smuggle anything out, be real careful. Wearing fur doesn’t make Ghost Wolves stupid. They have magic and wits to spare. And try to make a good impression. We might need them on our side someday. Or at least not killing us on sight.”

The dwarf rubs his calloused hands together. “That’s it. Any questions?”

Reesa smiled as she looked at the others. She wasn’t much on the question asking parts of her mission assignments. She was good at talking to people, so she was sure she and the Ghost Wolves would get along just swimmingly.

”No questions for me. I’m excited to meet new friends however. These Ghost Wolves seem great,” she says, clearly not paying attention to all parts of the briefing.

"The technological objects in those ruin always fascinate Elu. Elu assumed the folks back in the Lodge would also like to get their hands on those items for research purposes as well. It would be such a shame if Pathfinders are not allowed to take what they find." The elf is annoyed by the fact that people are going to take away the spoils of pathfinder-ing, and sees it as a challenge at the same time. "How well does magical extradimensional storage devices fare against divination magic? Hmmm...."

"Oh by the way, what can you tell Elu about this 'Sulfur Gulch' place? Does people in Numeria like to name those ruin in the format of (Chemical Element plus Geological Feature)? Is there a Carbon Canyon somewhere? Why is Iron Mountain in Tian Xia instead of Numeria?"

Farrokh strokes his beard in contemplation "It would also be useful if there was anything more you could tell us about the Ghost Wolves, for example what was the favour that Gojan did for them?"

"...and following up on Elu's questions. Are there any specific dangers you're aware of that we are likely to face in Sulfur Gulch? It's name certainly suggests a place that is not very hospitable."

Ingrge listens passively, nodding slightly to some points, frowning slightly to others. Upon hearing they’ll need to seek passage, he recalls what he can of Tymon and what their options might be…

Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Venture-Captain Smine slides the PCs the pile of notes (see slide 2 of NPCs and Player Handouts), which represents an entry from Gojan the Sharp’s journals as annotated by the gnome Eylysia. Smine also hands over the Kellids’ gift, a finely made adamantine greataxe with several custom touches and Smine’s maker’s mark stamped near each edge.

Regarding the Ghost Wolves, he says "They loathe technology. So if you’ve got any, don’t flaunt it. You can still bring what you have, though. They take these debts seriously, and they won’t attack—unless provoked."

Regarding Sufler Gulch, he says "Don't have much info on that, which is why we’re exploring it. As for dangers, the place gives off smoke, I hear. Nasty stuff, and poisonous too. No signs of tech near the surface. If there were, the Ghost Wolves would’ve smashed it."

Ingre knows that the city-state of Tymon lies southwest of the city of Daggermark on the very western borders of the River Kingdoms next to the nation of Razmiran. Tymon is renowned for its gladiators, as it boasts both a huge arena and many prestigious gladiator colleges. It is not part of Numeria, which is where you are headed, but is merely the staging area for the mission. The population is 2500 or so and your purchases will be limited accordingly (though I suspect that all your major purchases have already been done).

Kn Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (9) + 18 = 27
Kn Geography: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26
Elu takes out her Pathfinder Chronicles and share the information of Numeria and Sellen Hills to her teammates.

"Poisonous gas, it does soulds like sulfur to Elu. There are spells that ward against poisonous gas, and thanks to our hard working Druid scribes back in HQ, they are made cheaply available to Pathfinders." Elu commented.
Life Bubble, anyone?

Elu takes out her Pathfinder Chronicles and share the information of Numeria and Sellen Hills to her teammates.

Knowledge (Geography): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

A tall elf woman in forester trappings, a long mithril chain shirt and autumn-gold cloak steps from the shadows. She acknowledges Elu words with a nod. She inspects Venture-Captain's papers, puts them down, does likewise with the axe, giving a few flourishing swings to test it's balance.

She says "Shonne." indicating herself with a gesture, and then, without another word, steps back.

Knowledge (engineering): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Knowledge (geography): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Farrokh reads over the notes and listens to the additional information that Elu provides.

