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Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)
- Thread starter DragonParadox
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Arc 8 Post 10: Scoundrel's Scramble
Scoundrel's Scramble
3rd of Neth 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
Though he is just their employer rather than their boon companion, Gavhaul's dismissive attitude and uncaring cruelty are winning him nothing among the sellswords or the dwarven contingent as the caravan continues its weary path along the river under the occasional spray of snow and sleet that only sinks spirits even lower.
Apparently it's much worse further north without the moderating influence of the Verduran and its fey. You'll take Mina's word for that, but personally you are miserable enough as is without having to contemplate what 'five feet of snow' looks like. Nothing more comes out of the water under the glow of torchlight, so either it had been some beast whose stretch of the river you had left behind or it was clever enough to know that it would only get one easy meal out of you.
Either way you have more than enough trouble inside the camp. Arguments are starting to be slung between dwarves and Mendevians about who's been slacking on watch and who's been drinking too more than keep away the cold and the wet.
'A dwarf can hold more liquor in one leg than a human altogether!'
'Maybe use those axes of yours to clear the brambles in front of your noses.'
'Moles should stick to their holes.'
***
The following night you hear a cry from the south side of the camp and one of the mercenaries shouting an alarm. "The beasts are back! Demon cat, demon cat!"
Pulling an armor of shadows around yourself you rush to their defense, surprised to see that Mina is hesitating beside her tent. Is she waiting for Sirim?
As you reach the guard still furiously waving his torch to signal his comrades, there is no sign of any cats, or any beasts at all. Maybe just a strange shadow in the moonlight or the work of some bored fey, though you do not say so. Urgor is annoyed enough to have been woken in the middle of the night already. Dwarves, as it turns out, do not sleep in their armor as some stories tell.
Perhaps it would be better if they did. There is a flash of light from the other side of the camp where the dwarves are bunked down for the night, Mina's staff alight with golden fire again.
"Leave it, there's nothing there! Come on!"
By the time you, Urgor, a couple of his kin, and two of Gorok's iruxi kin reach your friend she's standing next to Urgor's tent, his collapsed tent, pointing out at the sky. "There was someone in the tent. They dashed in as soon as the commotion distracted everyone else. I just got a glimpse of them as they cut their way out. They weren't human, small, like halfling-sized, and they flew off!"
"Flew?!" Urgor shouts in increduility. "What do you mean, flew?!"
"I mean they had a trained bat swoop in and pick them up. I tried to put them to sleep, but they shook it off," your friend explains.
"Fucking bats!" the dwarf roars. "Fucking thieves!" The curses devolve into dwarfish too obscure for you to parse out, though one would assume he is not wishing a long and prosperous life upon the perpetrator.
"I'll have their head stuffed and mounted! Stuffed and mounted!" he points at you and Mina as well as Cob and Gorok, who had only just gotten here. The thief had chosen the exact moment when those two would be as far as possible from their target. "Come on, we've gotta catch up with the orc-shit! I'll not be robbed of gold or honor!"
There is something very much like desperation under the bravado of that tone, something that makes you think back to the story he'd shared with Mina in Carpenden. His clan are far from wealthy, hoping that this expedition would turn their fortunes around. To have that turn around into being robbed on the road would be a heavy blow. Glancing left and right to the other dwarves you see the same anger reflected in their faces, though some of it is directed at Urgor himself. How long would they trust him to lead them if he leaves wealth and honor behind in the dirt chasing after adamantine only he had seen?
Do you help Urgor?
[] Yes
-[] Write in how you try to track the thief
[] No, it's too risky
OOC: On the plus side at least now you know it was thieves and a little more about them.
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Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
Lot of prep and work for thieves, but then again the best ones have it.
@DragonParadox after looking through his collapsed tent can Urgor tell us exactly what was stolen? It can't have been too heavy if it was flown off with a bat and rider.
@DragonParadox after looking through his collapsed tent can Urgor tell us exactly what was stolen? It can't have been too heavy if it was flown off with a bat and rider.
