GM Hmm |
Once again, you find yourself in the Whale's Belly, the rough drinking hall in Magnimar that Venture-Captain Calisro Benarry favors. As you walk through the noisy pub, you hear the laughter of off-duty dockworkers and laborers, all relaxing after a hard day's work. As for Calisro herself, the affable half-orc's sitting in her favorite corner booth, a worried expression on her face.
"Oh, you're all here! Prompt as always." Calisro smiles genuinely, tusks glinting in the candlelight, but for once the smile does not light her whole face. She gestures to the open seats around the table, and offers to buy the first round. Gripping her mug a little too tightly, she studies each of your faces in turn. "I'm glad that you all can make it, because I find myself in need of a good team."
Azara Emberkin |
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A Silver Raven flits in through an open window and glides unerringly towards the Half-orc Venture Captain. Just before landing on the table the metallic avian unclenches a small note from its talons.
"Dearest comrades and favored puppets, I offer sincerest apologies for my belated appearance. Dalia and I are currently attending an extravagant affair being hosted by the esteemed Blackros family. Upon its conclusion I have procured the use of a Teleportation spell from a close friend, so you shall see me shortly. Enjoy the ale there, and I'll savor some fine wines for you.
~ Warmest Regards,
Baroness Azara Emberkin"
GM Hmm |
As the bird lands in Calisro’s hand, she frowns and then counts the Pathfinders once again. “How did I miss that the bawdy Baroness is late again?” She raises an eyebrow and mutters to herself. “I wonder which strumpet she found more important than Pathfinder work this time?” She looks the note over once more, frowns again, and then shrugs. “You lot will have to catch her up when she arrives. Meanwhile... I’ve heard from Dalviss Crenn, one of my former venture lieutenants who’s run into a bit of trouble.” At this, she looks straight at Shel. “Not all missions go well. Either you learn from it, and persevere, or you decide you can’t hack it anymore and you retire. I can see you’ve decided to persevere. Good for you.”
“Dalviss... He decided that a life of crazy adventuring was no longer for him after we met some horrid sea hags that messed with him.” Calisro, normally muscular and imposing in her green-dyed longcoat, tunic, and puffed trousers, suddenly looks small and vulnerable. “He’s settled in Druma, as far away from the sea as he could get, and way outside my territory. Runs a little Tavern and Inn called the Mineshaft. When he wrote, I thought maybe he’d changed his mind, and wanted his old berth back. But he said there’s a strange meteor that crashed and things have been going haywire out there ever since it landed, and he’s thinking it would be a great mystery for Pathfinders to investigate. There’s no Pathfinder Lodge near there, and no VC who specifically coordinates missions there. I could have forwarded this request to the Grand Lodge, but you know how they assemble teams. Sometimes it feels like they draw random names out of a hat. I want my boy Dalviss to have the benefit of the best team I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. So... I’m sending you.”
She orders a round of drinks, and settles in, waiting for the inevitable questions.
Shel Whispertongue PFS |
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Shel's face turned bright red as Calisro brought up her recent failure. She shook her head to clear the cobwebs, doubts, and bad thoughts running around her mind. She didn't have any physical scars from her last mission, but it would be some time before she was right mentally.
"So...tell us more about Dalmiss. I mean Dalviss. What did the hags do to him? Did he get specific about what was happening since the meteor arrived? Are there shadow demons stalking the lands, God I hope there's no shadow demons.". She falls back into an embarrassed silence after only getting out a couple questions.
Knowledge Local for Druma 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19
Grigorii |
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Grigorii's faces breaks into a wide grin, "The Mineshaft? Hah! Sounds like a good old mining town to me. I've played in a few dozen taverns called 'Mineshaft' or 'Minecart' or 'The Motherlode'. Some of the best tavern brawls I've seen! ...or started. Anyway, they are always a good time."
"So, what do they have buried in Druma? Gold? Silver?"
After a moment, his face darkens.
"And, I suppose someone had the bright idea to find out what value could be excavated from that meteor. Did they find more than they expected?"
Know(local): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22
Know(geography): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Kiku Caritas |
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Kiku rushes in, glancing every which-way for her companions and the Venture-Captain. Yojimbo floats at her side, clearing the way for his master merely through his intimidating mien. Kiku finally sees the party and jogs over.
