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Called once more to the duty of "Explore, Report, and Cooperate", your
adventure begins in the Twisting Garden Lodge in Merab, an expansive garden maze surrounded by a few small buildings that house caretakers, residents, and visitors. The maze build of tall green hedges looks impressive, and may cause folks to be nervous at the incredible size of it! Fortunately for you, a guide has been waiting to walk you through this elaborate maze. After a minute or two, you perhaps feel a little worried that you are lost... even with the guide.
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A tall, solidly built half-orc woman with pale green skin tattooed with ancient osiriani sigils stalks through the maze right behind the guide. She wears her long black hair tied back, and has rather large teeth protruding from her mouth. She is stoic, and serious, constantly alert for danger even in this 'recreational' environment.
Her name is Kenza, and she had introduced herself to each of her fellow Pathfinders with a deep, respectful bow upon their meeting.
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Bielsi is generally more interested in monuments to the dead and has little knowledge about nature, but even he can see how impressive this place is and the work that must have gone onto it.
He would feel a little more comfortable if it was underground, though. He was sure he wouldn't feel lost if this maze was made of stone.
"I'm sure we're not lost...because we have a guide...I'm sure he wouldn't get to be a guide if he didn't know his way around," Bielsi seems to be holding a one sided dialogue as he marches along.
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Eurus of Clan Frostwind is a young average sized young woman with a small frame, but walks with a certain grace. She has creamy skin and very long hair in the colour of rust, falling down almost half her back. Her heritage is only oblivious in the crystal blue orbs she has for eyes and her hair that always seems to be in a breeze.
In battle she wears a simple lamellar leather armor with buckles styled after gearwheels. Her earrings, her sash and the ribbons of her explorer´s outfit are the same crystal blue as her eyes.
She is carrying a brand new crossbow of simple style and a strange dagger like weapon as arment, but booth seem to be unused.
Her voice is a whispery sopran.
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After a couple more twist and turns in what might seem forever (5 minutes)! The path eventually opens onto a spacious courtyard with a large pavilion at the center. A voice calls out, “Please, join me, before the food grows stale!” The guide gestures to the pavilion, where cushioned benches line the edges of the shaded area and surround a large table covered in delicacies. There Diya awaits, wearing a loosely wrapped red and white headscarf affixed at her shoulder with a scarab pin.
“I am Venture-Captain Diya Akan. Please, eat. Then we shall talk.” Her eyes, though clouded with blindness, betray her elven heritage. A dog with sand-colored fur snoozes at the venture-captain’s feet, his ears giving the occasional twitch when someone speaks. Diya continues. “If you have spent any time in Merab these past few weeks, you have no doubt witnessed the ongoing construction as this city expands to meet its fast-growing demand for housing. You may have also heard that an archaeological dig team accidentally loosed an angry spirit on the city when they broke into an ancient section of the undercity. Rumors are swirling, and the creature is causing serious harm. Usually this would be left to the city watch, not the Pathfinder Society, but— well, I will let the Sapphire Sage explain.” She hands a letter to whoever is nearest. “Read it aloud, would you?”
“Merab’s officials have requested that your first order of business be to inspect and clear the ruin. You may learn something of the creature’s purpose in the process. I suggest you interview the dig team and speak with the scholar Obahar, who is probably already nosing about the site. You can trust his assistance. After investigating the ruin, follow up on these leads, and any others you discover. We must discover what this creature wants, as Amenopheus asked.”
She allows you to take some time to digest the information. "I hope you understand the matter at hand, and take any time you need to equip yourselves before you head out. You will find there are many markets in Merab that will suit your needs."
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"Food you say?" Lindwicket slings his modest pack off dropping it near the table and stretches his back as if it had been a burden. He hops smoothly into an over sized (for him) chair at the table and conducts a full and intense survey of the spread. The gnome is whip thin with purple and white hair flowing more upward than down and slowly swaying with the breeze in a way that can't be natural. His flowing shirt is cut lower than makes any sense and held closed by a bandolier full of vials. His tiny hand darts in for one of the flaky syrup soaked pastries common in the region and his eyes go wide as he hold up a human sized portion before diving in and closing his eyes in delight at the sugar rush.
