PKelly 388 |
Hello Everybody,
This is my submission that was rejected. I would appreciate any critique or advise anybody has for me.
Thanks for the help.
The Weaver of Lies
The Minotaur Prince of Absalom came into possession of the Rod of Endless Night, an artifact from Qadira. The prince is trying to gather favor with the Pathfinder Society; the prince offers the Pathfinder Society first bid on the item. PCs have been tasked to meet with the prince to inspect the artifact.
John Undertow, an underling of Grandmaster Torch initiates a rumor; the prince has come into possession of a Cheliax artifact with the power to summon a lesser demon. Knowing full well, the Cheliax backed Bloody Barbers would want a Cheliax artifact. The rumor is sure to entice the Bloody Barbers to steal the artifact for their Cheliax backers. John thinks he can swindle the artifact from the Bloody Barbers once they realize it is not a Cheliax artifact. The black market always has a patron willing to pay large sums of money for such Treasures. Selling the artifact without Grandmaster Torch finding out is John’s prime concern.
A band of Bloody Barbers breaks into the prince’s house looking for the artifact. When they can’t find it, the bandits try to force the information from the prince, but the prince says nothing. The bandits cause such a ruckus, the neighbors are roused and constables are summoned to the house. The bandits know they can’t return without the artifact, but time is running out. They extract the prince and move to their safe house to make the prince divulge the location of the artifact. After hours of torture, the prince tells the bandits were he hid the artifact. The bandits sneak back into the house the next day and retrieve the artifact. Upon returning, the bandits realize the artifact is not of Chelish design. The Bloody Barbers no longer want the artifact. The bandits contact Grandmaster Torch organization; John arrives to buy the artifact in the name of Grandmaster Torch. Grandmaster Torch never learns anything about this exchange.
1. PCs arrive to meet the prince but find his home torn apart and he is nowhere to be found. The PCs search the house for clues. During the search a neighbor walks into the house and offers to tell the PCs all that she saw and heard last night. The PCs find a broken barber knife with the name of a local barber and gain information from the neighbor.
2. PCs travel to the local barbershop. The barber explains to the PCs he has no idea what they are talking about. The PCs can tell he is not telling the truth, he is overly nervous during the conversation. He keeps looking to the door at the back of the shop.
3. A group of Bloody Bandits rush out from the back door and attack the PCs. (optional)
4. PCs travel to the back room. They find bandits and the prince tied to a chair. After defeating the bandits, PCs learn from the prince that the artifact was given to a man named John that works for Grandmaster Torch. The prince tells the PCs where to find Grandmaster torch.
5. PCs meet with Grandmaster Torch. Grandmaster Torch has no idea what the PCs are talking about. PCs learn that John is a hired hand and left for the docks to meet up with a friend from Qadira a few hours earlier. Grandmaster Torch is furious to learn that John was working behind his back.
6. PCs travel to the docks and search for a ship from Qadira. AL-Bashir’s Blessing is docked close to the entrance of the docks. PCs find a way to board the ship; on the top deck a crew of mercenaries plays cards. Fight breaks out with the PCs and Mercenaries.
7. PCs travel to the second level of the ship. A Qadiran assassin waits below with John and more mercenaries. The Qadiran assassin does not want to fight the PCs. He wants to return the artifact to Qadira. He tries to bribe the PCs with money to let him go, but if PCs declined he will fight.
Though the PCs had a simple mission to retrieve an artifact, the situation quickly spiraled out of control. If the PCs were able to rescue the prince, they have gained a merchant ally. If the PCs retrieve the artifact, the prince offers it as a token of friendship to the Pathfinder Society. Depending on how the PCs dealt with John, they might be able to rely on Grandmaster Torch as an ally in the future.