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The sun beats down across this muddy plain, a scant five miles from the walls of Absalom. Fellow Pathfinders gather on all sides, including well-traveled field agents and more permanent staff from the Grand Lodge itself. In the center of the field stands a wooden platform, raised some ten feet off the ground. The excited chatter drowns out the buzz of summer insects as the gathered adventurers speculate on what’s to come.
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Quite accustomed to climes heavy with heat and humidity, the mwangi man grins up at the punishing sun.
Shadow is a tall well-muscled man with cocoa-colored skin that contrasts sharply with his bright beaming smile. He's dressed in leathers that cover most of a mail shirt and wears a pair of long knives at his hips.
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Bambang stands tall for a Tian-Sing, and he is well-built and muscular, quite different from their usual slight frame. Otherwise, his head is shaved and covered with tattoos of geometric designs, as per the usual Tian-Sing culture. He is garbed in a rather exotic four-mirror armor, and across his back hangs a well-crafted but ancient looking greatsword. Despite his warrior garb however, he seems to carry himself in a poised and noble-like bearing.
Circulating around the crowd. Bambang listens in to the chit-chat, introduces himself, and from time to time, asks about what is happening in his somewhat accented Common.
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On his way to the rendezvous point, Selkin met a very friendly blue-haired gnome called Ticktock who just couldn't stop talking. "Hello there, I am Ticktock! Did you know that something has been abuzz around the Grand Lodge the past several weeks, keeping many Society scholars and casters busy and away from the public eye. This follows a recent conflict at the Grand Lodge that the Society kept from spilling into the rest of the city. Supposedly the Society has reassembled the Sky Key, a dwarven relic it started piecing back together a year ago. The Society has been “secretly” buying up large quantities of sky metal whenever it appears in the market. The Pathfinders have also been recruiting dozens of arcane spellcasters, especially evokers." The gnomes goes on and on, frequently changing the subject from the many creatures his vest holds to the interesting but odd customs of the Ekujae elves he's met recently.
Radagash has made another friend though, an elven swordmistress bearing an enamelled black scimitar. "Did you hear? The Grand Lodge has been importing all kinds of experts on Dwarven artifice, which seems reasonable—but also experts on Numerian science, conjurers, mathematicians, and even historians who specialize in Absalom’s earliest history. I'm not sure that technology is reliable enough to be trusted. Do you?" The conversation goes on for the rest of the journey.
Bambang didn't make many friends, but was able to recall a few interesting bits of lore. Firstly, the field where you are has been marked out with a series of circles, which are unusual for social gatherings but standard for arcane rituals. The assemblage of circles suggests a conjuration ritual, but there are enough variations that even this seems unlikely. Secondly, he does recall that locals call this field the Bloodwatered Meadow. Many of the invading armies that tried to conquer Absalom assembled here before being defeated. One of the most famous conflicts here did not even involve Absalom’s army. The Linnorm King Yardvun Skolson clashed with the Thuvian warlord Attagesha hundreds of years ago as both attempted to besiege the city at the same time but refused to share the glory with each. They crippled each other’s forces and were forced to retreat without ever attacking Absalom.
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The lowest level of the temple complex consists of sprawling networks of caverns and artificial tunnels. The stink of animal scat and rotting meat fills this massive cavern. Shelves, passageways, and fixtures have been carved into the wall by careful hands, each stylized to resemble a serpent’s head or body. Suddenly, you spot some movement from a side room. Two lizardfolks and their trained dinosaur hurry to your location to stop you!
Beast Riders - round 1
1. Negi, Shadow, Bambang
2. Dinosaur (Knowledge (nature) DC 13 to ID)
3. Selkin
4. Lizardfolk
5. Radagash
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Shadow recognizes the dinosaur as a dimetrodon, an exceedingly rare specimen in modern-day Golarion that would be well worth documenting once the confrontation is over. He also remembers that this beast was known to have a particularly nasty bite, capable of tearing through flesh and bone. With that in mind, he blows in his horn in a very enthusiastic manner, bolstering the spirits of his companions.
Negi rides into battle, but in his haste, his lance only pierces through air. Meanwhile, Bambang prepares for battle with an arcane spell.
The dimetrodon lunges for Negi's throat, but the halfling easily remains out of reach with a deft maneuver of his mount.
Beast Riders - round 1
1. Negi, Shadow, Bambang
2. Dimetrodon
3. Selkin
4. Lizardfolk
5. Radagash
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The dinosaur's resolve seems somehow shaken, as the beast slightly recoils and proves itself to be more hesitant to attack.
The lizardfolk rush into melee, one of them striking Bambang with his morningstar, the other Negi.
Beast Riders - round 2
1. Radagash, Negi, Shadow, Bambang
2. Dimetrodon (shaken)
3. Selkin
4. Lizardfolk
Group buffs: Inspire Courage +1
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Bambang swings his massive sword, and cuts the lizardman in two with a masterful blow. Reveling upon his success, he steps forward with a wide grin on his face.
The remaining lizardman glances at Shadow with an expression of surprise, but keeps his wits about him, and his weapons ready.
Beast Riders - round 2
1. Radagash, Negi, Shadow, Bambang
2. Dimetrodon (shaken)
3. Selkin
4. Lizardfolk
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Negi's wolf closes its maw onto the lizardman's leg and pulls him to the ground. His master slashes at the dinosaur assailing him, wounding him lightly.
As Radagash blesses his companions with a newly found grace, the wounded lizardman attempts to stand up and strikes the wolf back.
Beast Riders - round 2
1. Radagash, Negi, Shadow, Bambang
2. Dimetrodon (shaken, misfortune on next bite attack)
3. Selkin
4. Lizardfolk (8)
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The second lizardman is torn to shreds by Negi's ruthless mount, while Selkin crushes some of the dinosaur's bones. The beast retaliates against the cleric. It would have been savagely wounded were it not for Radagash's powers over luck and unluck.
Beast Riders - round 3
1. Selkin, Radagash, Negi, Shadow, Bambang
2. Dimetrodon (6, shaken)
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The aid token rules can be found in the first post of the Overseer thread.
The assembled Pathfinders gang up on the dinosaur, attacking from all sides. Jon tears through the creature's scales, whereas Shadow's knives inflict damage far more dire.
Beast Riders - round 3
1. Selkin, Radagash , Negi, Shadow, Bambang
2. Dimetrodon (25, shaken)
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The dinosaur's groan of pain soon turns into a primitive rage warcry of sorts as he closes his maw onto Shadow, now perceived as the bigger threat. Luckily, the knife juggler ducks in time and avoids a dire fate.
Beast Riders - round 4
1. Selkin, Radagash , Negi, Shadow, Bambang
2. Dimetrodon (25, shaken)
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Negi manages to take extensive notes about the behavior of the dinosaur, as well as the training harnesses that the lizardfolk used. Maybe the animal handlers at the Grand Lodge will be able to apply that knowledge to the present?
The party quickly moves up, up, up inside the mountain, reaching the slave pens. Voices sound out further down the hall—the guttural and staggered ringing of human speech rather than the lilting hisses of snakes. Men and women—many of them malnourished and wounded but athletic nonetheless—stand over the fresh corpses of troglodyte minders while gripping stolen blades and makeshift clubs. They look at you warily, still hesitant as to how to react to your presence here. Their leader is a brawny, fierce-looking woman .