Second Darkness: Children of the Void [IC]

[rypt]

Though the meeting seems to be winding down, Tsyra makes no motion to leave."And how is ownership to be structured should we..." searching for the correct phrase in common, she glances down at the advertisement, "stake a claim?"

[lostsole31]

"Equal shares, plus a party share," says Sol to answer Tsyra, then he says, "You badger is more than welcome. Sorry, I have my own things to tend to before heading out."

Does anyone have any business other than moving into a bunk upstairs (if they do)?

[Farmerbink]

"Oh, thank you thank you!" Maggie squeals. She almost dashes from the room before Sol finishes the statement, but manages just to compose herself and wait for a more express dismissal. As soon as she's confident it won't be particularly impolite, she dashes to the stable to recover her companion.

"Can you believe it, Scruff? We're gonna sleep in a bed!" She literally skips back to the main building, Scruffy plodding along placidly at her side. As she enters, she realizes that she doesn't know where the stairs are- much less which room up there is assigned to her. Without particular concern for propriety, she wanders into the first floor (of the Gold Goblin?) in search of someone who can guide her to her lodging.

[lostsole31]

Sunday, 3 Desnus 4708 AR (Waning Crescent)
85 / 65 F. Trace precipitation. Medium humidity.

The next day, everyone wakes up, and Sol makes sure breakfast is served to those that eat it. It is a Sunday, a non-working day for most and a religious day even among the semi-religious.

The mysterious shadow in the sky is gone, and the strange events that have been plaguing the city have ended. The falling star that struck Devil’s Elbow is now accepted by both commonfolk and cyphermages alike as having been the cause of these disturbances, and now that it has fallen to Golarion, the feelings of nervous fear have passed.

Indeed, it was the effects of the relatively small (but still destructive) tsunami that hit Riddleport after the star crashed that have been on the minds of the city’s denizens recently. When the wave surged ashore, dozens of ships were beached, with several washed inland and left stranded as far as Wharf Street. Many of Riddleport’s piers were ruined, and several of the smaller buildings along the waterfront were damaged. Over the days following the event, the crimelords and overlord of Riddleport mobilized in a way rarely seen in the lawless city, working together to put out fires, save citizens who were swept out into the harbor, and kill angry and disoriented reefclaws, sharks, bunyips, and other dangerous sea creatures that suddenly found themselves stranded in the city streets.

In the aftermath, the cost of the damage to buildings and structures rises into the tens of thousands of gold, and the total number slain or swept out to sea by the wave may never be known (thanks to the city’s inefficient census practices), although the more conservative estimates place the total number of victims between 150 to 200. Yet despite the disaster, Riddleport is quick to forget the trauma. Those who weren’t directly harmed by the wave have little compassion for those who do, while those who were affected are universally quick to turn the event from disaster into opportunity. In the days and weeks to follow, the chaos on the waterfront makes for ripe grounds for smugglers, looters, and other violent criminals. Ships that were further out to sea return to find many of their competitors no longer in a position to work against them, and the balance of power among the various pirate captains has shifted dramatically (not that many outside of that violent subculture would notice much difference).

In addition, with each passing day, a new greed continues to grow among Riddleport’s citizens—a greed for skymetal. After the initial shock of the falling star and its impact subsided, the implications of the event sunk in. Skymetal, in any of its seven known varieties, is a valued and much sought-after commodity in any society, but with Riddleport’s Gas Forges being one of Varisia’s only public operations capable of smelting such difficult metals, the convenience of the fallen star has many of Riddleport’s groups eager for a chance at the easy money.

Yet the damage done to Riddleport’s waterfront and to many of the ships owned by prominent locals has retarded the burgeoning Skymetal Rush. As the days drag on, the race to be the first to reach Devil’s Elbow slowly takes the city by storm, with those who don’t have access to ships scrambling to secure deals with those who do.

First, is anyone going to, or wanting to, keep Sunday a holy day for themselves?

Second, does anyone differ in what is prepared on their sheets?

After everyone's daily preps and breakfast, Sol calls the group together.

[rypt]

When asked about breakfast, Tsyra replies as though Sol were a waiter, listing the various foods she would like to eat without any regard for whether those items are likely to be available in a coastal town recently struck by a tsunami. Whatever it is that is eventually served, she will not hesitate to share any critiques -- say, whether the fruit is overripe or the bread not baked to her liking. While picking at her plate, she will pull from her belt an unlined notebook and a wax pencil -- both of which seem too tall to fit in the pockets from which they are removed -- and begin to sketch a rather exquisitely detailed sword hilt. She remains absorbed in her work up until the moment that when Sol calls the meeting.

