|
Always have a backup plan.
Rúmil wrings his hands nervously and addresses the party. "I am ssssorry, I have seen many years and while this has b-b-been exciting, Venture-Captain Norden Balentiir has requested me back in Sothis to examine an artifact that was just discovered in the d-d-desert. Do not worry, he has sent a replacement, my good friend Atum the Constant, who has served in the p-p-palace of the Ruby Prince for many years and has received the blessing of the sphinxes in the deserts of Rahadoum." With that, Rúmil exits the room and makes way for the newcomer...
|
|
A large man in resplendent gold-plated armor decorated with the ruby scarab of Osirion across his chest marches into the room. He carries a large polearm with hammer and spike on the end and a small ruby gleams from the center of his forehead. He meets everyone's eyes and announces, "I am Venture-Captain Atum Nakhti the Constant, member of the sacred order of the Living Monoliths and guardian of the Ruby Prince."
That happened to a friend of mine in the Living Greyhawk Days. We eventually got him. Glad to know we weren't the only ones ridiculous like that.
... In a closed room, high above the City at the Center of the World, in Skyreach.
Marcos Farabellus paces thoughtfully for a moment before rapping his knuckles on his desk to call the meeting to order. “Sometimes challenges force us to re-examine how we treat others, including old enemies. That’s a good thing, leading to growth and moments in which rising stars can distinguish themselves against dire odds.” He gives an appreciative bow before continuing. “I say this because we’re not alone in our struggle against the Korholm Agenda; they’re even more a thorn in the Aspis Consortium’s side than in our own. If we let those wounds fester, it will destroy us both. It’s jarring to work with the Aspis against a common foe, but their assistance might help us stop the Korholm Agenda before they could harm thousands more innocents."
“The Agenda was behind the recent events in Thuvia—again, well done on stopping that—and the team unearthed records of one Professor Kramolag, a member of the Aspis Consortium who has been supplying the Agenda with her technical expertise. When I discussed these findings with my contact in the Consortium, he seemed unsettled by the development but promised to handle the matter personally and relay his findings after the fact.” Farabellus smirks with chagrin. “We may be trying to mend some bridges with the Aspis, but I’m not so foolish to trust an Aspis higher-up at his word. I sent several agents to follow his team and observe from afar as they traveled to Nidal. Within a few hours, they had broken into an underground facility, left with bundles of strange relics, and set part of the nearby plantation on fire to hide their tracks. As youmight guess, my Aspis contact politely informed me that the matter was resolved and that I didn’t need to worry about it anymore. Bullfeathers!”
The Master of Swords lets the affront sink in before reaching down and dumping a stack of papers on the desk. “What my contact neglected to mention is that they never found Professor Kramolag. Our own experts have tracked down where she’s hidden based on intercepted correspondence and questioned survivors of that Aspis raid. She’s set up a lab on a barren island west of Nidal known as Wingless Rock, and hopefully she still thinks she’s safe and hasn’t run off yet. We’ve also found she has one other intact secondary lab at the southern edge of the Uskwood, and there are still unanswered questions about the damaged site near the Mindspin Mountains.
“If Kramolag’s research is any indication, she’s armed, dangerous, and has been calling the shots for the past year. I’d like you to lead the expedition there, ensure she doesn’t remain a threat to the Society, and secure all other information you can on any other plans she’s set in motion already. I’ve gathered the teams you oversaw in Thuvia to provide you additional help, and I’m letting you call the shots on this Nidalese campaign. I recommend assigning one or two to check out the secondary sites, as it’s only a matter of time before the Consortium or the Agenda learns what we know and destroy any remaining evidence there.”
He straightens and concludes, “Not every agent has what it takes to lead like you do. It isn’t easy, so I’m here in an advisory role until I have to attend to other business. Good luck.”
The Reports are for YOUR EYES ONLY:
• The Aspis raided a research laboratory hidden beneath a Nidalese plantation known as Wirholt’s Rictus. Few of the workers there seemed to know anything about the facility below.
• A known member of the Korholm Agenda would occasionally visit the site, but is believed that person perished during the raid.
• It appears the site enacted containment procedures during the raid, destroying some of the evidence before the Aspis team intervened. The Aspis agents left carrying a collection of magic items, documents, and even a few biological samples (all of unknown provenance to the Society).
• Initial forays into the damaged facility found signs of occult research, but utterly alien creatures chased off the Pathfinder agents before they could learn anything of substance.
• The secondary facility just inside the Uskwood seems to be the smallest of the three, but any defenses it has are likely still operational.
• The main facility is 40 miles off Nidal’s coast, on a black skerry known as Wingless Rock. It’s a small, barren island partly surrounded by dangerous reefs and other mundane hazards that discourage visitors.
