An autumn chill filled the Pathfinder Society’s chapter house in Almas as Venture-Captain Brackett briefed you. Normally brash and outgoing, the hatchet-faced veteran’s face instead wore an expression of guarded concern. “I need you to venture into the Aspodell Mountains between Cheliax and Andoran; a dwarven prospector there seeks a lost dwarven site and we want in on his expedition. The prospector’s name is Torvic and he’s obsessively searched for years, hoping to find the hidden galleries of his ancestor, the dwarven craftsman Barek Triongger.”
At this point, the chapter’s librarian Wystorn Telfyr stepped forward and from a small wooden case, he produced several tattered scrolls and a gleaming, strangely phosphorescent pearl. “We recently acquired these from a man called Beggar. They describe the Gallery of Wonders built by Barek Triongger during the death throes of the dwarven Empire of Tar Khadurrm.”
Picking up the strangely-glowing pearl, the librarian continued, “These pearls are only found in the deepest of the Darklands’ seas. While not especially valuable, a cache of these would be a rare find. Divinations revealed that Barek apparently used this one as a key. We could claim substantial favors from the dwarves of Emperor’s Peak should we discover what it’s a key for.”
Venture-Captain Brackett took over. “I’m wagering that Beggar stole these items, as the likelihood of a wandering vagabond possessing legally acquired dwarven heirlooms seems small. Looking through these documents and comparing them to Pathfinder Chronicles on the matter, it’s clear that this Torvic is onto something.” Brackett cocked a thumb toward Telfyr.
“Our librarian was able to glean some information from Beggar about where he acquired these items and was also able to divine a likely location where the dwarf might be holed up. Find him and make an alliance with him; hopefully, he’ll want his pearl back and will show you the way to the Gallery of Wonders.”
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A beautiful Varisian woman with raven black hair enters, wearing a dress that seems more appropriate for a party than adventuring.
If it weren't for her quarterstaff, the daggers on her belt, and her haversack, you'd never suspect she was a Pathfinder prepared to go with you on a mission. The long sleeves of the dress are loose enough that they move around, revealing glimpses of wrist sheathes hidden beneath the sleeves. Apparently, she's better prepared than she first appeared.
"I am the sorceress Azkadellia", she introduces herself to the assembled Pathfinders. "It's very nice to meet you all, and I look forward to working with you."
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Azkadellia gets a bit of a nod. "Shardra. Shaman. Likewise." The tone is a bit gruff, but that's what's expected from dwarves, right?
"Sounds easy enough, but what's the catch? If it were as easy as you make it sound, ye could have sent a runner to find this dwarf. Are there forces in the area we should be aware of, any delicate fancy-schmancy rules we need to follow beyond the Big Three?"
Shardra speaks up as the briefing ties up. Being a dwarf on this made a certain sort of sense. But nothing the Society has ever sent her to do has been that straightforward nor that easy...
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Dhastrach is a peculiar dwarf. Completely lacking hair and beard altogether, his skin is charcoal black with multiple scars decorating the scorched surface. The left side of his face is noticeably paler, changing the pitch black to a dull gray hue. Overall his outlook can be mistaken that of a duergar, a darklands dwarf. Dhastrach is clad in full plate armor, and carries two warhammers but no ranged missile weapons.
When Dhastrach begins to speak his voice is very deep and raspy. "Grreetingss, all," he says, sharing a courteous nod to everyone in the room, "I am Dhastrach Orisialis, a rrenowned authorr on multiple subjectss, and a prriest of Nethys. I wass parrt of the grroup who found the lost Sky Citadel, and thuss my name hass appearred in the chrronicless. Rregardlesss, I trrust you all arre capable pathfinderrss and do not need my guidance in prroperr documentation and prreparrationss."
He listens to the briefing intently, writing down every detail into his weathered leather journal.
"Venturre-captain Brackett, Wystorn Telfyr, I commend you on yourr choice of picking a trrue experrt of dwarrven lorre on this jourrney. I apprreciate the opporrtunity to delve into thiss fabled gallerry."
Dhastrach attempts to recall things he might have heard about Aspodell mountains and its inhabitants, Barek Triongger, Torvic, the empire of Tar Khadurrm, and the Gallery of Wonders, and shares what he knows to the rest of the group.
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Lazlo Ugaarte, at your service. I study the arcane arts and — The rest of his statement is cut off by the arrival of Venture-Captain Brackett and the dwarven scholar.
Pearls! exclaims Lazlo, as he frantically moves forward and reaches out. Then, all at once, he appears crestfallen and notes sadly, Oh. Not a pearl of power.
"Sorry if my tone wasn't dour enough. This mission is of importance to the higher-ups due to the increased activity with the Sky Key. All dwarven artifacts are to be handled with the utmost care. We are dispatching you lot due to your knowledge on the subjects of the arcane and the divine. Notice the distinct lack of men like me on your mission?" he asks with a hint of laughter as if this job would be beneath those types of 'men'.
The stolen pearl matches nothing found in familiar seas. Glowing like a golden candle, the opalescent stone gleams with hints of fiery crimson.
One of the aged parchments is also intriguing. Written in Dwarven, its runes tell of the dwarven craftsman Barek Triongger and his Gallery of Wonders hidden in a place called the Candlestone Caverns.
Barek’s dream lasted 20 years before the wondrous gallery was abandoned after toxic mold infested the complex’s air vents, triggering violent madness. A handful of survivors returned to dwarven lands, whispering of madness and murder. The amazing gallery was lost, becoming another legend of the dwarves’ fallen empire.
