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Here is where we post the character actions, dialog and setting. Write "dot" here. It is a way to find this post later much easier, because it will put a small dot next to this game when you search through the PBP forum list of active games. Note any post will create a dot on the forum, it is just some etiquette to do so I believe.
it will also place your characters in the characters, and players tabs above.
You have been called to an isolated cabin in the highlands. The rumor is you have been sent to this isolated spot to help a retired pathfinder. With entering the cabin you here a commotion coming from the back room. Looking through the open doorway you see a middle aged man in flannel pajamas tied to the bed flailing around. You also see the venture captain that summoned you, and waves the group into the room.
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My Name is Kaydence.
I am the Daughter of Zelphar Emberdawn, King of the Half-Elf Gypsies. My Tribe was murdered by an Orcish Warlord, and I only survived by killing an Orc and dragging his corpse over my body. All I saw of the Orc that killed my father was the ritual scarification upon his arms and hands.
Because of this I have nothing but hatred and resentment for any Orc, and I will not use My father's surname until I have earned the right to bear it again, by avenging my father and killing the Orc who wrongfully murdered him.
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"I'm Leorin Fletcher."
"I was born into a city full of corruption and tyranny. I was apart of the freedom fighters there to bring down the leader. My group was nearly destroyed but we won in the end. In the aftermath the group disbanded and I found the people who the higher ups said were the reason why we had won and asked if I could join them and well they accepted me after showing them what I could do."
"I hope my skills will be adequate enough to complete this mission."
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Frederik Nordsson sidles himself into the room behind the more colourful personalities, remaining silent. Seeing the pointed looks, he sighs, and speaks in a resonant baritone 'My name is Frederik Nordsson. I am but a simple farmer. My god, Erastil, has called me to leave the farmstead to do his work.' He grunts, appearing frustrated. 'Though I honestly have no idea why. The harvest season is almost upon us.'
Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch glances out a window as the last wisps of twilight fade over the Fenwall Mountains. Turning from the sight, she runs her hand along the rustic cabin’s wall and stands beside an occupied wooden bed before addressing you.
“This,” the venture captain says, gesturing to the man thrashing around violently, straining against the bonds that lash him securely to the bed, “is our colleague, Kalkamedes. Every night for several weeks now, he has fallen into a deep slumber and tried to sleepwalk right out of his cottage. If not restrained, he marches straight north, eventually falling off a cliff or into a bog as if trying to get himself killed in an attempt to reach an unknown goal.” As though he were expressing disagreement, the man tied to the bed suddenly
begins pumping his limbs even harder, the violent spasms threatening to smash the bed into splinters.
“There are those who have recently criticized the Pathfinders for our indifference to the plight of our fellow field agents. It’s time to show that’s not true. I want you to help Kalkamedes, whether he wants it or not. Several of our best spellcasters have attempted an extensive list of magical cures, but whatever sleepwalking curse or effect he’s under tenaciously resists our efforts. All we can do is keep him safe.” Heidmarch pats him with a degree of professional affection, and Kalkamedes rewards her by trying to swat her with his head.
“Kalkamedes’s friends are at their wits’ end, so we are going to attempt the only thing that we have not tried: we’re going to let him go tonight. That’s where you come in. I want you to follow him and keep him safe and in one piece. Let him get to wherever his addled brain thinks he needs to go so badly. Maybe, just maybe, if he gets there, you can find a way to help him. Maybe you can determine who or what did this to him and find a way to undo it.” Heidmarch pulls out a serrated knife. “Now before I cut him free, does anyone have any questions or last minute preparations?”
As I said our attempts at dispelling whatever it is have been fruitless. I want you to keep him safe as he journeys, it may be the only way to truly cure this man.
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A blonde woman with golden eyes rushes through the door, nearly piling into Frederik, panting slightly as if from exertion. Upon hearing the last of the Venture-Captain's words, she nervously fingers an iron holy symbol of Iomedae, which lays gently over her polished scale mail.
