The Pathfinder Society sends you to the fabled Kingdom of the Impossible, the island of Jalmeray, to stop an Aspis Consortium black market relics dealer who is organizing the local bandits and violently robbing Jalmeray and Pathfinder Society caravans laden with relics, artifacts, and magical mysteries. When a venture-captain is murdered by the Aspis Consortium agent, it's up to the PCs to find him and do whatever it takes to stop him.
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Morning dawns over the city of Absalom and within it, the Grand Lodge of the Pathfinder Society. It's a beautiful morning, bringing with it the promise of a new day - and of new adventures. Each of you had received a short missive the previous evening from Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin, requesting your presence in his office early the next morning, after breakfast. Though none of you are certain of the details, this can surely only mean that the esteemed Valsin has some sort of mission or task in mind for you.
Once breakfast is concluded, each of you eagerly make your way through the halls of the Grand Lodge to Valsin's office, a rather large but meticulously organized room that features shelves upon shelves of books and files, as well as a sizable meeting table and a sturdy oaken desk that sits in front of a window on the south wall. The Venture-Captain doesn't seem to be here yet, but you are, after all, a few minutes early. Plenty of time to find a seat at the table, get comfortable, and perhaps even chat with your fellow agents.
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A barefooted halfling enters the room, packing away an extra roll he snaffled from the breakfast table. He glances around the room, his thick black tousled hair almost covering his startlingly bright green eyes, "Hello!?" He chirps happily, "Is there anyone here? I was told to meet a Venture-Captain Valsin around here somewhere." He scratches an ear with a rough, calloused hand from a life of hard work, and looks around properly, "Huh! There's no one here... Maybe I have the wrong room."
He brushes his curly hair out of his eyes for a better view, revealing for the first time just how young the man is - probably no more than about 18 years of age, his fresh face freckled from too much time spent in the sun, "What do I do now, Sor? I've never been to one of these things before... Do I sit just quietly and wait?" He asks, apparently talking to himself as he looks around the room, his katana, which is somewhat unusually strapped to his back with the handle facing down, clattering against his dusty old armour as he moves about, "Or maybe I should just go ask someone for directions?"
A little Red-flanked Bluetail pops out from the halfling's nest of curly hair, "Stop worrying, Tupp." She tweets softly, "This is the right place, you're just too early... As usual. Honestly, I know you're excited, but you have to try and calm down. Why don't you sit down over there and we can go over why Shizurans consider solar eclipses as being sacred- Don't roll your eyes, Tupp. It'll help relax you while waiting for the others to arrive."
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A middle-aged man wearing a long brown duster confidently strides into the room. His greying moustache is impeccably groomed and flows with precise lines into an equally aged set of mutton chops. A holstered wand sits on his right hip and a tiny but incredibly intricate warhammer, similar to Torag's holy symbol, hangs from his neck.
"Morning, morning," he greets the halfling and the talking bird as he takes the seat with the best view of the window. A familiar eh? What's this lad carrying a sword for if he has a familiar? "I am Bartimaeus Verstand, top graduate of Kyonin's esteemed Erages Academy with a specialization in spell dueling," he informs the pair, pausing to make sure they are well aware of the gravity of his accomplishment. Just as it is about to get awkward, he continues. "...and you are?"
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The halfling stares guilelessly at Bartimaeus during the silence, unsure if he should say something or not, then blinks a couple of times and introduces himself, "Tupp!" He says with a big smile and a wave, "I'm Tupp Thistledown, Sir. Defender of the weak and smitten with evil- Ow ow!" He grimaces as small bird pecks at his head, "I mean, smiter of evil, geez... And this is my tutor, Sori."
Sori hops off of Tupp's head as he starts rubbing it, flying gracefully down to the table before addressing Bartimaeus herself, "Good morning. I take it you're quite experienced with the Pathfinder Society, is there any advice you'd be willing to share with the lad?"
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A tall half elf with fiery hair steps in as the others are talking. He has various baubles and accessories worn about his person, seemingly not very magical or fashionable. An old worn belt, a tarnished ring, and an amulet resembling a broad leaf of apparent elven make stand out. "Hail there, is this where I can find the Venture-Captain?"
Noticing Tupp's strangely worn and uncommon weapon, he adds "That is an interesting blade you carry. Mind if I take a loook at it? Name's Styrian by the way."
