Session 02: March 25, 2018

I smell a rat!

Players 
Mersit Of The Raging Tree, catfolk swashbuckler/rogue ..... Aaron Collins
Taarn, kellid barbarian ..... Mick Hodorek
Ashen, elf bladebound magus ..... Mike Horrigan
Rupert Silvermoon, elf wizard ..... Jonathan Hood
Esdar (Dar) Aerril, half-elf cleric ..... Alex Nutall

After the explanations of the Shard history and backstories of Sheila and Natalya, we agree to sally forth to recover more Shard pieces. Armed with 1) a rough map from Natalya, 2) a dream vision from Rupert showing that the next Shard is also in the Crow and 3) our lack of respect for danger, we feel ready for this new challenge.
To begin, we go shopping. Normally we don't like to split the party but Mersit and Esdar go to get some remove curse & disease potions (plus some other supplies) while the others do their own shopping.  We are particularly interested in not getting turned into were-rats so we stock up on silversheen as well. Surprisingly no one dies or kills anyone.

We get final minute prepping and advice from Sheila about boat availability then we set off to rent a rowboat. Natalya suggested trying to sneak in as the Crow is now home to the Tower Girls and they will definitely be on alert. As the night is a bit cloudy with a new moon, we decide going an hour after sunset would be a perfect time. Mersit goes to navigate but apparently Esdar is some kind of stupid sea cleric so he takes responsibility to steer the rowboat (see "Jon'ed" in appendix) beyond the bridge remnants to get to the Crow piling. The aforementioned lack of light makes it more difficult but we are able to stealthily get to the piling in question. As we get closer to our destination, we can see that the piling does do credit to its name: it is completely covered in crow carvings as a castle would be with gargoyles. We douse our lights as we get close to not alert the TGirls.

We are on the lookout for a docking area and at first we don't see one until we notice 3 flange-like structures (lancet?) sticking out of the piling (seems to match our map from N.) that form a kind of archway we can sail beneath. Then we come to a small area that looks to be the remains of the top of a stairway (the water covering all but the top step). When we get close enough, we see two other rowboats moored already. We decide to light up since we can barely see anything else. Now we get a better view of a small alcove leading into the piling and the high ceiling above (130-150 feet up?). We land our boat on the "beach" and peer into the alcove which looks to be littered with old campfires and trash from previous explorers (or the Tower Girls).  At this point we do the standard "freeze and listen" move from our adventuring training guide but we don't hear anything untoward.

We enter the alcove proper and Taarn checks the campfires to determine how long ago they had been used - he estimates at least a week (so not very recent but not so very long ago either). We see three more pathwayss out the alcove area but decide to slavishly follow the map (we can explore more thoroughly after getting the next Shard).
That means North Miss Teschmacher! North!


We go up the north stairs until we get to a landing where three open chests are found. On the ground near the chests we can see the floor covered with a yellow-y powder. Esdar casts Detect Magic but nothing goes off. Rupert does an alchemy check and realizes it's ungol dust (a nasty bit of business of spores - deadly) but that it is now inert. We surmise it was a trap that had previously been sprung.

We continue until we get to another large room (30'  by at least 40+ deep) with another exit that contains sets of columns and a huge mural. The columns are a set of parallel double pillars that fill the room. A mural depicts a scene of giants & pilgrims (at least they look like pilgrims) peacefully marching over the bridge - it's very colourful and very beautiful. Times were simpler back then - a time when a pilgrim and a giant could happily skip across a bridge without worry.

Before we go too far in though, Rupert alerts us that he heard a faint scratching at the end of the room - a scratch in the dark. We are possibly not alone. We decide to skirt along the wall towards the other doorway that we see instead of cutting through the columns. As we move long, Mersit, Rupert and Esdar notice a "large dog" at the far end of the room? That's no dog... Wererat! The beast quickly scurries to the entrance that we were heading towards (which we can now see is a stairwell) and disappears from our view - starting to go up the stairs.

We decide that fleeing in this context constitutes probable cause (running while rat?) and we give pursuit.