"I certainly have access to a few spells which can provide protection from poisonous gasses." offers the Nexian "I have the Life Bubble spell in my spellbook and I also have an arcane version of Delay Poison which I picked up during my studies in the Magaambya. Both of them are fairly long lasting, so could potentially be cast on some members of our group the day before, especially if anyone has access to means for extending the duration of spells." (e.g. an Extend metamagic rod, Blessing of Fervor etc...) "That said, if someone else has access to Life Bubble that would definitely be helpful from my point of view as it is one of my most potent spells, so not needing to memorise it could potentially free up other useful options."

"The notes also mentioned that Gojan encountered 'metal men', so I suspect bringing adamantine weapons for the exploration would likewise be beneficial."

"Thinking back to Elu's earlier question about extradimensional spaces, what is the scope of our mission? Should we be looking to bring back any Numerian artifacts we find? If so then having access to something like that could be a big help given the Ghost Wolves views around technology. Does anyone have one of those magic haversacks or similar?"

Elu makes sure the door are closed, then speaks to the group quietly: "Elu heard that the R&D group back in Grand Lodge have developed just the very thing we need, they call it the Pathfinder Pouch." She reaches out to her backpack and takes out a flyer, and reads:

This nondescript belt pouch is quite popular among Pathfinders who need to smuggle items past snooping guards or government officials. Detect magic does not detect that it is magical (as per the magic aura spell), but the pouch acts as a very small bag of holding (contents limit 10 pounds, volume limit 2 cubic feet).

With a command word, the wearer can close or open the extradimensional space within the pouch; when closed, the pouch holds no more than a mundane belt pouch the size of a human fist, though objects within the extradimensional space remain stored, unreachable until the pouch is unsealed again. This allows the user to empty his pockets or even turn the pouch inside-out to prove he carries no contraband, and access the hidden goods later when in a safe place. Because of their nonmagical auras, these pouches sometimes hold secret treasures for generations without their owners realizing their nature.

"Elu is going to order one of this, so that the technology artifacts can be delivered to the hands of those who could unlock the marval within. It blends well with all the alchemical stuffs Elu has, most of them do not radiate magical aura either."

While Shonne does not have access to 5th level spells yet, nor any 'duration extenders' she does own a handy haversack and spellbooks of her own if any wizards in the party are interested in swapping spells. Feel free to have a look on her character page near the bottom.

Venture-Captain Smine nods approvingly at the conclusions you are coming to. "As I expected. Prepare is the motto for the day. There's a riverboat waiting for you when you are ready. It will take several days to get there. Won't take the Ghost Wolves long to greet you. I suspect. Though it might take some time."

The man seems to have a thing against conjunctions and a fondness for periods when he talks.

Ingrge nods to VC Smine, gathers his things and goes quietly to the riverboat that awaits them…

Purchase Clear Ear, Pathfinder Pouch; craft Blood-boiling Pill
Elu follows others to the riverboat after coming back from the black market.

After resolving a few personal matters around town Farrokh also heads to the boat.
As it sounds like we will be on the boat for a few days, Farrokh has some spells which he will cast on himself every night before going to sleep if he has slots available, plus some he will cast before sleeping on days when we anticipate potentially meeting the Ghost Wolves the following day (he may also be able to cast Lucky Number on other members of the party before sleeping, especially if anyone has 1st level pearls of power available):

The trip takes a few weeks as the boat winds its way through the waterlogged woodlands of the River Kingdoms and crosses into the scrublands of Numeria. Several days later, the captain points out a pile of rocks adorned by a series of sun-worn cloth streamers, identifying it as a common signal that a local tribe awaits visitors. The crew lands the PCs on the east bank shortly thereafter, wishing them luck before departing for Chesed.

Within an hour, a small band of Ghost Wolves warriors arrives with weapons sheathed and silvery mail partly hidden by their rough cloaks. The group’s leader introduces himself in a friendly voice. "You are the Pathfinders? I am Jala Spirit-Eye."

