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The invitation delivered last night was remarkably simple, especially given the importance of the occasion:
Inside the famous bar, 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. “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 monthlater 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.
After a moment, Janira adds, ”We have a lot to do, but are there any questions before we start making preparations?”
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Dortlin is a bulky man of medium height. He has a military baring. He wears odd looking armor made of leather and carries a very large hammer. Beside him is a medium sized frog which is of course much larger then a frog has any right to be.
"Ma'am when he said document he means with paper n stuff right? Are these Gillman a threat, Or are we investigating em out a curiosity?"
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A gaunt looking elf in a cloak with what appears to be a odd hunchback, who you weren't sure was actually part of the group in the first place, turns from his table against the wall. He is bald and appears to be wearing a upturned eye patch over his left eye. In a svelte motion he removes his "hunch", a shortbow and a really large crossbow, stands up revealing his tall and thin frame and moves over to the table.
"Kortos Mounts don't have caves in the foothills... or is that..."
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Janira turns first to Dortlin. "The a little secretive but not outright hostile. The only known permanent surface settlement of the gillmen is in Escadar on the far side of the island. Why they’re venturing into the foothills of the Kortos Mounts is a mystery."
"And yes, paper is the traditional way to do it, but we've got a lot of diversity in the Society, and different people have different specialties. Some make maps with extremely fine detail, others write fairly basic notes, and help clear the way for specialists, some focus on analyzing artifacts brought by other expeditions. There's really no wrong way to do it."
"The three duties of every Pathfinder are Explore, Report, Cooperate, and they're all equally important. If you're not reporting what you find, others can't build upon your experiences, or find ways to contribute to your goals."
Addressing Sahil's question, she says, "My task was to map cave entrances across the Kortos Mounts, and identify worthwhile candidates for more detailed examination. The presence of the Gillman made this by far the most interesting one. My Confirmation took months to complete, but some last only a few days. Until we get into those caves there's no telling what sort this might be."
Remy is only aware of the Kortos Mounts' existence in the most general sense, in that he knew this island has mountains on it. Sahil knows these mountains are dominated by tribes of centaurs, harpies, and minotaurs, who fight for the wilderness territory up and down the mountains. Generally, the harpies control the highest peaks, the centaurs control the foothills, and the minotaurs fall somewhere in between.
Janira begins packing her things into an overstuffed bag, and heading towards the exit.
"Let's get moving! We've got a long journey to talk! Does anyone need supplies before we leave town? It's always best to be prepared for anything on an expedition like this. I'd especially make sure you're prepared for darkness and climbing for a subterranean expedition, but we also have a long overland journey."
She leads you out onto the bustling street.
"Ah, The Foreign Quarter! I just love the smell here, don't you? Restaurants from every corner of Golarion, and architecture to match," she says as she gestures to a street of eclectic buildings, including a Tian pagoda nestled between an Ustalavic Gothic manor and a neo-Taldan Revival style apartment building.
"I can give shopping recommendations if you need any, or answer any other questions before we're off on our way.
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"Weapon, armor, backpack, food, water, rope, bedroll, sling to handle flyers, vials to throw at bugs, ink, inkpen, paper, cold weather gear, holy symbol, spell components, and a sap in case we need to disable but not kill."
Dortlin pulls out his very light coin pouch and counts.
"Got a little over 2 gold left. Any suggestions."
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Sahil smiles at Janira, and steps slightly closer to her, setting his very light pack on the ground.
"The Corporal brings up a good point about the bugs... I'd hate to be caught out without a solution. What do you propose Janira? Anything particularly effective?"
After this, he opens the top of his pack, which is very close to empty.
"Really all I have in here is a Sap, and my Compass. I bought it from a gentleman in Thuvia that said he was getting out of adventuring."
On his back, is a Longbow with about 20 arrows, of two different colored fletching. Inside the pack, is a fist sized golden compass, and a leather bag with a handle, that jingles like it is filled with copper pieces.
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Once everyone's had the opportunity to make purchases, Janira escorts you through the Foreign Quarter and out of the city.
For several miles, ruined castles and desolate fields dot the landscape.
"In Absalom's history, we've had a lot of nations try to conquer the city, and quite a few who wanted to make a nation of their own. None have succeeded, but they keep on trying. The battlefields and siege castles leave plenty for us to explore.
She pauses for a moment before adding, "Venture-Captain Shevala Iorae oversees explorations in this area. The Fallen Fortress, the Red Redoubt, even the Spire of Nex. There's just so much to explore out here!"
Turning to the group, she asks.
"What about you? What part of being a Pathfinder most interests you? Are there any parts of the world you're particularly interested in exploring?"
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As 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. G. 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.”
Most of the trees in this section of the forest have trunks that are too big for any creatures to share their space. Sporadic patches of light undergrowth provide areas for creatures to hide while restricting movement for those passing through. A large rock outcropping to the east rises nearly 20 feet above the forest floor, and a small sinkhole to the northwest drops off sharply, descending to the ground 10 feet below.
