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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 note was signed by Kreighton Shaine, the notoriously eccentric elf who served the Society as Master of Scrolls.
Some of you are initiates, just beginning your careers in the Pathfinder Society. Others have received Field commissions, but have yet to undergo the ritual of Confirmation.
The Pig's Paunch is a run-down building in the Merchant's Quarter of Absalom 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. The common room is filled with inebriates sleeping off their revelries. A bleary-eyed barmaid is cleaning up the bar, getting ready to serve breakfast to the earliest risers. "We ain't open yet... Oh, yer initiates, ain't ya? The elf should be here shortly. He uses the front room for these things." She leads you through a doorway into a fair-sized room with a table in the middle, and lights a lamp. "Set tight and lemme know if ya want ale or summat," the maid advises as she leaves you to wait.
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A young female elf strolls into the room, her dark hair barely reaching her ears is unkempt. She glances around the room and shifts her weapons a bit. When her eyes land on the boar she gets a small smile and kneels down to get a closer look.
What's your name darling? Would you like a treat? She pulls a few berries from her pack and lays them on the floor before standing back up and looking at the half-orc with a smile.
Does the boar belong to you, or the bar? I'm Ulena by the way, nice to meet you.
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The green lady looks a little shocked at the pleasant tone and words. She stutters, "B-b-b-estsy. The boar is called Betsy, and she is with me - but I don't own her."
She looks a little uncomfortable, but then says "My given name is Bertha. Few call me that, but that is my name. Ulena? That is a pretty name."
Meanwhile, the boar sniffs the berries, and quickly devours them, grunting approval before laying back down.
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The door opens again, letting in the dull pre-dawn light that cuts through the smoke and dust that still permeates the Paunch, even hours from the height of its revelry. A tall dwarf, thin by dwarvish standards, squints his eyes to adjust to the shadows within. He spots two who look out of sort with the regulars and moves quickly over to them, his robes dragging across the dirty floor.
"Is this Master Shaine's bunch?"
He pauses a beat, and then extends his hand to the half-orc. His nails are cut sharp like a claw and painted emerald green.
"Name is Thergrom. Pleased to be workin' with you."
He nods to the elf politely as well and then his eyes turn to the boar curled on the floor.
"I see you've already ordered breakfast..." he says through a half-laugh.
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It's my mother's name, and as such I never really liked it, but thank you. If no one calls you Bertha, what do you go by?
Ulena smiled, hoping to put the other woman at ease, and she chuckled a bit as Besty wolfed down her berries.
Her eyes widened a bit as a dwarf walked up to them and introduced himself. She'd become accustomed to dwarves in her travels, but this one was altogether different.
She responded to his cursory nod with one of her own. What a lovely green color, she thought as she admired his nails.
This sweet animal fights? Hard to believe, she was such a dear when I pulled those berries out.
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A gnomish male enters the tavern with an almost unearned swagger, accompanied by the jingling of chain links. he shouts before walking over to the growing menagerie in the center. "Is this the group that's doing something stupid for the society in a glorious manner? Again?"
He hurriedly pulls out a bunch of parchment scraps from his pocket and hands them to anyone assembled. "Zolaffer Nalu, pleased to meet you. I'm licensed to provide business advice and wedding certificates and a ready source of inspiration and healing, albeit sans license. Most people don't seem to mind."
The scraps contain his name and a contact address at a seedy Absalom pub. He's written his name elaborately on each card but always differently. It would seem he's been practicing his signature.
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Just then the curtain parts and a familiar elven man walks in, followed shortly by a halfling woman whom none of you have seen before. "Welcome! Welcome, my students! Please, have a seat!" With that, Kreighton Shaine, the Pathfinder Society's Master of Scrolls, nimbly leaps on top of the table, and sits cross-legged on it 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 -- in this very room 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 the small, excitable 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.
Additional questions may be asked while Jaira is busily getting journals and maps out of her knapsack. She will probably be explaining more about the mission shortly.
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"What's a cave?"
"Yeah, even I don't buy that one. Anyways! First! Echoing this lovely green lady's query - Name's Zolaffer, by the way, if you didn't catch it, what's yours, ma'am? - and second! Did you notice anything strange in the caves apart from the absence of the expected - what were they called? - Gill-men? Were they natural structures? Carved? Maybe even engraved? Smelly? Like the pig? Wet? Dry? Misty? Balmy? Cold, warm, perfect site for a hot springs business perhaps?"
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"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, though there are a fair number that live in Escadar, one of Absalom's vassal cities.
"Nice to meet you, Zolaffer -- Janira, if you didn't catch it from Master Shaine. I didn't see anything unusual in the part of the caves I explored, but you'll be going further in, I think. They seemed entirely natural, but there were signs that a path had been trod there in the past -- smoothed out rocks, places where someone'd cleared rubble out of the way, things like that. They were cool and damp, but not uncomfortable, and had a musty sort of smell, nothing too objectionable. I didn't see any hot springs or anything of that sort.
