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You have been transported a world away from Absalom to the distant lands of Tian Xia at the behest of Venture-Captain Amara Li. The briefing had been light on information - an old friend of the former head of the Lantern Lodge had requested "trained assistance" and a need for confidentiality.
Your endurance for shipboard journeys has come to an end - no matter how much you actually might have enjoyed it, the trip to Goka exhausted any such happy feeling. The further overland journey through Lingshen to the town of Ashima in Shokuro has rattled any feeling numb in your backsides, but getting off the caravan in the picturesque pastoral village provides at least a visual balm to your senses.
You were given a message in Goka - a sealed papyrus - with instructions to break the seal of the former Lantern Lodge only once you had crossed the border into Shokuro on the pre-arranged caravan that had met your party at the harbour. The papyrus' message consisted of a name: 'Mai Chun'. A brief question of a passing villager has pointed you to an unassuming house on the periphery of the square.
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The small, cowled figure in black sits in a dark corner, next to a pile of little daggers. He holds a whetstone in one hand, and methodically sharpens each knife before replacing it in its place on his bandolier or in a concealed sheath on each wrist. He has arrived early, to be certain he would have time to finish this task before they would need to get started.
Yarr
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You have been transported a world away from Absalom to the distant lands of Tian Xia at the behest of a name whispered about the Grand Lodge with reverence by many: Venture-Captain Amara Li. Your briefing had been light on information - an old friend of the former head of the Lantern Lodge had requested "trained assistance" and a need for confidentiality. The honour of serving for this mission is not lost on you, and your speedy offer to travel to the Dragon Empires beat out numerous others. You feel a glow of pride at being so singularly chosen.
That glow has been tempered somewhat. Your endurance for shipboard journeys has come to an end - no matter how much you actually might have enjoyed it, the trip to Goka exhausted any such happy feeling. The further overland journey through Lingshen to the town of Ashima in Shokuro has rattled any feeling numb in your backsides, but getting off the caravan in the picturesque pastoral village provides at least a visual balm to your senses.
You were given a message in Goka - a sealed papyrus - with instructions to break the seal of the former Lantern Lodge and open the scroll only once you had crossed the border into Shokuro on the pre-arranged caravan that had met your party at the harbour. The papyrus' message consisted of a name: 'Mai Chun'. A brief question of a passing villager has pointed you to an unassuming house on the periphery of the square.
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The tall man is scaled from narrow head to large feet, presumably, but even his hands are covered. The fine clothing covering the rest of his form is well tailored and decorated with a wealth of gems and expensive metals, the golds and silvers accenting the brilliant white cloth. The armor and shield worn over the long sleeved coat are also clearly of expensive make as well.
"Certainly nothing that will tax our abilities, though the mystery sharpens my hunger to know." Ushi opines in his soft sibilant voice.
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As the first three to step off the caravan after your long overland journey, you're immediately struck by the ordered nature of the pastoral village setting and the quality condition of the road into town.
You've traveled overnight in the caravan, having arrived in the mid-morning hours. A number of villagers are out and about the main square of the village, gathering water from a communal well, weeding a well-maintained community garden within view, and repairing the face of a low stone wall.
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A burly half-orc lumbers along, well armed and well armored. His garb is simple and plain, with little decoration or adornment, save for a Wayfinder hanging from his belt. His face shows little emotion, save for some weariness and some wariness.
"Hi. I'm Mongo."
Nice to be outside, though part of me wishes it were closer to home. Hard to tell who means trouble when you can't understand 'em.
Nothing catches Mongo's eye as he trudges along
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Just to clarify....the Gameplay thread has since been migrated to HERE. Please migrate to that thread when you can (everything else should work as before).
Cheers,
Dink
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Standing still near the top of the gangplank in the bright sun, the L'Mont looks like a statue of a gnome, carved out of obsidian. His skin is a deep black, with hints of blue and purple depending on the light, his features sharp under his dark gray hood and cloak. Dagger handles poke out from the loops on the bandolier that crosses his chest. After a moment, he hoists a small pack and, unhurried, descends to join the others on the dock.
