A Symphony

Ariva led the group from the inn to the waterfront. She would run ahead a dozen yards or so, her charcoal coloured fur almost disappearing in the now dark Magnimar streets, then turn her head and wait impatiently for her slower two legged companions to catch up. Eventually they ended up back at Kyver’s inlet and the Seven’s Sawmill. Yola restrained Ariva – held the dog back from charging right in the front door.

The mill was a wooden building perched of the edge of the inlet. It was four stories high, with an undermill below that which housed the water wheels that drove the mills clearly audible from within. Light shone from the upper story windows. A dock or gangway ran around the outside of the mill, and led either to the main doors on the ocean-side of the building, or to a rickety staircase leading to the undermill and the slowly turning water wheels.

***

Malvick awoke, the first cut catapulting him from the familiarity of his uncle’s dreamland cabin to the reality of a bright room, too warm, with the smell of sweat and greasy lamp oil in the air. His ached – he tried to roll over but the ropes binding him to the table held him back. His stomach roiled - he tried to vomit but the gag in his mouth turned it into a choking gurgle.

“Great Father Skinsaw!” a voice from somewhere above him intoned, “accept this sacrifice in your name…”

That didn’t sound good. Malvick’s wits were returning to him, and he rolled his head from side to side, trying to gather more information about his surroundings. He did not like what his eyes were telling him. All around the table to which he was bound stood men cloaked in garish crimson robes. Their faces were covered by leather masks painted with insane, leering grins. They rocked gently back and forth and chanted under their breath as their leader, behind Malvick and out of his sight, continued his sermon.

“With this man’s death, all his future deeds are undone, and the threads of his destiny severed – stolen away to further the inscrutable plans of our lord Norgorber!”

Norgorber?!? That was really not good. He was in the clutches of a cult devoted to the god of poisons, secrets and murder. The leader stepped into view. He wore the same robes as the others, but his mask was a stitched spiral of leather. Black hair cascaded from behind the mask, and a gleaming war razor was gripped in his hand. Ironbriar’s chilling voice came from behind that mask as he leaned in to Malvick’s necked chest with the razor.

“Let his death be a monument, and his screams, a symphony.”

***

Throughout the campain I’ve struggled with how to impart background information to your characters without me having to type out long blocks of text that you guys may or may not be interested in actually reading. I’ve found a new resource that might help with the problem: The Pathfinder Wiki! Whenever campaign specific references to places or people come up that your characters should at least have a passing knowledge of, I’ll link it to the appropriate wiki entry. For example: Norgorber.

Chasing the Red Gull

Yola and Li stand at the edge of the pier, watching the Red Gull disappear over the horizon as the sun sets.  "Well, that didn't go as planned," Yola muttered as she threw a pebble into the ocean after the retreating ship.  "What now priest?"

Li Kao rocked back and forth on his heels for a moment, then turned abruptly and grabbed a passing stevedore by the arm, pressing a coin into the man's palm as he did.  "My good man, what was the cargo of that ship?"

The man seemed hesitant, checked the colour of the coin that had appeared in his hand, then responded.  "Passengers mostly - a gruff lot by the looks of em.  And some glass works from that fancy factory up Sandpoint way."

That's all?  People and glass?  Nothing more unusual?"

"Well, there was that crate full of live rats.  Ugly sumbitches too.  All pink and sickly looking."  Li's expression grew cloudy - he released the man's arm and began walking briskly back into the the city.  "Well don't stand around gawking,Yola.  And do try to keep up. "

Yola rolled her eyes and followed Li.

The two headed back to the Starred Buck, where they found a frantic Sasha and confused Xer.

"Li!  Thank Desna your back!" Sasha blurted.  "My new sword, a gift from my brother Joxian, in his note he said it was Aldernian, and Aldern's name was, well, Aldern, and I figure they must be connected right, and..."

Li interrupted her verbal tirade by placing a hand on her shoulder and smiling gently.  My dear, let me see the note.  After reading it, he smiled and looked up at Sasha.  "The sword is an Aldori dueling blade.  Its a fencing school in the nation of Brevoy, quite famous really.  I'm sue there is no connection to the Foxglove family."  His expression grows grave as he continues.  "But Sasha, it does look like your family is mixed up in all of this somehow.  I found proof that your stepfather is the newest member of the Brothers of Seven merchant guild - is he a part of some deeper cult or just an unknowing dupe?  At this point we can't tell.  What we do know is that he sent your brother Joxian off to deliver a shipment of those diseased rats, harvested by Aldern, that we found at the manor."