"My apologies! I was careless and thought we were meeting at the Wailing Belfry. I am not so familiar with this part of my hometown...."
She bows deeply enough that her torso goes parallel to the floor.
"Please forgive me."
She raises herself up again, dabbing the sweat from her face with a napkin from the table, then straightening out her kapenia shawl and priests' robes. She finally exhales, letting out all the tension built-up from rushing around, and smiles at everyone.
"I am so happy to see all of you again!"
She tries to maintain her Tien formality as she embraces each of her comrades, but she can't help but let a tad of girlish excitement shine through.
She takes a seat, her hands folded on her lap.
"I had the pleasure of journeying to Tian-Xia, my mother's homeland. It was quite beautiful, and full of so very many nice people. My mission there was quite...um...difficult."
She turns her gaze away, smiling as a memory gives her a nice warm hug.
"I was able to help someone who truly needed it, though. That's all that matters."
She brings her gaze back to her party members.
"How have all of you been?"
Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Harsk Hammerfist dwarf |
Harks orders a cup of hot tea from a server and sits near Kiku.
"I've been fine. Except for that boat ride over here again. I'll be glad when I'm I don't have to get near a ship again."
Biter nips at his heal.
"Rahh
"ALRIGHT...waiter! A bowl of beef stew too please."
Biter licks his lips.
GM Hmm |
"So...tell us more about Dalmiss. I mean Dalviss. What did the hags do to him? Did he get specific about what was happening since the meteor arrived? Are there shadow demons stalking the lands, God I hope there's no shadow demons." She falls back into an embarrassed silence after only getting out a couple questions.
Calisro pokes a finger at Shel. “You know what the worst demons are? The ones inside your head. The ones you carry with you. You know what slays them? Jumping back in, and kicking the crap out of the next irredeemable monster you come across, that’s what!”
Then she sighs. “You want to know what the hags did to Dalviss? They did what hags do. Climbed on board, tore him apart, and killed him. We brought him back with nothing worse for wear than some dashing scars, but by then he’d had enough. Moved out to some boring town called Dustpawn. Kept writing to me about goats. Goats, I tell you!” She kicks the chair in frustration. “Cost me the best navigator I ever had. No one knows the stars like Dalviss.”
"The Mineshaft? Hah! Sounds like a good old mining town to me. I've played in a few dozen taverns called 'Mineshaft' or 'Minecart' or 'The Motherlode'. Some of the best tavern brawls I've seen! ...or started. Anyway, they are always a good time.”
“Yeah, Dalviss said there was mining out there once.”
“So, what do they have buried in Druma? Gold? Silver? And, I suppose someone had the bright idea to find out what value could be excavated from that meteor. Did they find more than they expected?"
Calisro gives him a probing look. “Why do you think we’re sending you guys out? Dalviss did mention that there’s been all sorts of excitement about that meteor, with half the town wanting to go out and poke it. Go out there, find out what’s been happening!”
“I've been fine. Except for that boat ride over here again. I'll be glad when I'm I don't have to get near a ship again."
Calisro grins. “Funny you should say that. I was planning on loading you all on the Grinning Pixie, and then dropping you off in either Remesiana or Almas to make your way inland, but recent political events have changed things. Although I’d trust that Chelish cow, Ianareth Alazario, less than I would a pet vampire, she’s opened the way for us to use a more direct method to get you there.”
She takes a swig of beer, and then wipes her face on her sleeve. “I’ve got money set aside... I can pay for a group teleport to Elidir. That’s only a short distance from Dustpawn. You can get there fast, find out what’s happening, and help Dalviss out. Will you be ready to leave in a few hours?”
GM Hmm |
So, let’s find out what you might already know about Dustpawn.
If you’ve already made the check, feel free to read the spoiler.
Once a prosperous mining community, the iron lodes near Dustpawn played out early in Cheliax's rule over Isger. The town's inhabitants subsequently transitioned to the raising of goats, which remains their main source of revenue.
Many residents are wary of magic and religion due to the charlatan Pristis Derlancy, who posed as a priest of Abadar to extort the town's residents early in its history.
