Finding yourself in the Taldan Capitol city of Oppara, you answer a summons from Venture-Captain Muesello, who lodge hides behind the facade of a simple bait and tackle shop.
His pockmarked face breaks into a smile as bell on the door jingles, and he motions for everyone to gather in the building’s back room before locking up the shop and propping a sign in the window that reads “Gone fishing.”
You find an elegant appearing woman in the room, sitting at a table by a small fireplace. The Venture-Captain introduces her as Lady Gloriana Morilla, cousin of Lord Celedo Morilla, Scion of House Morilla and guildmaster to the Guild of Wonders.
Venture-Captain Muesello quietly closes the door behind him before speaking.
“The Pathfinder Society does not have a sterling reputation in Taldor, despite my and others’ efforts to impress the local moves and shakers. As a result, the most prestigious universities and colleges often deny our agents access to the best libraries in Oppara, thinking we are meddling good-for-nothings. As one of the oldest intact civilizations near the Inner Sea, these libraries no doubt house some very precious volumes.
"Recently we received a most wonderful opportunity -- an invitation, really, from a very powerful patron,” he adds as he withdraws a scroll tube with a broken wax seal from his apron.
“This patron will secure us a couple hours in the rare books collection at the Kitharodian Academy, during which we may peruse for whatever we wish so long as we also retrieve several documents of interest for our friend. That,” he punctuates by tapping the scroll tube on the table, “is where things get interesting. Apparently there is an even more precious archive hidden beneath the academy’s library, and our patron believes it to contain numerous original records and undoctored historical accounts otherwise unknown to the world! Our contact knows how to get into the archive and has shared the secret with us.
“Two hours is little time, so you must make the most of your time. I know it will be tempting to research other interests, but it would be selfish for the Society to think of itself when the Worldwound’s borders threaten to envelop Mendev and beyond. I am sending you in with the express purpose of uncovering more information about the Shining Crusade, the sustained war against the Whispering Tyrant a millennium ago.”
Lady Morilla snaps open a fan to fend off the room’s growing warmth, adding, “Historically, Taldor is the authority on massive military campaigns, but most texts have undergone extensive revision to serve some political agenda or another. Entering this hidden archive is an excellent opportunity to learn from the real mistakes of the past and apply those lessons to the Mendevian Crusade.
“Remember that you have permission to be in the academy’s library, but not in this secret archive, so do everything you can to avoid being noticed while exploring. In fact, the fewer clues you leave of your passage, the better. Specifically do not steal or destroy any of the library’s contents. A few slip-ups might alert the authorities that someone has been poking around, and too many with give them enough evidence to trace this act to us.”
Muesello opens a drawer in the table and begins pulling out a couple small parcels wrapped in cloth. “Any questions?”
You can barely make out the broken seal on the tube, a pair of matched lions.
The seal is that of Princess Eutropia—Grand Prince Stavian III’s only child, who has been maneuvering to take the throne upon his death.
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"A pleasure to serve, Lady Morilla," Fenric says as he bows courteously and with a smoothness that belies the sturdy breastplate protecting his chest. His eyes twinkle with some private amusement. "As a humble member of House Lodovka, I shall do my best to retrieve the princess' documents, and, hopefully, Taldor will remember Brevoy kindly."
The noble turns his attention to the parcels being placed upon the desk. "You have something for us, Venture-Captain?"
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One of the Pathfinder agents, a woman of about thirty or so with black hair and dark brown eyes, leans forward and stares curiously at the scroll tube for a moment.
Interesting. I'll have to try and learn more later, once this mission is complete.
She then looks up at Venture-Captain Muesello and smiles. "I would assume that these secret archives, being secret and all, will be locked or warded somehow. Do you have any means for us to bypass those sorts of measures or any suggestions?" she asks. Her voice carries a slight Osiriani accent, though her features would mark her as perhaps being some mix of Varisian and Cheliaxian heritage, if anything.
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Gaeldrung is also standing near the back, but he isn't trying to hide. Like Hakak he stands well over 6ft, and his crowned helmet only amplifies this when he has it on. His armor gleams and his huge ax hangs naturally on his back.
You have an odd taste in agents for this task, sir. He comments almost under his breath. Almost.
Lady Morilla smiles at Alessio's question: "If something of note happens on Golarion, the Kitharodian scholars tend to hear about it. Muesello and I have selected you because the librarians are unlikely to recognize you and know you as Pathfinders. As for why Pathfinders, well, clearly our patron doesn't wish to be connected to this."
At Gaeldrung's comments, Muessello shrugs.
"Sometimes you have to work with the agents you have available."
At Katarina and Fenric's questions, Muesello and Lady Morilla exchange glances. Muesello lets Lady Morilla respond first.
“Tomorrow evening, the Kitharodian Academy will host an extravagant orchestral performance in celebration of the Grand Prince’s birthday. Such an event should last several hours, and if rumors are to be believed, the Kitharodian’s finest intend to play a complex medley of Taldor’s greatest songs. Several of these are rather dramatic at times, and the sound should drown out any noise you make. With any luck, the performance will also draw away most of the guards.”
Muesello then slides the cloth-wrapped parcels toward you.
“This one,” he says, tapping the first parcel, “contains a deck of illusions that I am in the process of modifying; instead of each card creating a random creature, each one creates a copy of one of you. The illusions won’t interact with anyone, but they can pretend to be reading and deceive the casual observer. Each only lasts for two hours, though. Stick a card to the bottom of a chair to create the illusion, and don’t forget to remove the card when you’re done. The other package contains several potions in case of emergency."
The second is revealed to be a potion of invisibility and a potion of pass without trace.
As you look through Lady Morilla hands over the scroll tube, which contains an unsigned letter that describes much of the mission’s details from the patron's perspective, offering to give access to the library in return for several documents important to the patron.
