In the lounge outside his office sit five individuals from all walks of life. Joined by an oath to the Pathfinders they await the details of their next mission. Shortly after the last has arrived the Venture Captain's door opens and the stern man enters the room.
"I am Venture-Captain Norden Balentiir, some of you I have worked with before. Others I have called because you were nearby and unassigned. We can save the small talk for later, there are three Pathfinders lost in the desert and I want you to find them. If possible, finish their mission of searching that tomb.
Theo Aldebrant, you're an ugly som'b%%$&, but you can talk a lion out of his mane. Qalas, you're along for arcane support and that monster of yours might come in handy if things get rough. "Basilisk" Jack, they might need your keen eyes in the desert. Aeron Vilman, you'll help the crawdad with wetworks. Leamur, you're a highly-trusted member, keep the group from cutting each others throats.
Your target set out eight days ago and until yesterday had kept in touch via magic. The last message I received they reported entering the tomb. Now maybe the tomb has some sort of protections on it to prevent communication, but I wouldn't be a Venture-Captain if I bet on maybes," He pulls out several pieces of paper from a pouch. "These are requisition slips, take them down to the stable where five horses and three mules are waiting with two-weeks worth supplies. Each horse will have a scroll tube in the saddle-bags showing the route to the tomb, located southwest in the Parched Dunes. Any questions?"
The ugliest of the bunch looks up from his frothy mug of ale and inquires "If I figure it right, it's a week there, a week back. Will two weeks rations be enough, in case of complications? This concerns me, especially in deserts as treacherous as these..."
He eyes his pack, filled, as usual, with several weeks of emergency rations on top of standard requisitions
"N-Nevermind. We should be covered. Parched Dunes, they're called, though..."
He gulps down the remaining ale.
"Well I sure don't want to die of thirst."
Norden shakes his head,"You'll be fine. If there are any complications Aeron and Jack are skilled outdoorsmen and should be able to provide."
"Is that so?" Theo eyes the scruffy-looking man fiddling with the scythe. "You're Aeron, then, yes? What do you know about the deserts we're to be travelling through? Its hazards, geographical features...monsters?"
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Qalaus does not wish to interrupt, nor to barrage captain Ballantiir with a volley of unrelated questions. When opportunity presents itself, he will chime in: "Thanks, o venture Captain, for this opportunity to earn the esteem of our Society. I have but two questions, if you would honor them with replies.
"First, what do you know of the three agents you sent originally? Perhaps, if we knew their strengths, we could better prepare ourselves for what dangers they were unprepared to face.
"Second, what do we know of this tomb? How old is it supposed to be? Who or what should we expect to find within?"
Not minding the interruption at all he answers, “It was a small group of just three experienced explorers. Led by Jilarni Golgarna, a veteran from Galt, the group also included Jojack Harnast, a dwarven trap expert, and Gilleon Samsil, a human sorcerer of some skill. This wasn't their first treasure hunt, Jilarni once slew a manticore raiding a caravan she was guarding,” the Captain seems to reminisce about this Jilarni fondly, worry lining his face "The tomb is called the Hall of Seven Scepters and it is supposedly the final resting place of a powerful merchant prince. We've been contacted by the Ruby Prince himself to investigate it. I don't know much more about the tomb myself, you'd have to ask a historian or story teller."
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"I could of sworn I read something about the Hall of Seven Scepters in my Pathfinder Chronicle, let me see if I can find it!" With a look of excitement Learnur draws forth a dusty tome from his haversack. Immediately he begins pouring over pages of script searching for the correct passage that contained the necessary historical knowledge.
Wearing a wide brimmed hat slung over his back and tan linens common to Andorean's serving in hot climates, Jack sits smiling taking in how everyone has begun to interact with each other. "Worry not, Theo. If there are less than friendly creatures lurking along our path we are well equipped to handle it.", Jack finishes this sentence with a pat to the long, cloth case sitting across his lap. "I know a little about the things that live in this area and a bit more on how to survive out here. So if things get a little...hairy, we will be just fine."
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"You say, o captain, that the first team took eight days to travel to this Hall? If your concerns prove to be well-grounded, we can't afford eight days to follow in their path. Even if they were simply robbed and left alive, they'll be dead afore we arrive."
Qalaus looks around to the rest of his newfound companions.
"Have any of us a good idea for getting there before nightfall?"
Theo grunts, and after nursing the water now in his tankard, says, quietly "I'm not what you'd call...worried, Jack, but I likely wouldn't be alive if I didnt 'overprepare' for potentially hazardous journeys. The key to victory is to know the enemy."