"Ohhh. I like the sound of this unearthed undercity. But then anything coming out of there is living dead or crawled up from the darklands, right? Angry spirit isn't much to go on, but I'm gonna want to stroll those markets guys! Wait!!! She said there are MANY markets. So yeah... that and then..." he thrusts one fist to the sky, "TO THE LOST UNDERCITY!!!"
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”Do you have any more information on the sapphire jewel that was mentioned? Why would this strange force be focused on that? And can you give us more about the history of Merab? What cultures were here before the city, if anyone knows?”
Once the others were ready, Ash suggests they head to investigate the alchemist first. ”If someone is poisoning others, that has to be our first stop...”
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At the sight of Venture-Captain Diya Akan, Kenza bows with great respect.
"Thank you for requesting our presence, Honoured Venture-Captain," she says formally. After waiting with her head bowed for a moment, she straightens herself and strides over to a chair. She sits perched on the edge of it, as if she may need to leap into action at any moment.
At being told to eat, Kenza bows her head again. "You honour me."
Then she eats efficiently, and politely, choosing only meats, fruits and vegetables. She does not speak during the meal.
Upon it's conclusion, Kenza listens intently to the mission briefing, then reads the letter aloud to the others.
"If this spirit is searching for the Sapphire Sages jewel, this is incredibly serious," she remarks.
As Ashwell recommends the alchemist, Kenza shakes her head. "As we have been instructed, so we shall proceed. We will visit the excavation site, then speak with the dig team and Obahar."
With a respectful nods to Ashwell, Kenza adds, "Then we can proceed on to the alchemist, as you suggest."
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Diya Akan shakes her head sighing at the mountain of questions, "Your guess of the endeavours surrounding this mystery is as good as mine, hence why we need able bodies like you to seek the answers we need." She explains.
"With regards to Merab, the people of Thuvia can be known to be superstitious, so exercise caution around your choice of words. The markets are a good place to learn more of this place, so take your time to ask around."
She irritates once more stressing that you fulfil the Society’s archaeological obligation to Merab by clearing out the ruin of hazards and documenting their discoveries.
Before you leave, Diya asks only that the members of the Scarab Sages stay a few moments longer.
As you wander through the city, you attempt to ask around for information, and recall what you already know.
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Bielsi strokes his bare chin, thoughtfully, drawing attention to what is likely an odd feature of his face for those who look upon him. In all other respects, the looks like a dwarf but is completely hairless and has a distinct grayish cast to his skin, indicating his elemental heritage.
{b]"I agree. The Sapphire Sages Jewel is incredibly powerful and should be prevented from falling into hands other than our own at all costs,"[/b] he says.
He nods when he and his fellow Sages are kept behind, confirming his understanding of their additional focus.
While they wander the bazaar, he chats with some of the merchants, seeking more information. He also seeks out some holy water, knowing that it can prove effective against spirits.
"Take care with your questions," he mentions to the group as they explore. "These people have a great fear of evil spirits and may be spooked if we bring up the subject."
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As they wander the streets the apprehensive, academic elf wizard attempts not to stand out and achieve moments of casual interaction. Sometimes he asks for the best place to buy the odd spell component, then mixes in questions more specific to their mission.
He still stands out a bit like a sore thumb, never able to hide his natural anxious tendencies. He certainly doesn't sound like the socially sharp marketplace goer, who can navigate deals and know what makes people comfortable to give up info. So he falls back to his history courses from arcane school...
"From what I know of Merab, it's often the case that new construction is built on top of older structures if they didn't simply demolish them first. It seems this is generally expected at the edge of the city as it expands ever outward. In this case, the discovery was in fact near the center of the city, where I suspect they had dated most of the structures down to a reasonable depth. This would suggest that they've hit a layer or hidden area that predates most or all of their discoveries to this point. There may not be much that previous digs can provide us with to know what we'll find." He grimaces at the discouraging nature of what he recalls about the digs in Merab.
After his historical exposition, which really just came from himself, he hesitates and adds...
"Sorry, to be honest I learned all of that back in school. I'm not really good with people so I came up blank after talking to people in the marketplace."
