Well, maybe it isn't the absolute end of the module. There are a few things that need to be wrapped up. Off the top of my head:

- report back to your patron Lavinia Vanderboren and return her chest of treasure
- report to the authorities
- claim the lair as your own if you want to. It will need a bit of work to make it a pleasant hang out spot though -> and security will need to be tightened up to make sure none of the old inhabitants return

- Kassis needs to transport the barge load of dangerous animals and the rhagodessa eggs back to his dangerous animal critter ranch
- Angati needs to work out what she wants with her familiar
- Celene needs to report back to her mentor

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:01, Tue 19 Jan 2016.

Alohan dropped the chest on Lavinia's table with a heavy thunk. He took a moment to catch his breath before smiling and gesturing to the mighty haul. "We be findin' ya riches, wahine!" He announced excitedly.

His arms were sore and needed a meal. After negotiations in the secret harbor, Alohan suggested they take the small barge docked nearby, load Lavinia's riches, and pilot across the harbor. Once ashore, he had carried the chest up through the Merchant district while Celene had used her magics to help avert suspicion. Alohan moved as fast as he could, focusing his breathing, and ensuring he didn't suddenly drop a chest full of riches but soon enough, the native and friends found themselves at the base of the Vanderboren manor.

"Now..." he said with a sigh, collapsing into a nearby chair. "What we be having for lunch?"

Angati approached to look at the packed Rhagodessa egg cluster. It was a weird thing to look at, and somewhat beautiful. Their mother, had lain a thick sticky substance on the walls cradling a bunch of green slimy eggs just a bit bigger than a chicken's. Their light source seemed to reflect and create sudden changes in colour on the eggs. Suddenly, one of the eggs hatched, and a little rhagodessa the size of a hand emerged.

It stood there, its head up, as if sniffing the air, it was a beautiful thing to see, his head and jaws were bright yellow, while the rest of his body was of jade green colour, with dark black legs. How Angati knew that it was a he, it was difficult to say, she just stood transfixed looking at the little animal, as his head turned to her. "Omi" she said as she extended her hand, it was a short O like in often, and a short e, like in the word me, and the little animal ran quickly onto Agnati's hand, climbing all the way onto her shoulder.

Angati chuckled "Funny... I think I found a friend".

---

And so, they came back to Lavinia's state with charged with the coffer holding the gold that had been stolen from her. Angati, still chuckled whenever Omi moved on her shoulders, the sucking qualities of the little vermin's legs never ceased to amuse her, sometimes making her look almost childish.

---

OOC: As for the cave... whatever you guys want... how much money would it cost to make this clean and proper to set as base ?. I don't talk about luxury (although that jacuzzi is gonna see much use by Angati for sure, and in couples by Alohan and whoever comes with him... but other than that... just functionality is what I guess we would be looking for...

OOC: I didn't want to pass this magic opportunity. Its not the kind of familiar I had planned, but having the backstory of how she got to him, is just great :).

OMI

N Tiny animal
Init +2; Senses Darkvision 60ft, Tremorsense; Perception +5

 DEFENSE
AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 size)
hp 14 (3d8)
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +3 (Taking mine for fort and will)

 OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +4 melee (1d3–4)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks: Grab

 STATISTICS
Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +2; CMB +0; CMD 6
Feats Weapon Finesse
Racial Modifiers Climb +8, Perception +4, Stealth +4

Skills:
  Climb +10 + 8      = 18
  Perception +4 +4   =  8
  Stealth +3    +4   =  7

Grab (Ex): If a rhagodessa hits with its leg attack, it deals no damage but may attempt to start
a graple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If the rhagodessa gets a hold,
it draws its prey into its jaws and bites. A rhagodessa gains a +4 circumstance bonus to bite
attacks against a grabbed opponent.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Familiar

The master of a rhagodessa familiar gains a +3 bonus on Acrobatics checks.

Omi leans back on Angati's and lets out a high pitched squeak that may have been an attempt at a roar. Then he scuttles off her shoulder, jumps onto the top of Alohan and starts vigorously 'tee-bagging' the barbarian's naked scalp. It is not clear from the movements if it is trying to mate with his head or eat his brains.

"Aaawwww," says Celene. "Look, he's trying to be friendly. That's so cute."

It becomes clear that the creature is definitely going for a brain suck, but it's jaws are too weak to break the warrior's skin... at least for now.

OOC: I've said it before, and I will say it again. This is all going to end in tears... :D



"Angati!" squeals the ghostly Anansi. "Bug in hair! You have bug in hair!!"




Actually, it will cost you... nothing. The stipend that Lavinia is paying you every month so you can live in moderate luxury in the tavern will instead allow you to live in squalor in the dungeon while you try and fix it up.

The Jacuzzi is at least fully functional and yes, it is going to make Alohan doubly popular with the ladies.