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Qalaus nods to Aeron. "Indeed. Let us see what can be found in Sothis."
"Another question, if we have not yet exhausted your patience, noble captain. You say that the Ruby Prince himself wishes the Society to investigate these ancient halls. Does His Highness have some instructions for us? Are we to retrieve something particular for him, or may we gather all the valuables from the tomb without let or hindrance?"
Norden shakes his head, "Already thought of it. We have a wand of mount available in the armory, but I've run the numbers. It would be of little use on your journey. With a group this size you would need six of 'em, and that would be just enough to get you there and back as fast flesh and blood horses."
"The prince just wanted the tomb inspected and any information or relics returned. Standard dig, bring the goods back and let the scribes sort out the details."
"Sir, how many horses might you be able to outfit us with? We could ride one and have another running unburdened beside. By switching between them we could double our distance. I could even ride with one of you as my weight would be of little burden.", Jack says to the Venture-Captain.
"We usually have an agreement with a camel dealer for our mounts. Slow but sturdy animals. This morning I had the steward go out and acquire the fastest animals available. Three horses, two desert ponys, and three mules for your gear. You should be able to make much better time than them. If you think it would be wise to purchase more horses and ride them into the ground with little sleep for yourselves before facing one of the most expensive, possibly well-trapped tombs found this decade. You're braver than I."
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Qalaus greets the grooms, and looks over the map they provide. "If this is accurate, we have some days of travel ahead of us. Let us make certain we have provisions necessary.I propose we leave Sothis two hours before sunset."
In particular, are there provisions for getting just us five back, or are there also supplies for the original expedition?
Qalaus does attempt to buy or otherwise obtain a wand of mount, just to be on the safe side. ("I have heard tales of folk who are left in the desert without their animals. Rarely do they end well.") Also, a wand of endure elements, unless someone else wants to provide that effect with spells.
Theo shakes his head briskly, his mind returning to the situation at hand "I don't know the status of the rest of the group, but I...am prepared. Leaving in the evening, though, may not be the best idea. I understand that it saves us from traveling in the desert heat, but then the hours of heat will be when we sleep, and so we'd need shelter..."
A quick stop at the armory and Qalas is able to obtain both a wand of mount and wand of endure elements. The steward hands them over whispering quietly, "Bring 'em back alive and we won't need to discuss reimbursing the Society."
In the stables the group finds enough food, water, and bedrolls to last nine people a month in the desert. The finest sadles have been used and the mules are precariously balanced with goods, but don't appear to be strained.
The stable boy speaks up as he prepares the mounts under the noon sun, "'eard from ta road that tere's a merchant caravan camped out on the trail. If you ride out now you'll be able ta make it by nightfall."
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"Your suspicions are likely correct, although I must say in the several years I've worked for the Society I have never had the pleasure to work with Captin Balentiir. It does seem he has provided for our group handsomely, doesn't it?" Learnur stands and gently returns his dusty chronicle to his haversack.
"Well gents, I'm ready when you are. Day or night, it matters not, the road beckons and I must answer its call."
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Unless anyone objects, Qalaus posits that we should move forward with all due speed. 'Taking the ponies and mules will slow us down. Trying to move with a caravan will slow us down. Just horses, and just enough equipment (we need 6 days rations to get there, one day for exploring there, and another 6 days for the trip back).'
Once we're ready to travel, Qalaus will call out in a loud voice and light incense. Shortly, the wisps of blue smoke coalesce and solidify, becoming an enormous creature, insectoid, crablike, human-shaped, with iridescent blue scales, a serpent-like mouth in front of large multi-faceted eyes that seem decorative more than sensory. On its back are six large gossamer wings, moving independently of one another.
"Gentlemen, this is Marra, my wife."
The creature bends down to examine the rest of you. "Pleeezzz'd" it says, its raspy voice coming from organs on its locust-like legs.
Qalaus won't be riding a horse, or a pony. Marra will be carrying him as she flies.
Jack's eyebrows raise a bit at the mentioning of Marra being Qalaus' wife, but quickly recovers his genuine smile. "Pleased to meet you too, Ms. Marra.", he says with a slight nod. Guess it i'nt any worse than some the things them folks in Cheliax are in to, hahaha., he thinks to himself as he shoulders his gear. "I agree we should get moving,folks. Time is not on our side on this one. Now, which way to the stables?"
After startling briefly at the appearance of Marra, Theo regains his bearings, nodding in agreement with Jack's statement.
"With haste, then."
