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 significance these caves may hold to gillmen or ancient Azlant. 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.
With Master Shaine gone, Janira faces you all with big, bright eyes and an eager grin. When she begins talking, it takes a moment for your brains to catch up to her words, but you eventually get used to it. "So! How do you do? It's very nice to meet you all, not that we have met, met, but you know what I mean. So! Let's meet each other! I'm Janira. You know that."
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A swarty half-orc keeps his seat at a table off the side, gripping a fairly drained pint of swill, but not interrupting until the Master is done with his presentation.
Lifting his drink in salute to Janira and the other pathfinders in the room he finishes it, wipes the foam from his mouth and smiles.
"Names Xugra. Done some work for the Society on commision, glad they've seen fit to finally get me confirmed. I only stopped an army of undead after all."
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A little lady bounds into the tavern, a smile breaking all over her face. She looks around in wonder at everyone. ”Oh My Gosh! I’m really here! First mission!” Her eyes grow wide as she realizes what is happening. Her smile retracts a little and her voice drops to a ‘serious’ tone, ”er... I mean, it is great to be here and I look forward to working with all of you professionally. I am Kaya Leafwing...” she trails off as she resumes gazing in wonder at everyone and everything. She is wearing a standard tan and grey exploring outfit with a backpack slung over her shoulders. A bright red scarf wrapped around her neck accentuates her auburn hair and pale skin.
When she sees Janira a look of shock crosses her face, quickly replaced by a gleefull smile and a squeel of happiness, "oh my great goddess!" She darts over to her and starts shaking her hand, "it is sooooo good to meet you! You are my hero. I've followed everything you've done and you are the reason I joined the society. To think, my first mission and here you are!!!" She keeps shaking Janira's hand.
"A whole army! Oh, I want to hear all about it," Janira says with genuine excitement but then looks thoughtful, "Ah, but that sounds like a story best told after the sun sets while we're all sitting around the campfire, surrounded by shadowy woods and the sounds of the wild beasts in the distance. Doesn't it?"
The halfling Pathfinder grins as Kaya greets her. "Why hello! Hello! I have a fan? Oh, I didn't even know anyone was paying attention besides Master Shaine. It's very exciting to have a fan. Do tell me what brought you to join the Society--it is such a beneficent organization--and all about... Oh, but I'm being rude, and we do have a mission." The rapidity of speech and pumping of hands accelerates to pixie-speed, likely with some talking over of the other, until the last, where Janira remembers there are more to meet.
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A stout man lumbers into the tavern, his eyes a bit too close together, but a broad grin gleams over his blond, fluffy beard. An overstuff pack seems to weigh him down, though he doesn't seem the least bit bothered. An odd birthmark resembling a closed fist stands out against his pale features.
Slowly, he speaks in broken common "Tis nice ter be 'ere. I Durvak o da Stoutheart clan! Me 'elp tem finders once. Lost 'em artifacts...Good ta meetcha!"
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A middle aged Varisian woman, dressed in worn but practical clothing accented with a red-and-gold scarf covering her head, stays seated at the table as Shane leaves. She looks nervous, practically reluctant to be present, but she nods cordially to the assembled. "They call me Arsena," she says, her voice deep and accented with a backwoods drawl. "Used to live up in Varisia. I, uh... I guess you could say things got a little quiet just living in the woods. So I decided to get into something a little more involved."
She sighs, having stumbled through her awkward introduction. "Pleased to meetcha."
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Kaya slips over to Durvak, curtsies and speaks in a practiced but obviously foreign accent.
She presents a friendly smile and handshake to Arsena, "pleased to meet you as well." She leans in and whispers, "don't be so anxious, it gives it away" and winks.
"Helped us find lost artifacts or lost the artifacts?" Janira asks Durvak with an impish grin.
"I hope that you've enjoyed your time in Absolom, Arsena, and were you apprenticing here or are you a field commission like Xugra?" the ebullient halfling asks with the slightest pinch more gravity than her poking jest at the dwarf. "Once you complete your confirmation, you'll certainly be more involved in plenty!"
