Toggle Background Color
Hello everyone and welcome back. It's been a minute since the last update, I know. I strongly don't recommend any of you get tendonitis in your wrist. It fucking sucks and it's easily the most painful way I've ever had the LP Curse sprung on me.
But I'm not gonna let this thread die. I want to show this off. Also I want to get through Act 1 before the end of the month comes and the launch of the EE prevents me from updating while mods get themselves sorted out. So let's go do Woljif's quest.
We get inside the basement the Thieflings hang out in and a cutscene takes right over.
Sister Kerismei: The basement is dark and dank, and you are immediately struck by the hostility of the gathered tieflings. Five of them are kneeling along the wall, separate from the rest. The tall woman, who had been cleaning her fingernails with the tip of her knife, greets you with narrowed eyes. "Brother Woljif. You got my message, then."
"Sorry I couldn't swing by sooner, dear sister Kerismei. It was just one thing after another: first I was in shackles, next... well, no, I was still in shackles, and I was being watched, and then the chief got me out, and I came here straight away. I knew you'd been waiting on me."
Close enough to the truth.
Sister Kerismei: "Enough talking, or else we'll be here all night. So. We had a clear plan: we were going to wait for nightfall, slip into the shop, grab the goods, and leave. Even if the neighbors called the guard, there was time to get away. But what happened? That bitch Irabeth showed up almost right away. She knew we'd be there. Somebody betrayed us, and I have a good idea who it was. What do you have to say to that? Make it quick."
"Do you think Woljif knows the name of the traitor?"
Sister Kerismei: Kerismei turns to you. "She speaks. I thought Woljif only brought you so he'd have someone to hide behind if things went south."
Sister Kerismei: Yes, he knows the name of the traitor. Every gang that brother Woljif has been a part of has very quickly come to an end: their hideout location was passed to the guards, or their competitors found out where they could ambush them. Woljif is the only one who always comes out smelling of roses. If you think about it, you'll come to the same conclusion as us."
"Kenabres is burning. Why are you squabbling instead of fleeing the city?"
Sister Kerismei: Kerismei purses her lips. "I'd be glad to leave, like the rest of my brothers and sisters, but in the Family, there's nothing worse than betrayal, and it's something we do not forgive. We don't forgive anyone who lets traitors off the hook either. If I don't find the rat, my superiors... Let's just say, I'll wish I was burning in Kenabres. I want to keep living, so I'm going to take a chance: until I find out who is the traitor here, no one is leaving."
Normally I roll my eyes at "time and place" people, because to them there never is a proper time or place. But I generally think a demonic apocalypse is the exception to the rule.
You roll your eyes. "Fine. Woljif, tell us your side of the story - what happened?"
"What's there to tell? About a week ago, sister Kerismei got six of us together in this very basement. Me and those five over there, I mean." Woljif jerks his head toward the five thieflings kneeling by the wall. "She rounds us up and she says we've got a score: Ancientries and Wonders, the one place nobody's ever been able to hit, the place that's guarded by a golem. But now, a powerful scroll that would knock out the golem just happened to come into our possession, along with a tip-off that the shop owner would be gone on a particular night. All six of us know a bit of magic, and we know that any enchanted junk will sell for a pretty penny, so we're in."
"And the most important thing was that none of us was to be hanging about the shop ahead of the job! No casing out the place, no calling attention to ourselves from either the golem or its master. This job was top secret!"
Sister Kerismei: "That's all true so far. Go on."
"We did everything right, with the locks and the golem. I picked the lock, I remember it clear as day: sister Dalna was on lookout... brother Melroun had the scroll. Doffie, Tavie, and Varnir brought the sacks. We covered the windows and lit the torches... I remember scooping up rings and tossing them in a sack, and one right expensive one rolled away from me. I crawled under a table after it, and next thing I know — Irabeth was there! Everybody scampered! But I was still under the table. Not my finest moment. I was going to wait it out, but then those blockheads were dragging me out by my tail and put me in shackles. They took all my rings off me — about twenty thousand worth! And to add insult to injury, I never even found the last one! In the end, I got busted over nothing."
"We did everything right, everything that was asked of us, and still–still, it came to this!" 
I apologize for nothing.
"What's the Moon of the Abyss?"
"It was an amulet! It used to sit on a little cushion in the window of Ancientries and Wonders. Sterling silver, sparkled like a star, fine piece of work: on one side there was a half-moon, you know, a crescent, a waning Moon, and in the middle there was a dark crystal, like it was eclipsing the moon. Old man Fyllemen was so proud of that amulet! He used to say, 'I'll never sell it, it's the jewel of my collection.'" Woljif sighs unhappily. "I used to go there to see what kinds of treasures there were in the world. There's nothin' else to look at in Kenabres. People used to claim it was a powerful thing, but who's to say... If you ever stole a thing like that, you'd have the guards on you the second you tried to fence it!"