The outer gates of the Vanderboren mansion are wide open and unguarded as usual, allowing the party to walk right up to the front door. After a couple of minutes of knocking and then pounding on the door, the party gives up and just opens it - it isn't locked. Once inside they find the wizened old Halfling Kora Whistlegap and are lead to the small back dinning room past the garden courtyard where Lavinia always seems to be hanging out.



Lavinia is absolutely speechless for several minutes as she alternates for several minutes between crying, laughing, hugging her heroes and inspecting the cash (a more dour DM might point out that the Lotus Dragons spent most of her fortune and this is just a small fraction of what was in the family vault originally, but I am not that DM :P).

"My Goodness! Thank you! My Goodness! Thank you so much!" The noblewoman immediately insists on offering all of you a generous reward - she scoops out 1,000 gp each from the funds in the chest and forces it into your hands. This lady is obviously never going to be rich with the way she keeps redistributing her wealth.

Added to your loot thread



Kora is sent out to the kitchen and rustles up some cold cuts. It isn't exactly a feast, but after 1½ days underground eating iron rations the party enjoys it very much. The characters take turns telling Lavinia the story of their adventure and she listens with rapt attention and many comments like this.

"Gasp! Cousin Rowyn was the head of the Lotus Dragons?! She was the 'Lotus Lady'?! My Goodness. No, that's impossible!"

"You wrestled a giant crocodile in a flooded tide pool while it was filling up with water and thieves fired arrows at you through illusionary terrain... But why?"

"You didn't find Vanthus? Sigh. Well, maybe I am glad. If he is just gone from the city and never coming back that is good. Fine and finished."

"A dragon! GASP!" Heh, even if it was only knee high and you used an earth elemental on it.

"Ixitxachitl? How do you spell that?"


"Do you think we should tell the authorities?" asks Lavinia finally. "My goodness. There was an evil lair right beneath the city without us even knowing about it."

Logan had accompanied Alohan and Celene to the Vanderboren estate, part of his mind still struggling with the idea of giving such a vast sum of money back to its original owner, but ultimately accepting.  The rogue was quiet at first, still unsure of how to behave amongst the more well-off of the city, but when the reward was offered, started gushing with halting and awkward thank-yous, then interjecting as the story was told.

"Well, there was a secret evil lair beneath the city.  I think we're all thinking of appropriating it as our base of operations now.  Aside from a few drainage problems, it seems like a very livable space, with some very nice comforts.  As for Vanthus, he seems a spiteful one.  I don't doubt he has other plans.  He seems to like to tie up loose ends, though maybe we've torched enough of his unsavory contacts in the city to make returning here worthwhile."

Kassius had spent the trip back to Lavinia's manor working through his business plans. He'd have to find a boat, fairly large, but discrete to transport the animals. It was illegal to possess them within the city limits, but would transporting them out violate those laws. He needed to ask someone about the laws on the matter.

After the party had discussed their success with Lavinia, Kassius figured he might as well see what she knew. After a break in the conversation, Kassius changes the topic, adding his own question. "We heard a few days ago that Keltar Islaran, the old harbor-master had been murdered. Do you know if a successor has been appointed? We found some ... dangerous creatures that I would like to legally transport out of the city, but I am unsure if the legalities and practicalities of such an endeavor."

Lavinia looks firm, or at least tries to look firm. "Well if he comes back here he will not be welcome! <looks downcast> I hope he doesn't come back. Maybe you are right, he has lost so much, why would he come back?"



"Oh. My Goodness. Yes, that is an important job looking after the harbour. Well until a few minutes ago I would have said that it would definitely be Heldrath Kellani taking over, that's Rowyn's mother you know, but now... You don't think she could be messed up in this as well do you? My Goodness. But it will be for the Dawn Council to decide who should take over now, although they will look to Worrin Lidu to guide them." She looks at Angati. "Are you close to your nephew Madam Lidu?" she asks innocently. "Maybe you could tell him what has happened here?"

This message was last updated by the player at 20:03, Thu 21 Jan 2016.

Angati sighed "Well, I don't know that she will hear me out, but I will certainly be paying her a visit... ".

OOC: Angati would tell her sister of everything that has happened so that she can see if she has a hand on the Dawn council. I do not know if you want to rp all that out or you wanna make it part of the wrap-up.

Celene had been quiet on the trip back to the Vanderboren manor until Omi had broken the ice. She was lost in thought about her ordination and what it might mean. Now that things were settling down she was able to focus on her personal issues she hoped to find an answer before she was swept into another overarching problem in a city full of them.

”Seems we all have something personal to take care of. I myself must return to the temple and speak with my mentor. Shall we make arrangements to meet once we have attended to our personal business?”

"She? Oh, Zelina, Worrin's daughter you mean? Well, if you know her better..."



I want to save our roleplaying energy for something that is coming up so in a second I am going to initiate GODMODE and skip us forward. That said:

- please feel free to let me know if you want to RP something character related in a separate thread -> just no more than 24 hours of game time since the characters are doing something after that (you'll get more time later)

- I suggest. No, I DEMAND that every player spends some of their money. All of the characters (except Celene) must buy either a +1 weapon or +1 armour.