Dustpawn is actually NOT in Druma, though the mistake is fairly common. Druma once tried to claim the town in its mining days (though never actually tried to contest Cheliax for it) and still lists it on a few of their maps.
Dustpawn is a small town in eastern Isger, about 7 miles from the Conerica River and close to the border with Druma.
The town sits high in the Five Kings Mountains of Isger, close to the border with Druma and near the source of the Conerica River. The plentiful tunnels from the old iron mines now provide shelter for bootleggers, smugglers, and other outlaws, and occasionally goblin tribes and larger creatures.
Dustpawn's economy relies almost entirely on the domestication of goats, and supplies their meat, hides, butter, cheese, and even dung to nearby settlements in Isger and Druma.
Many of Dustpawn's goat farmers are Goaters—members of a cooperative business arrangement that handles the town's goat herding and selling. Their co-op operates from the Goatyards along Dustpawn's northern border, and many nearby residents complain about its stench.
You’ve heard rumors through some of your seedier contacts in the Pathfinder Society about clandestine activities in Dustpawn. The town serves as a smuggling nexus between Isger and Druma, led by smuggler and rabble-rouser Elladas Demos and fronted by her successful goat-hide leather shop, Demos Leather Goods. Bandits use nearby abandoned mines to store their illicit goods.
Kiku Caritas |
Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Knowledge (geography): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Diplomacy (gather information): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18
"I must admit that I do not know much of this area. In my travels in Isger, I had heard that the area is known for goat farming. They have a bunch of 'Goatyards,' they call them, to the north of the town that, um, smell a lot. Most of the people who farm are part of a co-op, and they're called Goaters. "
Kiku lightly bites her lip, shying away from the eyes of her friends.
"Those Isgeri had, um, some other rather mean names for the people there."
GM Hmm |
You had a Knowledge Local check of 24... Use it!
Kiku Caritas |
Oh, right! Editted!
It's finals week and I'm also sick on top of that, so I'm a bit foggy right now D:
Azara Emberkin |
3 people marked this as a favorite. |
* * * garrr - BOP - fizzle - POOF * * *
In a puff of smoke a regally-dressed female Ifrit appears just outside the doorway of the Whale's Belly. After patting herself down, seemingly to make sure she's entirely there, she briskly turns on her heels and strides confidently into the drinking hall. She wastes no time in locating the group and... after stopping to place an order for a bottle of wine... and haggling just a bit over the price... and then flirting with whoever it is that's serving it... she makes her way over to the table.
"Oh, my my, am I late? So sorry to hold everyone up."
After listening to the Venture Captain repeat herself, Azara nods...
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (9) + 19 = 28
...and wrinkles her nose.
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me?"
Grigorii |
2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33
Know(geography): 22 = 22
Know(history): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19
Know(local): 22 = 22
"Oh, the Goaters! No wonder I couldn't think of what they produce. They once were a prosperous mining community, but the iron lodes near Dustpawn played out early in Cheliax's rule over Isger. The town's inhabitants turned to the raising of goats, which is how they make their living still today. They used to have iron, but not anymore."
"The town sits high in the Five Kings Mountains of Isger, close to the border with Druma and near the source of the Conerica River. The plentiful tunnels from the old iron mines now provide shelter for bootleggers, smugglers, and other outlaws, and occasionally goblin tribes and larger creatures"
Grigorii leans in and adds quietly, "I’ve heard rumors through some of my... less reputable... contacts in the Pathfinder Society about clandestine activities in Dustpawn. The town serves as a smuggling nexus between Isger and Druma, led by smuggler and rabble-rouser Elladas Demos and fronted by her successful goat-hide leather shop, Demos Leather Goods. Bandits use nearby abandoned mines to store their illicit goods."
Shel Whispertongue PFS |
Diplomacy 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35
Know Local 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32
Know. Geography 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Shel nodded at Grigori's assessment. "We must know some of the same unsavory people. I've heard the same thing. We need to be on our toes once we get there. No telling what we might end up in the middle of."
GM Hmm |
You can declare any purchases you want to make later. I'm rolling us forward.
