- Location
- Germany
[X] Goldfish
Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)
- Thread starter DragonParadox
- Start date
- Fantasy
-
- Tags
- pathfinder
Vote closed, lets see how this goes.
Arc 10: Post 13: Tales Upon a Goblin's Tongue
New
Tales Upon a Goblin's Tongue
23th of Kuthona 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
As Mina lays a blessing of swift passage on each one of your company as though on untamed paths and not in a city surrounded by people, Sirim allows his will to diffuse like shadows through the morning air to spy upon the seer. Nothing yet, but the ward lasts through a full turn of sun and moon through the empty sky.
Setting out to find another inn along the docks there's another blessing that might serve, giving ear not to what may be but what is. So even as Gorok peers inside the ingeniously named and patchily roofed Hooked Angler, Cob sits perched on a barrel listening. True, it earns him a disapproving looks from the seagulls he'd displaced, or maybe they're just wondering at the way his ears twitch this way and that through the disguise as no halflings ears should listening to what rumors the wind might bring.
Up in the loft, smelling of hay and not fish guts thankfully, your friend begins with five ominous words: "Mother's been 'Doin' Stuff," your friend proclaims with the lightheartedness that still troubles Mina, though personally you'd rather this than name one of the great demons of the Pit into the open air. "You know that spook we talked to, the one who wanted to grow mold men but then his own lot killed him 'cause that was dumb?"
"That's not exactly..." you start, thinking back to the ill-fortuned Ergriso Vaylen, but Sirim surprisingly waves you off, as much waving as one can do without hands at least. "Close enough..."
"Turns out one of his kin, Lynea her name was, found herself under the Mother's Moon..." He wiggles one hand in what might be a warding gesture. "That's when a welp comes out blessed, you see, which ain't always good to her that bears it. Sometimes they come out teeth-first, see?"
"I'd rather not," Mina shudders.
"It was her that killed her father, Mem... Mem something. Doesn't matter, he's dead. Anyway, I think the spook was the father, before he was spook at least."
"Wait...?" Mina recalls the name. "Weren't they cousins?"
Cob gives a very expansive shrug. "Eagle Knights only pieced together the whole thing after she ran off with a bunch of the gold and shinnies down in the vault-hole. Flew off really, on the back of a chimera. Came down to pick her in its claws, killed and ate a bunch of those... Night Eagles? Eagle Knights, that was it. Musta' been a really strong welp. Town found out in bits and pieces, and now half of them are sure they're cursed by demons."
"Why do they think that?" Given that you are in the city, however brief the stay may be, the question strikes you as more important than the precise degree of familiar relationship between a dead man and a runaway priestess of Lamashtu.
"Fishing's bad, they're not getting as much fish, but they're getting eyes sometimes," seeing the confusion Cob explains. "They're getting fish eyes in the net without the rest of it, like something's been eating all the fish around the eye."
"Death of beasts, even strange death, would not be the mark of the Brooder of Beasts," Gorok says firmly.
"Mayhap the seafolk know more," Sirim says, curiosity clearly piqued.
"What about the reward on us?" you try to steer Cob back on track.
"Oh, that's the Lumber Concert. How's lumber singing? Druid?" your small friend looks up at Gorok expectantly.
Cob Perception: 1d20+23 = 36 (Full Success)
"That's Consortium, I think, the folks we worked for before and Forester's Endowment count foes?"
"Right, well they're saying we shanked the wizard I took the Cob magic from, which we did, and they're calling us Taldan sneaks? We're not always going to work for Taldor-folk, right? Sounds kind of boring."
"No, master Cob," Sirim sighs, a faint hiss like gas escaping from a hidden packet underfoot. "Espionage laws, that explains the bounty with no trial. The fact we spent the last several days in the company of Eutropia and her Ulfen Guards probably won't help once that news gets to Augustana."