"Whatever the job, I expect it is necessary." His voice never seems to rise above a whisper as he looks around with a faintly disapproving air.
If Tian Xia is all as bright as this corner of it, no wonder my grandparents left for the mountains and forests of Varisia.
L'Mont runs a long, thin finger along the blade of one of his daggers, testing its edge.
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Approaching the non-descript house from the north, those of you not from the lands of Tian Xia are struck by the bamboo screens that make up the walls, with the doorway apparently nothing more than a paper screen. As you wonder how they open, the screen door slides open, and an elderly woman with regal bearing and a lopsided smile fills the entryway.
Long white hair meets her waist over colorful robes that would not be out of place in the salons of Tian Xia’s largest cities. The grandmotherly woman speaks with a deep, rich voice in oh-so-slightly accented Taldane.
“What fates and fickle winds bring blooming lilies to our forest island.
With such winds does history ebb and flow.”
Having opened with this couplet, she bows and adds, “Yes, yes you’ll do perfectly. I hope you’re fond of bears.” She grins and steps aside, raising a welcoming arm. “I am Mai Chun. Quickly, come in. And off with your shoes!” A welcoming smell of a savoury broth emanates from inside the house.
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Poetry. Huh. Very fancy. But no VC back home ever gave me a minute to eat, much less actually offered me food, so she can spout as much poetry as she wants. I wonder what she meant about bears? Maybe it's bear stew?
Mouth watering a bit at the smell of something better than camp grub, L'Mont forces himself to wait for the others to go in first. Then he kicks off his boots, murmurs "Thanks" to Mai Chun, and enters the house.
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"Never been in Goka before... or any of Tian Xa! This is incredible, guys! Everything looks so different! Say, who's that?"
Glastor moves up, checking out the stately looking woman. "Bears? Bears? No I don't think I have ever seen a bear! Why, is that what we're going to do?" asks the gnome in rapid-fire fashion. "Good day! Forgive me, was overly excited, there. Name's Glastor Glitterhoff III! Priest of Desna... I hope you like butterflies? I do... all the time. Why, practically every time I cast a spell I am surrounded by them...
"Remove my shoes? Well, that's a curious custom. Why does one leave their shoes on in Absalom, and not here?" he asks, as he removes his shoes.
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The stately woman cocks her head at Feng Luwei's words, her inquisitive eyes taking in the amber reflections placidly.
"Ancient halls fill with the tides of history. Voyagers of knowledge must weather the storms that blow."
At the nagaji's words, Mai Chun's gaze shifts, and a smile splits her face. "Impressive. Now, if only bears spoke Minkaian poetry. Please, come and sit. You have traveled far. I have made a simple barley stew to break your fast."
She bustles you into a small but well-appointed house that is delightfully cluttered. Papers and parchments are stacked perilously high, piles of books lean against disorderly shelves, and swords and shields are displayed on every wall. Once past the main entry room, the overstuffed feel continues, but a circle of concentrically arranged cushions around a chalkboard provides a comfortable discussion place.
Once seated, she hands each of you a smooth stone bowl warmed by a sepia-toned broth giving off steam and a pleasant aroma. She then arranges herself, scabbard and all, on the cushion nearest to the chalkboard, and if you haven't began slurping, she announces that it is time to slurp by doing so from her own bowl.
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L'Mont sniffs and pokes around at the bowl, looking somewhat disappointed.
Don't see or smell any meat, bear or any other kind. Still, food is fuel for the fire.
He slurps his soup quietly compared to Bolty, but it is still the loudest sound any of the party have heard him make since their journey began.
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Mongo clumsly removes his boots, trying not do knock off too much of the ever-present dried mud. He awkwardly folds his bulk down onto a cushion and wastes no time loudly slurping from his bowl.
"Thank you"
I hate these pre-mission conferences. I can never follow what everyone is talking about. Ah well, I'm sure I can get someone to explain it to me later; the gnome seems friendly enough, maybe I'll ask him.
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Mai Chun spends the early lunch period getting the pronunciation of each of your names correct, learning where you call your home, and discerning if any of you have been to Shokuro, let alone the lands of former Imperial Lung Wa.
