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I was actually wondering if this package required an armed guard sir. It wouldn't be the first time.
He chuckles when he finds out it's a bottle of wine. And may the Lucky Drunk bless your libation sir. But I think I'll stick to ales for now. Besides, wouldn't it be really cool if it was the Wounded Wisp that he drank at before taking the Test.
The Wounded Wisp is located in the Foreign Quarter district of Absalom, close to the grounds of the Grand Lodge. You have no difficulty finding the establishment with the map Dreng provided. Almost every initiate or member has heard of or seen the building at some point. Built from dark, discolored wood, the exterior of the Wounded Wisp is the image of an iconic dive bar. Stained and barred windows obscure direct vision into the establishment, though ruddy yellow light bleeds from a window in the front hall. The only distinguishing feature on the Wisp’s exterior is a thick wooden sign hanging from above the bar’s entrance. A brass ring fitted onto the sign anchors a lantern — referred to by the staff as “the wisp” — that hangs there during the evening hours.
Coat Check: This large closet contains various coat racks and shelves for patrons to place any equipment they don’t want to lug with them. A teenager works here and manages any garments the patrons wish to stow.
Main Hall: Tables fill the main floor of the Wounded Wisp where patrons sit with colleagues and share stories over drinks. Three sets of stairs lead up to a raised dining area.
Bar: Staffed by at least one employee of the Wounded Wisp, the bar holds a variety of different beers, while hard liquors are kept in a glass case on the wall behind the bar.
Dining Area: Four feet above the main floor of the Wounded Wisp, this section is sectioned off by elegant metal railings. On this level, patrons can enjoy a more private meal without the noise of the area below.
Privies: These are washrooms for use by the patrons and staff.
Kitchen: A staff of up to three cooks prepare appetizers and larger meals in this kitchen, which houses a wood-burning stove and several stone-surfaced tables.
Back Storeroom: A set of stone stairs leads down from here into the basement level of the Wounded Wisp.
Private Room: This area is reserved for private functions and has a separate bar and soundproof door. It is often used by venture-captains to disclose important briefings to agents in a more personal atmosphere than the grounds of the Grand Lodge.
The smell of smoke and spilled ale assails the senses in this wide-open area. Walls of dark-stained wood make up the sides of the Wounded Wisp, while well-used wooden tables are spread throughout the space. A raised area in the back of the establishment houses several additional tables and eating areas for groups seeking more than just a good drink.
An austere bar supported by kegs instead of wooden panels commands the northern end of the room. A stained-glass cabinet stands behind the bar, it's dark panes cracked in several spots, yet not so opaque as to conceal the several dozen types of hard liquor within.
As you emerge from the entry hall, a handful of different groups are already relaxing around the bar, enjoying the drink and food offered by the Wisp’s staff. Heryn Gale, the proprietress, stands behind the bar catering directly to those sitting on stools while simultaneously preparing drinks for those at tables and coordinating the wait staff. Upon hearing you’ve come for a parcel for Venture-Captain Dreng, she holds up a finger, bidding you to give her a moment. She serves a flagon to a bespectacled fellow of middle age who sits at the bar. ”There you are, Master Gill.” He murmurs his thanks as he takes a sip before returning his gaze to the large and ominous looking tome open before him.
”I’d be glad to help you as soon as I’m free, but I fear my replacement isn’t due to spell me for another half-hour or so. Got to man the bar until she turns up. Sorry about the wait. How about you enjoy some refreshment while you wait? On the house!” She suggests, ready to take your order.
Nearby a rather boisterous pair of Half-orcs talk and laugh jovially over their tankards. They seem to be discussing the merits of two-handed weapons over the less impressive one-handed varieties and swapping stories to support their position.
Near the south end of the room, a Keleshite man dressed in white sits alone, gazing wistfully at an award displayed on the wall.
And finally, a familiar voice rings out from the raised dining area and you hear Janira Gavix in mid-recital, a group of young agents hanging on her every word. "So I yelled, 'A minotaur! There’s little chance we can stand against it. Take this bag and head deeper into the caves. Finish your mission. I’ll lead it away from the caves, lose it in the forest, and join you as soon as I can. Now go! GO!’ And I hurled my pack into the cave. I could tell they were worried, but I was the senior agent so they didn’t question it.”
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Ryul grasps his coin purse, half expecting it to be gone from another of Drang’s ‘jokes’. But it is there and so he orders his free drink and makes sure to tip very well.
”A glass of wine or cider please. If none of those, a bit of sherry or port would do nicely.”