You teleport directly into Elidir, the capitol of Isger, right next to the Druma Road Gate. It’s in the Northeastern Part of the City, right next to the night market. A few people look up at you teleport in, and then you hear someone whisper, “Pathfinders. They’re actually being let in now.” After a lovely talk with a Cheliaxian customs agent who makes you sign entry forms in triplicate, you’re allowed to make your way to the gate with only a small coterie of guards watching your every move.
From there, you make your way swiftly overland to the hinterlands surrounding Dustpawn. The region surrounding Dustpawn consists of lightly forested hills to the west and the ragged foothills of the Five Kings Mountains to the east. You follow the Conerica River and its tributaries, and pass numerous roads that wind through the hills with weathered signs. One of the roads, literally called ‘Old Mine Road’ takes you most of the way to Dustpawn.
The region is wild, and you spot a number of wild animals and giant vermin on your route, but they scatter at the sight of such a large group. You make it to the hills outside of Dustpawn after four days travel. Looking down upon the town, you see what looks to be a fairly prosperous agricultural community. The town sprawls over several ridgelines that border the open fields to the north. South of the town, the landscape rises in ragged hills sporadically topped by copses of trees or thick patches of chaparral. And yes, there are goats everywhere.
So, where would you like to go first? Do you wish to go straight to the Mineshaft Inn, or look around the town a bit?
Shel Whispertongue PFS |
"I don't see any reason to dilly dally. I say we go straight for the Inn," Shel declares as she starts looking around for their destination.
Juniper Berrythwaite |
"Wow, that was fun!" the small halfling exclaims after teleporting. She is wearing mithral full-plate armor, but it is difficult to discern that fact due to the thick layers of dirt and soot covering it. Her face too, though quite pretty, is smudged with dark smears of chimney soot and ash. "I can see why you like to travel that way, Az," she addresses the baroness. "I hope we get to do more of that."
Upon hearing Shel's suggestion, Juniper bows with a smile, "Good idea, Baroness. Maybe that way?" she points helpfully.
Grigorii |
"I'd rather ask a local at the Inn about the place than wander around ourselves."
Shel Whispertongue PFS |
Shel nods at the agreement from the others and picks up the pace toward the inn. She decided it wasn't the time to be in the doldrums. She needed to get back to focusing on the job and that was exactly what she was going to do.
GM Hmm |
As Grigorii asks directions to the Mineshaft, several of the townsfolk he tries to approach cross to the other side of the street to avoid your party. Others, while not outwardly avoiding you, appear to be in a foul mood. A pair of young goat herders are shouting at each other and an uncooperative goat that has lain down in the middle of the street. A mother across the street is fuming at her sobbing toddler. “What are you fussing about! What’s your issue? You only think about yourself!” You’re not sure which one is having the worse tantrum.
A grocer snarls at Grigorii. “I’m running a business here. If you’re not here to buy, you’re wasting my time.” The purchase of a few carrots and some herb-wrapped goat cheese calms him somewhat, and he grudgingly apologizes before pointing all of you to the Mineshaft Inn. “Dalviss’s place is that way. Sorry, I’m a little short of sleep. Grumpier than usual.”
Location 1 on the Dustpawn Map.
At the Mineshaft Inn, Dalviss greets you warmly. He’s an older man, but he walks like a warrior, and he definitely is covered in the ‘dashing scars’ that Calisro told you about. “So, you’re the crack team Calisro sent to me? You folks made great time getting here! How about I show you the rooms I’ve set aside for you -- no charge -- and then we all sit down and discuss the mission while we eat something hot? Unfortunately, my cook’s not here, so you’re stuck with whatever Nalan and I can come up with.”
Nalan Hossler is a sturdy, sour-faced man who’s busy washing down tables when you arrive. He looks up, nods, and then goes back to work. Meanwhile, Dalviss shows you your rooms upstairs in the inn. “These ones,” he indicates four cozy single rooms with clean beds, inviting blankets, and an oil lantern in each, (A9 on Mineshaft map), “are good, basic rooms, but the doors don’t lock.” He takes you around the curve in the hallway. “I already rented the common room” (A10) “to four prospectors from Druma.” His mouth puckers as he mentions the prospectors. “However, since the conference for the goaters ended a few days ago, my deluxe rooms opened up.” He indicates three rooms with writing tables, lanterns, dressers, larger beds and doors that lock. (A11). “I figure that some of you can take the smaller rooms, but all of you can keep your things locked in the deluxe rooms. What do you think? Will these do?”
