Having been shut in a single cabin, alone for over a week, you gladly step out when the galley boy opens your door. The roaring winds and rain confirm your previous suspicions. It is in fact storming. The boat lurches back and forth as it bobs on the waves. Spying several others emerging from what you can only assume are similar accommodations, you spot the captain standing on deck.
Venture-Captain Calisro Benarry stands defiantly amid the howling wind and driving rain. The powerfully built half-orc’s voice carries over the storm. “There!” she yells, pointing to the northwest. “We’ve reached the Gloomspires.” As if on cue, numerous impossibly narrow fingers of black rock suddenly appear in the distance. The unnatural structures exude a sensation of unnatural and profound dread. Benarry laughs deeply as the sensation descends.
She leans in closer. “Let’s review some of the details of your mission.” Her eyebrows furrow. “Two months ago, I sent another team of Pathfinders to Old Sevenfingers’s tomb aboard a Thuvian caravel called the Pride of Aspenthar. The Pride and the Pathfinders never returned to Drenchport. Divinations confirmed that the ship was lost. It apparently sank after transporting the Pathfinders to the tomb, but no Pathfinders were on board. I sent the team into the second level of the tomb—a place called the Labyrinth of Hungry Ghosts. I put a veteran explorer named Jaohd Ilzinian in charge of the team. He’s a paladin of Shelyn known for his skill at fighting against things that should be dead."
"Ilzinian’s team carried the Orb of Stars with them. It’s a powerful magic item that freezes the Gloomspires in place so they can be explored safely. As you can see,” she says, gesturing to the spires, “the orb isn’t working. In the last few minutes, those columns have shifted twice. Without the orb, the spires only stand still on the solstice.”
Benarry allows her words to sink in before continuing. “The solstice begins in a few hours, so you’ll be able to make your way to the tomb just fine. I need you to climb up to Sevenfingers’s tomb, find out what happened to the Pathfinders, and recover the Orb of Stars. Also, I let Jaohd borrow Old Flotsam, my folding boat. She’s precious to me, and I’d really like her back.”
A sudden flash of lighting and the roar of distant thunderpunctuate the captain’s words, and she smirks. ”Sounds simple enough, don’t it? The spires will stay in place for three days. If you find the orb, you’ll get two weeks. If you stay longer than that, you lubbers might run into trouble sailing back out. I’ll circle the Pixie around the spires for three weeks just in case."
Turning to you, as if suddenly aware of your seclusion, she smiles. "Most sincerest apologies for the lack of hospitality. You must understand the need for secrecy." With a mild shrug, the pirate pulls a flask from her coat and takes a tug before passing it around. "Any questions before you jump in the rowboat?”
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An Osirian man in clothing full of clashing colors that surround his scale mail comes stumbling from his cabin looking grim and more than a little sick. He stumbles toward the Venture Captain and gives the barest of waves. The fetishes and occult charms hanging from his gear clatter in the wind as he listens to the mission details.
Sumil holds a colorful handkerchief to his mouth as the boat rocks, his dark skin seems to pale as the sea sickness threatens to take him, but he swallows hard and speaks.
"This is the second time, Benarry, that you have sent me to collect this Orb of Stars, yes?" He coughs a moment and continues. "I was successful last time, I think I did not deserve to be sent here again. The Flesheaters were enough of a trial, no? Now I must go in there again? What has Sumil al'Yza done to anger you so?"
When he's done grumbling, Sumil recounts what he remembers of the Gloomspires, pulling from memory of the last time he was here, and explaining often how he was a member of the crew that had already recovered the Orb. His inability to handle ocean travel however seems to have affected his memory though and he does not remember as much as he did even the last time he was in the Gloomspires on assignment.
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Seren had been sleeping like a log, barely even aware there was a store. As she staggers out onto the deck with the others, she only stumbles from shaking the remnants of a dream from her head, her legs remarkably following the pitching of the deck without the little vagabond even being aware of it.
She's a slight woman weighed down by a hodgepodge collecting of gear strapped across her body. From a nightcap still pulled down over her hair to a pair of mismatched boots it, looks like she got dressed by stumbling through every closet in the Grand Lodge. A set of seven scarves tied to her limbs and neck are the only consistency in her outfit. She's carrying several weapons including a pair of Tien style blades tied to her waste incorrectly.
