With a reserved sigh, the praetor relents. “As the Pathfinders are responsible for getting us into this mess, I see it fitting that we give them the chance to remedy the situation. I’m putting my faith in you, and the lives of the people in Fort Bandu. I pray that you don’t betray that trust, for the consequences could be quite dire for all who call this home.”
“Most unfortunate,” Valacosti observes with disappointment that gives way to menacing resolve. “I believe you are making a grave mistake by placing any faith in these glorified tomb robbers, praetor. Once they fail, remember that the Aspis Consortium has extended a generous offer of aid in this troubling time. One can only hope that this Pathfinder experiment does not exacerbate the situation further and necessitate our renegotiating the terms.”
With his piece said Valacosti dismisses himself, sweeping out of the room cloaked in fury. The Praetor turns back to you and continues "Sharrowsmith left here en route to the Gold Crown Mining operation here." The Praetor draws your attention to the nearby map tracing a route from the fort to a nearby mining operation. "Take care, the heat in the hills can be unforgiving during the day but travel by night comes with it's own risks. Gods watch over you." With those words the Praetor motions to his guards who move into the room, entering into hushed discussions about day to day operations of the fort.
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Xiao is very relieved that they received the permission and blessing to proceed. He smiles when he sees Valacosti storm out.
"Praetor, you will not regret this decision. We will immediately leave to be able to get to the Gold Crown Mining operations as fast as possible. Then he looks at his companions. Right?"
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Nali gives a malicious smile as the Aspis agent flees the room, and resists the urge to stalk the man like the prey he is. After lingering her gaze on the door for a second after he leaves, the half-Ekujae huntress turns to the Praetor. "Thank you. Your faith is valued. We will solve problem."
She steps over to the map and places one hand on the fort and retraces the path that the praetor suggested, doing her best to commit it to memory.
Turning momentarily from conversation with the Praetor one of the guards hands you a rolled scroll he retrieved from a nearby table. Unfurled, the scroll contains directions to the mining camp.
Looking at the route you're fairly certain you could make it in a day, but with the temperature's you're likely to face it will be a hard march.
Overhearing your conversation the Praetor motions you back over. As you approach he steps away from the guards "If you're looking to protect yourselves I can make some of the forts stock of potions available to you. Fifty gold each for an elixir to ward yourselves against our harsh climate. Pathfinders or not I wouldn't see you unprepared."
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There is a crash from the corner as Kolard rolls off the bookcase in his sleep. He quickly bounds to his feet. "Elixir of warg? Ooou, what's that taste like? I've always wanted to eat warg. I'll take it!" He pauses for a moment as he rummages for his money, looking up blankly. "Wait, what are we unprepared for?"
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Xiao is clearly a little hesitant to answer Palagos question.
”Well ... ehhh ... you cannot always control luck. My goddess is known for acting without much planning, and as a result often needs assistance. We faithful see this as a sign of her and our innate luck and ability to survive in even the most dire of circumstances. But you cannot control luck!!“ Xiao says shyly to Palagos.
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Pelagos frowns through his helmet. "While I wouldn't ascribe to this faith myself, you appear to be comfortable with such inconsistency. Very well, carry on," he responds, content with Xiao's explanation. I doubt Chaldira will amount to much without consistency of some kind, but there must be those above and below. All the better if the individual's desires match their station.
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Felixe isn't thrilled about charging in like this, but she's willing to put up the gold for a potion. She makes a mental note to prepare the spell herself next time they have the opportunity. "Very well, let's get going." With a nod of her head, her ragged black cat hops up on top of her shoulder and drapes himself across her neck.
As you gather you things and make your way through the city you suffer many harsh gazes, word having spread already that the Pathfinders have come once again to Fort Bandu. Under the auspicious omen of silently judging eyes you set out into the hills.
The 20-mile journey to the Gold Crown mining operation stretches across mostly level terrain following a well-worn trail into arid terrain that grows ever more rocky as the hills grow higher and the valleys between deeper.
By the end of the morning as the sun has climbed a quarter of the way into the sky Xiao is struggling noticeably, sweating profusely in the heat, breath labouring but he pushes onward. As midday approaches and you break briefly for water and a meal you all notice that Xiao is much worse for wear, clearly on his last leg and exhausted from the travel thus far.
