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Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)

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Nice job, Gorok! That turned out even better than I was hoping. Makes me glad we sent Gorok by himself to handle that. It probably still would have gone well if more of the party came, but I doubt Gorok would have ended up establishing such a good rapport with the Eagle Knights and their commander. That's pretty damned useful when you're people will soon be immigrating to Andoran.

I'm worried about how to work this with Gavhaul. It's probably going to end up as a Diplomacy check, and that will go badly for us in the long run even if we manage to succeed.

[X] Emphasize that the Eagle Knights would have moved soon in any case, as they already had Breolia under surveillance when we accompanied Gavhaul to meet with her. Where we were seen to be meeting with her.
-[X] We acted when the opportunity presented itself, and not a moment too soon, as the Eagle Knights were but an hour behind us. Do not mention that they were so close behind us because we had already gone to Eduarmot with our evidence.
-[X] As a result, we gained some favor with the girl's family, always helpful for such an unusual group moving through Human dominated lands, and perhaps more importantly, prevented Breolia's downfall from dragging any of us down with her. If we had failed to act when we did, there is a strong possibility any dealings she had in recent days, such as meeting with a representative of the Apsis Consortium to help to facilitate our passage, could have come under unfortunate scrutiny.
--[X] "I don't know about you, but I don't want to see the inside of a prison cell if I can avoid it. Assuming we would have been given even that much courtesy if they believed we were allied with the creature who was planning to flay the girl alive and wear her skin as a disguise."
---[X] <Insert Darklands equivalent saying to "Every cloud has a silver lining"> "Despite being a noble in Andoran, Eduarmot DeVerge is in good standing with both the public and government, while also being short on funds. He could be a helpful asset to cultivate if you plan to continue doing business in the area. Would you like for us to try to arrange introductions?"
 
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I love Gorok.

Anyway, did Gavhaul get a letter/permission slip/authorisation of some sort from Lady Ascortus?
I reread their interaction and didn't see anything, but for some reason I have a feeling that he got something from her that needs her to be alive and have good social standing in order to be useful.

If he did, that's likely to be worthless now or very soon. Regardless might it be a good idea to suggest introducing him to Eduarmot as a 'yeah your contact is dead, but one of the consequnces is the possiblity of this other contact'?

We've got an in there and I both trust Eduarmot's canniness to not get dragged into bad deals while not particularly carig what happens to him.
Though a risk might be that Gavhaul gets/hires some people from Eduramot to 'assist', and they might be hard/impossible to turn to our side.

-----
Question about Detect Thoughts:

Does an attempt to read a person's thoughts always come with the risk of them noticing, or could a person just have a habit of casting the spell, and trying to lightly brush the minds of the people around them and be careful to not push too hard?

Detect Thoughts – d20PFSRD

www.d20pfsrd.com www.d20pfsrd.com
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Edit: @Goldfish I love your plan, but it needs more cowbell lies.
Not sure what lies off the top of my head, but... more.
 
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[x] Emphasize that the Eagle Knights would have moved soon in any case, this was just your company getting something worthwhile out of the whole mess
-[x] Such as the favor of Lord Eduamort and the Lord Commander, and being above suspicion that dealing with Breolia might have invoked otherwise. If we were to put the aquired assets towards finding alternatives, it wouldn't raise as many eyebrows.

As for how much assets we are willing to share... I'd say, I am willing to give up up to the cost of the mirror. That's a lot to part with, possibly exceeding the profits of the expedition itself, and we should not be too generous (why would a mercenary part with more money to keep the job that the job itself pays?), but on the other hand anything Gavhaul pockets is what we get to take out of his pockets after he is dead. It's not that big of a loss.
 
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BeepSmile said:
Question about Detect Thoughts:

Does an attempt to read a person's thoughts always come with the risk of them noticing, or could a person just have a habit of casting the spell, and trying to lightly brush the minds of the people around them and be careful to not push too hard?

Detect Thoughts – d20PFSRD

www.d20pfsrd.com www.d20pfsrd.com
---
Edit: @Goldfish I love your plan, but it needs more cowbell lies.
Not sure what lies off the top of my head, but... more.
Click to expand...
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Stages of Detect Thoughts:

1st Round: Presence or absence of thoughts (from conscious creatures with Intelligence scores of 1 or higher).