"To who?"

"We don't know that either.  I think we are dealing with multiple factions here.  Ironbriar runs the Brothers of Seven.  We know the Brothers were blackmailing Aldern Foxglove (They probably found out that he murdered Seoni) and agreed to wipe his debts for the rats.  But we don't know who they sold the rats to.  And there's nothing connecting them to the Sihedron murders per se, and we still don't know who this woman, this "Wanton of Pagan Forms," who taught Aldern the Sihedron ritual is."

Li paused in his summary and glanced around the room.  "Where's Malvick?"

***

As the sun set, Malvick slunk through the streets of Magnimar and into the slums of Underbridge.  Ironbriar was cagy - far more sly than Malvick would have expected from from the stony bureaucrat - and he almost lost him on several occasions.  Eventually his route came to an end, and he watched the Justice disappear inside the door to a sagging and decrepit clock tower.  Malvick has heard of the place before.  It is one of the many failed and unfinished public works programs designed to bring order to Underbridge.  The locals call it the Shadow Clock, and have a running bet as to how many buildings it will crush and how many people it will kill when it comes tumbling down, which from the looks of it, could be at any moment.

Malvick gives Ariva the signal to stay, then with a resigned sigh, trots across the road to get a better look.  The door to the tower is open, and Malvick slips silently inside, nearly invisible in the darkness.  The air inside is dusty and dry.  Swathes of rubble and mounds of plaster lie in heaps on the stone floor, particularly in the southwest corner where a large mound has gathered.  A single wagon sits to the north and six partially collapsed offices line the other walls, their doors hanging askew and their ceilings caved in.  A wooden staircase winds up into the cavernous space above.  Malvick can quickly tell that despite its general appearance of ruin, a fair amount of foot traffic has been through the area.  The floor shows several medium humanoid footprints, and one pair of enormous misshapen prints that defy classification.

As Malvick examines these strange prints, plaster dust from above settles on his shoulder, and every instinct in his body screams at him to MOVE!

He rolls aside as the stone wall behind where his head just was is pulverized by a ropey fist.  Malvick regains his feet and looks up to see a red, rubbery faceless stalker on the stairs above winding up for another swing.  His bow is already in hand, but before he can reach back to grab an arrow, something grabs his hair from behind.  Something big.  Malvick is lifted off his feet and launched across the room.  Pain lances through his body as hits the opposite wall.  He struggles to take a breath and manages to get to one knee.  Then he sees a fist the size of a feast day ham descending and everything after that is black.

*

A woman floats down from the ceiling.  Black hair.  Searching, searing eyes.  Scales, slithering, glittering.

*

A woman's voice:  "You were followed, my love..."

Ironbriar:  "I am sorry mistress.  Let me make amends.  We will take him back to the mill and sacrifice his soul to your master."

Woman:  "Hmmm.... A useless gesture, unless his soul is full of greed.  Do you know him?"

Ironbriar:    "I know of him.  A mercenary.  He hunts men for money."

Woman (lazily):  "That will do.  Very well, remove him.  And don't let this happen again, my pet."

***

"Oy," yelled the bar tender of the Starred Buck, to the table of out of towners.  "One of you lot come and get your mangy dog away from my front door.  He's scaring off the customers."  He didn't care how good their coin was, adventurers always made lousy guests.

The four companions all stood up in alarm.  Yola was across to the door in a heartbeat.  Ariva bounded in, wining and agitated.  Yola knelt and tried to calm the animal.  "How many times I gotta tell you - no pets in the bar!"  bellowed the bar keep.  Yola silenced him with a murderous stare and the fellow disappeared into the kitchen, muttering.

There were no marks or injuries on Ariva, but she would not be consoled, and clearly wanted Yola to follow her.

A few more bits of information...

Yes, Ironbriar, an elf, is over 100 years old and one of the founding members of the Brothers of Seven.  In fact, enough digging on Li's part eventually reveals that he is the owner of the Seven's sawmill.  It is the last mercantile holding he has retained since taking office as a city Justice, and is his chief source of income.

Sasha mused and looked to Xer.  "Well, Ironbriar vist?  Things just aren't adding up."

