Late afternoon light pours in through the windows of the meeting room in Galt’s Woodsedge Lodge, and the smell of freshly baked pastries wafts in from the kitchen. Venture-Captain Eliza Petulengro sits at the head of a polished mahogany table in front of tall piles of papers. She clears her throat. “I’m glad to see that all of you made it here safely. My name is Eliza Petulengro. And what are the names of the agents who answered my call today?”
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Eamon arrives at Eliza Petulengro's office and is asked to sit in a small anti room while the Venture Captain finishes up some business. A young muscular woman sits across from him bristling with weapons. Eamon figures her for a fellow Pathfinder and possibly even a chosen agent on his upcoming mission. Deciding, to get off on the right foot... as it were, Eamon bends forward and offers his hand to the woman sitting opposite of him. However, before he can muster the breathe to start introductions and small talk he catches a wiff of the woman's body odor. By the Gods what is that smell!? Two day old sweat smeared with patchouli? Oh my if she's to be my travel companion... I hope it's an investigation of the cleansing proprieties of the local mineral springs!
Visibly crinkling his nose and trying to hide his disgust, Eamon offers his hand gingerly and a little reluctantly. Eamon Valda, pleased to meet you. Just arrived from Korsovo... dreadful voyage... Eamon discretely takes out an handkerchief and wipes his hand. He smiles and states, Nice weather here in Galt.
"Yes, it looks to be a pleasant harvest season," the Venture-Captain says in way of small talk. If she notices Eamon's hesitation, she doesn't show it. She turns her attention to the others in the room.
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I got them on a recent trip over to Minata. There was a festival of sorts at the time. I figured, why not do something fun...so i got my ear pierced and had this done... Goran says proudly as he unbuttons his shirt and shows of a colourful tattoo over his heart. It is a stylized symbol of Sarenrae, done in traditional wayang fashion.I had to find a suitable earring though..I wasn't a fan of their style. This hoop suits me better, I think.
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Eamon looks at the eclectic group of individuals gathered in the Venture Captain's office. He tries mightily not to roll his eyes but his foot does tap , impatiently of it's own volition. Great! An even bigger collection of freaks and misfits than my last mission! Anyone looking at Eamon that precise moment could catch a glimpse of a man seemingly force fed sour lemons.
“As expected. Excellent.” Moments later, a wiry man wearing a tailored suit strides into the room. A white porcelain mask covers his face, and he wears a thin red ribbon around his neck. In his gloved hands, he carries a tray of sweet and savory pies, which he sets in the center of the table before quietly slipping away.
The venture-captain serves herself a generous slice of pie. “Mind that you don’t get food on the papers,” she says. “They record the information that your fellow agents have been gathering about the ebb and flow of Galtan society. To perform such work properly is, unfortunately, far less interesting than it sounds. I have a more engaging opportunity in mind for you. You’ll be traveling about a hundred miles up the Sellen River to the village of Rosehaven. Rosehaven is the home of Armeline, a savvy information gatherer who was once a reliable contact for the Pathfinder Society.
Twelve years ago, she was accused of espionage against the revolution in connection with some of her past work with the Society. She sent a cry for help the Grand Lodge. It was an exceedingly difficult situation, considering only a few months earlier revolutionaries stormed this very lodge and killed my predecessor and her servants. Following that tragedy, the Decemvirate suspended all operations in Galt. It was a sensible decision—after all, the Decemvirate is not in the business of sending agents on suicide missions—but it seemed a death sentence for Armeline. Whether through luck, guile, or both, Armeline survived. I would like to extend a formal apology to her, and hopefully convince her to consider working with the Society in the future.
We have before us the perfect opportunity. Rosehaven’s upcoming festival culminates in a ceremony of ritual forgiveness, which may encourage her to move past the Society’s unfortunate necessity so many years ago. I’ve arranged for a riverboat to pick you up at dawn. You’ll arrive in Rosehaven in the morning of the first day of the festival."
Eliza frowns, “Oh, and one more thing. I have a hunch, and I learned to trust my hunches years ago. I doubt this mission will be as simple as it seems. Stay alert.”
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"We'll make sssure to follow your sssuggessstion, misssstresss. But, before we go what can you tell usss about the village of Rosehaven?" asks Yelek in his monotonous and devoid of any discrnible emotion tone.
"Thisss one thinksss it to be disssressspectfull to remind the venture missstressss the Decemvirate doesss sssend Pathfindersss into sssuicide missssionsss all the time. That'sss expected though, ultimately everyone'sss expendable" Yelek muses, keeping his thoughts for himself.
