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Rogue dot.
This is a higher level game, right?
Happiness is a warm gun
Katheer, Qadira.
Venture-Captain Esmayl ibn Qaradi sits behind his immaculately clean desk with his head in his hands. He sighs, takes a deep breath, and rises to address his guests.
“Originally, I wasn’t planning on sending a team back out to the Zho Mountains. The risk of losing another team is, frankly, too high. If that weren’t enough of a reason, the Society’s assault on the Worldwound has left the lodge’s coffers much lighter— too light to fund another expedition into dangerous territory so soon. However, following some conversations with fellow agents, I am reminded that all Pathfinders must come home— no matter the cost, no matter the danger. The lessons of the Shadow Lodge still resonate.” He nods toward a Pathfinder who stands silently in the corner. “In fact, the recent disappearance in the Zho Mountains has brought a surge of monetary support from the onetime disciples of Grandmaster Torch. It was enough to finance your voyage here, and I would happily provide you the remainder if you succeed.”
The venture-captain takes a few steps toward a map of Qadira hanging from his wall. “Six years ago, a team of Pathfinders received a map of an unexplored area in the Zho Mountains, and ever since they have stayed busy surveying the region and sending me updates. Until recently, they had uncovered only a few dozen small sites and a plethora of new plant and animal species, but their most recent update referenced a large illusory barrier. Since then we have not heard from them, and I believe they found something dangerous beyond.
“I ask that you use what notes I have on file to track down these agents and make sure they return safely. Investigating the nature of this illusory... field, barrier, shield... is secondary at best. Esmayl pauses for a moment before continuing. “If you have any questions, I shall answer them as best I can, though most of what the Society knows about the mountains is in the logbooks of those agents.
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Near the Venture-Captain stands a lithe young woman with otherworldly looks. Long blond hair flow on her shoulders, with golden locks. Her eyes seem to be made of gold as well. She's covered in an outlandish-looking mithral armor, and seems to prize her darkwood bow a lot. As each and every person enters the room, the aasimar studies them carefully, as if trying to discern something a simple glance wouldn't reveal.
She comes out of her silence soon enough, and introduces herself. "I am Ennoia, servant of Falayna. I am not much of a guide but I will gladly protect you during our foray into the Zho mountains. These agents' survival I have particularly at heart."
Do you have any questions regarding the expedition? ibn Qadari says, before producing a potion of remove curse, a potion of cure serious wounds, six potions of endure elements, and 2 doses of oil of taggit. These are items supplies by former shadow Lodge agents, as part of their donation.
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A roguish and slightly disreputable fellow is dressed in a rather sharp naval uniform bearing a cockade of Galtan origin on his tricorne, and the epaulettes of an Eagle knight on his shoulders. He pours out a few glasses of red wine and offers about some fresh bread and soft cheese to the people in the room. He then returns to studying a set of charts and quietly hums the national anthem of his native homeland whilst in thought ...
"Captain Blackjack of The Raven, pleased to make your acquaintances..." he smiles in a typical Galtan manner towards the blonde lady in the corner "Forgive me madmoilselle Ennoia, for a moment I mistook you for a statue of Shelyn, crafted perhaps by the most talented artists in all of Golarion - I had no idea that such beauty were possible in a mortal...how fortunate I am to have my erroneous belief disproven." he raises his glass of Pinot in salute to her, then gets back to business, "Esmayl, can you tell us anything of the team? Were they all scholars and researchers, or did they have warriors and men-at-arms in their company? How were they communicating with you, via spell or mundane means? What of their logistics - were they normally receiving supplies or was there a nearby village?"
"How are we to travel to the Zho mountains? Direct overland through the Tapur forest and the Ketz desert, or do we sail along the coast and make landfall at the foot of the mountains where they meet the Obari ocean? The coastal route sounds safer. To navigate further south past Sedeq and up the Maharav would no doubt take too long"
A woman in studded leather armour chuckles sarcastically at her fellow half-elf's rather obvious flattery of the Aasimar.
"So, your basic search and rescue then," she comments as she loads the pistols holstered at her waist. "Did any of the earlier reports contain any hints as to what manner of dangers we may be up against?"
Your mode of travelling to the foot of the mountains is entirely up to you, though a ship would probably be fastest.
Not many people have been truly able to settle in those mountains. Those who try either never return or return badly hurt and scarred forever. Expect the worse in those mountains. It is common knowledge that the Zho Mountains are home to feral beasts, draconic monsters, and other dangerous creatures. Qadira’s spellcasters have long practiced elemental magic and conjured genies, and geniekin are relatively common in the region. It is believed that most have gravitated toward settlements in the Zho Mountains, though nobody seems able to confirm this rumor.