Intrigued by Janira’s story, he starts moving that way. Until he can’t help but divert to the half-orc’s table and interject, ”Ah, but what of a blade that can be wielded in two hands OR one. My favorite, the elven curve blade. Or of course, the bastard sword. All the benefits of both styles.”
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"Worried" is not the right word at all, Janira. Nal comes up with a glass of cider or semi-dry white wine (if there is such a drink in the tavern). Pathfinders don't leave their own, so it's a great blessing that the ending of the story will be exactly what it will be. Go on. He sits down comfortably to listen to her. At the same time, he gestures with his glass in her direction, as if to indicate that the next sip will be in Janira's honor.
Janira looks up, her surprise and delight painted clear on her face. "Have I developed a sudden talent for summoning? I can't believe my luck! I was just telling these aspiring Pathfinders about your Confirmation. It will be their turn soon and though no two Confirmation missions are the same, there's always valuable lessons to learn from the experience. Like, for example..." Her smile turns a bit sheepish as she ruffles the back of her hair, "I learned that just because an opponent looks big and dumb doesn't mean he'll be easy to lose in a forest. Especially when he has the home field advantage."
---
Ryul is greeted by a pair of tusk-toothed smiles as the half-orcs turn to hear him out. The female pulls the hilt of her bastard sword free from it's scabbard to display it to the newcomer, though she does not fully unsheathe it so as not to unsettle the other patrons. "This elf talks sense. Well come now, I showed you mine." She urges, gesturing to the curve blade at his hip.
"Bah, when would you ever use just one hand? You want to hop about like some Aldori duelist? Nah, give me a greataxe and I'll cleave through three enemies before you've had a chance to ask them to dance." The male speaks with bluster and bravado, but follows it with a hearty chuckle and extends his hand to Ryul. "I'm Garl, and that's my sister Shrade flirting with you. They call us the Boartusk twins, though we ain't twins. She just wish she was as pretty as me." He says with a grin. Shrade chucks a pickled egg into his tankard, splashing his ale into his face. "Hey!" Garl objects.
---
The bespectacled fellow Gill and the Keleshite in white look up with interest as Janira greets the party as freshly confirmed pathfinders. The Keleshite fiddles with a holy symbol of Sarenrae.
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Well ... you were letting your position be known all the time. You really should have taken advantage of your size and stealth in order to hide - at least that's my opinion. But yeah. Has she told you what we found inside?
And he picks up the story but glosses over Paloma getting wet.
The orcs may also notice that Jack has a masterwork greatsword on his back.
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Ryul smiles big, flirting is rational. Sword banter is rational. This is a good place to kill half an hour.
He replies with the appropriate response, probably. Reaching slowly down to his waist, he smoothly slides out just a bit of his well polished sword with a small grin, ”That’s really the thing though right? It’s not the weapon, it’s how you use it.”
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"I never say no to a free drink (or two)! Do you have dwarven ale? I've heard the brand Bugman's Best should be really good, but I did not have a chance to try it yet. So if you have it, I'll have a mug of that, please. Otherwise any dwarven ale will do just fine."
After taking a looong sip Cortina strolls over to the Keleshite man and checks out both the award on the wall and the expression of the man's face.
Well ... you were letting your position be known all the time. You really should have taken advantage of your size and stealth in order to hide - at least that's my opinion. But yeah. Has she told you what we found inside?
Janira shakes her head in dismay at Jack's comment, "Believe you me, Jack, I exhausted my repertoire of tactics against that particular foe. Once I led him away, I tried going to ground so I could give him the slip and rejoin you. But he was wily and reckless. Hiding in the brush does little good when when your opponent is willing to hew through the entire thicket just in case you might be there." She unconsciously rubs at her shoulder, feeling the echo of long healed wounds.
"No Paloma today, huh? Shame. This lot will never buy the bit about how fast that cat of hers can move without a demonstration." She laughs. "But I wasn't the one who saw the interior of that cave. Why don't one of you take up your side of the tale?" She suggests with an encouraging smile.
---
The half-orc siblings laugh uproariously at Ryul's joke. Shrade's eyes go wide at the sight of the elven blade, as beautiful as it is deadly. "Gorgeous craftsmanship there." She says appreciatively, clearly impressed.
"Bah, weapons need to be serviceable. Solid. Like that sword the big man's wearing on his back there," Garl says, gesturing to Jack. "That’s the sort of weapon you need to carry you through the perils around Lastwall. But I still say there’s nothing an axe can’t fix.” Shrade rolls her eyes in a long suffering way that seems to imply she has heard this argument from him frequently.
