[Gameday XIII] GM Tarondor's #3-08: Foundation's Price (Inactive)

Game Master Tarondor

Elyon scoffs. "“I might have called his poultices and potions ‘folksy remedies’ instead of ‘real medicine,’ but he kept on insisting that my crystal vials would be useless to a traveling healer as they are prone to breaking. Apparently, he’s allowed to insult my profession, but I’m not allowed to return the sentiment!"

Do you want to go talk to Lissom? Or do something else?"

"Agrrreed. We should talk to this fellow. He's doing harm where he shouldn't!"

Endra grimaces to herself. They will go talk to this Lissom, but she braces herself for a bout of mediation.

The Elf shrugs on getting in between these two but seems there is no other choice…

At the apothecary's Lissom listens to your question and says "It wasn't slander. Elyon is being pigheaded. What I said was merely factual. His glasswork is delicate and wouldn't work well for a traveling medic."

He folds his arms and waits for you to respond.

Deerslicer nods. "He right. Fancy glass break real easy when goin' places," he says as he's balancing a glass beaker precariously on the back of his hand.

"Be careful with that!" snaps, Lissom, annoyed.

Endra sighs.

Yes, but does anybody really "win" this debate. Sometimes in a community, cohesiveness is a good thing. If you're the bigger person first, you'll win in the best way of all!

Diplomacy (untrained): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13 well...

"I think not. Until Elyon apologizes, he gets nothing from me."

Melika whispers to Endra. "I mean, I could just make off with the salve if you want."

Endra flashes a positive, confirming grin to Melika before straightening out her expression when turning back to Lissom.

Melika will need someone in the party to Create a Diversion with a DC 18 Deception check.

Deerslicer sees the grin and moves to grab some of the salves. He designates Lissom as his prey, and then tries to strategically move into a position where he can't be seen easily by Lissom

Stealth w/ Outwit bonus: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 2 = 19

Once he thinks he's out of sight, he tries to snag some of the salve.

Thievery: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Alanosse is good at Stealth but sucks at Deception…

Shortly thereafter, and green-skinned hand reaches through a slit in the back wall of the tent and steals Lissom's salve. Not long later, Deerslicer signals the party and they all move off.

Returning to Elyon, the team gives him the salve. "That was easy! Thanks, mate!"

This increases his attitude to Friendly, but you need him Helpful. Diplomacy checks, anyone?

Alanoss seems like the best bet for Diplomacy.

”You’re most welcome, mate, I’m sure you’ll feel better in no time now that we’ve provided your medicine. You have a most interesting store here, many interesting things…as one Elf to another, now perhaps you can do us a favor in return, my friend?”

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Use a Hero Point to reroll

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

"Yeah, alright. I guess I can sell it."

You purchase Elyon's well-crafted brass stopper. You need only the silver chain. What do you do?

Deerslicer says to Melika, "We been to all da metalwork places, right? Me no see silver chain yet. Any idea of another place it could be?"

She shrugs. "I don't know anyone that sells... wait, Jalal the bookseller wears a fine silver chain. Maybe you could talk him into selling it?"

Melika leads you to a long, curved stall nestled snugly next to a large fountain where children play. Books of different sizes cover every surface, leaving just a little space for a simple wooden box displaying metal bookmarks. Within the stall, a Keleshite man hums happily. Streaks of silver in his well-groomed beard mirror a silver chain with the symbol of Sarenrae clasped around his neck.

Suddenly aware of customers, he smiles warmly.

“Ah, travelers! You won’t find better stories in all of Qadira! How can Jalal assist you?”

Endra pretends to look around the store, lightly browsing the items present.

What an extensive inventory! Such a selection! Surely you have what we're looking for. A fine silver chain.

Request (Diplomacy, untrained): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Success. Jalal is now Friendly. But not yet Helpful.

"Ah, you have a fine eye, madame. But I could never sell this chain. It was a gift from my grandmother, you see. She left her tribe in the Zho mountains to come and care for me as a small boy. It is in her honor that I make fine carpets in the tradition of her tribe."