"How do you feel about a quick side trip to the monastery first?" Xer asked."  I might leave a donation with a note. I know it does not pay it all back, but it is a start.  After we visit the monastery we can pay a little surprise visit to Ironbar and see what he knows. Bring him to justice if that is required."

Sasha smirked.  "Bring the Justice to justice, eh?"  She stood up and buckled on her new rapier.  "Okay, lets go then.  Hey uh, where does one go find a Justice anyway?"

Xer stopped mid stride.  "Hmm, no idea.  Lets ask the monks."

"But nicely this time right?"

Xer did her best to make her grin demurr and not mischievious.  "Sure, nicely."

***

Li Kao sprinted, then jogged, then braced himself on a wall and spent some time panting, the jogged some more, and finally collapsed at the bar of the Starred Buck.  Unable to make more than a wheezing sound, he made the universal sign to the bartender for a fortifying beverage, and when that had worked its magic, he looked around for his companions.

Who were not in sight.

Praying to Irori for perseverance, Li beckoned over the bartender a second time.  " My good man, have any of my colleages been through here recently; did they leave any messages by chance?"

"Mmm,"  muttered the man.  The scruffy guy with the dog and the tall shoanti woman haven't been back since this morning.  Them two fiesty girls left about an hour ago, talkning about delivering justice, or finding justice, or something.  Didn't leave any messages though.

Li Kao didn't know what to do next.  Should he wait here at the inn for one of his friends to return?  He was sure the Red Gull had to be stopped.  He knew which peer it was leaving from - he could go there himself now.  Malvick and Yola had left to scope out Ironbriar's sawmill.  Mabye he should go there and try find them.

Li Kao ran his head over his scalp and ordered another drink.

***

Malvick and Yola watch the sawmill discreetly for most of the day.  From the mid change shift change, they guess there are about a dozen men working there at any given time.  Just as the day grows long and the two are thinking about returning to the inn to rendevous with their friends,  a tall dark haired elf steps out the front of the building and strides down the street in the direction of Underbridge. 

"Ironbriar," Malvick whispered.  From his years in the city Malvick knew that Justice Ironbriar had a stern reputation, running his ward with a ruthless efficiency, that even the hellknights would respect.  Malvick had difficulty believing Li and Xer's claim that Ironbriar might be mixed up in all of this somehow - the man was a paragon of law within Magnimar, and had been for decades.

"Well Yola, looks like we have three choices:  One:  Keep watching the mill.  I don't think we can learn much more from out here in the street though.  It might be time to peek inside - especially now that the boss is not at home.  Two:  Follow Ironbriar.  I'm not sure I buy that he's involved with all this, but we can't ignore the fact that it was his sawmill that Aldern was coming to to make his blackmail payments.  We won't know one way or the other if we don't watch him.  Three:  Go back to the inn and discuss this with the others." 

***

Seperated and with multiple leads to follow; what's a party to do?

 

Li:  During the day you spent 100gp and purchased 2 spells for your spell book:  Touch of Gracelessness and Create Pit.  You can find their full descriptions at the bottom of your character sheet.   If there are any others you would like to buy, let me know.  Cost is 20 gp and 2 hours for a 1st lvl spell, and 80gp and 3 hours for a 2nd lvl.

 

Sasha:  Do you want to sell your old rapier?  You can get 160gp for it quickly in the market.

 

Xer:  Your new belt could fetch between 5000-10,000 gp.  You currently have 2,638gp.  How much are you planning to donate to the monastary?

Li Kao rose from his seat with some effort and patted Malvick on the back, "and in answer to your question my boy... It is our problem because we make it our problem. Not because we protect the innocent but because we choose to protect our fellow, flawed, ugly and sinful brothers and sisters in our shared struggle to achieve perfection. And if you don't buy that, then do it because you're raking in booty hand over fist."

At that Li Kao belches and staggers off.
 
The rest of the companions spend a few more minutes discussing various theories then one by one retire to their rooms for the night.  As Xer gets up to leave, Sasha catches a glint of metal around her waist as her cloak falls to the side.  "Hey, what's that?" she asks her friend.
 
"Oh," Xer seems a little sheepish.  "I, uh, liberated this from Brother Po."  She said, showing Sasha the wide leather belt with several interlocking silver buckles that form an image of crossed fists.  "I grabbed it from the back of his chair on my way out the window."
 