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"Sure!" Tupp says as he hops up and eagerly grabs the hilt of his katana, *schwiing*, and draws it in a quick, easy motion, "Heh, I love that sound!" He walks over to the newest arrival and passes him the small (as far as Styrian is concerned) blade, hilt first, "It's a little banged up, though. I tried to fix it up, but I found it in a hedge, so..." He smiles apologetically and gives a little shrug. "Oh, and I think this is the right place. I mean, all three of us can't be wrong, right?"
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A tall fellow enters the room, not bearing much but a well-honed and rather intricate looking blade. At first glance he appears human but on closer examination there appears to be a hint of something else to him, perhaps a touch of jann somewhere in his ancestry. He also bears a peculiar root-shaped mark on his face, that is noticeably darker than the rest of him.
"Greetings, my friends!" he booms out in a jovial voice, "So, another adventuring day dawns, does it? Well then, let's at it! Where's the Valsin fellow anyway and why would he keep us waiting? Doesn't he know we've work to do!?! Oh, Bon Jon Bovi's the name..."
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A tutor? The familiar? He must be rather dimwitted if the familiar is the one teaching him. I'll try to keep things simple for him. "A pleasure to meet you both. Advice, you say? Always come prepared, haha! More seriously though, being able to contribute regardless of the situation you may find yourself in is vital to ensuring the success of a mission. A mighty sword is not always the answer. What say you to a swarm of bees, or an unexpected arrival into deep water? It is for things such as this for which you must always be ready!" he explains with a smile, clearly enjoying the spread of best practices, wisdom, and knowledge.
"Do any of you have magical equipment with which you would like my assistance?" he asks and then turns to Tupp. "Things like scrolls, wands, and similar implements?" he explains, pulling out an example and showcasing each of them to Tupp. Hopefully visuals help the poor lad.
Uninterested in swordsmanship, he tries to make conversation with the Tupp's tutor. "Erhm... Sori, was it? What manner of education have you been providing the lad? Does he catch on quickly enough?"
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The last time Tupp used the sword, he was training in the yard, full of excitement and even more nerves about his first Pathfinder mission.
Tupp's eyes glaze over as Bartimaeus starts to share his advice, and just shakes his head to the offer of magical assistance, too distracted by the chance to show off his sword. He quickly waves at the newest arrival, while watching Styrian intently, "Hi, Bon! I think we're early, but come look at this... I think he's preparing himself for something! I bet if I threw a book in the air, he'd chop the shape of a swan out of a just a single page before it hits the floor... Oh, I've got a bo-" As he reaches into his pack, Sori chirps in, sternly "Don't even think about it! That's a holy text."
Sori shakes her head and hops a couple of times a little closer to Bartimaeus while Tupp removes his hand from his pack, and continues to watch Styrian intently, "Religious studies, mostly. I'm also trying to teach some common sense to the boy. To be honest, it's like talking to a brick wall most of the time. Look at him. Someone asks to see his sword and he immediately gives it to them, leaving himself defenceless. I know Pathfinders are mostly trustworthy, but he'd do the same thing with any stranger who walks up to him on the street."
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My heart goes out to the creature, taking on such a task as this! I'll keep him under close watch too, at least while we are working together. "If you will forgive my being forward, what has spurred you to take such a path? You are a familiar, surely there is a more suitable master for you to aid? In any case, should you wish for more educated company, you may always converse with me," he offers proudly. "If it please you, I will also do my best to keep an eye on the boy. He has spirit, I will grant him that. It would be a shame if his light were to be snuffed too soon." Torag, give me the strength to be patient with him and the foresight to keep him from harm.
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Styrian hands the weapon back to Tupp. "This blade is more than meats the eye Tupp. It is actually a short sidearm for a human, and despite its rough appearance, a very powerful and important warrior once bore it. Let it remind you that many things are greater than they first appear." He can't help himself from a sideways glance at the wizard and bird speaking so derisively of the young warrior.
The feeling passes though and Styrian smiles at Bartimaeus's offer. "Thank you for the offer wizard, I don't have any formal arcane training, but I can usually figure out how to work a wand or scroll. I'll keep your offer in mind if I need a second set of eyes on something."