"What about Goldgather though, shouldn't she have done something to...?" Mina stops, considers the name of the Venture Captain and the fact that you are not even finally affiliated with the Pathfinder Society. "We should clear our name of the espionage charges and explain what... what the Aspis Society is."
"Taxpaying merchants?" Sirim's mind voice has an edge of cynicism to it, but not unkindness. "If we want friends in this town, we'll have to buy them. Thankfully, we have the coin."
What do you do next?
[] The Pathfinders are still your best bet for learning more than rumors tell
[] What you have found is all the more reason why the Foresters' Endowment would side with you, seek them out
[] Seek out the Azarketi, at least there was no war such as you foretold at the ill-fated wedding but this talk of fishing up eyes troubles you
[] Write in
OOC: Plot threads keep spinning whether you are around or not.
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Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Ears of the City is our new go-to spell whenever we arrive in a settlement. That worked out really well. Much quicker and less chance of issues than doing it the muggle way.
So the Lumber Consortium are the ones behind the bounty. Not unexpected, but it's good to get confirmation. I'm confident we can get this sorted out, even if it requires judicious bribery and a bit of murder, but I would rather not get involved in that right now if possible. There is no telling how long it will take, or what other matters we would end up tangled in before it's all said and done.
So the Lumber Consortium are the ones behind the bounty. Not unexpected, but it's good to get confirmation. I'm confident we can get this sorted out, even if it requires judicious bribery and a bit of murder, but I would rather not get involved in that right now if possible. There is no telling how long it will take, or what other matters we would end up tangled in before it's all said and done.
- Location
- Germany
So, not sure what that meant?
I'm not keeping the stories from our past right in my memory.
But something Lamashtu-blessed is always bad news.
More relevant to us, the bounty is posted under the suspicion of spying, which is weird, given that we went to Taldor for the first time after passing through here.
Regardless, we have a mission, a tribe of Iruxi.
@DragonParadox
Do we know where the Bellflower-halflings we got out of Cheliax are now?
My guess is that they are the most likely to help us get more people out of Cheliax, even if they think we are working for Taldor or whatever.
Ultimately we just need a few crewmembers to get the Dancing Slurk ashore in Cheliax, I think?
I'm not keeping the stories from our past right in my memory.
But something Lamashtu-blessed is always bad news.
More relevant to us, the bounty is posted under the suspicion of spying, which is weird, given that we went to Taldor for the first time after passing through here.
Regardless, we have a mission, a tribe of Iruxi.
@DragonParadox
Do we know where the Bellflower-halflings we got out of Cheliax are now?
My guess is that they are the most likely to help us get more people out of Cheliax, even if they think we are working for Taldor or whatever.
Ultimately we just need a few crewmembers to get the Dancing Slurk ashore in Cheliax, I think?
You would have to find them the old fashioned way starting with the Eagle Knights, they are not important enough to make a city-wide rumor.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
Dunno. I'd lay the groundwork at least before they start sending Eagle Knights' ships after us.
[x] What you have found is all the more reason why the Foresters' Endowment would side with you, seek them out
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Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
@DragonParadox, did Cob get an idea of how long the bounty has been in effect? Or how long ago the Lamashtan went on an Eagle Knight killing spree?
We've got a long delayed task to complete, one we've put off for long enough, IMO. Staying in Taldor for longer ended up working out very well for us, but as recent events in Augustana demonstrate, time continues to pass while we're gone. The Iruxi are living on borrowed time and I don't want us getting distracted causing them issues, like being wiped out by Hell Knights.
We just need a couple more items before we can leave for Cheliax. It might not even be necessary to rush and use Summon Ship to bring them back to Taldor, we might end up with enough time to craft a new Dancing Slurk on some out of the way piece of Chellish shoreline, but if that isn't possible, these preparations give us a much faster alternative.
Once we're ready to actually leave, then we can probably reach out to contacts in the city, such as Iolda, when someone discovering our presence won't impact our preparations.
