Pathfinder 2E [IC] JM's "Doomsday Dawn" Playtest Party#2 Chapter#1

[tglassy]

Coralin's stomach sank to his feet at the prospect of actual adventure. He'd never had an actual adventure. Sure, he'd practiced with the sword and whip, and was by all accounts not shabby with them, though he knew he could be better. His attention was a little divided. But to actually stick the pointy end of his rapier into another thing? And to keep it from sticking the pointy end of its weapon into him?

He shook off the feeling. Well, mostly. it was Adventure! A chance to go out and use his skills! That was exciting!

And it was. The excitement and fear mingled in his stomach, warring like two dragons vying for control. Which one would win? Well, the one he fed, of course.

"This is...most interesting," he says, trying to put on a brave face. "What is for lunch? A good meal would go a long way to get us going, I think."

 

[jmucchiello]

"Arthur, what has Maven prepared?" Keleri asks her steward.
"I believe there is a vegetable soup. Followed by stewed mutton in a custard style sauce. And finishing with a fruit and cheese dip."

 

[VLAD the Destroyer]

Bixby listens to Lady Deverin's proposal. This was not the adventure he had been expecting but he was intrigued. He cared little for the reward. However this hobgoblin sounded like one who would ravaged the surrounding area. Bixby couldn't let that happen. He started to think of all the burned forests and slaughtered animals. He was beginning to work himself into a fury when the soup was delivered. At the sight of the food he's dark thoughts vanished.

The small halfling picked up the whole bowl and lifted it to his lips. He gulped down half the bowl and then placed it back down wiping his mou with the back of his hand. He looked at those around him and smiled.

"The soup be yummy ma'am."

Bixby continues to eat the rest of the meal with the same gusto. After the last course he pushes the plate away and belches loudly. He leans back in his chair and smiles.

"Now that done hit the spot."

 

[ccs]

Elkhorn had barely gotten the chance to introduce himself to the Halfling, let alone examine whatever new curios Lady Deverin had added to her collection, when in quick succession Arthur dropped off a rough looking 1/2orc & then an extremely nervous elf.
So a pair of warriors, a druid, & a (wizard)?
He hadn't even gotten the elfs name yet when Lady Deverin entered and exchanged pleasantries with everyone before relocating them all to the dining room.

Listening to Lady Deverin, Elkhorn sizes up the others. The 1/2ling seems nearly ready to combust (fortunately the arrival of the food seemed to calm him), the elf on the verge of being sick (Bet it's his first time out of the library). The 1/2orc? Eager?
As for himself? The dwarven attitude concerning goblins and such is as old as the mountains themselves. So Elkhorn is calm & perfectly fine with the thought of going into a goblin warren, exterminating them (and their hobgoblin) & recovering Lady Deverins relic. As a side thought Elkhorn reflects that if Magnamar were a Dwarf hold there wouldn't be a goblin warren in their sewers - but humans tend to be sloppy....

When Lady Deverin comments that the goblin captive declined to accompany the group back into the sewers, Elkhorns response is:
"GOOD. 'Cause dwarves don't adventure with vermin."

At that point the discussion pauses as the food is served.

After the meal Elkhorn brings up a few points of importance.
1) "Division of spoils. I suggest we split it evenly."
2) "What's your relic look like?"
3) "Does your relic do anything? I'd rather know now before we find out the hard way/unexpectedly."
4) "Is the usual arrangement of contacting/compensating our next of kin/clan in place if needs be?"
5) "When do you want us to begin"

 

[jmucchiello]

Keleri replies, "The star is a flat oval shaped sheet of gold with a two inch oval ruby in the center. It has no powers that I'm aware of though there is mention in a rare book about high priests of Desna being able to do something miraculous with them."

"I would certainly contact your family if something were to happen to you, Elkhorn."

"As soon as possible, it must be on its way to Sandpoint no later than six days from now."

 

[Shayuri]

"Sandpoint."

The word drips from the lips of the half-elf in finely tailed clothes watching from the doorway to the dining room where she was hovering. Her hair was dark, falling in waves over her shoulders and making her intense blue eyes stand out. A rich sky-blue cloak was draped around her, showing a white-blue dress like spun crystal underneath with a pendant with a white crystal dangling around her neck.

Triessa Elrich had arrived. If anyone cared to mention she was late, she had words for them about how wizards were never late. The Elrichs were a bit notorious in Magnimar for their odd studies and activities. Wealth had certain privileges though, even without noble status.

"A small town, far from the center of things. Notable for the lighthouse and other old ruins nearby." A dry recitation of facts, as if reading from a book. "But also notable for their ongoing issues with local goblin tribes."

"What happens, Lady Deverin, if the Star of Desna does not reach its destination in time?"

 

[jmucchiello]

"It is a matter of family pride, nothing more," Keleri says. "So glad you could make it."

 

[ccs]

Regarding the woman standing in the doorway, something about her just rubs Elkhorn the wrong way. He also reassesses his initial impression of the nervous elf he's just shared lunch with. He's not a wizard, this one is.
He silently muses to himself "I wonder if Miss Elrich here realizes she's singing on to go traipsing through a sewer?"

To Triessa Elrich: "A true wizard eh? Welcome to the party. We were just hammering out the finer details of this job, so pull up a chair."

In general: "So, divide the spoils in five equal shares?"

"Wich leads me to another thought. (looks at Lady Deverin) Legal complications.
1st, You've got goblins breaking into your vault. The damned things dig & tunnel, so I bet they've broken into others as well. Coin is one thing. But like you with your relic, I bet others have lost some identifiable/personal stuff. Stuff I doubt you've got the right to grant us. Stuff that if we kept it or sold it off.... Well, back home, entire dwarf clans have gone to war over this type of thing. Is there any compensation for loot we can't keep?
2nd, Damages. This isn't some ages old cyclopean burial mound out in the hinterlands. This is the sewers of Magnamar. They connect things. Places. What happens if the fight spills over into somewhere? Like your neighbors house?
You covered? You got a good Chelaxian lawyer on retainer to get us out of the stocks (or worse)? 'Cause I don't want my next adventure to be rowing a slave galley about."

 

[jmucchiello]

"The goblin lair is an old temple of some sort according to the goblin traitor. There should be no issue with the fight spilling into other basements." Keleri says. "If you should recover something belonging to someone in town, if they don't compensate you for its recovery I will. Again, according to the traitor, the goblins only moved in last week. So the number of stolen artifacts should not be high. While you are gone, I will find out from her what other houses were broken into and make inquiries to those houses about lost goods.

"There is no chance of your going to jail for liberating stolen goods. To salve your worries, I will have a friend in the town guard here when you return who will hopefully know about any reported stolen goods."

 

[VLAD the Destroyer]

Bixby listened to Elkorn as he asked his questions and the answers from Lady Deverin. The dwarf seemed to have done this sort of work before. Bixby was glad to have someone competent on this adventure. He was about to pipe up and say so when the woman in the door spoke. The halfling turned to regard the new arrival. He took in her beautiful clothes and haughty bearing. The woman did not seem the adventuring type, but some would say the same for Bixby.

Bixby's mind began to wonder as the dwarf continued to grill Lady Deverin on the contract and legal aspects of the job. The druid began to think about Bucky. Bixby was hoping his friend was behaving himself. He chuckled to himself. There was almost no chance of that. He is brought back to the discussion at the table when Lady Deverin spoke again. The halfling sighed, still yammering about the contract. Bixby figured it was time to move this along.

"When we be speakin' with the deserter?"