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Bon Jon listens to the banter with good humor, popping pomegranate seeds and laughing along. Surely these new companions will be stout comrades in whatever awaits us... His ears perk up a bit though when Mr. Bart mentions using wands and the like. "As a matter of fact, I have these little sticks right here, they've helped me out in a situation or two. I can try to use 'em myself but truthfully, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. You might have better luck with 'em and I'll be much obliged..."
The sound of approaching footsteps heralds the arrival of Venture-Captain Valsin, a tall and rather imposing man with dark hair and grizzled features.
"Ah! I see you all got my message - good, good," he says as he strides into the room and takes a good look at each of you. "Rather than flap my jaws as some of the other Venture-Captains might, I'll get straight to the point."
Valsin settles into a chair at the head of the small meeting table and leans forward. "Word's reached us from the Pathfinder Lodge in Padiskar. Seems Venture-Captain Mihir has put in an urgent request for a few skilled but relatively unknown agents to assist him in dealing with some recent attacks on local Pathfinder caravans and the like," he explains. "The note was brief and that's all I know about the matter myself. I'm sure that Venture-Captain Mihir will be able to fill you in more thoroughly once you reach Padiskar."
Standing up, Valsin nods at each of you. "Go pack and make whatever preparations you see fit to make. I've booked passage for you on the Miss Conduct and she sets sail in about, oh...two hours' time. Good luck and I look forward to hearing your report when you return. Dismissed!"
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Bartimaeus ceases his conversation as Venture Captain Valsin walks in and stands up in respect. A man with such a fierce moustache must always be shown the highest of honors. While Valsin gets settled in, he pulls a strange wand from the inside of his duster, bends the top of it back, and popping what appears to be a small piece of candy into his mouth. He stands again as Valsin leaves, nodding in farewell.
After sharing any information he might know on the topics of Valsin's brief briefing, he stands up and bids the group farewell. "I shall join you all aboard the Miss Conduct after completing my preparations. Safe travels associates!" Let us hope this ship does not live up to its name!
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"Well, I-" Sori stops short of answering Bartimaeus when Valsin walks in the room, quickly flying over to land on Tupp's head to make sure the distracted halfling knows that he should be paying attention.
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"Attacks on Pathfinders!? Oh my... We won't disappoint you, sir." Tupp says with a quick bow. Before he can leave, however, Sori leans over and whispers in Tupp's ear, "Oh, err... Where is Padiskar? Is there anything we should know about before we pack?" He asks Valsin as he re-sheaths his sword, "I've been told that I should always be prepared."
The little dinosaur moves towards the others, sniffing carefully at each hand that is put out to him. He seems to wait expectantly for pattings or scratches behind the eyes from anyone who seems favorable disposed towards him.
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"Interesting creature..." Styrian remarks as he cautiously places his hand on top of Blarg's head for a moment while he greets Koani. "Pleasure to meet you."
Styrian considers if he recalls anything about Padiskar, especially local threats or other challenges to the society that the party might meet.
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As Blarg moves towards Tupp, Sori shoots out of the halfling's hair, beating her wings frantically and chirping loudly as she tries to fly somewhere, anywhere far far away. However, Tupp remains still, looking Blarg in the eye as he stops in front of the small halfling, "Hello Blarg! I'm Tupp." He says with a smile as he raises a hand to let Blaag have a good sniff, "There, we're friends now, and friends don't eat friends, right?" Tentatively, Tupp starts rubbing the relatively large dinosaur's snout, then glances towards Koani, "Right?"
Styrian recalls that Padiskar is part of the island-nation of Jalmeray, located in the Obari Ocean just off the coast of Nex. It was once a city famous for both pleasure and learning, earning it the title of the 'Shimmering Jewel of Jalmeray'. This came to an end when the Arclords of Nex unearthed an ancient horror in the vaults below the city - where it still howls in the blackness to this very day. As a result, Padiskar is now reduced to a ring of small villages that surround the ruins of the old city, consisting largely of farmers and fishermen.
As for Jalmeray itself, both Bartimaeus and Styrian can confirm that in theory, Jalmeray is ruled by an undisputed monarch - Kharswan, the Thakur of Jalmeray. In truth, the Thakur's power is limited to as far as his voice can carry. The country is primarily run by a variety of noble families, powerful mystics, and masters of the island's monasteries - collectively known as the Maurya-Rahm. It is they who oversee the day to day running of the country while the Thakur amuses himself with his poetry, his harem of wives, and of pitting his many advisors against each other.
