The invitation delivered last night was remarkably simple, especially given the importance of the occasion: “Start where it all began. Meet us at the Pig’s Paunch one hour before dawn.”
The Pig’s Paunch is a run-down building with a faded sign of a large pig standing on its hind legs, arms folded above a corpulent belly. Inside, the air is thick with the scents of human sweat, stale tobacco, and leftover food. In the center of the room, surrounded by inebriates sleeping off their revelries, a familiar elven man stands high upon top of a large round table.
“Welcome! Welcome, my students! Please, have a seat!” With that, Kreighton Shaine, the Pathfinder Society’s Master of Scrolls, nimbly drops down to sit cross-legged on the table before looking about the tavern with a sense of reverent wonder. “Can you believe it? It all started here years ago—well, over four hundred of them at least. Under this very roof the Pathfinder Society was born.
“But today! Today you will begin your Confirmation! Master Farabellus, Master Zey, and I all agree you each have shown your worth and dedication to the Society, so there’s no better time to see if you can handle becoming full field operatives. Allow me to introduce you to Janira Gavix,” he says as he motions for an excitable halfling woman to approach. She wears a large backpack and carries all manner of tools, pouches, and scroll cases around her waist. Shaine continues, saying, “Janira here will be going with you on your Confirmation. She was one of my brightest pupils and will no doubt be an invaluable resource on your journey, for she discovered the caves you are about to explore during her own Confirmation.”
Janira speaks up in an enthusiastic and cheerful voice, “Greetings, aspiring Pathfinders! Six months ago, while I was mapping cave entrances in the foothills of the Kortos Mounts, I witnessed a lone gillman entering a concealed cave. I thought little of it at the time, but I saw another one enter the cave again a month later as my Confirmation stretched on. A few days later, after I completed my assigned task, I entered the cave system, but was unable to find the gillmen.”
Master Shaine hops to his feet. “Initiates, for your Confirmation, you will travel to these caves to explore and document its many passages. Additionally, and most importantly, you are to learn what the gillmen are up to in there. Oh, and you need to come back alive as well.” With these parting words, the Master of Scrolls jumps off the table and strolls out of the building while humming to himself.
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Still as a statue, the black-plumed tengu watches and listens to the instructions with his head tilted. Once the Master of Scrolls leaves, he stands and bows to Janira. The chains and cords wrapped around his black and white robe tinkle like wind chimes as he does.
"Hello, little Janira. I am Too-tuk," he speaks his name as 'too' followed by a likely unpronounceable click, "What is a gillman? It sounds like a fish-man; should we expect water in the caves?"
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Vaetta arrives just in time to hear the Master of Scrolls' introduction. She is garbed in a suit of cuir bouilli plate mail with spiked gauntlets, a large turquoise scarf hangs loosely about her shoulders, and she carries a worn, stuffed backpack. A few daggers and chakram hanging from her belt are the only weapons she appears to possess. Her long platinum hair is kept in a single braid, but for a rebellious lock that she absentmindedly brushes away from her violet eyes.
Not bothering to remove he pack, Vaetta spins a chair around and sits in it backwards, resting her arms on the back of the chair as she listens to the Master of Scrolls speak, stifling a yawn with great effort.
"This seems like a simple enough assignment. I should probably acquire supplies with which to document our exploration... hmm, and perhaps a few other things." She thought.
"Greetings everyone. I am Vaetta, and I look forward to working with each of you!" Vaetta says.
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As Nagagorjo enters the run down bar the firearm from the lanterns seems to dance across his shiny green scales making him appear to almost glow. Nagagorjo proceeds to take a seat near the front of the room to allow everyone to see his wonderful scales while he listens to the Master of Scrolls speak. At the completion of the quests description he joins the others in greeting Janira. He gives the group a very sharp toothed grin before saying "Good morning, the name'sss Nagagorjo."
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An equally excitable female halfling hustles over to join the group. She drags a high-backed chair along with her, spins it around backwards, stands on the seat and leans over the edge in an awkward-but-comfortable-looking posture.