Knowledge: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Ingrge tells his companions what he knows of Numeria and the Ghost Wolves…

Look up to the DC20 spoiler post above

knowledge (local, +2 more v humans): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

While fluent in the local tongue, having not walked Numeria herself, Shonne differs to the half-human's assessment of the lands and her peoples, but doesn't add anything to the discourse.

Within an hour, a small band of Ghost Wolves warriors arrives with weapons sheathed and silvery mail partly hidden by their rough cloaks. The group’s leader introduces himself in a friendly voice. "You are the Pathfinders? I am Jala Spirit-Eye."

Shonne nods.

Kn Local Take 10: 10 + 18 = 28
Elu greets the leader with a bow.

"Excellent. I am to guide you back to the camp where our leader Xol-Nomag waits. You all look like a competent group."

He fives Elu a bit of a stare when he notices her gun.

"You may want to tuck that away if you want Xol-Nomag to allow you passage."

He complements the party on any apparent strengths such as muscles, weaponry, or impressive animal companions. As he observes, “You must be confident that you can gain Xol-Nomag’s favor.” He laughs, his look becoming one of friendly amusement. “Confidence is good. Come, come along. We will take a meal together at our camp, and then you can present your case to her.”

Do you converse with the band or do you keep to yourselves?

"May Elu inqures about where did you learn about the firearms from Alkenstar? They're from one and a half continents plus an inner sea away, and they're not from the sky. They are the pinnacle of human intelligence and Golarion's techonology, something that even Anti-Magic Field fails to overshadow. " Elu takes out both of her guns and hands them over to Jala for him to inspect.

"Elu believe that someone as wise and knowledgable as you, or the powerful Xol-Nomag, surely won't mistake them for Numerian technologies."

Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Farrokh nods politely to the Ghost Wolves "What can you tell us about Xol-Nomag? Is there anything which we should know about which would help us make a good impression or help us avoid making a bad impression?"

Do you converse with the band or do you keep to yourselves?

Shonne does not even converse with her own group unless pressed to do so, and probably only knows some of their names because she observed others using them aboard the boat.

Ingrge nods in acknowledgment when the Ghost Wolves speak, but other than exchange friendly greetings, he lets the others do the talking as he knows his limitations there. However, he does try to get a read on them thru their speech and nonverbal cues…

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Diplomacy 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23

Reesa strikes up a conversation with the friendly Ghost Wolves. ”Hi Jala. I’m Reesa and as you know we are from the society. We have a gift for the tribe,” she says, pointing out the large axe that was brought along just for that purpose.

During the trip to camp, the Kellids share tales of battle against the Technic League, especially with obvious warriors among the PCs. Jala is particularly friendly and open with the PCs, and he’s happy to engage in conversation; he indicates that the Ghost Wolves could benefit greatly from trade with the Society, especially for new spells and other magical wisdom.

"May Elu inquires about where did you learn about the firearms from Alkenstar?..."

"It's a gun, that much I know. It may be different from the stuff that is around here, and you may see a big distinction, but I would not assume others will."

Farrokh nods politely to the Ghost Wolves "What can you tell us about Xol-Nomag? Is there anything which we should know about which would help us make a good impression or help us avoid making a bad impression?"

"She is wise and cautionus. Some say she can see right into their souls. Treat her with respect and show her your worth is the best advice I can give."

...However, he does try to get a read on them thru their speech and nonverbal cues…

Sense Motive = 16

They do not care for the gun, but they are not hostile about it, but they do give Elu a few extra glances.

The PCs find the Kellids quite gregarious and they try to wheedle a story or two out of them, but for the most part the PCs are reticent, and eventually they get the idea and keep their socializing to themselves.

Farrokh is more than happy to share tales with the Ghost Wolves on the trip to the camp, keen to get an understanding of them and their culture. He is especially intrigued by their interest in magic noting that he certainly has knowledge of a few spells which may be of use to them if they were interested.

Elu will put her gun in her backpack out of sight. She's not the type to tell great tales, but she can be a good listener.