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" I certainly hope so." Xugra says in response to Janira. "Not a lot of work for us regular field commissions. Would be nice to start traveling again, instead of wasting my pay on bars in Absalom."
He nods a brief hello to the new human, wondering if he should start showing off one of the languages he knows too.
"Anything we should know about these gillmen?" He asks, cutting to the chase now that it looks like they have a full group.
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"Uhh, field commission I s'pose," Arsena answers Janira, looking anxiously at the other whispering halfling. Her leg starts bouncing nervously.
Arsena looks relieved when Xurga starts to get down to the task at hand. Happy to divert more attention away from herself, she adds, "Yeah, it would be awful good to know what you already found out 'bout this cave and these gill-men. Oh, and, uh, what's a gill-man?"
“The gillmen are a humanoid race much like humans save for the three piscine gills on both sides of their necks. They’re a little secretive but not outright hostile. Most live in or near the water," Janira answers in regards to the gillmen.
“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.”
"The centaurs aren't friendly, but neither are they unfriendly unless you offend them by riding horses," Janira advises, "For that reason, we are travelling on foot. The others--minotaurs, harpies, bandits--we should avoid as best we can."
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"You'd think the Society would be able to make nice with the locals, after all their time on the island." Xugra says with a shrug.
"But if we're trying to avoid them than hopefully we won't run into too much trouble. What about these Gillmen though. You say they aren't hostile, but we might be stumbling into some ceremony of theirs. Do you think they'll retaliate?"
"They are reclusive but not xenophobic," says Janira, "Be respectful. Be diplomatic. Use good judgement."
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"Aye. Be their home natural an all. Needen us ter take em notes? What en we find n all?"
'Gillmen...not met me them...hope they letten me touch 'em...' ponders the dwarf.
"Any outright 'ostiles we be watchen fer?" he inquires.
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Not xenophobic... oooh, not 'racist' Kaya thinks, then looks through the windows at the lightening outside of pending dawn. "Looks like we will have a hard day of travel ahead of us. I need to grab something on the way out of town, but otherwise I'm ready to go. I think any further details can be discussed on the way."
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"Sounds straightforward enough," Arsena says, standing from her seat and adjusting sone straps on her backpack. "Since we need all the daylight we can get, I reckon we oughta get moving. I'll go with Kaya here to get supplies - some rations'll be good if there ain't time to hunt. Anything else you think we'll need, Janira?"
"The weather should be nice," Janira answers encouragingly as the others gather their things, "So you won't need tents or heavy tents or coats. Something comfortable to sleep on would be a good idea. Food, of course, whatever your preference. Water. You could forage, if you like, edible plants and game is abundant, but you should always be prepared for failed efforts. A way to make fire, of course.
"And yes. Taking notes is an excellent idea. Some wizards have impressive memories with perfect recall, but most Pathfinders take notes so that they can put their thoughts in order once they get back to the Lodge or, at least, a comfortable chair."
The halfling giggles at herself. "We will be traveling through the woods, so be ready to deal with the challenges of the out-of-doors. You will be going into caves, though not too deep, I believe, so make sure you have rope and other climbing supplies as well as a way to see."
With that, she leaves the Pig's Paunch, the sky still dark, though you can see a lightening of the horizon in the east. Dogs bark on distant streets, and you hear a few cocks crowing early. She leads you to the markets, guiding you to the most reputable merchants or those with arrangements (kickbacks) with the Pathfinders so that you can do your shopping.
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Patting his overflowing pack, the dwarf announces, "Durvak good. Have lots things and e'en tent. Need things fer writing be all."
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Xugra looks over his list of personal items, that consist only of his weapon, his armor and the clothes on his back and shrugs.
"When you're right, you're right. I ain't ready for a trek at all. Too used to keeping all my belongings on boats I guess." He says with a grunt as he gets up from his chair and follows the party to the markets where he purchases gear.
While they're there, he uses his reputation as the Pathfinder that stopped the undead from overtaking the Puddles District to secure a wand of healing.