INISH

• A: Ashen moves up between the columns to get a better view and lines up his shot. He releases some scorching rays and he fucking roasts the rat with a direct hit (Nat 20!). This drops the wererat to "mostly" dead.
• M: Mersit follows up and throws a silver dagger to complete the job. The rat is now "all" dead. "Don't play with your food", some smartass says to the heroic Mersit.

We watch as the rat corpse morphs into a tower girl corpse (with gear). Merist retrieves his dagger - carefully wiping so as to not get any lyncanthropy on himself. The rest of the party comes to the stairs to see the results. Esdar does some priestly BS on the body before kicking it down the steps (a real humanitarian). Rupert searches the body and finds some coins (15gp into the hole).

We then continue up a series of stairwells (about 150 feet up) until we come to the (top?) level. As we come around the corner, Taarn sees another light off in the distance (TGs?). We decide that another light source in this context constitutes probable cause (torching in the dark?) and we call for backup (Spell of Joy).

INISH

• M: Mersit moves up (but not too far away from SoJ range) and gives a traditional catfolk greeting from his village (basically a series of hisses and scratching in the air) which doesn't seem to go over well with the girls...strange.
• TG1: Tower Girl #1 runs to the side and vanishes from our view.
• TG2: Tower Girl #2 does the same as #1.
• R: Rupert moves up and readies a spell in case anything else suddenly appears. 
• E: Esdar steps up and casts Spell Of Joy! (there is much rejoycing)
• T: Taarn asks a quick question, "Are we chasing?" To which we reply in unison, "We are chasing!". Happily T gives chase but as gets to the room where the TGs were he finds them gone and the room empty but for a campfire.
• M: Double moves into the room. He goes all way to the far wall where the TGs were last seen heading towards. He doesn't see anything but does hear a click-like sound coming from behind the wall. 
• R: Moves up and readies a spell again. 
• A: Ashen moves up and cast mirror image (5). 
• E: Moves into the room and cast shield boost (for a party that doesn't use shields) 
• T: Moves to the wall beside Mersit and finds the secret door.
• M: Pushes the door open, sees one of the TGs (TG1?) trying to run (perp is trying to flee the scene of the crime.) Using mythic fleet, Mersit charges and hits the TG hard...then hits again to drop her. 
• TG2: by this time she had gotten to an opening in the room leading to a sharp drop to the boats below. She then starts to cross one of two planks setup to access a platform (remember for later that this is 130-150 feet+ over the water). Once on the platform she pulls on a rope to reveal a trapdoor in the overhang-like ceiling and pulls down a stairwell (a la Christmas Vacation attic). 
• R: Moves into the room with Mersit to get a clean shot at TG2 on the platform. After debating whether a fireball would also destroy the platform, Rupert decides to go with a nice bolt of lightning. Unfortunately TG2 is a nimble little minx and manages to avoid the damage.
• A: Ashen and his mirrors moves past M and R to get all the way to the plank - ready to scorch.
• E: Moves into the room and starts a Call Lightning spell (Rupert wannabe) 
• T: The barbarian calmly(!) runs through the room and then across one of the planks to get some "in your face" time with TG2 - ready to destroy if and when she moves. 
• M: The catfolk follows T's example: he charges across the opposite plank and bull rushes TG2 off the platform. The Tower Girls falls to her (presumed) death as she lands with a thud on one of the boats below. 

Merist and Taarn move up the stairs to a room above the trap door. The rest of the party makes it across the planks and follows T and M up to the room.

LEARNING ABOUT THE SHARD

Here is the recap of what Sheila had said to you in the drawing room.

"What you have found, my friends, is nothing short of a miracle. Varisia has seen its share of miracles of late—the discovery of Xin-Shalast and the defeat of Runelord Karzoug, or Korvosa's release from mad Ileosa's rule come to mind—but this discovery will soon be remembered as an equal to those events. This is a powerful Thassilonian artifact, a fragment of horacalcum and a portion of the Shattered Star of Xin: to be precise, the Shard of Pride. I suspect that the shard's current carrier already knows more about it than I do, in fact…"

After the fracas with Rupert and the brief battle in the drawing room and outside with Taarn, Taarn marches back in with an unconscious Rupert tucked under his arm, enters the drawing room and deposits him on a settee. With a look of acceptance Sheila thanks you and looks ready to continue the conversation started earlier.

