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Tori smiles warmly at the sound of her native tongue and addresses Darro.
"ຊົມເຊີຍກັບ ທ່ານເປັນ ພີ່ນ້ອງ ກັນ. ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ ຕື່ນເຕັ້ນທີ່ຈະ ເດີນທາງໄປສຸດ ພາລະກິດ ນີ້ . ທ່ານຮູ້ຈັກ ຫຍັງກ່ຽວກັບມັນ ?"
Greetings to you as well cousin. I am excited to travel on this mission. do you know anything about it?
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She then turns and smiles to Zannah as well.
"Greetings to you. My name is Victoria. But you may call me Tori. ."
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"Pathfinders, the Society seeks your assistance in a matter most urgent. Recent engineering works uncovered a series of lost chambers beneath Janderhoff, but the company that began exploration and refurbishment of this space soon encountered trap-related difficulties. I quickly assembled a group of nearby agents to explore the lost corridors in exchange for a brief window of time in which to study anything found within. I have not heard back from those agents, and a contact has informed me that the team has been missing for two days, prompting the Mithral Mallet Mining Company to send a team of its own specialists to find out what became of them. Nobody has heard from either group since. It is rare that we have an opportunity to document the interior of a Sky Citadel, so your task is twofold. First, find out what happened to the first team of Pathfinders. Second, explore the recently reopened chambers, and recover or document any historical treasures found within. I doubt that representatives of the Mithral Mallet will be pleased to see additional Pathfinders, so contact Rukha Borthwick, the sister-in-law of one of our agents in the first team. She is a resourceful dwarf and likely knows what steps to take to get you into those ruins. Luck be yours, Pathfinders." Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch directed you to your next assignment a few days ago. You are now in Janderhoff.
The ruins beneath Janderhoff are part of the ancient city closed off because it was dangerous, or because it fell out of use. The trading company that uncovered the area also reports missing tools, broken equipment, and general disruption to its efforts even before the chambers were uncovered.
The exact purpose of the chambers is unclear, as the official records appear to have been altered several hundred years ago. Although few citizens of Janderhoff recognize that Pathfinders have explored the newly discovered area, a half-elf known to be a Pathfinder recently began a brawl in a local brewery.
A few employees from the Mithral Mallet Mining Company have mentioned that the newly discovered area is unstable and will need considerable reinforcement before being safe for regular use.
One of the Pathfinders spotted going into the ruins was Beetle, a male halfling wanted for murder in Palin’s Cove.
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The grumpy dwarf, who smells faintly of formaldehyde, pipes up as the group enters Janderhoff.
"Hmf... It seems that several problems have been affecting the halls we are about to explore. Firstly, the area is unstable, so we should proceed with caution. Secondly, the trading company responsible for uncovering the area have reported minor mishaps and other forms om mischief. Thirdly, the first group of Pathfinders might have left the locals with a sour taste in their mouths, so we'd better be quite about the fact that we're also Pathfinders."
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Victoria tries to find as much information as she can.
This sounds like a wonderful opportunity...but it is just dreadful if something happened to the other team. I hope we can find them and they will be ok."
She shares the first bit of information she finds.
"Master Kazzok, it seems this being a dwarven domain, you may have special insight into the local history? Do you have any relatives from these parts?
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Kazzok shrugs.
"Hmf... I'm from The Five Kings Mountains north of Andoran, so I don't have any relatives in Janderhoff that I know of. As to the local history, any dwarf knows that Janderhoff is one of the last remaining Sky Citadels from back when the dwarves first reached the surface of Golarion. It's an ancient city, so I'm not surprised that parts of it have been forgotten and later rediscovered."
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It surprises me that a Pathfinder half elf was the start of a tavern brawl... half elves are generally social people, at least I have found them to be. So the mission objectives are to conceal our pathfinder affiliation for now, seek information on our brethren, and document anything of note. Sounds simple enough."
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"Well you know what they say about a certain sect of the pathfinder society -- murder-hobos. Speaking of which there seems to have been one here - a Halfling by the name of Beetle who is wanted for murder was spotted going into the ruins. Might be something to that. Could be ole Beetle went crazy and killed everyone."
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Hakaam bows before the dwarven woman. "May water always kiss your lips madam. I am Trade Prince Hakaam Al-Ajam of the Pathfinder Society and I am humbled by your presence. My esteemed betters and I require to be let into the newfound corridors your kin have found underneath your mighty, storied city. We hope to discover what has become of our predecessors and the Mithral Mallet team and will endeavor to bring them back to safety. We would also continue their task within the chambers they were to explore, and perhaps, if fortune favors us, explore further. We were told to seek your assistance in this matter."
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"Ah, more of you! I’m not prepared to handle anything that can waylay a team of Pathfinders and a team of Mithral Mallet delvers. I can escort you to meet with the Mithral Mallet toughs that guard the entrance to the tunnels you want, but I will go no farther. My brother-in-law Sandricaan Molnworret led the group and he is a wizard of some talent. The Mithral Mallet is unlikely to allow other explorers into the tunnels, especially because early reports show that the section seems to need bracing. It may be that speaking nicely to the foreman will gain you easy access to the site, but you’d need to convince him that you’re competent and unlikely to cause any damage to the area. Failing that, I might be able to direct you through a few pipes that let out near that part of the Sky Citadel, but I would rather avoid risking my job to get you in." Rukha explains.
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"I agree with Victoria, being open and upfront about our intentions is better than sneakiness. If they do not agree and push comes to shove then we can exert our particular skills whatever those might be. But let them initiate that path." Darro says before he makes his way to see the Mithral Mallet toughs.
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Rukha guides you through Janderhoff to the checkpoint guarded by Delver Ornregar and Delver Kannis, warriors from the Mithral Mallet Mining Company. Rukha introduces you and tells them about your inquiry, but allows you to lead further negotiations.
"We can't let more unskilled explorers enter the ruins!" one of the delvers says.
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After such a display of competence, a smug smile seems to have grown under Hakaam's face scarf, a feature which he promptly dissappears before addressing the delvers. "Good Ornregar and Kannis your concern does you credit. But I can safely assure you that we are quite competent in all manner of ruin-delving. Perhaps even competent enough to determine the fate of your missing brethren and, if fate wills it, return them to you."
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"Ok, I can see that your skills are fair enough." the delver says. He has a look around to make sure nobody's watching and steps aside. "Move fast, nobody must see you." the dwarf whispers while he lets you walk into a passageway. "Take the first passageway to the right!"
"Good luck!" Rukha says before she leaves.
You follow the delvers' directions. A recent, unfinished passageway branches off from a preexisting dwarven hallway. The extension runs for only a few dozen feet before reaching a smooth, worked stone corridor that opens into a large circular room with two exits leading east. Aside from the musty atmosphere, these ancient chambers are strikingly similar to Janderhoff's more modern construction. Hewn from the mountain, the floor is worked to resemble flagstones and the walls are intermittently decorated with mock brickwork. Arrows - some broken, some splintered, and all ancient - litter the cold floor. The ceilings are 15 feet high throughout this level, and there are no light sources.