The elf in the back corner quietly observes the meeting, giving a nod of recognition to Lirianne. His rogue-ish good looks and manner of dress indicate he is good at getting into, and out of, trouble.
Although the mountains rarely more than 2 miles high, they are nonetheless a formidable barrier between Qadira’s Ketz and Meraz Deserts.
Although the mountains rarely more than 2 miles high, they are nonetheless a formidable barrier between Qadira’s Ketz and Meraz Deserts. Two of the most famous peaks are Zhonar and Zhobl, a pair of large volcanoes that violently erupted nearly a thousand years ago.
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"I suppose there is little more to know about their mission, or whether enemies are there - by the sounds of it the place is dangerous on the best day, though perhaps they disturbed some dormant power... never mind, we shall see soon enough"
"The wilds do call Ceobryn, whether the deep forest or the open oceans, they offer us a sense of freedom"
"I shall prepareThe Raven then and get us to the foot of the mountains - it will avoid a long push through the desert"
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Elindriel, a petite half-elven woman, nods to the shadowy figure in the corner. "I, for one, appreciate the gift from the Shadow Lodge, as well as the thought and purpose behind this mission." She wears a chain shirt and a buckler is attached to her left arm. In addition, an adamantine falcata hangs in a scabbard at her hip.
To the Venture-Captain, she says, "We will do our best to find the other team, Venture-Captain."
Ennoia and Elindriel ask around, and what they find confirms the Venture-Captain's information: that the Zho Mountains are suspected to have settlements of genie-kin.
The journey to the base of the mountain range is uneventful, and quite comfortable aboard the Raven. The notes and maps of the first Pathfinder team provide an incomplete picture of the mountain range and its myriad pathways.
Lanarial is surprisingly comfortable aboard the ship, adapting quickly to the swaying of the deck and the routine of underway operations. He even occasionally pitches in...but mostly he just sings sea-shanties with the deck hands and explores every corner of the vessel...
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Ceobryrn adds to the discussion about Zho mountains "I hear the two main peaks are are volcanoes called Zhonar and Zhobl, but they have been sleeping for near a thousand years."[b] looking over at Blackjack and the others the ranger dryly jokes [b]"Let's hope we don't wake them up."
Once off the ship, Ceobryrn readies his horse and looks around for signs that might lead the group to where the missing pathfinders base camp is or the wall of illusions.
It's extremely hard to recognise anything corresponding to what is drawn on the map, until Ceobryrn recognises a single landmark and spots some marks scraped into the stone, but nearly worn out by the wind that sands the stone.
The trail winds around and over several of the lower peaks, gradually taking the party several dozen miles into the Zho Mountains and several thousand feet higher in altitude. Signs of the first groups’ progress vanish as the party enters an alpine meadow filled with scrub brush and dry grasses that cling to the thin soil. The arid, mile- long mountain cove dead-ends, though the trail seemed to lead here.
"This makes no sense. The trail leads here, and then disappears. There must be a secret door or something around here somewhere..." the rogue says and starts looking around the canyon walls.
"Reckon that illusory barrier the first team reported might be right around here somewhere..."
Lirianne is the first to see the surroundings for what they are - merely an illusion. Elindriel soon follows suit. With its illusory nature clear, much of the plant life gradually fades into transparent shadows, and the cliffs at the far end of the vale part to reveal a much larger valley beyond. In the distance, a large wall encircles a humble town of stone structures. An immense castle built of bronze bricks towers over the settlement from its perch just above the base of a nearby mountain.
The place is a large town, complete with walls and a keep. At the gate, two ifrit guards say something as the party approaches the gate Jūtas gaidīti uz kristāla klints. Kāds ir jūsu bizness šeit? they speak in Ignan.
Then they try Terran Feel velkomið að kristal Crag. Hvað er fyrirtæki þitt hér?
When that doesn't garner any response, they finally try Common, with a thick accent Are welcome under Khrystal Crag. What Business you khave?
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Ennoia steps up and spontaneously introduces herself.
"Greetings, I am Ennoia of the Silver Crusade, and I come in peace. My companions and I are members of the Pathfinder Society, sent to rescue our agents who disappeared around here. You wouldn't have heard of them, would you? Inquisitive fellows, usually keen on exploring old ruins or strange illusive areas."
Khan't say I khave. ()
You'e free to move into the city, of khourse. I would suggest you find lodgings, an that you respect the khurfew that is in place. Move along...