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The Pathfinder Society has turned its attention to the Ruby Phoenix Tournament — a world-renowned fighting competition, held once every ten years in the city of Goka on the eastern continent of Tian Xia. More specifically, the Decemvirate is interested in the incredible prizes available to the tournament’s winner — a choice of treasure from the legendary vaults of Hao Jin, the Ruby Phoenix herself. As part of the preparations for the tournament, Pathfinder Society agents have been deployed across the Inner Sea and beyond to seek out forgotten lore, allies, and magical items to be used by the Society’s tournament representatives.
Venture-Captain Amara Li, leader of the (former) Lantern Lodge and Goka native, has uncovered information about one such item hidden amid the reaches of the Wall of Heaven — an Iroran relic known as the Braid of a Hundred Masters. Organizing the search from her base in the Dragon Empires, she intends to send a group of Pathfinders to the high mountain range in search of the braid’s ancient home: the Clouded Path Monastery.
The two-week-long journey to the mountains began in the cosmopolitan city of Goka, passed through the surrounding villages and farmlands, and led thousands of feet up into the tallest mountain range on Golarion; all that remains is the final day’s journey up from the base camp.
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Under the eaves of shadowy alleyways, gambling dens and tea houses Devil-Hunter Kraww speaks with the disreputable inhabitants of the local villages trying to glean what he can about the Clouded Path Monastery.
From the concealing depths of his cloak and wide-brimmed rice hat he imparts what he knows.
"WARK. No one has seen the monks for years. An old cooper says that they used to trade with the village for goods they could not produce up upon the cold peaks. There is rumor too of a snow demon made flesh and bone who lurks in the mountains. The demon raids the village on occasion. WARK." And with that he begins sharpening his axe and wakizashi with his whetstone.
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"Aye, some demon named 'Shang Xu'," says the towering half-orc with a nod and a thoughtful rub of her tusked jaw. "But it seems it's no demon at all, lucky for us. Have you heard of a 'yeti'? Something like a great ape-beast. This one has been descending at lower altitudes than normal for its kind. It's attacked travelers near the monastery, and like ye say, Kraww, villages on the way to the monastery."
Ishingka grips her hammer. "That's low elevation for such a beast, if I know anything--and I don't know much. I wonder how many it has killed, and if the monks yet live."
"Well," she continues, giving a stretch and shrug of her large shoulders, "Seems like Tian lands are much like anywhere else--find the bad thing, and kill it." She gives a grin, revealing her savage tusks. "Kraww, I'm liking it already."
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Tûrak is a tall half-orc, and despite his size, he always try to pass unnoticed, maybe for self protection. He no longer has hair, and shows many scars through his entire body. His outfit have a hood, that is always used over his head, and he carries a big amount of junk with him.
"I got the same information as you, Ishingka", he says to the half-orc. "I believe that I know some traces of this kind of creature, 'yeti', you said, huh?"
Tûrak scratches his chin while enters in a contemplative meditation, trying to remember the yeti's traits and, first at all, his weakness.
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A rider on a black destrier with large saddlebags and leather barding comes into view. The rider is wearing a green tabard over his breastplate and polished weaponry at his side. His hair is cut short and a small scar marks the corner of his mouth. His green eyes appear full of life as he travels with his companions.
"Missing monks, unknown demons and pristine mountain air. Seems like we all got lucky with this assignment. Am I right?" Faren smiles widely as he pats his trusty stead on the neck.
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Tûrak knows that a yeti is a creature that stands like a man, yet is half again the height of most men and covered with a coat of thick white fur and has two claws. It's ussually immune to cold, but vulnerable to fire.
"The paths to the base camp are safe for a horse, but after the base camp you have to climb. I'm afraid a horse would clog your ascend." Amara Li answers.
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After passing a time thinking how could be the characteristics of a yeti, Tûrak at last remember!
"Well... The yeti stands like a man, but is half the height of most men and covered with a coat of thick white fur and has two claws. So, stay at a safety distance from him. They are ussually immune to cold, but vulnerable to fire, so, if you have the chance, prepare yourselves with some alchemist's fire and other tricks that it involves."
The alchemist will buy a Cold weather outfit and prepares his extracts for the journey.
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The trip to the base camp in the low mountains on the edge of the Wall of Heaven takes 2 weeks from Goka. Led by two guides hired by the (former) Lantern Lodge — Xue Ho and Hai Xuan — the expedition reaches the destination without incident. The Clouded Path Monastery lies at an altitude of approximately 5,200 feet above sea level.
The base camp site, only a few hundred feet above the forest line that covers the lower reaches of the Wall of Heaven, offers a panoramic view of the surrounding farmlands, far below. The half-flooded terraced farmlands appear silver and mirrored in the late afternoon light. The camp itself is little more than a trio of unmaintained wooden shacks surrounding the remnants of a large firepit and a fallen wooden corral fence to the east.