---
Cashel finds Master Gill easy to draw into discussion. Yargos Gill seems eager for intelligent conversation and speaks at length regarding important military history from the Inner Sea. He seems to assume that everyone is knowledgeable of such things, but if asked for particulars about his digressions, he goes into excruciating detail about esoteric events. Still, his thirst for knowledge makes him a good listener and he expresses his interest in ancient secrets and finds Cashel’s pitch for the Dark Archive very compelling. He agrees to follow up and proudly reveals that he has contacts among the Arcanamirium as well.
---
Cortina notes that the award honors a recently deceased pathfinder with the Kelish name of Malik Pirani. The posthumous epitaph speaks of his great devotion to duty and courage in the face of overwhelming odds. The man in white gives her a respectful nod of acknowledgement. ”Well met, my name is Aram bin Kaleel. The Society is generous with their accolades, are they not?” he scoffs with a bitterness born of grief. ”I pray you learn your lessons well so that your honors may be spoken of in your hearing. And not nailed to the wall as a cautionary tale.” He is quite sincere in his good-will toward new pathfinders and his disillusionment with the Society’s leadership.
Everyone receives something to drink of moderate quality, certainly not top-shelf but passable to even the most discerning of palates.
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Yeah ... tis a bit of a shame, I sort of miss her company but she's off with her family while we're actually on mission. Just gotta pick up a package for a Venture Captain.
So ... where was I ... right ... after retrieving the cloak from the pit, we carried on ... and you'll never believe what we found. Depictions of Aroden raising Kortos and there was even a model of Absalom in the middle of a lake. The gillman there seemed to be in the process of some sort of worship, presumably to Aroden ....
Janira nods along with Jack and Nal. "That's an important point. The Society will tend to keep groups together that work out well. But agents get reassigned and called away on other business often. It's important to keep an open mind and be prepared to work with a variety of people from all sorts of backgrounds. Whatever your differences, you'll always have the common ground of being fellow Pathfinders." She says, leaping upon the teachable moment as she is wont to do.
The aspiring pathfinders find the tale of your Confirmation quite thrilling.
---
Paul follows Cortina over to bin Kaleel and bows in greeting. "It sounds like a sad tale. Would it trouble you anew to share it?"
Aram shakes his head, "No, I would tell it one hundred times every day if it might guide one agent to err on the side of caution and come away with their life. Young Malik was from my home village and looked upon the Pathfinders with worshipful eyes. He had an excess of courage and dreams of heroism. He and a team of new agents were sent to investigate a ruin. He was overconfident in his ability and preceded the party's scout. He triggered an ancient trap and was buried beneath an avalanche of stone. He did realize his mistake a spit second before his demise and shoved a teammate to safety. But had he let the scout do his job, he might be sitting here now, telling me of his last great success." He rises with a sigh, pulling on his cloak. “A Pathfinder should stand on his own two feet, but be able to lean on a fellow agent when needed. Our great deeds are done together, we rely on the knowledge of the studious, the muscle of the strong, the swiftness of the agile, the magic of the arcane and the faith of the devout. He who stands alone, will fall." He hands Paul a card with his name and the address of his shop titled Aram’s Antiquities in the Coins district and bids him to seek him out if he has need of information. ”Explore, Report, Cooperate, yes. But also, Research, Observe, and Prepare.” He advises on his way out the door.
As he passes out of the door, a woman enters and takes up her position behind the bar. Thus relieved, Heryn Gale motions to your party to follow her downstairs. Your conversation partners wish you a good evening as you part ways for the moment.
The basement of the Wounded Wisp is a stonework affair. A set of wooden stairs descends from the main floor into a tightly packed storeroom. Barrels, boxes, and crates of assorted foodstuffs and drink garnishes are pushed against the walls or under the stairs. The quarters are so close that Heryn Gale pushes her way through the next door to make room for everyone to file down the stairs.
The next room is spit by a disconcerting fissure in the foundation, a simple plank bridging the gap. ”Watch your step there, the earthquake of 4698 hit us pretty hard. We’re still saving up for the repairs.” She shares, a little chagrined at the state of the place.
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...[Aram] hands Paul a card with his name and the address of his shop titled Aram’s Antiquities in the Coins district and bids him to seek him out if he has need of information. ”Explore, Report, Cooperate, yes. But also, Research, Observe, and Prepare.” He advises on his way out the door.
Cortina shows empathy. "What a sad tale... even more so as it was completely preventable. I will pray for Malik's soul - he sounds like a good person who made a mistake."
---
In the basement, Cortina looks at the plank. "This piece of wood is definitely not like new! It will probably support the weight of a person of medium height - if that person moves very slowly..."