2nd Round: Number of thinking minds and the Intelligence score of each. If the highest Intelligence is 26 or higher (and at least 10 points higher than your own Intelligence score), you are stunned for 1 round and the spell ends. This spell does not let you determine the location of the thinking minds if you can't see the creatures whose thoughts you are detecting.

3rd Round: Surface thoughts of any mind in the area. A target's Will save prevents you from reading its thoughts, and you must cast detect thoughts again to have another chance. Creatures of animal intelligence (Int 1 or 2) have simple, instinctual thoughts.

The first two cannot be detected normally by the subject, but if you get to the point of the will save and they make the will save that's it, they caught you.
 
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Nevill said:
As for how much assets we are willing to share... I'd say, I am willing to give up up to the cost of the mirror. That's a lot to part with, possibly exceeding the profits of the expedition itself, and we should not be too generous (why would a mercenary part with more money to keep the job that the job itself pays?), but on the other hand anything Gavhaul pockets is what we get to take out of his pockets after he is dead. It's not that big of a loss.
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That is an intensly suspicious amount. I'm willing to compensate him, but not for that much.

Also, I'm uncomfortable with our charchter unilaterally deciding on such a large porportion of our wealth (any reasonable compensation is likely to be a fair sum)

Related, we should turn as much money as we get here into magic items before leaving the city. Gold's no use in a fight, and it is in Gavhaul's percived interest for our party to be well equipped.
 
BeepSmile said:
Regardless might it be a good idea to suggest introducing him to Eduarmot as a 'yeah your contact is dead, but one of the consequnces is the possiblity of this other contact'?
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I'll add that to my plan.
BeepSmile said:
Edit: @Goldfish I love your plan, but it needs more cowbell lies.
Not sure what lies off the top of my head, but... more.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I agree, just not sure what those lies should be.
Nevill said:
As for how much assets we are willing to share... I'd say, I am willing to give up up to the cost of the mirror. That's a lot to part with, possibly exceeding the profits of the expedition itself, and we should not be too generous (why would a mercenary part with more money to keep the job that the job itself pays?), but on the other hand anything Gavhaul pockets is what we get to take out of his pockets after he is dead. It's not that big of a loss.
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I would drop the expedition in a hot minute before giving him the mirror or the money we make from it. Sirim thinks we can probably sell it for 20,000 gold. That's a lot, more than we will probably make from our cut of the expedition proceeds. We could still be part of the Pathfinder crew who snatches the Adamantine and artifacts from the expedition, too, if it comes down to that.

On top of being a completely ridiculous sum of money to give him, it would also be suspicious as Hell.
BeepSmile said:
Related, we should turn as much money as we get here into magic items before leaving the city. Gold's no use in a fight, and it is in Gavhaul's percived interest for our party to be well equipped.
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Agreed. That's my next priority. We need to sell it and go on a buying spree.
 
Goldfish said:
I would drop the expedition in a hot minute before giving him the mirror or the money we make from it.
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'Up to' means 'that much or less'. I give the same argument in the post.
Goldfish said:
I would drop the expedition in a hot minute before giving him the mirror or the money we make from it.
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I won't. I am not in it for money, and it'll be hard to find the place without Urgor.

But we presented ourselves as mercenaries, so we'll have to play the part.

Either way, 'assets' could also mean 'influence and goodwill'.
 
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Added this to my plan:

---[] <Insert Darklands equivalent saying to "Every cloud has a silver lining"> "Despite being a noble in Andoran, Eduarmot DeVerge is in good standing with both the public and government, while also being short on funds. He could be a helpful asset to cultivate if you plan to continue doing business in the area. Would you like for me to try to arrange introductions?"
 
Nice to see Gorok grow and expand as own person.

Curious if he will still want to travel after his people are settled, since there arguments to be made he would be more useful helping set up new home.