Sister Kerismei: "Everybody knew that you were always hanging around Ancientries and Wonders, drooling over the Moon of the Abyss. Did you think you could swipe it in all the commotion and keep it for yourself? Did you hope that we'd all be locked up and you'd get off scot-free, and with a fancy trinket to boot? Don't take me for a mug, Woljif. I see right through you."
"Why would Irabeth arrest her own informant?"
"Took the words right out of my mouth! It doesn't make any sense! If I was the rat, I'd have kissed her on the hand and been long gone by now! You know me, sister! I'm a cautious fella, not an idiot. Why would I go against the Family? So the fish in the Sellen can have a nice, Woljif-sized dinner? The Moon of the Abyss is a pretty bauble, to be sure, but it's just an amulet — it ain't worth dying over."
Sister Kerismei: "You knew Irabeth's people would protect you, you knew you could pin the Moon going missing on them, and now you've come here with backup — you knew exactly what I was going to say to you. Only problem is, nobody's returned the amulet to Fyllemen. Are you giving Irabeth a cut, is that it?"
"Have you seen her? D'you think she'd take a cut of anything I offered her? She can't be bought — she's like three heralds of Iomedae all rolled into one!"
"He speaks the truth. You'll find some knights who'll take bribes, I'm sorry to say, but Irabeth Tirabade isn't one of them."
"You want to come at Woljif, you better do a lot better than half-cocked accusations. Stick to the facts and leave your fanciful storytelling to the kiddies."
Sister Kerismei: "This is a family issue, stay out of this!"
"No, this is you trying to justify your decision to kill Woljif. Now shut up and let the man finish." Sister Kerismei locks eyes with you, trying to intimidate you. You stare back, your face even, your jaw set firmly. She holds your gaze for a long time and then she finally blinks and looks back to Woljif.
"Go on, Woljif."
"That's the whole sorry story!" Woljif crosses his arms, looking affronted. "Some Family this turned out to be. S'just a name in the end. In a real family, people take each other at their word — they don't throw around accusations! I didn't take the Moon of the Abyss! What am I gonna do with it? You can't sell it to no crusaders — it's a special item. You can't wear it — it'll get nicked. It's pretty to look at, sure, but it ain't that pretty!"
"If it's that important to you, sister Kerismei, I'll find it. And I'll drag the traitor here by his horns, just so's you don't end up at the bottom of the Sellen. But d'you know what you're gonna owe me for that? An apology. Right here, in front of everyone, you're going to apologize loud and clear so everybody hears it! You'll say, 'Sorry, Woljif, you're a good guy and I was wrong about you!'"
Sister Kerismei: "...Fine. You're one of my people, which is why I'm going to give you some time. But if you run, brother Woljif, the Family will get you wherever you go. You'll spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder, tossing and turning at night, fearing poison in every cup and every meal. You'll look into the eyes of every tiefling you meet, wondering if the Family's come for you. You'll have no peace. But one day, you'll be tired of running. You'll stop to catch your breath. And that is when we'll get you. Got that?"
"You've a way with words, sister Kerismei — a way that almost made me wet myself, but a way, nonetheless. Let's go, chief! We'll go chat to that scary gal Irabeth. She knows you a little, we can ask her who ratted us out. I'll let you do the talking."
"We'll find the real traitor."
"And I'll get my apology! Onward to Irabeth, chief! Let's go clear my good name!"
Sister Kerismei: "Root out the traitor, but be quick about it. Time's running out — I don't want to get chewed up by demons."
Companion quests are a bit more involved than, say, Mass Effect where it's one and done. This is Woljif's Act 1 quest, and he'll have several more throughout the rest of the game as his story arc progresses.
"There's a traitor I'm trying to track down. Who is your informant among the thieflings?"
Irabeth arches her brows in surprise. "Kenabres is threatened by a demon horde, and you have enough spare time to help out thieves?" Irabeth sighs. "I don't like this, but I hope you know what you're doing. I'll tell you everything I know."
"I did not see my informant's face. He slipped out of a dark alley, handed me the note and disappeared." Irabeth hesitates as she tries to remember. "He had a cloak with a hood masking his face, but the horns — the long horns — didn't fit under it."
"There should be a guardian golem in Ancientries and Wonders — the shop they tried to rob. The owner gave us the construct's codeword just in case. The golem itself was destroyed, but the head seems to be intact, so you can interrogate the thing and find out what it saw. The codeword is 'Hand of Irori.' The shop's owner must have escaped, but there's a chance you'll get lucky with the golem."
