GM V |
Just a refresh/background knowledge. In the previous adventure, the PCs performed tasks for the samsaran Venture-Captain Bakten that required them to maintain a link to Bakten via a magical candle. After the PCs completed the tasks, the candle’s flame winked out, indicating that Bakten’s life had ended. Mysteriously, the candle’s flame reignited shortly thereafter.
Since the death of Venture-Captain Bakten Shengrah, New Oppara has been in mourning. The heavens echo the city’s grief, bestowing shrouds of inky storm clouds on the city, rolling down from the Zi Ha Mountains to the north. On orders from the Lantern Lodge, all local Pathfinders have cloistered themselves within the samsaran guru’s sanctuary, combing his libraries for clues that might explain the strange resuscitation of Bakten’s candle of conveyance, for none of the sages of Amanandar can explain how the candle still burns when Bakten’s soul has departed.
As the black clouds hurl blizzards from above, an unlikely source of aid appears at the sanctuary’s gates: an elderly elven noblewoman stumbles in, frostbitten and half-delirious. “I came to atone,” she cries, “Bakten was once Malash—a hero. But what was Malash next? That evil woman! I loathed her so. I thought she stole my love’s heart, and blamed her next life, Bakten, too! But if he knew nothing of his own veiled life?” Her ancient hands clutch a weather-beaten scroll case, as if it were a lifeline. “Tell me he is not dead, please!” She begs, “If Bakten is fallen, I fear the shrouded one may rise and doom us all!”
Those that played part 1 recognize Lady Ishigo Shiori
Xan-Tei Shun |
Xan-Tei, very rarely a man of words, reaches out to help the woman and see that she get medical attention. He then looks to the others with a puzzled look, as if he doesn't quite understand what is going on.
What is this scroll she clutches onto?
Pip the fated |
The young woman that the others have gotten to know as Pip, Varisian at first glance, looks up from her reading. A second glance would quickly reveal orcish blood in her ancestry, as evidenced by her flat nose, squat ears and wide shoulders. She has her black hair cut short, and wears an orange shirt above her practical trousers. Crude tattoos, as worn by members of Magnimar's underworld gangs, mark her hands and arms, even showing in her neck above the collar of her shirt. On her chest she has a single tattoo of a very different design: a single perfectly symmetrical water lily. Holy symbol of Chadali, Empyreal Lord of fate, safety and serendipity.
The young woman has put her adventuring gear in a corner of the room: a bow and several other weapons, a wooden buckler and a well-filled backpack, along with a quiver of arrows and a bandoleer containing all kinds of different vials. She has an entire stacks of books and scrolls that she's working through, but she puts them aside as she recognizes the woman just entering.
"Lady Ishigo Shiori," she exclaims as she rushes over to the woman, performing a poor approximation of the greeting she's seen the people of Tian-Xia make. "It is good to see you again. There are so many things unresolved from when we past saw each other. I can't imagine what you must feel, knowing about Bakten what you know now." She tries to collect her thoughts for a moment. "I do not believe that he is really dead. But we're just not sure. Could it be that he was reborn again, as Samsarans do? That the knowledge he gained in the last moment prevent him from reaching True Peace, and dying for real? We're still working that out, but it seems you have more pressing matters. What did you say about a Shrouded One? Is it connected to what you have in that scroll case?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
grimdog73's pregen character |
Kyra rushes over to tend to Lady Shiori's frostbite. After making sure she is out of immediate danger, she sits down with her.
know. religion: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
The shrouded one? I am not sure if I have heard of such a being. Could you explain a little further for us, please? If you are able, that is...
GM V |
"I hope he was otherwise we are surely doomed." She says in despair.
What do you mean by “veiled life” and “shrouded one”?
“Jujanil, the evil creature who stole my love’s heart. I was certain that she was one of Bakten’s past lives, a being of the same soul, but now I am not so sure. I made a terrible mistake, and now we may be doomed.”
When you point out the scroll case she gives it to you. Inside is a note.
My Precious Ryuu,
Construction of the Black Grave Tower nears completion. Just as you have promised me a throne from which to while away the centuries, so has the Lord of Envy promised life and might eternal, once my other soul’s cycle has concluded. Two lifetimes is hardly an eternity. Let the storms rage across Tian Xia, to herald an eon of night.
