|
Tûrak and Serpentfang search the area and the rooms around the exercise yard.
The room to the north are the disciples' quarters. Eleven ruined mattresses and a few aged and cracked pots are this room’s only furnishings. A section of the ceiling has collapsed in the northwestern corner of the room, causing the wind to howl eerily as it blows over the building. A series of images has been carved into the still-standing sections of the room’s walls, each image indicating a humanoid in a series of different positions and stances. This room once served as the sleeping chamber for the monastery’s disciples. A stairway once led from this room to the lower levels of the monastery complex. Now a collapsed section of ceiling has completely blocked the northwestern 10-by-10-foot area, including the stairwell, preventing anybody from exploring further.
You recognize the carvings as depicting a series of exercises and forms that one could follow as part of an Iroran training regimen.
The the northern room to the west once served as the master's quarters. Shang Xu has made his nest in this room and a pile of filth covers the once-fine mats laid upon the floor. Among the various sticks and animal bones you find a braid. There are also a number of other, surprisingly fragile items of value located in the nest, including an antique Iroran silver holy symbol worth 100 gp, four jade gemstones worth 50 gp each, a magnifying glass worth 100 gp, a set of silvered armbands depicting pouncing tigers worth 500 gp as a pair, and a bejeweled ceremonial masterwork temple sword worth 400 gp.
The braid has a strong transmutation aura.
The southern room to the west served as the monastery’s storage room, but now contains little more than a few storage containers and a statue of a human male. The fifteen-foot-by-thirty-foot room seems to have escaped the destruction found throughout the rest of the monastery. The statue, leaning against the northern wall, appears out of place among the rest of the room’s contents — clay pots, ruined sacks, and aged tools. The statue, made of finely carved stone with jade inlays, depicts a man with a serene face, standing in a meditative stance.
The statue radiates magic.
The room to the south was the dinig area. Two large, corroded cooking pots dominate the center of this otherwise unadorned, long, tiered room. The yetis have long since destroyed the few containers left after the monastery’s abandonment, leaving shattered ceramics strewn across the floor.
|
|
When found the braid, Tûrak turned to the others, "hey guys, look at this", he shows the braid to them.
"Maybe this is the 'Braid of a Hundred Masters' that Amara Li wants, but I don't know if it is magic or not", the half orc stands contemplative while holding the item.
After a short time, he continues, "can someone detect magic here?", asked him to his comrades.
|
|
Bernard tells the rest of the party that the braids are magic and identifies them as the Braid of a Hundred Masters the Venture-Captain is looking for.
Traveling back down the mountain is a simple matter, as the slope works in your favor and all threats along the way were cleared on the ascent. Venture-Captain Amara Li personally thanks you for the recovery of the Braid of a Thousand Masters. Amara Li later learns of an old report describing the last master and his exploits since leaving the monastery. The report contains enough information to warrant further investigation.
|
|
It’s been three days since parting ways with Venture-Captain Amara Li, and the journey along the Tuunma River has been unusually quiet so far, with the two-masted junk called the Laughing Crow holding up surprisingly well, especially considering its simple design and relatively minute size. The journey has been peaceful so far, the endless processions of sand dunes and clear skies proving remarkably contrary to many of the warnings Amara Li provided during the meeting with her nearly half a week ago.
"No time to rest, Pathfinders!" she exclaimed late one night, barging into the bedroom of the ramshackle tavern in Goka. "I’ve looked into the situation surrounding the relic you found, the Braid of a Hundred Masters. As you may have noticed, the artifact appears to have been dormant for many years now, and in this state it’s essentially worthless to us. Fortunately, it can be reactivated, but only by the descendant of the braid’s last master, who, as you may know, was the master of the Clouded Path Monastery many years ago, a man by the name of Li Yao. I’ve discovered the whereabouts of his final living descendant — a woman by the name of Je Tsuin — but she now resides in the nation of Shokuro to the east, far from where her ancestor taught in his monastery in the Wall of Heaven. In order to reactivate the sacred relic, you’ll need to travel to the village of Nesting Swallow in Shokuro and find Je Tsuin to perform the necessary ritual. Unfortunately," she continued, "we’re not the only group interested in Iroran artifacts. Our operatives claim that Lingshen, the Successor State to the southeast, is after the relic as well. Since Lingshen’s armies have a stranglehold on the overland routes from here to Shokuro, you’ll have to travel by river. Riding the Tuunma is faster anyway, though you might run into some hostile Mutabi-qi or goblinoids along the way. The river empties into the Sea of Eels — cross it and you’re in Shokuro, and from there you can follow the map I’ve provided to reach Nesting Swallow. Ah, before I forget, you’ll also need you to make a quick stop along the way. The ritual requires a large amount of rare incense — more than I could easily procure from any of my local suppliers — so I’ve contacted a nomadic tribe in Shaguang, the Jhemulit, and they have agreed to provide you with the prepared herbs. I’ve already paid their shaman, a man named Ogokai, and I’ve marked their approximate location on your map, so it’s simply a matter of picking up the incense on your way to Shokuro. Any questions before you leave?"
|
|
Ishingka silently mouths all the unfamiliar names, trying to keep them all in her head. She shakes it a bit, causing her mane to fluff, and then nods to Amara Li.
