A little to the west on the same island rests Diobel, a small port town existing in near obscurity. Few citizens of Absalom have visited Diobel, and most care nothing for a place so isolated from the politics and commerce of their great city. But nothing in this world is as it seems, and humble Diobel is no exception ...
You and your party arrive in Diobel on the orders of the Pathfinder Society. There, you meet Osprey, a fellow Pathfinder in a rundown tavern known as “The Tails”. The drunken songs of longshoremen provide ample cover for secret conversation.
“We’ve word that the Chelaxian pirate Darsielle Du Moire has anchored his ship, the Hydra’s Fang, in the harbor. Everyone’s looking for that bastard. He carries with him ancient tablets of extreme historical value to our people. We need to recover the stolen tablets before his pursuers find him or he flees port."
I am eager to recover the stolen tablets. But first I must fortify myself for the trials ahead.
I'm sure they have beer in this place, but do they have anything to quiet my growling stomach? **rubs prodigious belly** I am in danger of wasting away to mere obesity.
Barmaid! Fetch me a tall mug of beer and something substantial to eat!
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"Maybe it would be a good idea to ask them to put that meal in a doggy-bag? We may have to scoff on the run. If so, see if they'll do one for me, too. I feel if I don't get some scran inside me, I'll be nothing but skin and bone."
"Will you be accompanying us, Sir Osprey? (and did you pack a lunch?)"
Augusto takes a Long draw from his Cigar, He exhales the Smoke straight up, as to avoid blowing it toward anyones direction. You still can smell the faint notes of Cedar and Spices.
"I shall have to agree with Hagruk here, Time is of the essence. IF this Pirate has evaded the long grasp of the law until now, he won't be staying in port very long."
"Osprey, do you have any information on this pirate known as Du Moire?"
Yes, by all means, make my meal portable also.
Now that we have taken care of our sustanence, what can you tell us about Darsielle Du Moire?
Does he have allies?
What does he plan to do with the stolen tablets?
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Barmaid! Fetch me a tall mug of beer and something substantial to eat!
"Aye, no need to shout!" snaps the barmaid. After a while she returns with tankards full of watered-down beer and bowls of pungent swordfish stew.
"Will you be accompanying us, Sir Osprey? (and did you pack a lunch?)"
"No. My orders are to stay behind and provide you the support you need."
"Are we sure 'he' is a 'he'?
Darsielle...sounds like a woman's name to me.
Some cross-dressing doxy; or a foppish lady-boy."
Osprey chuckles.
"That's a pretty good guess! Du Moire is the third son of a Chelaxian count, you know. He started out as a privateer then turned into pirate, preying on Andoren ships and fishing villages. He's done such a fine job that Andoran's ready to go to war with Cheliax unless Du Moire is stopped within thirty days. A few days ago the Cheliax navy managed to damage the Hydra outside of Whittleshine. Now he's come here to make repairs and sell his loot."
"The Chelish ship was called the Righteous Fury. Du Moire set it on fire and shot the Chelish rear-admiral. I think he knows exactly where he stands with Cheliax."
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"Then he must be very foolhardy to show his face here, or his ship must be damaged so badly he has no choice. Maybe he picked this port because he believes he has friends here, who'll hide him? We need to work out who lives here, who might owe him a favour; ex-crewmembers, his fence, smugglers? They say sailors have a wife in every port; is there some tart he got up the duff?"
The Pathfinder gives Hagruk a surprised look.
"You're damn intelligent for a half-orc, I'll give you that. Yes, he has a fence here in Diobel, an importer named Lubor Staizkal. Lubor has a shop on Meldon Lane, near the docks."
"Not to interrupt all the tall-folk conversation, but do we know how large this scallywag's crew is at last count? And did he have a ship's mage? We might want to know what we're walking into here!"
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"I'm sure Lubor's is as good a place to start as any. Me and Augusto should have no problem putting the sh!ts up him, but we'll need time to work.
He's likely to have some hired muscle hanging around, and they're hardly likely to all be scared off by one unarmoured dwarf with pie in his beard."
"No offence."
"Bloody Hell! Where did you come from? Have you been sat under the table all this time?"
Pokes his head back up over the edge of the table
"Been sittin here the whole time Tall Man. Just seems these tables aren't built for short folk."
Barmaid! A pint please! I may be small, but I've got a huge apetite!"
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"Well, that makes four of us; may as well order a picnic basket.
Will that be enough of us, do you think? Only, I could take a break to ask along the street, see if anyone else from the Lodge is in town. Meet you back here in five?"
"Five, comrade orc, and I'd suggest keeping your eyes peeled if you don't want the pirates to peel them for you." Fendrel stepped out of the shadows where he'd been standing, watching the interactions between his Pathfinder comrades and their mission contact.
"I'm with the halfling - I'd like to know who we're cutting our way through before I have to do any cutting. And once we're done with our questioning, I think we should move post-haste to this fence's shop and see if we can't head our privateer off at the proverbial pass. I'd sooner not have to chase him across the sea, where I assume he'll have the advantage."
I agree with Shorty and Longshanks here. We need to understand what we are facing for we go chargin' in.
I didn't really get my question answered with Handsome Hagruk hoggin' all of air. Is the going assumption that Du Moire stole these tablets with the intention of selling them? Do the tablets have any value other than as historical relics?
"Not to interrupt all the tall-folk conversation, but do we know how large this scallywag's crew is at last count? And did he have a ship's mage? We might want to know what we're walking into here!"