[X] Onward, to Cheliax
-[X] We can deal with the Lumber Consortium at a later date. Gorok's people have languished in Cheliax for too long.
--[X] The group will keep a low profile, including not seeking out any contacts we have in the city. Instead, they will continue making an effort to hide their identities and obscure tracking or divinations. Dealing with merchants and crafters will be done in different identifies, and Mina will use Wild Arcana to Dimension Door them directly into their room at the inn from a significant distance away, even after making sure they have no one following them. Kori will perform a daily Divination to check for changes, and he'll cast Ears of the City on Cob each day to keep abreast of the rumor mill.
---[X] As part of preparing to retrieve the Iruxi, they will seek out skilled crafters and commission foci objects suitable for use with the Summon Ship spell, a Longship focus and a Sailing Ship focus, unless there are already suitable foci available, in which case they'll buy them outright. If they must be commissioned, we will offer to pay an extremely generous premium to have the order expedited, along with providing the crafters with Crafter's Fortune spells to enhance their ability.
---[X] They will make another attempt to purchase Unseen Crew spell scrolls (1,125 gold each).
---[X] They will purchase as many travel rations as they can fit in their Handy Haversacks and Bags of Holding, minus the room needed to accommodate the Iruxi when we teleport back to Cheliax.
---[X] If we must wait days for the foci to be completed, after Sirim and Mina learn the Summon Ship and Trade Wind spells, respectively, they will begin working through their backlog of scrolls waiting to be learned.
We've got a long delayed task to complete, one we've put off for long enough, IMO. Staying in Taldor for longer ended up working out very well for us, but as recent events in Augustana demonstrate, time continues to pass while we're gone. The Iruxi are living on borrowed time and I don't want us getting distracted causing them issues, like being wiped out by Hell Knights.
We just need a couple more items before we can leave for Cheliax. It might not even be necessary to rush and use Summon Ship to bring them back to Taldor, we might end up with enough time to craft a new Dancing Slurk on some out of the way piece of Chellish shoreline, but if that isn't possible, these preparations give us a much faster alternative.
Once we're ready to actually leave, then we can probably reach out to contacts in the city, such as Iolda, when someone discovering our presence won't impact our preparations.
[X] Onward, to Cheliax
-[X] We can deal with the Lumber Consortium at a later date. Gorok's people have languished in Cheliax for too long.
--[X] The group will keep a low profile, including not seeking out any contacts we have in the city. Instead, they will continue making an effort to hide their identities and obscure tracking or divinations. Dealing with merchants and crafters will be done in different identifies, and Mina will use Wild Arcana to Dimension Door them directly into their room at the inn from a significant distance away, even after making sure they have no one following them. Kori will perform a daily Divination to check for changes, and he'll cast Ears of the City on Cob each day to keep abreast of the rumor mill.
---[X] As part of preparing to retrieve the Iruxi, they will seek out skilled crafters and commission foci objects suitable for use with the Summon Ship spell, a Longship focus and a Sailing Ship focus, unless there are already suitable foci available, in which case they'll buy them outright. If they must be commissioned, we will offer to pay an extremely generous premium to have the order expedited, along with providing the crafters with Crafter's Fortune spells to enhance their ability.
---[X] They will make another attempt to purchase Unseen Crew spell scrolls (1,125 gold each).
---[X] They will purchase as many travel rations as they can fit in their Handy Haversacks and Bags of Holding, minus the room needed to accommodate the Iruxi when we teleport back to Cheliax.
---[X] If we must wait days for the foci to be completed, after Sirim and Mina learn the Summon Ship and Trade Wind spells, respectively, they will begin working through their backlog of scrolls waiting to be learned.
It came into effect three days after you killed Gavhaul.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
They didn't waste any time, did they?
I wonder how they made that connection so quickly?
