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Somewhere in one of Absalom's darker districts, a worried messenger enters a wild saloon.
"Message for a...how do you pronounce this?...Khāṇa Tsogtsos!?"
"That would be me," Says a half-orc woman with a pair of dice in one hand and a large drumstick from something best left unidentified in the other "What?"
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The invitation delivered last night was remarkably simple, especially given the importance of the occasion: “Start where it all began. Meet us at the Pig’s Paunch one hour before dawn.”
The Pig’s Paunch is a run-down building with a faded sign of a large pig standing on its hind legs, arms folded above a corpulent belly. Inside, the air is thick with the scents of human sweat, stale tobacco, and leftover food. In the center of the room, surrounded by inebriates sleeping off their revelries, a familiar elven man stands high upon top of a large round table. “Welcome! Welcome, my students! Please, have a seat!” With that, Kreighton Shaine, the Pathfinder Society’s Master of Scrolls, nimbly drops down to sit cross-legged on the table before looking about the tavern with a sense of reverent wonder. “Can you believe it? It all started here years ago—well, over four hundred of them at least. Under this very roof the Pathfinder Society was born. "But today! Today you will begin your Confirmation! Master Farabellus, Master Zey, and I all agree you each have shown your worth and dedication to the Society, so there’s no better time to see if you can handle becoming full field operatives. Allow me to introduce you to Janira Gavix,” he says as he motions for an excitable halfling woman to approach. She wears a large backpack and carries all manner of tools, pouches, and scroll cases around her waist. Shaine continues, saying, “Janira here will be going with you on your Confirmation. She was one of my brightest pupils and will no doubt be an invaluable resource on your journey, for she discovered the caves you are about to explore during her own Confirmation.” Janira speaks up in an enthusiastic and cheerful voice, “Greetings, aspiring Pathfinders! Six months ago, while I was mapping cave entrances in the foothills of the Kortos Mounts, I witnessed a lone gillman entering a concealed cave. I thought little of it at the time, but I saw another one enter the cave again a month later as my Confirmation stretched on. A few days later, after I completed my assigned task, I entered the cave system, but was unable to find the gillmen.” Master Shaine hops to his feet. “Initiates, for your Confirmation, you will travel to these caves to explore and document its many passages. Additionally, and most importantly, you are to learn what the gillmen are up to in there. Oh, and you need to come back alive as well.” With these parting words, the Master of Scrolls jumps off the table and strolls out of the building while humming to himself.
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The invitation delivered last night was remarkably simple, especially given the importance of the occasion: “Start where it all began. Meet us at the Pig’s Paunch one hour before dawn.”
The Pig’s Paunch is a run-down building with a faded sign of a large pig standing on its hind legs, arms folded above a corpulent belly. Inside, the air is thick with the scents of human sweat, stale tobacco, and leftover food. In the center of the room, surrounded by inebriates sleeping off their revelries, a familiar elven man stands high upon top of a large round table. “Welcome! Welcome, my students!"
"" Zarah says going from stupor to sixty in less than a second the invitation still plastered to her forehead by rum scented sweat. She not terribly big as far as half-orcs go, and right now she smelled less than hygienic. After a full minute of trying to draw a sword that was nearly as large as she in a confined booth she finally extracted herself having felled an unlit lantern, two stools and the table. After all the racket the place goes deathly quiet and the only sound is Zarah's hoarse breathing.
"The Hells?!" She plucks the invite from her forehead and looks at everyone incredulously. "What in the Nine Hells is this?"
After a quick scan of the invite she says to no one in particular: "The Hells! I thought this was next week! Those bastards!"
Then she flops down into a chair.
"Please, have a seat!” With that, Kreighton Shaine, the Pathfinder Society’s Master of Scrolls, nimbly drops down to sit cross-legged on the table before looking about the tavern with a sense of reverent wonder. “Can you believe it? It all started here years ago—"
"T'yeah right." Zarah says obviously not too impressed.
"Today you will begin your Confirmation!"
"" Zarah shouts rising to her feet, then realizing what she's done gets all sheepish. "Uh, I mean 'f$&% sir'." She almost turns the statement into a question.
She takes her seat again, her mind racing through a thrumming cloud of hangover, which is to say a thrumming cloud of hammers.
F#~#! A test! I can't take a f%%~ing test today!
She tries to listen and at the same time hold her head in a way that won't hurt.
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Cammred's question is nearly interrupted by a sudden commotion from another table.
"...And I say YOU stack your deck!" Shouts a frightful-looking half-orc woman at one of her table-mates. She sighs. "Bah! I've got better things to do. I fold." She takes her winnings, such as they are, and joins Janira's table.
"I don't suppose you were able to map these caves yourself?" She asks, as though she heard every word. "Khāṇa Tsogtsos," She says, extending a hand.
