.
Of course.
You have all been called for, in the city of Besnik.
Loud and raucous conversation filters through the door from the common room of the Uscalin Lodge, which doubles as the Ace of Dreams gambling house. "I know it’s here. I had it just a moment ago." Venture-Captain Shevar Besnik lifts piles of papers and numerous boxes off of his desk, stacking them on various side tables and chairs in his clean but overly cluttered office.
The tall, Varisian man’s face parts in a toothy grin as he lifts up a
solid oak box. "Found it!" As if to punctuate his discovery, a crowd of players in the gambling hall erupts in cheers. Distracted for a moment, Besnik stares at the closed office door that leads to the common room.
"Desna laughs. Well, she laughs at me, but she smiles on them." The venturecaptain shrugs. “All they have is gold; what I have in here is far more valuable."[/b] Besnik opens the box’s lid painstakingly slowly, careful to keep the contents out of sight.
With reverence, he lifts a large tome from the box and gently sets it on
the table. "Careful, the binding hasn’t held up well. This is one of the few Tomes of Righteous Repose left in the world.
I’m pretty sure there’s one in the library of the Sancta Iomedaea in
Vigil, but I’m—well, let’s just say I’m no longer welcome there.
That’s a story for another time."
"Up until today, I’ve only skimmed the pages. I didn’t want to damage it, but now that you’re here, I can’t wait any longer.
Care to plumb the depths of this most ancient and wonderful storybook?
Oh, the marvelous adventures we will soon read! This tome is a collection of tales describing how various crusaders died gloriously and honorably.
I’m hoping to find some clues in the text that will lead us to an as-of-yet undiscovered site or relic. Maybe we can trade a bit of what we find with the Knights of Ozem and earn ourselves some goodwill. After what happened last time, we need it.
Care to peruse the pages with me?"
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Petrok purses his lips and considers before replying, The knights of Ozem can be an unforgiving lot when it comes to their relics I've heard....But, I acquiesce to you Venture captain Besnik, if you think it might further the cause of the Pathfinders. Petrok remains standing his arms folded in a guarded position. He looks to the door before the reading has begun..part of his mind begins to wonder, imagining a dozen steel clad warriors busting through the door with tabards of Iomedae and Last Wall covering their breastplates.
Petrok shakes his head a bit, and tunes into the Venture Captain as he begins to read.
The VC opens the cover, and after a few dusty pages it comes to a poem.
"Ah, this one looks interesting. It's called "Sonnet of the Shattered Sword”.
Stranglegut are legion, forces of death,
Soldiers of the lich who were promised might.
A bold samurai struck forth; in a breath
A thousand orcs struck down before her sight.
From tow’ring giant green, a challenge thrown;
The chieftain Slarg upon the bloody field
That she would stand in front of him alone
And not for less than death would either yield.
With cries of faith cast to the rising sun
The brave samurai charged and met his steel
Her blade she shoved beneath his ribs, she spun
A scratch from poisoned blade forced her to keel
In Torag’s house the elf was last interred.
With view of Kala’s Tears, her peace insured.
"So she died in battle, victim to orcs’ treachery. If we can locate
this ruin and retrieve the samurai’s remains and her blade, we can present them to the Knights of Ozem for proper burial.
Any ideas on where this might be? Looks like there are some clues in the poem."
Hordes of orcs live in the Hold of Belkzen, most of
which is a barren wasteland with terrifying creatures and
very few resources.
Fresh water is one of the most important commodities
when traveling in Belkzen, as there are very few natural
sources available.
Most major orc settlements and fortresses are in the
ruins of castles and keeps built by the Shining Crusade or
the dwarves before them.
A shining crusader charged into battle alone against a horde of orcs.
Before dying, the crusader fought through the ranks and slew the chieftain, sending his clan running. This story is often used to teach faith in the face of impossible odds.
The vast Stranglegut Clan was under the control of Tar-Baphon.
When the sonnet’s hero died, the crusaders buried her and her sword,
which had shattered against the orc’s bones, in a dwarven ruin. After the orc chief perished, his hordes fled. Without this victory, the
Shining Crusade would have suffered major losses.
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Kitoro casts heightened awareness on herself from her wand as she tries to recal anything associated with the sonnet.
Kala's tears? Sounds like a geological or architectural reference to me, though it not familiar. There were probably a number of big battles between orcs and dwarves so maybe this will help us identify which one. And a lich too? Can't be too many of those! We also got couple of names - Slarg and Stranglegut. Anyone? maybe we should hit the library. I have a wand of heightened awareness if anyone could use the extra focus it provides to decipher this puzzle."