"Look, I'm not going to fall anywhere, Doran! Stop worrying about it, Wynn told me how to do this! Now be quiet, you're interrupting the Captain." She gives Benarry a mock little salute, then clomps her way up towards Sumil. "Hey buddy... you alright? You look like you ain't never been in a storm before. You should go just let it all out over the side, they're telling me it helps since there won't be nothing left you're trying to get sick with." There's a grin on her face, but it only appears to be only a tiny bit teasing.
The medium turns to address their captain again. "You know, I'm clearly a ghost expert. What with all of my own I keep around... mostly because I can't get them to leave me alone... but uh, is it really full of hungry ghosts, this place? What do ghosts eat, cause I never met a hungry one."
"Also! Who else did you send before us with that paladin fella? So we got names and such to be looking for."
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Jiggo has of course tried his best to make small talk with everyone he could. When someone delivered food he tried to get a word in. Eventually they got so skilled they would open the door, toss a bag of rolls and a jug of water, then slam the door before he could say hello.
He wore the symbol of Erastil proudly around his neck, and kept his quarterstaff close. "A search and rescue! Sounds like we need to stay alert." He runs a hand through his large bush of red hair. "I brought some vials of holy water with me, just in case."
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Kaylee is a bright, lively young woman who instantly makes friends with everyone she meets... unless her excited nature grates on their nerves, which has been known to happen from time to time. Her long, blonde hair is usually tied up in a bun on her head, held up by what looks like a paintbrush, and she wears leather garb that leaves little to the imagination. On each hip she carries a modified cat-'o-nine-tails whip, which each look like they have been cut off to the point of being useless as weapons. She also has strapped to her back a pair of short blades, as well as her backpack. Around her neck is a colorful scarf with patches sewn all across it.
"Hi everyone! I'm Kaylee! It's SUPER nice to meet all of you! I've been a Pathfinder for, like, EVER at this point, and it's been SOO much fun! I'm looking forward to spending time with all of you!"
"OHMIGOSH GUYS! I have TOTALLY heard about that Sempet pirate guy before! He was, like, the captain of a fleet of pirate ships back like... several HUNDRED years ago, and he used cannibals as crewmen! Oh, and he was, like, a REALLY powerful wizard and did all kinds of oogie things with his magic... just generally a bad guy!"
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Jed walks slowly down the hallway and out onto the deck. A stocky dwarf, he plants his feet on the deck and listens intently. His jet black hair and beard secured tightly through silver loops wave just slightly in the storm. He gives a nod to Jiggo and comments, "good to have a follower of Old Deadeye among us."
He smiles as the excited young woman chatters along, noting anything of value.
He shrugs and looks out at the spires and the ocean between them. Well I didn't join this organization to do things I liked.
He speaks again, "hello all. I am Jed. If any of you noticed when we boarded I have a camel they forced me to board up in my cabin. Fortunately he is used to cramped quarters so we managed. His name is Stark and I think we may be able to manage the rowboat."
He adds on a few questions, "how exactly do we 'use' this orb once we find it? I don't wish to be lost in there. And if we did get lost, do you have a quartermaster on board we can grab some extra rations and feed from?"
Turning to Sumil, a grin spreading across her face, she replies. “I bet you’re glad to be back to these gods-accursed spires! I sent in another team to continue the good work you started, and things didn’t go so well. Believe me, sir, it's nothing against you. You’re the closest thing to an expert on this rock we have, so I’m trusting you to bring the team through this mission safely. I hope you understand.”
"Wow, so many questions. Perhaps the other team should have asked a few more..."
“Hmmm...Jaohd...Jaohd is a Taldan paladin who worships Shelyn. He’s tall and scrawny, with gray eyes and red hair. He joined the Society thirteen years ago and become an expert on spirits and haunts. His longsword, a fine blade he calls Ether’s Kiss, can hurt creatures with no real body of their own. Jaohd went into the Gloomspires with four other agents: the Taldan twins Alrasus and Naphinia, known for their quick fingers and quicker wits; Zumek, a Kellid warrior who could wrestle a crocodile and win; and Yetisiel, an elf with the power of storms in her blood.”
Turning to the Dwarf, she blushes momentarily. "Well...we know the 'Orb of Stars' keeps the spires from moving...but we don't truly understand how it does this. At least not yet." Glancing sideways at Sumil, she continues "He and a group retrieved it for us before and we have been studying it at length. We're still working out some of the...uh...finer points."