"Why Xer, you're turning into quite the little burglar!" Sasha teased approvingly. 
 
"Its not like that!"  Xer snapped defensively.  "I was  . . . am... really angry at the monastery for selling me out like that, and well..."  Xer trailed off.
 
"No need to explain to me dear," Sahsa soothed.  Believe me I understand.  It looks good on you anyway.
 
"That's the thing.  When I put it on I feel stronger.  I think its magical."   
 
Sasha whistled in appreciation as the two headed upstairs.  "Stealing the good stuff, you're a natural at this."
 
"I didn't steal it!"

 

 
Li Kao spends the next day moving through the city's several libraries trying to dig up every scrap of information he can on the Foxgloves, the brothers of seven, the Sihedron rune and the civilization of ancient Thassilon from which it comes.  (To find out what Li Kao discovers, click HERE) 

Meanwhile, Malvick and Yola investigate the Seven's Sawmill mentioned in Aldern's leger.  The mill itself is located on the outskirts of the city and seems normal enough, with workers coming and going throughout the day.  Logs go in, timber of various shapes and sizes comes out.
 

Some discreet questions around the district reveals that the mill is owned by an old but low profile mercantile consortium known as the brothers of seven. The consortium are not major players on Magnimar's economic landscape, and no one remembers anything remarkable about the group, but when pressed, no one can identify any of its specific members either.  

 
Xer and Sasha are left to their own devices for most of the day for most of the day.  Lunch time finds them cooling their heels at the inn over a meal of bread and cheese.  "So Po suggested Ironbriar was behind getting you kicked out of the monastery?"  Sasha asked.
 
"Yeah, sort of.  Po seemed really scared of him and definitely thought there was more going on."

 

Sasha steepled her fingers and thought.  "Do you think he could be connected to the cult?  I mean, he showed up at the monastery when you guys showed an interest in Silas, and then Silas becomes one of the murder victims, but you're the only one that knows that because the whole mission burned up, including Silas' body.  Hey, maybe you and I should pay the good Justice Ironbriar a visit."
 
Just then a courier found them and interrupted their conversation by depositing a long oil cloth wrapped bundle on their table.
 
"Package for Sasha Heidmarch."  the courier announced.

 

"What!? I'm Sasha but don't you dare use that name around me."
 
The courier looked confused.  "Sasha, sister of Joxian Heidmarch?"
 
"Yes, but..."
 
"Then you're the right Sasha.  Sign here please."
 
Sasha pushed the package aside.  "You tell that ass of a brother he can keep his ..." 
 
Xer interrupted by placing a hand on Sasha's wrist.  "At least see what it is," she urged.

Sasha sighed heavily and unwrapped an end of the bundle.  Her eyes widened as she took in the most exquisitely detailed rapier hilt she had ever seen.  "There's a note too"  The courier handed her a piece of folded parchment.

"Dear Sasha,

 Please accept this gift.  It is an Aldori dueling blade from far off Brevoy.  I am told it was actually wieled by one of the swordlords of Restov.  From Jtailian's description you can probably put it to better use  than I.

My ship leaves on a quick run to Korvosa this midday and I shall be away for several weeks, but I would very much like to meet when I return.  Family, true family, should protect each other, don't you think?

Joxian,
Captain of the Red Gull"

"Well?"  The courier was growing impatient.  "You want it or not?"

***

OOC:  So I noticed something when looking at the characters a while ago.  You guys are horribly under-equipped.  PFRPG assumes a certain amount of loot per level spent on new and shiney adventuring gear to keep players competetive with the progressively more lethal monsters they face, and for whatever reason, y'all have fallen behind the curve.  Solution:  introduce some goodies.  Rather than just hand them out like presents, or work them into monster loot ( encounters are months apart in real time), I'm introducing them here and there, but I'm trying to work a little RP challenge into each one.  For example the first was Yola's new double blade, Shifter's Sorrow - a legacy weapon from her tribe, its powers only activate when she meets certain challenges ( the first time she faced a shapeshifter) and create opportunity to discover her culture and history.  This week Xer picks up a Belt of Physical Might ( +2 to STR and CON) but she obtained it through a most unlawful act that highlights her steady slide away from the discipline ( lawful alignment) that she must maintain to continue growing as a monk.  And Sasha, well, we'll see what Sasha does...

