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A week ago, a letter was delivered to your very doorstep, or to you in person for those who have no homes and rely on the Society to continuously keep you housed and paid.
Greetings,
Once again we find ourselves at the forefront of a great discovery involving Thassilon. Please meet up with your fellow agents in the Publican House in Riddleport. It is a popular tavern and a temple to Cayden Cailean. Once you’ve gathered together, proceed to the Shoanti camp location marked in the map I’ve given you, south of the Calphiak Mountains near the shores of the Varisian Gulf. There you will meet with the Shoanti leader Tide Watcher. She contacted me for help after her discovery of a Thassilonian ruin near their homes.
I trust you understand how rare it is for the Shoanti to reach out for help, and how vital this makes your mission. Continued friendly relationships with the Shoanti are a high priority for the Society, as is learning whatever you can about this ruin and its original purpose. A word of caution, though—I know little about what you may face ahead. If the mission proves too dangerous, do not let your pride as new agents stand in the way of common sense.
I’ve enclosed money to pay for your passage and provisions along the journey. Try not to spend it all in one place.
Sincerely, Sheila Heidmarch
You may have heard of Sheila, the once but retired Venture Captain in Varisia. An expert in Thassilonian lore and always looking for new opportunities in discovery of Thassilonian Artifact. It's unclear to you why she decided you are the best fit for this job. But a job's a job nonetheless, and you find yourselves gathered at the popular tavern in the pirate ridden city of Riddleport. It's a simple wooden tavern, with the likes of pirates, rogues, thieves, and general scummy people. Loud chatter, general drunkard behaviour, and a few fights occur while you attempt to group yourself for the adventure. You agree to meet the rest in this rowdy tavern prior to seeking your contact down at the port.
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Sitting comfortably at a table by himself is a red skinned tiefling. If the skin wasn't enough to broadcast his heritage, the horns sweeping from his temples and the tail swishing about his feet surely indicated as much. Framing his slight build is black clothing, trimmed with golden thread and accented by a shirt to match the wine he drinks.
He swirls his deep red wine as he casually scans the place for others who stick out among the swarm of degenerates. Praise be to Asmodeus that I wasn't one of these simpletons for long. When the Sisters of the Golden Erinyes plucked me from the streets, they surely prevented a premature demise and a life of chaotic misery.
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A muscular Nagaji walks into the tavern. He is dressed in llamelar leathers and moves surprisingly quick for one with his bulk. Over his shoulder the handle of a long-bladed curved weapon can be seen . He holds a backpack in his left hand.
He stops inside the tavern and gives his eyes a moment to get accustomed to the dim lightning inside. His eyes focus on the tieflang and he moves to the table. With his foot he moves one seat back while he puts his pack down. Sitting down he says "I am Toctep"
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A young Tian-Shu man steps lightly into the banquet hall. He is garbed in simple robes, although they cover what appear to be gleaming mithral breastplate. Interestingly enough, there appears to be a constant breeze around him, gently stirring his robes and his long flowing jet-black hair. And when he passes near you, a faint static field around him makes your hair stand on end.
He is looking somewhat frazzled. Travelling all the way from up north from the Realms of the Mammoth Lords to Absalom, only to be immediately summoned to travel back up to Riddleport can do that to someone. What's more, he clearly finds discomfort in the cramped quarters of the tavern.
He sees Toctep and makes a beeline for him, glad to see a familiar face. "Toctep, we meet again! I'm glad we are working together again." he says sincerely. He then looks hestitantly at the tiefling and introduces himself rather cautiously, "Uh, you are with the Pathfinders, too? I'm Xuan Fung. You can call me Fung."
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Not far from the gathering place, a hulking muscular inhuman creature clad in piecemeal metal armor struggles against a brawny sailor in an arm-wrestling bout. A breath later, he pins his opponent's arm to the surface of the stained rickety table with a resounding *crunch*. A few groan as their wagers are lost but most cheer and clap the victor on his broad back before collecting their winnings. The inhuman creature whoops and cheers in an enthusiastic surprisingly youthful voice before offering his defeated opponent a handshake in honor of a battle well fought.
Breaking from the crowd, he joins the growing collection of Pathfinder agents. Now closer, it's clear he has the unmistakable head of a shark growing from his brawny shoulders.