At this point Andalus (the butler) comes in with a gentleman in his early forties and a despondent and now awake Natalya Vancaskerkin. The gentleman comes over to Sheila while keeping his eyes on the party, kisses her on the cheek with "Hello love. These must be the adventurers you mentioned.". Sheila smiles at him and says "Yes they are, and they are quite something!" at which point she looks at all of you "I would like to introduce my husband, Sir Canayven Heidmarch." Canayven interrupts with hands waving off the formality "Just Canayven will do" and she smiles more brightly at him before continuing. She asks Natalya to have a seat and listen while she also instructs Andalus to fetch her something cool to drink. Natalya's head is bowed and she isn't looking anyone in the eye.

Canayven hands Sheila a small vial for which she thanks him and then presents it to you saying "These are smelling salts—a quick way to rouse your friend to hear the rest of our story." With that she presents the vial for one of you to take. Mersit immediately springs forward and takes the vial, thanking Sheila, and goes over to Rupert. With everyone watching he pops the top of the vial and with curiosity kicking in takes the first sniff. He gives off a yowl and waves his free paw in front of his snout, then with a gleeful trill and a devilish look in his eye sticks it under Rupert's nose. It takes a good three seconds before Rupert begins coughing violently and wakes in a fog. Mersit plugs the vial and looks to Sheila and Canayven and then the vial and they both nod so he puts it in his bandolier. Rupert sits up much the worse for wear so Esdar comes over and casts both lesser restoration and cure light wounds on Rupert just to get him to a more fit-full state.

Sheila goes on "Welcome back shard bearer, it seems you had as rough a time as Natalya over there." she points over to Natalya. "Perhaps we can hear from her first before we go on. Natalya, can you please tell us about your recent ordeal?" Natalya looks up at Sheila and sighs then goes on to say that the madness caused by the Shard Of Pride immediately stopped once the shard activated with an ioun stone. She is despondent and depressed not only by her recent actions but also by her failure to achieve her haunting dream of conquest. She is morose and communicates only grudgingly. Before continuing further however Sheila interrupts "That will be enough for now, thank you." so Natalya sits back down and drinks some more water. Andalus comes back in with a pitcher and goblet for Rupert plus a bowl of warm broth to help perk him up.

"Since we are discussing things perhaps you should know more about me and my interest in this business!" says Sheila. She goes on stating that "I was born the daughter of a Thuvian merchant and a minor Chelish aristocrat of Korvosa, Sheila Astimaris, my maiden name, knew from an early age that I was destined to spend my life exploring the wild Varisian frontiers that stretched beyond my city's walls, so fascinated was I by both the tactics of battle and ancient stories of Varisian legends. When I later met the well-known adventurer and successful Pathfinder Sir Canayven Heidmarch…" she looks over to Canayven and gives a big smile "…of Magnimar at a ball while visiting my distant kin in Cheliax, I knew I had found my match and life-mate."

"I lamented that the Pathfinder Society wasn't well known in my homeland of Varisia, and soon arranged with my doting father and mother for a visit to Absalom under the pretence of gaining exposure for some of my father's business interests. Once there, I quickly found my way to the Grand Lodge and secured admission as an initiate, soon receiving my commission as a Pathfinder field agent. I longed to journey back to the trackless reaches of my homeland, but the Pathfinder Society was more focused on central Avistan and Garund at the time, and thus I found my options limited. Not experienced enough to go it alone, I instead joined in with a Pathfinder expedition heading to my father's native Thuvia. Our adventures eventually took us into the Barrier Wall mountain range, where I encountered an awakened mountain gorilla who became a boon companion to me and my comrades, and something of a personal protector to myself. He called himself Mandali, and I declared that he must be a prince among his kind for his bravery and wisdom!" At that point Mandali comes in (its a big room after all) and adds "It was that declaration that won my loyalty more than anything else Sheila had done to that point." Then he goes to sit in an oversize chaise.