Late in the afternoon the hills ahead have grown tall and close together with a narrow gorge leading between them and the trail running directly into the split. According to your map the mining camp lies just ahead.
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As they continue through the heat, Felixe sees that Xiao isn't doing as well as her boasts would have conveyed. With a heavy sigh, she falls back to walk beside her. Muttering under her breath something about "just waiting til the damn morning," she takes out a wand and touches it to Xiao's shoulder.
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Having received an infusion of magical healing during the short break at mid-day Xiao seemed refreshed but very quickly begins to exhibit the same signs as you press forward. With temperatures soaring to an oppressive level by the time you reach the gorge Xiao is once again somewhat worse for wear and extremely fatigued.
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Need more of those potions. I should be cooked by now, I can see the heat rising off of the hills on the horizon. By all rights I should be dead at this point. Throughout the march Pelagos remains silent unless someone engages him in conversation first, ever focused on his march.
"We near our destination. Be on your guard," he warns, adjusting the grip on his halberd. "Do we have a scout in our midst?"
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Felixe kneels down to eye level with the cat. She makes a series of meows, growls and rowls.
The cat lowers its ears and flicks its tail. Felixe sighs and digs out a couple of pieces of jerky for the cat. Satisfied, Katya slinks off in the direction of the camp.
As you crouch in the gorge, the wind shifts towards you and Katya finally catches the scent of something else in the gorge near the far side of the camp; it smells wrong, like death but without the wholesome undertones of new life beginning in the death of another.
From your vantage you quickly count two dozen corpses scattered about the camp, bloating in the sun. With a snarling sound a deformed ghoulish humanoid wrapped with tight bands of muscle, so powerful it appears to have warped and contorted the creature’s bone structure springs from behind one of the bodies, racing to another nearby corpse on all four limbs. The creature bears a human-like face with an elongated skull and a tremendous lower jaw filled with serrated shark-like teeth that quickly begin to tear and pull at the corpses flesh. Several moments later, a sun bloated corpse stumbles out from behind the shed and shuffles it's way over to stand near the feasting creature.
As Nali and Katya make their way down the gorge you almost immediately lose sight of them in the undergrowth and shadows. Shortly after their departure the wind changes and begins howling down the gorge into your faces carrying the scent of rot and decay much more strongly than before.
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Pelagos stands patiently with the base of his halberd planted firmly in the ground. Tsukiyo shroud them in darkness so they may be left unseen.
After several minutes pass, he slowly looks around at the party. How did so many oddities end up in the same group? One talks to her cat, the other his many weapons. He might even have relationships with them, but it is too soon to be certain. Xiao is of questionable faith but possible worth. Kolard is unproven as well, but appears to be led by his baser instincts. I suspect the rest of this day will show us our strengths and limitations. "Do any of you sail or perhaps know the teachings of Tsukiyo?" he asks, breaking the silence.
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"Who?" Felixe asks Palagos.
You recall that the Festrog is known to charge people, using it's momentum and strong bite to drag opponents to the ground. Once there it will Feed on them, tearing chunks of flesh from their bodies and gaining unholy vigor (HP) in the process. Finally you are certain that the large warty pustules covering it's body are prone to rupturing and carry virulent disease.
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Justin only half listens to the conversation. It used to drive him mad, but he eventually learned that other people just do that. 'talk about meaningless stuff' He checks his various blades to make sure they are secure and ready to use. At least they don't engage in such inane chatter. He comforts himself with that thought and watches for danger as we move through the hostile environment.
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Pelagos grunts in affirmation. "All my life. My father is a cleric of his and taught me his lessons. If not for the needs of the local temple, I would have loyally followed in his footsteps. I was instead trained to be a warrior and so that is what I have become," he explains. What is taking the scouts so long?
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Seemingly from nowhere, Nali's voice appears from behind Pelagos, "Camp has restless dead," she flatly states. "Two of them. One is Zombie, not great threat, but still threat. The other, Festrog.... like dead gorilla, fast and prone to charging. Heals by eating you. Full of sickness that it spreads when fought." With that description, she gestures of something hitting her arm, then something spraying out from where she hit.
She adds, "Other dead dead as well, restless dead feeds. I saw no others. Did not hunt for trails though. Look after restless dead are dead again?" She draws a green-tinted longbow and arrow from her quiver, and concludes with, "All moves to fight, I sneak forward again and start fight with arrow in back of Festrog head... then you come in?"