She sports a shoulder length ponytail of strawberry blonde hair that just barely undershades her plump rosey cheeks. You can't quite tell if her stocky frame is due to musculature or an overly indulgent lifestyle, but her spunkiness and farmer's tan indicate an active lifestyle.
"Howdy y'all!! Well ain't this excitin'? Our very first mission!"
She flattens her palm and gives it a good long lick before extending it forward into an awaiting handshake.
"Name's Pelotita! Friends call me a 'Little ball a' fury'. Pleased to meet you!"
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"G-Good Morning." Vaetta says in reply to Nagagorjo; stifling another yawn. "I am sorry, I do not mean to offend... My previous team-mates kept me up for the better part of two days during my last mission." She continues apologetically. Upon closer inspection, her armor has been scorched in several places, and there are dark circles under her eyes.
"It is indeed exciting to finally be participating in my confirmation." Vaetta says to Pelotita. "And to be doing something as iconic as exploration no less!" She continues with a smile.
"Sounds exciting!" says Janira, leaning in to listen to Pelotita and Vaetta, her chin in her hands and her elbows resting on the table. "I always love hearing about a good adventure story. Not that I mind when a plan goes right and you can get the job done without something trying to eat you too."
The halfling Pathfinder operative waves over a tray of drinks, distributing each of the group one before licking her lips and drawing a generous pull from her own. Sighing, she pushes her mug away and nods to the group.
"To answer your question Too-tuk, gillmen are something of a mystery. Some believe they were created by ancient magics as servants of the Aboleth in bygone ages, though if they were once they're certainly no longer allies. My research indicates they live underwater and mostly keep to themselves, and so far as I know their closest major settlement is in Escadar, so it's strange they'd travel so far to visit this cave. As for what's inside, that's what we're being sent to find out! I haven't been inside yet myself, but the entrance is fairly high above the tide line, so hopefully we won't need to do too much swimming."
Janira scratches the end of her nose absently, lost in thought as she searches through her pack. Suddenly she smiles and reaches deep into the bag. Janira pulls out a large leather-bound journal and opens it on the table. “Before we set out, we should all get to know each other and review our plan. After all, the most important factors that determine whether an expedition will be a success are cooperation and preparation! I’ll go first!”
She finishes her mug and begins another, her eyes misty with remembered stories. "Let's see, I suppose the bit about not being eaten is a good place to start. See, when you're two inches under three feet tall, a lot of stuff sees you as little more than a snack. I once put a bolt from my crossbow straight through a troll's eye, only for it to jump up and grab me when I went to check it was dead!" She lifts her chain shirt and proudly displays a nasty scar across her midriff.
"But that's not really why I started with the Pathfinders four years ago. I'm not in it for the glory of combat or any of that. For me, I love the thrill of finding hidden stories, uncovering lost arts, unraveling ancient mysteries. Nothing stays hidden for long, at least not if I have my say about it." She smiles a sheepish smile at a personal memory, blushing before continuing. "Although... sometimes that might get me in a bit of trouble. Please tell me if I get too nosy for my own good and I'll back off. I've been told I can fuss and bother over people like I was their big sister, so if I irritate you don't think anything of telling me to stop.
The halfling finishes her second mug, calling for a platter of rich foods for the group to share. "What else?" she continues between mouthfuls, stuffing herself with far more than her slight frame would indicate is possible. "Well, one day I hope this research I'm pursuing will be interesting enough to write a full Chronicle about! Just imagine, once we finish this research trip, your names would be in there too!"
She sighs, patting her stomach and leaning back, her chair creaking dangerously. She watches the others with a hopeful look, waiting for them to share their stories.
Once the group has had a chance to speak, she gives each of them a warm smile, grateful for sharing their stories. Then, opening her large leather journal, she begins twirling a lock of hair absently as she reviews her notes.
