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Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)
- Thread starter DragonParadox
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- pathfinder
Arc 9 Post 40: Old Honors, New Hats
Old Honors, New Hats
15th of Kuthona 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
Finding a tailor who specializes in 'old Azlanti' garments is surprisingly easy as Sirim calls it a 'perennial fad of the Empire', it comes and goes like the taste in dyed rose, though it is harder to get the high-strung whipcord thin tailor you find to believe you have the 'standing'. As far as you understand it, that just means a sufficiently large pile of money, with older piles requiring less heft. Thankfully, adamantine is uncommon enough to mark one out from among cohorts of 'new money' born of trade or craft. They would, the tailor informs you as he does near-arcane things with a measuring ribbon, 'buy a house before a horse, and a horse before a blade'.
He does not seem overly fussy at your corrections; from making the outer robe more square, to insisting that the fringe should be black and not gold, to fitting the pants looser, and using a heavier belt. He is more or less used to particular customers, though he does seem genuinely surprised when informed that floral or avian patterns were considered good luck and a mark of status. Taldor apparently considers them gauche and the mark of a poor aesthetic taste. The ancient Azlanti, he insists favored, stark bold lines and simple colors, a conclusion drawn from the study of ruins: colorless statues and weathered mosaics that bare little resemblance to the brilliant hues that color your dreams. If anything, it brings to mind a world stained grey with ash, but that's not something to dwell on. For colors you pick out printed silk from Tian Xia showing a phoenix in gold and crimson, though absent the layers of underrobe and shirt.
Your armor will serve just as well, while also helping to keep you alive.
Mina too takes the chance to buy some clothes for the occasion. She looks quite striking in tight leggings under wide pants, modeled after horseman's wear, with a jacket with jet buttons and a black half-cloak over top.
"This used to be just men's attire before the Tyrant came. Some of the noble woman still wear the old styles, layered dresses that fall in different colors, evoking sunsets or waves, but other than priests and mages, who still wear robes, most people have changed over into something you can better run in," she explained.
For his part, Gorok finds the notion of dressing up to meet someone a warm-blood oddity unless it's to add more weapons in case you know they are planning treachery, and as for Cob...
"You are supposed to put a feather in that," you blurt out as he shows himself wearing a wide brimmed hat with some kind of bird skull on it.
"Feather shows you maybe caught bird, maybe not. Skull's a sure thing," he counters.
"Reasonable," Pepper looks up from his grooming to say.
"That's not why people wear feathers," Mina tries to argue.
"Then why do they?" Cob frowns. "There's lots."
"Fundamentally, I suppose it's for the same reason the birds do, because the colors are nice to look at."
"Other things have nice colors," the goblin points out dubiously. "Cost less silver too."
"Well yes, but since everyone's already wearing feathers, people like to fit in," she explains, to which Cob nods definitively.
"Well I don't wanna look like them. I'd rather look like me. I'm keepin' the skull."
"Wish I had that confidence," Mina mutters under her breath.
"Remind yourself ever that to be a noble is to be born a lesser son of greater fathers," Sirim cuts in seriously. "Some might overcome this handicap, but to enter this world without the heritage they hold so dear is to have proven yourself from the start."
"Proven myself to be what? A better killer?"
"Yes, also farther traveled than many, better read than most, and more magically adept than almost all," the shade rattles off the words as though they are something he has long believed.
Lost 200 gp (2x Noble's Outfits & 1x Goblin Hat)
***
16th of Kuthona 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
It's a comforting thought to carry through the chill tunnels that pierce the ramparts of Old Casomir under the black gaze of murder holes and then the almost equally hostile looks of the nobles out for an early morning promenade. Sir Pisca is turned out much as he had been on the journey, if less shaggy of locks and with a bit more shine to his armor.
He thankfully doesn't comment on Cob's bird's skull.
The six of you enter the palace through a side entrance under the ministrations of a footman who seems to have opinions about goblins indoors, though he thankfully keeps them behind clenched teeth. Finally, after two flights of carpeted stairs and several corridors that would make far too good of a shooting range for your comfort, you arrive at the door of a 'drawing room', which has nothing to do with drawing despite the parchment you are presently clutching. It's apparently short for 'withdrawing'. A bad place to withdraw to, you think, only one door and the windows are too narrow to jump through easily.
Lord Governor Bozbeyli certainly looks a bit too stout to fit through them, though his arms certainly still look like they could bear the weight of the scimitar at his belt, a trophy from his time with the Taldan Horse. He's sitting behind a heavy oak desk watching a delicate red flower open and close then open again, faster than any flower should. An illusion, you realize, which much like feathers in caps has no other use than to look nice.
"Welcome, welcome," he waves you gruffly towards some slightly battered chairs against the opposite wall. If he finds your dress remarkable he does not make note it. "I'm afraid I don't have very long to speak to you today, however. What's this about demon elves under my city?"
"We are newly arrived from the north, where we faced demons, ogres, and a dragon..." It feels wrong for Pisca to put Sylestrix in the same category as those other two, even if it's technically true, but it seems to get the lord's attention and by the time the pirates had come and gone out of the story he's paying much more attention to you.