When thoughts turn to the climate and terrain, Bartimaeus also recalls that Jalmeray is first and foremost an island nation surrounded by the warm waters of the Obari Ocean. The island itself is historically described as a place of incredible natural beauty, something only enhanced by the vast array of elemental creatures brought by the Vudrani to help shape the island to their needs. Now the island is renowned across all of the known world for the splendid sights that can be seen nowhere else—except perhaps in distant Vudra itself. The exact climate of the island seems to vary widely from area to area, perhaps as a consequence of the elemental creatures that reside there. Niswan is beset by cold winds and even sometimes snow, while a few hundred miles away, the northern tip of Jalmeray is covered in verdant mountainous forests. It is the latter location where Padiskar lies.
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Armed with the information that Bartimaeus and Styrian were able to provide, each of you depart to pack your belongings and make any last-minute purchases before heading down to the docks. Once there, you all board the Miss Conduct and are quickly underway.
After a few beautiful, if uneventful, weeks aboard the ship, the Miss Conduct finally reaches the northern coast of Jalmeray one beautiful, sunny morning. From your vantage point on deck you can see that the lush, green coastline is dotted with numerous small villages and fields of wheat, rice, cotton, and sugarcane. Further within the island's interior and beyond the villages and farms, you can see what appears to be numerous crumbling stone structures - likely the ruins of old Padiskar itself.
The ship glides along into a small harbor dotted with numerous small fishing vessels, their occupants bustling about as they prepare for the day's fishing. After a few minutes the Miss Conduct settles against the rickety wooden docks and you're soon able to make your way onto land. You consult a small note with some directions to the safehouse that is the Pathfinder Society lodge within the city and set out along dusty, bustling streets. The trek to the local lodge isn't entirely without incident; though foreign travelers aren't unheard of in Padiskar, it's apparently rather unusual to see a sizable group such as yourselves. In particular, Blarg draws a number of amazed and fascinated stares and when you pass a group of children playing in the street, they gape at Bon Jon with something approaching awe.
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You all reach the local lodge and are ushered inside by a young Vudrani boy with dark hair and dark eyes. "Ah! You are the agents sent from Absalom, yes? Please, come in! I am Pata, one of the Venture-Captain Mihir's porters," he explains as he leads you down a short hallway and into a surprisingly spacious study where another, older Vudrani man dressed in brilliant reds and golds sits scribbling at a desk. He looks up at the sound of your arrival and his eyes light up.
"At last! I've been expecting you," he exclaims as he rises and beckons everyone to have a seat. "They had told me that your ship would likely be arriving sometime this week - most excellent. Pata, food and drink for our guests - they're most certainly famished after only having ship's gruel for weeks!"
While Pata scurries off, the man bows to each of you. "I am Venture-Captain Vasuman Mihir and as I am sure Ambrus Valsin explained, your assistance is required for a matter of some urgency," he begins. "You see, over the past several months a number of our caravans carrying supplies as well as items from dig sites within the region have been routinely and viciously attacked, their contents stolen. Not only that, but my predecessor Aamina Shahrazad," Mihir clenches his fist, "was brutally murdered when those same bandits proved brazen enough to attack this place directly."
"Now, the identity and leader of these attacks has been known almost from the very beginning. A man named Zamir, seeking fame and notoriety among the people of Jalmeray," he snorts. "Through my agents I have learned that Zamir has recently allied himself with the Aspis Consortium as a means to this end. Zamir earns a name for himself among the criminals of Jalmeray as he steals and plunders from our caravans and our agents, while any of his ill-gotten gains that are magical are broken down and shipped to Aspis holdings in Cheliax."
A small, cunning smile creeps across Mihir's face. "Unfortunately for Zamir, I believe I have come up with a means to put an end to his fun. And that is where you, my friends, enter the picture."