It also contains a formal request signed by the Arch-Exarch Gregorius to admit the bearers to the Kitharodian Academy’s rare books collection. A letter also explains that you can find the hidden entrance to the archive by studying honor, courage, and glory.
Once you've finished your questions, the Venture-Captain dismisses you, leaving you with a day to buy supplies, prepare spells, and get ready for your mission.
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When we get in a private enough space, Alessio will relay to the group an encounter he had with Venture-Captain Muesello.
He gave me an encoded message with some instructions.
K-Y-V-W-K-C-E-C-O-O-M-I-M-E-C-F-G-C-Q-F-C
Ambrus Valsin contacted him with this message, which he said is written in a Taldan cipher that the Society is yet to crack. If we find any notes about old codes that work for this message, we are to report back with our findings.
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"Huh. Seems that this pie has a lot of fingers in it," Kat comments as Alessio relays the message from Venture-Captain Valsin, eyeing Fenric curiously. "Well, I can't promise how much help I'll be in picking locks and the like but I know a little...magic, of a sort that might be useful here and there."
With the briefing largely finished, she offers the rest of the group a bow. "I'm Katarina Caverly, scholar of ancient history. Although really, the acquisition of any sort of knowledge is important to me, whether it's ancient or not." She then glances around and lowers her voice slightly. "My companion will also be with us on this venture. He's...well, it's easier if I just show you. Don't be alarmed, okay?"
She focuses for a moment. "Okay Ashton, you can come on out."
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At first, nothing happens. But then, the pale, fuzzy outline of a person begins to form from seemingly nothing at all. It quickly solidifies into the form of an armored man, probably in his late 20s or early 30s.
"So we'll be skulking around a library, eh? Sounds like if you lot play your cards right then Kat here shouldn't even need my help," he comments with mild amusement.
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"Hah! I like you already," Ashton grins at Gaeldrung. "That's a good way to look at it, since from what I've seen these things never go according to plan. At any rate, don't worry about me - Kat hides me inside her mind when it's a good idea to do so, so I won't need any of those potions or card-things."
Lady Morilla gestures for you to remain behind for a moment as the others leave the meeting with her and Muesello.
"Most of Taldor's shortsighted nobles have not deigned to aid the Mendevian Crusade in any significant way, and as you may know, I am raising an independent army to mark on the Worldwound and reignite the glory that Taldor once commanded. All goes well, but the demons act more quickly than we can recruit. We need something -- some kind of holy relic or the like -- that the noble and the brave can rally behind. This nation has led countless crusades, but the public records contain little reliable information. If you find clues about such an object, record everything that you can about it so that we might use it for the good of Avistan."
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After everyone has reconvened, Katarina stands and nods to her companions. "Are we ready? I believe I've got all the supplies that I need. Oh and do not worry about wasting those potions on me; I suspect they'd be put to much better use by someone that's able to get around a bit more quietly than I can," she says.
"Okay Ashton, time for you to make yourself scarce until we're able to get inside and set up our decoys," she continues, tapping her temple with an index finger. The phantom bows to you all and then slowly fades out of existence, back into Katarina's mind.
"Okay - let's go searching for knowledge," she grins.
Your preparations ready, you meet the next day outside the Kitharodian Academy, where crowds of commoners and nobility alike jostle to enter the music hall.
The crowd -- some of it reluctantly, but most as if it's simply the proper order of things -- parts at Fenric's words, and he leads the group to the entrance of the music hall, where a uniformed man greets him.
"Welcome, sir, to the Kitharodian Academy," he says with a slight bow.
Mirror-focused lanterns and dancing lights illuminate the structure, transforming the school's elegant domes, towers, and columns into a radiant beacon of Taldor’s greatness.
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"Impressive," Katarina whispers as Fenric uses the pull of his family name as well as his commanding presence to allow them to bypass the worst of the crowds. For a moment, she couldn't help but wonder why a young nobleman would have interest in joining the Society at all - surely there were easier ways to accumulate additional fame and fortune? "You act like you've done this before," she adds with a soft chuckle.
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"The hierarchy of civilization has been around for a long time," Fenric responds to Katarina's observation. "I was fortunate enough to be born into nobility. While I have compassion for those of common birth, I do know how things get done." His words are matter-of-fact, but the astute can sense that there is the smallest sentiment of regret.
The man blinks.
"I'm afraid we're far too busy to bring you to the library right now, sir," the man says, gesturing to the crowd around you that waits impatiently even as other ushers let a slow trickle in to your left and right. "Even if we weren't, we hardly let just anyone in there, you know."
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"Just anyone!?" Fenric says in inflamed incredulity. "First, have you never heard of House Lovka of Brevoy? If you mattered more, I would make you pay for the insult to my family's name. Second, I have express permission to be here from the Arch-Exarch Gregorius. Someone hand me the writ." He thrusts his open hand back towards the others expectantly.
The man blanches a bit -- perhaps at Fenric's words but more likely the looking presence of Gaeldrung -- as he takes the writ. He looks it over and flushes as he glances back.
"Well, very well, I guess if you have permission, I can spare a moment. Follow me..."
He leads you down to the library, which is nearly empty thanks to the imminent performance, though a young Taldan man greets you, introducing himself as Tobias, the librarian on duty.
He asks how he can be of assistance and quickly reads over the Arch-Exarch’s letter before showing you to a restricted section of the library.
"He you are. However, I'm afraid all visitors must leave the library once the performance concludes, in about two hours."
A large table stands at the center of this large room, whose walls are lined with rows upon rows of inset shelves. A set of double doors is the only way into the room, and two stone statues depicting bearded scholars with open books are the only other decorations.