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"Sorry I'm late," Says a tawny-skinnned elf wearing a beautiful Eleven sword and a flowing overcoat the color of tarnished silver. There is a slight chill in the air as he enters the room. "Returned from the Gloomspires not too long ago. Always a good time."
"Belkzen, huh? Never been, wouldn't normally want to go. An ugly barren wasteland full of monsters, of which the local orcs are only one sort. They've taken over all the old fortresses built by the dwarves and the Shining Crusade, so shelter's going to be scarce at best. I also hear it's short on fresh water." Nectanebo looks at the Venture-Captain. "Will the Society be covering our provisions, or should we get our own?"
"Oh, the Sonnet of the Shattered Sword, I recognize this! It's supposed to teach faith in the face of impossible odds. I prefer irreverence and spite under such conditions, but so it goes. Anyways, I think the lich referred to in the first two lines would be none other than Tar-Baphon, and the last two lines would imply our hero was buried in a dwarven ruin, elves naturally not having our own foothold in the area."
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Faeran listens carefully to the sonnet, and while entertained and inspired by the tale, manages to glean no useful information from it. With a nod to Nectanebo, he acknowledges the elf's insights. "I'm glad someone knew somewhat of the events and places described here." He pauses to hear what the Society might be providing, if anything, for the journey ahead, if indeed the party intends to travel to Belkzen.
Will the Society be covering our provisions, or should we get our own?"
"Oh no, not entirely for your own account. A moment please."
He takes items from various shelves and cases, before handing out the allotment of items.Wand of cure moderate wounds (5 charges),
Wand of protection from evil (7 charges),
A traveler’s any-tool
"Oh no, not entirely for your own account."
I'm not clear what that response means.
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Petrok contplates for a moment and then calls upon the spirits aid to help lift the veil of where the location of these ancient relics might be. .Petrok then thinks of all the lands he's traveled and the stories of other lands he's heard of his mind drifts as his eyes roll in his head and his pupils disappear in a momentary trance.
Alas the spirits are silent perhaps some secrets should not be revealed
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Charna can only appreciate the poem for its linguistic beauty and is astonished at Nectenabo's interpretation. "Is that really what it meant?"
As the group starts discussing how to find the proper ruins, Charna offers a suggestion: "I have been granted powers from Pharasma which will help us all in finding our way to the artifact. Please make use of them to give her honor!"
Seeing two of you struck with a look of inspiration, the VC's eyes shine with excitement.
"Great, great. I wish i could go with you, but duty has me sticking around here."
He reaches for a nearby box, and takes a few items from them.
"Take these as well."
1 potion of bear’s endurance and one fire ward gel.
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Unsure where the group has decided to head Petrok shrugs his shoulders and never-the-less steps forward to receive one of the items. If it pleases the Venture Captian..I'll take the potion of endurance...I know not where my comrades lead me but, I've been a Pathfinder for too long to pass on an opportunity of exploration and understanding such as this one..I will go and offer... Petrok pauses to reach over his shoulder and pat the butt of his Falchion, ..my blade as needed and call upon the fickle will of the great spirits when bidden. I am a Pathfinder, compelled to explore, report, and corporate with my fellow Pathfinders Petrok nods his head knowing that is the only reason he needs to give for going.
My companions probably already suspect my father's kinsmen come from Belkzen. No need for them to be further concerned about your own hesitation to enter that land. You will do your duty Petrok..it's the only thing that has given your life meaning..put your petty hatred for the more savage side your nature aside..so you may be of aid to your companions.
After receiving the potion of bears endurance from the Venture captain, Petrok grabs the Travelers any tool off the table and offers it to Steinfast. Venture Captain says this could be useful..Do you want to carry it...or should I?
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Petrok, begins to hand over the Any tool, to the strange Elf wordlessly. Petrok is a little unsettled, at the strange elf's appearance. The spirits seem restless around that one..as if tormented or.. Petrok looks at Nectanebo ..maybe they torment him.. Petrok resist a shudder, but never-the-less...lets go of the Any tool a little too quickly and it clatters to the floor before the Elf can grasp it.. Oh um..sorry.. is all Petrok says as he turns his head in shame of his un-ease and walks a fair distance away from the strange feykin.
Having figured the location on your own, the VC walks with you to thee door.
When you are outside, he waves you off.
"Good luck, do the society proud."
And thus began your trek across the land to the destination.
Eventually, after climbing halfway up a rocky mountain to a wide ledge, you reach an obvious entrance carved into the rock.
The light of day casts a low vision 15ft inwards, beyond......darkness.
Light shines on timeworn walls, yet looking pretty solid still.
Dwarves certainly build to last.
Petrok and Steinfaust see they are at the start of a long 10ft wide hallway. Three corridors are along the way, one to their right and two to their left.
Ahead, it will enter a big room......