"Slammin' to meet you", he says before beaming a toothy grin. "The name's Slamu. My brothers call me Big Slamu."
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A surly-looking, battle-hardened dwarf with scars and tattoos stands silently. He seems to be protecting a skittish-looking gnome, perhaps as a bodyguard.
The gnome speaks up apprehensively. He seems especially concerned about the rowdy bar.
"Say, is there something hiding under the table, Ripley?" the gnome asks. A small, draconic creature perches on the gnome's shoulder. It looks weary, as if it hasn't slept in days. It almost seems to sigh, then looks under the table.
Ripley scans under the table with a resigned sigh.
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"I am Lutorinus Exsuberia, profane servant of Asmodeus. The Society has contracted me to lend my skillset to you all for this mission," he explains. "Part of my negotiated responsibilities include utilizing my profane bond to provide magical assistance via your items. Perhaps some of you have come prepared and have such items for me to use?"
These career agents are always so... eclectic. Who does that gnome think he is fooling? And what cesspool did they drag that shark out of? At least the Venture-Captains have begun to listen to me directions. These two bodyguards will certainly prove to be more capable than the one I had before. "I trust that you are all experienced at protection? I'm certainly capable of handling myself, but the Society will be affording quite the premium if I become injured."
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After getting somewhat acquainted to your new travel buddies, you eventually head out to the pier a block down from the tavern and continue your discussions about each other's strengths, weaknesses, and the potential adventure that awaits you. The walk is uneventful, save for a few near misses from seagull poop.
The sound of crashing waves and seabirds mixes with the smell and cool spray of saltwater at the entrance of a wide, low sea cave open to the Varisian Gulf. A bustling community is hard at work in the dim morning light: tall, tattooed men and women clean and fillet fish, while others toss crustaceans into pots; a group of older children sit in a circle on the sand near the water’s edge and repair nets and harpoons; nearby, several women are busily patching holes in a small boat.
“This is not a sight very many outsiders ever see, Pathfinders,” says a tall, muscular woman. Her head is shaved and tattoos line her shoulders, arms, and neck. “But we are pleased you have come. Kel-grish! Welcome! Let us walk.”
“I am Tide Watcher, the jothka of this tribe,” she says, as she leads the way onto a small path heading up the hill above the cave. “As you probably know, the Shoanti do not often call upon outsiders for help. But this is a special circumstance.” She stops atop the hill and takes a deep breath of the wind blowing off the water before turning to the hills and mountains to the north.
“Two weeks ago I stood watch on this spot, minding both the water and the land. Suddenly a plume of flame rose into the air in the hills there.” She points slightly northwest. “I took a group of warriors to investigate. When traveling down familiar caverns, we soon found a place where the floor had recently collapsed into another series of tunnels that had smooth, worked walls. Then we found the stone door. It flickered with flame and was deeply carved with the runes we know to be the language of Thassilon.” She pauses, a sour look on her face. “It is forbidden to explore places marked with these runes, so I thought it best to simply try to collapse the cave entrance and be done. But then I saw the door was open. Something had either gotten in or gone out."
“I sent word to our allies in Magnimar of what we’d found. I contacted Sheila Heidmarch specifically because I have heard that under her direction, the Pathfinders have made fair dealings with the Shoanti, laid the spirit of an ancient symbol of peace to rest, and stopped a Runelord from rising once again. "
“Five days ago, a priest named Julian arrived from Magnimar and claimed he could seal the door. He worships a good god of monuments, he said, and was confident he could succeed. I have not seen him since, however, so I do not know what has happened.”
Tide Watcher turns to the group. “Pathfinders, I want you to learn the nature of this place beyond the door and determine if it is a threat to my tribe. If it is within your ability to eliminate it, do so. If not, we will discuss closing off the cave entrance permanently. Do you have any questions?”
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"You were wise to outsource this expedition, Jothka Tide Caller. There is no need to risk the lives and well being of your people when we are trained to do so. Not to mention the centuries of tradition that would be overturned. It is clear that you lead your people well. With our ample capabilities, we will delve into this chamber and discover what it holds. Should Julian, your priest of monuments, be unable to seal the door, I serve an immensely powerful god of contracts for whom this matter is trivial. It would be my honor to seal the door in his stead. I shall draft the deal if it is needed," he offers, his tail swishing playfully behind him. Leave it to a bunch of savages to forsake a trove of knowledge in the name of ignorance. The strong shall take from the weak, for it is their right.
