The stack falls over, but by the time Menya's spell took effect the thief went over.  Menya quickly scurried over the gate, but Hanifa struggled over the boxes.<br/><br/>The thief rushed into a nearby bookshop across the street.  Shelves of scrolls, manuals, and stories precariously placed teetered as the thief jumped up on one of them for higher ground.  Grabbing her leg from below Hanifa pulled the thief onto the ground, but not before the one being pursued knocked into a nearby shelf and caused the bookcases to fall over in a tumble effect. (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?u=30044)<br/><br/>Both of them struggled and tumbled around on the ground, but Hanifa finally got a firm hold on the thief's leg. (11 grapple beats 6)<br/><br/>"Menya, I need your help!" Hanifa shouted.  "Quick, get our stuff back!"<br/><br/><em>Hanifa and Menya are both 0 units away from the thief.</em><br/><br/>Thief's Run Roll: 8. (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=63242)<br/><br/>Hanifa's Run Roll: 14. (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=63243)<br/><br/>Taking Menya's clothes and tickets back was a trivial task.  It was enough to cloth her, but poor Hanifa was still disrobed.  There was a small crowd outside the bookshop, along with a bunch of city guards.<br/><br/>"What's the meaning of this?!" one of them shouted.<br/><br/>"This women stole our stuff at the bath house!" Hanifa grunted as she wriggled around with the thief on the ground.<br/><br/>One of the female guards grabbed the thief off of Hanifa's body, and another fetched a piece of blanket-like cloth to cover her.<br/><br/>"So, why did you steal our clothes?" she asked the thief, who was a young Garundi woman (late teens) beneath the robes.<br/><br/>"Unhand me, I am Kahina, an agent of Pharaoh Khemet III!"<br/><br/>(http://i.imgur.com/Fcbj0J3.png)<br/><br/>The guards gasped as the spotted a golden scarab badge on her person.<br/><br/>"Forgive us, my lady!"<br/><br/>Dusting herself off Kahina turned to Menya as they were walking down the street.  "Word through the grapevine is that you two are interested in the Crown of Nethys.  To that end I was tracking you two; when your friend spotted me, I figured that I found some valuable intel.  Our Pharaoh would like to speak with you at the Royal Palace.  Provided that you get into some proper attire first."<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Beneath the Black Dome</span></div><br/><div align="center">(http://i.imgur.com/KfvjP1V.jpg?1)</div><br/><br/>Home to the Palace of the Forthbringer, the gigantic scarab's remains housed the administrative center of Sothis.  Although the Pharaoh still commanded great power, the Council of Sun and Sky was made up of representatives from all over Osirion and handled day-to-day affairs of government.  The royal palace was by far the largest building, housing ornate carnelian mosaics, domes, and gardens housing exotic plants.  Hanifa was speechless in awe, for this was the first time in her life she set foot on such sanctified ground.  In the grand hallways they passed Osirionian nobles and foreign dignitaries on official business.<br/><br/>"Pharaoh Khemet III is awaiting your arrival in the throne room," Kahina said.<br/><br/>(http://i.imgur.com/yVlg8jk.jpg?1)<br/><br/>The Ruby Prince sat in a throne, attended by his left by a gynosphinx while the area to his right shimmered from some unknown heat source.  Hanifa knelt before him to kiss the ground.  "It's an honor to be in your presence, oh Great Pharaoh," she said.<br/><br/><br/>"Thank you," he said.  "Menya and Hanifa, I am aware of you excursions to the Pillars of the Sun and your research in Azghaad's Spire.  Like you I have an appreciation for the cultural legacies of our people.  Although I have my differences with the Pathfinder Society, their appreciation for knowledge is admirable all the same.  Although the crown of Osirion has searched for the Crown, it's potential resting place in Nex complicates situations.  And we don't know if it even remains there; too much risk for a nebulous reward.  But an outside agent motivated not by gold nor foreign powers, and fellow Osirionians with a love for their country, that's different."<br/><br/>"Pharaoh Khemet III wishes to support your expedition in unearthing the Crown of Nethys," the gynosphinx said.  "Petty crimes done in pursuit of the Crown of Osirionian soil will be overlooked, and you have free passage all along the River Sphinx and upon trade routes.  You can contact our agents all along east Garundi to provide you with a safe haven and necessary supplies.  This will be clandestine; should you get captured or fail do not expect us to show our hand.  And should you return the Crown to the Palace and into our Pharaoh's hands, then you will be rewarded with riches beyond your wildest imagination."<br/><br/>"Thank you, Nazmi," Khemet III said.  "So, what do you think?  Will you help us find the Crown's last known whereabouts and take it back here?  Your names will go down in history as the women who retrieved the most holy artifact of the God of Magic, and founder of our nation."<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Finishing up in Sothis</span></div><br/>Regardless of Menya's answer, there are still things to do in the city.  You can pursue any of them as sidequests for potential gold or experience, or simply head out for Katapesh.