"You may call me Majordomo Pip..."
You all follow Pip into the next room. A collapsed sign near the door lists the exhibit that was on display in this gallery at the time of the earthquake: “Flowering Shrubs of Eastern Taldor”. Plants once grew in the large, ceramic planters that still hug the southern wall. Dozens of branches clinging to decaying leaves emerge from the wooden door to the north. To the east, a room with healthy trees and shrubs is visible through a glass door set in a wrought iron frame. In the east room there are dozens of healthy plants with vibrant and colorful leaves, fruit, and flowers that emerge from the decay in the small greenhouse, spilling out of the pots and berths that once contained them.
Pip looks to be heading towards the north door.
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"If you don't mind, I have a more elegant solution," Vangral says and casts a spell. Four lights glowing an eerie green spring into being, providing illumination as powerful as a torch, spinning slowly around him and causing his pale skin to shadow and shine in unpredictable patterns.
He keeps an eye on everything but just follows the Majordomo for the moment, content, at least for now, at the mandragora is leading them on the right track.
Pip stops and informs Ekadan that "One of the few rooms that seems to have survived the catastrophe. It's very beautiful, is it not? This whole place used to be a lot like that. Some of the plants are quite beneficial and even magical in nature."
Pip waits patiently, probably used to the concept of folks hovering over an exhibit.
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Pip stops and informs Ekadan that "One of the few rooms that seems to have survived the catastrophe. It's very beautiful, is it not? This whole place used to be a lot like that. Some of the plants are quite beneficial and even magical in nature."
"Could you give us a tour, tell us which plants are beneficial and which are magical? We're explorers first and foremost and we live to learn."
Pip opens the door and invites the others into the room. He explains that there are a pair of walnuts that each provides the effects of a potion of shield of faith, a tough length of ivy that functions as a potion of spider climb when chewed, two cherries that function as potions of reduce person, and two watermelons that each produce the effects of potions of enlarge person on the first person to eat a bite of them. Eating any of these unusual potions takes a standard action.
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Pip opens the door and invites the others into the room. He explains that there are a pair of walnuts that each provides the effects of a potion of shield of faith, a tough length of ivy that functions as a potion of spider climb when chewed, two cherries that function as potions of reduce person, and two watermelons that each produce the effects of potions of enlarge person on the first person to eat a bite of them. Eating any of these unusual potions takes a standard action.
"Wow that's awesome! Do you mind if we take a couple of these? They could be really useful since we were told there's quite a potent haunt hanging around."
Pip shrugs. "Sure, take what you want as long as you do not harm the plants."
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"Oh, that is most generous of you," Vangral says moving around to help gather the bounty. He doesn't pick the watermelons, though. Not only would he not benefit from their magic, but also watermelons are quite cumbersome.
"I've always had a passing admiration for nature, but I begin to see just how fascinating it can be," he comments.
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Ekadan asks for Pip's help in showing how to properly harvest the two walnuts, the tough length of ivy, the two cherries, and one of the watermelons.
To Kihel he says, "Yeah but I'm hungry now."
He'll distribute the harvested items to those who want them except for one of the walnuts and the watermelon.
Having picked the room clean of goodies, the group continues on their way and reach the greenhouse. Several corridors and galleries from the previous area eventually lead to the entrance of the second intact greenhouse in the arboretum. A wooden plaque outside reads “Plants of Eastern Garund: Please proceed with caution, as some are poisonous”.
"The master gardener is in there."
Unlike the dead and warped growth in most of the Arboretum, the plants growing in this greenhouse seem to be relatively young and healthy. Several raised beds of earth host strange looking plants with long, sinuous vines, and a small, gently flowing fountain with a red lion statue at its center sits near the middle of the chamber. Against the wall stands a worktable and chair covered in gardening tools.
As you enter (please place your icons near the entrance) an anthropomorphic plant creature yells at you all "Stay back. I know you! You are gardeners from Quantium, come to collect us."
She seems quite agitated.