I should have written "within 48 hours" in the next thread. Hello everybody! Finally.

Soon another boat arrives, with a tall bald man in medium armor. He has a sword on his back and a strange pistol on his belt, and also the habit of thoughtfully rubbing his chin while looking around. His dark cloak on the clasp is decorated with two symbols - the holy symbol of Ragathiel and a Red Star, and his blackened mithril armor fits perfectly on his slim figure. His accent is slightly reminiscent of Irissen, but still subtly different.

Haeel, komrrradys! My namye ees Neekeeta Volkov. Ee'm sorry, ee got dyelayyed on zeye road, and eet deedn't allov mye to makye eet to zeye myeyeteeng veeze yoah. Baht lahckeely, groahp of kyelleed travyellyers verrre heading een zeye samye gyenyeral deeryecteeon as mye.

He looks at you all carefully once more, especially stopping at Elu's pistols, and then shows his wayfinder as a sign of confirmation of his words.

GM, can I assume that I bought adamantine bullets before shipping? It's pretty logical considering where I'm going.

Yes on the bullets. Did you want to socialize with the Kellids?

Not too much, within the bounds of politeness .)

The Ghost Wolves have pitched their camp a day’s journey from the river, and the settlement is abuzz with activity. Some wrestle and spar, while others mend weapons and armor. Within a broad tent, half a dozen mystics consult books, familiars, and each other while discussing magical theory. Kellids of all ages busily butcher an immense boar, cutting it into strips to preserve while a several older members lead in an energetic work song to keep the pace lively. Throughout the afternoon, children busy themselves with play or by shadowing the adults. The Ghost Wolves don’t mind a bit of distraction so long as it doesn’t detract from their main tasks.

How do you interact with the tribe? If you use a skill roll the skill. Anyone speak/understand Hallit (their language, of course)?

Elu will transcribe the Tongue spell from Farrokh's spellbook into alchemical formula, then creates extract of it to allow her to join in the magic discussion. She will also uses a couple extract and the cognatogen to "brighten" her mind. (INT cognatogen, Amplify Elixir=> { Heroism, Heighten Awareness, True Skill} )
Knowledge(Arcana): 1d20 + 34 ⇒ (17) + 34 = 51

Farrokh enquires if the party need to do anything to arrange a meeting with Xol-Nomag. "In the meantime, perhaps we can help out a bit?" he suggest recalling Jala Spirit-Eye's advice regarding Xol-Nomag valuing those who can show their worth.

If there is time Farrokh will offer to share some of his spells with the Ghost Wolve's spellcasters...

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (15) + 20 = 35

The pair of you certainly make an impact on the witches that form the magical coterie of the tribe. Your comments are salient, to the point, and more often than not, quite educational, covering many topics the tribesmen didn't even know existed.

For those more athletically (and culinary) inclined there is a butchering going on and feats of strength, dexterity, and general athleticism occurring. You can use your imagination on this if you would like; for example, if you are good with an axe you might show off your axe throwing skills.

"Oh stewardess GM, I speak Hallit."

Shonne moves quietly throughout the encampment not initiating interaction with anybody.

With a moment to herself, Shonne casts blend disappearing into the background. Then she goes on walkabout throughout the encampment for an hour and a half, maintaining cover while ostensibly out in the open. She listens to folks she passes, and let's her ears guide her to anything interesting or out of place.

stealth (1/2 speed): 1d20 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 10 + 4 = 31

perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26 +2 more vs humans

Ingrge grins in anticipation upon seeing the more athletic activities. He enthusiastically joins in…

First off, he puts on an acrobatic display, tumbling with back flips, tucks, and twists…

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (16) + 24 = 40

…then invites the Ghost Wolves to bind him tightly to show his escape capabilities…

Escape Artist: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (18) + 19 = 37

…and then puts his long range archery skills on display…

Longbow @ 300’: 1d20 + 16 + 2 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 16 + 2 + 1 - 4 = 35