Your Love and Sovereign,
Jujanil
Pip the fated |
"The Lord of Envy?" Pip repeats as she tries to recollect whether she's ever heard that title before.
Knowledge Planes: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21
Knowledge (any other): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Seeing the stress that events have had on Lady Ishigo, Pip tries to comfort her. "My Lady, you can rest assured that, whatever is at hand here, we are surely far from doomed. Providence or chance always presents opportunities, to right what us wrong, and to alert any disaster. Fate will provide what we need."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12
She reads over the scrolls, several times and then speaks to the Elven Lady again. "I'm not sure I understand... Do you know when this note was written? How did you come by it? I thought that earlier we established that Malash was reborn as this dark-haired woman, and you saw her with Ryuu. Is that right? Now you're saying there was a dark-haired woman - this Jujanil, but maybe she was not Bakten? If she wasn't him, then who was he at that time, after Malash died? I'm having a hard time piecing things together. Here," she says, pointing at the scroll, "Jujanil talks about my other soul, and his cycle. That refers to Bakten, does it not? Jujanil knew there would only be two cycles left, before Bakten supposedly died for good?"
Sorry for the long post. Just digging up what I still remember from part 1, and trying to get the background story sorted out.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Baki al'Kut |
"Then we will simply need to go and ascertain the condition of Bakten--or Malash--for ourselves. Perhaps he is not only still out there, but also somewhere we can find him," Baki says simply, feeding the fire of hope that the woman held. He was not entirely sure who she was, or what the others had done in her presence, but if the others trusted her, he would put his there as well.
"What can you tell us of this... Jujanil? Who is she, and what has she to do with your lover? Could she have compelled him into some sort of service? If so, fell magics are afoot, and we should go swiftly to ensure that they do not run their course, whatever her plan," he adds darkly, hefting his pack and patting his animal companion fondly.
GM V |
You know the lord of envy Fumeiyoshi, Lord of Envy, is one of the 20
prominent deities of Tian Xia. He was once known as the God of Night. However, he grew jealous of his brother Tsukiyo’s love for the goddess Shizuru. This envy led him to fratricide, and he became the patron of dishonor, envy, graves, and undead.
Fumeiyoshi often manifests to his worshipers as a nearly skeletal crimson humanoid with three eyes, jagged tusks, and twisted claws. His unholy symbol is a red demonic face, and his sacred animal is a wolf, sometimes shown devouring a freshly killed hare, the sacred animal of his brother Tsukiyo. His favored weapon is the naginata.
That is know religion if anyone else wants to try also give me a know history or geo
"I have had that for many years, since that horrible woman stole my loves mind. It is what drove my misguided revenge. I believe it dies and if he were truly gone we would be doomed." She says.
Pip the fated |
Pip grows eager as she realizes they have at least a clue. "Wow, Fumeiyoshi... I read that he's a real piece of work. If you thought Malash had convinced Ryuu to go down that path, I can understand you want your revenge." As she realizes what she just said, Pip turns crimson and mutters an apology.
"Anyway, I don't know Baktan well, but it would strike me as highly unlikely that he would proclaim himself for a deity like Fumeiyoshi like that, Veiled Life or not." She looks doubtful at Baki's suggestion. "Would we even know where he'd be reborn? Couldn't that be anywhere, presumably? Maybe it'd be better to look into this Black Grave Tower. According to this note, it was completed, years ago. Did it survive?"
I rolled on my other knowledges earlier. (As a bard, I have all of them, most at the same bonus.) If my result of 19 is not enough, I'll cast Gallant Inspiration for an extra: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4.
-Posted with Wayfinder
GM V |
The first one was for religion and you called out planes so I used the other roll for the religion. So feel free to roll again.
Kira also knows;
Envious of the living, Fumeiyoshi grants eternal unlife to his most devoted servants.
Fumeiyoshi loathes samsarans, as their souls evade his clutches through reincarnation. An undead samsaran would be a favored follower of the dark god.
"Not Malash, he was a hero, Jujanil is the one. One who was but was not Bakten. Samsarens could be born anywhere. That I don't know." She says.