"A month? Oh no. See, when I first saw the gillman entering the cave, and then again a month later, both were on the occasion of the full moon. And as you probably know, there's another full moon tomorrow night! The Masters think that tomorrow is our best chance to find out why these caves are important and exactly what the gillmen are doing there."
She looks around at all of you. "Before we set out, we should all get to know each other and review the plan. After all, the two factors of success: Cooperation and Preparation! I'll go first!
"So, I've been a pathfinder for, oh, about four years now. I grew up in Eastgate, and I'm the oldest of seven siblings. My father still works there as a porter. I'm a Desnan, but in the spirit of Cooperation, I promise to respect any of your faiths, even if they're, um, unconventional. I joined the Society to see the world and sample all of its splendor -- especially the food -- but my focus has been with Scrolls and preserving and discovering knowledge. I hope to have my work published in a Chronicle someday! So how about all of you?"
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"I am Adinomo, I grew up in the town of Wispil in the Verduran Forest. I learned my woodworking skills there. As you might know we gnomes like to venture out from time to time to experience new things, so I decided to take on a job as a ship's carpenter on a ship sailing the Sellen River. After doing that for a few months I left them at the town of Cassomir after which I signed on with the local Pathfinder Lodge. They said I would be send on assignments all over Golarion! I was send here to take my training and now we are here."
The gnome smiles "Sorry for being so long-winded, I can shoot the crossbow and know some spells. I also have this wand that can cure wounds, although I can not reliably activate it all the times. I guess I still have some things to learn"
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After Adinomo introduces himself the young elf woman smiles at each party member in turn before addressing them all.
My name is Ulena. I come from a reclusive family of artisans and performers, all dedicated to Shelyn. Unfortunately my religious beliefs are all I have in common with them. Despite a lifetime of worshipping love and art I found the only beauty I could perform was that of combat. My family failed to see the art in perfect form and fluid motion, failed to see how I could protect the beauty of Shelyn by placong myself in the way of those who would harm her. So I left my little home in the woods and traveled for a time along roads made by people other than Elves. When I heard of the Pathfinder Society I thought it was the perfect organization to allow me to perfect my devotion to Shelyn, to bring peace and understanding to the world. So here I am.
She looks down sheepishly and runs her hand through her short hair leaving it even more ruffled.
I hope I can prove useful on this adventure.
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The large, green half-orc woman in the corner with a boar at her feet reluctantly talks.
"Um, my name is Bertha. This here is Betsy. I am a Pathfinder because my mentor, Toransi, was a Pathfinder, and he thought it would be good for me to get out and see the world. Really, I am just a simple farmer, but I lost my farm, and really, I want to help others from being cheated like I was."
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Thergrom steadies himself and pulls his cloak off his head.
"Greetings, Miss Gavix. Everyone. I am Thergrom of the Five Mountains. Kasharak Clan to be exact. Although I am a bit of a black sheep from them now. I've been told I am a bit of an anomaly for a dwarf, for although I have taken up the martial arts as well as most dwarves do."
He shrugs to emphasize the longspear strapped on his back and grasps the battleaxe at his belt.
"I have found myself with the rare ability to manifest spells from within. After long years of practice, I have honed my innate talents and have further discovered the ability to speak with dragons. Well kobolds so far, but the same words nonetheless. I intend to seek this latent empathy with our scaled friends to its fullest. Anyways, my interests lie not in saving the world or the people within or any of that business, but in seeking out knowledge and helping others to discover their finest self."
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Zolaffer doffs his hat and bows deeply so that his eyebrows brush the floor. "I, Miss Gavix, come from a grubby, if colorful village shaded by the trees of the Verduran Forest. While I do not begrudge my kith and kin their harmonious lifestyle under the stars and leaves, I dreamed of something else. I dreamed of a future where I didn't go to sleep fearing I'd wake in the belly of a bear! I didn't quite dream I'd be fighting ghouls in the bilge of a burning boat, but that happened, so now I go to sleep fearing I'll wake up being gnawed on by the should-be-sleeping dead. I dreamed of profits! And prophets! The two blend together a bit when you are a business-minded follower of the Master of the First Vault."
Short of breath and now quite wobbly, he returns to his full height. He replaces his cap with another he draw from his backpack. "I'm a recent field recruit, looking to sign on for realsies for the profits. I don't know how ghouls on boats and Pig's Paunches will get me there, but I'll find the angle and have a blast doing so."
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"Hmm, I thought there were supposed to be six of you, but I only see five, not counting that cute little pig. Oh well. Maybe the other is running late. We'll continue. 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.
"The caves we'll be travelling to lie under the base of the Kortos Mounts. We'll need to spend every minute of daylight possible to reach the caves by foot, crossing over the Cairnlands, taking the paths to Diobel, and finally making our way through the wilderness. 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 pauses to see if anyone has further questions.
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I agree Bertha. Taking advantage of every moment of day light certainly makes one feel rushed. We could always ask any questions in transit, I only hope we aren't all exhausted when we get there!