"If you need, our quartermaster does have supplies available for purchase." Pulling two pouches from her pocket and an ivory carved stick wrapped in a ragged, stained cloth, she hands the items to Sumil.
"The pouches contain grave salt. While this is a wand of ghostbane dirge. That ratty scrap of cloth is connected to Sevenfingers himself. A mystic old sea dog performed a ritual to connect it to the wand. He said it should make the magic item more effective in the Gloomspires, as long as you don’t unwrap it. You let me know if he was trying to pull something on me, and I’ll go get my coin back.”
Though strenuous work, you manage to make it to shore in the supplied rowboat with Sumil's guidance. Securing your mode of transportation at the base of a long, narrow staircase that seems to wind up to the heavens, you begin the steep trudge upward towards the top. After what seems like forever you make it to the top.
A lush canopy of tropical trees, flowering vines, and thick undergrowth forms a dark green wall around this small clearing. To the south is the edge of the column, and a sheer 500-foot drop. A think mist hangs in the air limiting your vision to a mere 15 feet.
You spy humanoid boot prints in the soft earth.
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Jed does a quick scan of the wand to make sure nothing odd was going on with the scrap of cloth.
He then goes and purchases 2 sacs, silk rope to tie them together and a big ole trove of trail rations (14) and feed (6) for Stark.
Getting Stark into the rowboat was actually easier than expected as he managed to fold his legs under him and take up a lot less space. Once on dry land both Jed and Stark look quite relieved. After slinging the heavy sacks over the camel's back, the stocky dwarf leads him up the winding stairs.
While they are traveling on the boat Jed will chat with the group and then make a suggestion. "So my friends, it looks like we are headed into the mouth of evil with this mission. I, personally, look forward to meting out a little righteous justice. But, before that happens maybe we should figure out what we all bring to the table. I am quite skilled at healing and removing afflictions. My humped ally here pretty much handles all the dirty work. I might also offer my services to carry that fancy wand the Venture Captain gave us. I usually don't have a lot to do if no one is injured, so having something to really mess with ghosts might be useful in my hands."
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Seren doesn't seem particularly interested in making any purchases, but she does hover uncomfortably close to Jed as he examines the wand they're given. There's a wide-eyed expression on her face that resembles a child being shown a new toy. "That's all your's buddy, I could probably make it work but you sound pretty good with that sort of thing."
She will rather shamelessly try to climb on Stark's back in the crowded row boat, firstly because there's space there, but more importantly because it's a camel in a boat! If nothing else she can tell people she's ridden a sailing camel unless it stops her from trying. There's an effort of interest on her face as Jed explains what he's capable of, though she tilts her head several times and snickers at something unheard.
"Well I like you already, I've grown really fond of people that keep me from dying." She takes the opportunity to explain herself while ticking down her fingers. "I'm a ghost expert! I got lots of them following me around... it's really annoying and they never shut up, but a few of them are okay. When I dance I can let them possess me and then they can use me to do all sorts of neat stuff. Katsu is pretty overprotective and likes to fight, so I usually let him in... but I can tell him to buzz off if you think we need something else whenever you guys want."
"I also have a few tricks for dealing with spooks, so if I ever start acting really weird just tie me up until I figure things out, yeah?"
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Seren practically skips her way up the stairs, pausing to do little twirls and lean precariously over the edge to whistle at their height as they go. Despite the mist she catches sight of footprints at the top and immediately tries to jump up and put an arm around Stark's neck, pointing down to the ground to direct the camel's attention. "Look buddy! Our first clue! Footprints!"
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"Well, aren't we a lively group! The last Pathfinders I joined up with were all business and no action." Jiggo laughs as party members introduce themselves. "Jed, the Master of the Hunt is also the Guardian of the Hearth. Anyone who will protect communities is tops in my book!"
"I'll buy a couple more vials of Holy Water, just in case!" Jiggo turns towards the quartermaster. "I can also use that wand if Jed is ever busy."
"Hey Sumil, you've been here before, right? Did you see anyone in this jungle? There must be some natives here."
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Sumil looks at Jiggo with a frown and nods.
"I did meet some natives. They were called the Flesheaters, yes? Cannibals, who tried to bite at our skin, I do not want to meet them again." He sighs and keeps one hand low near his longsword.
"But we should follow these tracks, I think. They might be from our colleagues, and if they are not, maybe we can make our return trip a little safer."