"Now I can't use this." He says to his fellow Pathfinders. "But if any of you can, I'll let you hold onto it until we part ways. Might need it out there in the woods."
He shuffles under the unfamiliar weight of the backpack, but he carries it easily enough.
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Arsena follows the others around, picking up odds and ends for the short journey ahead. She counts out her coin at the stationery seller, not having much more on hand, leaving empty handed.
She pipes up at Xurga's request. "Reckon I can hold on to that for ya, in case of emergencies and such. Think I could borrow your pen for note-takin' while I'm doing ya that favor?" she asks, grinning.
"Everyone ready?" Janira asks as you return from your various errands.
The energetic halfling (redundancy) leads you through the streets of Absolom while the city continues to wake. Past the northern gate in the Wise Quarter, you travel through the overflow--the suburb of Westerhold on your left hand--and pass several traders and farmers making their way into the city. Dawn is gone and day is in force by the time homes give way to farmer's fields. Crops give way to rolling fields where you spy the occasional moss-covered ruins of a catapult or balista.
Under a shady copse of trees, Janira stops for lunch (this is actually the second stop, the first was for second breakfast).
"I know we introduced ourselves at the tavern, already, but we should spend a little time getting to know each other's abilities and limitations. One of the Pathfinder's duties is to cooperate, and you will often find yourself cooperating with people very different from yourselves. Sometimes there fortuitous synergies between different Pathfinders' skills, and sometimes there is friction between personalities. The good Pathfinder knows how to arrange a plan to make best use of the abilities of hand and to put aside differences for the sake of the mission. Within reason, of course. I wouldn't want you burning down any orphanages or pillaging some poor village to root out some suspected evil mastermind."
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Nodding at Janira, the dwarven man steps forward, turning to the group, he announces. "Durvak start."
Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, the narrow eyes squeezed together so hard, it seems they may switch sides for a moment. The smile returning to the bearded maw, he begins. "Durvak no mind getten hit." Holding up his shield, and pointing to his armor, he continues "Durvak learn by touch. Me touch thing, Irori tell Durvak things."
"Irori give Durvak spells and kin make ground go boom too. If Durvak touch ground and it glow fer moment, you no touch. It go boom if you touch.." Feeling confident with his explanation, he sits patiently near the tree. "Who next?"
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Kaya unrolls her bedroll, folds it over twice and sits cross legged on it, absentmindedly nibbling on a ration bar while listening. As Durvak finishes her hand shoots into the air twitching with excitement. As she glances around at the other's odd looks her hand lowers, "err.. I'll go next, I guess this isn't a classroom." She takes a deep breath, "okay so as you can tell I'm not exactly a seasoned adventurer or even really traveler. I've spent most of my life studiously pursuing arcane arts and other forms of knowledge. I reached a point where I could no longer learn anything where I was studying, so I decided to leave." She takes another deep breath after that burst of words, "my teacher suggested joining up with the Society as he worked with them in his younger days. Anyway, long long long story short here I am. I have some small number of arcane abilities plus am decent with a crossbow. More specifically, if we run into anything with magical aura's, magical script or just something written in a language we can't understand I can probably figure it out." She takes another deep breath and apologizes, "I'm sorry, I talk really fast when I'm excited and well pretty much all the time. If any of that needs repeating I'll happily do it slower."
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"I'm nothing but a soldier really." Xugra says still trying to make his backpack fit comfortably. "So I'll be in front with Durvak, making sure things don't hit the rest of you, and so I'm close enough to hit 'em back." He points to the greataxe on his back.
"I can't make the ground explode or anything, but I can climb and swim. Like I said, just muscle. Not in the habit of burnin' down villages either. I like making peoples lives easier, not worse."
"No such thing as just muscle," Janira interjects, "Everyone has thoughts and feelings, hopes and fears, loves and losses that make them unique. Not that you need to share them now. I just want you to know the Society values all for much more than your sword arms."
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Looking at his arm, then the arms of his companions, Durvak furrows his brow.
"How does arm become a sword?"
