[PF1] "Beast Hunters" IC

[dangelo]

4700 AR. South Varisia, Magnimar. The sun shines above the great City of Monuments, highlighting it's beautiful palaces, temples and statues, knights and courtesans, artists and storytellers; But Magnimar is a large city, and not all districts are the same. For a homeless half-human living under the docks, it could as well be the City that Smells Like Fish, or the City That One Can't Leave Because One Owes Money To Some Very Dangerous Criminals.

For the right people, The Dockside is much more than a single district; it's a network center to do business in peace with all kinds of people (or creature), if you can find them. Instead of delving deep into the city's most dangerous areas, you can find a buyer for anything in the docks if you know where to go.

This brought you to the Red Jasmine, a secret tavern built under the ground. It’s incovently small and crammed with people; there’s no tables or counter, everyone sits in pillows and the bottles of wine and plates of food are handed to them by the owner, a very likable halfling. Numerous incense sticks burn at the same time, filling the air with multicolored smokes that smell like all the flowers in the world.

You’re meeting with a middle-aged man called Ludovico Danneggi. He shows you plenty of maps and notes about your trip to Rivenrake, an island on the other side of the Varisian Gulf.

“With the sailship I’m getting ye, you’ll be there in three days tops. Real deal. Maybe more, if the wind blows on ye.Now hear me: Too many Navy officers patrol the Gulf, and if they smell something fishy about you, then it’s the end.”

He suddenly smiles at the situation. “Luckly, I have the perfect answer to the problem. And her name is Carla, the Shark of the Inner Sea. She owes me a favor, and will guarantee you a safe pass across the Gulf.”

Ludovico gestures widely. “All I ask is ten percent of all you make.” He says as if it wasn’t a big deal. “Certainly you’ll make fortunes with these… uhm… jewels.”
“But I admit, ten percent is a lot to ask, and you don’t know if you can trust this varisian man who says he has the solution to all your problems… So please, ask anything. If I don’t know the answer, I certainly know someone who can tell me”.

[NiKkatsu]

Zorg Firesinger AC: 20 | HP: 28/28 | HIT DICE: 2d10+1d8 Speed: 30ft | Initiative: +5 Perception: +8 | Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +0 Conditions: --- Zorg looked at the others. They all remained silent at the end of Ludovico's tirade, but Zorg was biting his tongue: '10%?!' he thought. 'I dinna' know what we can ask to convince us ta' be convinced... 'dis longshanks be mad.' Zorg knew all too well he shouldn't speak out of turn. The fancy woman seemed to be in charge. Maybe the others were waiting for her to say something? Flamesong, who was sleeping next to Zorg's chair, probably felt his master's anxiety because he raised his head and let out a low whine. The goblin started fiddling his thumbs, but the silence just became too much for him to handle. He slammed a fist on the table: 'Zorg knows 'da question to ask: why should we giv'a ten percents to yer? Ya says it yoself 'das iz too much. I dinna' agree. Nopes, I dinna'. Ye gots the maps and ye gave 'da name o' the contact. We can jus' swipe all the stuff off ye' and be done wit' it, eh?' Zorg knew business, or at least he thought he did - maybe he was coming on a bit too strong. Oh well... He was just trying to put some pressure on the man, to make him cave a little bit, and to force the others to react. Hopefully someone would step in to try to reason with Zorg, which would give them a good standing in the eyes of Ludovico and, in turn, make him more amenable. Good cop/bad cop. Always worked wonders. Usually Flamesong is the bad cop and Zorg does the good one but... he had allies now, it seemed. He could switch things up. Let's hope they'd pick up on the strategy...

[Eldest]

While I wouldn't be so crass as to, ah, 'swipe all the stuff off ye' and be done wit' it', I'm also interested in how you're earning your take here, given you're proposing that you spend a favor alone." She leans forward, intent. "So sell me on this. You've got your initial bid: why are you worth a tenth of the take when we're doing the work and taking the risk?"

[dangelo]

Ludovico fakes a surprise expression. "Oh, but I thought it was clear from the beginning. I just wanna be your friend, eh!" He keeps his hands in the air, waiting for their reaction. After a moment of silence, he drops the act. "Okay, okay, hear me out. I'm not buying the jewels, but I know who is. And doing business with them is more like a privilege, really... Very rich people, they are. Yes, very rich, and very powerful, too."

"I absolutely cannot leak their identity." Ludovico looks overly proud of himself. "They talk to me. You know how hard it is to talk to them? I've been sending gifts and business proposals for years, now."