____
Feel free to claim your rooms by moving your token inside on the Mineshaft map on Slide 3, so I'll know who'll be staying where.
Azara Emberkin |
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After a lovely talk with a Chelaxian customs agent who makes you sign entry forms in triplicate
"It's Viridium." ... "Vee, Eye, Are, Eye, Dee, Eye, You, Emm." ... "Absolutely! Handle it as much as you want!"
Looking down upon the town, you see what looks to be a fairly prosperous agricultural community.
"Oh, thank Asmodeus! I ran out of wine days ago. I wonder how their wine tasting tours rank?"
So, where would you like to go first?
"After this long outdoors I am in desperate need of a hot bath. And a massage."
As Grigorii asks directions to the Mineshaft, several of the townsfolk he tries to approach cross to the other side of the street to avoid your party.
Azara slowly hides her Wayfinder as she comments, "I suppose no place is too far from the Society's reaches..."
He indicates three rooms with writing tables, lanterns, dressers, larger beds and doors that lock. (A11)
A11 in the corner! Less noise that way ^_^
Shel Whispertongue PFS |
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Seeing Grigori and Azara had claimed two of the fancy rooms, Shel takes the last one. "I'll probably be up planning. I need the writing table for preparations," she nods as she takes the key from Dalviss.
"The rest of you, I think we can meet up in Grigori's room and use it for our gatherings, as I'm sure there will be plenty," She says without looking at the half Orc, recalling their bumpy relationship during their last mission, with a smirk.
Grigorii |
2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Shaking his head at the behavior of the townspeople, "I don't usually inspire such anger until I start singing my songs."
Grigorii examines one of the deluxe rooms Dalviss indicated, "Excellent, a writing desk! I shall take the room next to Azara. I have been composing a rousing new ballad and shall spend some of my time here to work on it."
Loudly. =D
He grins at Shel's suggestion. "I will be happy to host our meetings. I doubt we'd have room to think, much less speak, among the Baronesses' belongings"
Kiku Caritas |
Kiku remained quiet and respectful to Dalviss and Hossler as the party entered, not feeling the need to interject.
After getting upstairs, Kiku stays back to let others grab any of the bigger rooms if they want them. She then sets her bags down at the door of the smaller room closest to her companions' rooms.
"I will be happy to take one of the smaller rooms. I prefer to not unpack much while I am traveling."
She rests a hand on the wall and gazes at it as though she was looking at dozens of other inn walls all-at-once.
"Getting too settled makes me feel sadder to leave."
She turns to the rest of the party, a sad and polite smile on her face.
"Don't worry about us being crowded! Yojimbo returns to my consciousness when I am sleeping, so he does not take up extra space."
Harsk Hammerfist dwarf |
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Harsk grabs his backbpack and heads towards the rooms.
He points to the room off to the right.
"This one is fine! I snore bad anyways. Come on furball!"
GM Hmm |
Now that you’ve all settled in to your rooms, Dalviss joins you for lunch at the long table along the eastern side of the main room. He looks a little worn and tired as he gently strokes the dark wood of the table, and gives a rueful laugh. “You know, I traveled hundreds of miles to settle away from the sea, but then selected wood furniture that reminds me of every day of the decks of the Grinning Pixie.” He raises his shaggy eyebrows, and takes a glass of beer from the pitcher on the table. “Don’t mention that to Calisro, eh? She’ll read way too much into that, and I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“So let’s get to why I called you out.” He’s not bothering to lower his voice, no one’s in the tavern with you other than Nalan, despite it being lunch time.
“Thank you again for agreeing to help me. Fortunately, it seems no one else has located the fallen star yet, but not for lack of trying. The situation has changed somewhat, however. We’ve had several unfortunate events since the night of the meteor. At first it was just livestock going missing, but since then tempers have been rising and violence escalating among the townsfolk.”
“Some of those who’ve gone searching for the impact site have disappeared, including one of my own employees, a woman named Leeara.” Nalan comes out with lunch, and to take drink orders. The lunch is completely uninspired, which may explain the lack of noon time patrons. The vegetables are overcooked, the meat bland and the breads are slightly scorched on the crust. As he tastes a limp green bean, Dalviss wrinkles his nose. “Leeara’s our cook, and a damned good one. Usually, our food’s worth the trip.”