Sheila nods her head at Mandali then continues "When I learnt that Sir Canayven Heidmarch was going to be a part of a Mwangi expedition to the ruins of Jah, I planned my own field assignment accordingly, manipulating my own team to head in that direction as well. Soon enough, my team 'accidentally' met up with Sir Canayven's, and we joined forces to expedite their exploration of the ruins." Hearing this, Canayven gives a 'humph' sound and strokes his beard, his eyes slightly out of focus as if remembering that time. Sheila laughs and goes on "Though the expedition proved to be only a qualified success, the headstrong and decisive Sheila, me, accomplished my actual mission catching Sir Canayven's attention. We grew increasingly close thereafter, and soon departed from our respective teams and began our own missions of exploration and adventure, accompanied only by my stalwart ape guardian Mandali. At some point along the way, we two quietly got engaged, and soon thereafter were married. We, now both Heidmarchs, grew increasingly homesick for our homeland, and increasingly intrigued by the fact that the Pathfinders seemed not to realize the potential Varisia held for exploration. Indeed, it was viewed by most in the society as a backwater wilderness with little to offer but giants and goblins."

"I petitioned the Decemvirate to open a Pathfinder lodge in Magnimar, and was soon granted that honour. My husband and I returned to his manor in the city, and I became Varisia's first venture-captain, immersing myself in all the frontier wonders that had so enthralled my in my youth. Now I am seen as the Society's steady hand in the North, bringing ever more fresh recruits to our lodge to plumb the secrets of ancient Thassilon."

"Which brings us back full circle to the Shard of Pride and its full incarnation as the Sihedron."

What is the Shattered Star?
The Shattered Star was a powerful defensive item created well over 10,000 years ago by the founder of the empire of Thassilon, an exiled Azlanti named Xin. At that time, the item was known as the Sihedron—a seven-pointed star made of the seven skymetals infused with powerful magic. When the runelords rebelled against him, this item was broken into seven parts (at least, according to the legends), and the runelords each claimed a shard for their own. In the 10 millennia since Earthfall and the end of Thassilon, the shards have shifted locations, yet they have never been reassembled into the Sihedron.

How did you know what the shard was?
Over the past several years, Sheila's become something of an expert on Thassilon—the legacies of this ancient empire and its monuments and magic are, after all, the primary reason that the Pathfinders have become interested in Varisia. The story of the Shattered Star is one of the most oft-repeated legends of that time among those who write about ancient Thassilonian artifacts—surpassed only by the Seven Swords of Sin in popularity. Even so, the Shattered Star legend is still relatively obscure, yet Sheila has long hoped to stumble across the location of a shard. Never in a thousand years did she even dare to hope that a shard would simply fall into her lap like this.

How can we find the other shards?
The most important thing that Sheila can tell the PCs is that the Shattered Star represents a powerful defence against the dangers that seem to be rising up against Varisia, and that rebuilding the artifact will give the region a powerful defence indeed both in terms of the item itself and the heroes that the quest to recover the other six fragments will doubtless produce. As the interview comes to a close, she invites Rupert to hold the Shard of Pride and concentrate on the Sihedron's shape. In doing so, Rupert receives a powerful vision of the Irespan and Magnimar's harbour, around one Irespan piling in particular—the Crow. At this point she looks at Natalya who returns a positive nod. Sheila then explains that each fragment of the Shattered Star is linked to one more fragment in a set sequence, and that by concentrating on the Sihedron while holding a shard that's been 'awakened' with the proper ioun stone, one can receive a vision of the region in which the next shard in the sequence is located. Unfortunately, the location isn't completely exact—but it should be enough to set the PCs on the right course.