The sun is beginning to reach the peak of its arc and the streets are near empty. Under normal circumstances now would not be the time to travel. With the roads mostly clear the group is able to ride to the outskirts of the sandy town unhindered. By nightfall the party has reached a camp of merchants who are eager to share their fire with a group of well-armed Pathfinders.
The next three days are uneventful. The following two nights the group spends resting at specially prepared oasis's established beside the trail. On this road, they encounter few others, just merchants or travelers making their way to or from the great city. On the fourth day out from Sothis the directions require the party to leave the trail and venture south into the trackless desert. This sun-baked land has few markers and little in the way of respite from the relentless heat. The groups most rugged members are required to make any progress through the desert.
As the party continues its travel into the barren waste that are the sand seas of Osirion, Jack leverages all the knowledge he possesses of field craft in a desert waste.
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As the horseback travel from Sothis to the parched dunes is fairly uneventful for the first few days, Learnur takes this time to make small talk with his fellow agents. Always curious, he asks questions about their families and friends, their goals and motivations, and of course who their favorite Pathfinder is, "Mine is The Master of Scrolls, Kreighton Shane". With conversations blooming and everyone getting to know one another, its obvious that Learnur is indeed the type of person who wants everyone to get along and he often attempts to quell minor differences amongst the party with astute diplomacy.
On the third day of travel Learnur spends several hours dilligently scribing passages from his previously published works contained in the Pathfinder Chronicles. During this time Learnur becomes distant and distracted as he focuses his attention on recalling the authored passages from memory alone.
On the fourth day, in the morning before the party mounts up for travel, Learnur produces four scrolls of yellowed parchment and presents one to each of the party members. "These are passages from my previous works. They could come in handy in the next few days, after that the ink fades and they will become illegible. If you read the passage, it will give you a brief insight on all things survival related."
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"Favorite Pathfinder in history? Hmmm. Perhaps Escobar Vallian. He was bold in his accomplishments and forthright in his goals. But I've read his works in the early Chronicles, and he never thought that recklessly throwing himself into danger was part of the job. He went to the same places others had gone, but he saw things that no one else had bothered to notice. He made a name for himself being clever, and that's always a good lesson to keep in mind.
"If you mean to ask, who is the favorite Pathfinder I have met, then that would probably be Prince Gorn Greathammer, who has a gift for making everyone welcome. I saw him in action last year as he was part of an entourage into Absolam. Of course, as a Pathfinder, he visited the Great Lodge, which set the Master of Swords on edge, as it were. Master Farabellus had led a mercenary team against Gorn's people back in 4695, and there had been some loss of dwarven life. I was there at the time, and I was expecting that things would be awkward at best. But Prince Gorn made sure that the Master of Swords knew there were no grudges held, and asked only that a plaque honoring the defenders be placed in the north hallway. He turned a tense situation around, while slighting neither his duty as prince of his people nor as a pathfinder."
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After half a days march through the rolling sands the cool relief of the night is welcome. Camp is made, watches are set, and before long the sounds of the desert wildlife fill the night. The next day Aeron, Learnur, and Jack continue to assure the group that they are following the directions perfectly and the sand is all supposed to look the same.
Around noon the sixth day out of town the group crosses a dune to abruptly find a small oasis. The bright blue water is surrounded by shrubs, trees, boulders, and eight-foot long scorpions. Sensing intruders near their nest the monsters turn towards the smell of hot flesh.
Jack
Learnur
Qalas (I have pets and stuff act on their owners initiative)
Theo
giant scorpions
Jack
Learnur
giant scorpions
Qalas
Aeron
You should be able to edit a post without affecting the rolls so if you see you do terrible or awesome feel free to go back and change your fluff to reflect your actions. (Just don't assume you hit, or what kind of damage you deal, that's my fun.)
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Qalaus nods at Jack. "We need to check this place, I'm afraid. If the map had our three friends turn here, they may have fallen victims to these scorpions, and we'll need to retrieve their bodies."
Marra maintains her altitude, and moves forward. Qalaus casts slow (DC 18) on the largest clump of scorpions.
Realizing he has little time to make maximum use of Equalizer's sight, Jack calls on his innate ability to fire with great accuracy over long ranges. Cocking himself sideways in his saddle to provide the best perch to fire from, Jack raises his mighty musket to his eye resting a well practiced breathing pattern. The gentle "click-click" of the hammer and lock fill his ears and a calm washes over him. "Gonna drop the one in front of me, boys.", he says as his finger moves from guard to trigger. BOOOMMM! Equalizer roars to life belching flame and smoke from its muzzle.
Theo, itching for battle, and overprepared for it as usual, spurs his horse onward, draws his rapier, and says a brief battle prayer