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Lindwickett perks up at the mention of evil spirits, "Oh yes. I would imagine so. In the land of the djinn there have always been some that fall to corruption, are consumed by it and from that point are driven to spread their corruption. The div are more common here than the demons and devils of Avistan. I've never seen one though."
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The dig site is as you possibly imagine what it would be like, nearly a dozen workers mill about the area as a wide array of excavation tools gather dust in the corners. A bearded man busily examines charts and objects laid out on a wooden table shaded by temporary awnings. A muscular young man in his late teens walks up and says, “I am Anaref. If you’ve come to cleanse the ruins of evil, I’ll tell you all you need to know!”
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Avasir takes this opportunity to skip to the front of the group and extend his hand to the young lad.
"Oh! Hello, my name is Avasir. Pleased to meet you Aranef. I'm indeed here with my companions to study the recently reported phenomenon. Do please tell me what you've seen yourself, what else you've heard from others, and by all means please use very precise details!"
He looks at Anaref expectantly, as he begins to unconsciously tap his foot.
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Kenza bows deeply to the knowledgable elf. "Thank you for sharing your wisdom with one such as me."
He's valuable. I'll have to prioritize his safety. Kenza then glances around at the other Pathfinders accompanying her, attempting to ascertain which are those who'll need her protection the most.
Suddenly she frowns, remembering her last mission, and the many brushes with death. Many of her charges had nearly died. She had nearly died...
With a shake of her head, Kenza snaps back to the present.
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As they reach the ruins, Kenza eyes the eager youth with suspicion. Suddenly her wise charge hurries to the front and speaks for the group. Kenza has the urge to throw herself between the two--just in case--but resists.
This is what the clever Pathfinders were for, after all. She certainly couldn't be expected to speak for the group. She was a shield to protect better Pathfinders than herself. A weapon to destroy their enemies. A tool be be used and discarded as necessary. She wasn't valuable like the others. It was an honour to serve them, but she could not hinder their duties.
As the others speak with Aranef, Kenza keeps her eyes out for danger or anything out of place at the dig site...
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Bielsi lets Avasir take the lead. He speaks up from behind the man, however as Aranef presents himself and offers to provide them information.
"Were you here when the event occurred? Did you see the spirit? Can you provide any description of it?" he asked.
He started to look for a place where he could perform the ritual to manifest Zarisha from his consciousness as a physical being. He did not want to do it in front of all of these potentially superstitious people.
It would do them little good to bring a spirit into being in a location that has so recently been visited by an evil spirit.
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The man excitingly shares his story, and spares no details!
“So it was like any other day, the sun burning, and I started my morning shift, at approximately sunrise. There in the entrance of the ruins, stood the hideous being! I saw the creature with my own eyes! A floating head, with a tongue as long as my arm and eyes like ice. It tried to lick me! I asked my gran, and she says it was a vargywheel. Of course, I was afraid, so I immediately left the place, but I tried to hinder it by throwing some rocks at it, it might be bleeding.”
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Sense Motive
Ash rolls his eyes at the clear deception. ”Are you sure it didn’t breathe fire and ride an auroch like a donkey? Seriously, man, snap to it. We aren’t here for fairy tales and lies. I’ve been dragged away from my library for this...time is wasting, so you be honest with us,” he upbraids the charlatan.
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Avasir quickly sees what the boy is doing with his tale, and throws in a slightly more gentle coaxing than Ashwell.
"Yes, Aranef, we really do think you could be helpful here, if you would stick to the facts." He smiles before continuing. "You would be saving us from preparing improperly for the actual danger."
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He stops startled at the accusations of fibbing. "Whoa, that's some strong words.." he pauses, and softly speaks before walking away grimly, "I just caught a glimpse of it, I don't even know what it looked like."
the whole site filled with other workers, a few standing idly by the entrance to the ruins, while a couple more taking their break while discussion excavation techniques.
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Kenza watches the lying fool walk away with a stern glare.
She gestures at the group of workers who seem to be professionally discussing excavation techniques.
"Perhaps they will be of more help."
She does not make a move to approach them, instead she stays near the other Pathfinders, ready to protect them at a moment's notice.