Then he gestures back to the stairs. “And then there are my guests in the common room... four strangers who came to town claiming to be Drumish prospectors, but who I suspect are looking for the fallen star as well. I’m starting to think the thing that crashed that night in the southern hills brought something to Dustpawn. Something bad!”
Shel Whispertongue PFS |
Shel nibbled at the crust of her burned bread, not interested in trying be miserable looking plate otherwise. "Have you heard any rumors about exactly where the meteor landed exactly? If we could pinpoint that, we could try and figure what's going on with the townsfolk."
GM Hmm |
“The object, whatever it was, crashed several miles to the south of town.” Dalviss points to a stairway leading up. “On clear nights, I’m usually up on the roof with my Glasstronomy, my telescope. That’s one of the things I like about Dustpawn. We’re up in the mountains, nothing to obstruct the view. So I watched when the ‘star’ fell, and I think that it’s no meteor. Meteors don't slow down as they fall, nor does their trajectory curve during descent.” He looks at the group, waiting to see your reactions. “I think it was piloted.”
Azara Emberkin |
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Azara looks uncomfortable at the prospect of only being able to eat poorly cooked food for the next several days...
"Well, clearly we should look for this... What was her name? Deeana? Meaning, some rock falling from the sky is interesting an... Everything... But the life of a... She was human? But life of a human is definitely more important! We should seek her out promptly!"
Bluff to seem sincere: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Grigorii |
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"What do you mean, piloted? Like a ship steering away from a rocky coast?"
Grigorii procures a few pungent peppers from his pack. He tucks one especially large specimen between a hunk of meat and slice of bread before taking a large bite.
"Hrumph frum?" he asks, offering the spicy fruit to the table.
GM Hmm |
Dalviss’ face widens in a genuine smile.
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
“I would love for you to look into Leeara! Yes, she’s human -- small girl, somewhat pretty, very bright, with long dark hair. She’s a bit of a minx. I caught her running a confidence scheme in my tavern a few years back, and she reminded me so much of Calisro -- the same inventiveness, and cheeky quality -- that I gave her a chance to do something better with her life.” He raises a glass, as if toasting his companions around the table. “The same kind of chance the Society gave me when I was a young buck, and into all kinds of trouble.”
He looks appealingly at Azara. “Lee turned her life around. Not only was she a great cook, but her background made her good at security. She spotted shady characters operating in the tavern, kept me up to date on stuff happening around town... The local rumor mill would have you believe that she ran off in search of real adventure, but just about all her stuff is still here, in her room. Would you leave all your things if you’d run away?”
He looks at the peppers that Gregorii is offering around. “Hey, can I have one of those?” He shoves it into a makeshift sandwich with the meat and the bread and takes a bite. Then he raises his eyebrows. “Thash bedder!” After he finishes chewing, he returns to Grigorii’s question. “Yes, exactly that. Just like a ship being steered.”
Kiku Caritas |
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Kiku listens attentively to Dalviss's explanation of the situation. She sips on some tea and takes some occasional mousy bites of food, but an observer could easily forget she was taking a meal.
"Oh, dear. We should make sure that we leave as soon as possible to find Leeara before something happens to her. I shall make sure to say prayers to Chadali, the Serendipitous Path, for her to have good luck in returning safely."
Kiku takes a sip of her tea, her eyes gazing off as she begins to think of the implications of Dalviss's story.
"A piloted falling star? This sounds like powerful magic, perhaps even from the Dark Tapestry."
She looks to each of her fellow Pathfinders.
"Have any of you heard of any similar happenings?"
Shel Whispertongue PFS |
"Could we search her room? That might yield some clues as to her plans. It might give us a decent starting spot," Shel suggests as she takes a sniff of one of Grigori's peppers.
GM Hmm |
Having now finished his uninspired meal, Dalviss nods and pushes his chair from the table. “I could unlock her room for you. Maybe you can gain some insights by looking in there that I missed.”