"Eep!"  Li Kao ducked, and the shelving behind him was smashed to bits by the creature's fist.  To his right, Yola rolled out of the way of the thing that used to be Seoni as it balled up its hands and swung them like a fleshy flail, its arms distending to an unnatural length at it gathered momentum.  On the second floor, Malvick heard the crash of breaking furniture and sprinted down the stairs, Ariva on his heels.

Li Kao's mind races through all his years of accumulated lore on the undead, searching for a clue as to the nature of their attackers, even as his hand withdraws a small crystal prism from the folds of his robe.  He mumbles an incantation and blows into the prism.  A kaleidoscope of colours burst forth and wash over the creature in front of him as it winds up for another swing.  It shrieks out in surprise and covers it featureless face, momentarily stunned by the sensory overload.  Definitely not undead then, Li Kao thought.  For the spray of colours he had conjured usually had no effect on the mindless undead.

Yola had just gotten a surprise of her own, but of a very different kind.  She rolled around her opponent's first swing and cut deep into its side with a powerful side swing.  As the blade connected, a transformation took place.  A silvery light ran up and down it twin lengths and the creature before her shied away.  Yola, shocked by this development lower her guard for a moment.  The Seoni-creature's flailing fist caught her across the shoulder and sent her reeling.  She swore and redoubled her attack with her mysteriously transformed blade.

At about this time Malvick arrived in the doorway.  He took stock of the situation in an instant.   Yola had trapped one ... thing in a corner and was hacking away at it furiously.  At the other end of the room a second red skinned creature held one had over its face and flailed blindly with the other.  Li Kao had pressed himself as far back into the corner as he could to avoid the wildly flailing, distended arms of the creature.  Since Yola seemed to have things well under control, Malvick fired three arrows directly into the creature threatening Li Kao.  It staggered backwards but did not fall.  Malvick reached for another arrow, but the thing's vision cleared and it swung at Malvick.  Its arm stretched and stretched, and Malvick, over ten feet away from it, was slammed against the door frame with enough strength to splinter the wood.  As the creature's arm snapped back to its normal length Malvick rose to one knee and put two arrows to his bow at once and let fly.  Both shafts buried themselves deep into its fleshy torso, and the thing slumped to the floor.

Yola, bruised by several solid punches, finished her opponent off with a vicious flurry, and the three companions stood victorious.  Li Kao dusted himself off and straightened his robe.  He walked over to one of the strange corpses and placed his fingers on its brow, eyes closed in concentration.  Irori granted him knowledge of the thing, and he knew its name:  Ugothol, commonly known as a Faceless Stalker.  An abhorrent race of shapeshifters created thousands of years ago to serve unknown masters as infiltrators and assasins.  Since the fall of ancient Thasillon a millenia ago they have degenerated into little better than parasites preying on other humanoid communities, hiding away in murky swamps, praying for the day that their ancient masters rise again and return them to their rightful status.

Afterwards, the three search the rest of the townhouse.  Malvick remembers the lion headed key they took off Aldern back at the mansion and reasons correctly that there may be a link with the lion headed Mantle piece on the second floor study.  The key fits into a cleverly disguised lock inside one of the lions' mouth, and opens a secret compartment that the original looters missed.  Inside is a strong box.  The three grab the strong box and return to their rooms at the inn before the night gets much later. 

Reuniting with Sasha and Xer, the group opens the strong box.  Inside the find what must have been Foxglove's secret nest egg - a large pouch containing 200 platinum pieces ( worth 1000gp).  There is also a shallow wooden box containing a number of legal papers, including the deed to the townhouse, as well as the deed to Foxglove manor.  The deed indicates that the Foxglove family only financed two-thirds of the construction 80 years ago; the remainder was financed by a group called the "Brothers of Seven."  The deed also bears an unusual clause near the end that indicates that after one hundred years ownership o Foxglove manor, and lands within one mile "around and below" revert to the brothers.

Under the case is a thin black ledger - the majority of the purchases and payments are mundane, but several near the end are of interest.  There are nearly a dozen entries over the past three months labeled as "Seoni's trip to Absalom," each indicating Aldern paying 200gp a week  for her "trip" to someone referred to a b.7, dropping off the payment every Oathday at midnight at a place called "The Seven's Sawmill."