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Visual Reference for Azura
She was an something of an assault on the senses, albeit a pleasant one. Her hair and dress was a palette of pastels, as if she wished to carry springtime with her always. She had long, diaphanous locks of bright blue that swam around her slender form and eyes like limpid pools. Her hair was plaited with ribbon and beads of many colors as well as tiny silver bells that tinkled softly as she moved. Her gait flowed with the grace of a dancer, the hem of her skirts and sleeves fluttering showily in her wake.
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she was bedecked in artistic jewelry that accented her tan skin and swayed with the conservative motion of her body. a elaborate white silken robe hung snugly across her body that hid little but left the observers wanting more. alluring brown eyes that seemed to shimmer with the woman's jewelry seemed to regard everything not just at the physical value but the incorporeal as well scans around , waiting, judging, criticizing. Long, rich, well combed and groomed hair cascades down her body further enhancing the tanned woman's well endowed frame leaving onlookers and to an extent even herself speechless . Timidly clinching a elaborate jeweled glaive at her side she timidly walks forwards thinking on the tenants of her deity Shelyn goddess of love and beauty .
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Korvin is a tall, hulking Ulfen, with the typical pale coloring of his race. However, there just seems to be something slightly... off about him in some way. Maybe it's the five mattocks strapped to his body in various locations. Maybe it's the vest full of little pointy things he wears. Maybe it's just the look in his eye. Or maybe there's something more...
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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coughing at the fumes conjured from the run down inn Liara makes her way to the grand master visibly exited by the ideal that she would finally become confirmed and be a pathfinder.
"hello Janira my name I Liara" she says joyfully as she holds out her hand for the Halfling to shake "it is a pleasure to meet you and may the great Shelyn watch over us on this endeavor" a bright smile flashing across her face.
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Azura called her thanks to the retreating elven Master and joined Liara in greeting their guide. She smiled widely and bent low in a graceful dancers bow before Janira, her sky-colored gossamer locks floating lightly as she moved as if stirred by a breeze unique to herself. She pressed her hands palm to palm and lifted them to her lips and then her brow and then spread them in a welcoming gesture, oddly enough a gesture usually made by one halfling to another. She spoke to her in fluent Halfling speech, though with a strong Varisian accent.
"Se mwen menm se konsa plezi rankontre ou. Li asanseur kè m 'konnen ou pral gide nou. Mwen priye chans lan nan pèp ou a an favè nou jan nou fè fas a konfimasyon nou an."
"I am so pleased to meet you! It lifts my heart to know you will guide us. I pray the luck of your people favors us today as we face our confirmation."
"Liara, it is good to see one another again, yes? You are looking..." she paused a moment, carefully choosing her words and obviously dismissing several options before settling on "... well."
Her thoughts stretched on, filling in the mental blank with some of the more catty remarks she had passed over, 'nearly naked... like you are displaying goods for sale... like a walking advertisement for a pleasure house...' But she had to admit to herself that Liara seemed to have changed much for the better since she had seen her last. In truth, she found it hard to remember what about the woman had rankled her so. "Clearly the love of the goddess of beauty suits you."
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"T- thank you Azura you too seem to have a she pauses thinking on how not to anger the woman ".. pleasant glow about you" The woman manages to stutter thru her smile trying to hide her fear of the blood thirsty bard why.. why did it have to be her she thinks pulling her glaive closer to her body tears forming in her eyes only faith in the goddess is going to keep me alive with hertrying to stop herself from crying she remembers how Azura tortured the elven prisoners, forced two friends to kill one another and belittle her the whole time for no reason.
Liara starts to sob openly at her old companions introduction.
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Azura blinked rapidly in shocked surprise as Liara dissolved into tears and weeping. "By the stars, girl! Calm yourself, you are to be a Pathfinder, no?" She seemed confused, pondering for a moment.