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Arsena relaxes visibly once away from the city. Slowly chewing on a bit of jerky and pulling up a bit of grass to check the wind, she patiently listens to the others before taking her turn. ”Well, I've been living out in the woods for a while, so I can forage and track alright. Lots of dangerous critters out there, too - boars, even ghouls and such - so even an old lady like me does best to learn how to use a weapon,” she says jerking a thumb at her glaive nearby. ”If we're expecting a fight, best to let ‘em come to you and keep ‘em at bay. At least, that's what's worked for me.”
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Xugra looks visibly uncomfortable as Janira starts speaking of feelings and hopes and he tries to find anything else to occupy his attention, he barks a laugh at Durvaks misunderstanding, thankful for the change in subject.
When Arsena speaks up he looks at the older Varisian with a raised eyebrow.
"Old lady? How old are you exactly? Don't look that old to me." He grunts and realizes he'd forgotten to answer the woman's earlier question. "My pen is all yours by the way, just let me know when you need to use it. In fact if you can find us food, feel free to use any of my supplies that you need." He smirks a bit. "Just about anything is better than trail rations."
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Arsena grins. "Like I said, I've been living off the land by myself for a while and that tends to make time a little tricky. Reckon I'm about forty, give or take. Old enough to be most of y'all's momma, 'cept Durvak. Anyway, I think we're in a bit of a hurry to go huntin', but I'll try to bag something on the way back when we can be more leisure-like."
After giving you a chance to exchange capabilities and to finish lunch, Jarina hops back onto the march. The plains transition into wooded hills and eventually you are surrounded by trees and the songs of forest birds. The canopy is so thick that it shields a great deal of the sun's light.
Janira appears to be leading you down a well used game trail. You manage to reach a small clearing before it is too dark to see. The bard bounces over to a pile of debris. Moving it aside, she reveals a small fire pit. "Ah ha! Still here, good."
She looks over her charges and says, "Durvak, dig the latrine, remember to make it downwind. Theodic, build the fire, dead wood, not green. We don't want to choke on the smoke. Arsena, now might be a good time to look for something to spice up these rations, if you want. Kaya, why don't you set up everyone's sleeping areas. Xugra? You had a ghost story to tell us, right? Before that, please clear the area of big, uncomfortable sticks and rocks."
The next day, after breakfast and a quick wash in a small but quick moving stream, Janira leads you deeper into the forest. Eventually, you leave the game trails that the halfling had been following and, at times, need to cut your way through the brush.
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.”
Suddenly, a tree falls in the forest with a great deal of creaking, crashing, and snapping. It lands with a loud thud that you can feel in the soles of your feet. The disturbance sets the forest into a mad chorus of frightened birds and fleeing animals, most of which you didn't even know where there.
You do see two large swarms of crawling things coming towards you, driving from their homes by the chaos.
Seeing the swarms are heading right for you, Janira begins to recite a tale about an old Pathfinder who found himself in the middle of a lake, surrounded by alligators, but managed to outsmart them and escape with his fingers and toes still attached.
Initiative
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Janira (begins to sing, withdraws a flask of alchemist's fire)
Durvak
Arsena
Xugra
Kaya
Spider Swarms (Red & Blue)
Theodic
Bold may go!
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”You got it, ma'am. Hope y'all like mushrooms,” Arsena replies to Janira before disappearing into the nearby woods. She comes back a short time afterward with a bundle of mushrooms, fragrant roots and tubers, and a rabbit. She gets to work with her dagger and settles in to enjoy a quiet night.
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The next day starts quietly. After a bit of walking, Arsena begins to think, Maybe this ain't such a bad gig. Plenty of walking in the open air, a bit of company (even if they are a bit of a mixed bag). Could be that this whole Pathfinder thing is easier than I thought - and no sooner does she finish her thought that the tree crashes and the spiders surge forth.
She reaches into a pocket and pulls out a flask of acid. Stepping forward, she prepares to chuck it at the spiders when they close in. ”Heads up, y'all!”
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x1.5 vs swarm = 10
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"Aye, m'lady." he replies. Looking around, the dwarf begins mumbling, "Upwind...UPwind...". After a few minutes, the cleric settles on a suitable spot and digs away as he whistles a dwarven tune.