He does not want to say in the middle of the camp with so many witnesses, but is seems very upset.
Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
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- The Future
Hmmm, so it's either something that puts the expedition at risk, in which case he is more likely to tell Gavhaul, or more likely something super personal.
Can we use our seer powers to try and track it down?
Does Gorok's tracking ability work with flying targets? Like following broken tree branches and stuff?
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Sounds like someone knows more about the expedition than simple rumors spread about in Carpenden could account for. Assuming the choice to rob Urgor's tent wasn't random, which it probably wasn't.
There are only so many ways we can try to track the thief, given our current abilities and the way they entered and exited the camp. Thankfully, Gorok is a Ranger and that gives us some options. They're not great options, but it's about the best we can hope for right now.
[X] Yes
-[X] Pepper will sniff out the area around the tent and inside of it in hopes of catching a scent he can identify and potentially track later.
-[X] Gorok will use Cob's goggles to boost his Survival bonus, then look for tracks around and within the tent.
--[X] In the morning when he prepares spells, Gorok will select Commune with Birds and, if he found a track left by the thief or their mount, Residual Tracking. If he didn't find any tracks, he'll prepare an additional Commune with Birds spell.
---[X] He will cast Residual Tracking on the thief's tracks, if possible, or their mount's if not, in order to learn their exact appearance. He will then cast Commune with Birds to ask what direction anything matching that appearance left the area overnight. That will at least give us a direction to begin our search.
----[X] If no tracks were found, he'll still cast Commune with Birds, but instead ask about a large flying creature with another being riding on its back. After we travel in the given direction for a mile or so, he'll cast the spell again in order to confirm the thief's path before continuing on.
-[X] Mina will use her Fortune Hex on Pepper and Gorok when they are examining the crime scene.
There are only so many ways we can try to track the thief, given our current abilities and the way they entered and exited the camp. Thankfully, Gorok is a Ranger and that gives us some options. They're not great options, but it's about the best we can hope for right now.
[X] Yes
-[X] Pepper will sniff out the area around the tent and inside of it in hopes of catching a scent he can identify and potentially track later.
-[X] Gorok will use Cob's goggles to boost his Survival bonus, then look for tracks around and within the tent.
--[X] In the morning when he prepares spells, Gorok will select Commune with Birds and, if he found a track left by the thief or their mount, Residual Tracking. If he didn't find any tracks, he'll prepare an additional Commune with Birds spell.
---[X] He will cast Residual Tracking on the thief's tracks, if possible, or their mount's if not, in order to learn their exact appearance. He will then cast Commune with Birds to ask what direction anything matching that appearance left the area overnight. That will at least give us a direction to begin our search.
----[X] If no tracks were found, he'll still cast Commune with Birds, but instead ask about a large flying creature with another being riding on its back. After we travel in the given direction for a mile or so, he'll cast the spell again in order to confirm the thief's path before continuing on.
-[X] Mina will use her Fortune Hex on Pepper and Gorok when they are examining the crime scene.
- Location
- Germany
First they tried to go for us, because we had shiny magical equipment.
When that failed they snatched a guard and found out from them that Ungor also had potentially valuable loot?
Assuming all three incidents hang together, I could see this being the result of rumors and scouting, rather than anything more insidious.
Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
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- The Future
Better than most at least, which hopefully makes thief thinking they got away scott free and will have guard down.
[X] Goldfish
- Location
- St. Petersburg
That is what we have Sirim for, no? To communicate without anyone's knowledge.
I mean do you want him to reveal he is broadly telepathic? That is kind of spooky to a lot of people, especially since he does not really look like anything from (one of) the Good Place(s).
- Location
- St. Petersburg
We also do not broadly advertise it to others, but we possessed Urgor with him to expel a demon ghost. I think the dwarf would be past caring about spookiness by that point, and we kinda signed up for a massive expedition to help his clan. He should be getting used to it if he hadn't already.
Just tell him it'd be easier to find whatever it is if we know what we are looking for. Are we out of divinations for the day?
