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1) I am based in Southeast Asia (UTC +8) so my posting hours may be unusual (especially for those in North America). I usually update at least one or twice per day. Just to keep the game moving, please post at least once every day and at least once during the weekend.
2) Please label all three of your actions. Even if you think what you are doing is obvious.
3) If I am unavailable for longer than 24 hours, I will let you know in the Discussion Tab. Out of respect for your fellow players and myself, I ask that you do the same. Real life happens, and real life will always take priority over the game, but out of fairness for your fellow players, please let us know if you will be unavailable for an extended period of time.
4) Please note that on the following days, my posting can get unpredictable:
Tuesday/Thursdays - all day, as they are the 2 busiest days of my work week
4) Please complete the Macros and the Slides linked at the top of the page.
5) Questions, concerns? Feel free to share them in the Discussion tab.
6) Let's have some fun and tell a great story together! After all, that's what we are here for.
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The elven priestess enters into the room. Her hair is red as fire and her eyes are green as the spring grass. She is dressed in robes which are black and yellow in the stylized fashion of a wasp. The wasp seems to be a rune of somesort. On one hip she carries a a rolled up scorpion whip. Around her neck is the symbol of Calistria and on her shoulders a white cloak, with a volmnuious hood, made in an elven fashion and elven designs In her hand she carries a magical staff. She wears boots of soft leather in an elven design, which seem to match her cloak.
I am Atae of emissary from Kyonin and a devotee of the Savored Sting she says to the party.
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A goblin, in a draconic jump-suit approaches.
Savored sting? Is that because you sting somebody else? he asks very naively.
Hey! I'm Arfsnarf! Fortune-teller extraordinaire! My clacky rock can tell us what may become of this mission. So far it has never let me down!
He retrieves a multi-faceted, round'ish object roughly the size of his fist and lets it roll onto the ground and into the midst of the forming team. It lands on one of the flat sides, such that one face shows clearly at the top to present a number.
Uh oh...
He quickly retrieves it and stows it away before others can ask about what the result foretells.
Clacky rock needs a little stay in "time out." It be taunting Arfsnarf lately.
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You have been invited to stay overnight in the comfortable Harakan House on the grounds of Heidmarch Manor. After Ebrylis helps settle you at the cottage, Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch sends you a note inviting you to a mission briefing over breakfast coffee and rolls in the lounge of her private residence at Heidmarch Manor.
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A dwarf walks into the manner. While his hammer is in his belt, he proudly wears a shield on his arm. As he goes through the manner he can be heard talking.. although to who... is unclear.
"See Myrsa, this is more like it. No dingy sewers. No devils and their double edged words. Not even frozen mountains. Just a finely crafted manor house and good comp.."
His eyes land on Arfsnaft and clacky rock. "I may have spoken too soon."
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Atae! How nice to see you again!" comes the high-pitched greeting from the doorway. Zipping into the room is a young, pretty sprite with glowing wings. She flits closer to Atae, looking up at the other woman with a smile on her face - until she catches a glimpse of Arfsnarf's outfit.
"Oh my gods - don't you just look perfect as a little dragon!" Forgetting the cleric entirely, she glides over to the goblin to check out his jump-suit.
"Hi - I'm Raindrop."
Completely separate from the sprite's antics, a brutish, wolf-like animal pads into the room. He sniffs once, taking in everyone's scent, and tilts his head slightly in recognition of a previous acquaintance.
Not one for greetings and the like, he ambles over to a couch, hops up at one end and curls himself up for a nap.
Eventually, Raindrop will unconsciously make her way over to the same spot and end up carrying on any conversation while sitting comfortably on his powerful shoulder.
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Rejuvenated after their time at the house, Avery and her owl companion respond to the venture captain's summons, making their way to the designated meeting place, Heidmarch Manor.
"Hello, everyone," Avery announces, drawing their attention. "I'm Avery, and this is my loyal companion, Sophia." The owl responds with a dignified hoot.
She takes her seat and begins eating breakfast that is offered to them.
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"If you’ve all finished breakfast, we can get back to business." Sheila Heidmarch snaps her fingers as a few servants run in to clean up the remains of the coffee and rolls that were served in the study of Heidmarch Manor. Sheila Heidmarch straightens her velvet robes as she stands by the fireplace. "I need you to escort an item back to the Grand Lodge. While cataloging some items from an old vault, a group of novice Pathfinders recently discovered a unique wayfinder, which we’re calling the wayfinder of the open road. Instead of pointing north, it points to the nearest entrance or exit to the Maze of the Open Road."
Sheila pauses to pull a small globe from the mantle of the fireplace and spin it. "The Society has been working on building alliances and new chapters of the Lantern Lodge in different locations throughout Tian Xia. In the past year, we were made aware of an ancient underworld dragon in that region. Valashinaz is a repository of ancient knowledge and her vaults hold an unrivaled collection of survival and adventuring gear. She’s shown herself to be open to trades of magical items and scientific innovations, and her influence could open doors for us all over the continent."