Ancientries and Wonders Shop has been revealed!
Let's head off there. This is actually a fairly important location because it... kinda... gives us another party member. Kinda. You'll see in a minute.
We have Camellia with us for reasons I'm not entirely clear on anymore. Not Woljif. Camellia. Sure... why not...?
Woljif, earlier posted:
I remember scooping up rings and tossing them in a sack, and one right expensive one rolled away from me. I crawled under a table after it, and next thing I know — Irabeth was there!
Over on one side of the shop we can see a use icon. Also I swear my group is like the Scooby Gang. Except instead of running from ghosts, we make them explode into piles of blood and gore.
Anyway, when we click on the fallen shelf...
Meet our next "party member" - Finnean the Talking Weapon. I'm serious.
"You're... a Pathfinder?"
"That's right. Finnean Dismar, Pathfinder and crusader. I roam around the Worldwound wherever my tasks lead me... scouting, mostly, but this last while I've just been hanging around in Kenabres, waiting until I'm needed again. I'm bored out of my mind, but at least this shop makes for better lodging than some inn."
"What I meant was... what are you?"
"What's that supposed to mean? I just told you. You want to know where I hail from, is that it? Well, I'm from around here, actually. We Kellids of the Stareye clan fled when the Worldwound troubles began, but I couldn't stand by while the demons wreaked havoc, so I came back."
"Or did you mean to ask about my weapon of choice? My best weapon is every weapon! I'm a skilled and capable fellow, if I do say so myself. I can swing a sword and poke with a spear, but what I'm best at is communing with the spirits. They call folks like me 'phantom blades.'"
His gimmick is that he can become whatever weapon you want him to be. But two steps forward three steps back. He never powers up until you do his act 5 quest. So he's not very good. But I found a mod recently to let him power up once per act that we're gonna be using going forward. He gets a +1 smacked onto the end of his name for each act you progress through, which is pretty fair. And a +1 weapon in act 1 is hardly gamebreaking.
"A phantom blade? What's that?"
"It's like a spiritualist, but with a twist. It means that some spirit took a liking to me at some point, and it can turn into whatever weapon I need. Handy, eh? I don't need any whetstones or enchantments! Doesn't take up space either. Although, to be fair, it's not a barrel of laughs. The spirits that bestow this kind of power don't come from happy places, and they're not exactly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. They usually appear after great battles that leave few survivors."
"The city is under attack by demons."
"Wait, what? The last thing I saw was some thieves breaking in here. Then the guards came, everyone was running around... after that, it's a bit of a blur — right when things got intense, they dropped the cabinet on me. I couldn't even help the owner. I was just lying under the shelves like a dimwit until you came along."
"If there are demons in Kenabres, we must do something about it. The city needs every blade it can get. Hey, do you mind taking me with you? I don't think I can handle this alone, and besides, the more the merrier!"
"How did you end up in this shop?"
"Gah, I've been here so long I don't even remember anymore. Just sitting and waiting for any word from the Pathfinders, but it looks like everyone has forgotten about me. The shop owner is an old friend of the Pathfinders, so I've taken up residence here."
Finnean doesn't realize he's a weapon, and telling him makes him vehemently deny it. But he's too useful to leave rotting in a burning city. So...
"All right. I'll take you with me."
"I swear you won't regret it. I can do all sorts of things. Is there anything your party is missing? A sword, a spear, a bow? Just say the word!"
Items received: Finnean the Talking Weapon
There's a pile of slag in the back corner of the shop. Let's talk to it.
Golem: The formerly well-appointed shop now looks a sorry state: it has been completely ransacked. Lying in the corner next to a scorched wall are the soot-covered shards of a clay golem's head. The golem's eyes glow in the gloom. "Master... Codeword..."
"Hand of Irori."
Golem: "Codeword... correct." The golem's eyes glow brighter. "Awaiting orders."
"Tell me about any suspicious people who came to the shop in the last week."
Golem: The golem is silent for a moment. "Fifty-six individuals entered the shop. Human female, old. Gnome male, old. Human female..."
"He'll be reeling off customers till nightfall! We need to ask it in a different way."
"Were any of the suspicious people tieflings?"
Golem: The golem is silent for a while. "Tieflings. Three. Tiefling male, middle-aged. Tiefling male, young. Tiefling female, young."
"Describe the young male tiefling."
Golem: "Tiefling male. Medium height. Short horns curling backward. Medium-length tail. Eye color: yellow. Hair color: black. Special observations: annoyed Master."