“On to the details of the mission at hand,” Janira says with an eager grin. “After reviewing my mission reports personally, Master Shaine believes it is no coincidence that each time they entered the caves it was during a full moon, so it is also no coincidence that you have been called here now, just a day before the moon is full again. We both believe that tomorrow night is our best chance to find out why these caves are important and what exactly the gillmen are doing in there.
“The caves we’ll be travelling to lie under the base of the Kortos Mounts. We’ll need to spend every minute of daylight possible to reach the caves by foot, crossing over the Cairnlands, taking the paths to Diobel, and finally making our way through the wilderness. With any luck we won’t run into any of the local inhabitants. Once in the caves, we’ll need to work together to explore and determine whether any gillman are present or have been recently. Keep an eye out for any other clues that might hint at the caves’ significance, too.”
She nods at Vaetta's question, then turns to the rest of the group. "Yes, there should be time to buy any last minute supplies before we leave. Make sure you have everything you think you'll want before we go, otherwise you'll have to go without until we return." She gives the remnants of the fine food on the table a sad, longing glance.
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After Janira finishes explaining her goals Vaetta begins to speak.
My story is fairly simple. I hail from distant Varisia, where I was trained by my late master in a fairly obscure school of occult battle magic. I have always had a great interest in magical items, most especially magical weaponry." Vaetta says, and then sighs. "On his deathbed, my master instructed me to seek out the Pathfinder Society, and so I have traveled all the way here to Absalom to join the society and put my skills to good use." She continues, concluding her story.
Then, like Janira, she waits for the others to speak...
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After Janira has explained the mission, Vaetta asks if there is enough time to pick up a few things before they leave town. Upon hearing Janira's reply, Vaetta says: "As time is quite short, I will go make my last minute purchases immediately. I should not be gone long. Please excuse me." With that Vaetta stands to leave, but waits a moment for her superior's ascent.
"Absolutely!" says Janira, nodding in assent to Vaetta. Give me time for one last round before we head off." She seems quite pleased at the opportunity to tarry a few moments longer, and also at the foresight shown by Vaetta in her preparations.
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"Yer preachin' to my heart, Janira!"
Pelotita grins and pulls out a disc-shaped iron holy symbol of what looks like a cave with a glittering interior.
"Ever heard of Benorus? Where I'm from we call him the 'Angel of the Deep'! He protects those with curiosity, guile and luck! There's always some sort of secret buried from the Ages. Benorus calls us to dig 'em up! I'm bettin' he watches over you all the time!"
Janira smiles at Pelotita, nodding her head at the cleric's question. "Yes, I did a little research on his faith, though it's rare to see one of his clergy above ground. There must be an amazing story behind how a halfling ended up worshipping him!"
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The plumage on Too-tuk's head rises and falls in a descending wave down his neck. One eye fixed on Pelotita, he interjects, "I hope there is not a joke about worms in there somewhere."
He adjusts the folds on his robes before addressing Janira's inquiry about their past. "I am a wizard from Kwanlai, trained in ancient tengu arcane-craft, so I do not depend upon books. While Kwanlai is independent now, it is terribly disorganized. I left to search out deeper secrets of the arcane. Unfortunately, the Tians chased me out of most of the libraries I found until I made it to Goka. The Pathfinders of the Lantern Lodge were much more accepting, and so I began my apprenticeship. Now I am ready for confirmation." The black-feathered tengu straightens to stand taller and the feathers over his heart puff outward.
Janira nods as Vaetta returns, still packing her purchases into a bulging backpack. “Now, before we head out, if there aren’t any more questions, we should take a moment to go through your gear and make sure nothing important gets left out.”
She goes through each of the group's packs, checking the contents. Counting thoroughly, she gives nods to Too-Tuk, Pelotita and Vaetta. However, she rubs her chin thoughtfully when inspecting Nagagorjo's pack, noting the large pouch of gold inside.
"I know you might be saving it for celebrations later, but I'd suggest you consider using some of that money to buy a few potions, or even some things like alchemist's fire, tanglefoot bags or holy water. Never know when you might need healing, and it's always good to have options! Plus, those few extra purchases could be the difference between your gold being someone else's loot. We should pass a few places that sell those on our way out of town, but I'll leave it to your decision," she says, shrugging her shoulders.
