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Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)
- Thread starter DragonParadox
- Start date
- Fantasy
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- Tags
- pathfinder
Arc 9 Post 21: The Sword and the Swindler
The Sword and the Swindler
7th of Kuthona 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
"Razmir, and they were making a mockery of Pharasman rites?" It is clear from his tone what answers Sir Pisca is looking for after days of enforced inaction in the company of common-born River Guard and their even more humorless junior officers. Here was the chance to show his mettle to the powers that be in Taldor. With a wave of his hand a roan horse bearing a star on its brow appears out of some other realm, and with another he seems to grow in stature, gaze sharper as he sweeps the shore, and manner more lordly, smile brighter than steel and twice as sharp. "In the name of his Imperial Majesty Stavian the Third, Grand Prince of Opara, Emperor of Taldor, prepare to receive the attention of his legions. Know that the loyal sons and daughters of the Empire have nothing to fear, and even onto the traitors I promise a swift death."
The roan horse, being no natural creature, allows itself to be mounted on the swaying deck of the ship and then jumps the distance to the shore before the foremost of the village's warriors, some of which look like they may be wearing cookware on their heads, can even reach it. In one smooth motion he draws a sword cast in silver and gold, marked with runes that are to your eyes far clearer than any Taldan script, and older by far yet still enduring: Immortal Guard of the Honorable Heart, or simply Heartguard for when its name must be called in the heat of battle.
Akorian Lore Azlanti (DC 12/17/22): 1d20+10 = 14 (Partial Success)
Swords akin to this stood watch in the border-marches of the High Realm of Azlant and later of Thassilon Xinel, the Province of Xin. That the sword, now gleaming in the weak light of a Verduran winter, had been made in a later age made it no less in your eyes, a crumb of restoration is better than none.
"See how they come to torment the faithful?!" The priest's denial is shrill and fearful even behind the smooth steel of the mask. "They know that we've caught on, we know who their real masters are, not princes on their hollow thrones, not so, not so, not the prelates of uncaring fickle gods. How much faerie gold were you paid, traitor?!"
The attempt to turn the worn on the knight leaves him speechless, though not perhaps for the reason he had expected. Sir Pisca looks like he is struggling not to laugh. "Are you accusing me of taking my payment in leaves and sticks glamored to seem like golden coins? Well, am I supposed to be a cruel servant of wicked masters, or a cretin?" Before his opponent could answer, he shakes his head as though in wonder. "Ah, now I see the confusion, your mongrel lot manage both. Seize him!"
There is a moment when it looks like the villagers might try to resist, but like a crack in stone from a heavy blow it fractures, the crowd parts... and the air implodes with a gust of dislocated air filling the space the priest had filled, thick cloying smoke expanding outward.
"The Curse of the Living God upon the mind and marrow of all who do not protect the prophet of Razmir!"
Screams fill the air and the River Guard, unused to dealing with crowds, shrink back.
At first the knight seems as shocked as anyone else. Then a whirlwind of half seen arcane energies begins to crackle around him, rage bleeding into the air. "Find him! Search every house, every cupboard, every corner!"
Almost hidden under the shouts of the knight and the screams of the villagers is Mina uttering a spell. Eyes tinged silver that pierces common veils search the shore and the main street as far as it goes. "He must have gone into one of the houses. Desna, they are going to tear up the whole village looking for him..."
"Want us to look-see?" Cob asks helpfully, and a little eagerly.
What do you do?
[] Help search for the escaped Razmiran Missionary
[] Stay out of it
[] Write in
OOC: I am giving you guys a bit of a peek at the loot you could have gotten off Pisca if you had chosen to fight him. Though really, you could change your mind now too if you want. I'm sure that Razmiran would promise you a lot of gold for saving his neck...
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- Location
- St. Petersburg
Will that be fairie gold?
It stands to reason the Duchess' nephew would be of some import, but I am glad for the proof. Unfortunately, they say looting nobles that are known to have been dispatched to escort you is a bad omen.
Does Sir Pisca need the Missionary alive?
Need to keep in mind this could be a distraction. If we help search, we might want to leave a lookout to observe what else is happening around.
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Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Prisca has some neat stuff. His sword is especially shiny. He better be on his best damned behavior or it'll be our stuff soon.
As for helping search for the Razmiran conman, I'm not interested in helping to tear this village apart looking for him, nor do I want us to be separated from this ships for any length of time with pirates out and about.