As you come to the bottom of the bowl of simple, yet filling broth, Mai Chun stands and brings forth a terra cotta pot with a long wicker handle and a curious wooden stand through which numerous tea cup handles have been thread in upside-down fashion. Gracefully, she moves amongst the floor cushions and your sprawled forms, offering each of you a cup from the wooden rack with one hand, and then pouring expertly from the tea pot from a height, with barely a splash awry.
"You'll pardon the informality of the tea service," she off-handedly remarks. "Certain aspects of Minkaian culture have their appeal; others I found pretentious and prodigious. 'The bull will seed the calf regardless of the ring in its nose.'"
Completing the tea service, the elder scholar unsheathes from her scabbard a long wooden wand, topped with a length of chalk. She then stands in front of the easel, tapping on the slate for attention.
"Gathered Pathfinders, I'd like to employ you with a simple matter. I need trusted agents to enter the nearby Li Sho forest and explore a ruined estate therein. I believe that it was an old estate for military officers during the days of Imperial Lung Wa. I hope it contains relics or information about Lung Wa that beloved Shokuro can use to enhance its reputation among the Successor States. Although the forest is dense, I can provide specific directions. Please discuss openly; I will reply as I may."
She then sets to expertly sketching a brief map, including noted landmarks, on the slate board.
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Mai Chun smiles. "I helped this country earn its independence from nearby Lingshen in a peasant revolt many years ago. Ever since that time, I have seen myself as a custodian of our country’s future, and I collect scraps of lore and history to aid me in chronicling the history of this young nation."
She finishes the map with a flourish. "I keep my ears to the wind for any zephyrs of knowledge that might blow my way, zephyrs that might secure Shokuro’s independence and future prosperity. The rumours of this ruined estate have blown about Ashima for years, but it was not until a hunting party returned from the Li Sho having seen the manor house, and more importantly, with key landmarks allowing a return, that I thought we might have a way of capturing the wind."
She harrumphs. "The villagers I initially sent to scout the estate reported seeing a dire bear prowling the courtyard. They fled, which is exactly what I would’ve wanted them to do. Who would make the harvest festival stew if Wu got his head bitten off? No one, that’s who. You lot, though? You look like you can handle a big bear if you had to."
She retrieves a cup of tea from by her cushion and stands at the chalk-drawn map, sipping the tea and inviting more questions.
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L'Mont peers at the map from under his hood.
"You don't want us to find something in particular? Just look for anything interesting and bring back what we find?"
This is my kind of job. As my old boss used to say, "When you go looking for something specific, your chances of finding it are very bad. Because of all the things in the world, you're only looking for one of them. When you go looking for anything at all, your chances of finding it are very good. Because of all the things in the world, you're sure to find some of them."
Of course, he also used to say, "Try not to get eaten by fricking-fracking bears."
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"Sounds fun! " says Glastor, completely taken in by the stories. "and don't you all worry, I will make sure we all get home alive. Didn't even lose a goblin on that mission up in Irrisen. Desna will smile on us, and bring us home, safely. "
He thinks a moment, "plus, ruins are fun... did I tell you about the ruined tower we explored just north of Absalom?" he asks for the umpteenth time this voyage.
"Wait, dire bear?"
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Mai Chun smiles. "I helped this country earn its independence from nearby Lingshen in a peasant revolt many years ago. Ever since that time, I have seen myself as a custodian of our country’s future, and I collect scraps of lore and history to aid me in chronicling the history of this young nation."
Bolty nods, barely taking his eyes from the map
"The Pathfinder are honored to call you an ally."
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Ushi tests the temperature of the tea with a flick of his tongue before sipping in a more polite manner. "I sense that knowledge is to you as water to a fish. We both ache to breath deeply of it." His stare is focused for a long moment before turning to the chalk map. "The goal is to find some lost bit of lore and return it safely here, where it might be used to better the position of Shokuro. I am pleased at the challenge." One tap of a finger against the cup, then two. "An animal such as you say should not be insurmountable. Though my companions have not tested their mettle before me, I believe them to be capable. Have you any supplies to assist in our task? I have my own resources should the need be clear."