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Venture-Captain Mihir strides over to his desk and opens a small box, pulling out a beautiful bejeweled scepter with runes decorating its surface. "This is a fake scepter of the arclords," he explains. "You will lead a caravan toward Niswan carrying this false relic and several crates of minor magical items. Waman will give you a detailed travel itinerary, which you must follow with care. It is almost certain that you will be ambushed before you reach your destination, but this is all part of my plan. The scepter is bait in a trap, and you are the teeth. Do not let on to Waman that you know of his transgressions — we need him to lead us to Zamir. We’ll either make Zamir our man or disrupt his business permanently. I’ll deal with Waman myself once this affair is resolved," he adds, grimly.
Mihir holds up a second item, a plain-looking but easily recognizable wayfinder. "This wayfinder is also a fake, although unlike the scepter, it does have real power. The dial always points to the scepter, you see." Mihir demonstrates, moving the wayfinder in a circle around the scepter, the needle pointing unerringly at it. "Previous experience indicates that Zamir's men will not kill if they don’t have to. Let them steal the scepter. You must put up a small struggle, maybe even kill or injure several of his men, but most importantly you must let them escape and they must escape with the scepter. Give them a few hours after the ambush to escape and then use the wayfinder to track Zamir to his hideout. Zamir is an arrogant man whose loyalties lie with whoever can make him famous to the people of Jalmeray. Right now he believes the Aspis Consortium is the answer. You will either convince him that the Society is the answer — as he could be a very powerful ally in the region — or you’ll end his operations for good. How you handle it, I leave to you."
The Venture-Captain pauses to gaze at each of you. "Are there any questions?"
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Bartimaeus seats himself at the table, listening attentively to the briefing. "Venture Captiain Mihir, a few questions, if you will. You mentioned that Zamir is concerned with who will make him famous. Does the Society have any promises we can make to him, should the opportunity arise for us to do so? Is one of us to hold the scepter, or will it be stowed away? These bandits, the unlawful knaves, if they attack us as viciously as they have in the past, what makes you think they will be satisfied with merely claiming our trade goods? You've made it clear that they enjoy the murdering as much as they do the stealing. There is also the matter of them taking our equipment, the lack thereof would limit our ability to track them greatly," he mentions. It is a masterful plan, however expecting a band of marauding murderers to succumb to a change of heart is not something for which I am willing to risk my own life, nor is it one I will allow my companions to blindly walk into.
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Tupp returns the Venture-Captain's bow, "Bandits! Hey Sor... Dealing with bandits is on my to do list, right? Oh, this is perfect!" He exclaims excitedly, rushing up beside Bartimeaus as Sori pokes her head out from the halfling's hair, "It is not a 'to do' list." She says sternly, "It's a code of conduct. One you ought to study and stick to closely if you ever want to-" But it's too late, Tupp is already way too excited to listen to her, and is currently sitting down with his elbows on the table, waiting expectantly for the answers to Bartimeaus' questions, "Yes, what he said!"
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Bon Jon cracks his knuckles and does a few squats to make sure that his body is limbered for the mission ahead, inhales deeply several times and then exhaling with short sharp snorts, and then traces an unknown diagram with his finger across his forehead and ear lobes. "Alright, I'm ready. Just two questions: who is this Waman and how does he relate to Zamir? And do you need all the miscreants delivered back here alive?"
Mihir smiles slightly, clearly pleased that several of you are giving the situation a bit of additional thought. "Good questions. I will address them one at a time." He holds up a finger. "First - while I would personally prefer that Zamir's antics be put to rest in a more permanent matter, I must put my own feelings aside and consider what would be best for the Society as a whole. Consider this: Zamir and his men have not only managed to evade capture thus far but Zamir has been able to orchestrate these raids by use of an inside source. Imagine if we had someone that resourceful working for us instead of against us?"
Holding up a second finger, Mihir continues. "Secondly, I must admit that I don't have a specific offer that we can make to Zamir at this time. However, I would imagine that the opportunity to continue to keep his head would prove sufficient until I am able to speak with him myself."
"Third," Mihir holds up yet another finger, "I would recommend that you stow the scepter among the caravan's other goods instead of on one's person - but of course you may ultimately do as you see fit. While Zamir and his men did kill Aamina Shahrazad, they have otherwise proven to be surprisingly merciful when conducting their raids - only resorting to brute force when those they rob attempt to fight back. I can't prove it, but I suspect Aamina's murder was meant as a warning to the rest of us should we attempt to put up a fight against these raids."