Deerslicer glances nervously around the stall filled with books, and those books filled with writing, just mocking him and waiting to steal his soul. Every moment that his eyes fall on writing on the binding of a book, he looks somewhere else, resulting in him glancing all around quickly, and hovering somewhat near the entrance in case a quick escape is needed, staring at the metal bookmarks.

As the man speaks, Deerslicer is pleased to focus on him, trying to ignore all of the writing all over the place. "You sell books an' make rugs? You got a booth wit' rugs all over da place? Me love to see d'at."

Oops! Retcon! It's grandma who makes the rugs, not Jalal.

"Forgive me. I misspoke. It is my grandmother who made the carpets. I wish that I could find out more about my extended family and their traditions, but I cannot afford the services of a guide to find them. So I sell my books and hope that one day..."

Melika tugs on your sleeve and whispers "An expedition just arrived from the Zho mountains. Firrah is their caravan leader. You could talk to him."

_________________________________________

Okay, folks. You have several options.

You can share an interesting story about your own families and then make a Society or Performance check.

You can appeal to Jalal's good nature by telling him about your quest to free imprisoned Pathfinders and make a Diplomacy check.

Or you can go talk to Firrah and see if you can help Jalal.

Or, y'know, you've been lugging around this valuable orb that Safa gave you and never traded it...

Deerslicer nods to Melika's suggestion. "Yeah, let go see if d'is Firrah guy know anyt'in' 'bout his family." He perks up and hollers toward Jalal, "Hey, you, book-guy. What be you extended family name? You grammy's name?"

"She was Hosturia of the Aradeen. All I know is that she lived in the Zho Mountains."

Sorry, all--got hit with a double whammy of finals and Christmas stuff. Granted, Hallow isn't particularly gifted when it comes to social skills, so I doubt y'all were missing many important contributions, lol.

Hallow marks a few things down in their notebook. "Hosturia... Aradeen."

Okay, folks. You have several options.

You can share an interesting story about your own families and then make a Society or Performance check.

You can appeal to Jalal's good nature by telling him about your quest to free imprisoned Pathfinders and make a Diplomacy check.

Or you can go talk to Firrah and see if you can help Jalal.

Or, y'know, you've been lugging around this valuable orb that Safa gave you and never traded it...

Could we do multiple options? Have some people go talk to Firrah while others stay here for Society/Performance/Diplomacy?

Endra agrees that going to speak with Firrah would be prudent.

I don't know if splitting the group really speeds anything up for us. It does in the game but we have to make the posts here all the same. If the GM is up for it though, I don't object.

Aye, let’s go talk to Firrah

I have a +6 on Society, which isn't great but in this group is probably a decent modifier, but I don't feel in-character like a story about my goblin family would be very persuasive. It looks like Hallow has a +8 Society modifier, so maybe that would work.

Deerslicer leads a group off to go speak to Firrah. Upon finding him, he says, "Hey, you know anybody named Hosturia o' Aradeen, who live in da Zho Mountains? She is grammy o' a guy we know, and he want some info 'bout his family."

If someone with more (that is, any) social skills decides to step in and take over then Deerslicer will happily step back.

You can absolutely do multiple different things to make Jalal helpful. You can give him the orb, and end it right there. A critical success on any one roll would also do it, or ordinary successes on any two rolls will make Jalal helpful. Go whichever way or ways you desire.

Deerslicer, Endra and Alanossë (and anyone else who wants) follows Melika to Firrah's caravanserai. Firrah is a larger-than-life adventurer who travels to out-of-the-way places. "I met several nomads in those mountains almost a year ago," he says. "They were fine carpet weavers. It's hard to believe that they set up looms and wove with such fine detail despite moving every few weeks, but they do. I'll be heading back that way at the end of the week. Does your 'guy' want to go with us?"

I don't remember who has the orb. It probably wouldn't occur to Deerslicer that a hunk of glass is actually valuable, but if someone else wants to go that route, I'm fine with it.

Deerslicer nods, remembering that Jalal mentioned that he couldn't afford a guide. "What be da price for him to go wit' you? Or he able to help out in trade? He writes words in books, but me sure he prolly have some useful skills, too."

Once he gets the price, he takes the offer back to Jalal.

Firrah smiles. "Anyone that interested in my travels is welcome to come as a chronicler. I leave in two days if he's interested. Perhaps we'll find this tribe again, or someone who knows where they are."