The party splits up to attend to different matters. Celene heads back to the temple, Angati heads to the Lidu mansion to inform her family of what has happened,  Logan takes a gondola with the two ladies so he can go visit his mother, Alohan goes back to Shadowshore to see what Remmi has been up to and Kassius heads to his grandfather's house (just 2 blocks from the dungeon!).

Angati arrives in front of the stern façade of the Lidu family home and requests a meeting with her sister when the butler opens the door. It says much about her relationship with her father that even for a matter of this importance she doesn't try to talk to him.

Zelina is sitting at her usual spot behind her massive oak desk, but rises to greet her little sister and embrace her. This ends with the Lidu heiress holding Angati by the shoulders so she can get a good look at her.

"Angati, I do swear that you look more vibrant every time you come in here. I am so glad you moved out from that boring old shrine."

OOC: Angati now looks like she is in her 60's, whereas she looked like she was in her 80's and closing in on death from accelerated old age when the game started.

The oracle waists no time in explaining the situation, only pausing to hurriedly introduce Omi when the little critter peeks cautiously out from under Angati's robe. Zelina takes the introduction of her sister's new carnivorous pet in her stride, but her face grows grim when she learns of the threat the city had been facing and how close Sasserine came to loosing control of it's own harbour.

"Why, this is outrageous! Rowyn Kellani was the mastermind behind these 'Lotus Dragons'? No doubt her mother also has her 'thumb in the pie', but frac it, we need to tell father right away! He'll have the Kellani family's guts for garters!"

Without hesitation, and without giving Angati time to protest, the young (well, young in real years) is marched down the hall and into an office she has only entered a few times in her life.

Worrin Lidu: Freedom fighter, liberator, democrat (at least for those deserving of a vote), statesman, orator, leader... and of course father... is holding conference with a half dozen important looking men around a marble table polished to a high gleam. Angati notices absentmindly that the Lidu Falcon has been moved to this room from the entre, and it stares at her balefully as she enters.


Woooooh.... Some subtle foreshadowing to keep John/Logan happy

Worrin looks up as soon as they enter, a worried frown appearing on his face. "Zeline, what is it?" He glances at the old lady to the side of his daughter. "Angati? I mean, Aunt Angati. Why are you here?"


Zelina forces Angati to tell her story again, reinforcing parts where the oracle's bravery falters in the face of this group of stern men. By the time the story is finished, Worrin is fuming.

"I need to see this myself." He points at one of his men. "Get a squad together. Meet at the front door in five minutes." The man sprints away to comply. Little more is said before he has been shown the entire complex (they go down via one of the hidden ladders, not though the cauldron!). They finally stop in the 'war room'. This is the one with the map of Sasserine on the wall and the red, blue and gold flags pinned into it.

"It appears you did well Angati," he says, facing his daughter. "Although it would have been better if you'd managed to capture Rowyn. She would have had valuable information, not least of which where their funding came from."

The next day an extraordinary assembly of the Dawn Council is called and all of the party members are invited to watch - along with as many other people as can squeeze into Sasserine's great hall.

The first order of business is for Worrin Lidu to explain how close the city came to calamity - for if the harbour had fallen under the sway of a thieves guild that would have been a disaster for a town build on its sea trade. Not to mention the culling of one of the great families of Sasserine - the family of Keltar Islaran, the first family of the Azure district, is no more... all direct descendants are either dead or have fled. Worrin paces up and down the great hall as he uses his powerful rhetoric to sway any who might be confused of the importance of these matters. He then moved onto to who is to blame - and the finger is firmly pointed at Heldrath Kellani - matriarch of the second family is the Azure.

The imposing woman stands to defend herself. Still dressed in the dark black dress and veil of mourning she has had on since her husband (Rowyn's father) died ten years ago, she takes a tactical stance towards her defence.

"I am shocked and horrified that my daughter had anything to do with this thieves guild - alas there is undeniable evidence that she was involved. She is disowned from this family! Cut off! But the city should understand that the Kellani family stands behind Sasserine as it has ever done."

There is a chorus of muttering in the great chamber as her statement is absorbed. Then Worrin unleashes a series of verbal attacks - and forwards a motion that the Kellani family be striped of their title!

A vote is held. The representatives in each of the seven districts place their votes, with the first family in each district getting two votes and the second family one. Shadowshore only gets one vote because *reasons Obviously Heldrath Kellani is not permitted to cast her vote in this case.

One by one, each representative rises and simply says 'against'. Emil Dracktus, the bandit lord of Shadowshore, doesn't rise but waves his hand and mutters 'against' under his breath. The final vote is by Zebula Meravanchi, patriarch of the second family of the noble district. He stands, smiles at Worrin, and says 'abstain'. Without a consensus vote of the other noble families, it is not possible to demote a member of the nobility.