[lostsole31]

Spoiler: Lev's Morning Routine

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Lev, all of your short association thus far with Naysin has been getting used to housing her. She has trained you mentally on how to protect your charges at range, and prepared you for various akashic exercises and opening up your feet and hands especially, but so far it has only been preparation. As if in answer to the destiny that may be upon you, Naysin feels you are ready, and during your 30 minutes of akashic meditation this morning, you finally have results with your first veils!

The first veil you form is minor. In fact, some of the magic you already know in spell form, but Naysin specifically calls upon that famliarity to help you achieve that first weaving. Faint spectral images whirl about your head, forming faint jewelry of ghostly light. These are called Aigrette of Specters, a minor veil not dissimilar to a combination of haunted fey aspect (which you don't know as a skald) and ghost sound (which you do), but allowing a bit more control than either with minor auditory-visual illusions.

The next thing you form is an earring of gold and jade akasha that will help you detect corruption in the form of diseases and poisons (Earring of Safe Health), though admittedly your lack of medicine or alchemy means you would only be able to determine the presence, but not the type.

Then, coming from Naysin's power directly and infusing the strange part of Lev's nature known as his "blood slot," is one where Lev's blemishes are all smoothed away to perfection to make himself more attractive noticeable, and magnet to others (Essence of the Succubus). This is the very first, and most basic "true veil" (meaning, not a "minor veil" like the first two) that is connected to his passion.

The next passion veil is about manipulating others to get what you want, especially in business, as next appears a gleaming golden band about Lev's waist that seems to reflect and refract light as though studded with a thousand precious gems (Waistband of the Wealthy).

Finally, even though the last veil to form will not be part of the passion set, it is a passion veil normally if on later days Lev should make it so. Lev's boots are made to seem particularly well-shined and beautiful, with the prevailing thought that one could "fall head over heels" in love. It calls upon being able to quickly fake out a target since Lev isn't particularly well-trained in tripping people and so as not to be attacked on the follow-up where he can do a foot-hook to knock someone down. Because of the bound power of akasha in this veil, it could very possibly be seen as a non-aggressive move, and even the beginning of what some bards and skalds call the "clumsy meet-cute" (Lover's Tread).

---

As breakfast winds down, Sol says, "It's important for our new persons to know what is happening. To dismiss likely unimportant details and streamline .... the previous proprietor of this place of perdition and predation against those in penury was Saul Vancaskerkin. He betrayed me and my friends - I am the last one here of that group - and I worked with Ozzy, Visto, and others no longer with us to raid the Gold Goblin; capture Saul; and then explore clues to contacts with troglodytes he had with the smuggler's tunnels that lead to the basement.

"Our exploration came to its dramatic conclusion against a strange mauve-skinned elven woman with pure white hair and pure white eyes - no visible slcera, iris, or pupil. I identified the mortification of flesh and her extremely offensive odor not as being connected to the troglodtyes, but rather being common to that of a ghast ... an undead on the same order as ghouls, but one whose paralysis can affect elves .... which is apparently what happened in this woman's life to get to being a ghast. Thing is, I can't identify the purplish coloring or eyes as being connected to the state of either undeath or specifically ghoul fever or that strain common with the rarer ghast.

"We fought her to a draw, in that she killed one of ours but escaped. It wasn't a victory. But in the chamber that had her personal posessions was a journal that none of the rest of us have been able to decode. Maggie, that's where you are going to come in. We want you to decode this journal the best you can while we move forward on our mission. We don't know what this elf wanted, or why, but the excavation she led actually was at the 'root' of the Cyphergate. Also, her gear was very strange. So, I have her destroyed hand crossbow. Tsyra, if you can perhaps study that today, and work with Maggie by maybe identifying the type of leather or what was used as the strange pages of her journal, that would be helpful. Meanwhile, I will be working to procure transportation to the Devil's Elbow."

He sets out the journal and what is obviously a destroyed hand crossbow, but at first glance, the hand crossbow is not of any familiar design (it would require study).

[Farmerbink]

Maggie wakes mostly refreshed. She gratefully breaks her fast on anything provided- but chooses to do the actual eating outdoors. With no apparent realization that Scruff is indeed not a human(oid), she trades bites with the badger chatting idly about her expectations for the day. Perhaps most surprisingly, she manages to eat almost as much as the oversized omnivore.

