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." Shaine studies the room wistfullly for a moment before contiuing.
“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, as Janira turns her attention to your group, waiting for any questions.
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The man that speaks has a heir of snobbery about him, he wears fine silks and his outfit clearly shows him to be noble, or trying to look like one. He is in his early 20's, has blond hair, green eyes, and just shy of 6 foot tall.
Wearing no visible weapons or armour, you are unsure what exactly he uses to defend himself with.
"These gillmen, what should we expect in the way of tactics or powers? Is there anything we should bring that may help against them or what is known to be inside the caves?"
Ruin tries to sense if they are leaving anything out as well
To Selkin and Ruin, "The Gillmen? Well, they’re very similar to humans, except they have gills. They are a little secretive but not usually outright hostile. As to what I found in the caves - nothing, but I was on other duties and unable to make a thorough search."
Janira grins at Faerin, "Master Shaine is brilliant, if not entirely focused. He has lived a very long time and seen things we could only dream about. I’ve learned to just accept his peculiarities and value any knowledge he wishes to share."
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"Kia ora, fellows!" Haku is a tall man, built well, wearing little. His leather armor looks like it is made of some kind of aquatic animal, studded with iridescent shell, and leaves quite a bit of flesh uncovered. His sun-kissed skin is a sharp contrast to the largely Chelaxian and Tandoran population of Absalom.
"Janira," the Arcadian islander crouches to be eye-level with the halfling, "What have you found out about these caves so far?"
"Absolutely nothing!" Janira says happily to Haku. "All credit for discoveries will go to you. Isn't that exciting?"
"As soon as you are ready, we can go."
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"Kia ora, Haku! It's good to see you again. Not as much sunburn on this mission, I should think." The speaker is a tall, slender fellow with long blond hair tied back with a multicolored scarf. His dented breastplate, obviously well-used flail, and the defined muscles on his arms, however, are mute testimony to his martial experience. "Hmmm...let's get a few sunrods, some rope...oh, and what sorts of things do gillmen like? Always better to talk...or do other peaceful things...than fight, if we don't have to."
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A tengu with singed feathers,and a terribly scarred and crooked beak dashes into the room. He quickly looks left, then right before bowing low and uttering in a disturbingly gravelly voice.
A thousand apologies for my tardiness, I am a late replacement for this mission.
Daijiro attempts to shuffle in with the masses, what could have been brialliant plummage is marred by the effects of a childhood fire he barely escaped with his life from.
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The islander smiles at the traditional greeting from his fellow Silver Crusader, "We venture on yet another great adventure, fellow Leonides! I was concerned that the crew would be entirely new this time!"
After a hearty laugh, Haku welcomes the newcomer. "Alala! Welcome! Where are your yellow feathers?"
Janira is very exited about the mission and as you make your way out of the Grand Lodge she chats constantly with an eager grin. “After reviewing my mission reports personally, Master Shaine thought it no coincidence that each time they entered the caves it was during a full moon, so it is also no coincidence that you were called 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."
“What inhabitants, you ask? Well, the area we’re heading to is controlled by a large centaur tribe. If we cross paths with any of them, they’ll see horses as an affront and might become dangerously unfriendly, which is why we are traveling by foot. Remember, our mission is to explore the caves and investigate the gillmen activity, not fight the local populace."
"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 we aren't treading too close to their territory, so we should be able to avoid them and reach the caves without conflict.” Janira ponders a moment. "Of course, there’s always the chance we may run into bandits along the way, and there are dozens of kinds of predators in that forest, but that’s why we should always be as prepared as possible.” Janira smiles, trying not to scare any new recruits.
"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.”
Within the city, Janira offers a few suggestions to those interested in purchasing adventuring gear. "Rope is probably a good idea, a light source, food, a way to make fire, any sources of healing. Additionally, if you can afford it, alchemist’s fire, antitoxins, and the like. Last, but not least, as a Pathfinder you need to report your findings, and do so accurately. If you need them, please take these." She passes out writing supplies and paper to anyone who doesn’t have it already.
Janira shakes her head at Haku. "We won't be ascending the mountain, so that shouldn't be necessary."
Moving along at a brisk pace, Janira seems energized to be out of the city. "When I was in training, we students used to head out into the Cairnlands to an abandoned siege tower called Asad's Keep. Many a recruit have some memorable adventure there." She says wistfully. "After a time, the area was nearly cleared of anything of interest, so now the Society has the recruits range a little further out."
Janira continues like this throughout the journey, with an unfettered enthusiasm, pointing out local landmarks, flora and fauna, and distant mountains. The journey through the Cairnlands is uneventful and after a full day's travel, the party stops and makes camp.
Rising the next morning, the party begins travelling westward again, hiking throughout the day. As the day begins to lengthen, 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.”
Just as you begin to move again the faint sound of buzzing reaches your ears. It grows louder, then from among the trees a cloud of insects issues forth and heads your way!
"Oh no!" Janira shouts, pointing. "Those are Kortos mosquitos! Everyone, remember what I told you! You can do this!"
INITIATIVE
"Nice throw!" Janira calls out in excitement when Leonides performs a textbook "swarm tactic".
The swarm billows like a cloud and washes over Leonides and Faerin. Hundereds of the insects sting the two and begin to suck blood from them.
1. Unfortunately going defensive doesn't help vs swarms. If you are in their area you get hit.
2. Both Faerin and Leonides are afflicted by a bleed effect for 1d3 damage per round (starting next round).
3. Both Faerin and Leonides also need to make Fortitude saves vs DC 11 or suffer from Distraction (Ex) - A creature with this ability can nauseate the creatures that it damages. Any living creature that takes damage from a creature with the distraction ability is nauseated for 1 round; a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 creature's HD + creature's Con modifier) negates the effect.
4. And last, both also need to make second Fortitude save vs DC 11 or become diseased.