Marcos Farabellus remains for a time in case you wish to ask him anything. He also lets you know that your three teams are waiting nearby for whenever you wish to call them in and brief them on upcoming tasks. Furthermore, he has secured transportation to different parts of Nidal for you and your teams, unless the you would prefer to provide your own conveyance.
|
Hugo snaps back to the matter at hand as Marcos Farabellus brings the meeting to order with a rap on the desk.
My apology. Please continue.
Hugo listens intently, taking mental notes of the sites and descriptions. Still not accustomed to assigning others to tasks, he tries to determine which team would be best suited for the different sites.
So exactly what is the nature of our relationship with the Consortium after this raid? Are we still trying to maintain the appearance of cooperation despite their lack of understanding of the word?
The Master weighs Hugo's question heavily, "I'm not rightly sure. And to be honest, even if I was, it's a fickle and changeable thing. I don't know that any answer would last longer than a Taldan fashion."
|
|
Welcome, Venture-Captain Atum Nakhti the Constant. I am Venture-Captain Hugo Victor, Bishop of the Keeper of the First Vault. Welcome to our circle of ordered chaos.
Hugo bows slightly towards the new arrival.
Where have you been traveling of late?
Atum nods in greeting to Hugo. "I have been on a mission to deliver a sword to the Galtan Lodge. Beyond that is confidential and a matter only known to Osprey, Eliza Petulengro, and select members of the Ten."
"As to the ordered chaos, I hope to provide significantly more order to the party."
The large man then holds out a long scroll carefully coiled in his other hand. "Can you work magic? The sphinxes have blessed with tough skin but this will enhance my blessings."
Turning back to Marcos Farabellus, Atum asks, "So who are the Korholm Agenda? I would ask how they could be worse than the Aspis but then I also just rooted out some significant evil in our own ranks so nothing surprises me now."
"They are a splinter cell within the Consortium. Their numbers and endgame are not known to us, but our destruction seems to be on their "To Do" list. We're really hoping that YOU have a better answer to that before long."
|
|
I do not work that kind of magic unfortunately, Atum.
Regarding Marcos Farabellus's last comment as he reads the briefings.
It sounds like you are needing US to get those answers.
Hugo considers all of the sites and which might be better suited for the teams.
It seems if the alien creatures were strong enough to chase off lesser Pathfinders, they may require our expertise to neutralize.
Flipping pages..
The Uskwood site could be a hazard but maybe our other teams could at least recon, or jointly assault from two sides.
More pages reviewed...
Wingless Rock would be my first prioritized destination, all things considered.
|
|
Roos puts down the book and walks over to Atum sipping his wine. He pokes at the mans flesh and asks "Do you feel pain? Do you bleed? If you do get hurt, how do you heal?"
Atum answers brusquely, "Of course I feel pain, although my blood is thicker than most-another blessing of the sphinxes. I heal like any other human." He pulls out a familiar healing wand and hands it to Roos. "Can you use this? Good."
|
Ignatious, perhaps for the first time, looks at the new agent joining the team with mild suspicion, , but quickly sets his reservations aside as Hugo seems to be at ease. "Greetings, Venture-Captain. I am pleased to have another join our ranks. I am Ignatious, the Seeker of Flame. I have travelled with Roos and Roakar for some time now, and I understand your implications of "confidential". Hugo joined somewhat more recently, though we have, I believe worked well together. I hope you find a similar place with us."
"If you would allow me,. . ." taking the scrolls to have a look, "I can assist you with these three", indicating the Restoration scrolls, "but perhaps Roos might be able to make the others work?"
As Marcos Farabellus begins to speak, Iggy removes his journal and begins to take notes, paying special attention to the names and locations.
- Korholm Agenda - conspiracy within the Aspis Consortium
Professor Kramolag - researcher and spy for the Korholm Agenda
Wirholt’s Rictus - destroyed underground lab
Wingless Rock - hidden lab hiding Professor Kramolag
Uskwood - unexplored secondary site
Mission - make sure Professor Kramolag is no longer a threat, gather as much info as we can, build bridges with Aspis Consortium, but do not trust them
"Do we have any additional information about these sites or their surrounding areas? Or what sort of expertise this Professor Kramolag has? Will we be receiving any Aspis Consortium support as well? Do we have any allies in Nidal?"
"Do you have any suggestions that might help before we speak with the Pathfinder Agents?"
While Ignatious himself doesn't have any prior knowledge, Marcos is happy to answer
“Professor Kramolag has spent considerable resources researching otherworldly creatures and events, including the Astral Plane, teleportation mishaps, and cutting-edge alchemy. This is beyond the scope of one researcher, so she likely has capable assistants who know not to gossip. Go in prepared for the worst, and expect the unexpected.”
