Slay a proven wrongdoer in Ragathiel's name. It is not enough for the sacrifice to have an evil heart or evil intentions; the sacrifice must have committed evil or unlawful deeds. Gain a +4 sacred bonus on saving throws against spells and effects cast by evil creatures.
: I
I mean a +4 sacred bonus is a reason...?
Edit: Also evidence that Sirims dislike of fanatics is entirely reasonable.
Was it the sentiment itself, the hope of tracking him down to his dwelling place and the treasures of Azlant or the hope of making peace with the fishmen.
Nothing wrong with voting for Darkness, dude. Worst case, it's a tool in our toolbox that doesn't get used very often, but Greater Detect magic isn't likely to be used very often, either.
Slay a proven wrongdoer in Ragathiel's name. It is not enough for the sacrifice to have an evil heart or evil intentions; the sacrifice must have committed evil or unlawful deeds. Gain a +4 sacred bonus on saving throws against spells and effects cast by evil creatures.
Keep in mind that is a specific feat, a character has to take that mechanically which means that in terms of the narrative they have to vow to do the thing from now on of their own free will, not all who worship him to. As others have said above there are places in Golarion where daily smiting would... be considered pro-social by most of the population, the Worldwound and Vyrlich in Ustilav come to mind. That said in the lore Ragathiel is noted as being dangerously zealous, the Empyrial Lord that gets the side eye from his peers. He thinks it's because his father was an arch-devil, they know it's because of how he chooses to fight.
On hearing about Mina's proposed trade in spells you decide to watch, curious how such a thing could be done. Your own magic is whispers at the back of your own mind, no more teachable than the sound of one's footsteps or voice. Alas, the sight of a black cat staring at its own shadow by candlelight, a few shades too dark, as Mina occasionally chines in half-a-conversation's worth of suggestions isn't all that intriguing a watch.
Instead you spend much of the next three days in the company of Cob, Gorok, and the rest of the iruxi as they talk about what they hope to see in their new home as the goblin, more versed in stories of the Burnlands, even if they are at times of dubious provenience, offers advice on the kind of places that might be found out in the wild places of the world. Old hill forts taken over by longshanks raiders, cursed villages left to rot, their foundations still solid, and stone marked clearings in the deep woods where fey things wander are all mentioned, as are the more prosaic options of caves and the kinds of rock in which they might be found within. Cob is also surprisingly knowledgeable on how one might go about shelters and throwing up a wall around them with the kind of tools goblins might possess, which is to say the sort 'longshanks' throw away.
The trio of young iruxi warriors do not seem to know what to make of this small floppy-eared figure, flushing dull purple against the grown camouflage he had acquired from the ship as he expands on the best way to trap one's treasure room with broken glass. To be fair, you are not entirely sure why 'pickles' should be in the treasure room either. Maybe you'll get a better idea once you have one of those.
Either way, Gorok and his kin agree that they should be looking for a place to settle at the edge of a forest with water nearby and a range to hunt some of the more dangerous beasts for food and hides of course, but also for tusks, horns, and other valuable goods that they can hopefully trade with the warmbloods. The trade you made with Menkir convinced Gorok that there is an opportunity there for his kin. The iruxi will, hopefully, not have to deal with any devils or hell beasts, but they are canny and skillful hunters willing to delve deeper into the wilds than most. Given good land they could also cultivate a bewildering array of nuts, berries, and roots as well as more familiar mushrooms for food, medicine, and spices, allowing them to live more as they had in the days of their ancestors of which their tribal tales tell.
Yet all of you are very much aware as the arc of the ship approaches land that even should all these hopeful plans bear fruit they would still but a shadow of those who raised great stone temples now sinking into the mire, and who had traded with the xulgath and the zyss in times of yore. In a sense, all of you are making due like goblins, pulling rusted nails from splintered boards. Good thing you have an expert on the matter to help out.
***
As everyone comes on deck, including Warty, eager to stretch his froggy legs once more, the White Eagle, flag raised high, passes by an island ringed by half a dozen other ships sporting the same blue and white colors, and in the distance others still half built.