That said, there are ways we can help.
[X] Kori uses Inspired Spell to cast Locate Object targeting the Razmiran's mask. He'll then use Dark Whispers to communicate with Sir Prisca, guiding him to the man's location if he stays within the spell's range.
-[X] Mina casts Hermean Potential on Sir Prisca, and Kori casts Bless on our allies.
As for helping search for the Razmiran conman, I'm not interested in helping to tear this village apart looking for him, nor do I want us to be separated from this ships for any length of time with pirates out and about.
That said, there are ways we can help.
[X] Kori uses Inspired Spell to cast Locate Object targeting the Razmiran's mask. He'll then use Dark Whispers to communicate with Sir Prisca, guiding him to the man's location if he stays within the spell's range.
-[X] Mina casts Hermean Potential on Sir Prisca, and Kori casts Bless on our allies.
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He would like to have someone to hang, but as pissed as he is dead will do.
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
I wonder the worth of such a promise, since we're the sort that he's "religiously mandated" to take gold from.
I also wonder how much gold he has on his person.
And I wonder if we can kill and loot him before Pisca gets a look at what treasures he has - this is a race!
Step one: Since we are going to be searching and hopefully fighting and then hopefully lying about how much loot there was, I think Mina should be sharing out a (Mythic?) Heroism or two. Maybe Sirim drops a Heroism on someone also? Also Herman Potential on our trackers from Kori while the other two do that?
Step two: Don't forget the adamantine. Pepper might be able to keep an eye on it, or we have dwarves keep an eye on it and cast that shadow communication spell on them/Pepper?
While I want to help directly, if we do go for this, would his clothes not be better? Less likely to be discarded imo.
But we might be able to ask his corpse where his loot is!
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- Location
- St. Petersburg
I am mostly wondering if there are any gems of dwarven origins among them.
The village seems to be dirt poor; I wonder why the priest even bothered with it.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
No, he's more likely to discard his cloths than that mask. He would only get rid of that in the direst of circumstances, and he has no reason to think he should do that now.
As for helping them search more thoroughly, I don't see the point. We aren't here to help govern Taldor and the Razmiran hasn't done anything to us. Prisca has plenty of people to do the grunt work for him. I would rather we guard the ships from pirates and angry villagers, and keep an eye out for stowaways.
Let Prisca do his thing. We already did ours by scouting the place out and telling him what's going on.
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- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
I want Prisca to like us enough so he'll help us gain access to the scrolls market.
Though now I think on it, we have little liquid wealth.
I still want to go searching (to get the kill and steal some loot, maybe), but your plan is very good for a 'not actively searching').
I don't have time to make a plan. Just got a job offer for my backup job. I start on the 21st.
I should hear back from primary job by Friday, and even then, I'd be on a wait list to get the shift I asked for.
Do you think Prisca would like a Hermean Potential cast on him? He's much more magical than I thought he was. (Bard maybe?)
Though now I think on it, we have little liquid wealth.
I still want to go searching (to get the kill and steal some loot, maybe), but your plan is very good for a 'not actively searching').
I don't have time to make a plan. Just got a job offer for my backup job. I start on the 21st.
I should hear back from primary job by Friday, and even then, I'd be on a wait list to get the shift I asked for.
Do you think Prisca would like a Hermean Potential cast on him? He's much more magical than I thought he was. (Bard maybe?)
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Congratulations, dude! Good luck!
It looks like Prisca has the magic of familial wealth.
With Kori guiding him using Locate Object and Dark Whispers, Prisca shouldn't have much difficulty finding the man. I'll update my plan to include Hermean Potential. It isn't likely to help find the guy, but it could make dealing with him easier for Prisca.
- Location
- Germany
If the rumors about his debt are true, this blade is more likely the one thing to recognizable and important to pawn off.It looks like Prisca has the magic of familial wealth.
Yeah, from what Kori saw of it the sword is a replica of one used by Azlanti border guards and it is similarly enchanted, which for this age of the world means it is strongly enchanted.
- Location
- Singapore
Instead of tearing up village for the conman, just bait him out? Razmiran Doctrine is a weird mix of Scientology and North Korean indoctrination.
Just gather a crowd to start chants mocking/insulting Razmir as we march through the streets.
He will jump out on his own.
