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Ok everyone, I've set up the next Scenario I'm going to GM. I've decided to run The Bloodcove Disguise, and you can get to the discussion thread HERE. Head over and check in. PS - I've created a new Alias for GMing, DM Rah, which I plan to use as my main GM alias from now on.
Ten minutes later the new ambassador arrives with a small entourage. A brief conversation regarding the packet you were sent with ensues and it is soon handed over. As he turns to leave, one of his people whispers in his ear, and a frown grows on his face. The ambassador turns to take in your group. "Who's pig is that?" He asks, gesturing at Ing, who has sugar powder and bread stuck to his snout. After a tense moment, the Ambassador waves his hand with irritation. "In Cheliax, we do not let our bonded or summoned companions eat the refreshments. Next time, please keep that thing on a tighter leash." With that, he and his entourage departs. Your group soon exits the Embassy the way you came in, walking past the now glassy-eyed receptionist and the guard outside. As you do, Amara's voice whispers one last time. Excellent work, Pathfinders. Report back to Venture-Captain Valsin for debriefing. A short time later, in Valsin's study back at the lodge, the Venture-Captain congratulates your group on a job well done. "Now that the Society knows where Zarta has been taken and who has taken her, we can get to work on either getting her back or at least figuring out how to deal with Tancred Desimire, who is now firmly in the Society’s sights. With the false evidence used by Desimire, we might be able to prove to the Chelaxians that Zarta is innocent, though how we can do so without admitting they searched the embassy is hard to see just yet." Rising from his chair, Valsin steps to each of you, placing a small token in your hand as he does. "The Society, and House Thrune, are in your debt. This token is stamped with the House of Thrune’s insignia. They were given to us previously by Zarta as a sign of her good will, and if shown to a member of House Thrune you should be accorded respect deserved for one in the favor of their house." Token Inforamation:
These tokens bestow a +3 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy checks intended to influence high-standing members of House Thrune, the Chelish government, or a Hellknight order in good standing. This bonus remains in effect as long as the token remains on its owner’s person; a token only imparts this bonus to the individual to whom it was given.
Lordzum and Gerald, it was looking like Mortika's group was falling apart, so I entered Maximo into another PbP. It hasn't started yet, so I could change him out if you two have a line on a game the three of them could go into. If not, James and Shel could move into my group for a scenario. It's looking like the Scenario will be Bloodcove Disguise, however I think I could also run Frostfur Captives or Icebound Outpost if there is interest. Regarding First Steps, who wants to start up a new character besides Gerald?
The group makes it to the waiting room with over 10 minutes to spare. Though the walk back took pace at little more than a casual stroll, your hearts race as though you had just run miles. You feel that your mission was a success. Now you only need await the ambassador to turn over the packet of information that the Society used to purchased your entry. Once that is done, you can depart.
Peri assumes the role of a Chelaxian noble with confidence and swiftly leads the rest of the group through the prep area and into the garden. No one seems to take much interest, though one of the servants is heard whispering to another, "See? I told you that pig was probably a fiend in disguise. Pretty sure that dwarf isn't a dwarf as well. No one would let a scruffy-looking guest in looking like that. Eek! The pig just looked at me, let's get back to work!" Beckett reaches the far side of the garden and enters the North Gallery just as his companions catch up. Joining them, Peri continues her charade down the hall. Servants part, bowing as the "noble lady" walks by.
ROLLS:
If we go with Shipyard Rats, Barlor would be fine. Bloodcove is a little more on the subterfuge side of things, but so is The Disappeared, so he'd probably still be ok. What other characters are you thinking about bringing? Assuming this is the group so far:
Beckett, I haven't heard from you - any interest?
Ok everyone, this Scenario is headed rapidly towards the end now. Who wants to continue with these characters in something after? I'm currently planning to run First Steps and one other, likely from the following (or something else upon suggestion): Shipyard Rats, The Bloodcove Disguise, Mists of Mwangi.
As the group decodes the receipt and Peri prepares the scroll, A message comes from Amara - I am distracting the ambassador for the moment. I can buy you maybe 20 minutes to return to the waiting room. Barlor keeps watch through the door. He soon spots a break in traffic and waves everyone across to the servants hall. Beckett enters the prep room and crosses towards the garden door. A few servants glance his way, but seem too busy to bother him.