Visibly content, she begrudgingly stables Scruff to rejoin the rest of the group where they were eating. Eyebrows furrow thoughtfully as Sol describes the unusual Elf, though for the moment she manages to not interrupt. When it turns out the day's tasks include primarily reading and deciphering, Maggie relaxes a bit. "I can look around at it, for sure," she offers cheerfully. "And it occurs to me, I've got cousins who never come to the surface- and well, they seem a hair darker-skinned. Maybe this lady was the same thing, but for Elves?" she adds with a hopeful expression.

She climbs atop her chair to reach the journal, not especially concerned by the effort. Still standing, she begins to flip through it from a vantage where she can easily see the fullness of page and binding without having to hold it.

Spoiler: Crunch

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In my head this is linguistics? Or perhaps not even a check if it's as straightforward as reading a known language.

Also, whichever skill(s) might apply to identifying the source of a given leather. Seems like maybe know(nature)? Or a related craft?

[rypt]

Tsyra continues to sketch as Sol begins to recount recent happenings. At the mention of a strange elven woman, her pencil grows still, and at the mention of a recovered hand crossbow, she sets the pencil down and closes her sketchbook altogether.

"You encountered this elf before or after the meteorite fell?" she asks once Sol has finished.

While looking over the pieces of the broken weapon, she attempts to recall any information about elves with either purple skin or featureless white eyes. She then studies the crossbow more closely, materializing a pair of crystalline-framed spectacles as she does so. She takes great care in handling the weapon, using her pencil to move the pieces about rather than her hands. Once she has determined whether the weapon is magical -- and attempted to identify the nature of its enchantments if it is -- she organizes the pieces so as to ascertain whether any critical components are missing. If it appears to be repairable, shimmering clockwork machinery takes shape around her hands, which she sets down on either side of the collected pieces. After speaking aloud a prayer to Findeladlara, "nai máryat mahta ninya má," she sets her mind and magic to piecing the crossbow back together.

Spoiler: Elven

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Tsyra's prayer is Elven for "may Her hand guide mine."

Spoiler: OOC

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Tsyra will use her eyeglasses of magic sight to check for any magical auras and hands of the mender if it appears possible to repair the hand crossbow.

[lostsole31]

The O.G. can tell the new folk that the meteor hit the evening after their foray's return from fighting the purple ghast-elf.

Maggie and Tsyra both inspect the strange leather, but unfortunately it has gone through enough artificial process that they can't place it.

Tsyra looks at the incomplete crossbow ... for it does not have all pieces present ... and that alone is enough for the hands of the mender to fail completely (there is no extra credit for reforming portions of a destroyed object). It carries no current or lingering enchantment, and both the metal and wood of the stock are not immediately recognizeable, though obviously made from a medium-hard wood and some blend of a steel alloy, surely.

Maggie looks at the journal's contents. It actually isn't written in cypher at all, but could appear that way to the untrained eye. Rather, this appears to be a journal written in Undercommon and in a florid hand but with some strange syntaxes. Maggie, do you read out the contents to those present?

[Farmerbink]

With no concern for propriety, Maggie begins mumbling aloud as she reads the journal. Upon prompting, she starts- having apparently forgotten about the other people in the room. "Oh yes, of course! I'll speak up!" she comments with a easy smile. "It starts with..."

[lostsole31]

Maggie begins reading to those present (which includes everyone except Sol and Ago, the former on business, the second worshiping in private).

The book is written in Undercommon and is the property of Depora Azrinae. Some of the book seems to be a ledger of sorts that lists all of the money Saul had been funneling to her, along with several notes of what that money was spent on (mostly alchemical supplies, spell components, and exotic food to be shipped to Devil’s Elbow—these shipments were always made at night and by different sailors from whom Depora was careful to hide her true nature). Most of the book seems to be a list of all of the strange and exotic weather effects and other unusual phenomena that have occurred in Riddleport over the past several months. All of these, including the Blot itself, are indicated in the journal as “strange and eldritch side effects from the charging of the glyphs on Devil’s Elbow,” and that “It would do to further refine the glyphs to minimize such blatant displays lest the enemy receive further warning of the impending apocalypse than we wish to reveal.” The journal goes on to theorize that as soon as the “glyphs are activated and the star is plucked,” the strange side effects such as the shadow in the sky should vanish immediately. The last journal entry indicates that Depora suspects that this event could occur as soon as "tonight."

[bcool999]

Ozlech

Ozzy struggles a bit to pay attention once it appears that the journal was largely a ledger for the money Saul sent to the Ghast. Once the book mentions that the strange weather phenomena attributed to the Blot was not a freak occurrence but orchestrated, Ozzy is paying quite close attention to the rest.