You slide the parchment towards him. "What I saw, and what I was moved to draw."
"Elves of Darkness... What if I told you that's nothing more than a nursery story?"
[] Sirim answers directly (Will cause raise questions due to being a 'familiar')
[] Mina speaks as instructed (Bluff vs Sense Motive not to reveal he is parroting someone)
[] Gorok answers, this seems to be a man who trusts warriors
[] Write in
OOC: Social rolls hidden.
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Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
If we come back to Cassomir in a year or two and find out that Goblin chic is the latest fashion of young Taldan nobility, I might die of laughter.
Right on, dude.
The average Taldan noble isn't fit to wipe the dirt off your shoes, Mina.
Hmm, how best to respond to this? I think we could word a Bluff attempt from Kori in such a way as to avoid any Diplomacy checks while still conveying the information necessary, but that may not be necessary.
I don't believe the governor is trying to claim there is no such thing as Drow, but rather parroting the standard line told to the commoners when rumors of their existence crop up. If this isn't a test, it's something close to it. For now, I'm favoring Gorok to answer. He can be sincere and truthful without embellishment. If the governor doesn't want to accept the potential threat the Drow pose, that's that. We can leave knowing we tried to help.
[X] Gorok answers, this seems to be a man who trusts warriors
Nope, he is not wearing the cloak.
- Location
- Argentina
Then what is the difficult thing to convey? We are an underground man, wearing an underground elf armor, sporting an underground elf device that marks our right of passage through the darklands.
Do we need to get Sirim to start using Silent Image to properly convey what we mean?
That is assuming he knows what a Caligini is or that he thinks they are trustworthy. Let me put it this way, Pisca has not seen one of the Darkfolk before in his life.
- Location
- Argentina
Then, as a darklander, we can gladly educate the man on the dangers below.
Hook him through the azlanti descent then
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
That's probably what we'll end up doing, but I don't think this first round of discussion is about actual information exchange or trying to convince the governor they exist.
Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
Hey, there have been weirdly styles that turned into trends.If we come back to Cassomir in a year or two and find out that Goblin chic is the latest fashion of young Taldan nobility, I might die of laughter.
I approve of Cob's surety of self here.
Agreed.
Oh boy, this guy is in for some disturbing news.
[X] Gorok answers, this seems to be a man who trusts warriors
Gorok's blunt manner of speak should appeal to former military man.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
Why are we keeping Sirim's cover as a familiar?
Initially it was to get our place on the expedition roster, and wave off Urgor's concerns about 'an undead spirit'. Gavhaul walked in on us, and so we had to stick to our story, or be exposed as having lied to our employers and possibly kicked out. But Gavhaul is dead and Urgor wants our help, so there is no reason to keep pretending.
[x] Gorok answers, this seems to be a man who trusts warriors
Initially it was to get our place on the expedition roster, and wave off Urgor's concerns about 'an undead spirit'. Gavhaul walked in on us, and so we had to stick to our story, or be exposed as having lied to our employers and possibly kicked out. But Gavhaul is dead and Urgor wants our help, so there is no reason to keep pretending.
[x] Gorok answers, this seems to be a man who trusts warriors
- Location
- Argentina
We might have to speak to Urgor frankly about this... I will definitely vote for that.
[x] Gorok answers, this seems to be a man who trusts warriors
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Sirim is still on the run, so anything we can do to obscure his identity is helpful. That said, I'm not opposed to telling Urgor the truth soon-ish. Maybe when we're done in Taldor?
- Location
- St. Petersburg
This was not his preferred cover, though.
He can introduce himself however he sees fit from now on; the legend has served its purpose.
By the way, does Leontas go his own way, or do we have some common business left? I thought Urgor would try to hire his company for the Jernashal campaign, but it's a question of whether the company would even stay in this business, filthy rich as they are.
You can ask him when this is over, Kori does not know IC.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
It might not be his preferred cover, but it's established now and I don't see a good reason to change that while we're still in Taldor.
I'm not sure how many people are in Leontas' company, but they got 1/3 of the proceeds from selling the adamantine. I doubt many of them will continue working as mercs, but I could be wrong. They should each get enough to comfortably retire and live in luxury for the rest of their lives, even if most only get a small fraction of the their share.
Maybe Leontas and some of his people will decide to invest in assembling a larger merc company?
Just had a thought. If we need something to invest in, beyond spending some coin to get Gorok's tribe we'll established, maybe we could get in on the Jernashal action? If Urgor's people are willing to sell, I bet we could get some good rates on real estate in the reclaimed Dwarven city.
- Location
- Argentina
Damn, I wanted an underground city. Would the iruxi find themselves willing to live there, or nearby?
But what would we use that place for? Hmmm. I am thinking about taking over Kori's tribe again. We need to fill the place with bodies.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
I doubt the Iruxi would be interested. They're surface-dwellers, after all, but we could maybe establish a Darkfolk district?