Best guess is he had to report in to someone an didn't and then then ran a divination on him with something like Contact Other Plane to check if he was alive.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
I think Urgor said the Jernashal expedition isn't expected to kick off until the end of Winter, so we've got about three months or so of wiggle room. Is that right, @DragonParadox?
If we can get the Iruxi out of Cheliax and settled quickly enough, we could end up with five or six weeks to work with, possible more, which we can use to deal with the Lumber Consortium and other issues they've caused for us in Andoran.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Found another interesting 3rd party spell. Gorok or Sirim could cast Dire Form on Warty to make him even more formidable in battle. Really puts the War in Warty! 🐸
www.d20pfsrd.com
Is this one acceptable for us to use, @DragonParadox?
Dire Form – d20PFSRD
www.d20pfsrd.com
Is this one acceptable for us to use, @DragonParadox?
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- Location
- Germany
Seems a bit too heavy for a level 2 spell?Found another interesting 3rd party spell. Gorok or Sirim could cast Dire Form on Warty to make him even more formidable in battle. Really puts the War in Warty! 🐸
Dire Form – d20PFSRD
Is this one acceptable for us to use, @DragonParadox?
Imagine what a proper Druid buffing his animal helpers can do with that.
I'm a bit wary of that strategy.
If we are already suspected of espionage, then buying expensive stuff to better flee the country seems likely to draw attention.
Maybe minimize the shopping here and get moving before the Lumber or Aspis people catch wind of it?
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
It is pretty strong, but hardly OP. If someone is specced for multiple Animal Companions that would make it more powerful, but there is always a trade-off if you go that route.
And the bonuses are all Enhancements, so they don't stack with any of the more common buffs, like Bear's Strength or Barkskin. Or attribute boosting equipment. Warty, for example, wouldn't get any benefit from the spell's +4 CON, since he already has a belt for that.
This doesn't seem suspicious to me. Augustana is much larger than Cassomir (by about 40%), and it's where most of Andoran's naval power is based. More people, more shops, more travelers, more adventurers passing through, etc.
They also build most of their ships here. Purchasing magical aids for seafaring spells shouldn't draw any attention at all. There are much easier and faster ways to flee, if someone is inclined to do that. It's been 47 days since we killed Gavhaul, and 44 days since the bounty was posted.
- Location
- Germany
True, but it does give the boni of three spells in one (and that increase in natural weapons).
It's not OP, but rare enough that I'd restrict it from being available by default for any Druid and Ranger.
Fair.
[X] Goldfish
Found another interesting 3rd party spell. Gorok or Sirim could cast Dire Form on Warty to make him even more formidable in battle. Really puts the War in Warty! 🐸
Dire Form – d20PFSRD
Is this one acceptable for us to use, @DragonParadox?
A bit too powerful for its level. I'd call that level 3 or even 4.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
I can see 3rd level being reasonable, but not 4th. Most of the benefits from the spell could be duplicated by a 3rd level Heroism spell, which would also provide other effects and last ten times longer.
Vote closed.
Arc 10: Post 14: Spirits of the Past
New
Spirits of the Past
25th of Kuthona 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
However you cut it, there's just no way to deal with this quickly. Between the intricacies of Anodran law, the power of the Lumber Consortium, and the secretive hand of their Aspis allies, there's just too much arrayed against you to deal with head on. Not to mention, as Sirim recalls with a wry touch of humor, "We are guilty of the sin if sin it be."
So instead you come up with a veil to wear while in Augustana, that of a young widow of Galtish blood driven from her new home in the River Kingdoms by the ever-swirling wars of those realms. The commonly known and commonly disdained standoffishness of Galtan nobles would go far in excusing why the lady will not leave her chambers and where she has all this Taldan coin from. It might not make for pleasant meals in the common room of the Hocked Angler, but the fewer questions asked the fewer lies need be told.