The Venture-Captain's smile widens, but it's a rather grim one. "I suspect that as long as you allow them to flee with the scepter, you will not have to worry about losing your more...mundane...equipment. As I mentioned before, their interest seems to lie almost solely with magical items."
When Bon Jon inquires about Waman, Mihir's mouth flattens into a thin line. "To my knowledge, Waman and Zamir have no previous association. Waman has clearly decided that Zamir and his Aspis friends have more to offer him than we in the Society do - as to how Zamir knew of this and knew to exploit it, I am unsure. It is possible that Zamir has had spies watching our activities for quite some time, well before his raids began - learning more about each of the agents and other individuals in the Society's employ. If that is the case, do you see now why Zamir might prove to be a valuable ally?"
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Not full convinced, Bartimaeus nods his head in acceptance. Not particularly inspiring, however the outright promise of failure has been abated. Risk is part of our profession, one I seek to mitigate. Regardless, I will be sure to stay close to Tupp, lest his zeal for novelty bring him to the wrong end of a bandit's axe. "Very well Vanture Captain Mihir, you have answered my questions satisfactorily," he responds, then turns to his companions. "I am ready to commence with our task, and yourselves?"
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"This first bit might go smoother if we split up. A smaller escort of more mundane appearing guards might give the bandits more confidence in their numbers and get them too stay their hands. The second group could follow behind or out of sight. Of course this would come with greater risk if the bandits DO decide to resort to violence. I'm not entirely sure whether it is the wisest course, but it is an option."
Styrian considers for a moment. "I have a vanish spell and burst of speed that could help me get out if things do start to turn south. So I would be willing to volunteer, but if no one else has an appropriate escape route I think we should not consider this split."
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"Vanish is an astute choice Styrian, I shall prepare the same prior to our departure. Considering the possible outcomes, splitting our forces would be unwise. What if both groups were set upon by bandits? I suspect we would be routed in short order," Bartimaeus notes. "With regards to this matter, I believe our ability to protect ourselves is maximized if we were to work in unison."
"Waman is one of my porters," Mihir explains as he seems to sense some of your confusion. "Apologies; I apparently failed to make that part clear. I narrowed it down to him being the culprit leaking caravan routes by process of elimination. Each time a caravan was due to go out, I made sure to inform only one of my porters at a time as to the route. All of those caravans made it safely to their destinations - with the exception of the caravan following the route that I leaked to Waman."
"While I will be certain to inform him of the route that your caravan will be taking, Waman himself will not be traveling with you," Mihir adds. "As I said, I will deal with him myself once this business with Zamir is resolved."
Mihir frowns. "As for Zamir himself, he is both a rebel and a bandit - the people of Padiskar know him as such. There are some rumors circulating that he is actually a rakshasa or even a weretiger but I highly suspect those rumors are just that - rumors. And while we do not exactly know the number of men he has at his command, many of the locals here in Padiskar are certain that he's absorbed several small jungle-bandit groups. We've also heard rumors that the long-deposed and villainous monks of the Tiger's Eye are working for him."
As Bartimaeus and Styrian begin discussing tactics, Mihir smiles broadly. "Ahhh, already at work on your plans - good, good. You will have two days to make your preparations before the caravan is due to depart, so that should hopefully be sufficient time for you to decide on watches and the like."
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"Very well then," Bartimaeus says as he stands. "Shall we be on our way? There is much to do and learn about prior to our departure!" Giddy with the idea of all the plans to make and strategies to hash out, the Ulfen practically runs out of the meeting room while doing his best to maintain his air of dignity and stylish facial hair. Torag be praised! Two days to guarantee the safety of my comrades, child's play!
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Took my best guesses here on what was relevant to what...
All my knowledge checks are +11 right now and I have all of them, so any that I mislabeled can be switched for the appropriate type without changing any modifiers.
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Tupp listens intently, growing increasingly excited as more and more bandit groups get mentioned, and then practically leaps from his chair when Bartimaeus suggests that the party should get going, "Let's go!" He's over halfway to the door before he realises that Mihir said that the action won't start for another two days. His shoulders slump. "Two whole days of planning? Do we really need that much time?" He moans as he continues out the room at a much slower pace, dreading all the thinking that he might have to do, not to mention all the studying Sori is sure to force on him while waiting for the caravan to leave.
