Please dot in here. We can do character intros closer to kick off.
You each received a message last night from VC Ambrus Valsin, summoning you to his chambers at the towering Grand Lodge today in his usual cryptic manner. The message requesting your help hints at a dangerous mission into Geb, the domain of the dead but doesn't say much else.
You arrive and mingle for a few moments, before a booming voice calls out from the wood-paneled office’s open doorway. “Welcome! Welcome my friends! Please. Have a seat.” The speaker, Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin, points to a number of chairs around his desk. He sounds friendly, but his smile seems forced.
“I’m not one for beating around the bush, so let me lay it out for you. Three weeks ago, we lost contact with an expedition of Pathfinders sent into Geb, led by a researcher from Absalom named Joktan Heth. He and the other members of his group were magically disguised as undead creatures and tasked with recovering an ancient tome known as the Testament of Geb, purported to be a scholarly treatise on the creation of new types of undead— intended specifically for use on the battlefield. Joktan’s mission was to sneak into the country, locate the Testament, and bring it back to the Vaults. He’s overdue and we fear the worst. We need you to undergo the same process of disguise, infiltrate Geb, and learn the whereabouts of Joktan, his team, and most of all, the Testament. He pauses for a moment, surveying you as you listen to the briefing.
"Pathfinders, time is of the essence. If that book falls into the wrong hands, it could destabilize the entire Inner Sea region. We need that book and we have the utmost faith that you’ll do what’s necessary to make sure we get it. Any questions?”
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The Snowcaster elf magus Slick listens intently to his faction leader as his right hand rubs the pommel of his black blade, reassured by its intelligence and the power of its arcane reservoir. A number of questions flash through his keen mind.
"Can you tell us more about the process to disguise us as undead? Will it last long enough for us to accomplish our tasks? What precautions should we take while in disguise?"
"Can you tell us more about Joktan Heth and his team? We'll need to be able to recognize them, whether alive, in disguise, or to confirm their demise."
"Can you describe the Testament of Geb and tell us more about it? Does it pose any threat to those who handle it? Has the Society identified other individuals or groups actively seeking the tome?"
"What can you tell us about Geb? It's a land I've never visited."
"Venture-Captain Valsin, we will carry out this mission as quickly as possible. Is there a deadline for accomplishing our tasks?"
If a wand of infernal healing won't cure our wounds while disguised as undead, I'll stop by the quartermaster's and expend a small amount of my prestige within the Grand Lodge faction to acquire a wand of inflict light wounds.
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Yoshi looks like he is about to open his mouth. But then Slick gets in his first question. As the elf pauses, Yoshi considers his next question, but again the elf starts up early. After a few such stop-starts, he simply squats on his heels watching and waiting.
Finally he asks
"I am thinking that Geb is being a big place and there are being many others who are wanting this book. Are you being able to tell us who else is looking for the Testament, and where Joktan was searching?"
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Waki stands patiently, listening to the questions and any responses. Nodding occasionally to affirm the significance of each.
Once the other finish, he bows to the VC.
Your pardon, Master Valsin. Easily dispelled this undead disguise can be? If disguise undone becomes, jeopardized our entire mission or great risks presented to the individual only will be?
The tengu waits, still not sure he is comfortable being joined with the undead, but puts the thought aside knowing fellow agents are at risk.
Let it be done as you say. he states with a final bow.
Venture Captain Valsin turns to Slick as the first to speak up. He is rushed and impatient, but trying to answer you as completely as he can.
"The process is one that we already have in place. The Society has in its possession an item known at the Chalice of Undeath. When used, it gives a creature the semblance of undeath, while the creature remains alive and maintains full control of its soul. Our experiments here show that until the process is reversed—by drinking from the chalice again—you will have the semblance and aura of an undead, and be affected by magic that also affects undead. Be warned that healing magic that affects living creatures will hurt you while you are in this state, just as it would any true undead. The ceremonies and spells have already been begun in preparation for your travels, and only awaits your participation.”