'Ah yes, it comes back to me now. Such a lovely thing, but how does she stand so straight without a backbone to hold her upright? I suppose the glaive helps.' Azura sighed and pushed away the derisive thought. Bickering was no way to begin her Confirmation. She remembered something else about the cleric and scanned the room for a male of some variety. Her eyes landed on the great Ulfen man and she considered a moment, 'Well, I've no idea if he is her type, but he's certainly large enough to hide behind.'
She breezed to Korvin's side, and smiled up at him. "Hello, my name is Azura and my sensitive friend here is Liara. She would feel much better if you would stand between us, I'm sure." She took his arm and guided the hulking man into position and then beamed at Liara, certain she had soothed the poor dear. "There now! All better, yes? You really have nothing to fear from me. A woman has to show herself hard on a ship full of smugglers and assassins." She gave Liara a teasing, but friendly wink and then turned her attention back to the mission, trying to remember something about where they were to travel.
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To add the already striking females present another beauty enters the room.. Tall, thin, with silver hair she has a certain otherworldly grace about her as she enters the room.. Azura notices her as a fellow angel touched.. She has a sexy saunter about as she moves and takes her seat..
"This is the pathfinder meeting yes? Sorry im late but i had a few other things i had to attend to first.. Im Elise, Handmaiden of Calistra.."
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Korvin took a seat backwards on a chair soon after entering, so as to get his head further from the ceiling. Even seated, he towers over their halfling guide once she is introduced. "Greetings yourself, Janira. How big are these caves? Unless you were standing on your own shoulders, I don't know if I can fit where you went. And you would have had feet in your face." He nods to himself, as if that meant something.
He doesn't initially make any comments aloud to his fellow initiates, but he does wonder in his own mind about Azura's "glow" when she's clearly not on fire. He is willing to be pulled out of his chair by the beautiful woman, although he hunches a bit. "I'm Korvin." he says as he moves.
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relived that the hulking brute known as Korvin has placed himself between Azura and herself Liara wipes away a few of her tears before whispering to Korvin
looking at the new arrival Liara holds out her hand "it is a pleasure to meet you Elise I am Liara one of Shelyn's faithful" she says relived that it is not another blood thirst killers like Azura
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Elise licks her lips as she notices to 2 striking beauties in the room.. "Hmm.. I bet they would be fun.. Perhaps a little whipping will be in order after all this.." She then notices the hulking Ulfen.. "Oh my, perhaps I should join in and let him have the whip.." She gives them all a devilish smiles.. "Well hello their Liara.. How lovely to meet such a pretty thing.. The pleasure is all mine.."
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"Oh I'll do more than credit you.." She smiles back at the young cleric.. "Boy Korvin, it looks like you might have your hands full with all these pretty ladies around.. I heard you northern boys have plenty of stamina though so perhaps its right up your ally.." She giggles a bit as she looks at the other girls..
During Earthfall, the Starstone struck Golarion and destroyed the human empires of Thassilon and Azlant. It is said that gillmen’s ancestors survived the cataclysmic event because they received the blessing of an aquatic entity that allowed them to breath underwater.
Most scholars believe the terrifying aboleths were responsible for the gillmen’s transformation. Any alliance between them appears to have fallen apart over the millennia, however, and the gillmen are now an independent people.
In your travels you've learned that at the center of the Isle of Kortos stand the Kortos Mounts, the points on the island. Entire tribes of centaurs, harpies, and minotaurs constantly vie for territory up and around the Mounts, with harpies being the most common at higher altitudes and centaurs controlling the lower slopes and foothills.
"Mae'n bleser i gwrdd â chi hefyd," Janira responds to Azura with a smile. "Ac yr wyf yn rhannu eich gweddi."
Janira pulls out a large leather-bound journal and opens it on the table. “Glad to see that some of you already know each other. The most important factors that determine whether an expedition will be a success are cooperation and preparation! So, allow me to introduce myself, and then let's go over the plan!