"Should we expect any hazards on our way to the entrance? I understand that this chamber is banned to your people, however would one of your own be willing to escort us there, or as far as they are bid to do?"
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As the other Pathfinders chat amongst themselves and get their briefing, a small creature emerges from the shadows near the end of the pier, where he had been intently studying the others. Those not paying attention probably didn't even know anyone else was there watching them. The small wayang is just over 3 feet in height, and covered in an old grey cloak. His features are tough to make out, as his face always seems to be covered in shadow. When he begins to talk, it comes out as a low gravelly whisper, his speech choppy. "Hmmph, Varuna. Here for investigation. Familiar with Thassilonian history, hmph. Connections to Shoanti? Maybe, hmhph." He shares what he knows with the party, though keeps his suspicions about the Shoanti and Rune Lord connection to himself until they are away from the jothka.
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"I happen to have some knowledge of runelords!" Toctep starts "I have read the pathfinder's chronicles to prepare myself for what we could find in Varisia! I must say I remembered the historic stuff much better than what came later..."
"Thassilon was an empire that ended some 10,000 years ago in what is now Varisia. The seven-pointed star, called the Sihedron, is a commonly seen motif in Thassilonian art.
There were seven realms in Thassilon, each controlled by a powerful practitioner of magic called a runelord. Each treated his or her own realm as a kingdom onto itself. This area of Varisia was likely in the kingdom known as Bakrakhan, domain of wrath, ruled by Runelord Alaznist. Runelord Krune recently attempted to rise again, but the our Society stymied his efforts.
Each Runelord was associated with a sin and tied to a school of magic: envy to abjuration, gluttony to necromancy, greed to transmutation, lust to enchantment, pride to illusion, sloth to conjuration, and wrath to evocation. Thassilon came to an end in the great cataclysm known as Earthfall, but it is suspected the Runelords all had preparations in place that would allow them to survive, perhaps even until the present day. "
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Tide Watcher looks impressed at some of the sharing, "You have seem to have done your homework." She goes along to explain that she will be the guide from the path from here to the cave entrance, and that typically there is no known dangers along the route there.
She also turns towards her back and points towards the end of the pier, towards a side cave where there it looks like some settlement, with tent houses, and tent sellers. "That is the Shoanti Axe Camp, if you need to make any purchases before you go, you can find that they are quite resourceful."
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Although he initially stares at the devil-like fellow Pathfinder with some trepidation at first, he warms up once he hears what Lutorinus has to offer. Fung readily pulls out a wand and a scroll from his belongings and hand over to him without any guile. "Thank you!" he adds on brightly.
Fung looks from one Pathfinder to another, secretly envious of the knowledge that they have of the world, and feeling somewhat embarassed he knows so little compared to them.
He looks away, but then although it is some distance away, he lay his eyes on the Shoanti village some distance away. The life of the villagers look peaceful and idyllic. I'll do what I can to keep it that way. But then, he recalls some past experiences, then looks troubled again.
Looking back at Tide Watcher, Fung, somewhat timidly, asks, "Um... if the threat proves too great, how can we seal it?"
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Mr. Copperpot considers all he has learned about the ancient Thassilonian empire.
"This does not sound good...not at all. This priest who said he could seal it, but then disappeared. He could either have been pretending to help, in which case he could have all sorts of nefarious intentions, or he was trying to help and failed, in which case the could be all kinds of dangerous things inside!"
He paces back and forth frantically as his familiar hangs on for dear life. His bodyguard stands at attention.
"I suppose there is nothing to do but go check it out. The longer we stand here, the longer things have to find us here..."
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"Thank you, Jothka Tide Caller, however I will not be requiring use of your Axe Camp. Should I find myself in need of any equipment, I shall return to it!" If you can't clear the place yourself, why would we bother to purchase something from your wares?" His tail continues to whisk back and forth as he speaks.
