The story starts in Magnimar, and your are summoned to the Varisian wilderness, in the secluded cabin of Kalkamedes to receive your orders from Sheila Heidmarch
Turning from the sight, she runs her hand along the rustic cabin's wall and stands beside an occupied wooden bed before addressing you.
"This," the venture captain says, gesturing to the man thrashing around violently, straining against the bonds that lash him securely to the bed, "is our colleague, Kalkamedes.
Every night for several weeks now, he has fallen into a deep slumber and tried to sleepwalk right out of his cottage. If not restrained, he marches straight north, eventually falling off a cliff or into a bog as if trying to get himself killed in an attempt to reach an unknown goal."
As though he were expressing disagreement, the man tied to the bed suddenly begins pumping his limbs even harder, the violent spasms threatening to smash the bed into splinters.
"There are those who have recently criticized the Pathfinders for our indifference to the plight of our fellow field agents. It's time to show that's not true. I want you to help Kalkamedes, whether he wants it or not. Several of our best spellcasters have attempted an extensive list of magical cures, but whatever sleepwalking curse or effect he's under tenaciously resists our efforts. All we can do is keep him safe."
Heidmarch pats him with a degree of professional affection, and Kalkamedes rewards her by trying to swat her with his head.
"Kalkamedes's friends are at their wits' end, so we are going to attempt the only thing that we have not tried: we're going to let him go tonight. That's where you come in. I want you to follow him and keep him safe and in one piece. Let him get to wherever his addled brain thinks he needs to go so badly. Maybe, just maybe, if he gets there, you can find a way to help him. Maybe you can determine who or what did this to him and find a way to undoit." Heidmarch pulls out a serrated knife.
"Now before I cut him free, does anyone have any questions or last minute preparations?"
Kalkamedes is a veteran Pathfinder, though his fame does not extend beyond southern Varisia. Although he is now semi-retired and only forwards the occasional report
to the Decemvirate these days, his colleagues continue torespect him for his many prior accomplishments.
Late in his career, Kalkamedes developed an interest in lore of the ancient runelords and the rare heroes who dared to oppose the runelords' tyranny. He relocated from
Absalom to Varisia for the chance to further his study.
Early in his adventuring career, Kalkamedes swore the oaths to become a paladin and served as a staunch defender of the meek; however, years later he abruptly left his holy order. Few truly understood his decision.
Kalkamedes was sometimes seen carrying a broken sword. Few but his closest friends know that it is actually a sentient blade, and it and Kalkamedes were inseparable.
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Chandu leans against the wall of the cabin, her spear held in the crook of her arm. Yes, before you cut him free I have some questions, she murmers. Kalkamedes worked on the magic of the runelords, do you think this might be involved here? What cures have been tried already, do we know anything about the nature of the affliction?
She pushes herself away from the wall and kneels down next to him, muttering a spell.
Do you have any idea where he is likely to go? Has he acquired any strange new artefacts recently or made any notes in his journals?
She casts her magically enhanced sight around the room, checking for anything of interest.
Looking at the rest of the group she says, Perhaps we should restrain him in case he goes running off into danger, sleep walking is bad enough at the best of times and tramping through the wilderness while asleep is perhaps the worst of times...
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"Kalkamedes, hmm, I've read some articles he wrote for the Chronicles about the Runelords and ancient Thassilon. Hadn't heard of him for years, and I thought he retired? Well, I guess he did, didn't he. Hmph. May the Gods protect him on this nighttime journey."
Akhenethys also scans the house with detect magic.
As they make their preparations, he gets a wand out of his effects. "Would any of you gentlepeople be able to use curing magic? I would like to provide you with this wand to use on me when I need it."
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A well dressed human with an asmodean symbol around his neck stands in the room. He bows accordingly to each of his fellow Society members already in the room and says with a melodius voice.
Greetings, I'm Titus Tiberius please to meet you all. I'm of course able to use cure magic and will happy to do it for your Akhenethys.
Then, he adresses Lady Heidmarch. What do we know about the land ? What can we expect to meet what natural dangers ?
Shaila replies to Titus questions.