"My name is Janira Gavix. I'm the oldest of seven and the only one to have come of age so far. I grew up in Eastgate where my father is a porter. Originally, I joined the Pathfinders for the opportunity to see the world (and sample it's fine foods), but I quickly fell in love with the pursuit and preservation of knowledge."
She surveys you all with a warm smile before continuing with the briefing.
“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 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.
"Any questions?"
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I have always enjoyed the moon light it always seemed Liara thinks assuming a day dreaming like state imagining her dancing in the woods with the local fauna running around unabated before having her delightful bubble popped by the indication of the wilderness and its local inhabitants.
"by local inhabitants you mean cute little bunnies and birdies yes?" she meekly asks almost regretting the question immediately as it leaves her soft lips
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Korvin looks around at the three attractive women (and the halfling) who will be accompanying him on this mission, two of which are hiding from each other on either side of him, then tilts his head to the side. "This ought to be interesting," he says with a tilted smile.
To the halfling's information he replies (with a more normal head orientation), "The tide is especially high when the moon is full. Maybe it just brings more water in for them? They do use gills, after all."
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Azura's eyes brighten, both figuratively and literally as the silver haired aasimar entered the room. Her deep, serene tidal-blue irises shifted to an intense cyan, reflecting her heightened mood. It was an echo of her Bralani father's blood that her eyes shifted through a myriad of tones of blue to match her temperament. It was rare that she met another with celestial blood, though it seemed the Society attracted them to it's ranks. She watched her closely, open curiosity warring with reserved suspicion for command of her expression.
"Well met, Elise. My name is Azura, though I am often called by my halfling given stage-name, bluedove." She winked at Janira, knowing that as the eldest of so many small ones, she carried the hopes and pride of her young siblings. She smiled, remembering her own adopted halfling family wistfully.
As they spoke of the Kortos region and the inhabitants, her eyes darkened to a stormy grey-blue as she answered Liara.
"Oh there will birds and bunnies aplenty, I am sure. Not to mention centaurs, harpies, and minotaurs." She turned to their halfling guide, earnest concern etched on her face. "Did you see any of the like on your last visit there? Is there anything you can suggest we bring along to deal with such creatures if we must? What about the Gillmen? Did they seem as if they would meet trespassers with force?"
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A tien man rushes into the room flustered.
Ten Thousand apologies fellow Pathfinders! This humble one is called Taro. I had the wrong room and look what this confusion has done.
He bows a few times.
I think I caught some of the words as they floated outside the door... sadly I have no knowledge of Kortos and its creatures other than the basics covered as part of Pathfinder training.
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Elise wears no badge of faction..
"Well met Bluedove.. I like that.. I shall make a note to come and watch you perform once this mess is all over.. In my home country the Opara is a greatly popular, so i shall forward to seeing you perform.." "Perhaps in more ways than one" She smiles, her head cocked a bit to the side, taking in Azura's form..
With the last of their party arriving she settles down to hear the plan..
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Azura beamed at being called by what she felt in her heart was her true name, the stormy greyness of her eyes fading away to a sparkling crystal blue. She knew no greater joy than performing before a captivated and appreciative audience and mistook the hungry look in the silvery vixen's eyes for one of artistic admiration.
"I would be delighted, Elise!" she nearly sang with enthusiasm, indulging in an ostentatious bow and swished her Varisian dancing skirts with a flourish. Clearly she found her fellow aasimar quite charming.
She was pleased to see someone had managed to soothe the delicate Liara, and smiled her thanks to the man, Taro. She felt very optimistic about their task despite the daunting prospect of frightening monsters.
“The areas farther up the Mounts are controlled by minotaurs, and the icy peaks are home to tribes of harpies. They’re always vying for territory, but with any luck, we should be able to avoid them and reach the caves without conflict,” Janira tells you. “Also, there’s always the chance we may run into bandits along the way, and there are dozens of kinds of predators in that forest. That’s why we should always be as prepared as possible.