Upon completion, Durvak proceeds to set up a small tent near the fire. Inquiring if all society missions are as simple as retrieving things and recording history.
As the morning dawns, he quickly strikes his gear and repacks it with expert precision. Tugging a small pamphlet from one of the pockets, he sits cross legged, head bowed, and flips through the pages. Incoherent mutterings comes from the man. Periodically, he reaches up to rub his birthmark.
Following his guides directions, the dwarf cheerfully wanders along towards the mountain. 'What fun time. Bit o hike, draw shapes ter give society...' Squinting, trying to see the rocks Janira speaks of, he jumps at the crashing sound.
"Oy!"
Spying Janira and Arsena drawing weapons, Durvak considers 'Hmm...Jus cuz dey headin our way don't mean dangerous'
Moving towards the swarm closest to him, he bends down and touches the ground. A flash of blue light glimmers for but a second before disappearing.
"You stop. No need hurt other 'ere. Go round." he advises the oncoming swarm.
Blast Rune (Sp): As a standard action, you can create a blast rune in any adjacent square. Any creature entering this square takes 1d6 points of damage + 1 point for every two cleric levels you possess. This rune deals either acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage, decided when you create the rune. The rune is invisible and lasts a number of rounds equal to your cleric level or until discharged. You cannot create a blast rune in a square occupied by another creature. This rune counts as a 1st-level spell for the purposes of dispelling. It can be discovered with a DC 26 Perception skill check and disarmed with a DC 26 Disable Device skill check. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
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Xugra nods at Janira and sets to work, clearing their camp ground of anything that might be uncomfortable to sleep on, glad he wasn't given latrine duty, he makes no complaints.
When everyone is done and ready, he starts telling the story of his previous adventure with the society and his fellow Pathfinders. It's a story he calls the Silent Tide and it's full of daring rescues, suspenseful fights and even a few riddles.
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The next morning he's eager to be on the move. When the tree falls he starts scanning the horizon for anything large and headed their way, when the swarm starts to overtake the party he's almost surprised, but he grins at his companions.
"Just a few spiders? What harm could they be."
Obviously having never faced a swarm before, he steps forward and tries to swing into with his axe.
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The trees crashing puts Kaya on guard, expecting an ambush she looks for incoming arrows, just like in all the adventure stories. Her attention is snapped back to reality by the warnings shouted by her teammates. Not quite sure what to do vs swarms, she watches her allies actions. When two of them draw exploding flasks she remembers her pack. Dropping her sack and grabbing an acid flask in each hand, she watches to see what happens with the creatures.
Xugra crushes a few spiders under the weight of his axe, but it makes no difference in the sheer number of irate arachnids. The swarm keeps moving, crawling over him and through the gaps in his armor and clothes. They continue onward and begin to crawl up Janira's legs.
A glass jar flies over the halfing's head an explodes in the center mass of the spiders. Hundreds of them curl their legs and die, enough to scatter the greater swarm into several smaller, harmless clusters of spiders. Janira takes a small burn on her exposed skin for her trouble.
The other swarm scrambles over Durvak's rune, uncomprehending. A good number of spider frost over and fall dead, but the greater mass scrambles over the dwarf and into his armor.
Janira stops her story telling, but the courage it inspires lingers on. Stepping toward Arsena, she hands her flask of alchemist's fire to the woman. "Throw this."
Round 2
Inspire Courage, 1 round
Janira (ready action to hand prepared flask to Arsena)
Durvak (-5, Fortitude DC 11 vs. Nausea, Fortitude DC 11 vs. poison)
Arsena
Xugra
Kaya
Spider Swarms (Red -1) (Blue, dispersed)
Theodic
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When the swarm completely ignores Xugra he frowns and grunts. As the others disperse the swarm with flasks he realizes he might not be equipped to handle a foe like this.
Xugra moves to Janira's side and restless waits for his companions to finish off the swarms, he keeps his distance so he doesn't get in their way as they throw.