Venture-Captain Hestia Themis, a small, unassuming woman of Taldan heritage with dark hair and eyes, holds a large sheaf of papers in her small hands and clears her throat. Her booming voice, the antithesis of her stature, fills the main hall of the small Pathfinder Lodge in the Taldan city of Cassomir.
“One of our own has been kidnapped. Pathfinder Cestis was taken just days ago from a relics auction in the Imperial Naval Shipyards, and we believe his dissapearance to be related to the six dozen or so kidnappings of the last several months. Now that one of our own is missing, this has become a Society matter—something we’ll get to the bottom of.”
Themis gestures to a teenage boy standing beside her, who nervously regards his surroundings and sweats profusely, his thick brown hair matted and wet against his head. “This is Nefti, the assistant to the biggest thorn in my side in Cassomir—an agent of the Aspis Consortium named Kafar. Kafar is also missing, taken from the same relics auction along with Pathfinder Cestis and a dozen other citizens of Cassomir. Nefti was at the auction, saw where a small group of the kidnapped victims were taken, and his handlers in Cassomir have give us access to him so that he might guide us to our missing Pathfinder. If you happen to find Kafar...” Themis grinds her teeth. “Let him go, per the agreement I’ve just made with his superiors. Your priority is Cestis, and I think Nefti can lead you to him. Any questions?”
As the Venture Captain's question hangs in the air, you realize you're in this briefing with a few unfamiliar faces...
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At the side of the main hall stands and exceptionally tall man of clearly ulfen decent. During the announcement he is seen scribbling furiously on a scrap of parchment, the taunt muscles of his back and shoulders rippling with every movement. Cestis=Good, must find. Kafar=Bad, no kill. Nefti=guide, with Kafar. As the tiefling speaks, the warrior's hand unconsciously goes to the handle of a large earthbreaker next to him. Stretching after writing so much, he rises to nearly seven feet in height, a lanky warrior dressed in what looks to be armored plates, beaten and bashed together in a crude but effective manner. His flaxen hair tied back with a cord, he has a few days grown on his chin, a feature he occasionally scratches. He blots the parchment to prevent staining and rolls it, placing it into a tube, already filled with other notes.
Realizing he is to introduce himself, the man flushes slightly and rumbles in a deep baritone, "I be Rhyno Steelarm, and I hope it don't come down to no dyin or mutual returns." With that said, he flips the massive hammer up onto a shoulder with one hand.
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An awkward looking youth stands suddenly in a clanking of scale mail, armor which fits him poorly and seems clean enough to be a new purchase. Standing into the middle of five feet tall and a rather thin frame apparent underneath the ill-fitting armor. He fumbles with a heavy mace, trying to put it back into it's loop, and ends up dropping it. Realizing eyes are on him he stands, a plain but well-pressed white scarf peeking out underneath the armor and spectacles adorning his young face. He raises a finger as if unsure if he needs to signal his desire to speak, "Uh... yes. I am Choister Burr, that's who I am. Uh... yes. And it all seems very clear I'd say; follow Nefti, find Cestis and do not kill Kafar. Everything seems in order, and I must say I am dreadfully excited to be invited along here. It's all wonderfully exciting, I must say! It is uhhh... yes. I say it is surely a pleasure to meet you all, quite so."
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A fairly thin dwarf bedecked in leather, wearing goggles on his forehead, and smelling of oil and black powder comes chuffing into the room. He stops sharply upon entering and looks around. By Sarenrae's sweet, glowing breasts! I'm late! My apologies gentlemen...oh um and ladies. He spits out as he finally takes in all the occupants of the room. I could have sworn I was early. He shrugs. Well what do we have to do this time?
"I expect better from the group's more senior member", Venture Captain Hestia says with a disapproving glance the dwarf's direction.
"Your team can catch you up on your way to your destination. I don't repeat myself."
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Rhyno looks at the group assembled around him, noticing various bald spots and thinning hair lines. We are ta work with the Aspis Consortium'n find Pathfinder Cestis. That little whelp," he says pointing to Nefti, "Was at the place where Cestis be kidnapped, and he is ta lead us to him. Also, no kill'n Consortium."
Feeling rather proud of himself, he mentally goes through the speech, and doesn't feel he's left anything important out.