<br/><br/><strong>Buy Supplies:</strong>Menya can buy any number of non-magical supplies.  Magical goods need to be purchased at the Church of Nethys at Azghaad's Spire.  Even then they sell items only of 4,000 gp or less, with more expensive ones requiring a waiting period of 1d4 days.  Magic items associated with Rovagug and Lamashtu, ones which can summon large-scale natural disasters and plagues, and things which can compromise the safety of Sothis and Osirion are banned (and the asker can be placed under arrest).<br/><br/><strong>Namir:</strong>To her horror, Hanifa realizes that she doesn't know where Namir lives.  All she said was where to find her at that hotel for sex, and then he left.  "I really need to see him again, Menya!" she exclaims.  "I know that we're not going to remain in Osirion for long, but...I want to know if we have something."<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">DC 20 Diplomacy to gather information, 1d4+1 hours per roll</div><div class="spoiler_body">Menya successfully tracks down Namir's house.  He lives in the Grand Oasis district, a prosperous neighborhood home to large oasis circles.  He works out of his shop, which houses all manner of beautiful gold pieces of jewelry.  Namir is counting coins behind a counter.<br/><br/>"Hanifa!" he exclaims.  "What a pleasant surprise!"<br/><br/>"It's good to see you, Namir," Hanifa says after giving him a kiss.  "I've been looking for you.  You didn't leave me any easy way to find you, but thanks to my friend Menya we're here."<br/><br/>"Sorry about that.  I was looking for you myself, back at the bath house.  I figured that you worked there, but none of the working girls reported seeing someone like you as an employee."<br/><br/>Hanifa blushed.  "Well, yeah, I was kind of pretending to be one, but when I met you...I, well, I wanted to spend some more time with you."<br/><br/>The ranger nervously gulped.  "So, um, I did have one question for you.  Back then, at the hotel, I noticed that payment was left behind on the counter.  25 silver; Menya said that it was all for her, 5 each.  Makes sense.  But I want to know, right know, if this was just a one-time thing.  I worried that you just took me for a prostitute.  Back at the Lovely Hands I might have been 'working,' but the night at the hotel was not that.  I am a ranger, a Pathfinder, a Yerbira; my life has always been one on the move.  And I have important business which requires me to leave soon.  I don't know when or if I'll come back, but I wanted to see you one last time.  To see if there's anything more, and to say goodbye if not."<br/><br/>Namir brushed his hand gently on her cheek.  "Hania, I genuinely enjoyed my time with you.  Not just for sex, but that dinner before.  You are such an intriguing and kind woman that I despaired when I couldn't find you.  And I look forward to learning more about you.  How about this?  Until you leave the city you and Menya are free to stay in my house."<br/><br/>Hanifa's eyes lit up.  "Oh thank you, Namir!  This means the world to me!"<br/><br/><em>Gain 2,000 experience for reuniting Hanifa and Namir.  Before leaving he'll grant you and Hanifa gold jewelry worth a total of 400 gold pieces between the two of you.</em></div></div><br/><strong>Prostitution:</strong>Menya can act as a pre-modern version of a call girl, tempting rich Sothites to rent out her services for some fun.  She can convince Hanifa to come along with a DC 15 Diplomacy check, although she'll automatically refuse if she's been reunited with Namir (wanting to spend their last precious moments together before leaving).  In addition to getting some gold the normal way, securing an alliance with an influential patron can have some positives...<br/><br/>Due to her tickets, Menya has access to the Golden Dome and can proposition the most powerful and privileged nobles of Sothis.  Or if she feels like slumming she can hang out in the seedier districts.  Both have their positives, although more gold will be made in the rich neighborhoods.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Perform Sex</div><div class="spoiler_body">DC 10: Routine activity.  No special favors, but Menya earns 3d6 copper if slumming or 1d10 silver if patronizing nobles.  DC 15: Enjoyable activity: 2d4 silver if slumming, plus the ability to buy illegal and black market goods (poison, etc) worth 50 gp or less.  2d6 gold for nobles.  DC 20: Amazing Performance: 2d10 silver if slumming, plus rapport among an underworld figure with power ranging across Osirion and into Katapesh.  3d6 gold for nobles, plus a free night of socializing among the upper class earns Menya rapport among some affluent merchants ranging from Osirion and into Katapesh.  DC 25: Out of this world: 3d10 silver if slumming plus the ability to call on a major criminal favor once anywhere in eastern Garund. 4d10 gold for nobles plus a letter of invitation to an archmage's estate in Nex if you can make the journey.  DC 30: Call-girl with a household name: The name Menya spreads across Sothis and Osirionian cities for her wild sexual proclivities.  50 silver if slumming, 50 gold for nobles.  She gets a free minor magic item of her choice worth 2,000 gold pieces or less.<br/><br/><strong>Benefits for one social class are cumulative.  If Menya reaches DC 20 she gains 500 experience.  DC 25 nets 1,000 instead.  DC 30 nets a whopping 3,000!</strong></div></div>