What does this all mean? Sheila finishes by telling the PCs that they have in their hands an opportunity for great glory. By questing for the six remaining shards, they can rebuild the Shattered Star into the Sihedron and give Varisia a powerful defence against the dangers the region will doubtless face in the future—and in so doing prepare themselves to be some of Varisia's great defenders! Questing for the shards of the Shattered Star allows the PCs to bolster their reputation in the Pathfinder Society as well, and while Sheila can't promise specific rewards for the PCs, she notes that, as word of their quest spreads, their growing fame will bring with it its own rewards.

Having the Shard of Pride in your possession 'feels' right, like something else will come about by continuing this quest.

Is there anything else you can tell us?
Sheila promises to do some more research about the other five shards and the Sihedron itself, and should have the results of that research for the PCs to use in several days or a few weeks. For now, she advises the PCs to remain low-key about their goal. The longer they can keep the fact that they're rebuilding the Shattered Star a secret, the bigger head start they'll have against possible competitors for the prize, after all!

However, Natalya has more to add at Sheila's persistent request; Natalya admits that she found the shard on a skeleton inside a secret chamber she discovered in the Crow. She further confirms that the Tower Girls have since moved their hideout to the Crow. She provides a rough map of the parts of the Crow piling that she is familiar with along with information about numbers and locations of her former gang members. She knows that the Tower Girls hope to find more rare and powerful items in their exploration of the Crow. Perhaps the most important bit of information she can convey to the PCs is the fact that the leader of the Tower Girls, Ayala Javeski, is a wererat—she's turned a few of her favourite underlings into wererats as well. If the PCs are thinking of confronting her, they should bring some silver weapons.

Mithril and Silversheen also count as silver.

When the PCs ask Natalya where she found the Shard Of Pride, she tells them she located it in a secret room inside the Crow, further explaining that there were other treasures in the room but that she didn't have time to gather them-the shard's curse compelled her to abandon her allies immediately. There are a dozen Tower Girls in the Crow at any given time and at least as many in the city. Ayala is almost always in the Crow. Sentries are posted and any attempted entry during the day will be spotted, bet to go very late at night with no light and quietly. There are big rats as 'pets' as well. Sentry posts inside the Crow are usually limited to 1-3 Tower Girls in any one spot, but raising an alarm can get all of the ones inside into a defensive position-plus they would rather have you leave than fight you. Natalya goes on to give those assembled her background as well.

Natalya's Story

Natalya Vancaskerkin is the daughter of one of Riddleport's most notorious figures—Saul Vancaskerkin. Half-Varisian, Natalya was born of Saul's first wife, a beautiful Varisian harrower from Magnimar named Adreea Valitrosa. Unfortunately for the star-crossed lovers, the Sczarni to whom Adreea belonged did not approve of this relationship, and a month after Natalya was born, the gang attempted to 'reclaim' the babe as payment for Adreea choosing Saul over the Sczarni. Saul's criminal contacts warned him in time, and he and his family fled to Riddleport to escape, but not before Adreea took a poisoned bolt to the back. She died soon thereafter, leaving Natalya entirely under her father's care.

Saul mourned, but eventually remarried—a marriage that produced Natalya's half-brothers. Eventually, they left home for their own reasons, leaving Natalya alone with her father and his third wife, Bertrida—a woman who despised Natalya. Feeling neglected by her father and persecuted by her stepmother, Natalya sought solace with some of Riddleport's Sczarni, who happened to be bitter rivals of her father's own criminal enterprises. When Bertrida discovered Natalya's activities and then gleefully revealed them to her father, Saul was outraged. At Bertrida's urgings, he disowned Natalya, turning his daughter out into the street with orders to never return. Saul never saw his daughter again.

And so Natalya returned to Magnimar. As she began to build her new life, the only thing she retained from her time in Riddleport was her father's name—something she kept out of a mixture of guilt and shame. She resigned herself to what would likely be a short life working with the Tower Girls, one of Magnimar's more notorious gangs.

