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"I always lead from the front, and I would be happy to take point on our excursion." Dissa states not with arrogance, but a sense of protection and compassion. He continues at the mention of alchemists fire, "Alas, I haven't brought much money and my equipment seems to be noticeably poor. Maybe Tsukiyo will bless me with more equipment tomorrow."
Dissa leans toward Bozmir in a hushed tone, "You may still be a little frazzled from your late arrival. Master Shaine have us three tasks for our mission:
1) Explore and document the Caves
2) Learn what the Gillmen are doing
3) Come back alive
"I'm very confident in our abilities to accomplish this task. I feel as though we did well when it happened." He stops, reflects, and then re-engages the conversation.
Janira claps her hands and exclaims, "Excellent! I'm glad some of you paid attention during your lessons."
You all head out, purchasing the items along the way. It is late morning and everyone sets out in good spirits.
The first phase of their Confirmation takes you across the Cairnlands, along a well-worn path that leads toward Diobel, through the wilderness surrounding the Kortos Mounts, and culminates at the cave entrance noted in Janira’s Confirmation report. The long trek across the Cairnlands provides a great opportunity to discuss Master Shane’s class on the history of Absalom. Most of the journey is uneventful, but Janira might point out landmarks such as siege towers, distant mountains, or distinct flora and fauna along the journey. No encounters occur during the first day of travel, and you have an opportunity to rest and prepare new spells before entering dangerous territory.
As the party 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.
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Bozmir prefers the first rank, next to Janira, looking out for threats
During the small talk on the way, he mentions what he remembered, "I was talking with one of the society's sociology professors. He mentioned something about the Gillmen being more closely related to our Azlanti ancestors than humans are. It's just that they were blessed with gills and survived Earthfall underwater.
"So I was wondering if anyone actually took the classes on ancient Thassilonian or Azlanti language?"
"Did you change your name?" Bozmir asks about the lettering on Janira's Wayfinder.
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"When are we!" At dawn, Dissa jolts awake genuinely confused. He asks again, "What year is it?" He asks a few more specific questions to help ascertain the purpose of our expedition.
Dissa spends several minutes with each member of the party, attempting to assist them in preparation for travel. When ready to break camp Dissa will march at the front of the troupe, encouraging his compatriots en route to the caves. Once on the trail Dissa states matter-of-factly, "I can cover the front and left of our party." He casually carries his fauchard, alternating hands periodically.
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Dulomak and Janira identifies the enemy as spider swarms.
"These are spider swarms. Be careful," Janira says as she pulls an alchemist fire from her hip and readies to toss it at the swarm. "There are too many for normal weapons so use anything that deals elemental damage to an area. They are immune to mind-affecting magic and might poison you with their bites."
The spider swarms move towards the group, triggering Bozmir and Janira's readied actions.
Bozmir's throw was errant but lands squarely on the swarm anyway.
The two flasks hit the swarm hard but not enough to dissipate it.
Swarm 1 moves into Barid's square dealing 1 hp of damage.
Swarm 2's limit of movement cannot reach the party yet.
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"Does anyone have a torch? Light it with this!" Bozmir produces a Tindertwig from his pack. "I also have lamp oil left."
He begins a battle ballad in Ulfen, hoping the others don't understand the desperation expressed in its lyrics, "Don't die/Don't die/My brave compatriots./ We will/We will/be the victor today."
Perhaps his actions betray his feelings instead, as he takes another step back. (I hope that square wasn't difficult terrain, otherwise pop me east one square)
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Jeza hits Swarm 2, which takes 9 points of acid damage and dissipates.
Janira pulls another alchemist fire out and tosses it at the first swarm before 5' stepping northeast.
The throw misses but was able to splash Swarm 1 for 1 point of damage, dissipating the swarm.
Combat over.
Janira checks everyone and casts a spell on Borid healing points of damage.
"Congratulations on surviving your first battle!" she exclaims excitedly. "However, we best hurry along. I fear if we don't reach the caves by tonight, the gillmen might leave."