Suddenly, rustling bushes indicate that you are not alone. Janira exclaims, "It seems we have some company. I'm sure you can handle it, just like the great Gregaro Voth handled the creatures of the Mwangi Expanse... She continues describing the tale of the heroic Pathfinder.
Sahil, Selytiel, and Remy may now act
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"While your tales of Ancient Allies, bolster our spirits, Let my songs of Vudra strengthen our weapons!"
Stepping between Ms. Gavix and Dr Hibbert and drawing his Bow, Sahil begins to sing a song about the Vudran Gods of Magic. As he spins a song about their magical missiles and weapons laying low the Djinns of old, the weapons of his compatriots seem to react with a soft resonant hum.
Sahil looks at the... Creatures? in attempt to identify them
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Selytiel's stone connects with a hard shell, bouncing off harmlessly. At that point, Sahil gets enough of a glimpse to identify these as giant fleas. Slashing weapons are best for penetrating their exoskeletons. They are extremely good at jumping, and their bites carry disease. As vermin, they are unintelligent and spells that target the mind will not work.
All three fleas leap through the air towards the group, all failing to connect with their targets.
Brock and Remy may act.
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Mr. Hibbert takes his attack of opportunity against the yellow flea as it moves into range.
Including Inspire but not Enhance Weapons.
I'm assuming that missed.
Dortlin takes his attack of opportunity against the yellow flea.
Including Inspire and Enhance weapons.
The duo are quick to react but need some more practice when it comes to accuracy.
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"Lunch time Dr. Hibbert."
I will move around to 10 feet above the yellow flea and ready an attack for after Dr. Hibbert finishes attacking.
The move provokes an op attack,
Dr. Hibbert will 5ft into my vacated spot and attack with his tongue.
Including Inspire and flank.
Well that missed.
for Counts as P/B/S
Dortlin then takes his attack.
Including Inpire, Flank, Skald Enhance
for Counts as P/B
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Dr. Hibbert takes a 5ft step south then attempts to grab the blue flea with his tongue.
Including Inspire and cover.
I think that touches so
Assuming that beats it's CMD pull it to an adjacent square of his choice. Pretty much always as near Dortlin as he can.
for
If the grab failed he will try to pull it onto those rocks.
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The last flea is squished between the efforts of Dortlin and Selytiel.
Janira congratulates you all on your performance, and patches up any injuries sustained.
After a couple hours, the dense forest opens to a wide clearing at the base of a sheer cliff. Thick vines cover the surface of the cliff stretching 30 feet overhead.
“Here! The cave entrance is behind those vines,” Janira says with a broad smile as she walks to the cliff’s face. She pulls back several layers of vegetation to reveal a narrow crack in the cliff’s surface. “This is where I saw the gillmen enter.”[//b]
As she motions toward the aperture, the surrounding woods come alive with the sound of small animals fleeing some unseen danger and a large creature crashing through the undergrowth.
The halfling worriedly remarks, [b]“Quick, take cover before whatever it is spots us!” As if she’d summoned the creature with her words, a massive horned monstrosity emerges from the trees. Standing eight feet tall on a pair of cloven hooves and wielding a tremendous axe, the bull-headed creature roars with unbridled anger when it spots the group.
Wisely assessing that a minotaur is beyond her charges’ capabilities, Janira screams, There’s little chance we can stand against it. Take this bag,” she continues, pulling off her backpack, "“and head deeper into the caves. Finish your mission. I’ll lead it away from the caves, lose it in the forest, and join you as soon as I can. Now go! GO!”
She heaves her backpack into the cave, casts a spell, and darts off toward the minotaur before turning to lure it away.
The following items are all neatly organized and labeled in Janira's bag.
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Leaving Janira to fend for herself, you rush into the cave.
This cave system stretches deep below the foothills of the Kortos Mounts. All of the tunnels in this area are between 3 and 10 feet wide and vary equally in height, though most are a comfortable 7 or more feet wide in each dimension. The caves are damp, which means Acrobatics checks may be more difficult.
Water dripping from stalactites and the distant rushing of underground streams creates an eerie backdrop. The caves’ walls are patterned with blue-green luminescent fungi that provide dim light.
Petroglyphs—most depicting marine animals or spiral shapes—periodically decorate the tunnels’ walls, becoming increasingly frequent as you head deeper.
The narrow tunnel twists and turns for several hundred feet before slowly opening to a wider passage. A large hole with rounded edges spans the cave’s width and stretches ten feet down the path. At the bottom of the pit lies a small bundle of cloth.
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"I don't think we kin all jump over it. Me n Dr. Hibbert will check to see if the water is safe. If it is I'll climb back up and we'll grapple the other side, hold on to the rope, jump across and if we miss the jump we'll just climb up the other side."
Probably dark in here so I'll keep a Light spell going.
Dortlin has 50ft of silk rope currently with a few knots in it. Length reduced to 40 but climb DC of 5. It also has a grappling hook on the end.
I'll attach the grapple firmly on this side, toss down the rope, and climb down with Dr. Hibbert on my back.
If nothing tries to eat me We'll look around a bit and then grab that bundle of cloth.
Dortlin
Dr. Hibbert
scent