"Unfortunately no, I am no ranger and this area is more or less unknown to me. I know of no unnatural dangers, but the flora and fauna can be daunting for sure, make no mistake. And who knows what kind of danger has ventured in this lands. Unfortunately that is why I have little that would be any use, but I believe Kalkamedes would forgive your making use of anything in his cabin."
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A wild looking gnome with crazy green hair festooned with all manner of feral totems of bone, shells, plants, beaten copper and animal parts steps forward with a rope. We have to be prepared for the possibility that our fellow agent might not wish our help. She ties said rope securely around Kalkamedes waist. The other end she fastens more loosely to the collar of a good sized cat that seems to put up with the humiliation. Asking for advise as she is securing the rope she asks What do you think? 20 feet enough?
After the rope is secure she studies the thrashing man for a while, trying is if she understands what is wrong.
Chandu uncovers several items of note. The wardrobe in Kalkamedes's bedchamber contains his outdoor clothing (an explorer's outfit) and a pair of strong boots. A drawer in the end table next to Kalkamedes's
bed contains a series of unfinished charts mapping the Fenwall Mountains. As she searches the stove, he finds the remains of a crumpled and burned charcoal sketch.
She als finds a hidden lever in the back oft he stove that releases the catch to a hidden compartment concealed in the floor under a stack of water barrels. Within is a locked metal chest. This chest is locked.
The 20 indeed manages to open the box.
Inside are some bracers, a mud-splattered cloak, an
elixir, a dried gourd containing a potion; and an irregularly-shaped mithral flask with jigsaw-like edges containing another potion.
The razor-sharp flask doubles as a caltrop or an improvised dagger. Also secreted away inside the chest is a strangly broken mithral longsword.
You identify bracers of armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, an elixir of swimming , potion of cure light wounds; a potion of hide from undead.
The razor-sharp flask doubles as a caltrop or an improvised dagger.
The sword is a broken +1 allying mithral longsword called Gamin the misforged.
As there are no more questions, Sheila Heidmarch will cut the bonds.
Immediately after Sheila Heidmarch finishes cutting his bonds, Kalkamedes totters out the door of his cabin and begins stumbling northward.
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If no-one else wants it Chandu will pick up the sword and strap it to her belt. She makes sure to stay next to Kalkamedes as he heads off. She also makes sure to put some shoes on him as well as helping him into the armour.
Looking outside she frowns, we don't know how long this will take, how many of us can see in the dark, who has a light source? With a tap she will activate the wayfinder which hangs from her belt.
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"I can cast Mage Armor on him from my wand, though it will need to be renewed on the hour."
-Posted with Wayfinder
As Chandu picks up the sword you can hear a voice.
""What do you think you are doing. I belong to Kalkamedes! Not in the soft hands of some fluteholder. And is that a hint of lavendel? Come on, you are not creaming your hands."
The voice is clearly to be heard. It seems to come from Chandu.
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Chandu stops and looks at the weapon. Oh, you can talk can you. That's new. Well, Kalkamedes isn't able to do very much at the moment and we ae here to help him so you had best be willing to put up with us. Otherwise, you will probably end up back in the rusty old box, forgotten and ignored...Is that what you would prefer? she asks, flipping open the lid of the lockbox and gesturing towards it.
The sword replies."That´s insulting!"
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Chandu gives the sword a waggle in the air, Do you want to go back into the box, do you? We are trying to help Kalkamedes, if you do belong to him then I assume you would want to help him too. Look at him..., she points the sword at the bed, he cannot do anything for himself, he is beset by nightmares and we are trying to help him. Are you going to help us do that or not?
The sword seems to agree."Good point!"
Sheila then sees that the group is ready and cuts the ropes.
"Follow him. I have no clue. I am a sword!"
Immediately after Sheila Heidmarch finishes cutting his bonds, Kalkamedes totters out the door of his cabin and begins stumbling northward. The night sky is clear with a waning quarter crescent moon that provides dim
light, but the minimal illumination is of no help to the sleepwalking
Pathfinder, whose staggering gait propels him blindly forward with closed eyes. You have been walking for maybe half an hour when suddenly Kalkamedes slips.
He sprains his ancle