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Two weeks ago, Osprey showed up at the Grand Lodge in Absalom, his features shadowed by the long cowl of his heavy leather cloak, his unmistakable voice a sullen whisper of both mystery and urgency.
“A grim shadow creeps over Absalom, one that threatens all of us. We know not its source or even its purpose, and need answers to secrets only known to the dead. Your task is one of great importance and urgency. You must retrieve the bones of the ancient mystic Amao from his cairn and bring them to me so our seers can contact his spirit. We need to contact him before these dark forces track his spirit down in the worlds beyond and devour him. Take extra care on this mission, for the Aspis Consortium also dearly desires these bones and their secrets. Amao’s bones rest in a cairn atop a mountain. Go to Cania’s Drop, a small waystation high in the Fog Peaks along the border of Southern Galt. There you will meet with an ex-Pathfinder named Rysam Aklon who will provide you with equipment and directions to Amao’s cairn. You shall hear from me again once you complete your mission, but for now may the gods speed you on your way.”
Now, here in the foothills of a wintery southern Galt, bitter winds blister skin and numbness settles in to exposed extremities. While Absalom isn’t known for its sunshine, at least its foggy shores are more favorable than the bone brittling cold of the Fog Peaks. Before you lies your destination, a mountain waystation run by exiles and recluses.
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Traveling through the mountain range reminds this woman of her younger days, when she was a recluse. Her time in the Pathfinder Society has been interesting, when she helped explore the levels of the Emerald Spire. Unfortunately she upset some of the locals there, and decided it was best to take a break and return to her old ways. The city life had upset her enough.
So when a birdman arrived and told her about a trek to the mountains to acquire some remains, she signed up immediately, without any regrets.
"Are you sent by the Society?" She inquires. "Good. You may call me either Charis or the Maiden of Copper. Either name is fine with me."
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"Maiden! It is good to see you again!"
Zora rushes across the room, jewelry clinking and clanging as her long skirts flow behind her.
"How long has it been? Not since the Emerald Spire, I think. Now that gave me many stories to tell. And a fair amount of coin, as I recall. So what luck has brought us together again?"
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So, my task is now true grave-robbing the tall Kellid man thinks to himself as he walks along the path, his destination finally in sight. This is not what I had hoped the Society stood for
Looking up at a trio of diversely attired people also congreating near the waystation's entrance, Vetis shifts his pack against his hide armor and calls out.
Hello. Is one of you Rysam? Part of Osprey's mission? He gives a wave of the hand and a nod of the head.
I am Vetis. It is good to see others on the road. The hills have been empty of company for several days.
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The Fog Peaks climb thousands of feet into the icy skies of eastern Golarion. In the harsh mountain environment rests an isolated waystation called Cania’s Drop.
At the waystation you can spy a cabin with a small plume of smoke rising up in the cold air. Outside there are rows of sleeping sled dogs, curled up together for warmth in the deep snow. There are two or other other rugged mountain folk outside, each eyes up the pathfinder group with an angry, or maybe worried stare.
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One of the mountain men gestures towards a burly man who has emerged from the cabin. He has a shock of wild curly black hair, with strong, rough features that jut through his scraggly, unshorn beard. With ebon eyes gleaming beneath a low-sloped brow, and a demeanor burning bitter as the highland winds, he introduces himself
"Rysam Aklon. And who would you lot be?"
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"If only" the man scowls. "Once they get their claws into you, they are loathe to let go. Ever."
After inquiring about how he can help he doesn't look any happier. "Likely sending you to your deaths, but you can reach the cairn by traveling a snaking trail the ancients called Qi-Oamatok Pass, which loosely translates to the Winding Serpent. Locals simply refer to it as the Dragon."
He points to his cabin. "Best you rest up tonight and set off in the morning. I'll provide you some dogs."
He heads into the cabin, and shares his meal with you all. Over the meal you learn The Dragon bisects wild lands sacred to clans of primitive beastmen that roam the high snowy peaks.
The night passes within incident, but in the morning Rysam is good as his word, providing three dog teams and some small supplies, along with a map
He also provides a set of heavy furs for any who need it, and a large heavy pick.