Sheila puts the globe back down, frowning. "However, it is customary to open negotiations with a gift, and Valashinaz has a weakness for novel items. We were stymied trying to find a gift she didn’t already have. With its unique ability, the wayfinder of the open road is exactly what we need to pique Valashinaz’s interests. Your task is simple: deliver this wayfinder to the Grand Lodge, where Ambrus Valsin will assemble a diplomatic delegation. It’ll be a short trip through the Maze of the Open Road. Just follow the needle to find the portal to enter the maze, then take these directions to the Grand Lodge." Sheila slides a map across the table. "I wouldn’t normally send such experienced agents on a delivery errand, but things have been quiet around here lately, and I suspect Ambrus will have something else for you to take care of."
"Questions?"
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until she catches a glimpse of Arfsnarf's outfit.
"Oh my gods - don't you just look perfect as a little dragon!" Forgetting the cleric entirely, she glides over to the goblin to check out his jump-suit.
"Hi - I'm Raindrop."
Hellooo. Arfsnarf here. I get my spells from dragon line of blood, so basically am dragon! He beams proudly.
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Arfsnarf really appreciated the free coffee and he audibly slurps down four cups of it with no additives (sugar, etc.). He tries hard to sit still in his seat as Sheila begins the true briefing, but he is visibly vibrating.
Uhhhhhh ugh ugh ugh. Dragon bloodline became coffee bloodline. Maybe new spells? he mutters to himself.
While listening intently he forcefully holds one hand down with the other, but it doesn't really work.
So, deliver wayfinder. Use maze to get there. Then we don't get to go meet dragon?!? He is incredulously at this snubbing.
Still, he continues and axe a real question.
Okay, won't random dangers appear in maze? Maybe we not experienced enough for max danger! Dragons in maze? Demon? Great old ones?
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Raindrop puzzles for a moment to herself about the item from the lodge, that needs to be returned to the lodge.
"I take it the wayfinder was used by someone else to get here... who didn't need to use it to get back? Oo, or were you studying it yourself? That would make sense. If so, learn anything fun?"
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"Well, we are planning to give this Wayfinder to Valashinaz, as sort of gesture of an honorary membership. It's also a bit of a curiosity as this points to the nearest portal of the Maze of the Open Road. I suppose you'd like to see the Wayfinder of the Open Road? Step this way please."
Sheila invites you to her office upstairs so they can view the wayfinder of the open road for yourselves. The top of the tower serves not just as Sheila’s home office, but also doubles as the manor’s tearoom. Here, Sheila can serve her guests a variety of coffees, teas, and cordials, and the glass windows offer a 360-degree view of the estate. As Sheila reaches her folding secretarial desk, she pauses. "Wait! It was just here." Her normal air of calm control completely gone, she falls to her knees and immediately searches the area around the desk.
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"What does yer rock say about our trip?"
Arfsnarf simply shakes his head and pats his belt pouch, where clacky rock remains in time-out.
His expression sinks at the discovery of thief tracks out of the window.
Oh no... it be hard to track them in the rain. We better get on the trail fast before they disappear forever!
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Before you can investigate much further, the floor to Sheila’s office shakes and teapots rattle on the shelves as the sounds of an explosion reverberate elsewhere on the grounds. Multiple voices shout, "Fire! The alchemy lab’s on fire!"
Rushing out, you see flames coming off the ground floor of a nearby building, Eurythnia House, as acrid smoke billows out the windows. A dozen other Pathfinders have started to form a bucket brigade leading from the pond and there are other efforts underway to calm the flames.
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"We should help them out so the fire won't spread to other areas." Avery calls for help and joins the others in bringing buckets of water to quench the fire, pouring and splashing them on the base of the flames.
"Aim at that part if you want to easily quench the fire!" she exclaims at the others that are already in the bucket brigade, pointing out weak spots to extinguish the flames.
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Khaul charges in with a huge bucket of water and douses the flames. Arfsnarf uses his fascination with fire to start several firebreaks which eventually starve out the remaining flames. Through your efforts, the fire is soon extinguished, much to the cheers of the bucket brigade.
Examining the wreckage, you find, to your relief that several locked fire-resistant cupboards and their alchemical contents are still intact and the residence in the upper half of Eurythnia House remains livable.
Wumbrout Brios, the custodian, approaches you and says, "You did good saving Eurythnia House. You saved not only the lab, but the guest apartments upstairs. Only right you get some of the goods you helped preserve." He provides each of you with 2 lesser elixirs of life and a moderate eagle-eye elixir.
Soon after these events, Heidmarch Manor’s other venture-captain, Sir Canayven Heidmarch approaches you with a look of consternation. Dressed practically in sturdy leather pants and a chainmail shirt, Canayven hastily scrawls something in his notebook, then rips the page out and hands it to you. He says tersely, "Find those thieving arsonists."
Pathfinders,
Signs point to this theft being partly an inside job. As the most recent visitors to Heidmarch Manor, you’re the least likely to have been personally involved in this case. I would like you to conduct a thorough investigation. Here are some avenues where you can start:
• Investigate the two potential crime scenes: Sheila’s office and the Alchemy Lab at Eurythnia House.