3 Points to Transmutation Implement: Temp +2 Enhancement to Str
2 Points to Evocation: +1 Damage bonus for instant duration spells
2 Points to Divination: +1 Bonus to Perception
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As Seren excitedly tries to hop up onto Stark during the rowboat ride Jed's eyes go wide. When Stark doesn't move a muscle and allows her to climb into the saddle he relaxes. "Well lass, I spect he must like you or... may just be too nauseous to resist. If he hurks please help him do it over the edge."
Up at the top Jed looks around intently as everyone else sees the footprints. "Uh yeah, let's follow those." It all looks like mud to me.
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"You're not the first person to tell me I nauseate them. It's fine though, me and him are buddies now." She gives the camel a pat on the side before tromping off recklessly down the path after the tracks. She stops after several feet and gets in a small grapple with her swords before she can jerk them free of the sheaths to have at the ready.
Seren stands there holding them completely wrong, as if she's never used this sort of exotic weapon before and stares out at the fog. "This sucks, I can't see anything anywhere. Just a bunch of dumb trees and grey." Then without warning she jabs her sword into a nearby trunk. "My eyes work perfectly fine, thank you! You can't see any better than I can!" She huffs.
Though the jungle canopy over this clearing is exceptionally thick, a small campfire set in its center illuminates the area significantly. The clearing contains a makeshift camp, with a handful of improvised beds made from old sails and numerous stools and tables scavenged and repurposed from flotsam.
Suddenly a group of three sailors and a half-orc ranger appear in the clearing. The humans remain silent, as the half-orc threatens a man laying in front of him.
"Yas tell me where's the damned boat is or I cut ya summore!" hollers the half-orc. With but a glance towards you, he slashes his weapon down on the mans foot. "I kin do dis all day kreeton!"
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The undine had been eerily quiet thus far, spending all his time observing the night sky and poring over star charts. When he feels prepared, he finally joins in the conversation.
"I am Korez and I too have previously visited these islands. It was no picnic, let me tell you! Although we were almost lunch." He shudders at the recollection.
"I am an astronomer. I know it is unusual for one of my kind, but consider how important the stars are to those who dwell on the sea for navigation. I have an affinity to the heavenly bodies which grants me all sorts of powers. Most importantly, I can focus the heavenly spirits on anyone who needs to move and they just instantly appear somewhere else."
"What's going on here? What has this man done?" Korez doesn't approach too closely yet.
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"Eeeehhhh..." Seren stops having an argument with herself, because there's a more interesting argument going on right nearby. She swaggers her way past Sumil, all confidence despite her small stature, and gets right up in the face... er chest, of the nearest of the group of goons. "Look, I'm all for the weird stuff right, that's ya right to do that sorta thing. But we're here lookin' for survivors of an expedition. Y'seen them? If ya can point us there way, we'll let ya get back to... whatever ya doing."
The others, of course, want the abuse to stop. So she shrugs and mutters out of the corner of her lips. "Why -are- you chopping feet off?"
Calling out from the fireside, as she raises her blade again. "Huh? Done? Well, he's got 'emself one of dem magical rowboats. Me mates and I would like to have it. He aint tellen where he stashed the damn thing."
Pausing as she considers the situation, she glances back down to her captive. Squinting through the fog, she remarks "A blue-skin, eh? Got sum pinkies witcha though...Tell ya what. You gots a folden magical boat to give me? Er kin I finish my talk with dis guy?"
Grumbling, "Nosey....anyway...Tell me where's da boat, mate! Lest you loose anudda toe!"
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Jed hears the shouting and sees his allies rushing off. He pulls the heavy loaded sacks off Stark, pulls himself into the saddle and goes around the corner to see what is going on. Hearing the smooth calming voices of his teammates trying to take control of the situation he merely watches the show. Feet can be reattached... maybe. They start killing, that's another story.
"Steal?! No, we's legitimate privateers. We gonna trade his toes fer it." she calls back to the nosey human, as she promptly removes another digit from the mans foot.
"ARGHH" rings out through the mist.
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Seren practically whirls on Jiggo, flailing her arms about in stunted rage. "WHAT! Are you daft! We aren't giving our ship to them, then we're stuck here you numbskull!" She then spins back around with more grace than she has any right to have after all of her awkward displays so far. "And if Mr. eight-toes has a magical boat, that's probably Old Flotsy that Benarry wanted us to get back, so they can't have that either. Or the captain is gonna be cross with us."