But Natalya was impatient. She wanted to be the one in charge—the one who was making the most money and drawing the most respect. In the Sczarni, she grew increasingly frustrated at how much of each take got kicked up to her superiors. When the Pathfinders entered an alliance with the Sczarni in Magnimar, Natalya saw a chance to pad her pocket and, just perhaps, build her reputation in another group as well. She approached Sheila Heidmarch in secrecy, and Sheila recognized Natalya's potential and hired her as an informant on the spot. Still part of the gang of second-story burglars known as the Tower Girls, Natalya used the skills and knowledge acquired in each organization to benefit the other as well.

Recently, the Tower Girls fell out of favour with the Wreckwash Blades, another Sczarni gang. Forced to relocate their hideout, the Tower Girls spent a few miserable days squatting in Underbridge at Fenster's warehouse. This changed when Natalya found a hidden sanctuary for the gang within an Irespan piling locally called the Crow for its signature exterior carvings. The Crow contained undiscovered chambers within it, and Natalya led the exploration of the chambers within the upper levels that then became the Tower Girls' current hideout. When exploration of their new hideout led to the discovery of a shard from an ancient Thassilonian artifact, it was Natalya who took possession of it. She intended to return to Sheila Heidmarch at that point, hoping for a big payday, but hadn't planned for the artifact's curse. She soon fell victim to the full influence of the Shard Of Pride.

While fully under the Shard of Pride's spell, Natalya's set her sights even higher. No longer was she content with the idea of running a Sczarni gang. That's just a stepping stone now—a stepping stone to progressively greater positions of power. If she can rule her own gang, why not all the Sczarni gangs in Magnimar? And if Magnimar's Sczarni… why not Magnimar itself!

Sheila thanks Natalya for her honesty, it will help if she is to become a Pathfinder. Sheila then asks the PCs to provide a relatively accurate map of the interior of the Crow and the chambers below (the players don't need to physically create this map)—the map does not need to be particularly artistic. Once the PCs have explored the Crow, taking a few days to organize their notes is enough to earn them another reward from Sheila. She will give each PC a Wayfinder.

This next bit is from Canayven Heidmarch's point of view—"The entrances to the Irespan's internal chambers are well hidden—they almost seem to prefer to be found by accident rather than by design." So after Natalya tells the PCs of a way into the Crow—one of the Irespan's pilings—he became excited. "Alas, other responsibilities prevent me from joining you or mounting my own expedition!" And so he settles for the next best thing—he'll reward the PCs for every significant new piece of information they can learn about the ancient empire of Thassilon while they're exploring the Crow. For each significant find he will award 500 GP once they're reported in writing—with illustrations if possible.

Sheila adds "Finally, but not to be forgotten, there is still the issue of the missing people. People go missing in a big city like Magnimar all the time, but lately, they've been doing so more often. The majority of these folk who go missing do so from the waterfronts and under the Irespan—neighbourhoods without a strong city watch presence. Despite the fact that the majority of missing people eventually turn up (although living as vagrants with no memories of their time spent away from Magnimar—if indeed they ever left or in mental distress), rumours are spreading that the city has no interest in solving the mystery and preventing future disappearances. Lord-Mayor Haldmeer Grobaras has grown frustrated with these rumours and with the city's apparent inability to explain the mystery, and has approached the us—the Pathfinders of Heidmarch Manor with an offer of reward if the problem can be solved; A reward is posted of 2,000 GP for solving the mystery and finding out what's been happening to the missing people. Anyone rescued earns a reward of 500 GP per victim returned to Magnimar.

Index

Shard Of Pride (Major Artifact)

Aura overwhelming illusion; CL 25th
Slot none; Weight 1 lb.
DESCRIPTION
The Shard Of Pride is made of coppery horacalcum (a skymetal). As long as the Shard Of Pride is carried, its owner can use major image as a spell-like ability once per day, gains a +2 insight bonus on saves versus illusion spells, and gains a +2 insight bonus on all skill checks.

Curse: The owner suffers delusions of grandeur, and is sickened whenever she must serve another creature as a subordinate of any sort for as long as that arrangement persists. She cannot gain the benefit of the aid another action, nor can she take the aid another action.

Neutralization: The curse is neutralized once a scarlet-and-blue sphere ioun stone is placed in the indentation. As soon as one is placed it fuses with the shard and becomes the same material. All benefits of both the shard and ioun stone are active as long as it is carried (even in a Handy Haversack).