I apologize for my lateness. I'm Meredith, and I do have some questions. Does he have a certain area he tends to favor over other's? I would hate for him to walk off another cliff and to his death before we have a chance to catch up to him.
As if in an after thought, she let's go of her holy symbol and reaches back, sliding her hand down the blade of a greatsword...
Are there any threats in the area that we should be aware of?
You are just in time, and thank you for answering the call to help us with this dilemma. He tends to favor North, as I have been told. I am unaware if he takes the same route each night but he always wakes beaten and battered, pleae keep him safe and alive! As for danger in the area, it is the wilderness; animals, giants, goblins, anything that lives in these highlands or mountains may be running around and be considered a danger.
Kalkamedes pushes against your hand in his flailing to become free, he does not notice your attempt.
Sheila Heidmarch speaks Oh if was only so easy, he cannot be woken, he will not even wake when he hurts himself, a most dangerous condition he has.
And that would be? She said with an inquisitive look.
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A surly dwarf with a large steel shield and an even larger axe pushes into the room. His red beard is braided and forked but also matted with whatever dinner there was last night.
Ach! Late ag'n! It's these damn wee legs o' mine, eh? Cain't bloody well git an'place oon time wit' legs this size. Nae, what seems to bae the trouble 'ereboots? This bloody git needs a nanny sae he can a'gae prancin' aroun' in them flannel jammies? Is that 'boot it, then? Nursemaidin' a sleepin' man? This mae well bae the easist job in the whole wee hist'ry o' the glorious Pathfinder soci'ty, eh?"
He guffaws loudly, clearly not impressed by the mission as set.
"Oh, were are mae manners, eh? Orik Fistbreaker, at yer service. What'll wae dae nex', eh? Run 'im a wee bath?"
More gales of dwarven mirth follow this.
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'Well unless we're expecting any other late arrivals...' Raise an eyebrow at Sheila. 'I think its best we be about it. This poor man has been afflicted for too long.
As Frederick hefts his bow and prepares to leave, he hesitates, and gazes deeply at Kalkamedes for a short while.
Frederik shakes himself out of his trance-like state and looks up to see the rest of the group staring at him awkwardly.
Sheila chuckles at the dwarf's humor. I agree that this task is not as glamorous as other missions, but understand it is none the less any less important. Kalkamedes here was once a member of the society, put yourself in his place. Would you not want an organization you have risked your life for time and again, and that may have the means to help your ailment, assist in whatever way they can? This mission is lots of things including drab and inglorious, it is also a way we can throw a last attempt to someone that was one of our rank. It is also part to keep up appearances, what if word were to get out that the society lets their associates battle whatever illness alone after they retire from dedicated years of service, it is still unclear how he received this plight, he may of received it on a mission he was sent on for the Society. There is a pile of reasons this is an important mission that needs to be seen through it's completion.
What's that you say; Why don’t we just leave him safely tied up and go search in whatever direction he was headed? “Good thought—I had the same one myself, originally. We’ve already tried that. Although we know he marches north, we haven’t been able to find anything that sheds any light on the situation. For this to work, we’ll need Kalkamedes to be our guide and show us exactly where he’s trying to go. That’s why you have to get the job done before dawn. Once he wakes up, he remembers nothing and becomes downright useless as a guide.”
What's that you say; May we wait a day to prepare more appropriate spells? “That is not acceptable. Look at him! I don’t think he can take much more of this, so I need you to get out there tonight. One way or another, we’re going to settle this and cure him of his affliction.”
What's that you say, Can you give us anything that might help with the mission? “I have little that would be any use, but I believe Kalkamedes would forgive your making use of anything in his cabin.”
What's that you say, Can we knock him out or pin him to the ground if we need to? “Do what you must, but go easy on him. Remember the point of this is to help him!”
Perception, you do not notice anything of note on his body, the healing bumps and bruises can be seen but difficult to identify how he achieved them. For spellcraft, you are at the same lost that the Pathfinder Society's high mages are at.