The Master Gardener shakes visibly before settling down.
"No, no you do not look like gardeners. So, what can I do for you?"
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Your diplomacy is insane at a low level table. That being said...
The Master Gardener shakes visibly before settling down.
"No, no you do not look like gardeners. So, what can I do for you?"
"Well first we have this weird ghost with us that needs us to search that red lion statue for something he left there when he was alive. Then we need to escort this young lady to the haunted part of the compound so she can make peace with her past. I'd also like to ask you some questions if you don't mind?"
Reading the chalk scribbles he made on some of his canvas he asks, "How did you get hear from Quantium and you said "collect us"; who is 'us' exactly? We're members of the Pathfinder Society and we explore, report, and cooperate and maybe we can help you and your group out. Second what do you know about the areas outside of here specifically what looks like it used to be a school? And what do you know about Majordomo Pip the little plant creature that led us to you and called you the 'Master Gardener'?"
"Ah, that is a story indeed. I am a Ghoran and I escaped from Nex with some seedlings of my kind. I've planted them and am awaiting their emergence. You probably do not know of our kind as w are mostly extinct - and apparently valuable. I was hoping Absalom would be a more welcoming place to my kind and we could live peacefully and grow here. This place looked like a suitable place to do so, though now I wonder. I do not know much about the area having only arrived recently and then secreted myself here. Pip here was not particularly happy that I took over this greenhouse, but I convinced him it would be too dangerous to do anything about it. I have friends here, you see. Pip is a mandragora which is to say, well, a bit on the self serving and malicious side if yo ask me. Still... he is at least a plant, which speaks well for him. We get along. I think it helps that I plan to leave soon. You wouldn't happen to know of a safe and out of the way place we could live?"
Pip seems unconcerned by the assessment, but does eye the Ghoran with annoyance.
"You may examine the statue, but take care not to disturb the plant beds.
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"If you are amenable to it, we can return here after we deal with our next errand and take you to our Grand Lodge. It is quite an expansive campus and there are many there who are dedicated to the care and study of all manner of beings, including plants. I'm sure we could find you a place there. And there is likely little place in the world safer as it's home to some of the most capable adventurers in the world," Vangral offers as he approaches the fountain and statue.
But, given the fact that he doesn't want to get his clothes wet, he doesn't get nearly close enough to the statue to make any kind of decent examination.
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"Ah, that is a story indeed. I am a Ghoran and I escaped from Nex with some seedlings of my kind. I've planted them and am awaiting their emergence. You probably do not know of our kind as w are mostly extinct - and apparently valuable. I was hoping Absalom would be a more welcoming place to my kind and we could live peacefully and grow here. This place looked like a suitable place to do so, though now I wonder. I do not know much about the area having only arrived recently and then secreted myself here. Pip here was not particularly happy that I took over this greenhouse, but I convinced him it would be too dangerous to do anything about it. I have friends here, you see. Pip is a mandragora which is to say, well, a bit on the self serving and malicious side if yo ask me. Still... he is at least a plant, which speaks well for him. We get along. I think it helps that I plan to leave soon. You wouldn't happen to know of a safe and out of the way place we could live?"
Pip seems unconcerned by the assessment, but does eye the Ghoran with annoyance.
"You may examine the statue, but take care not to disturb the plant beds.
"Yeah your doubts about this place are wise. Our resident know-it-all here says this place is infected with some kind of weird 'corrupting' rain and that's probably what has you and Majordomo Pip on edge. Like Vangral said we can escort you out of here and to our Lodge. I don't know where you might be comfortable living but I'm sure the Society knows of somewhere suitable."
Ekadan moves to inspect the statue for any sign of a hidden compartment or something similar:
Most of you poke around looking for a secret compartment, but Rosla notices a slight rocking and calls for everyone to tip it over, gently. You discover that it is hollow. Inside is a small package wrapped in many layers of wax paper: Grishan’s intelligence packet. Reading his notes reveals a number of secrets, all in Grishan’s hurried script, along with documents that provide proof of the allegations made. (See slides 4-6 in NPCs and Player Handouts).