Leeara’s room is a small and cozy chamber on the 1st floor. [A3] The sheets on the bed are rumpled, and an open book lies face down draped over the edge of a chair. A cursory glance reveals that her clothes are all neatly packed in her dresser drawers still, and there’s about 100 gold worth of simple but attractive jewelry in the jewelry box on the dresser. You also find a mirror, makeup, herbs hanging from a drying rack in the ceiling, a metal box filled with little tiffins of aromatic spices, and a bunch of cute little carved wood frog statues on a shelf near her bed. The walls are decorated with paper drawings, sketched in charcoal showing scenes of nature -- a river, a swamp, some lily pads with frogs on them, as well as bits of forest.
___
That’s the cursory glance. Let me know what items you want to look at more closely.
GM Hmm |
The jewelry all appears to be handmade, made from semi-precious stones, pretty river rocks and a few pieces of amber with fossilized bugs inside. It's attractive, but not cosmopolitan. Some of the beads have frogs carved into them.
Shel Whispertongue PFS |
Shel notes the frog motif and looks at the wooden frogs and the frog sketch.
Perception 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17
GM Hmm |
After looking at the sketch, Shel turns and notices that the book lying facedown on the chair not only has some hand drawn frogs on the cover, but also the word "Journal" on it.
Shel Whispertongue PFS |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Hey, her journal! This might be exactly what we are looking for. The girl certainly loves frogs though," Shel mutters as she starts tearing through the pages of the journal, hoping to find a clue as to her whereabouts.
GM Hmm |
Leeara's journal is part herbary, part recipe book, part naturalist notes on the local flora and fauna, along with a few small cryptic notes jotted on the Mayor Enmet Kurigoss, the Goater Co-Op, Demos Leather, and other interesting local data. There are detailed sketches of mushrooms, herbs, fiddle ferns, and various wild animals (including frogs, but other creatures too) throughout.
Shel, being both a halfling and someone who has learned some basic cooking off of survival, notices that the journal contains many of the recipes that Leeara has perfected, and all look quite delicious. Certainly much better than the poor fare you've eaten here so far.
Leeara relies on fresh, local ingredients—at points her disdain for imported ingredients comes across as something approaching a personal crusade. Near the back of the book, she keeps a master list of where in the region various plants, spices, and other ingredients can be harvested, and nearly 75% of these ingredients come from Old Frog Swamp near the source of the Grackle River. It's apparent that Leeara spends a lot of time there, and there are several mentions of a hideaway where she sometimes she stays overnight in the swamp, camping in a small cave at the end of a footpath.
There are also:
Harsk Hammerfist dwarf |
Harsk peers over Shel's shoulder and scans the journal.
Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (7) + 14 = 21
"Look's like she spent a lot of time in a cave in the swamp. Maybe we should check there?"
Shel Whispertongue PFS |
Perception 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17
"Old Frog Swamp and the cave there certainly seem like a good starting spot. She got most of her ingredients from that area, like Harsk said."
Grigorii |
"We can pick up fresh herbs for Dalviss and have a look around. I trust you'll know where to look for these ingredients, Harsk."
Harsk Hammerfist dwarf |
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Harsk turns to Grigorri and nods. "Yeah I shouldn't have a problem finding the stuff needed." and hearing Azara's comment adds. "I'll take a cave over a boat ANYDAY!"
GM Hmm |
It does not take Harsk long to figure out from the journal that the entrance to Leeara’s cave must be somewhere along the Grackle river, south of town.
Harsk's Survival, Take Ten: 10 + 16 = 26*
He expertly leads the way, following the river a ways before you find the disused road that skirts the edge of the Old Frog Swamp. The narrow path winds along a low ridge that snakes its way through the boggy landscape all the way to the banks of the Grackle. A loamy smell assaults the senses, while the ever-present croaking of frogs permeates the air, giving the impression that they converse with visitors to this area.
A relatively dry track winds up to the southern bank of the Grackle River, bordered on either side by tangles of marshy undergrowth. Across the river, a thirty-foot-high ridge rises up into densely forested mountains, but directly across the river, a dark cave entrance beckons.
You’re some distance away, but can now see Leeara’s hideaway from the link in my header. How do you approach?
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*Harsk cannot possibly fail the Survival check given in the module. He’s clearly superb at wilderness tracking.