Finally Ozzy sighs and says, ”After all this time with the Blot hanging over our heads, all the investigation and curiosity, most had dismissed it as a strange magical confluence. Guess we know now that it was a side effect of a longer ritual. Though it begs the question of why though. Plucking a star from the sky to ravage the earth is devastating for sure and the tsunami claimed many lives, but Riddleport still stands. I can’t think off the top of my head why they would target Devil’s Elbow.”

[Kvard51]

Lev shakes his head at Ozzy's last statement, "I think you misunderstood. Devil's Elbow was the power source for something much bigger. An 'apocalypse' of some sort."

[rypt]

"I am afraid there is little I can glean from the manner of the crossbow's construction," Tsyra shares after examining the broken weapon. "I am no arbalest; my expertise lies in bladed weapons and those forged of metal. If all of its pieces were present, it is likely I could have repaired it, but as they are not, I cannot."

As she listens to Maggie's translation, a glower falls on Tsyra's face. "That you failed to end her unlife is unfortunate. An opportunity missed to rid this world of a depraved evil. If this meteorite was meant to realize her apocalypse, then she has failed utterly, but her work may yet be incomplete. That she details the requisition of food -- presumably not the humanoid corpses upon which a ghast might subsist -- suggests she has enlisted others to her cause. When you met her in battle, was she alone?"

[bcool999]

Ozlech

Responding to Tsyra, Ozzy says, ”She was the only Elf or I suppose Elf-Turned-Ghast if that is what you were asking. She did have some hideous obese creatures fighting for her which we dispatched before fighting her.”

[rypt]

Tsyra looks to Ozlech. "Given that these creatures were, as you say, 'obese,' it is conceivable that the shipments of food were meant for their consumption. But since the food was shipped to Devil's Elbow, whereas you encountered the ghast here in the city, it seems more likely that there are others in her company yet unknown. She will certainly have relayed to them your names and descriptions of your appearances, in which case, you may very well become targets upon your arrival on the island."

[Farmerbink]

Maggie looks up (literally), frowning. "So we really should expect to be attacked? It certainly seems more than a little bit likely that this is gonna come down to who's strong enough to claim the...sun- star- uhhh, what'd you call the metal bits?" She nods as someone dutifully (or in exasperation) fills in the gaps. "Right! Skymetal! That stuff."

She chuckles quietly, utterly unaware of any potential frustration or discontent. "Well, if it doesn't belong to anyone yet, and there's bad people who want to..." she glances back down at the journal. "Well, I don't much like the idea of an 'impending apocalypse, myself. Let's beat 'em to the punch!"

Flexing one tiny, thin arm, she adds "Literally!"

[lostsole31]

Things shut down and move on from there, and Ago and Sol return and are told of the results of the new employees' determinations.

[AggressiveBread]

Santiago listens to the entire rundown quietly, he stays mostly straight faced while he listens, but he looks worried when the word apocalypse is mentioned. At the end of the brief, he speaks up.
”Thank you all for your work. This Depora woman whoever she is, is more vile than I could have imagined. I know now for certain that we must make it to Devil’s elbow to put an end to this monster and her plans. I don’t know what we’ll find when we arrive, but I know that Abadar will keep us from harm.”
He flashes a row of pointed teeth in a confident smile

[Farmerbink]

Maggie nods slowly, apparently struggling to make sense of her thoughts.

"So how do we get there?"

[lostsole31]

Sol says, "I've a contact who helped us take back the Gold Goblin. We're meeting him tonight here at the Goblin, and he has a line on possible conveyance to Devil's Elbow. In the meantime, I recommend you split up in groups of two and spread out through Riddleport. Try to find out a little more about our competitors. Then, meet me back here."

So, who pairs up with whom? And what parts of Riddleport will you try to seek information? It shouldn't be broad areas or overlapping, or your asking around will arouse suspicion. Sol will stay back at the Goblin.

[AggressiveBread]

Santiago is the first to speak up, clearing his throat.”Well, I have some family in town I’d like to visit. If I remember right, they were small time smugglers back in the day. They might know something about who’s going after the skymetal. he looks around at the assembled room. ”Anyone is welcome to join me, but Ozzy might be the most comfortable, since the Orcarr family are all tieflings.”

[Farmerbink]

Maggie speaks up, high-pitched and visibly excited. "Oh, I wouldn't mind! Isn't that very unusual, though, for everyone to be a Tiefling? I'm certainly no expert, but I'd love to meet your family!"