"My companions, if we are all set, shall we continue onward to preserve the safety and sanctity of this Shoanti tribe?" Lutorinu inquires as he takes a few paces in the direction of their destination and waits politely with his hands folded behind his back.
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Tide Watcher explains to Fung in a somewhat stern manner, "Do what you must, whatever it takes, I trust the Pathfinders to be resourceful people."
As everyone makes their preparations and is ready to make journey, Tide Watcher guides you on a short and uneventful walk through the valleys of this region. You eventually arrive at a makeshift camp outside a cave entrance guarded by several warriors. The scouts salute and speak the Tide Watcher. They reveal they have not been inside recently, nor have they seen the priest since he entered. Tide Watcher bids them a good job and order to remain outside to keep any enemies from emerging. She then turns to the group.
"Here's where I leave you, are you ready?"
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Seeing Varuna get himself ready reminds Fung that he should do the same. He withdraws a couple of wands, and activates them in short order on himself. He looks rather surprise when they uncharacteristically give him no problems.
After stowing them away, Fung concentrates briefly, grunting with the effort, and there is a brief heightening of the constantly whirling winds around him before they settle down gently again.
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"Slammin'!" Slamu says when their guide prepares to part ways. "Don't worry Tide Watcher, the Pathfinder Society takes good care of their allies. We'll make sure no nasty Thassilon monsters get out of here."
The hulking sharkman lines up with his companions as they prepare to enter the ruin. He retrieves his vial of Gene Slammer and quaffs it causing his muscular bulk to swell even larger.
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The Pathfinders prepare themselves as much as they can as they are uncertain about what possible dangers lie ahead in the cave.
Approaching the cave, it's clear to see that it is not normally traversed. The rocks are sharp and jagged, with no smooth walkways. The cave has no illumination, making it impossible for those without darkvision to make it through. The cave network is narrow, winding, and generally cramped. Passages are typically no wider than 5 feet, and ceilings range between 3 and 8 feet.
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Before the party sets forth, Fung pulls out a scroll and seeks the help of Mr Copperpot. "Could you cast this on me? It would allow me to see in the dark."
That done, Fung also sets off together just behind Varuna, not being able to see Lutorinus anymore. He gestures to the ground and whispers, "Look. Footsteps. Possibly that priest."
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Varuna, accompanied by Lutorinus, lead the Pathfinders down the darkness, out of sight, following the path guided out by Tide Watcher. They are unable to see the human tracks along the same path, but Fung from a distance is able to point it out to the rest of the group affirming that this is likely the right way. However, no one else is sure where the two ahead are as they are well hidden.
After several hundred feet of twisting, turning, and often cramped passageways, the caverns here begin to widen somewhat. Broken arrows and short, makeshift swords litter the ground, and a rotting corpse lies slumped in a corner. Blood, now dried, is splattered on many of the rocks nearby. The passage continues to the east.
Varuna and Lutorinus are confident that there seems to be no visible sign of danger here.
The corpse belongs to a slain Goblin, it looks bloodied and somewhat charred?
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Fung starts a bit when he hears Lutorinus' voice coming out from thin air. He turns to examine the tracks himself, then adds, "The tracks likely belonged to two different goblin groups. Strange, the larger group fled back to the west while the rest continued east."
He then turns to examine the corpse. "Hmm, one of the goblin casualties. Stabbed. And burnt? About 2 weeks ago."
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Following Lutorinus lead, the group advances a little forward another 100 feet beyond the current site, lead cautiously by those who can see in the dark. You are able to easily discern the place where the boulder broke into the tunnel below. Following the same order, the group descends down into the boulder.
Peeking into the tunnel, you are able to see that dim, flickering light illuminates a natural chamber roughly 30 feet by 10 feet. Stalactites cling to the ceiling and a few stalagmites rise from the floor. The air is damp and clammy. At the eastern end of the room stands a 10-foot-wide wooden double door set into the wall. The door is old, rotting wood with many splinters. Flames flicker about the columns and lintel, casting the spiky, spidery runes covering the surfaces into sharp relief. The doors are partially open.
A man stands by the door, looking exhausted, and seems to be just waiting there looking into the door. His description matches those of Julian the priest, and it is likely safe to presume that this is he. He's back is turned against you, and he takes no attention towards your arrival.