Just tell him it'd be easier to find whatever it is if we know what we are looking for. Are we out of divinations for the day?
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If you poke Urgor telepathically he is going to show it if not outright answer aloud. Skilled at cloak and dagger stuff he is not.
It is after sundown so yes you did your divination for the day.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
I really don't want to deal with Fey of any sort, but I'm almost hoping that's what this ends up being, rather than an organized effort by a thieves guild or something similar from Carpenden. If it's Fey, it very well could end as an issue when we're out of the forest, but if it's greedy people instead, they could be a hassle for a while.
- Location
- Germany
[X] Goldfish
Vote closed.
Arc 8 Post 11: Eyes Above and Ears Below
Eyes Above and Ears Below
3rd of Neth 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
There is no question on helping the dwarf, self-interest and sympathy rarely align so well. That only leaves finding a trail to follow.
As the rest of the camp starts to return to some semblance of order, if not calm, Gorok takes the magical spectacles from Cob and starts to comb through the remains of Urgor's tent with care-near-to-reverence. To tell the truth you are surprised when your friend does not find tracks within a thousand-beat, much less ten times that, but finally Gorok returns to speak with Urgor and two of his eldest kin, saying simply: "No tracks cannot be found, not with eyes, ears, or noses; the thief is warded by one with an understanding of the land, spirit, or flesh." A look of quiet pain shows on Urgor's bearded face, as though he'd been kicked in the gut, but the iruxi is not done yet: "But the thief itself was not unseen and unheard, and more than our eyes and ears were on them. On the morrow I will speak to the birds of this."
The other two Surefoot dwarves seem very unsure indeed, but Urgor sighs in something like relief and offers a cryptic: "The way abides."
No saying of dwarf-kind than you had ever heard, but then you only know it as trader-tongue.
Gorok Survival (DC 30): 1d20+19 = 38 (Success)
Though you'd half-expected Gavhaul to argue against splitting the caravan's guards so close to Fusil and on ground said to be dragon haunted, he does not. The Surefoot's leash, at least, is yet wider than yours, that or he knows that you'd have better luck uprooting a mountain than stopping a dwarf hunting down stolen treasure.
***
4th of Neth 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
It is rather strange to watch Gorok chirp and caw at the trees as birds grey, russet brown, and black gather to give counsel. Mina tries to recount their names: wren, kestrel, goldcrest. and jay, but what sticks most in your mind is Cob offering all the ways goblins would cook them. You never would have guessed that anyone would try to do so much with pickles... or that they would keep doing it after the first time.
A 'nightjar' is who finally has an answer, at least half-a-name's length, which makes sense. The bat had flown back south and east, though away from the river, and it had landed close by, though the 'why' of that had Gorok tip his head in worry and call back to Cob to be on guard: 'To keep away from silver-death.' As Gorok's chirps grow more urgent the bird is startled and takes wing with warning to get away away from the river.
Gorok Handle Animal (DC 17): 1d20+8 = 11 (Failure)
"Do silver things often live by rivers? In forests?" you ask without much hope.
"Not unless they are fish or fey, both just as slippery," Mina offers with a grim look. "We should be so lucky. How's your dragonology, master dwarf?"
"Good enough to know it's bad luck to deal with a dragon while you still have gold in your pocket and skin on your bones, lass," Urgor returns. "Let's be quick about this so we can get back on guard before the beast shows itself."
"Only so quick you can be without losing your way, slow as can be," Gorok counters, an eye on the sky. The next bird he speaks to is a crow who had seen the bat land and a frog clamber off his bat to meet with a cat-made-two-leg. So that hadn't been a glamor, but a druid, you wonder. The Verduran was meant to be full of them, but you'd seen neither hide nor hair of them... which, come to think of it, makes sense if they are borrowing hide and hair of the local beasts.