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Following Kenza's advice, you head over towards the energetic bunch. They explain that it was kinda like a floating head with a long tongue, but no one really had a good look save the foreman, who was there first. The foreman seems to have isolated herself after the incident, after being spooked by the whole ordeal.
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Avasir follows Kenza's indication and heads over toward the other group of workers. After getting another fantastical description he decides to approach the reticent forewoman.
"Hello there, miss...?" He extends his hand warmly as he can. "Me and my team are looking into the recent reports here. We've been hearing a lot of tall tales, but you seem like you might have something real to say about it. Would you like to help those that would rid your job-site of its otherworldly pests?"
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Lindwicket crooks an eyebrow and shoots a skeptical look at the duo who are more and more coming off like shady mercenaries ready to throw down a sales pitch and price for spirit removal. The gnome clears his throat and steps in, "What my colleagues mean to say is that we are professionals, sent here by the Pathfinder Society to contain or dispatch this... floating head. You can trust us. We'll have your work site back to normal in no time flat. It would be a great help though, if someone a little more rational could describe the creature in detail or recall anything noteworthy that might aid us in our efforts."
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She initiatlly refuses to speak of the manner, "Please, leave. I will not speak of it." She emphasizes her curt response with a warding gesture.
However, after some convincing, she lets, and tells her tale.
“It was a floating head, like the others say— thin and ugly. Seemed to be in quite a bit of pain. Reminded me of a rabid animal. I heard it in my mind. It said it was looking for the dungeons, and that ‘she who wears the spiral of death’ would be there. I have no idea what it meant. I’ll admit, I don’t scare easy, but it scared the skin off me. Please kill it.”
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Bielsi spots the bracelet and notes the gesture she makes, understanding their correlation.
"Do not fear. We will not make you call your Lady's attention to you by asking you too many questions. In fact, I have just one more that is largely unrelated - do you know where these dungeons might be? Have you excavated anything that might fit the description?"
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"Unfortunately, it is all I know." She remarks, and thanks the Pathfinders for the confidence in bringing an end to the horrible creature.
Satisfied you will not get much more from the workers, you seek to find Obahar and follow directions from various people at the site to find the dig team and entrance to the ruins. His ill-fitting clothes are an odd mix of styles and colors and are in various states of disrepair; the only aspect of his appearance he seems to care about is his neatly trimmed beard. The workers mutter that they think Obahar is taking too long. Obahar examines some old blueprints on a table near the ruins’ entrance, occasionally glancing up at the tunnel and making thoughtful noises. He startles when he finally notices your presence.
“You must be the Pathfinders. I am Obahar, local expert on archeology and ancient history. I’m glad you’re here! With our combined expertise, we’ll have this all figured out soon enough! While I am eager to learn more about the ruins, I am afraid my adventuring days are long behind me. Please go inside and take careful note of what you discover. This is possibly the most important find in Merab’s history—aside from the sun orchid elixir, of course! Where was I? Ah yes. The ruins spat out one fiend already, so there’s no telling what awaits you. Whatever you find, return it as-is. When you report back, we can find out where this monster is from and what it might be up to.”
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Kenza eyes the woman as she speaks, curious as to what the forewoman in charge was made of...
Noticing her bracelet, Kenza seems to relax slightly.
A protective talisman. She has some sense, at least.
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As the group leaves the forewoman's side and sets out to find Obahar, Kenza sticks close to them. She watches the surrounding area for dangers and--most especially--floating heads!
When they finally find Obahar, Kenza eyes him with mild distaste. She took great pride in her appearance. She dressed and tended herself with precision. To be seen as sloppy or unprofessional was an insult to not only the Pathfinder Society and her faction, but to her mother's very memory. But, Obahar was so... dishevelled. How disgraceful! Still, his achievements numbered far more than her own. It was an honour to be in presence.
Kenza bows respectfully.
"It is an honour to meet an expert, such as yourself, Master Obahar."
"A fiend?" Kenza asks. She bows er head, waiting for permission to proceed. After a few moments she continues. "Are you referring to the ghost, or a literal fiend? What did this creature look like?"