Hestia nods in approval. "I'm glad someone was here on time", she chides.
The smallish woman takes a seat and begins sifting through her sheaf of papers, "Now go. I have other leads to follow up on."
Leading the team of Pathfinders across Cassomir’s busy streets, Nefti is visibly nervous but stays on task. Soon the group is on the docks standing before one of the district’s many waterfront hostels. Despite the area’s heavy foot traffic, this place seems to have little business.
Perched precariously overhanging the dirty harbor water stands the Inn of the Unlucky Sailor. A fresh coat of white paint glistens on half the inn’s outside walls, and most of the windows are boarded up. The roof leans slightly toward the harbor, as if at any moment the entire thing could come off and slide into the ocean. The dock leading up to the inn is made of rotting wood connected to thick, rank-smelling pilings. Several small rowboats are currently tied up along its length.
"In there", the boy says quietly. "They were taken in there."
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Chorister nods thoughtfully when they arrive, walking the width of the building and looking for possible points of entry and exit, as well as what sits on either side of the building, how many levels to the building, and if anyone is watching the groups approach. "I do uhhh... believe... yes. I believe we can treat this location as hostile." he says quietly to the group.
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"I can be the talky sort, but it tends to become violent if I do." responds Rhyno as he cocks an eyebrow at Chorister, "You hear sumptin?"
The benefit of a weapon so large as his, is that it's never sheathed or not loaded, but it still doesn't stop the large ulfen from fingering the grip nervously as he waits for the go ahead to make their presence known.
The boy looks around nervously.
"Well... uh... if you don't mind I'm going to disappear now. Is that okay? These guys, they're really scary."
"I'll be at the Salty Mermaid further up the docks. I run errands for the barkeep and his wife. I'll be able to hideout there."
Listening at the door, the interior of the building is strangely quiet for what should be a rough and tumble seaside tavern. Suddenly, a man's cry of pain pierces the silence. Not needing to be told twice, Nefti takes off.
When Rhyno tries the shoddily constructed front door, he finds that it's stuck.
The door explodes under the burly Ulfen's shoulder revealing the Unlucky Sailor's surprising interior.
The floors are new and quiet, the walls are covered in fresh paint, and the entire place smells of recently cut wood. Most of the furniture has been removed, though a few tables and chairs remain and are covered in sawdust and wood shavings. Several buckets of white paint sit atop the bar.
A gnarled taldan man in filthy furs glares at the party as they enter.
"You fools will suffer for your meddling!"
Ryster's bullet skids off the bartop, missing its mark.
The man's eyes glaze over as Alexia's spell clouds his senses.
Alexia rushes into the tavern alongside her companions.
Snapping out of his daze, the man in dingy furs barks a command and a swarm of ravenous rats pour of the walls onto the party.
Two larger rats - the size of dogs - appear from underneath the furniture and growl in defense of their master.
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Vermin at his feet is clearly not what Rhyno expected to see when he dashed into the room. Still, their intent is clear and aggressive. Bringing his hammer around over his head, he drives it in a broad sweeping lower arc at the beast. "What be good against a swarm?" he asks as he sends the rat against the far wall, back broken.
Ryster's shot makes a nice hole in the floorboards but fails to hit the rat threatening him.
Rhyno lands a terrifying blow, killing his target and splattering himself and Ryster with bits of gore and bone.
When the man calls out his verminous minions, Chorister raises his crossbow and fires but the bolt clatters off of the bartop giving him cover.
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His next bolt has similar success as the rats swarms the young cleric's ankles.
Alexia's flowing silver hair extends and tries to swat at the rats pouring over herself and Chorister.
But the many rats prove too nimble. They continue to bite and tear at Chorister and the witch.
The dire rat nips at Ryster again.
The man in filthy furs advances with a club raises high and a crazed look in his eyes.
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Seeing Alexia wavering, Rhyno's adrenaline pumps furiously, increasing his strength above that of normal men. Must protect the team! Ignoring the pest at his feet he moves over to the offending swarm. "Leave. Them. Alone!" he bellows as he brings his maul down a hairs breadth away from Alexia, sheering off the rats on her, and smashing many of the vermin at her feet.
Rhyno's hammer smashes a good number of the rats and scatters those that remain.