• Interview the eyewitnesses to the fire.
• Ask around the lodge and find out if there are witnesses that have not come forward yet, and what they know.
• If you need to investigate any personal residences on the grounds of Heidmarch Manor, consider this your warrant. At the same time, don’t abuse this power. Wait until you have at least some evidence before invading the privacy of our visitors, guests, staff and students.
Do inform me of any of your findings,
Sir Canayven Heidmarch
Venture Captains The two venture-captains of this lodge are a pair of married aristocrats who pay the lodge’s expenses with their own funds.
* Sir Canayven Heidmarch (male human Taldan manager). Sir Canayven handles the logistics and supplies of the lodge, making sure that Pathfinders stay well-supplied.
* Sheila Heidmarch (female human Taldan diplomat). The outgoing and fashionable face of Heidmarch manor, Sheila gives nearly all mission briefings.
Heidmarch Manor Staff
*Ebrylis (male half-elf guard). A stalwart and reliable long-term employee of Heidmarch Manor, Ebrylis is often the first face that greets guests and Pathfinders alike.
*Ekkie (female goblin scout). A former thief that once stole from the Pathfinder Society, Ekkie now teaches classes on traps and dungeon exploration.
*Helvi Durner (female human Varisian cook). Deaf from birth, Helvi is known around the lodge for her boisterous laugh as much as for her flaky breakfast rolls.
*Wumbrout Brios (male dwarf custodian). More than just a custodian, Wumbrout oversees the day-to-day operations of the Meeting House, including its rigorous class and training schedule.
Pathfinder Novices
*Ingrit (non-binary human Ulfen wizard). Ingrit hails from Kalsgard in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings. They came here looking for better magical libraries than could be found at home.
*Tagheema (female human Keleshite fighter). The athletic Tagheema is from Solku in Katapesh and is known for her abilities on horseback. When not training, she frequently volunteers time grooming the horses in Heidmarch Manor’s stable.
*Tiki Stitchfeather (female goblin alchemist). Tiki hails from the Crookedtoe tribe, a tribe that once lived in the southern Fangwood forest but was displaced by the Whispering Tyrant. Quiet and shy, she’s an avid naturalist and alchemy student
You're also given a pearly white spindle aeon stone and a Greater Everyneed Pack to aid with the investigation.
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With the others dealing with the flames, the investigator begins searching for clues.
Seeing the rune, he examines it... Looks like someone tampered with the wards in this room.
And he definitely went out that window.
Agile, atheletic, and some magical ability. Was this the work of one person, he wonders.
With the clues found so far and the list of suspects. Rysk begins to organize his thoughts.
If nothing else, Ekkie and Ingrit might be interested in this rune.
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Raindrop looked out the window at the fire and sighed in dismay - toting water and fighting blazes is not something for someone of her size, after all.
After the group returns, she joins Rysk in checking over the office. Her eidolon pads around, sniffing at things as well.
Perception
Perception
Perception
Her attempts to aid the ysoki are fruitless. All of the good clues are gone!
But the eidolon leads her to the window and leans his massive form out, sniffing pointedly at the spot where the thief must have jumped to the tree.
"Okay, that's something! Agile and athletic, indeed."
Crossing her arms in thought, she follows the others as they head off to interrogate people.
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Acrid smoke hangs in the air and broken glass crunches underfoot. The still smoking exploded corpse of a hefty bird lies in the middle of the lab, and burned feathers are scattered everywhere. Although many of the stone pieces of alchemy equipment came through the fire intact, the same cannot be said for the lab’s bookshelves. The charred books crumble when touched.
You discover fibers from the fuse and determine that the bird was dead before the explosion. This is enough to surmise that the explosives were stuffed into the corpse and lit with a very long fuse, but not why.
DC 16 Nature:
Rysk and Raindrop both take the time to examine Sheila's office. They find a tampered rune and a scrap of cloth. Raindrop realizes that the Office is in good hands and heads off to interview the staff.
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"Well, nothin' outta the ordnary. But ya know, Ingrit and Tagheema seem distracted lately. Tiki is hardworkin' though I often catch her sneakin' into the lab after hours. They're all good kids though. Ingrit is a gifted wizard who helped with a recent project for the Heidmarchs and Tagheema has excelled in combat and working with the manor’s horses."
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Avery finds that acrid smoke hangs in the air and broken glass crunches underfoot. She also finds a still-smoking exploded corpse of a hefty bird lying in the middle of the lab, and burned feathers are scattered everywhere. Although many of the stone pieces of alchemy equipment came through the fire intact, the same cannot be said for the lab’s bookshelves, she surmises. The charred books crumble when touched. She also discovers fibers from the fuse and determines that the bird was dead before the explosion. This is enough to surmise that the explosives were stuffed into the corpse and lit with a very long fuse, but not why.
Avery can't know more about the scene she just investigated. "Does anyone recognize these feathers?" she points out the corpse of the bird in the middle of the lab.