|
Season Five was when the factions moved from nation based to what they are today and there were various letters from each faction head at that time that gave some hint of these changes and what to look out for in season five scenarios specific to that faction the relevant letters for this scenario are shown below
Determined Delver,
We leave Varisia a safer place, thanks to the efforts of you and your fellow Pathfinders. The long-slumbering Krune is now forever at rest, and the masters Aram Zey and Kreighton Shaine personally traversed the Hao Jin Tapestry to escort the runelord’s immensely powerful artifacts back to the Grand Lodge for study.
No doubt you have heard of the unexpected discovery made while agents explored the depths beneath Janderhoff and Koldukar: we learned of a long-lost dwarven Sky Citadel in what was once Sarkoris and we now know as the Worldwound. An expedition into a demon-ravaged wasteland is perhaps our most dangerous undertaking yet, and making the journey will require considerable preparation. Fortunately, Venture-Captain Jorsal of Lauterbury and Venture-Captain Thurl have been hard at work in Nerosyan for years, and we have an excellent base of operations awaiting the arrival of loyal agents. I have no doubt that you, one of the most reliable Pathfinders I have had the pleasure to work with, will be among the first to travel north for this grand undertaking.
In the coming months, we will need to acquire as many outside resources as possible to ensure success. Representatives of the Decemvirate have already approached the dwarves of the Five Kings Mountains for aid, and they have agreed to assist us in reaching the citadel so long as they can reclaim it once we have explored it to our satisfaction. The details are still being worked out, and negotiators are on their way to Nerosyan to finalize the details.
Your mission is, as always, the Pathfinders’ mission. Ensure that you are doing everything you can to make this expedition a success, and in the event that complications should arise, I will need trustworthy Pathfinders on hand to send in and resolve the problem without causing an international debacle.
Explore, Report, Cooperate!
Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin
Faithful Servant of the Past,
Returning to Osirion was a bittersweet experience, for as much as I appreciated the sweatless warmth of the desert sands, I am also the bearer of dire news.
When I walked into the royal apartments where the Ruby Prince reclined, I could see that at least one of my cures had halted the ongoing decay of our monarch’s arm, but the damage was hardly undone. To say that he was impatient to be rid of this affliction would be akin to calling a boot-trodden asp mildly irritated; every other breath was accompanied by a curse disparaging our tireless work. Although I assured him that this cure would take a few days to work, he furiously reprimanded everyone present before calling upon his own power to crush the infection himself. In a flash of light, he banished the Thassilonian affliction but at great cost to his own health. It pained me to see him taxed so heavily by the spellcasting, but it pained me even more when he dismissed me from his service.
You and I are no longer servants of the Ruby Prince in anything but spirit. We have not been exiled, but neither are we welcome and honored. I spent three days humbly requesting that you not share my fate, but our prince’s counselors were unwilling to hear me; however, do not despair—especially those who might have returned to life as a Risen Guard.
I still have my title of the Sapphire Sage, for it was not granted to me by the reigning dynasty. In fact, it is not a self-proclaimed title but one that I inherited a rather long time ago when I became a Jeweled Sage. These sages have long existed in Osirion to protect the kingdom’s historical integrity, guide its rulers, and guard the secrets of the past. The Ruby Prince may have released me from his service, but in truth he has allowed us the opportunity to extend our protection to far more than just Osirion.
I long acted with the understanding that I was the only remaining sage, but several years ago I communicated with a venerable man named Zuberi who promised me information about one of the other sages should I assist him. Someone interrupted the ritual he needed, and the trail died with him.
Assist the Pathfinder Society, and I shall work to reestablish our network of contacts. Ensure that you keep alert for any signs of the Jeweled Sages, learn what you can, and report back to me. Do not, however, pester everyone you meet. If any other sage is alive and has not made himself known, I do not doubt he would frown on tactless, indiscriminant inquiries.
Together we shall persevere,
Amenopheus, the Sapphire Sage
Arodus, 4713
Fellow Entrepreneur,
Despite its rich markets and the ravenous appetite for exotic goods, I am comforted to think that this is the last that I shall see of Varisia for a long while. I often mentioned my homeland when greeting local merchants, but instead of prompting curiosity or hospitality, being the direct representative of a nation seemed to establish me as an invader who had designs to carve up the region for Qadira’s benefit. Fortunately the dwarves of Janderhoff were not so easily ruffled, and I suspect the first caravans shall arrive in Katheer in another month. You played an instrumental role in securing this trade route, and the entire empire thanks you.
Being viewed askance for being a foreign agent in a distant land is nothing new, and several regions—particularly those dominated by our competition—have often restricted Qadiran shipments. Thus far we have fought every competitor, rarely showing any willingness to shake a hand over anything but a transaction. The crusaders of Mendev, who accept soldiers of any background and train them to work together, might serve as an example for us. Let us build friendships and alliances with one or more powerful trade partners.
I am sending agents throughout the Inner Sea, but we have a history together that I shall honor; I trust your logic and intuition more than most, and it will be your opinion that helps to shape the future of our faction’s economic might. If a prospective trade partner seems a good fit, court that organization as best you can. If someone offers to ally with us whom you believe unsuitable, I trust you to reject him or her politely.
To our shared fortunes,
Trade-Prince Aaqir al’Hakam
|
|
Putting together some maps for the rest of the scenario hope to post an update to the gameplay thread tomorrow. I am also aware I am not posting as often as I would like. I suspect it will remain at a roughly every other day level as that seems a pace I am more comfortable with when I gm a play by post.
|
|
Temel addresses the party "The Pathfinder Society continues to amaze me, and it seems to me increasingly prudent to enter into a business arrangement that would certainly be to our mutual benefit—particularly for those with an eye for spotting profit. Let me make my case simply: my trade network is growing and already blankets the Inner Sea like no other, and the dwarves cannot hope to compete with the prices I offer. Let us not forget that the Pathfinders have had many mutually profitable business dealings with me in the past.”
|
|
Temel and Yable get into earnest discussions about merchant things and get on like a house on fire much to Metellas disgust. She does mention
"Yes, Temel has his bejeweled fingers in many pies and can offer cheaper wares, but consider the advantages of a business relationship with my mercantile concern: our network is many centuries old, and the quality of our goods is unrivaled. Furthermore, an arrangement with a firm with such deep roots in the Five Kings Mountains would reinforce the military alliance the Society is already negotiating. And shouldn't we dwarfs stick together"