Scarlet and Blue Sphere (Ioun Stone)

Aura strong varied; CL 12th
Slot —; Price 8,000 gp; Weight —
DESCRIPTION
This stone grants the wearer a +2 enhancement bonus to Intelligence. This stone has one skill associated with it, as a +2 headband of vast intelligence ( in this case Knowledge:History).

Cracked: This stone grants a +1 competence bonus on one Intelligence-based skill. Price: 200 GP.

Flawed: This stone grants a +2 enhancement bonus to Intelligence and a –2 penalty to Constitution. Price: 6,000 GP.

See Inferior Ioun Stones for details on cracked and flawed variant stones.

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Craft Wondrous Item, creator must be 12th level; Cost 4,000 gp.

Wayfinder (Standard)

Aura faint evocation; CL 5th
Slot none; Price 500 gp; Weight 1 lb.
DESCRIPTION
A small magical device patterned off ancient relics of a long lost civilization, a wayfinder is typically made from silver and bears gold accents. With a command word, you can use a wayfinder to shine (as the light spell). The wayfinder also acts as a nonmagical (magnetic) compass, granting you a +2 circumstance bonus on Survival checks to avoid becoming lost. All wayfinders include a small indentation designed to hold a single ioun stone. An ioun stone slotted in this manner grants you its normal benefits (as if it were orbiting your head), but frequently reveals entirely new powers due to the magic of the wayfinder itself.

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Craft Wondrous Item, light; Cost 250 GP

Adventure Path and Module specific information © Paizo.

Session 01: March 11, 2018

Once more into the breach.

Players 

• Mersit Of The Raging Tree, catfolk swashbuckler/rogue ..... Aaron Collins 
• Taarn, kellid barbarian ..... Mick Hodorek 
• Ashen, elf bladebound magus ..... Mike Horrigan 
• Rupert Silvermoon, elf wizard ..... Jonathan Hood 
• Esdar (Dar) Aerril, half-elf cleric ..... Alex Nutall 

We begin again... 

We are dragging Natalia through the streets of Magnamar when we are challenged by some ruffians (3 goons on the street, 1 tower girl on the roof) who claim N belongs to them. "She's ours - leave her and leave in peace"  

We disagree. 

INISH 

Girl on roof fires and misses on Taarn. 

• M: Runs and climbs the side of the building then mythic fleet charge to hit the girl. 
• T: Charges in with Rage and mythic fleet. He destroys two of the goons then intimidates the third until the goon shits himself. 
• A: Moves and shoots an arrow into tower girl 
• R: Magic missiles tower girl until she falls off the roof to the cobblestone ground dead. 
• Goon #3: "I give up! I don't work for Tower Girls no more."

We accept his surrender. We have him disrobe to skivvies (dropping his weapon and armor) then we let him leave. 

Loot:  Tower Girl 

5 potions (3 - cure light wounds; 2 - lesser restoration) 

Smoke stick 

2 tangle foot bags 

M chain shirt 

M Hand Cross bow 

M Short sword 

M Whip 

Climber's Kit 

Grappling Hook 

2nd Story Harness 

Silk Rope 

Silver Holy Symbol of Sarenrae 

Thieves' Tool 

4 pp; 170 gp 

Goons 

3 chain mail 

3 light shield 

3 light cross b 

50 bolts 

3 morning stars 

160 gp 

Taarn puts all but the soiled chain mail into his portable hole. (BTW it is established that Rupert wrapped the Natalia Stick in a clothe safely) 

We are back to our hotel to clean up before heading to Heidmarch Manor for our reward (1000 gp). 

Some awkwardness as the concierge says, "Hey that's Natalia" when he sees the cleric dragging the woman's unconscious body through the hotel lobby. Esdar kinda freezes and says "It's ok. I'm a cleric." 
More awkwardness. 
"I'm going to heal her." And he smiles. 

The concierge asks for a barmaid to go up with Esdar to help. Esdar waits outside his room while this happens. She'll be ok. 