So thick and true runs the Andoran dislike of the Galt's deposed nobility that the carpenter you seek out for commissions of a pair of 'heirloom ship models' doesn't ask questions even when one of those models is clearly an Ulfen Longboat drawn by Cob from examples bobbing at anchor in the Salt Harbor. He just hikes up the price by half again as much.
***
28th of Kuthona 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
Alas, that is where your good fortune ends. Teeming through the markets of Fleet may be Augustana counts fewer mages than Cassomir, and of their number most are engaged with its various guilds and trading houses, above selling their wares openly to strangers. It is only after declining the services of a dubious fellow with a wide-brimmed hat covering up a cheek scared to the bone with a very keen interest in your religious affiliation, necromancer looking for work or Eagle Knight fishing for trouble, you are not sure, that you find a lead.
"Oh aye, dearie. No one knows more about more than Nexians," a colorfully dressed old woman, scarves floating behind her in the high breeze.
A chill of memory goes down your spine.
"Eshe River Runner knows those spells, assuming your pouch's heavy enough to pay for an Archlord."
There it is.
Turning around head already tipped down in thought pay the elderly 'fixer' the common rate. Thus you consider what if anything you should tell the woman whom you had never met, but whose door you had broken though and upon whose floor you had bled. Hopefully her daughter had conveyed your apology note... Would she take advantage of the fact that you are now fugitives? Or covertly would she see an approach under a glamor poorly? Most people aren't quite so keen to trap their homes as the Nexian mage had been.
What do you do?
[] Approach Eshe to try to buy the spell
-[] Openly
-[] Under your assumed guises
[] Do not approach the Nexian mage, try to hire a living crew
[] Write in
OOC: Enjoy.
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Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Hmm, Unseen Crew spell scrolls would help avoid the potential issues we could have if we have to make do with Skeleton Crew spells instead, but this would be quite risky.
Definitely don't want to try to hire a living crew, though. That makes the entire endeavor considerably more complicated in multiple ways. Even pushing the timing to the limit to shrink as many of them down and carry them in the Bag of Holding, we would need a minimum of two round trips via teleport, that's four scrolls. And that would be the easiest part.
So, do we just go with Skeleton Crew, hoping to convince the Iruxi to volunteer some of their dead to serve as targets of the spell, or risk the Arclord in order to acquire the less problematic Unseen Crew scrolls?
@DragonParadox, since Cob and Kori were using Heroism for their checks, Mina should have also used the Encouraging Spell Metamagic Rod on them. Cob succeeded without it, so it doesn't really matter here, but we didn't see the target DC for Kori's Bluff check. He could have also gone into that with Moment of Greatness active in order to double the Morale bonus from Heroism, plus Channel Vigor to increase his Competence bonus to Bluff from +3 to +6. Those two spells are assuming he would have had enough of a heads up to cast them ahead of time, though.
Definitely don't want to try to hire a living crew, though. That makes the entire endeavor considerably more complicated in multiple ways. Even pushing the timing to the limit to shrink as many of them down and carry them in the Bag of Holding, we would need a minimum of two round trips via teleport, that's four scrolls. And that would be the easiest part.
So, do we just go with Skeleton Crew, hoping to convince the Iruxi to volunteer some of their dead to serve as targets of the spell, or risk the Arclord in order to acquire the less problematic Unseen Crew scrolls?
@DragonParadox, since Cob and Kori were using Heroism for their checks, Mina should have also used the Encouraging Spell Metamagic Rod on them. Cob succeeded without it, so it doesn't really matter here, but we didn't see the target DC for Kori's Bluff check. He could have also gone into that with Moment of Greatness active in order to double the Morale bonus from Heroism, plus Channel Vigor to increase his Competence bonus to Bluff from +3 to +6. Those two spells are assuming he would have had enough of a heads up to cast them ahead of time, though.
I was trying to find a balance between maximum buffs and keeping enough back that if something attacked you the party would still have plenty of resources. Rod uses are a lot more scarce than spell slots