Marcos sighs and rubs his chin. “Pathfinding is a dangerous pastime, and what you and your teams are doing is more perilous than usual. That usually means casualties, and deaths are never easy.” He pauses in reflection for a moment. Trust me on that. The best you can do is convey your best advice, offer what material assistance you can, and make educated assumptions about who will excel at what. It doesn’t always work. Agents watch you and can tell when you’re confident or when you’re scared. It’s okay to show some vulnerability and emotion, but instill in them the spirit to persevere in the face of what terrors await. Leadership isn’t easy. It falls on each of us to determine how personally we take responsibility when the worst happens, and I trust you to know what's right."
|
Roakar ponders the known facts.
"Looks like we gotta send the kids out again. They did well last time and hopefully that will continue. I think we need to send one to Wirholt’s Rictus to see what really happened there, one to Uskwood, and maybe take the third with us to Wingless Rock in case we need extra hands."
"I don't got a pile of gear this time around. Luckily though we are home and I can just hand them a pile of gold instead. I kinda feel like we are goin easy on these kids. No venture captain handed me a pile a gold before kickin me out to face the unknown. Then again....maybe that was the issue from the get go. To much emphasis on bringin back the corpses and not enough on keepin em alive."
"Any thoughts on who goes where?"
|
|
Hugo completes a few more calculations before responding to Roakar.
Agreed. On a cost/benefit analysis, a potion or two is far less expensive than a recovery team and/or raise dead."
He reads his notes to himself then enumerates his proposal.
(1) If Professor Kramolag is our primary target, then we should go to Wingless Rock ourselves.
(2) Wirholt’s Rictus - destroyed underground lab, needs our best research team to find and mop up what remains.
(3) Uskwood - unexplored secondary site with full defenses will need our best stealth or strike team (or both).
|
|
"I am not so sure those young'ins are around still. I had a few drinks with them after the last missions were completed to celebrate... they actually thought they could outdrink me... I remember them saying they had some other jobs to do...or was it that I had some other job to do...or was it that we both had follow on missions.... I cant remember exactly... that was a few barrels ago...Does anyone need a top off?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
|
|
"I'll take one Roos." Roakar says as he pulls out an oversized stein. "Didn't have time to stop and get me a keg of ail from the Hall for the trip this time. Been guarding some Taldan princess's door while she visits Absolom. They pulled me directly from that to this." Roakar pauses, looks to Roos, and says "No" to the about to be asked question. "And don't go gettin any ideas either. The group I been with is dead serious and have more sticks up their arse about honor than you can imagine."
|
|
"Later Roos. I will tell you all about it." Roakar smiles.
You'll hear all about the crap they filled my head with. Taldan Nobility, family crests, family trees, family third cousins twice removed, and how an unforgotten piece of Ulfen heritage got me dragged into that mess. I will enjoy watching you squirm through that hoping for something more along your lines of a princess story.
Roakar,drink in hand, adds "If I remember correctly, the Axe Fixers could handle themselves in combat pretty well but were not the type to go at an objection from the side. That may make them an ok choice for Uskwood. The other two team..." Roakar pauses to think. "The scroll-somethins were more angled towards bein sneaky and the whatcha-group was more of the researcher type."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Okay guys, I'm back. Sorry about that. Some additional information:
Unfortunately, Roakar doesn't know anything useful off the top of himself.
Investigating the Sundersun Site: Knowledge (dungeoneering or engineering):
Investigate the Uskwood Site: Knowledge (geography or nature):
Interrogate the Researchers: Knowledge (arcana or local):
Archival Assistance: Knowledge (planes or religion): Here Ignatious has some thoughts. He has ideas on what to look for, especially important since the archives are likely in disarray.
Hugo, Atum, and Roos still can ponder...
-Posted with Wayfinder
So as it stands right now, you've got the three teams to assign. Wirholt's Rictus and Uskwood are available at the moment. Once we confirm who is going where, we can progress. Like last time, they can benefit from equipment assistance if interested.
|
|
Hugo will still offer the Heroes Feast to as many as possible. 14 total of us, so 9 of them after we dine.
"If I understand Roakar correctly, the Axe Fixers are assigned to Uskwood.
He pauses, waiting for confirmation...then continues.
"The scroll-seekers are assigned to Wirholt’s Rictus as a research team to find and mop up what remains.
Any other equipment to donate?
The party gives their orders after a breakfast for Heroes. Everyone says their farewells, and heads for Nidal...
Aboard a magically enchanted ship you cut through the sea at breakneck speed, slowing down as you approach. Ahead, a resigned pile of blunt black rocks endures the thrashing sea. Its shore is irregular and inhospitable, which might matter if anything of interest stood upon the barren heap.
Not even worthy of being called an island, Wingless Rock rises hardly more than 20 feet out of the water—far less at high tide—and measures all of 100 feet across at its widest point. Aside from algae and the inhabitants of sickly tide pools, nothing apparently lives upon the eroded, volcanic heap.