As you continue your travels, the trails are blocked by fallen objects, overgrown, and other potential delays.
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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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Barid's complexion turns particularly sallow and he hustles into the caves after his companions. "I hope Janira will be ok. Let's try to get this done as quickly as possible and see if she's safe ASAP."
Barid peeks over Jeza's shoulder, "What's in the bag? She wouldn't have given us a bag of useless junk."
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Dissa gladly leads into the caverns, "I can't see in the dark anymore, so I would gladly take a light source. Thank you, Jeza, for the offer." He hands him the Jade crescent moon necklace as a target for the light spell, allowing the moon to illuminate his path.
The Tian warrior lowers the blade of his Fauchard, sweeping away cobwebs and moss as he presses into the caves. "Follow me, there seems to be nothing to fear. I am sure we will see Janira again, unless things go poorly for her this time."
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As you run into the cave, you all see the minotaur chasing after Janira through the trees, fighting its way through the dense undergrowth. Soon the cacophony of the chase fades and the sounds of the forest slowly return to normal.
In Janira's backpack, you find: potion of barkskin, potions of cure light wounds (2), potion of feather step, potion of vanish, scroll of entangle, scroll of gust of wind, scroll of identify, scroll of mage armor (CL 6), scroll of obscuring mist, wand of burning hands (CL 3rd, 4 charges), wand of cure light wounds (CL 3rd, 8 charges), acid, alchemist’s fire, holy water, smokestick, tanglefoot bag, and thunderstone.
This cave system stretches deep below the foothills of the Kortos Mounts, though most of it is accessible only through a narrow keyhole tunnel. All of the tunnels in this area are between 3 and 10 feet wide and vary equally in height, though most are a comfortable 7 or more feet wide in each dimension.
The caves are damp while water dripping from stalactites and the distant rushing of underground streams creates an eerie backdrop. The caves’ walls are patterned with blue-green luminescent fungi that provide dim light.
Petroglyphs—most depicting marine animals or spiral shapes—periodically decorate the tunnels’ walls, becoming increasingly frequent as you explore deeper into the mountain. The rough surface of the carvings provides a natural platform for the fungi, causing it to grow thicker and making the carvings glow slightly brighter than their surroundings.
The narrow tunnel twists and turns for several hundred feet before slowly opening to a wider passage. A large hole spans the cave’s width and stretches ten feet down to water. Floating in the water is a small bundle of cloth. The tunnel here is 10 feet wide and 10 feet tall with a ceiling mostly devoid of stalactites.
If you examine the pit, give me a Knowledge (Dungeoneering) or Survival check.
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Bozmir casts his own Light spell on a dagger, carrying it in his off hand, his nodachi acting as a cane in the other. It sparks and clinks softly with each strike against the cave floor.
When faced with the hole, Bozmir re-casts light on a loose stone and drops it in, to determine its depth. He casts Detect Magic down there, just in case the bundle contains something.
He draws a length of rope, tying it around his waist and offering the other end to anyone willing.
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"I know a way across the pit, but it involves a running start and the haft of my Fauchard. I'm open to other suggestions, but perhaps we can learn a little more from the cloth floating below." Dissa smirks as he describes his pole-arm pole-vault.
Assuming none of the casters want to use magic to retrieve the forgotten cloth, Dissa will use his rope, fauchard, and piton to recover the cloth.
Clambering back to his feet, he grunts "There we go. A wet rag for our perusal. I'll help steady a rope on the far side to help recover any who miss the jump. Wish me well!" He secures the end of Bozmir's rope to his waist.
He backs up a dozen paces, examines the floor for a good spot to brace the haft of his fauchard, and attempts his pole-vault leap across the gap.
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Bozmir, the sack in the pit glows as magic. On turn 2, you get a faint abjuration aura.
After a few tries, Dissa was able to use his fauchard/rope/piton contraption to fish out the cloth. Then, being only a 10' pit, Dissa easily hops over it and you feel like the weapon did not help you much.
Those who succeeded in Survival or Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks: