2013-07-01

Wandered Roads 24

Wandered Roads of Varisia
Session 24
June 29, 2013

Campaign Timeline



Where's Natayla?


Fireday, 21st of Lamashan
Leela gathered her new companions to take them to the Pathfinder Lodge to have dinner with
none other than Shelia Heidmarch, one of the Pathfinder Venture Captains of Magnimar. Earlier that day, Shelia had invited the “Heroes of Sandpoint” to the lodge, which was also her home, to discuss a possible offer of employment.


Sheila Heidmarch
Eager to make new friends, especially powerful ones, and possibly earn some money, several of the companions headed out at dinner time. Leela led the way, followed by Kallin, Calina, Daellin and Samad. Ehlyna, Ellie and Vexeron were all off doing other things and missed the invitation to dinner. It was only a dinner date, nothing exciting going on, they probably wouldn’t mind.


Once the companions made it to the Pathfinder Lodge, they were led to a parlor where they were met by Shelia. She apologized to them and asked if they wouldn’t mind waiting for a few moments, she had some last minute business come up. One of her Pathfinders, a Half-Elf named Koriah Azmeren, had just returned from an extended foray into the Darklands, and they needed to speak briefly. While they were to wait, Shelia asked them if they wouldn’t mind taking a look at one of the items Koriah had returned with, a stone cube called a Paradox Box. She explained that they were ancient Thassilonian treasures with secret, magical methods of opening. She left Koriah’s notes as well. After some time, the companions realized that a set of 5 runes could be rearranged on one face of the box. Koriah’s notes indicated that they loosely translated to the letters C R U E L. After some time experimenting, the combination L U C R E was finally reached and the box magically opened.


The Paradox Box
Instead of finding some ancient artifact inside, opening the box triggered a magical trap of sorts, summoning 3 gremlins who immediately began insulting the gathered heroes and destroying the room. The creatures actions quickly escalated and the fight was on. Bad luck and clumsiness began manifesting in everyone in the room, causing even more damage and confusion. After a short time, with the help of Shelia and Koriah, who heard Samad’s cries for help, the evil Fey creatures were dispatched. Inside the box was a silver pin in the shape of a feather that radiated magic and 3 small topazes that Daellin valued at about 100$ each.


After the dust settled, Shelia apologized for leaving them in a dangerous situation without meaning to, though she was quite upset with the damage to her parlour. Calina offered to pay for the damaged, though Shelia declined. Koriah then took the Paradox Box, but offered the gemstones and feather pin as rewards for opening it. She then left, telling Shelia they would meet again in the next few days.


Dinner was finally served and Shelia explained that she was looking for help in tracking down a former informant of hers, Natayla Vancaskerkin, a half Varisian woman who was acting as a double agent for the Pathfinders in one of the Sczarni gangs of Magnimar. She had recently sent word that her gang was about to get a hold of an item that would be of great interest to the Pathfinder Society. But then she disappeared. It seems like the Sczarni are also looking for her now and Shelia wants to find her, and the item first. The only good clue she can give is that Natayla often worked with a man named The Amazing Zograthy, a Varisian fortune teller down in Washer’s Row in Dockway.


Wasting no time, the group headed to Dockway and Washer’s Row. Though it was already dark,
Zograthy see's all, knows all... for a price
the streets of Magnimar were still alive with traffic and business of all types. They found The Amazing Zograthy with no problem and by paying him and offering to pay more, were able to find out a little more information about Natayla. She was a member of the Tower Girls, a Sczarni gang known for their burglaries and 2nd story jobs. Now though, the Tower Girls were said to be after Natayla, though Zograthy did not know why. He did not know where she could be, though he did know that the Tower Girls recently were holed up in a warehouse in Underbridge with a disease ridden wretch of a man named Fenster the Blight. He gave directions to the warehouse.


Nothing gets past Fenster's 'good peeper!'
The warehouse was easy to find and Fenster was every bit as vile and disgusting as Zograthy described. He was bribed, fast talked and eventually threatened until he gave up that he knew where Natayla had been hiding out. He led the group to a seemingly abandoned building near the Seacleft, deep under the shadow of the Irespan above.


A quick investigation of the building shows two possible entrances and several boarded up windows. Choosing the nearest door that leads into a room built into the side of the building, they knock on the door. There is no response, though Daellin hears some movement from inside followed by a louder knocking on what sounds like an interior wall. Daellin then opened the door, only to be attacked by a sword from the interior of the building. The group quickly defeated the two Varisian thugs stationed in the house. They claimed to know nothing about anything and tried to flee but were tied up.

During the melee, Kallin, curious about the other door, impulsively headed off around the corner to check it out. He opened the door and peered into the nearly completely dark interior, thankfully his Orcish heritage enabled him to see a little. He could see that the floor to this chamber had rotted away, revealing a disgusting cesspool of sewer water slowly dripping in from 2 large, broken pipes to one side. He also saw a narrow plank leading across the open floor to a door on the far side. As he examines the room, he notices some movement down below in the sewage and some sort of object flying toward him. He quickly ducks back out of the door as the object shatters on the wall just inside the door. The unforgettable stench of sewage and bodily function fills the air. Thinking he needs to quickly get across that plank quickly, Kallin calls upon the Lady of Graves to make him more graceful. He channels her divine energy and feels much more nimble and light on his feet. He sticks his head back in only to dodge back out once more as another projectile comes shooting his way. This time it flies out the door, smashing onto the cobblestone street nearby. He then charges in, running nimbly across the narrow plank toward the door, though the magic had not made him nimble enough and he makes a misstep and falls, face first down into the 3 feet of disgusting liquid 5 feet below floor level. Getting to his feet, he sees he is being accosted by 3 Goblins, approaching with their wicked dogslicers waving in the air. They attack and he does his best to defend himself, but they manage to surround him and get several telling shots, mostly to his legs, just above the water level. Kallin falls and nearly falls unconscious before his companions rushed to his rescue. Daellin rushed into the room while Calina managed to pick a few targets out in the dark, dispatching them with deadly skill. Daellin used his magic to Blink out of the way of a thrown object and reappeared in the water next to Kallin, taking out the final Goblin with his enchanted blade. Leela then stuck her head in, illuminating the disgusting, sewage filled room. Samad stayed back, keeping an eye on the two captured Varisian thugs and searching their room.
Daellin, Calina and Leela assist Kallin while Samad watches the prisoners


Continuing Story Doc

Continuing Story Summary

The companions hope to find Natayla in this rundown, cesspool of a house. They make their way through the house, Daellin and Calina leading the charge while Samad climbed up into the rafters to maneuver though the attic space. Filthy sewer Goblins kept popping up to hamper their progress, but each time, they were put down. Eventually, Daellin was overwhelmed by a pile of Goblins dropping in from above and he was nearly drowned before Leela saved him by stunning the Goblins with her psionic flash! The group was then set upon by unseen archers from the darkness above. Calina made several blind shots into the dark and actually found her mark several times. More foes could be heard further into the house and Natayla was still nowhere to be seen!

Session Notes

We were short several players, and were almost short 2 more. Our hosts (Dan and Carol) were supposed to go to a show at the Muny to see Shrek, but at the last minute, they decided that a night of GURPS gaming would be much better!

This session also had several questions regarding getting things out of backpacks and such, so I had referred my players to a document that I had worked up long ago to address just such an issue. I have shared this document with them before, but it seemed it was time for a refresher. I will share my parts of the document here, as much of it is just compiling GURPS stats for the equipment.


Carrying Stuff:

Backpack, Frame.

Takes 30 seconds to put a loaded* frame pack on (10 seconds with help). It takes 5 seconds to remove a loaded frame pack and requires 2 free hands. It takes 1d6+4 seconds to find anything in a loaded frame pack (must be off the back or someone else must be looking for it). Dropping a frame pack in combat risks breaking any fragile items inside (1 on 1d6).


Backpack, Small.

Takes 10 seconds to put a loaded backpack on (5 seconds with help). It takes 2 seconds to remove a loaded backpack and requires 2 free hands. It takes 1d6 seconds to find anything in a loaded backpack (must be off the back or someone else must be looking for it). Dropping a backpack in combat risks breaking any fragile items inside (1 on 1d6).


Quick-Release Backpack.

Takes 30 seconds to put a loaded quick-release pack on (10 seconds with help). Dropping it is a free action. It takes 1d6 seconds to find anything in a loaded backpack (must be off the back or someone else must be looking for it). Dropping a backpack in combat risks breaking any fragile items inside (1 on 1d6).

Pouch or Purse.
It takes a ready maneuver to open a pouch and an additional 1d3 seconds to find a specific item in a pouch or purse if it is not the only thing present in the pouch, otherwise it takes 1 second to retrieve it.


Weapon Belt.

Holds up to two 1-handed weapons or one 2-handed weapon. Price and cost are included with the weapons.  Any character may wear no more than 2 weapon belts, one around the waist and one across the shoulder. Two handed weapons may only be worn on shoulder belts. It takes 1 ready maneuver or fast draw to draw any weapon off of a weapon belt.


Large Sack.

Requires 2 hands to carry when loaded. Two can be balanced on a pole and carried over one shoulder, balanced by one hand. It takes 1d6+1 seconds to find anything in a large sack. A sack follows the loaded rules for backpacks above. Dropping a sack in combat risks breaking any fragile items inside (1 on 1d6).


Small Sack.

Requires one hand to carry. Up to four can be balanced on a stout stick and carried over one shoulder, balanced by one hand. It takes 1d6 seconds to find anything in a small sack. Dropping a sack in combat risks breaking any fragile items inside (1 on 1d6).


*Any pack is considered 'loaded' if it has more than 1/4th of its capacity in it. Packs with less than 'loaded' capacity can be slung over one shoulder and dropped with a ready maneuver in combat. An unloaded pack can be slung over one shoulder with a ready maneuver if it is being held. It takes one ready maneuver to find an item in an unloaded pack.



Characters Present:

Kallin Hawkril, Half-Orc shaman and budding Priest of Pharasma (341 points) - played by +Daniel Ernst
Calina - Varisian Human archer and scout (342 points) - played by +Carol Coburn
Leela Cardnool, Gnome scout, cartographer and Illusionist (253 points) - played by +Lisa Smith
Daellin Silvanthalas, Elven Farstrider Ranger (310 points) - played by +Ben Lipe
Vexeron, Human wizard - played by +Greg Grady
Ehlyna Fuzziface - Dwarven Warrior - played by +Jodi H
Samad Aldhul, Human ex-mercenary (256 points) - played by +JeCorey Holder
Ellie - Halfling Finder of Things - played by +Megan McCarron
and +Jason Woollard as the DM

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