Just gather a crowd to start chants mocking/insulting Razmir as we march through the streets.
He will jump out on his own.
- Location
- Germany
I'd assume that he's not stupid.
One little mage can't stand up to the force we brought to bear here and he knows it, or he would have tried to fight before the eyes of the crowd, instead of vanishing.
Hmm.. not a lot of votes. Is something unclear?
- Location
- Germany
[X] Goldfish
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Arc 9 Post 22: With Cunning Craft
With Cunning Craft
7th of Kuthona 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
"Cob," you call to your friend, who had been leaning over for a better look as a weary looking Urgor wonders what mischief you need a goblin for. If anything, he looks even more bemused when all you do is borrow his every-tool, twisting and clicking until it can serve as a decent measuring tool. The spell you draw forth from memory is familiar and small, favored of investigators and Abadarian priests, to find that which is lost, in this case the priest's mask. After crossing the lenght of the Dancing Slurk you mark the direction and distance again, and then ask Cob to work out the numbers. He's game enough, for all he'd have preferred to be chasing down the Razmiran himself, though most of your attention is saved for the Surefoot dwarves; some are shaking their heads, others bemoaning the state of the world, one elder wagging a stubby finger in the faces of his kin, 'that's why you shouldn't underestimate goblins, ye hear'.
"He made a boat though," Oka says as you watch Mina follow Sir Pisca onto the shore to offer him a blessing of good fortune, then immediately turn to return to the Dancing Slurk as the River Guard start looking for answers as bluntly as one might expect of warriors in any land. Is it something about being encased in metal armor that makes one that blunt? you wonder.
"If we had big rocks to lob over there," Cob points at the local inn, The Lucky Three Eyed Carp according to the sign out front, "Bam!" He slams his first into an open palm. "No more drinkin' an' bone tossin' house!"
"Artillery," Urgor agrees, speaking more softly despite the fog seeming to conspire muffling words. "Just between you and me, the thought of goblins with artillery makes my blood run cold. It's not hard to make a counterweight and a pole at the end of the day, hard part's figuring out how to make it hit right."
Cob Knowledge (Engineering) (DC 16/21): 1d20+11 = 27 (Success)
He's gone into the inn, you whisper through the shadows to the Taldan knight. Thinking about it, that does make sense, for no matter his purpose the priest is a stranger here and where else would strangers find longing but in an inn? Odds are good he regrets his lack of foresight about now as the duly appointed representatives of the Taldan Crown draw near. Thankfully a hanging shouldn't take less time than the ships needs to take on fresh food and other provisions.
"Ship to port!" Gorok's shout shatters the triumphant moment, turning every eye on deck to where he was pointing, a dark silhouette against almost grey water and cold fog and, not a moment later, two points of leaping flame.
Gorok Perception (DC 22): 1d20+12 = 26 (Success)
"Artillery!" Urgor shouts again, in a tone very unlike before, leaving you just enough time to realize that one of the enemy catapults had been aimed directly at you.
You had found the pirates, who else would attack a ship under the protection of the River Guard... and they are aiming by mage sight.
Tactical information:
- Pirate ship at 300 ft and closing, turning in to meet you from upstream
- All the PCs, Urgor, and Leontas are on the deck of the Dancing Slurk as it Warty
- The Taldan Galley is anchored 20 ft behind you with about half of its crew present
- Sir Pisca and the rest of the Taldans had been moving to search the inn and it will take them 2 turns to get back to the shore
- The enemy does not have a surprise round, but since you cannot see them clearly at the moment you do not know where they are in initiative
[] Aggressively, your ship is made of stone, theirs of wood, try to ram them and board
[] Defensively, let them come to you, it will give the Taldans time to get back
[] Write in
OOC: Because Gorok made that roll, Akorian is going to have the chance to get out of the way of the flaming shot, unless you guys have some other use for his move action.
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- Location
- St. Petersburg
I think our fire elemental is going to see some use again. A wooden ship, a catapult with some fiddly bits; it's practically asking to deploy one of these.
Of course, targetting the mage would be preferable, but locating them would take some time.
And sure, ram them in, what's the fun of creating a stone ship otherwise?
Of course, targetting the mage would be preferable, but locating them would take some time.
And sure, ram them in, what's the fun of creating a stone ship otherwise?
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
@DragonParadox, how fast is the enemy ship moving? How long will it take to reach us at its current speed?