"We know the Hydra was rammed by Righteous Fury and there was fighting between the crews. Du Moire must have lost many of his men, so he might be in town to recruit as well. Count on there being one ship's mage and up to a dozen pirates."
I didn't really get my question answered with Handsome Hagruk hoggin' all of air. Is the going assumption that Du Moire stole these tablets with the intention of selling them? Do the tablets have any value other than as historical relics?
"The tablets have no mystical power, so Du Moire wouldn't have any reason to keep them. These are incredibly ancient forgeries of the original tablets marking the royal seals of four of the Old Azlant’s noble houses. Regardless of their non-authenticity, their uncanny detail provides great insight into lost languages and history associated with the four houses. The Pathfinder Society must have it, gentlemen."
After another long draw from his Cigar, Augusto speaks"
In my experience, it's always best to know what lies ahead. Let us speak with this Fence, see what we can get out of him about our mark.
Augusto cracks his knuckles
I have a....way with people, if he refuses to talk that is.
Later, Osprey directs you to a small, nondescript house with a sign over the door that reads “Lubor’s Imports.” The door hangs slightly ajar. All is silent within. Inside is the scene of a recent brawl. Furniture lies smashed and strewn about. A teenage girl hovers over the collapsed body of a middle-aged merchant. Her eyes filled with tears, she mouths the word “daddy.”
Fendrel's eyes narrowed as he gives a quick survey of the scene. He signals to his companions to cover him as he draws his sword quietly and rushes in.
"Oh no, let's get you out of here honey," he says in deliberately honeyed tones. He tries to grab her by the arm and lead her back outside of the shop.
Tossing his Cigar into the dirt outside, Augusto ducks into the building quickly, stationing himself to the right of the door, breathing slowly, taking in the scene. His eyes dart to each corner of the room, looking for anything that sticks out.
Perception check
"It apears someone has beaten us to the punch."
Let's see what we can find inside. Perhaps we can find a clue to this man's murder. I will sneak in an take a look around.
Sense Motive:
Stealth:
Perception:
Rondu:
I'll take a closer look at the body, and see if I can determine the cause of death, in case we can match a specific weapon to the crime.
Augusto heads toward the girl and Fendrel, he has a puzzled look on his face
Can you tell us about what happened Lass? I know you're a bit shooken up, but if you can provide us any information, we may be able to find who did this.
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Fendrel nods to Hagruk. "I don't trust coincidences when it comes to pirates and people pirates might find convenient to kill. I'm more than willing to bet it was... our man." He gives a look at the crying girl during the pause, trying to make it clear to his companions that they don't want their business to be any more public than it already may be. "As for the type of room, I don't know that it matters - it looks as though a few people came in without much care for courtesy. Being let in was a formality it doesn't look like they cared much about."
[ooc]Whispering to Hagruck and other nearby friends while covertly keeping an eye on the girl[/ooc
There is something fishy with that girl. I get the feeling that she is not a broken-up as she appears. We should keep a close eye on her. Be prepared to take tackle her if she makes a run for it.
Whispering to Hagruck and other nearby friends while covertly keeping an eye on the girl
There is something fishy with that girl. I get the feeling that she is not a broken-up as she appears. We should keep a close eye on her. Be prepared to take tackle her if she makes a run for it.
Can you tell us about what happened Lass? I know you're a bit shooken up, but if you can provide us any information, we may be able to find who
Between sobs the girl answers, "a man burst in the shop and slew my father without so much as a word. What did my father do to deserve this? Oh, daddy. My poor, poor daddy ..."
Between sobs the girl answers, "a man burst in the shop and slew my father without so much as a word. What did my father do to deserve this? Oh, daddy. My poor, poor daddy ..."[/b]
Augusto Raises a Single, weathered eyebrow.
So you where here when it happened? What did this....Man look like?
Why would he just attack your father and leave a witness?
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@everyone:
@Rondu and Fendrel:
<whisper>
"Our tiny friend seems to be absent; maybe he's already gone in the back to poke through Lubor's stuff. What say we hold him upside down and shake him, when he next surfaces?"
Augusto Raises a Single, weathered eyebrow.So you where here when it happened? What did this....Man look like?
Why would he just attack your father and leave a witness?
"I saw my father murdered with my own eyes! How would I know why? Who are you people? What are you doing here? Are you going to ... hurt me?"
I am Rondu. My companions and I came to talk with Master Lubor. We would bring his killer to justice.
We have no intention of harming an innocent.
Tell me child, what is your name? I do not recall Lubor mentioning that he had a daughter.
Sense Motive:
The girl looks at the red-maned dwarf suspiciously.
"My name is Katiya. I would rather you go away. I don't feel safe around you people."
Rondu:
"We're very sorry to hear that, Katiya, but we're looking for some people, and we rather suspect they're the ones that killed your father. We'll be searching this place for clues as to where they are and where they might be going, and if there's any information that might hasten that along for us, then so much the better for everyone involved. But until we have a place to go, we're not going anyplace."
"No, I don't think so. This is my shop now, and I want all of you out. Now!"
A thump is heard from behind the door.
A stern Looks crosses Augusto's Face as he draws his Blade, Preparing for whatever may come through the door
Initiative Roll
"In the name of Erastil, come out, make no sudden movements!"
No one comes out of the door.
"Help! Help! Murder! MURDER!" screams Katiya.
There is not much traffic outside, but some passersby will surely hear her.