Knowledge religion, though some demons, devils, and other outsiders can possess mortals this does not look to be the case, this is just weird. Also you would of heard the rumor through your ranks that the higher clerics that associate with the society have also ruled out any religious background as the cause. Nothing in the cabin detects as evil.
Do not feel rushed on my account, please post anything else you wish to do before your sleepwalker is released, when you have nothing more you wish to do just write, finished and ready then he will be released.
Holding back a chuckle Please do as you see fit to keep him safe, that sounds like it would be a great idea to start with. Just try to do no harm to this prone to injury sleepwalker.
The wardrobe in Kalkamedes’s bedchamber contains his outdoor clothing (an explorer’s outfit) and a pair of strong boots. A drawer in the end table next to Kalkamedes’s bed contains a series of unfinished charts mapping the Fenwall Mountains. Searching the stove, you find the remains of a crumpled and burned charcoal sketch (will be shown on roll20, please let me know if you share any info with the party so I can reveal the image to them also). The tattered sketch depicts a squat fortress under a full moon enshrouded by clouds. You can find a hidden lever in the back of the stove that releases the catch to a hidden compartment concealed in the floor under a stack of water barrels. Within, a locked metal chest.
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Meredith watches as Kaydence searches the room.
"See if there is anything that might show us where he's been heading off to, or perhaps something that tells of what befell the poor soul. Maybe a journal or a missive of some sort..."
She then walks over to Kalkamedes and whispers softly and gently to him, clasping her holy symbol tightly to her chest.
As Meredith finishes her last word she quickly dodges Kalkamedes's head as it flails around.
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"Hello friends. I am Zotu Starshine." A sturdy elf says with a stern voice, timidly unable to look his new acquaintances in the eye. Zotu's handsome face overshadowed by a stern brow. Perhaps if he stopped scowling the lines on his face would stay the same.
While short for an elf, Zotu is clearly well built, barely fitting into black studded leather more suited to a human. The armor has a crest that some would recognize as a Cheliax symbol of Asmodeus. He has a long sword at his side, a short bow and a large thin blade of some sort hoisted on his back. The elf's long brown hair glimmers momentarily in the fire, revealing a green tinge.
In broken common, Zotu continues, "I am a Jaesali ranger, an Ekujae, the children of Desna. I have traveled from the Mwangi in search for friends. May we find what curses this man and send it to the Final Night." His tongue rolls smoothly over the foreign syllables, almost incomprehensibly to a northern ear.
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With a worried and sad expression on her face, she steps out of the way of Kalkamedes' thrashing. At the elf's entrance, she turns to the doorway, a sad smile on her face, until she sees the symbol to Asmodeus, at which point her brow furrows and she frowns.
"You have traveled far, indeed, child of Desna", she finishes the last with an unsure tone in her voice.
Nodding slowly, Meredith turns to Sheila, "Do not worry, we have no plans of knocking him out or delaying this. He has suffered enough, and we do owe it to him to find what conflicts with his soul."
She thinks briefly to herself, biting her lower lip, and ponders, "A tether is not a bad idea. Good thinking, Kaydence."
Kaydence begins searching the room, finding clothing and shoes in a wardrobe, and a pile of written papers in the desk. She walks over to the wood stove and appears to pull a cleaverly hidden lever that opens a space behind the stove. She pulls a metal box from the floor boards and within a moment has the lock open.
Charcoal drawing is now a handout on roll20
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Meredith takes a look at the longsword and sighs, "It is a pity to see that in such a pitiable state... I wonder why he did not repair it."
She takes a moment, and wonders aloud, "I wonder, also, why poor Kalkamedes went to so much effort to hide this from view. Curious."
Glancing at the charcoal drawing, Meredith asks Sheila, "Does this look familiar? It would appear that he had some sort of fixation with this building... it might hold the answers to the questions we seek."
If no one else has anything further to add, Meredith nods a final time and indicates that she is finished and ready to free Kalkamedes from his bonds.