"Joktan Heth is a student a history, specializing in the war between Geb and Nex and the history of necromancy and undeath. He joined the Pathfinder Society early in his career and worked in the Vault helping catalog various artifacts and magical items. He discovered the Chalice of Undeath in the Repository and petitioned the Decemvirate to allow him to use its powers to travel into Geb in order to find the legendary
Testament of Geb."
Turning to include Yoshi, VC Valsin continues "The Society will teleport you to an isolated position in north central Geb, near the city of Graydirge but not near enough that anyone should see you suddenly arrive. From there you will need to head toward Corpselight, a small farming town to the east of the city. Joktan was convinced the Testament of Geb was there and that’s where any clues as to his fate will be found. Once your mission is completed, send word via this magic token and we will have you teleported back to Skyreach. We do not what steps Joktan may have taken to blend in, nor do we even know where he may reside in the spectrum of life and true death."
"As for the Testament itself, As far as we can determine, the Testament is a book or scroll written by the infamous wizard-king Geb before he joined the ranks of the undead who served him. Not only does it discuss in depth a number of different types of undead, their creation, and their weaknesses, but it also includes formulae for constructing devastating undead weapons of war. There should be no inherent dangers in handling the item, but we have no concrete evidence of what it even is much less what may be protecting it."
Taking one last breath, he quickly finishes answering Slick.
"Geb is a war torn land of the undead. Not very much information comes out of there, so I cannot imagine what you may face there. As for the mission length, move quickly to find Joktan and the book before anyone else might. When you have finished, use the magic token to return."
With a reassuring smile, Valsin tries to bolster Waki's misgivings. [b]"As far as our research has been able to prove, the only way to dispel the enchantment is to return here and drink from the chalice once more. Nothing else will alter the magic, but your own habits and actions may set you apart from the undead you will be surrounded by."
Venture Captain Valsin comes out from behind the desk and looks you over for a moment before continuing. "No more questions? Ok. We must move quickly then." He leads you to a special room in Skyreach where he turns back to you before you enter the magic circle. "Any last minute items that the Lodge can provide for you? Ok.. in you go. Here are a few potions that will help you along the way, and once the ritual is completed, these same mages with transport you to Geb. Take care, Pathfinders, and godspeed." He extends a bag with eight vials, all labeled "Inflict Moderate Wounds", and then leaves the room.
The ritual is an odd one, but as most of the preparation is already complete, it goes quickly and culminates in in each of you drinking an unknown liquid from an ornately carved bone chalice. A cold queasy feeling begins in the pit of your stomach and moves quickly through your body, leaving behind a pale pallor and cold, clammy skin. Once you have all drunk, the mages begin the teleportation spell, and the world falls out from under your feet!
The world materializes into a hazy swamp, the few plants within as dry and colorless as one would expect in a nation ruled and inhabited by the undead. Ghostly pale moonlight provides illumination and a mournful wind blows slowly from the south, carrying with it the unmistakable sickly sweet scent of long-dead flesh mixed with newly spilt blood. Only the sound of rustling brush breaks the tomblike silence.
The swamp you seem to find yourselves in is wet and uncomfortable even to cold and clammy undead skin. Luckily, it does not seem that the mire reaches more than about a foot or foot and a half in depth, and your new darkvision peers easily though the night.
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As Slick purchases a wand of inflict light wounds from the Quartermaster, he shares with his companions what he recalls about Geb.
"Geb is a nation ruled by the undead. Intelligent undead have the same rights as the living (or even more), and the kingdom uses other undead as a form of cheap labor and as expendable, renewable soldiers in the country’s armies. Because of the nation’s dependence and promotion of undeath, the faithful of Pharasma, goddess of death, often conduct raids into the country in an attempt to destabilize it, to destroy unholy sites, and eliminate the undead abominations that call Geb home. Living creatures need to be careful while in Geb since they can become conscripts in the army, or used as sustenance for the various types of undead within the kingdom."
~*~
Still uneasy in his undead disguise, Slick pauses to listen once the party completes the teleportation. He whispers just loud enough for the others to hear, *"Waki and I hear chanting in sync with the sounds of marching feet slogging through the muck, approaching us from the north."*
Don't want to risk buffing. Whoever they are, they'd likely hear the spell-casting.