[X] Goldfish
 
You know, I haven't done this in a while but... vote closed, lets see how your meeting goes.
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Jun 18, 2024 at 1:38 PM, finished with 13 posts and 6 votes.
  • [X] Emphasize that the Eagle Knights would have moved soon in any case, as they already had Breolia under surveillance when we accompanied Gavhaul to meet with her. Where we were seen to be meeting with her.
    -[X] We acted when the opportunity presented itself, and not a moment too soon, as the Eagle Knights were but an hour behind us. Do not mention that they were so close behind us because we had already gone to Eduarmot with our evidence.
    -[X] As a result, we gained some favor with the girl's family, always helpful for such an unusual group moving through Human dominated lands, and perhaps more importantly, prevented Breolia's downfall from dragging any of us down with her. If we had failed to act when we did, there is a strong possibility any dealings she had in recent days, such as meeting with a representative of the Apsis Consortium to help to facilitate our passage, could have come under unfortunate scrutiny.
    --[X] "I don't know about you, but I don't want to see the inside of a prison cell if I can avoid it. Assuming we would have been given even that much courtesy if they believed we were allied with the creature who was planning to flay the girl alive and wear her skin as a disguise."
    ---[X] <Insert Darklands equivalent saying to "Every cloud has a silver lining"> "Despite being a noble in Andoran, Eduarmot DeVerge is in good standing with both the public and government, while also being short on funds. He could be a helpful asset to cultivate if you plan to continue doing business in the area. Would you like for us to try to arrange introductions?"
    [x] Emphasize that the Eagle Knights would have moved soon in any case, this was just your company getting something worthwhile out of the whole mess
    -[x] Such as the favor of Lord Eduamort and the Lord Commander, and being above suspicion that dealing with Breolia might have invoked otherwise. If we were to put the aquired assets towards finding alternatives, it wouldn't raise as many eyebrows.
Click to expand...
 
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Arc 7 Post 35: Under a Careful Eye
  • Threadmarks
    • Under a Careful Eye ​

    21st of Lamashan 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)

    Rather than try to creep in unseen you decide to sweep into Gahvaul's room at the inn as though in a rush yourself, perhaps a fury. If nothing else it might prove distracting. "Well Master Gavvhaul, it seems that fortune did not favor us for all we managed to drain a few drops of sweet water from the bitter stone. Lady Ascortus is dead and at our hand. Well did her folly earn her fate."

    "Oh?" Loric Gavhaul is sitting at a small portable desk, he must have brought it with him on the ship, oh so carefully laying a magnifying glass on the table. "Pray describe your woes."

    "She had kidnapped a girl of high standing for some bloody arcane purpose and was so clumsy in the deed that the Eagle Knights were but two bells behind us. Had we not acted as we did our only association with these dealings would have been as known guests of a murderess and worse. I don't know about you, but I don't want to see the inside of a prison cell if I can avoid it. Assuming we would have been given even that much courtesy if they believed we were allied with the creature who was planning to flay the girl alive and wear her skin as a disguise."

    Akorian Diplomacy: 1d20+2 (Enhanced Diplomacy) 19 (???)

    "How curious?" he raises the magnifying glass to his eye as though to check for clarity. Looking into that warped eye the world tilts, even though every outward sense confirms that nothing has changed you find yourself unarmored, thoughts sluggish as dripping mold. The ends of the silver band grow painful. like needles on your skin. Then as swiftly as it had come the alien feeling passes. Neither enchantment nor divination, not like any spell you have ever felt the touch of...

    Akorian Will Save: 1d20+4 = 16 (Success)
    Akorian Spellcraft (DC 20/25): 1d20+7 = 13 (Failure)

    "So... Breolia was something akin to a vampire, though one that need not fear the sun. That explains much and yet it leaves questions unanswered. Why would she take such a gamble on the girl? What was DeVorge to her? Tell me, Master Akorian, before you delivered her onto death and no doubt looted the remains, did she give any indication of her plans? What of the representative himself, had be made an enemy of her somehow? Perhaps had he even made a seeming ally?"

    "That I could not say, all I saw of him was one glad to be reunited with his sister after passing through great peril," you answer as glibly as the morose mask you donned allows. It would not do to seem to have profited over-much out of all of this, least he ask for his cut. "Perhaps DeVorge could replace her contacts in some matter. Would an introduction serve your purposes, mayhap?"

    "That is of no matter to me," he waves you away. "The treasure we seek is in the east and all my will is bent upon it." Another pause, long enough that you had time to turn towards the door and at least contemplate escape. "Tell me, did you find anything of note among her effects? Not common coin and petty magics you understand, but unique treasures, notes and accounts that might explain her nature and her... timing?"