He keeps babbling vaguely about these contacts. Admitelly, he could be speaking of any of the organized crime factions in Magnimar, which are many.

"And you soon may find out how hard it is to find a buyer for those jewels. I mean, if you don't want a royal soldier knocking on your door and asking what have you been doing for the last couple of weeks, and what do you have hidden under the floor, or maybe why did the court wizard saw you killing a protected creature through his crystal ball, or why..." He says, and keeps saying. Ludovico talks a lot.

[MornShine]

Drovic interrupts the man's babbling. "You're the fence. We get the merchandise, you sell it and keep a percentage of the take. Got it." He holds up a blunt finger. "But, let me ask you another question: these contacts, what're they going to do with these, eh, jewels?" He leans back, squinting. "You said that they're illegal in this city, and these aren't exactly easy to hide, hmm? Are you just selling it down the line?"

"And another problem: all of those problems you mention? Your aid won't fix any of 'em! Scrys and guards aren't going to vanish when we get your help... unless you know something you aren't telling us."

Spoiler: Sense Motive

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(1d20+9)[10] if necessary... I'm happy to do this via straight RP.

[dangelo]

Ludovico smiles, showing a few golden teeth. "One cannot say you're being unreasonable, my friend. I understand your concern, as much as it hurts me that you won't trust my word for itself."

"You do understand that under no circumstances I would tell you their name." He lowers his voice to a whisper. "But think with me. What kind of individual would have time and resources to raise a thing like that? One would need a farm and plenty of men to do the hard work, a hired trainer to handle the creature and turn into a loyal steed. Then, what does this individual achieve? A way to scout the skies, much higher than castle walls. That sounds like a military thing."

[NiKkatsu]

Zorg Firesinger AC: 20 | HP: 28/28 | HIT DICE: 2d10+1d8 Speed: 30ft | Initiative: +5 Perception: +8 | Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +0 Conditions: --- ''Milit'ry, eh?'' Zorg replies with a snort. He spits a green glob on the floor and Flamesong happily laps it up. ''Don't like 'em. Dey killz gobs. No good. But den again, who doesn' kills Gobs?'' He chortles at his joke. ''Plus, I dinna' care for Gobs so much anyways. Zorg only wants the money. Gives us the maps, all the stuffs we need, and we'll get the preps prepped. We'll be on our merry way.'' He says, with a polite raise of his hat.

[dangelo]

"Don't you worry, my green friend. This noble client is too concerned about being backstabbed by his own brothers to worry about us mere mortals. You know how these things go. Let them play their silly games... if they wanna buy silly toys for that, even better, uh?"

"Here's what I need you to do: once you get the jewels, take the ship to this hideout just south of Magnimar; Here are the coordinates. Leave the ship there with all it's cargo and let me know, so I can make it disappear. Meet me back here, and I'll have your gold." He succinctly explains, making it sound way more simple than it is.

"Now, Rivenrake is just a tiny island, but there is a watchtower and a small village in the north end of it. Stay clear from them and you should be safe. It's mating season, as you know, so the soldiers might be alert for hunters... But even then, they trust Magnimar's Navy way too much to even bother. On your way there, watch out for robbers from Riddleport and northling raiders; the Shark of the Inner Sea card won't save you from them."

"When you... well, if you're approached by the Navy, say that you have a very important delivery from Lady Whilwren. It's the code I set up with Carla." He sounds really proud of himself. "This is going to be a piece of cake, trust me."

[dangelo]

You feel the fresh morning air on your faces as your sailship glides across the Inner Sea. The sky is clear and the wind is blowing, you might even make it in two days if the weather stays like that.

First choice you have to make: The purple path is vulnerable to pirates, while the orange path risks being attacked by nordling invaders. Your characters are discussing the matter while operating the sailship, gradually leaving Magnimar behind.



While you make that decision, feel free to roll stuff like Survival, Perception, Knowledge or anything you want.

Spoiler: Ship

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*Marc Simonetti

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*Crosshead Studios

[MornShine]

“I’d prefer the purple path, meself. Nordlings are nordlings, and I’ve fought a few in my time, but a pirate crew might have some more unusual troops. And, mebbe, more useful plunder.

“It’s a bit odd bein’ on the sea, ain’t it? No walls nor floor but this unsteady shifting wood. I can’t decide whether this inspires awe, or fear. Definit’ly unsettling.

“I’ve good eyes, but I’ll let those who know what a “wind” looks like navigate. You don’t see much of that in the Underground. I’m more worried about fightin’ the fliers. Do we have a plan? Attack, distract, or stealth?”