"Horns, hair, tail... that sounds like me! But it's not possible! I know what the security's like here, I didn't come near the place. I give you my word, chief!"
Golem: "No special observations. Subject was unremarkable."
"There, see — can't have been me!"
"Describe the middle aged male tiefling."
Golem: "Tiefling male. Medium height. Long horns. Medium-length tail. Eye color: pale blue. Skin color: dark. Special observations: red hair."
"Oh! That's our traitor, I'd bet your life on it! Kerismei drilled it into our heads that we wasn't to go hanging about the shop! Hmm, red hair... We've got a couple of gingers. And plenty more who get it out of a bottle. So much for a special observation. Golems ain't all they're cracked up to be, eh? Maybe its master knows more."
"Describe the female tiefling."
Golem: "Tiefling female. Above average height. Hair: long, pale. Tail not observed. Long horns. Eye color: blue. Special observations: scar on nose, baldric with gold stitching."
"Hmm, I don't know that one, a new arrival most likely. Gold stitching, eh... Wouldn't mind gettin' to know her a little better..."
"That's all I wanted to know."
Let's shove the golem out of the way. No particular reason.
We find the shop's owner in his bolt hole below. Good thing for him we came by or he'd never have gotten out!
Fyllemen Frulliatros: The elderly gnome, so portly as to be nearly spherical, is curled up in the corner of the basement, shaking. "Marauders! Bandits! Scavengers!"
"Please, calm down. No one's gonna rob you."
Fyllemen Frulliatros: The gnome peers at you. "Hmm. You do look better dressed than the local thieves and ragamuffins. You came here to tell me that the nightmare is over? No... It's not! You're here to steal my riches! Get back!"
Fyllemen Frulliatros: The gnome notices Woljif and his rounded face turns scarlet. "You! Woljif, the dirty little sneak thief! You've been sniffing around my shop for years — finally worked up the courage to rob me, did you? Get out of here! You and your pals have taken everything already, I'm sure!"
"Really, now. You're accusing the nobility of robbing your little shop?"
Fyllemen Frulliatros: "My lady! Let me apolo—"
"For shame, accusing a noble lady's entourage—a group who just saved your life I might add—of being burglars."
Fyllemen Frulliatros: "Saved my life?"
"Your golem was destroyed somehow. It had collapsed on the trap door leading down here."
Fyllemen Frulliatros: The gnome seems to settle slightly. "My name's Fyllemen Frulliatros. I was the owner of this shop, but I'm not sure I can claim to be the owner of anything now. I hope there's at least something left of it."
We can ask him where he was the night of the robbery, which can be fun in a Cole Phelps-esque doubt sense.
"Tell me about the tieflings that visited Ancientries and Wonders recently."
Fyllemen Frulliatros: "Why should I tell you anything about my customers? You're not from the city guard or the Eagle Watch!"
"Chief, if he keeps diggin' his heels in, just say the word, I know how to loosen his tongue."
[Bluff 20] "I'm helping the Eagle Watch to catch the culprits. It's in your interest to tell me everything."
You love to see it. This is why talking is a tagged skill!
Fyllemen Frulliatros: "So they haven't got the thieflings? I thought the city's finest were on the job, and they'd..." The gnome sighs. "You can't rely on anyone. Ask your questions then, if it's so important!"
"Tell me about the tiefling woman."
Fyllemen Frulliatros: Fyllemen scratches his chin. "A tiefling woman... Ah, yes, I remember now. A noble lady, unlike the tiefling ruffians we have around here. She purchased magical equipment for the crusade, and she promised to come again. If only all tieflings were like that — I'd be laughing all the way to the bank!"
"Tell me about Woljif."
Fyllemen Frulliatros: Fyllemen's face wrinkles in distaste. "Woljif Jefto, right? Yes, I've known him a long time, though I'd rather not know him at all. He's been skulking around my shop for years, treating the place like a free museum. He always wanted to look at the Moon of the Abyss. I'd chase him out — but he'd just slink back in again! If he was with the gang that robbed my shop, I'll bet anything he swiped the Moon!"
"How come I'm the prime suspect? Whoever betrayed us all, that's the one who's got the Moon! I want to see it returned too, you get me? I don't like the idea of other people's grubby mitts on it..."
"Last I heard, there wasn't a law against window shopping."
Fyllemen Frulliatros: "He's been window shopping for years! We all know he never would be able to afford it. You know how—"
"I strongly suggest you never finish that thought."
Fyllemen Frulliatros: Fyllemen gulps and his eyes widen in ajbect fear. "Yes, ma'am."
"Tell me about the red haired tiefling."