[lostsole31]

Ago and Maggie will make one "team" looking at the upper lower classes of society.

What about the rest of you?

[AggressiveBread]

Ago chuckles a little at the remark.
”Normally, it would be very strange. But many of my relatives were adopted by my father to keep them off the street. My brother Rodriguez, and my sister Sophia are technically his only biological children.” when he mentions his brother’s name, a very quick grimace crosses his face before it returns to normal.

[bcool999]

Ozlech

Ozzy thinks for a moment before perking up and saying, ”Lev I know just the place for us to check! A little temple in Leeward where we can seek an Abbess for guidance.”

Saying the last word with a wink, Ozzy motions for Lev to follow him.

Spoiler: Riddleport Slang and OOC

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Abbess here refers to a priestess (or whore) of Calistra and by Temple Ozzy refers to the House of the Silken Veil. Temple of Calistra and brothel.

[rypt]

Tsyra frowns at Sol's instruction. "I know little of this city, nor am I keen to traffic in rumor or hearsay. But if you believe such efforts to be in the best interest of our venture...." She sighs and looks to Visto. "I suppose that leaves the two of us."

[Kvard51]

Lev looks at Ozzy, a wolfish grin on his face, "I believe I know that selfsame Abbess. That IS an excellent place to start! lead the way, my new friend."

[Farmerbink]

Maggie immediately approaches Santiago with a grin. "Oh! That would certainly explain that! How nice! Your father must be a wonderful person," she cheerfully exclaims.

Reaching up, she eagerly tugs at a hand, wrist, elbow, whatever she can reach that serves the purpose. "Let's go see them, right away!" With childlike exuberance (and efficacy), she all-but pulls (or tries to, at least) Santiago towards the door.

[lostsole31]

The duos disperse to diplomacize with the downtrodden denizens of this degenerate demesne.

Spoiler: Tsyra & Visto

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The worst possible combination. Visto is friendly, but alien and not trained in social interaction ... and Tsyra is antisocial. They mill around, ask too-blunt or too vague questions, and otherwise learn nothing of use. They spend four hours in complete disarray.

Spoiler: Ozzy and Lev

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The fine upstanding people that Ozzy and Lev ply for information after three hours do give them some scuttlebutt. When it comes to gathering information, neither of them are particularly good .... as Ozzy's Tekritanin rhetoric, and Lev's almost sleazy appeal aren't good for subtlety.

Goldhammer’s Expedition: Since Overlord Cromarcky hired several dwarves to sail out to Devil’s Elbow to gather up as much skymetal as possible for him, everyone’s heard about the interest the dwarves of the Gas Forges have in the fallen star. The dwarves, led by a loud miner named Goldhammer, left for Devil’s Elbow 2 days before the start of this adventure on a ship named the Mithral Wave, which dropped the dwarves off and then sailed on to make a delivery to Magnimar—the plan is to pick up the dwarves on the return trip in a week.

Spoiler: Ago & Maggie

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Ago finds that Maggie is surprisingly very good at this type of thing, though she appears guile-less and more sincere in her questions while Ago is more restrained. Together they make a good team.

Slyeg’s Group: Avery Slyeg, Riddleport’s most successful smuggler and black marketeer, was the first to act on the promise of skymetal. With one of his ships not quite in port when the star fell, he was able to move quickly when the Black Bunyip returned to Riddleport. Avery outfitted her quickly, and his group of smugglers and thugs left for Devil’s Elbow 7 days ago.

Cyphermages: Eager to investigate the island but frustrated by attempts to organize transport (due to a combination of internal bickering and the sabotage efforts of Zincher’s men), the cyphermages finally secured a small group of a dozen or so explorers and secured passage to the island on the Foamrunner, a merchant cog bound for Magnimar. The cyphermages left for Devil’s Elbow 3 days ago. Samaritha Beldusk, a former hostess at the Gold Goblin, is among those who travel to the island on the Foamrunner.

Zincher’s Group: Clegg Zincher didn’t have the luxury of a ship returning to port, nor did he have Overlord Cromarcky’s finances to rush repairs on one of his own vessels. Nor does he trust his men not to simply gather the skymetal and run with it. Zincher waited for the next pirate ship to pull into port, then personally led a hand-picked crew of toughs down to the waterfront that evening to attack the ship under the cover of night. After murdering the crew and feeding them to the hungry harbor denizens, Zincher and his crew sailed the stolen Dark Pearl out to Devil’s Elbow 5 days ago.