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Shardra grumbles a bit at the dwarven manuscript. Part of the reason she came out of the dwarven lands was to get away from the hidebound traditionalists that'd get so stubborn important information would get lost.
This, once again true to form, appears to be more of the same.
"What can you tell us about this Torvic fellow beyond what you have already?"
The stout warrior chuckles as the four of you seem at a loss. "Looks like we chose the wrong bunch o' intellectuals. The Candlestone Caverns are in the Aspodell Mountains. Take gear for getting high up. Parkas, if ye got em, will help immensely." the man says condescendingly.
"Once you find Torvic, you need to help him find the Gallery o' Wonders." he concludes. "Take the pearl with you to Torvic. It might of use to 'im."
"As long as it takes. Yer the lot that has to find the dwarf." the man concludes. "I don't know where the bloody dwarf is, now do I?"
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"We might lack the initial inforrmation about the site, but you, captain, out of all should be able to trrust yourr agentss in skill and knowledge. The distinct lack of rrespect rresultss in mutual disrrespect," Dhastrach comments to the captain, his facial impression indicating frustration.
"Since yourr advice consistss of unnecessarry rremarrkss, I suggest to my colleaguess we take a leave. Furrtherrmorre, the trrip to Aspodell mountainss will take weekss, so chancess to meet Torvic decrrease by the hourr."
The journey from Almas up into the Aspodell Mountains is uneventful, save for dismal frigid rains. In the plains, the dreary autumn weather carries promises of a harsh winter, but the mountain weather is much worse. Telfyr’s divinations placed Torvic’s location in a cave about four days’ hike from Piren’s Bluff in northwestern Andoran.
After enduring weeks of relentless mountain wind and sleeting rain, clambering past jagged stone faces and slogging through ice-crusted mud, you finally reach the valley holding Torvic’s encampment. Gnarled conifers surround the mountain trail, their fallen needles carpeting the rocky valley. The trail cuts back and forth upslope toward the cave described by Telfyr. A plume of smoke rises the cave’s mouth and a few roughly hewn contraptions stand near the door. One looks to be a chair and the other a hanging rack of some sort.
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Lazlo doesn't appear to be noticing much beyond the images he thinks he can see in the smoke plume. He hums softly as he speaks aloud to himself. That looks like a platypus — fascinating beast — and that like a yellow-bellied sap sucker — though not yellow, of course; more of a sooty grey-bellied sap sucker, though I don't believe that's an actual species, so...
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During the long trip Dhastrach's companions have grown to known what Dhastrach is like on journeys. While not in for the pleasantries, Dhastrach offers words of advice in the weather, lecturing people about nearly everything in a non-intrusive way. It has become obvious, however, that he strongly disapproves negligence and lack of discipline.
As he spots the plume of smoke, he makes a glad nod. "Seemss like Torvic's alive and well, and hass set up camp just like an explorrerr should. But a sound of battle doess sound like we've arrrived just on time. Let uss make haste."
You rush across the snow-covered valley as the sound of battle dies down and a small cheer goes out. As you approach the cave, you see that there is something blocking your path. The entrance to the cave is barricaded by boughs of evergreen trees lashed together.
As you approach the barricade, you hear an unfamiliar sound almost like chittering.
In response to Shardra's words, you hear more chittering.
Shardra chitters in return, but the other voices sound like they are getting more agitated. Being on this exposed plateau near the entrance to the cave has the wind whipping around even more and the chill is evident, despite the Endure Elements. Askadelia's teeth start chattering and the warmth from inside the cave can be felt slightly through the boughs of the evergreen barricade.
You hear dragging from inside the cave.
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Shardra makes frantic motions towards the cave to indicate that yes, the 'hard' way seems to be the only way.
"They're trying to drag our dwarf. More than one. Be careful with area effects. Quickly now."
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Opening the door? Lazlo exclaims. I have just the thing for that! The gnome rummages about in his haversack and pulls out a foot long iron bar lined with small plates and spikes. This should work as...well, whatever you need it to be!
He is visibly disappointed when Dhastrach begins to swing his warhammer at the barricaded door instead. How crude!
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Lazlo makes the traveler's any-tool into a crowbar and rubs his hands together to help out. Regrettably, he steps on a discarded nail at just the moment he begins to apply pressure to the barricade, and the tool flips out of its spot and into the turf some feet away. Oh my...that didn't work at all...
Dhastrach casts Bull's Strength on himself and you can hear even more chittering inside.
Initiative:
Initiative:
1st: Azkadellia; Lazlo; Dhastrach
2nd: Mites (1; 2)
3rd: Shardra
Dhastrach steps forward as he draws his crowbar and tries to pry open the barricade as Lazlo tries to aid him, but just gets in the way.
Aska draws a scroll of Shield and casts it upon herself as the pair actually manages to pry open the barrier, but much to their surprise, there is four giant ants with four mites!
Two of the mounted mites sends their ants charging at Dhastrach while the other two focus on Lazlo.
The mites are seemingly terrible dart throwers as their darts go wide, but the ants seem to hurt when their mandibles and stingers plunge into Dhastrach and Lazlo.
The ants bodily pick up the dwarf and gnome in their mandibles as the mites cheer.
Initiative:
1st: Azkadellia; Lazlo; Dhastrach
2nd: Mites (1; 2; 3; 4); Giant Ant (1; 2; 3; 4)
3rd: Shardra
Status:
Azkadellia @ 44/44 HP
Lazlo-Grappled @ 33/48 HP
Dhastrach-Grappled @ 47/56 HP
Shardra @ 73/73 HP
Pending:
Fortitude Save from Lazlo against Poison