Grishan is particularly troubled by the information on his family, while J looks more thoughtful than anything.
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Ekadan tries to comfort Grishan, "Eh every family has a few skeletons in the closet. And maybe that's why your brother chose the path he did: to make up for your family's past misdeeds. By the way we need to turn documents over to the Pathfinder Society. It's important information starting with the assassinations on Society members."
To J he says, "Looks like your trip down memory lane is next."
The Drownyard is located a short distance from the Arboretum Arcanis, and is surrounded by a tall, wrought iron fence. The key provided by Drandle Dreng unlocks the front gate.
The grounds of the old Tri-Towers Yard have been cleaned up in the last several years, and several old ruined school buildings that stood too close to the cliff’s edge were demolished. All of the gnarled old trees were removed and new flowering bushes and trees have been planted in their place. Despite these efforts, the few ruined classrooms that remain look sad and forgotten. Just inside the gate sits a small, locked storage shed marked with the Pathfinder’s Glyph of the Open Road.
On the pathfinder storage shed reads a sign that reads "Entry to above ground structure in the ‘Yard is strongly discouraged. It contains an dangerous supernatural force. Items in the yellow box are for emergencies only." It is signed "V-C Dreng".
J. falls silent as she steps on the grounds of her old school. She asks the PCs to remain quiet just for a moment while they remember the children and adults who died there.
"I sense something in there," she states, pointing at one of the classrooms. "It has something to teach me, something I need to learn."
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Ekadan observes the moment of silence with J and when it's over will offer prayers from Abadar for all those who perished.
"Easy J let's get some supplies that the Venture Captain advised us to access. Did you read the sign? "Dangerous supernatural force"? That's what I've been worried might be 'calling' to you and Grishan. Once we've retrieved what's in the closet we, including you and Grishan, should prepare yourselves."
The lock on the shed is broken and no longer works, so it has to be the easiest lock picking Rosla has ever done. Someone with far less finesse than her gained entry to the shed the old fashioned way.
The shed contains various supplies used by the archaeological teams that work here including large rolls of twine, wooden stakes, brushes, sacks, shovels, trowels, and various measuring implements. The yellow box contains 2 haunt siphons. A short note inside the box describes the function of the haunt siphon. The box is mostly empty but it still contains several holding slots for papers and vials as well as several empty (presumably looted) cloth pouches. For some reason the looters decided the haunt siphons were useless. What would you expect from goons that break locks like that?
You all ready to enter the classroom?
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Ekadan educates the others (including J) on what items Ekadan has stored in his bandolier slots so they know what to grab if needed.
He reminds everyone who has earplugs this is the time to use them. Well except for J; she might need to hear something apparently.
Ekadan takes a moment to to chug his Meditation Tea, "Tasty."
Just before the party enters he will use his scroll of Protection from Evil on himself and then put in his earplugs.
"Ready! Can anyone hear me?"
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"Ah, yes, earplugs." Kihel will put those on as well.
She then open her mouth to pretend speaking to Ekadan, but isn't actually making any sounds.
What does a deaf oracle (or other deaf PC) need to do in order to read lips?
In the Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild, any PC who spends a rank in Linguistics may learn to read lips in all languages she knows instead of learning a new language. She cannot use lip reading to decipher words in languages she does not know. When reading the lips of a speaking creature within 10 feet in normal lightning conditions, the reader does not need to make any skill checks. In more difficult situations, the lip reader must make Perception checks, with a DC determined by the GM.
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"Ah, yes, earplugs." Kihel will put those on as well.
She then open her mouth to pretend speaking to Ekadan, but isn't actually making any sounds.
** spoiler omitted **
[dice=Bluff for lol]d20+14
Seeing Kihel's lips move but not getting what she's saying isn't anything new for Ekadan who gives her a thumbs up!
"Yeah that's great, couldn't hear a thing!"