How many 'ships' does this realm have, you wonder, and where do they find so many people mad enough to get on them without devils on their trail?
The answer is not slow in coming.
Straight backed dwellings half of stone and half of wood, their roofs peaked against whatever ills the hollow skies should dispense upon them, stretch out into the middle distance. The sheer size of it takes your breath away: from the tongues of wood reaching out into the sea, to shops and inns, along with houses and warehouses filled with the wealth of kingdoms. The air smells not just of fish and brine that has grown all too familiar over this journey, but also of smoke, the breath of the city spreading out above it in a ever-present haze. Here smoked meats, there dried timbers, everywhere gold and silver changing hands. The sounds of voices raised in argument mixes with the rhythms of work-songs unfamiliar to your ear and the clang of hammers at their task. These might not be the famed forges of the duergar, where iron-hearted smiths work wonder by the flames of Droskar's gaze and the toil of countless slaves, but to eyes that had before seen no larger a settlement than Cauldron they might as well be.
"This is the second largest city you got?" you ask, your grasp of Taldan slipping in awe of this enormity of human habitation.
"Oh aye, lad. Brings a tear to your eye to look at it, don't it?" Caulker asks, looking on with a shrewd eye. "More than fifty thousand souls at last census, and growing year by year. This is just the Admiralty district mind you." After a moment's thoughtful pause he adds. "The harbormaster might have some questions for you, especially about the..."
Following his gaze you answer the half-spoken question: "Slurk."
"Slurk then. I did not have any trouble with the beast and I'm willing to vouch that it's tame, but you might have to pay extra to disembark it. And tell your goblin friend to keep his hood up and not to get in folks' faces. We don't much like goblins 'round here, no civilized port does, and they ain't going to be too keen to ascertain that he's different from most of his kin."
"And where might folk be a bit less keen to look under cloaks and pass judgement?" you ask after a moment.
"I know some folks in East Coppertown who aren't quick to judge, but it's a hard part of town. Folks walk with their hand to their sword hilt if you know what I mean."
In response you can only offer an incredulous look. Why would anyone take their hand off their sword in that tangle of strangers? It's enough to make one consider the virtues of walking sideways along the walls like a spider, just to have something solid at one's back. "And what would we owe you for the introduction?"
With the flash of a quick smile he answers: "Kind thoughts."
A favor then, but not in so many words. You think back on the offer to join him on the sea, stomach twitching at the prospect. Gorok, seeing your expression, suggests that you find a temple to leave Click in first and then decide on where to stay. After all, it would be one less person that needs to be lodged, even if it is a small one.
What do you do?
[] Try to find an Inn and stabling for Warty
-[] On your own
-[] Take Caulker's offer (Cost: 1 Minor Favor)
[] Find a temple willing to take in Click
-[] Desna
-[] Cayden Cailean
-[] Sheylin
-[] Write in (In the case of minor or regional gods a temple may not exist in the city)
[] Write in
Favors: A favor is a currency in some ways more precious than gold. It can be used to sway you into taking a job or away from it. It can have someone take dubious treasure off your hands or open the halls of government for tour entrance. Examples of favors owned by/to the party:
Minor: Take a weeklong low-risk job; pass on rumors you heard; offer training in a common skill
Moderate: Take on a job of middling risk; study a spellbook; offer healing services for a week; training in an uncommon skill; share information gained in confidence
Major: Take on a high risk job; sell a particular magic item to someone; healing services for a month; share a dangerous secret
Honorbound: Take on an illegal job; refuse a high paying job; spy on others; entrance to the highest levels of religious orders/guilds/local or national government
OOC: And we are here. This feels like a good place to start a new arc, even though you guys have not earned a level up yet.
[x] Try to find an Inn and stabling for Warty
-[x] Take Caulker's offer (Cost: 1 Minor Favor)
I suppose finding a base of operation would be the necessary first step. If a temple takes Click off our hands just like that, good. If it is anything more complicated, it's best we are situated already before we get any more involved.