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There's a small giggle, and then an earnest "Shhh, Gom-Gom, they'll hear you!"
The group finally notices the small female human child in their midst. Carrying a motley assortment of gear, the one item that stands out is the much loved and wellworn little stuffed owlbear doll she's holding in her hands. She whispers in its ear and then giggles again.
"Hi! I'm Yoon. This is Gom-Gom."indicating the owlbear doll.
"This place looks creepy! I've never tried to burn down a swamp. Think I can?"
As the team discusses the sounds and Waki disappears into the shadows, the tramping feet and jingling chains move inexorably closer. Soon, several members of what seems to be a press gang fade into sight through the darkness. Three undead wear filthy remnants of military uniforms and another carries a unit banner that billows softly in the light breeze of the night. They are followed by several apparently mindless undead in chains, and lead by another undead whose uniform is slightly less tattered and shows the ranks of a junior officer.
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A half-elf with raven-black hair and hazel eyes stands in the back of the group, being unusually quiet. He drinks from the chalice with the rest of the group and steps through the portal. Once in the swamp, he stretches out and puts his swords through a quick routine, muttering to himself as he swings "Hmm, muscles don't seem to have deteriorated. Still have full range of mobility, too. Well, aren't we just a spry and lively bunch of undead."
As the group points out the incoming patrol, Aramil winks before melding into the darkness himself.
The leader of the undead group approaching the team easily spots most of the Pathfinder team where they try to hide in the shadows. Stepping forward, he calls out "You there.. Yes, even you child. Stand forward. What are you doing out here??" From this close, you can see that his uniform covers tattered rags that once wrapped him head to toe, but now are mangled and flapping in the breeze.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Slick hears the undead officer call them out.
This guy seems bored or preoccupied with something. Doesn't seem to expect a fight. Maybe Yoon's bluff could work.
Copying the disinterest sigh of Yoshi, Slick shuffles forward and stands at attention to the right of Yoon, as if awaiting the little one's orders.
The undead considers your motley group for a moment, then shrugs. "You don't look like the press gangs.. but I guess anything is possible these days. I am doing the same as you. The military always needs new bones, and these mindless creatures keep running away. I am returning from my patrol and just want to get back to Corpselight before dawn."
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After the undead press gang leader moves his crew far enough away to give the party a little privacy, Slick suggests, "Pretending to be doing the same sort of press gang operation was pretty smart. Why don't we stick with it and follow them to their destination, then break away to carry out our mission?"
The team of disguised Pathfinders easily manages to follow the other press gang into Corpselight. The town of Corpselight is a small farming hamlet approximately 2 days’ travel east of the city of Graydirge. Unlike most other farming towns throughout Golarion, Corpselight raises intelligent humanoids for use as food by the various forms of undead found throughout Geb. These human chattel are kept in pens until they are shipped out to locations throughout Geb.
When you finally arrive, the town is virtually devoid of activity, its inhabitants mostly indoors going about their daily lives. In the various pens and corrals around town however, shackled humans in tattered rags stand or sit in their own filth like poorly tended livestock. Their eyes are glazed over and they make no sound or movement toward the approaching PCs; they long ago accepted their fate and now act and think like the cattle their owners treat them as.
As you pass near a pen, a young and obviously malnourished woman calls out to you as she does to any passing creature. "Food.. Water.. Please.. Anything!?? We are dying of thirst and hunger here.. Please have a heart!! Have mercy on us!!"
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{sigh} More sheep. More prey. They might have a slim chance if they behaved like predators. Even wild herd beasts would protect the herd, but these just sit and stare.
I suppose on the way out we may be able to set some free and give them another chance to follow their reptile instincts and improve their behavior. Selter muses to himself.
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These poor people. Hope is lost, yet this woman cries for help, even from the undead.
Like Selter, Slick looks around to see if the party is being watched.
If no one is watching, Slick sits down against the fence near the woman who called out. He sets a day's worth of rations and a mug of water within her reach. Without looking at her, he whispers in hushed tones, *"Please remain calm. Take this food and drink. What can you tell us about this place and your captors? We might be able to help you."*