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Vetis welcomes the invitation into the warm(er) outpost and follows Rysam and the others inside. Your concern is kind Rysam. But I have been sent towards death before. It has yet to find me, and hopefully shall not tomorrow either.
He frowns as the 'guide' describes the route up the Dragon over dinner. Finishing a swig of his drink, Vetis asks. These beastmen? Are they tribes of man? Yetis? Have you been under assault here?
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Excusing himself into the kennel for a moments, Vetis casts a spell and calls out to the dogs inside, kneeling down to their level.
Hello. My name is Vetis. I and some of my pack will be going up high with you tomorrow. What are your names? Here: I saved you some meat from our meal.
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"Thank you for the meal. It's a shame the Society was not accommodating to you." Charis sips some of the soup. Too much meat for her tastes, but she would never reject hospitality.
She wakes up early to watch the morning sunlight. Quite beautiful at this height. She stretches her arms and limbs, practices her kata, then she asks Numair to apply her wand of Mage Armor.
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The team sets out early the next morning in the frozen and thin high altitude air.
You start off going up "The Tail" which is flat, but rocky. A couple of times the sleds become unbalance and you find a need to slow down, but all in all it is good terrain to learn to control the dog teams in.
Next comes "The Haunches", a section of the route that has a steep incline. It's not too bad going up (unless you are the dogs), but you note that coming down might be difficult.
As you climb further you entire "The Spine", a sloping field of boulders. By this time it is mid morning and the weak sun shines sickly down upon you.
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Departing at first light, Vetis finds the provided dogs very agreeable. A good thing too, as the ascent does not not make breathing any easier.
These peaks have very colorful names he quietly says to his sledmate as they climb up the 'Haunches' and towards the 'Spine'. Of course it would be better if only metaphor; a true dragon on the trail would not be good for the dogs. Or us.
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The teams handle the rocky areas of The Spine like professionals, although as the ground continues to rise, the air continues to get thinner and thinner. In the distance dark clouds gather around the peak, but they don't look immediately threatening.
You emerge from The Spine into an area of crags and chasms. Ahead you spy a narrow bridge of solid ice that crosses a 15' wide ravine. A weathered chain, secured to large boulders at either end of hte bridge, hagns suspended about three feet above its surface.
Due to the experience you have gathered you know if you want to drive your sleds across you'll have to go into the bridge fast or the dogs will likely shy away from it.
Status:
Jo
*Zora (fatigued)
*Lady Teldra (fatigued)
*Vetis (fatigued)
*Numair (fatigued)
Maiden (fatigued)
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Vetis sees the bridge ahead and can almost feel the dog's hesitation. I do not blame them. I can see why few come here.
The Druid considers accelerating, but thinks better of it. Listening to Jo he agrees.
Chain can provide balance. Hook a rope around it and it could save us from a fall.
He looks down at the dogs before him. How about it friends? Slow and steady?
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You take time to unhitch the dogs and walk everyone across the bridge. It is cold, and the freezing air whips past you as you do so, but you are all already so tired by the long hours at altitude that you almost don't care about the increasing cold.
Hitching back up you continue up the trail. Round where on the map is marked "The Talons", the path splits in two, a higher path with a slow incline and a wider but steeper path that plunges below it across a series of ice dunes.
Status: Everyone is fatigued.
Jo
*Zora
*Lady Teldra
*Vetis
*Numair
Maiden
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"I would tend to agree with the Lady Teldra, but I am not sure we are suitably equipped for iced over areas. This blood concerns me, although it could simply be the remains of two animals attacking each other. Do you think agents of the Consortium could have beat us up here? We made good time so far, I think."
Zora starts tracking the blood to see where it leads.
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The dog sleds are left on the trail for the moment while Zora follows the trail of blood. It leads a few hundred yards off the trail and into three piles of fresh snow. A little digging reveals three bodies, one human, perhaps of Chelish descent killed by a gaping bite wound between his neck and shoulder.
The other two bodies are of hideous beastmen, white-furred simians presumably native to the area.