She adds to Cashel's statement: "Yeah, it would be appreciated very much!"
Ryul glances at the bridge over Paul’s shoulder, ”Would any knowledge of the principles of engineering help?”
With some aid from his friends and a little trial and error, Paul is able to shore up the weakened plank quite nicely. Heryn exclaims, "You are a handy bunch!" She smiles warmly, "New Pathfinders are always such go-getters. So go on with the getting, already." She points out a wine rack with several bottles missing. "Those are the vintages Dreng has been plowing through. The man does like his wine. The next one in the row there should be the one he wants. From the year before the Society was established, if I remember correctly. He’ll likely open a bottle of vinegar soon if he continues on this way." She chuckles lightly at the prospect.
A sturdy silver chain jutting from the ceiling ends in a glowing orb that radiates yellow light across the rectangular room. A simple desk of polished wood, stacked with documents and scattered notes, shelters a pair of wooden chests against the south wall. A series of cracks along the eastern and western walls form makeshift entrances into exposed caverns.
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Ryul hops across the bridge, confident in the stabilization work Paul did, ”Nice job friend. It won’t pass building codes without a railing, but we won’t tell.”
That might have been a joke. But maybe not?
He heads into the wine cellar and pulls the suggested bottle out.
”Hold up, it’s stuck.”
He pulls harder, and with a click the secret passage opens up! He jumps back, ”Well, that was unexpected. Do you think this is another joke of Drangs?”
He pulls harder, and with a click the secret passage opens up! He jumps back, ”Well, that was unexpected. Do you think this is another joke of Drangs?”
Heryn Gale looks genuinely surprised at the revelation of the hidden room. "If it is, it's not one I'm in on. You be careful now." She advises, staying well back from the tunnel, but remaining where she can see what happens.
Moving into the room, you disturb dust that hangs thick over everything, supporting the idea that no person has walked here in a very long time. The light source suspended from the chain above is enough to brighten the room but leaves the connecting tunnels dark. These passages likely opened at the same time as the fissure you crossed in the storeroom.
Surprise!
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➤Paul
???
Nal
Round 1
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Ryul
Jack
Paul
???
Cashel
Cortina
Nal
As much as the creature looks like rock, Paul is not surprised when his rapier point skitters off the stony armor of the thing as if he had poked the wall.
An almost serpentine form rises up from the rocky form and a wickedly barbed stinger stabs down at the rogue, striking his shoulder. Paul feels a burning sensation from the wound as the creature's venom courses into his system, but the fortitude of his body resists its deleterious effects.
The second creature scuttles forward into the light, clacking it's pincers menacingly and you can see it looks much like a scorpion, if such were made of stone and stood as tall as a grown man. It whips it's stinger to stab Nal, but the halfling's constitution resists the effects of the venom as well.
Surprise!
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Paul - rapier attack vs Red, misses
??? (Red) - stings Paul for 3 damage
??? (Blue) - steps, stings Nal for 3 damage
➤Nal
Round 1
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➤Ryul
➤Jack
➤Paul
???
Cashel
Cortina
Nal
The halfling monk strikes the attacking vermin, Ryul's following strike finishes the creature off. Jack then redirects his attack to the other and quickly reduces it to a gooey mess.
With the pest control sorted, the party is free to look over the room at their leisure. The only light source in this room is a plain rock that bears a continual flame spell and hangs from the chain above. The desk's papers chronicle the personal exploits of Selmius Foster, a famous Pathfinder whose name you recognize from your training as Pathfinder agents and most certainly from Janira's orations. Most of Foster’s more infamous adventures appear here in varying amounts of detail. This is indeed a treasure trove of information for the Society.
Events over the past decade have led me to suspect a fellow agent of hoarding her knowledge and not submitting it for review. This woman - a surprisingly sensible gnome by the name of Eylysia - has partaken of almost as many missions as I, yet she reports only a third of what I have brought to light. In order to ensure knowledge is not concealed, I have begun an investigation into Eylysia and her activities here in Absalom, hoping to find her hidden repository of stored knowledge. Thus far, I have come across two promising leads.
The first is Eylysia’s contact with a well-known stonemason by the name of Arkath. I had the displeasure of meeting this fellow in his dying days, when he promised to take any secrets he held to his grave. He was interred in a mausoleum in the Ivy District weeks after our encounter, though I still believe there is more to his connection with Eylysia.
Another lead is Eylysia’s friendship with a member of the Arcanamirium, a local wizard’s guild. The fellow is a gnome by the name of Fimbrik. All of my attempts to speak with him have failed, though I have noted his home address in my files for follow-up.