"We'll need ranged weapons, then, and something to put out fires if these Muba--Mutabi-qi send flaming arrows our way. And we'd better all know how to swim," she says with a grin. "I take it you've already paid Ogokai? Or do we bring payment?"
|
|
"The Lingshen got the largest and mightiest army in all of Tian Xia, their soldiers fight with fanatical devotion, and they’ll only offer you one chance to surrender — after that, they show no mercy. I’d avoid them if at all possible, but if confronted, your only option might be to fight. I'm sorry, but I don't know how Je Tsuin looks like, but Ogokai is a short, middle-aged Tian-La man with graying hair and a scraggly beard. I already paid him, but if he demands more just handle the situation as you see fit." Amara Li answers.
If there are no more questions Amara Li takes you to the Laughing Crow. The sailing boat is a modest two-masted junk with a stylized crow painted along its bow. "Can you hold a rudder? Then you can sail the Laughing Crow. She isn’t a particularly difficult ship to handle. There might be a couple stretches of the Tuunma that give you a little trouble, but I’m sure you’ll manage."
1. Main Deck: The deck of the Laughing Crow i s s unbleached
and worn from weeks of exposure to the harsh
mountain winds. The rigging and sails look to be in much
better condition, having recently been replaced. A large
hatch above the bow leads to the fore cargo hold, while a
smaller hatch midship leads to the midship cargo hold.
2. Driving Area: The PC driving the ship must stand in
either of the two squares adjacent to the rudder in order
to make driving checks.
3. Cabin: This small cabin is plainly appointed. A
small cook-stove sits in a niche on the port side of the
room, while bunk beds line the aft wall. A hatch in the
floor on the starboard side of the room leads down to the
aft cargo hold.
4. Aft Cargo Hold: This small cargo hold is stocked
with more than enough food and water to last the PCs on
their journey to Shokuro. It’s sealed apart from the other
cargo holds by a watertight bulkhead.
5. Midship Cargo Hold: This cargo hold stores all the
mundane supplies the PCs will need to run the ship, such
as rope, spare sails, block and tackle, etc. As with the aft
cargo hold, it’s sealed by a watertight bulkhead.
6. Fore Cargo Hold: This cargo area is set up to stable
any mounts or large animals the PCs have that won’t
fit abovedeck. As with the aft cargo hold, it’s sealed by a
watertight bulkhead.
|
Oh this is just marvelous, I've been on a few boats, I have. Barely remember what happened, all I know is we freed some slaves, and one of my friends, a knight Soth-Loren woke me up. You he's a good man, he was. I wonder where he went to? Mr. Fang continues speaking for a solid 5 minutes without stopping.
|
|
It takes your ship 12 days to travel the Shaguang stretch of the river, during which time your journey is for the most part peaceful and uneventful. This portion of the Tuunma River averages 50 to 70 feet wide and 10 to 15 feet deep, and the current carries the boat forward at
40 feet per round.
After several days of making your way down the river, you reach a stretch of river known as the Kogendu Basin. The river slows as it leaves the sandy highlands and winds its way between the rolling hills of this dry, grassy basin. The breeze that blows from the north is dusty and warm, and a thicket of short gnarled trees lines the shore.
All but Serpentfang suddenly notice the faint sound of hoof beats coming from the far side of the hill and catch a brief glimpse of five riders maneuvering into position and pointing their shortbows at you.
Kraww
Bernard
Cormac
Ishingka
Tûrak
Kraww
Bernard
Cormac
-----------
Rider green
Rider pink
Rider yellow
-----------
Serpentfang
-----------
Leader blue
Rider red
-----------
Ishingka
Tûrak
|
|
While Tûrak continues to drive the boat Bernard sends Cormac across the river towards the bandits. Kraww readies his bow and Ishingka intimidates one of the riders.
Kraww
Bernard
Cormac
-----------
Rider green shaken 4R
Rider pink
Rider yellow
-----------
Serpentfang
-----------
Leader blue
Rider red
-----------
Ishingka
Tûrak
|
|
Cormac charges the shaken rider and creates some wounds. Bernard shoots a bolt at another rider, but misses.
Two riders release their arrows at the crew while another one flees.
Kraww
Bernard
Cormac
-----------
Rider green frightened 4R -3HP
Rider pink
Rider yellow
-----------
Serpentfang
-----------
Leader blue
Rider red
-----------
Ishingka
Tûrak
|
|
Serpentfang starts to drag barrels around to build up a barrier against the arrows.
The other two riders shoot their arrows at Kraaw and Serpentfang.
Kraww
Bernard
Cormac
-----------
Rider green frightened 4R -3HP
Rider pink
Rider yellow
-----------
Serpentfang
-----------
Leader blue
Rider red
-----------
Ishingka
Tûrak
|
|
Kraww answers the shots with an arrow from his longbow, but the arrow hits the grass. Also Cormac's and Bernard's attacks miss the target.
Kraww
Bernard
Cormac
-----------
Rider green frightened 4R -3HP
Rider pink
Rider yellow
-----------
Serpentfang
-----------
Leader blue
Rider red
-----------
Ishingka
Tûrak
|
|
Tûrak continues to steer the ship along the shore while Ishingka releases a sling stone towards the riders, but misses.
While one of the riders continues to flee another one shoots an arrow at Ishingka. The one next to Cormac drops his bow, draws his sword and tries to get rid of the spirit.
Kraww
Bernard
Cormac
-----------
Rider green frightened 3R -3HP
Rider pink
Rider yellow
-----------
Serpentfang total defense
-----------
Leader blue
Rider red
-----------
Ishingka
Tûrak total defense