Satisfied that you've asked all of the questions you can think to ask, Venture-Captain Mihir rises from his seat. "Very well. I apologize that we currently do not have the appropriate space within the lodge itself to house you during your stay in Padiskar. Instead, I've made arrangements for you to stay in a small inn known as the Magnificent Maulsari," he explains. "I shall have Waman show you the way there. He should be returning from another errand I dispatched him on at almost any time now." Though you are almost certain that Mihir's choice of local guide is intentional, you're not certain as to the motive behind it. "Remember - two days. In the meantime, if you have any further questions or concerns you will be able to find me here at the lodge."
Dismissed - for the time being, anyway - all of you troop outside just as a young Vudrani boy of slight build comes striding up the dirt path that leads to the lodge. In spite of his surprisingly young age - surely no more than maybe 12 winters at most - he walks with a confident spring in his step. When he spots the group, he smiles; it's a genuine, easygoing smile tinged with a bit of awe.
"Hello to you! You are the new agents from afar, I am sure," he greets you, offering a bow of respect. "I am Waman Kapil and I will be showing you to your lodgings at the Magnificent Maulsari. Please, follow me!" he says, beckoning. Assuming you all follow, Waman begins leading you back through the dusty streets of Padiskar.
"I think Master Mihir said you come from Absalom, yes?" he asks as you walk, curiosity clearly evident in his voice. "I've heard that it's the biggest city in all the world! Is it true? What is it like?"
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While Styrian is unable to recall anything useful about rakshasas, Bartimaeus knows that although such creatures are born on the Material Plane, they are not of the Material Plane. Instead, they are evil spirits that cloak themselves in the guise of humanity in order to walk unseen among their prey. They embody what is taboo among most societies, and in the shape of those it seeks to defile, a rakshasa gorges itself on these hideous acts; were they human, these acts of cannibalism, blasphemy, and worse would mark them as criminals condemned to the cruelest of hells. The proud scholar also knows that when not disguised, a rakshasa possesses the head of an animal, most often a great cat or a snake - though other types are not unheard of.
On the subject of weretigers, the learned wizard knows less but still enough that might prove useful; primarily that weretigers are egomaniacal lycanthropes with a talent for controlling others through fear and awe. This usually applies to humans, whom they regard as little more than slaves and cattle for the slaughter. Though not as disciplined as some other types of lycanthropes, weretigers are still fairly patient when it comes to learning and exploiting every advantage possible in their quest for power.
When Bartimaeus turns his mind towards more 'local' matters, he has much less luck. He learns that the Tiger's Eye is an order of rather proud, arrogant monks that have recently fallen out of favor among the local populace and that their monastery is located somewhere in the mountains to the southwest but otherwise turns up very little else. As for the various groups of jungle bandits, he turns up little more than various names such as the Crimson Sharkteeth, the Electric Dragons, and the Blossom Squad - all small time gangs of thugs that have most likely been absorbed into Zamir's posse.
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Now that they're in Padiskar itself and Koani has had a few moments to consider the terrain and the climate, she can tell that they'll likely be guiding the caravan through rough, hilly terrain as well as through dense forests and jungle. Though she hopes not, it's certainly possible that they could run across any number of native creatures during the trip such as tigers, panthers, bears, and constrictor snakes, among others.
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Though he had trouble recalling anything useful about rakshasas, Styrian has much better luck when he later takes to the bustling streets of Padiskar to learn what he can about Zamir and the rumors surrounding him. An old man named Rishu at the local fish market regales Styrian with what could charitably be called 'tall tales' about Zamir, eager to share his stories with a new face.
"And you see, Zamir has been seen to walk among the tigers and other great cats of the mountain jungles," Rishu explains. "Never a bite or scratch to be seen! It can only mean that they seen Zamir as their equal - their master! And only one who walks the night when the moon is round in the sky would be capable of bringing the great cats to heel," he continues, waving his arms animatedly as Styrian catches another whiff of fish that's nearly overpowering. "A man with such power...it is no wonder he does not fear capture by the Thakur and his men."
When Rishu points it out, Styrian can see that there is some sort of a consistent theme with each of the rumors heard about Zamir - all of them seem to involve the great cats, or cat-like creatures. Given the climate and terrain, it's certainly possible that a rakshasa or weretiger might be behind the string of elaborate thefts, but there's little to go on other than speculation at this point.