I guess she just got the scroll
“After you Pathfinders visited Jinin, I realized if Bakten himself recalled nothing of the shrouded one, then perhaps she was a separate soul entirely. I sent one of my daughters to ransack Ryuu’s chambers. I had to know what creature had ensnared him centuries ago. She brought me this scroll.”
Pip the fated |
Ah, that makes sense.
Knowledge history: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Knowledge geography: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
"I'm still not sure what the connection is. It seems quite unlikely that Jujanil showed up, another Samsaran, just after the death of Malash..."
-Posted with Wayfinder
GM V |
You know.
The Black Grave Tower is a secluded pagoda of black basalt high atop the Wild Peaks of Zi Ha. Locals shun the tower, believing it to be haunted.
When the pagoda was built, a pilgrimage of crimson-clad priests traveled the lone mountain pass to christen the tower in the name of the Lord of Envy, the god Fumeiyoshi.
Pip the fated |
"That sounds ominous, but seems like out best clue. Lady Shiori, is there anything we should know about these Wild Peaks of Zi Ha? Can we travel there without problem?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
GM V |
"They are cold with howling winds. That's about all I know." She says.
For those of you who played part 1 and got the Blessings of Malikeen boon, you wont have to worry about the severe cold or altitude. If you don't have it you will be making 2 fort saves every hour. Also Creatures move at half speed and take a –4 penalty on Dexterity checks and Dexterity based skill checks as well as vision-based Perception checks. If you have the boon you don't need to worry about the perception penalty and can see normal but the dex penalty still applies. Any other questions?
Pip the fated |
Pip likewise counts herself lucky, with the blessing she received.
Would others have to rely on Endure elements?
-Posted with Wayfinder
Saren il'Lareth |
"If that is where we must go, then that is where we will go," Saren says thoughtfully, pondering where he might procure warm winter clothes at this time, and if air crystals might do in the thin air of the mountains. He slowly patted the large snake at his side once, then a second time, wondering if he could somehow finagle something warm for her as well.
Regardless, an hour or two outfitting themselves wouldn't jeopardize the mission... probably. "It would probably be best not to tarry," he says, before adding, "but there might be a thing or two we may wish to buy before leaving." Like a few scrolls of Endure Elements, he mused to himself, looking at the others for confirmation.
Pip the fated |
Pip tries to get to know her new companions a bit better during the trip to the mountain. "So, Xan-Tei. You're from around here, aren't you? What made you decide to join the Pathfinder Society? How does it feel to be back here?" She regards the elven lady with the silver hair with quite a bit of awe. "Sifvery, you probably get this question all the time, but is it hard being a paladin? Having to follow the doctrines of your deity so strictly?" She's not quite sure yet what to make of the others, but makes it clear that she's always open for conversation.
At the sign, Pip inspects it for a while. "Hmm, that's interesting..."
Linguistics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
"No idea what it means though. Anyone have any idea? Otherwise I have a scroll that will help. This ridge seems a bit dangerous." Pip looks around for the path, trying to see where they are supposed to go, and whether the path there would be safe.
Xan-Tei Shun |
The dwarf looks at Pip and simply shrugs. You notice that he doesn't really speak much, if at all. He does answer one question, however. The Pathfinders said they would have me when I had no where else to go.
GM V |
Sorry about not posting this weekend. I had an opportunity to go out of town and had no internet access.
A sudden drop signals the end of one range and the beginning of another. Far below, the cracking squawk of shifting ice answers the thunder in the sky above. A rope bridge extends across the gap, flapping like a flag in the relentless winds. The far end is shrouded in spirals of snow.
Give me a survival check. Map to come. Saren I will need 2 fort saves from you for altitude.
Pip the fated |
What happened to the signpost in Aklo? Did any of the others know whether to read it? Should I spend my Scroll of Comprehend languages on it?
Survival: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (10) - 1 = 9
"Yikes. This is going to prove to be some serious hiking. Anyone familiar in this kind of terrain?"
Pip takes the wand from Xan-Tei and start to wave the wand at him, this way and that, while trying a variety of command words.
Use Magic Device: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24
-Posted with Wayfinder