    There is much you do not know about Loric Gavhaul, but you have spent long enough in the man's company to know that of all the things you have claimed from the ruin of Breolia Ascortus' plots the thing that would most interest him would be the tome of dark more Sirim had claimed for his own to study. A tome of course is not a stack of coin or an enchanted dagger, it can be copied at only the cost of ink and parchment. Mayhap the offer would be enough to get you back into his good graces.

    What do you do?

    [] Reveal the all the magic items, but hold back any mention of the Thousand Faces of Arad Lili

    [] Mention the Thousand Faces of Arad Lili (Book of Occult Rituals)

    [] Write in

    OOC: Some social rolls are hidden since showing them would be a spoiler.
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • DragonParadox said:
    "Tell me, did you find anything of note among her effects, not common coin and petty magics you understand, unique treasures that, notes and accounts that might explain her nature and her... timing?"
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    This is an oddly targeted questrion, as if he knows half of the answer.

    My reasoning stands. If we plan to kill him and loot his body, we can share anything. The question is, will it even help? He is surprisingly calm about everything, and it makes me think we aren't mollifying his suspicion as much as we think we do.
     
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    This could have gone better. I wish I knew what that spell was. Even if Kori successfully resisted it, there are plenty that can have a lesser effect even when they fail to take hold. Not an Enchantment or Divination, but it required a Will save. Could be a Necromancy or Illusion effect of some sort, I guess? Nothing is coming to mind, though.
     
    @Goldfish
    If we are playing Elephant in the Room, then Gorok and Cob should have Weapon Focus on specific weapons, but on categories.

    So for Gorok either on Heavy Blades or Axes, and for Cob Light Blades.

    Edit: Elephant uses the Weapon Groups from the Fighter feature Weapon Training.
     
    So, rather than outright answering Gavhaul with information about our more valuable loot, maybe we can deflect his attention? He did seem very interested in the timing of Breolia's actions, after all.

    Do y'all think this might work?

    [X] "A thought occurs to me, now that you mention timing. It didn't seem relevant earlier, but local rumors allude to an impending marriage between Eleanor DeVerge and a wealthy bachelor, one able to sure up her family's struggling finances. If Breolia felt it was time to shed her previous identity and move on to a new one with better connections and greater wealth, the opportunity to replace Eleanor would have been tempting. Becoming a young bride in a strange household would remove much of the burden of impersonating her victim, and the enchantments she favored would have allowed her to bend her husband's mind into happy compliance."
     
    Artemis1992 said:
    @Goldfish
    If we are playing Elephant in the Room, then Gorok and Cob should have Weapon Focus on specific weapons, but on categories.

    So for Gorok either on Heavy Blades or Axes, and for Cob Light Blades.

    Edit: Elephant uses the Weapon Groups from the Fighter feature Weapon Training.
    Click to expand...
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    Ah, I missed that. We'll need to have Gorok retrain his Weapon Focus to Heavy Blades on his next level up. That will work for his Falchion, and eventually if we find him a nice Elven Curveblade.
     
    I personally think we can take a risk with the tome, especially since if he only wants a copy and we plan to kill him later anyway.

    Using your thing @Goldfish for my vote.

    [X] Mention the Thousand Faces of Arad Lili (Book of Occult Rituals)
    -[X] "A thought occurs to me, now that you mention timing. It didn't seem relevant earlier, but local rumors allude to an impending marriage between Eleanor DeVerge and a wealthy bachelor, one able to sure up her family's struggling finances. If Breolia felt it was time to shed her previous identity and move on to a new one with better connections and greater wealth, the opportunity to replace Eleanor would have been tempting. Becoming a young bride in a strange household would remove much of the burden of impersonating her victim, and the enchantments she favored would have allowed her to bend her husband's mind into happy compliance."
     
    [X] Mention the Thousand Faces of Arad Lili (Book of Occult Rituals)
    -[X] "A thought occurs to me, now that you mention timing. It didn't seem relevant earlier, but local rumors allude to an impending marriage between Eleanor DeVerge and a wealthy bachelor, one able to sure up her family's struggling finances. If Breolia felt it was time to shed her previous identity and move on to a new one with better connections and greater wealth, the opportunity to replace Eleanor would have been tempting. Becoming a young bride in a strange household would remove much of the burden of impersonating her victim, and the enchantments she favored would have allowed her to bend her husband's mind into happy compliance."
     
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