"Also, since you're the only one who isn't carrying something to record your findings, here's a little something!" says Janira, handing Nagagorjo a sheet of paper and a lump of charcoal. "Remember, Explore, Report, Cooperate! You get funny looks when you turn in a report written in blood on a piece of tree bark. They refused to believe me when I told them a werewolf ate my journal."
"Now, are we ready to set out?" she says, heaving herself out of her chair and lifting her laden pack with a groan. She settles her pack on her shoulders, teeters backwards a few steps before she regains her balance, then sets out the door, turning down the road out of town.
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As Nagagorjo listens to the others stories or triumph and woe he thinks back on something Janira had said during the mission briefing. when a moment of silence arrives he pipes up. "Excussse me, Janira, but earlier you mentioned entering the cave in question and not finding any Gillmen. About how far in did you get and what did you find?"
After hearing her response he will take her advice and pick up 2 potions of CLW.
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Too-tuk hoists a small pack and bedroll over one shoulder and follows after the Pathfinder. He cocks his head to the side and aims one of his large eyes at Pelotita. "I hope that we do not run into any centaurs--or anything else--on the way there. Other than the Pathfinders--most of them--the things on this island seem notably unfriendly."
You make good time out of Absolom, trekking through the Cairnlands. Janira entertains you with stories of her previous ventures to this part of the world, pointing out various flora and fauna and highlighting the history of the ruins you pass. As evening approaches she aids you in searching for a secure campsite, and gathered around the fire that evening you pass a pleasant night in good company.
The following morning Janira gives you an hour to prepare yourselves, spending time in reciting some orations before cooking a simple meal over the coals of your fire. Then, lifting her backpack once more, she sets off, whistling merrily.
As the party progresses deeper into the forest, the trees towering overhead begin to shield most of what remains of the day’s sun and the vegetation beneath grows denser. Janira pauses a moment and pulls out an intricate silver compass emblazoned with the Pathfinder Society logo: the Glyph of the Open Road. “I received this wayfinder when I successfully completed my Confirmation. Should we be successful on our journey, you will get your own as well.”
She flips open the device and holds it in front of her; the initials J. L. are engraved into the inside of the device’s lid. After studying the compass inside for a moment, she remarks, “We’re on the right path. We need to keep heading northwest past those large rocks up ahead.”
Janira
Encounter
While Janira fiddles with her wayfinder, the group stop a moment to rest. Suddenly, a nearby tree cracks and falls, the noise disturbing a wave of small creatures that swarm out of its branches. Their wings beat with a high-pitched whine that sets your teeth on edge, and like a black cloud they rise into the air, veering towards your group. Only Nagagorjo, in his state of uneasy pessimism, reacts to the swarm as they rise to the air.
The swarm rises from the fallen tree as Nagagorjo advances through the light undergrowth, pushing back the tangled bushes and vines as he draws his weapon. A thousand winged insects fly towards him, enveloping him in a cloud of biting, crawling creatures. Nagagorjo starts to bleed from a hundred swollen, painful welts!
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Vaetta gasps in surprise, stunned for a moment before her training kicks in. She rushes past Pelotita, stopping adjacent to a tree some ten feet from the swarm. Vaetta pantomimes drawing a sword from a scabbard, yet by some trick, a large, curved sword actually materializes in her hand. The blade glows softly lavender as she holds it before her with both hands.
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The tengu's dark feathers ruffle in surprise as the nagagi is overtaken by a swarm of biting insects. "What are those things and how do we drive them away? Or maybe we should run away?"
Too-tuk chants a brief sequence of clicks, trills, and whistles before laying a clawed hand upon Pelotita and then strategically retreating from the swarm, placing his back against a fallen tree.
The group scatter in separate directions as the swarm feeds on Nagagorjo. Vaetta summons a blade to her hands, ready to swing at any danger. Too-Tuk casts an abjuration upon Pelotita and then puts as much distance between him and the swarm as possible. Pelotita raises her holy symbol aloft, channelling her deity's power to heal Nagagorjo, who draws his morningstar and swings ineffectively.