In years past, the monks of Clouded Path Monastery used this campsite at the foot of the path to their mountainside retreat to meet with the local farming populace to procure the few items that the monks could not produce for themselves within the monastery grounds, and as a waypoint for pilgrims to rest before their final day of ascent to the monastery itself. Since the monastery fell into disuse, the camp has also lain barren and untended, and is now little more than a few empty wooden shacks around a central campfire ring. The remains of a corral that once housed horses belonging to pilgrims traveling up the mountain on foot lies in shambles off to one side of the camp.
The guides, Xue Ho and Hai Xuan, are locals from the farming villages below. The two are experienced mountaineers and are familiar with this stretch of the Wall of Heaven. The two men, both well under 6 feet in height, have lean frames and skin prematurely aged through exposure to the mountain winds. The pair, though only capable of broken Common, have proven to be friendly and knowledgeable guides.
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"Yes, we stay here for the night. The ascend to the monastery takes a full day of climbing. You better not climb at night." Xue Ho answers. "It's time to set up the camp and gather firewood. But be careful, wild and hungry animals are often around camps."
Ishingka has a look around and indeed finds paw prints on the ground.
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Oh, Croww...my apologies dear fellow, not too familiar with your kind. What a marvelous view we have. Oh paw prints how delightful wonder what they might be. Oh this is just splendid! Mr. Fang continues bantering for awhile, it's hard to tell if he is being genuine or not. He surveys the area for good fire wood, meanwhile keeping eye out for any potential threats.
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Faren and Kraww are sure the prints in the dirt come from a snow leopard, although they are a bit smaller than usual. Faren looks around, but does not spot anything unusual. Also Serpentfang doest not spot the leopard.
Xue Ho and Hai Xuan start to set up the camp, they put down their gear and start to fix the shacks.
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"I'll take a watch in the dead of night," says Ishingka, a red gleam in her eye.
She eyes Kraww's rituals respectfully. "Sinashakti watch over us, and give us something to laugh about in the morning," she says with a chuckle. She helps gather firewood and wanders about the camp, tidying here and there, and looking for avenues of attack and defense.
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"I'll take first watch I can't pass up the opportunity for a beautiful sunset! Here let me start the fire. Fang taps in to his elemental bloodline and points his finger at the firewood....but nothing happens. He scratches his head and looks befuddled. "Well this is quite embarrassing, eh don't be alarmed I'll get this going in no time.. He again points his finger at the wood pile. Nothing happens, he stomps in disgust and as soon as his foot strikes the ground fire erupts around the wood. He quickly looks around and pretends that's exactly what he planned. .
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Bernard, who to this point seemed to be quite distracted talking to himself finally starts to pay attention.
He is dressed in disheveled black leather clothing with unkempts black hair. I'll take the watch in the dead of night...me and Cormac tend to be up at night anyway and he can sense things in the dark really well
When it is time for his watch he pulls out his Phantom, as it can see in the dark and he cannot. He will spend most of the shift convincing Cormac the (deceased) halfing merchant not to be afraid of the dark.
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Serpentfang light the campfire and the guides set up a pot for cooking and start to skin the rabbits Hai Xuan cought earlier. Later they cut potatoes, carrots and cabbage leaves into the pot. "For the color." Hai Xuang says with a smile.
Bernard watches the area silently, but does not spot anything unusual.
Once everything is cooked well Xue Ho says "Eat, you need it tomorrow." and hands you a piece of bread and a cup of stew. "It's not an opulent dinner like you are used to in the cities, but that's how we eat dinner."
From time to time you hear noise coming from the bushes. It sounds like smaller animals like mice, rabbits or birds. When the sun goes down the two men prepare for the night. "I will stay up for first watch with Serpentfang. We should be two at least for each watch." Xue Ho suggests.
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The night comes and during the first shift nothing special happens. The second shift, in the middle of the night, is calm in the beginning, but from time to time Bernard, Ishingka and Hai Xuang hear strange noises coming from the bushes. It sounds like an animal moving around the camp, growling in the darkness. Eyes seem to gleam from th darkness, but every time you take a closer look you find nothing.
Suddenly a big cat jumps out of the darkness, trying to bite Bernard in the shoulder, but the Half-Orc jumps up fast enough to move out of the way. "Out of your beds, we're under attack!" Hai Xuang shouts in panic.
Tûrak (in bed)
Kraww (in bed)
Serpentfang (in bed)
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Young Snow Leopard
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Bernard
Ishingka
Hai Xuang
Faren (in bed)
Xue Ho (in bed)