Ulena shoulders her pack and gets prepared to go. I admit I'm a bit sad that we won't be able to take in the beauty of the landscape on the way.
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"No worries, Ulena, there'll be plenty to see on the way there. I've never had a problem taking in an eyeful while making good time cross-country.
"Oh aye, Thergrom, there's a shop around the corner my second cousin owns. He's opening early as a favor to me. Lemme see... Yeah, you could use a few things, brother. Here, I got some paper and pens for anyone who needs them -- it's very important to keep accurate records of the things you see in your travels. After all, you can't Report what you can't remember, eh?
"You should all probably have a bedroll and a blanket -- we'll have to sleep out after we make it to the cave -- as well as food and water, a light source, rope, a way to make fire, and some healing. Even if one of you has a happy stick, you'll still want a way to heal them if they get knocked down."
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I don't have much gold for healing items, but I can certainly afford a few bits of survival gear for myself. I haven't been adventuring long, and accumulating wealth is kind of foreign to me. Everything was taken care of back home.
Ulena will look at her new writing utensils excitedly and place them in her pack, her head full of note she might take on the sights she'll see. Shelyn be praised, this could be a fun life to live.
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"It is only by my god's blessing that I can step so swift as the tall-folk," Zolaffer says, almost indignantly. "I'd not dishonor his gift by squandering it to carry more. Carrying rope makes little sense when it weighs one third as much as you do. The rest I have covered, by craft or by spell."
He turns to Ulena. "As for you, beloved of Shelyn, I find your unfamiliarity with the accumulation of shiny coins or promises thereof itself unfamiliar, so a quick reinterpretation: It's one thing to acquire wealth, an entirely different matter to gather it. You can always spend! Find an appropriate outlet, and such qualms will boil away! New weapons, new armor, magical goodies, commissions for artists, alms, all will help you better serve and protect your lady of songbirds."
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Ulena will laugh as Zolaffer schools here on the accumulation of wealth.
I imagine by the time I get back from this adventure you'll have me spending as fast as you can speak. She smiles warmly at him, still chuckling a bit,
Although artist commissions and alms do sound like lovely ideas. I'll have to look into that in the future, my dear, but for now both gathering and acquisition of wealth are secondary tasks and we should probably be on our way.
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Janira leads the five of you out of Absalom as the sun is just barely peeking over the horizon, and you trek by foot over the Cairnlands, seeing a landscape shaped by millennia of off-and-on warfare. There are the remains of siege engines and battlements, fortresses and tombs scattered across the landscape. You all recall stories from the Masters and other teachers about ruined barrows haunted by the uneasy dead and laden with traps and other monsters, with untold artifacts hidden deep within.
The well-worn path towards Diobel leads you from these grim surroundings into the verdant wilderness surrounding the Kortos mounts, and the first day of the journey remains uneventful. In the shadow of the foothills, before leaving the path, you make camp for the night.
Well-trained pathfinders figure out a series of watches that allow everyone to get enough sleep. Bright and early the next morning, you head into the deeper forest of the Kortos foothills. The vegetation becomes more dense, and the trees' spreading canopies begin to shield you from most of the sunlight.
Several hours into the forest, Janira stops to consult her map and notes. She pulls a device from under her jacket: an intricate silver compass, emblazoned with the Glyph of the Open Road, the sigil of the Pathfinder Society. "I received this wayfinder when I successfully completed my Confirmation. When we are 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." You all see the rocks she's talking about: a craggy outcropping to the northeast of where you're standing. A small sinkhole to your west drops off sharply, descending 10 feet below the path you're following.
As Janira puts away her wayfinder, a sudden crash to the east draws all of your attention. A large tree has fallen, shaking all the trees nearby.
Suddenly movement catches Janira's eye and with a startled cry she turns her head back to the west. Uncountable numbers of spiders, each the size of a gold coin, are pouring out of a fallen log, perhaps disturbed by the fall of the tree.
Initiative order:
Adinomo
Zolaffer
Janira
Swarm
Ulena
Thegrom
BABS (and her boar)
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Adinomo steps forward, and readies an action to toss his acid flask when the swarm gets a bit closer.
Zolaffer's thrown flask of alchemist fire splashes some of the spiders, burning them, but doesn't do a lot to the bulk of the swarm.
Janira steps back, draws a wand from her pack, and calls out, "Fear not! Remember the great Pathfinder Selmius Foster's race against a marid and efreeti on the isle of Jalmeray, which taught us that nothing is truly impossible and every situation can end in victory!" Her inspiring oratory boosts your spirits and encourages you to fight with greater vigor. She also beckons to Ulena, holding out the wand as if offering it to her.
The swarm moves forward, avoiding most of Adinomo's thrown acid, and swarms over Adinomo and Thergrom, biting with their razor-sharp mouthparts.
Initiative order:
Adinomo
Zolaffer
Janira
Swarm
Ulena
Thegrom
BABS (and her boar)