"Don't bother, it won't be hurt by that!" shouts Janira to Nagagorjo, rummaging around in her pack. "See if you can draw it out of the bushes so we can see it clearly!"
"Too-tuk, you said you were a wizard? Then use this!" Janira says, throwing a wand towards the tengu. "It casts Burning Hands, so watch out for Nagagorjo. The command word is Ardenti Manus!"
As Janira throws her wand, landing it at Too-tuk's feet, the swarm continues to feed. It crawls over Nagagorjo once more, opening fresh wounds on his body.
Vaetta identifies the swarm as a cloud of Kortos mosquitos! She lobs an arrow made of pure electricity at the swarm, spearing through the mass of insects. It crackles with energy as a few bugs are fried, but fails to significantly damage the swarm any more than a regular arrow would.
Meanwhile, Too-tuk grabs the wand and moves up, ready to unleash a torrent of fire at the swarm. Pelotita throws her flask, and the splash falls just short!
Nagagorjo moves away from the swarm, hoping to draw it away from the concealment of the bushes. His wounds bleed as he does his best to make room for his allies to attack.
Janira cheers as Pelotita throws her flask, only to shout in disappointment as it misses. She quickly reaches into her pack and draws out another flask, pressing it into Pelotita's hand. "Here, try again!"
The swarm flies towards the next closest warm blooded creatures, settling over Pelotita and Janira. The two yelp in pain as they're bitten by thousands of probing probosces.
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Vaetta curses her poor judgment in varisian as her spell has no effect on the swarm, guessing that her weapon is unlikely to fair any better, she steps over to Nagagorjo and uses her wand to prevent him from bleeding out. "Damn my poor judgement, I should have had acid flasks for just this reason!" She complains.
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Vark! Too-tuk squawks in worry as the two halflings are engulfed by the swarm of biting insects. "Too smart or too dumb to fall into a trap!" His beak quivers as he runs through mental exercises necessary for managing arcane energy.
"I see it!" He bounds across the clearing, chains jingling as he goes and raises Janira's wand, aiming for the portion of the cloud of mosquitoes not yet feasting on a companion. "Ardenti Manus!"
A pinprick of light at the tip of the wand glows into a maelstrom of fire as Too-tuk blasts out a cone of intense heat from the wand. His allies feel the wash of warm air flow over them, but the swarm is caught within the blast, burning with a satisfying crackle.
The swarm dissipates as the force of the flames burns away their mass!
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The tengu's golden eyes gleam as they reflect the fire, and he hisses in satisfaction as the blood-filled vermin crackle and pop in the heat.
"Yes, that was very effective," he says with a purr as he hands the wand back to Janira.
While the others tend to their wounds, Too-tuk takes off his pack and sits down on a fallen tree trunk. He pulls out a sheet of paper and a charcoal pencil to chronicle his experience: The wilderness around Absalom hides swarms of biting insects fit to rival the swarms in the Mwangi Expanse. The bugs were very tiny and traveled in a large cloud of some absurd number. The halfling do not look very well at the moment. I should have prepared differently for wilderness travel, perhaps.
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"That was my first time dealing with a swarm. Is it surprising how simple mosquitos can become such a threat to otherwise well equipped adventurers. I think I shall have to acquire a few items to deal with such threats when I visit the market next." Vaetta ponders aloud as she releases her sword, allowing it to fade into nothingness.
"I am sorry I was unable to warn you in advance Nagagorjo, but the wand I used on you was sold to me a creepy looking fellow who warned me it was not without side effects. I'm told the spell uses demon's blood to accelerate natural healing, so it has no effect on wounds caused by silver weapons. It's side effects may include malevolent urges, delusions of indestructibility, and the ire of Paladins and Good Inquisitors, whose spells may mistake you for being Evil." Vaetta babbles apologetically as she returns said wand to its wrist sheath.