It is my sincere hope that I am able to return to discover what Eylysia has hidden, but should I not, I entrust this to my assistant Adolphus or any brave Society agents who come across my unfinished work.
-Selmius Foster
My mentor, Selmius Foster, is dead - slain during our journey to the island of Bhopan. I have taken up his investigation into Eylysia's activities, though recent developments mean my time in Absalom is short.
My initial follow-up of Foster's investigation into Arkath involved hiring several diviners to discern the veracity of Selmius's leads. It appears the stonemason was quite honest with my mentor; there is some
key clue buried with him in his mausoleum.
I have watched Eylysia for many months since my return, and I have caught her making additions to the Wall of Names - the memorial built in honor of my departed mentor. She has added three names, none of which are true Pathfinders and are likely worth investigating. Their names are:
~ Doulgonlir Caskmail
~ Hollis 'Evil Grin' Thorne
~ Karina Clamp
Events are in motion that will soon take me to Quantium, after which I will be unable to conclude this investigation. I leave this hidden under the Wounded Wisp, in hopes that one day I might return, or that the
Society endures its current woes and a future generation of agents can take up this cause.
-Adolphus
After some time spent in quiet exploration, Heryn Gale calls out, "Everything ok in there?"
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Ryul sheathes his sword and looks around, ”Everyone ok? Relatively speaking? Those wounds look painful.”
He moves around the room and starts looking through things, making interested little comments as he discovers each new item! When Heryn pipes up he recalls the situation, ”Oh yes, come in! What a discovery. Well other than these critters, it is. A huge trove of valuable information. It will take someone at a pay grade higher than us to figure this out. We must tell… Dreng? Janira? Another Venture Captain?”
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Ryul steps out of the cellar at the mention of the wine bottle and grabs the next one in line, ”Our mission definitely comes first, which was to get him this vintage and visit this tavern. We can also ask him then about following up on these clues. We should talk to Janira next though, if she is still upstairs. She knows this organization and the history better than us.”
He pauses then adds, ”If that is an acceptable plan?”
"That sounds for the best to me." Heryn Gale agrees as she pokes her head through the door looking over the newly discovered area. She wrinkles her nose in disgust at the fallen scorpions. "Ugh... hope there's not more where those came from..."
The party make their way back upstairs and inform Janira of the valuable find. Being something of an expert in the lore of early Pathfinders, she is appropriately impressed, even awestruck at the significance of uncovering Selmius Foster's lost study. "Oh wow! This is all going to need to be catalogued and transcribed. I'll get started right away!" She exclaims with a childish glee that might be better suited for the prospect of tucking into a nameday feast than sorting through a mountain of archaic paperwork.
You find VC Drandle Dreng where you left him and he happily receives his much anticipated bottle of wine. When you share your discovery, he decides his beggared errand is completed enough for the time being and travels with you back to the Grand Lodge.
"What an incredible find! Your names will be attached to this great discovery and marked down with honors, I assure you. And an unsolved mystery to boot! It is important that Pathfinders respect the finds and claims of their colleagues, even posthumously, and this exciting mystery is yours to pursue. I will dispatch some agents to follow up on the study. You say Janira Gavix is already on task? Splendid, I will send her some assistance and supplies forthwith!"
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As they leave, Ryul makes sure the door secures itself behind them, "A representative from the society will be along at some point to make sure nothing else gets in there. And maybe they can fix up your little floor crack or secure the bridge better at least. Thank you for your time and help today, ma'am."
_____
As his allies fill Janira in, he stops by the half-orc's table, "If you all want to spar at some point, I'll be in town for the next couple weeks." He arranges some way to communicate plans if either one or both are interested.
_____
As they reunite with Dreng he waves the VC off, "No need for honors, sir. Just doing our duty. Thank you for the opportunity to follow up. Would it be ok to stop by the grand lodge to do a little research on our new mission first?"
"Of course, forewarned is forearmed, after all."
Details left by Selmius Foster indicate the location of Arkath’s burial site: a plot of land in Eastgate operated by Pharasma's faithful. Buried in a mausoleum on the church’s property, Arkath paid a substantial sum to have his remains guarded. A fence surrounds the necropolis grounds, and although members of Pharasma's faith and city guards routinely patrol the property, it is still legal to enter the grounds to pay respects to the departed.
While the gates into the necropolis are left open to those paying their respects, the doors of the mausoleums are sealed with sturdy stone slabs. You clearly see a somber woman robed in dark blue wandering disinterestedly among the tombs.