Though not at imposing-looking as some half-orcs, there is nonetheless something frightening about this one. It's actually a bit difficult to tell what she is at first glance, as if she were some avante-garde artist's conceptual composite of various things a typical Human might call to mind when they think of "monster" - a little bit of orc, undead, dark arts practitioner, temptation demon, axe-murderer, and evil genius all in one. Benath that, though, she's rather attractive in a feral way.
A well built Ulfen man joins the party as well. He wears a hand axe on each hip and there's a large horn made of bone slung across his back. He is extremely cheery and upbeat and never one to shy from a fight. "Ha ha! This looks like a fine group! I am Hakon, and we shall make a great adventuring team on this fine day. They will write stories about how we started out today and went on to be some of the grandest Pathfinders in the history of the society!" He joins the group and flags down a serving girl. "But first, an ale please! In the biggest mug you can find."
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"" Screeches the smaller half-orc. She stops as the effort makes her dizzy and nauseous. "It's not even dawn yet. The place is closed."
Zarah readjusts her head again. "If you need a wench, get that one to serve you." She waves vaguely at the Camred standing at the center of a tight knot of other Camreds, at the one who had yanked her chain earlier. Though truth be told they all sort of looked alike to Zarah.
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Tholand is a little late to the group, having just gotten back from his last mission, he stops at the bar to grab a mug o' ale before getting briefed on his new mission. Tholand is a buff dwarf with a ceremonial battle axe on his hip, though he never actually wields it, he's wearing a white half robe, only covering his waist down and a spiked leather wrap on his right hand starting from his knuckles extending down to his mid forearm.
Aye, now this be my kind of crew! Good day lads mi names Tholand, by the looks o' it we should 'ave a lots of err....fun?He puts on his best dwarvish smile, but anyone who knows Tholand knows his smile seems to make people more uncomfortable than anything.
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Stumbling into the tavern at the last moment is a stunning looking woman with almost unnaturally red hair. It is worn long, woven in two french braids down to her shoulder braids. Wearing tight fitting studded leather armor of elven make, she also has a crossbow slung over her shoulder as well. Small for a half elf, those that view her can't help but be drawn in to her almond shaped emerald green eyes.
Dear lord what has Greyson gotten me into now. She thinks about her former master who led her into signing on with the Pathfinders. Vylfaen takes a look around two half-orcs, one of which is stumbling drunk, two humans, and a dwarf, this should be fun... ...I bet you I could come up with a lot of jokes about this mix... ..."Two half-orcs, some humans, a dwarf, and an elf walk into a tavern... ...At least I won't be the only female in this group.
"Well met fellow new friends!" Vylfaen says jovially. [/b]"Sorry to be a little late to the party, but is there another ale for me?[/b] she asks. "My name is Vylfaen, but feel free to call me Vyl (Val)."
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Kreighton Shaine looks down at the drunk, "I hope you sober up before you all leave, and you better watch how you talk to your Master of Scrolls. I have alot of pull in the society and would hate for you to get all the way through your conformation for me to "lose" your paper work." He scoffs and then takes his leave
Janira clears her throat and then speaks up,"The gillmen are a humanoid race much like humans save for the three piscine gills on both sides of their necks. They’re a little secretive but not outright hostile. Most live in or near the water." She pauses for a moment."The only thing I can tell you for sure about the caves is that it is on the other side of the Island. It will take about half a day on foot to get there."
Janira turns toward Khāṇa, "No i dont know the exact layout of the caves. I only made into the entrace. I did not have the supplys to survey the whole cave system."
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Kreighton Shaine looks down at the drunk, "I hope you sober up before you all leave, and you better watch how you talk to your Master of Scrolls. I have alot of pull in the society and would hate for you to get all the way through your conformation for me to "lose" your paper work." He scoffs and then takes his leave
"Excuse me."
Hakon chugs the rest of his ale before slamming the mug down on the table and standing up, arms raised in the air as if celebrating. "Haha! To glory, yes?!"
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“On to the details of the mission at hand,” Janira says with an eager grin. “After reviewing my mission reports personally, Master Shaine believes it is no coincidence that each time they entered the caves it was during a full moon, so it is also no coincidence that you have been called here now, just a day before the moon is full again. We both believe that tomorrow night is our best chance to find out why these caves are important and what exactly the gillmen are doing in there.The caves we’ll be travelling to lie under the base of the Kortos Mounts. We’ll need to travel by daylight as quickly possible to reach the caves by foot, crossing over the Cairnlands, taking the paths to Diobel, and finally making our way through the wilderness, and all before night fall. With any luck we won’t run into any of the local inhabitants. Once in the caves, we’ll need to work together to explore and determine whether any gillman are present or have been recently. Keep an eye out for any other clues that might hint at the caves’ significance, too.”
Janira also points out that“The area we’re heading to is controlled by a large centaur tribe. If we cross paths with any of them, and they horses they might become dangerously unfriendly. Our mission is to explore the caves and investigate the gillmen activity, not fight the local populace.”