"So, does everyone have everything they believe they will need for our little spelunking expedition?" she asks pulling out spare paper and writing supplies and passing them out to those of you who do not already have them. "If so, we can head out. And remember our duties as pathfinders: explore, report, and cooperate."
Your first day of travel passes without incident. Along the way, Janira points out landmarks and comments on distinct flora and fauna. As you make camp to rest for tomorrow's adventure, she asks each of you why you decided to join the Pathfinder Society.
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plopping down as soon as they make camp obviously exhausted from the journey (which she spent avoiding Azura and trying to convince the rest of the party and even Janira to carry her items) places her hand on her chin and tries to look intelligent as she thinks as to why she joined the society for a few minutes before snapping her fingers "well I joined" she stops to giggle before continuing "to find the meaning of true love!" she finishes glowing a bright red as if she has just told the group a deep secret
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Azura enjoyed the hike and spent the day chatting with Janira and whomever else was nearby listening. "Does your family live in Absalom, Janira? I must confess I have been homesick for my own as of late. Last I heard, they were travelling near Augustana. Tell me, have you heard of a troupe of halfling performers and acrobats called 'The Flying Suncatchers'? They are the family of my heart, having raised me since I was a toddler. Sometimes I miss them so badly I think I smell my heart-mother's lamb and ginger stew everywhere I go." She smiled, remembering their happy, shining faces all framed in the family's trademark golden curls.
She tried to resist the urge, but she found herself repeatedly drifting toward Liara, seemingly by happenstance, only to turn to Janira or Elise and offer a bemused shrug or roll of her eyes as the tender creature startled upon noticing her so close and moved swiftly away.
Azura grew solemn when asked why she joined the Pathfinder Society. The truth was her birth-mother, Zephyra, had perished in a terrible battle against slavers looking to add talented performers to their auction block. She had bought their safe retreat by summoning her Bralani lover, Elzaphan, to help her defend their escape. Her halfling parents had told her the story of how the beautiful Varisian princess had fought valiantly beside her noble Azata warrior as the Suncatchers did as they were bid and spirited their blue-haired babe to safety. Zephyra succumbed to her wounds and fell on the field. From the cover of the trees, they all watched as Elzaphan lifted her prone form in his arms. With a roar of grief, he transformed into a mighty whirlwind and chased the frightened slavers in the opposite direction. It was the last anyone had seen of them both. But this was not the tale she wanted to tell on this eve of their Confirmation, so she chose instead to speak of hope instead.
"Oh there are many reasons, to be sure! I wish to travel and see the world, furthering the spirit of freedom. But the knowledge and lore of the Society is matched by none... I hope to learn how to contact my father if he still lives. My mother did not live long enough to teach me her secret."
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"I'm just here for the adventure of it all," the northman contributes.
To the chilly Liara, he offers an an appraising look and a chuckle. "If you think this is bad, never visit the northern kingdoms. This would be a gentle summer breeze, there. Still, you are welcome to whatever portions of my blanket you need to warm yourself."
"Yes, they do. I am fortunate that I am able to see my family quite frequently. And I believe I have heard of The Flying Suncatchers though I have unfortunately not had the opportunity to see them perform," Janira tells Bluedove with a friendly smile.
"Alright, everyone. Get some rest. Hopefully tomorrow will also go without incident, but we would be foolish to embark unprepared," she says as she notices Liara dozing off.
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The next morning Janira does her best to leave their campsite as they found it before they leave for the cave. 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. 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 Janira pauses to check her wayfinder, you hear a tree fall nearby. Orienting yourselves toward the disturbance, you see many smaller animals scurry past, startled by the noise. Not too far behind them, a hungry swarm of snakes pursues the smörgåsbord, but turns its attention to you as it notices your body heat isn't fleeing.
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letting out a gasp as all the cute furry critters of the forest are devoured by the ravenous reptiles Liara backs away from the swarm trying to distance herself from the hive mind shoving her way past Azura as she does so maybe I will get lucky and they will eat her and not me she thinks as she runs from the swarm of snakes.