The rest of the team go to their respective rooms to clean up themselves - Esdar uses Mersit's room to shower. 

Everyone goes back down to have boar and brandy except for Esdar who eats his rations in his room (next to the tied-up unconscious Natalia - not creepy at all) 

The team recounts the adventures and wonders why Esdar is so standoff-ish. 

Next Day: 

We gather up Natalia (still knocked out) and head to the Pathfinder Lodge (the Manor) (N carried by T). We are greeted by Aldus the butler ("You've found the person that my mistress was seeking!").  

We ask for drinks and wait. A huge gorilla (8.5 foot) comes in carrying a server tray with a variety of drinks. "Here. Drinks." T thinks the gorilla is a type of creature that comes from a place where a giant weapon (earth shatterer?) is located. 

Sheila meets us (in her sultry voice) and sees that we were successful. T volunteers that N was crazy to think she could beat us.  

There is a crash in the kitchen: "Mandaley are you making lunch again?" Sheila asks. The reply from the gorilla: "Damn these things are small!" (referring to dishes?)

Esdar says she had the item on her (a crooked rod type thing). Rupert pulls it from his haversack and accidently touches it because the clothe fell off. R feels great. 

Sheila's eyes go wide! "Why don't we go into the parlour." We agree (bringing our drinks with us). 

"In order to be sure that the item is authentic I'll need an Ioun stone to test it.' She returns with a scarlet stone (same as Ashen's). 

"If the stone is based on he same magic I think, then the recipient will feel prideful."

As an example, she pulls out a compass with an emerald Ioun stone melded within. It points north in any condition or finds things (a la Cap't Jack) and it can glow as a torch. She believes the Ioun stone would do the same to the item - bond the  stone to the item. 

We've found a miracle apparently (there have been a few in the area). A powerful Thassilon artefact... The shard of pride. "I bet Rupert knows all about it as a matter of fact." 

Rupert and Ashen rack their memories to remember something about the shard. Rupert knows that the same guys who made the swards of sin also made a seven pointed star made up of seven shards- each shard was then separated to hide them. Ashen doesn't know anything.

T is suspicious and senses she is carefully choosing her words but seems authentic. 

Rupert is also suspicious about Sheila's theory of combining the stone to the item (shard?). He does detect magic on ioun stone and the stone appears to be what it is. Rupert tentatively goes to combine the stone and item when Taarn objects. "This thing touching this thing does what again?" 

Mersit asks if we get paid unless the stone thing is done to prove it is the real deal.  

<Rupert is thinking god-like thoughts - why do I need these losers?> Rupert has a look of mania on his face and recoils at touching the objects together.

T suddenly looks to lunge at Rupert for not dropping the item. T senses that Sheila was trying to manipulate Rupert into placing the item. 

INISH 

• M: Leaps up on a table and tries to disarm Rupert but the wizard casts a force shield which prevents anything or anyone from touching him. 
• T: gets up pulling a portable hole but everyone warns him not to use it on the wizard because of R's handy haversack. He then pulls out his axe. 
• Sheila: "I can't get through that thing". She prepares a counterspell. 
• A: Tries to dispel magic and is successful in getting rid of the force shield. 
• D: Spell of Joy! 
• M: leaps back on the table and successfully disarms R. The shard drops to the ground - Rupert is aghast. 
• T: Rages and fleet charges to grapple R - success then applies grapple non-lethal damage as he pins Rupert. 
• R: Dimension Doors away with Taarn attached to somewhere outside the manor - they shunt for some damage from a church steeple. (Sheila's counterspell had failed)
• A: drops the Ioun stone onto the shard and it changes to a coppery colour. At the same time, Rupert recovers his senses (we think). 
• T: continues his grappling and non-lethal damage to Rupert... Just in case. He is successful in knocking out R.  

Taarn carries R back to the manor over his shoulder. 

The shard is now safe to pick up - Ashen picks it up and hands it over to Sheila. The stone neutralizes the shard's madness. 

We get our 1000 gp. 

Sheila will give us info.