Gorok Handle Animal (DC 15): 1d20+8+1 (Guidance) = 15 (Success)
Continuing along a jagged path through the undergrowth, still with no mark to show on the ground, you hear among the by now familiar chorus of woodland sounds, someone cursing and stumbling through the underbrush. Cautiously, Gorok lays a hand on Warty's flank to stop, just as mustached man appears between the trees, his face lighting up with relief. "Oh thank Heaven, people..." He seems to just notice Cob. "Ah, a goblin. I thought you were some kind of hob or fey thing sent by the Lord of these woods, damned be the name unspoken. I couldn't rest my head a wink last night for the sound of wings. Thought for sure it had caught me, but then something drew them away."
"Why would the forest spirits be hunting you through the air?" Gorok asks, his tail still and posture wary.
"I'm a mapmaker by trade and have to get these maps to Oregent, post haste," the man answers patting, the satchel at his side. "They've already snatched one of them and I am sore-wounded at the loss."
"Wounded in the coin pouch?" you ask with no small helping of irony. While the man certainly looks bedraggled he does not look nearly as worried to be alone in these woods as you would be.
"Aye, but whence comes the food, the roof over your head, and the clothes on your back?" the man bows with a flourish. "Gavis Tinker, at your service."
"Ware, this is a man with the mark of the Lower Planes to him," Sirim's voice comes without sound in your mind.
"So did Click," you point out instantly, to which the shadow mage gives a mental shrug. He'd just been passing a message along.
Gorok Perception (DC 29): 1d20+12+1 (Guidance) = 33 (Critical Success)
What do you do?
[] Question Gavis about these fey on the wing
-[] He seems suspicious, use magic to sharpen your insight (Bestow Insight)
-[] Keep your spells for the fight sure to be ahead
[] Bid him farewell at once, you have a trail yet to follow
[] Write in
OOC: Enjoy.
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Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
I'm not surprised the thief used Pass Without Trace. We have Mina use it on the party so often for a good reason, after all. It's extremely effective for a 1st level spell. Good thing the birds were more helpful, though. Good job, Gorok.
This dude is suspicious as Hell, perhaps literally, even without Sirim's info. He might not be related to the theft, but it would be negligent of us not to be a bit more thorough here. Even if he isn't, that doesn't mean he's not up to shenanigans. He might just be part of another group out of Carpenden targeting the expedition.
[X] Question Gavis about these fey on the wing
-[X] He seems suspicious, use magic to sharpen your insight (Bestow Insight)
This dude is suspicious as Hell, perhaps literally, even without Sirim's info. He might not be related to the theft, but it would be negligent of us not to be a bit more thorough here. Even if he isn't, that doesn't mean he's not up to shenanigans. He might just be part of another group out of Carpenden targeting the expedition.
[X] Question Gavis about these fey on the wing
-[X] He seems suspicious, use magic to sharpen your insight (Bestow Insight)
Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
Ha, more random bullshit trying to sidetrack us, though hopefully less worrisome than current quest. Still, nothing wrong with being safe.
[X] Question Gavis about these fey on the wing
-[X] He seems suspicious, use magic to sharpen your insight (Bestow Insight)
Still, druid thieves? An odd combination since they usually don't want for anything most of the time.
@DragonParadox since we are away from camp now, is Urgor willing to tell us what was stolen so we know what we are looking for? Or will that be brought up in future update?
[X] Question Gavis about these fey on the wing
-[X] He seems suspicious, use magic to sharpen your insight (Bestow Insight)
Still, druid thieves? An odd combination since they usually don't want for anything most of the time.
@DragonParadox since we are away from camp now, is Urgor willing to tell us what was stolen so we know what we are looking for? Or will that be brought up in future update?
You guys can put that in a vote, but he is not going to say it on his own from what Kori can see.
- Location
- Germany
Could be, but there are lots of ways to turn into an animal.
Might be a Druid, or some other kind of caster with Beast Shape, or a Shifter, or some sort of Fey or magical beast with a natural shapeshifting ability, or a Lycanthrope (I think Were-Cats are a thing in Pathfinder?).
Until we know more, we have nothing to be sure of.
I am going to need a few more votes on this guys.