You have evidence and a prisoner receipt (an image was supplied of the receipt which you might want to look at). As far as how much time you have left, I have tried to let you know how long things have taken to complete. Amara has also updated the group a couple times, but has been silent during the search of the records archive.
Having waited for the women, László helps them up into the vents, follows and pulls the cover closed behind him. A few minutes later everyone has crawled back to Zarta's chambers and regrouped there. Beckett, having gone ahead earlier, has searched the rooms again, but found nothing new.
Beckett's Search:
Pai and Peri rustle through the receipts cabinet, frantically looking for any last clues. The banter between them continues as frustration mounts. The receipts are hard to sort, and many seem to be in code, slowing the process more. A minute passes as the others boost Ing up into the vents and begin to traverse them back to Zarta's quarters. Another passes after the last of them has entered. Time is running out.
Pai and Peri pull open the last drawer, sifting through file after file. U, V, W... Pai is certain they have wasted precious minutes in the search, X, Y, Z... then Peri pulls out one of the last documents in the cabinet. Under Z for Zarta. Either a clerk in the records archive should be fired, or given a raise, depending on your point of view.
Beckett has climbs back into the vents, and seems ready to depart, but the others stay to be thorough in their investigation. László, Haris and Peri scan through the dossiers for a few minutes . No mention of Zarta is found within. It's either a lack of concentration, or the need to drag a chair over in order for the short gnome to reach the top shelves, but it is taking Pai a little longer to go through the receipts, and she is only a little over halfway through them by the time the others have completed their search through the dossiers.
Haris:
It takes about 3 minutes for Haris to locate the dossier requested by the Sczarni on Reggo Firanz. If you want to pocket it unseen, roll a Sleight of Hand check vs DC 15. ROLLS:
As Haris approaches the front desk he gets a closer look at the easel standing next to it. It houses a map that notes what subject each file cabinet in the room pertains to. Most of the cabinets contain mundane subject matters, but the four immediately adjacent to the table nook where the Chair battle took place are labeled “Internal Security: Receipts,” “Internal Security: Evidence,” “Imperial Security: Dossiers,” and “Imperial Security: Misc.”
Haris and László open a few drawers in the cabinet labeled "Internal Security: Evidence" and quickly rifle through the contents. László spills some papers and gets distracted in the effort to put them back, but Haris soon strikes gold in the form of a file with Zarta's name on it in a drawer labeled "Evidence Locker #A23". Within the file are a series of letters written in a halting hand that resembles the paracountess’. The letters are addressed to a prominent House Thrune enemy, and in them Zarta discusses selling privileged Chelish information supposedly meant to foment political insurrection. Zarta’s personal travel logs, are also included. While the first entry—a trip to Absalom’s Ivy District—does indeed match with the letters’ indication of Zarta’s supposed treasonous activities, the second entry proves the paracountess was away from Absalom during a time the letters claim she met with her conspirators in the Petal District. Upon closer examination, Beckett and Peri point out that the hand writing of the treasonous letters differs significantly from that on the note found in Zarta’s study and within her personal travel logs. You seem to have found proof that the Chelish were building a case against the paracountess, but you still do not know what became of her... ROLLS:
Pai's acid splashes across the Chair and Beckett's sword cuts loose one armrest. The stump wiggles at him for a second before László's mace takes it from the opposite side, splitting the wood and leaving the Chair a broken pile of smoking kindling. Haris continues to stab it like a Thieves' Guild snitch, but it moves no more. As everyone stands around, breathing heavy and holding ready weapon and wand, a gleam of jade can be seen in the wreckage of the Chair. An exquisitly carved, and likely valuable, amulet is affixed to the back of the seat.
Miss. The Chair swipes at Beckett but the Justicar deflects the blow off his shield. Beckett's counterattack misses. Pai's acid strikes again, whittling away slowly at the construct. Healed by Barlor's wand, László regains consciousness and scrambles to his feet. Then he and Haris employ the classic "Roll the Noble for his Moneybag" trick and jam their weapons into weak joints. Wood cracks and splinters, but the Chair still stands. Both armrests slam into Beckett, then pull him roughly into the seat.
Haris' jumps on the Chair, but slips right off. Beckett's sword and Pai's acid both miss by wide margins. Barlor steps back to heal himself as Peri shakes her wand in frustration. László tries to go limp in the construct's grasp, but either his twitching, groaning, or something else keeps the Chair on task, and it crushes the Varisian for good measure before dropping him to the ground, apparently truly unconscious. It then turns to face Beckett.
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