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Despite Eamon's first Impressions his new colleagues were handling themselves professionally in the meeting with Venture Captain Petulengro. its obvious some of these agents are more experienced than me. Perhaps now is the best time to speak up. Eamon adjust the new cloak he bought recently and continues to listen.
"That's good. My suggestions are always worth taking," the venture-captain says and then answers Yelek's question. “It’s a village along the Sellen River, home to several hundred people. Its isolation shields it from the cycle of revolution, for the most part. Its people make their living primarily through farming and fishing.”
"Hopefully, none," Eliza says. "But trade rivers always run the risk of bandits."
Eliza describes Armeline and a handful of not-very-exciting missions she had been assigned to in the past. She then goes on to add, “In Galt, guilt and innocence are too often tried at the court of public opinion. Whether or not her actions truly constituted espionage had little bearing on her purported crimes, much less the intentions behind what she was doing.”
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So when we find Armeline we try to get her to return? What arguments do we have at our disposal to convince her? And Why should she want to?
Eamon clears his throat and interjects, Ut, um! If I may be so bold my Vulpes friend.. I believe the Venture Captain is counting on the reputation of the Pathfinders, combined with festival of forgiveness in Rosehaven, to help us sway this potential ally. Eamon tries mightily, not to look too smug. I believe any other method or means of convincing or conniving, will be up to us? Eamon looks to the Venture Captain for conformation of this assumption.
"Since I'm sending her an apology, I would prefer that you not cudgel her into submission. Do try to be politely persuasive," Eliza says.
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"Since I'm sending her an apology, I would prefer that you not cudgel her into submission. Do try to be politely persuasive," Eliza says.
Oh coarse Madame' Captain. We will be on our best behavior! Eamon states with a wry grin. I only hope we can perform this task in a manor worth of the Society standards. I assume we leave in the morning?
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Having being unnoticed for the longest time possible being so ordinary, Sho finally speaks up.
Dressed in simple tunic and trousers, Sho being mistaken as a servant of maybe a farmer wouldn't be too far of the mark. A faint scent of the forest wafts of from him though for those who notices.
"This one apologises but are we waiting for any others or is that all of us?" he bows, his wide brim hat hiding his slender Tien features. Delicate chin structure, bright green eyes and a pleasant smile greets the party despite being overlooked as part of the surroundings.
"This one humbly must ask. How is this Armeline like? Is she skilled of tongue or strong of arm? Is her temper as fluid like the sea or an explosive fire within the mountains? " Sho once more bows to the assembled companions to show he meant no disrespect to any of them should he step on their toes. One cannot help but notice a particular weapon strapped on to his arm, it looks like a small scythe attached to his knuckles akin to how one might use it to reap wheat.
"Yes, you leave in the morning by river barge," the venture-captain answers. Turning to Sho, she says, "You are all of you. What I gather from the notes is that Armeline was intelligent, reliable, and capable."
The next morning, at dawn, you meet the river boat at the docks. The boat is manned by four oarsman, and the pace is slow as you head up the Sellen River. It takes ten days to reach Rosehaven, but the trip is uneventful. You encounter no bandits and no hungry animals disturb your camp.
The boat bumps against the pier gently as the oarsmen tie off and raise a gangplank. "Here you go!" one of them says. "This is the dockmarket of Rosehaven. Town is about half a mile east."
The smell of freshly cleaned fish mixes with a variety of spices in a varied assault on your olfactory senses. Several shops line the docks selling fresh fish, dried fish, vegetables, and spices. You notice that most of the people are finishing their errands and making their way toward the town. Overhearing various bits of passing chatter, you gather that the celebration is about to start in an hour. If you plan to secure lodgings and do any exploring before the festival starts in earnest, you had better hurry.
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"Why worry about the lodgingsss exactly? We ssshould just find our quarry, deliever our messsssage and then sssee what happensss. Worst cassse sssscenario we ssssleep under the sssstarssss" considers Yelek, sounding slightly perplexed by the his companions being worried about finding a place to stay...
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Taldans should stay together.
Eamon's face blanches when he hears the brutal woman declare this. He discretely tucks a Taldian amulet he received as a boy beneath his vest. Ut um..! I favor our scaled friend's approach...business first you know! Eamon can't bring himself to look Themyscira in the eye.
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Yelek stays silent and allows his more socially accomplished friends to work their way into the locals' good graces. He briefly considers putting the fear of Ydersius into the peasants but in the end he thinks better of it as that line of action may undermine the Pathfinder's mission and that's simply unacceptable to the Nagaji.