Fyllemen Frulliatros: Fyllemen falls to thinking. "A red-haired tiefling... I suppose, yes, there was one who came in, spent a long time looking around. He was a person of modest means, I could tell by his clothes, but he asked me to show him an aasimar-made chainmail — he certainly couldn't afford it. That's when I suspected that something was off. I checked everything after he left, but nothing was missing, and that put my mind at ease."
Fyllemen Frulliatros: "I can't remember what he looked like. I didn't get a good look at his face. All I remember is that he was wrapped in a green cloak like he was freezing. But that's all I have."
"That's it! With that description, we'll surely sniff him out! Come on, chief, back to sister Kerismei we go to have a good, long shifty at all my brothers and put all these clues together. Something tells me our traitor isn't gonna wriggle outta this one!"
"That's all I wanted to know."
Fyllemen Frulliatros: "If that isn't enough to help you catch the thieves, then I don't know what else to tell you! Now be on your way and leave me in peace with my wreck of a shop."
Our two clues are red hair and green cloak.
A ginger tiefling with long horns and a green cloak.
Sister Kerismei: Kerismei drums her fingers nervously on the handle of her blade. "Well? Are you going to tell me who the traitor is? The name and the Moon of the Abyss that they stole — I don't need anything else."
[Take a good look at the suspects]
The tieflings are tense and ready to reach for their weapons. The only redheads are Melroun and Doffie. The dark-skinned tieflings are Varnir, Doffie, and Melroun. Doffie, Melroun, and Tavie have straight horns, but Tavie is female. Only Varnir and Melroun have green cloaks.
"The traitor is Melroun."
Melroun: "You'll pay for this! Voetiel and Hepzamirah will get you in the end!"
He stands up and tries to make a break for it.
It goes smashingly.
Sister Kerismei: "Grab him! Take him away for questioning!"
Time Passed: 30M 0S
"You've got the Moon of the Abyss? Lemme look at it one more time! My whole life I've dreamt of holding it in my hands, if only for a second!"
Sister Kerismei: "He said when he got to the window display, the Moon was gone. He's lying, of course. He had time to hand the Moon off to the person who ordered it. Bloody cultists! Ah, I don't really give a toss. I'm just glad we got to the bottom of this."
"So, what now?"
Sister Kerismei: "We're gonna clear out of this place. The sooner, the better. This city's dying, I don't want to die with it."
"This city would have already died if not for the people who stood up to defend it with weapons in their hands."
Sister Kerismei: "So, defend it, I'm not stopping you. It's your city. But we've always been outsiders here — why would we fight for you now?"
"And what about the traitor?"
Sister Kerismei: Kerismei nonchalantly picks at her nails with her knife tip. "He'll be sent to visit his distant relatives on their farm. To think about what he did. Any more questions?"
"I have to go."
Sister Kerismei: "Good decision. I don't plan to hang around long either." Kerismei turns to leave.
"Sister!" Woljif nervously bites his lip. His cheeks are flushed and his tail is swishing through the air. "You forgot something."
Sister Kerismei: "What now? You should be happy to be alive."
"An apology. You promised to apologize to me, loudly, in front of everyone. We're alone now, but I still want to hear it. Well?"
Sister Kerismei: "Ah. That." Kerismei shrugs indifferently. "So... sorry, I suppose, for being wrong about you, this time. Don't think that just because you didn't act like a jerk this one time that it cancels out the rest of your 'record.' I know all about you. Till next time, Woljif."
[Diplomacy 20] "That was the most pathetic apology I've ever heard."
Sister Kerismei: Kerismei's eyes harden, but then she sighs. "All right. Fine. I'm sorry, Woljif. Let's part on good terms."
[Intimidate 22] "And now apologize to me as well. When you falsely accused my ally, you accused me too."
Sister Kerismei: A flurry of emotions pass across Kerismei's face. When she finally opens her mouth, her words trickle out slowly, like each one is a struggle. "And I'm sorry to you too. And to make it up to you — here." She pulls a key from her pocket and tosses it to you. "And now, I'm leaving."
Woljif watches her go, his tail relaxing. "You made some impression on her. I've never seen sister Kerismei back down before. Listen, chief, when you've got a spare minute, come see me, I've something I wanna discuss with you. But for now, let's get outta here. I don't like sitting below ground when the building above is ready to crash down on our heads."
Before we go...
The back corner of this basement has a locked gate. Kerismei's key opens it. The real reward, along with the story, is back here.
We'll go to talk to Woljif at another time. But for now that's more than enough!
NEXT TIME: May as well bite the bullet and visit the Market Square.
Encyclopedia Golarionnica
Irori
Thieflings' Account Book