Jalal is delighted at Firrah's offer. "That sounds amazing. I've been meaning to get out of the city some day... I guess that day has come!"

This news brings him to "Friendly", but not yet "Helpful."

Endra offers him the warm orb in exchange for his silver chain. He considers for a moment and then agrees. "I'm off to find my heritage, and you made that possible. This is a fair trade. May it bring you luck!" He takes off the chain and hands it to Endra.

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You now have the three objects - Brass stopper, cold iron vessel and silver chain - that Safa's master wanted you to retrieve. Will you do something with them now or will you move on to the third task - punishing the pirates?

Alright! Good work team. Let's hold onto these items for now. At least they aren't being used to bind additional jin at the moment. Let's punish those pirates next and report back to Safa after! Endra suggests.

Deerslicer nods. "Yeah, Safa say she not care what we do wit' d'em, so I guess d'at be okay."

I feel like maybe there'd be some benefit to making it into the end product, but I also feel like maybe that would delay us moving on to the boat of hobgoblin slavers.

Not for me to say.

Leaving the urchin Melika behind with a fond farewell, you make your way to the harbor. Dozens of ships are moored along the sprawling docks of
Sedeq. A warm sea breeze fills the air with its salty bite as many deckhands move crates and people off the ships. An undine man with blue hair tends to a similarly colored vessel sporting the symbol of the Dawnflower. As he whistles, his finned ears move gently, giving the impression of dancing along with the melody.

See Slide #6.

Endra approaches the undine man.

Excuse me! I'm pretty confident that you're not captain Tadrun. Do you know of them, and could you direct me and my group to teh Swift Huntress? she starts in earnest.

Make an impression (Diplomacy, untrained): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Bat-signal out to the faces!

First time I’ve ever had a PC that was considered a face, hard get used to that…

”Aye my good man, if you could direct us to that ship, we’d be much obliged; we have heard she’s a fast ship and wish to talk with her captain on a private matter…”

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Nature: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Recognizing the creature as an undine, and then glancing at the symbol on the boat, Deerslicer speaks up, "Hey, you name not be Zoha, by any chance, no? We hear d'at you maybe be a good person t' talk to. Me am Deerslicer, an' d'is be Gracie." He motions toward his bear companion, who has been licking his ear affectionately while he speaks.

"I am Zoha," says the undine man. "A free bit of advice for someone who seems to know my name. Don't do business with Captain Tadrun. He and his crew are the worst villains I've ever had the misfortune to encounter."

"The Iron Ring arrived a couple of days ago to sell captives from their latest sea battle, but I gather their ship, Sea Huntress took a beating during the fight. They have been trying to keep it afloat ever since. Sadly, it seems they are succeeding.”

He points at a ship moored far out in the harbor, sitting low in the water.

Endra exhales, knowing that the next step is that they'll have to approach it.

Do they have any weaknesses?

Zoha considers the question. "Most of their crew are ashore. I'm sure they have orders to acquire supplies but currently they're stinking drunk in a half the bars of Bayside. There's only a skeleton crew left out there, I'm reasonably sure."

Deerslicer nods. "We sent here t' stop bad guy Tadrun. Also want to save da prisoners. Tadrun be on da ship wit' da skel'ton crew? Or he be stinkin' drunk in da bars?"

"I don't know for certain, but my guess is that villain will be with his ship. Listen, if you're freeing prisoners? My friend Ganthur is missing. He and I have been relocating freed slaves and he's gone missing. I fear pirates have got him, maybe that very ship. Look for him will you? He's a red-headed dwarf and he's more important than you know."

Endra nods and smiles.

We will look out for him. Do you know any other local blades that would join our cause if they knew?

Alanossë whispers, ”We should strike quickly while they’re numbers are down..”

Purrlock pulls out his notepad. The Iron Ring - Who are they?

New Lead: The Iron Ring

"Others? Maybe, but not in time. I could find some allies if we had a few days. I don't think you do. They'll sell the slaves before then."

"I can ferry you out there, if you've a mind to go now."

Very well, perhaps we should act fast and take advantage of the opportunity. Thank you for the info and taking us. We accept.

She nodes to the undine.