We know little of these temples, so we might have to visit several in order to pick one better suited for the kid. Click has been our responsibility for several weeks now, what's a couple more days?
[] Find a temple willing to take in Click
-[] Desna
-[] Cayden Cailean
-[] Sheylin
-[] Write in (In the case of minor or regional gods a temple may not exist in the city)
What are Iolda and the other Halflings planning to do, @DragonParadox? Have they got a destination in elsewhere in mind or is this city the end of their journey? Is Iolda amenable to traveling with us?
What are Iolda and the other Halflings planning to do, @DragonParadox? Have they got a destination in elsewhere in mind or is this city the end of their journey? Is Iolda amenable to traveling with us?
I was going to have them approach you once you had a place to stay. As for right now yes it is the end of the road for them, they are free . What Iolda is going to do you do not know.
I was going to have them approach you once you had a place to stay. As for right now yes it is the end of the road for them, they are free . What Iolda is going to do you do not know.
Okay, that's good to hear. If she doesn't feel responsible to continue escorting them further, Iolda might not have anything against further adventures with us.
I want to get Click dropped off at a suitable temple ASAP, but doing that first loses us the chance to get help from Caulker. We're very strange peoppe, in a city that is very strange to us. Mina is our subject matter expert on surface people and cultures, but she was raised in a temple, so we should take advantage of whatever assistance Caulker can provide, IMO. Having a well known and somewhat influential person vouch for us could be the difference between a relatively easy time here and being run out of the city by an angry mob, if things go poorly.
[X] Try to find an Inn and stabling for Warty
-[X] Take Caulker's offer (Cost: 1 Minor Favor)
I want to get Click dropped off at a suitable temple ASAP, but doing that first loses us the chance to get help from Caulker. We're very strange peoppe, in a city that is very strange to us. Mina is our subject matter expert on surface people and cultures, but she was raised in a temple, so we should take advantage of whatever assistance Caulker can provide, IMO. Having a well known and somewhat influential person vouch for us could be the difference between a relatively easy time here and being run out of the city by an angry mob, if things go poorly.
And make sure Warty is stabled so no one gives us shit for our awesome and well-behaved giant toad. Maybe even Cob will stay behind and watch him since as stated goblins not well liked in most of city.
@DragonParadox what will iruxi warriors who tagged along with us do? Head out to scout potential locations for tribe to settle in?
And make sure Warty is stabled so no one gives us shit for our awesome and well-behaved giant toad. Maybe even Cob will stay behind and watch him since as stated goblins not well liked in most of city.
@DragonParadox what will iruxi warriors who tagged along with us do? Head out to scout potential locations for tribe to settle in?
Follow along, they do not even know the language. Mina speaks it of course and Kori can make himself understood, Cob... could wave his hands enough to make up for any lack of fluency, at least in his own opinion and Gorok speaks dwarf with a duergar accent.
I'm assuming that we can't just pay for Caulker's good word, which makes sense. If one has enough money to not worry about starving or homelessness, being owed a tiny favour from capable people is much more likely to be useful than 'a tiny bit more money'. [X] Try to find an Inn and stabling for Warty
-[X] Take Caulker's offer (Cost: 1 Minor Favor)
I'm assuming that we can't just pay for Caulker's good word, which makes sense. If one has enough money to not worry about starving or homelessness, being owed a tiny favour from capable people is much more likely to be useful than 'a tiny bit more money'. [X] Try to find an Inn and stabling for Warty
-[X] Take Caulker's offer (Cost: 1 Minor Favor)
[] Find a temple willing to take in Click
- [ ]Asmodeus
Clearly the safest place in the city if anyone starts starts looking for click. They'll all be looking in temples to Desna and Shelyn and junk. Meanwhile nobody's gonna suspect the adventurers who just traveled half a continent to spirit away a kid from Asmodeus, would just drop said kid off on his own temple.
It's the perfect deception flawless plan!
] Find a temple willing to take in Click