“Now, before we head out, if there aren’t any more questions, we should take a moment to go through your gear and make sure nothing important gets left out. She says, wanting to make sure that you are all prepaird for mission at hand.
Once Janira feels the you are ready for your adventure, she leads you west out of Absalom and through the Cairnlands, picking up any last-minute purchases on the way out of the city.
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Camred marvels at the many wrecked and abandoned war machines that surround Absalom as the group follows Janira to the caves. "So much history to be found here. It's almost surprising that no one has found these tunnels before, what with the Society's headquarters on the same island." She looks back at Zarah. "Though I'm sure some adventurers don't appreciate the study of the past like they should."
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As you progresses deeper into the forest, the trees towering overhead begin to shield most of what remains of the day’s sun and the vegetation beneath grows denser. Janira pauses a moment and pulls out an intricate silver compass emblazoned with the Pathfinder Society logo: the Glyph of the Open Road. “I received this wayfinder when I successfully completed my Confirmation. Should we be successful on our journey, you will get your own as well.” She flips open the device and holds it in front of her; the initials J. L. are engraved into the inside of the device’s lid. After studying the compass inside for a moment, she remarks, “We’re on the right path. We need to keep heading northwest past those large rocks up ahead.” Most of the trees in this section of the forest have trunks that are too big for any creatures to share their space. Sporadic patches of light undergrowth provide areas for creatures to hide while restricting movement for those passing through. A large rock outcropping to the east rises nearly 20 feet above the forest floor, and a small sinkhole to the northwest drops off sharply, descending to the ground 10 feet below.
As you get close to the entrance to the cave, Janira accidently leads you into a swarm of mosquitos.
Camred
Turmoil
Tholand
Zarah
Vylfaen
Khana
_______________
BG
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With a quick combined effort the swarm dicipates and you can continue on.
After defeating the swarm, Janira begins to congradulate you. " Good job guys that was amazing, such team work between everyone. If we keep going like this the mission will be a success."
As you continues to travel through the wilderness, you find trails blocked by fallen objects, shortcuts overgrown, and other minor delays that cost you time.
DC 15 Survival to bypass and find correct path or be set back 3 hours. I would also except tracking as you are trying to follow a path left by Janira last time she was here.
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The dense forest opens to a wide clearing at the base of a sheer cliff. Thick vines cover the surface of the cliff stretching 30 feet overhead. “Here! The cave entrance is behind those vines,” Janira says with a broad smile as she walks to the cliff’s face. She pulls back several layers of vegetation to reveal a narrow crack in the cliff’s surface. “This is where I saw the gillmen enter.” As she motions toward the aperture, the surrounding woods come alive with the sound of small animals fleeing some unseen danger and a large creature crashing through the undergrowth.
The halfling worriedly remarks, “Quick, take cover before whatever it is spots us!” As if she’d summoned the creature with her words, a massive horned monstrosity emerges from the trees. Standing eight feet tall on a pair of cloven hooves and wielding a tremendous axe, the bull-headed creature roars with unbridled anger when it spots the group. Wisely assessing that a minotaur is beyond her charges’ capabilities, Janira screams, “A minotaur! There’s little chance we can stand against it. Take this bag,” she continues, pulling off her backpack, “and head deeper into the caves. Finish your mission. I’ll lead it away from the caves, lose it in the forest, and join you as soon as I can. Now go! GO!” She heaves her backpack into the cave, casts a spell, and darts off toward the minotaur before turning to lure it away.
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Vylfaen takes one good look at the minotaur and realizes that she is indeed no match for the beast at the present moment. She quickly slides into the cave after Janira's backpack, letting her eyes adjust to the low light. "Come quickly my new friends, we must complete the mission. This is Janira's wishes, and we must follow them." She shouts as she disappears into the cave.
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Camred rushes into the cave and picks up Janira's pack before continuing further out of the minotaur's sight. "Well, that was unexpected. I hope Janira escapes without harm." She looks down at the bag that the Pathfinder left them. "Falling just after finishing her own Confirmation would be tragic." The occultist pulls an ancient-looking tome from her pack and leafs through a few pages. Camred takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. Ok, visualise a painting, every object outlined in bright red. Putting her book back, she starts poking around Janira's pack to see what items they had.
Hakon pats Zarah on the shoulder. "I applaud your zeal comrade, but sometimes it is best to make a better story another day then to die making one today. This foe would be a grand fight, one I think we are not quite prepared for." With that he turns and heads into the cave.
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"What's to prepare for? Minotaur's got nads don't he? Besides what story you plan on tellin'? The one about how you left your comrade to die alone against the monster so that you could save yer own hide? Gotta say Hak, it's a novel take on the whole chivalry thing. Come back and join us when yer done primpin'. How about you Warmane? It's a cinch she ain't gonna outrun that thing."