If that isn't feasible, we might just end up owning a stake in some businesses or a nice base. We could possibly make a steady income from tenants and investments in local businesses, too, though that might be a longer term arrangement.
It could be a pretty secure place to establish ourselves, with plenty of allies around.
- Location
- Argentina
Darkfolk District it is, with the iruxi in a water course nearby then. We could be building a proper community of the displaced and neglected, seeking to build a better life and reach past glories.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
Still more interested in Sylestrix' tower. No better way to keep out unwanted guests than a dragon who thinks it's her hoard of treasures she is protecting. Come to think of it, it would let one use rare artefacts like the AI core, so long as it technically doesn't leave Sylestrix' care.
- Location
- Germany
She is a pretty young dragon directly next to a country with a proud tradition of dragonslaying.
I'm worried she'll rather draw plunderers than scare them off. At least the level of plunderers who can actually threaten us and her.
Power of sublimating bad feels into writing go!
Vote closed, lets see what this guy will take from this.
Vote closed, lets see what this guy will take from this.
Arc 9 Post 41: A Matter of Trust
A Matter of Trust
15th of Kuthona 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
"Stories, yes," Gorok does not move, but his head swerves to meet the man's eyes, bright yellow to dark brown. "But not for children. In the lands below there is the tribe and temple of Droskar, you would say 'empire', the xulgath, and those who drink light, who once walked under the sun," he motions at you. "And the man flesh carvers who know no fear, slicing into all their tools can reach for there are many beasts in Nar Voth. All these I have seen, I have killed, taken their bones, I have spoken in peace, and there are tunnels deeper still that knot one with the other like a net, Sekamina. There is only one road in Nar Voth, the Long Road that the duergar keep, but there are many in Sekamina. Some are the domain of the zhys that you call kin to serpents which your ancestors drove from the sunlit world, but some are held by late-comers with with faces like ash and soot, hair like ice and eyes like blood," he puts one clawed hand on the parchment. "Usually only two. I have seen the scars they left, not all of them on flesh. Slavers, killers, demon-speakers."
As he speaks you notice Mina staring at him intently, perhaps loaning out a touch of good luck, not that the Lord Governor seems to notice. He starts to pace, though really given how little floors-space he has it's more like wheeling around an invisible spot on the floor, which judging from the wear on carpet has seen the like many times before.
"I do not doubt you mean that nor that there are terrors in the Darklands that have, mercifully, never seen the light of sun or moon, mutants, ghouls, and hungry things, but not elves, no elves I know. They would go mad if you locked them away in a dungeon for a handful of years. When I was a magistrate..." he sighs, the kind of sound that might make a horse look up. "Nevermind, no sense dredging up the past. Whatever you saw with the eyes in your head or those of magic was not an elf, for all there would be plenty in the city minded to use the rumor for their own ends. If I may be blunt..."
"As though you know how to be anything else." It is a bit of a struggle not to at least smile at Sirim's jest, though the governor quickly draws your attention.
"I thought you were working with the Cicatos, but I see now that it's only Calistria laughing. Marian Cicato has recently staggered into town, trying to make trouble ahead of the princess' visit. I have it on good authority he's using stories of 'dark' elves to rile up the scum of the Teeth. After all, claiming that I am merely the puppet of ordinary elves from Kyonin, which everyone can go down to the river and see sailing by grows stale eventually. But dark and wicked elves? Oh aye, and now this elf-like thing is in the sewers."
"Not elf-like," you interject firmly. "You said you cannot imagine elves sealed underground not going mad, much as I might object to the characterization of my birthplace, who is to say the drow are sane?"
The venom in your voice seems to take him aback for a moment, but this is no mere knee jerk obstruction you come to realize. "I have dealt with elves of the Guarded Kingdom for fourteen years, from merchants and bows-for-hire to dignitaries of the Viridian Court in Iadara, and while they are not without their faults, they are inflicted with rather too much duty to the world than too little and they are free with their advice. If there was such a realm of wicked elves beneath our feet they would have informed me. Nay, they would have informed some governor many centuries before me."
"Unless they judged that it is best to keep their shame secret rather than share to men who to their eyes burn out like candles in a gale," Sirim answers.
"That is a serious accusation," he rounds on the 'familiar', then on Mina as his master. "One that will make you few friends if you spread it around."
"Unless we prove it's true," Pisca glibly interposes.
"Unless that, yes." Lord Governor Bozbeyli is not amused, but he is not yet quite angry.
"Then I shall f..." It does not take a genius to realize what he's about to offer... and that it would be suicide to go alone.
Mina used Fortune Hex on Gorok
Sirim used Shadow Enchantment for Bestow Insight on himself
Sirim used Shadow Enchantment for Bestow Insight on himself
What do you do?
[] Stomp on Pisca's foot to give him a moment, albeit a painful one, to consider the vow he's about to make
[] Offer to join him. It's going to take a few more days before all the adamantine is processed and Urgor finishes his business in Cassomir
[] Write in
OOC: Social rolls once again hidden for reasons of spoilers.
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