Seren drops into her best fighting stance, which is mostly her showing her teeth like a puppy, and glares up at the nearest human. "You all need to sit down and be adults. We'll take you off of this place once we're done here. Otherwise we'll beat ya silly."
Swirling colorful patterns appear over the man with lesser toes. The half-orc and his companion suddenly stand very still and stare at the pretty lights. The two sailors closest to you draw their scimitars in response.
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Seren
Korez
Sumil
Enemies
Jiggo
Jed
Kaylee
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Once blows start flying Seren sways far to the side in the first step of a dance. Her color drains at an alarming weight until she's deathly pale and her eyes have rolled back in her head. In the next moment she switches directions and begins a frenzied, whirling dance that has her whipping about like a deadly, little tornado.
Her awkwardness with her equipment has faded and she holds her two swords like a trained professional. "You are honorless, attacking a helpless man. Instead you shall fight us." Someone else's voice escapes her lips as her two swords snap out at one of the sailors with quick flicks of the wrist.
Spirit Aura: All allies within 30ft gain a +2 bonus on all non-spell damage rolls.
Seren begins a dance of some kind and finds herself next to the green clothed man. As something seems to take over the womans body, she swings wide. Her second attempt buries her blade in the man.
With judgment in the undine's eyes, Korez turns to the same opponent. The pirate manage to shake the majority of the sinking dread, but it manages to linger in his mind.
Sumil attempts to find his mark, as Seren did. However, he merely slashes the mist before him.
"You'll pay for that one missy!" replies the green man. Slashing back at her, though he swings wide, the mist affecting his aim.
Sneering at the interlopers, the man wearing blue charges forward and slashes at Sumil. The pirate slashes the air next to the man. "Count that as a warning!"
Enemies
Jiggo
Jed
Kaylee
Seren
Korez
Sumil
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Jed pulls out his pick and spurs Stark on, pointing at the forest. "Bust through their friend, we will get behind the bastards!" When they burst out of the forest almost directly on top of an enemy Jed points at him while swinging and says, "take a BIG hunk outta his hide!"
for
for
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Kaylee begins cheering loudly for her companions, swinging her makeshift pom-poms and inspiring them to be amazing fighters. Then she dances forward a bit as she cheers, making sure she's easily seen and heard by her allies.
"We're Pathfinders, we take no sass. You cut off toes, we'll kick your a$$! Gooooooo PATHFINDERS!"
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Seren nearly stumbles out of her dervish grace when the cheer starts. The lost, haunted expression on her face fades into one of confusion for the moment her spinning gives her a view of Kaylee's performance. Whatever baffled statement she has is lost as her hidden song takes her over again... along with the spirit directing her body.
"Aha! Yes! The woman knows to fear the fury of Katsumato's blades! Run fool!" As the counter blow from green swipes in Seren uses the mist to mask her arc and twist around the passing cut, and then her own to blades flicker lightly through the air towards the man's neck.
Spirit Aura: All allies within 30ft gain a +2 bonus on all non-spell damage rolls.
Click. Whirrr
A door opens suddenly out of the side of a tree.
'Beginning Bot Program Korez....Assumption Protocol Initiated'
The blue-skinned man steps forward and reaches out to touch Sumil's shoulder. "Guide thee in your attacks!"
Whiirrrr.zzzT sounds as the entity vanishes back from whence it came.
Jiggo blesses Seren's blade as the fight continues. With a white light radiating off the weapon, he knows she can end this quickly.
Jed and his mount charge through the forested area and lash out at the man nearby. Ripping a chunk out of the man, the camel lands a telling blow. However his rider becomes distracted by the mist and swings wide.
Kaylee begins cheering her companions on, bolstering their competence in the fight.
Seren continues her dance, and slashes at the one with the green bandana. Both blades meet their mark, but he still stands.
Korez blesses Sumil's attacks, but the man hesitates, pulling his blade at the last moment.
Recognizing Seren is the main foe here, both the blue and green marked men swing violently at the woman. While the green bandana goes wide, blue connects.
The previously entranced pirate steps forward and swings for the dwarf. Horribly misjudging the hight of the camel, he cuts above Jed's head. His leader barks "Kill them! Kill them all!" and casts a spell on herself.
Cast Resist Energy
Enemies
Jiggo
Jed
Kaylee
Seren
Korez
Sumil