Please dot in.
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A tengu dressed in a red robe, wearing a backpack, sandals and a straw hat steps into the room. A sword is strapped to his belt.
He greets everyone in common and bows gently. "Hello my friends, I am Chak Chak a humble traveler from Tian Xia. I am late a follower of Amara Li. I am pleased to make your acquaintances. " He holds out a wand. "Before we encounter trouble...if someone could use this wand on me. I would be forever grateful. It will add to my defenses."
Although the city of Nantambu is hot, the interior of Sharrowsmith’s Exports is cool and dim. Aya Allahe gestures to a sideboard of iced drinks and jungle fruits as she settles in behind her tidy desk. “Please, refresh yourselves, for I’m about to ask you to journey far from the comforts of civilization.” The only other person in the room is a half-elf named Fola Barun, who has curly hair and dark skin painted with delicate designs. Fola stands behind a massive oak table, meticulously adding details to a half-finished map.
Allahe’s brow wrinkles over her golden eyes, hinting at her worry. “North of Bloodcove is the mountainous Terwa Uplands and a scarp called Azlant Ridge. For more than six years, Pathfinder archeologists at Azlant Ridge have been excavating an Azlanti outpost of vital historical significance; it’s perhaps the only Azlanti outpost on the Mwangi coast.” Allahe pauses. “Fola, you mentioned to me before that you wanted to learn how Pathfinder agents begin a mission. Why don’t you hold off on that map for a few minutes and listen?” The half-elf carefully sets her cartography aside and strides over behind the desk. Allahe nods approvingly and continues, “My good friend, Juliet Dias, leads the expedition at Azlant Ridge. During their first year, the expedition was beset by a horde of ape-men, but was saved by the timely intervention of a group of Pathfinder agents. The site has been mostly quiet ever since—Juliet provides monthly reports. Archeology is a slow and careful science, as Juliet is keen to remind me. Not all Pathfinders are reckless thrill-seekers.” Allahe flashes a conspiratorial smile.
Fola Barun speaks up. “Juliet Dias’s monthly correspondence is a week overdue. Her last missive described a strange light emanating from somewhere deeper in the Terwa Uplands, and her intense curiosity about it.” She slides a folded letter across the desk.
Aya adds, “I fear for my friend. Go to Azlant Ridge and seek out Juliet Dias. If she has met danger, please assist her. If my fears prove true, and Juliet is injured or worse, please ensure that the Pathfinder archeologists under her supervision are safe and continuing their valuable work, and then bring Juliet back to me. I have a riverboat to Bloodcove ready to depart, and I’ll provide you directions from Bloodcove to Azlant Ridge. Although I ask that you hurry, it is important that you ask whatever questions you may have before departing.”
You also receive this.
PLAYER HANDOUT 1: JULIET’S DIAS’S LAST MISSIVE
Good friend,
Our work proceeds well, and my cleverest linguists are working
to decipher the runes uncovered in the cliff’s deepest room. They
seem to confirm that this site was no mere Azlanti outpost, but a
weapons repository to aid the cyclopes of the declining Ghol-Gan
empire against the serpentfolk and their fiendish allies. I’ll send a
full translation and rubbing once we’re complete. One other item of
note: we’ve recently spotted a pale, steady light deeper in the Terwa
Uplands, about a day away. It’s persisted for two nights. I’d like to
investigate, in case it’s a temporary phenomenon, but we have our
ongoing work for the Society to consider. The journey should not
take too long. I’ll update you next month.
Juliet Dias
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Barnaby sits in the corner of the room, absented-mindedly sketching diagrams and notes in his journal as Fola Barun enters. "Ah, Fola. Good to see you again girl. I am glad to see you took our offer seriously. And you can thank your elders for their gift - it's kinder than I deserve."
The half-elf man stsnds to grab a drink as she explains the situation. In a fashionable outfit made less impressive by the worn and unkept way he wears it, Barnaby looks over his fellow Pathfinders in the room with one hand tapping at the top of his cane. Unusually tan for a half-elf and with short, cropped hair, by far the most distinct feature noticable about the detective is his unusually shaped head, whose top seems unnatrually flat while each side stretches out just a bit too far towards his shoulders.
At Fola's story, Barnaby frowns. "Thought we'd had to abandon the Ridge after that first incident. Glad Juliet kept up strong enough to go back. There been any more charu-ka attacks lately? Or Aspis reprisals? And the light - anything like it happen in the last six years?"
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"While I never visited the place I have a... uh... friend... who fought the apemen supposedly along with some giant construct... in her tale there also were Aspis agents involved. Seems like they let them go after they banded togheter to defeat the creatures" says Rogar considering what he knows about the place. Then he adds:"So we need to reach Bloodcove before we go to Azlant Ridge? How do you suggest we deal with the Asps who rule that place exactly?"
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"While I never visited the place I have a... uh... friend... who fought the apemen supposedly along with some giant construct... in her tale there also were Aspis agents involved. Seems like they let them go after they banded togheter to defeat the creatures" says Rogar considering what he knows about the place. Then he adds:"So we need to reach Bloodcove before we go to Azlant Ridge? How do you suggest we deal with the Asps who rule that place exactly?"
"Oh, which was your friend?" Barnaby asks wryly. "Because I can guarantee it was just as crazy as he told you. Especially the construct." The half-elf rubs his brow as he thinks about his...past experience. "The Azlanti left behind some, unusual security features."
What can we expect to find in that area? “The terrain between Bloodcove and Azlant Ridge is dense jungle, but the area around Azlant Ridge is mountainous and mostly above the jungle canopy. Creatures such as snakes and monkeys are common, including the violent charau-ka ape-men. There aren’t any communities nearby; Azlant Ridge is quite remote.” She says.
Do you suspect the Aspis Consortium? “Unfortunately, yes. The Aspis Consortium is in control of Bloodcove, the closest settlement to Azlant
Ridge, so they might be involved. Keep a watchful eye for their meddling.” She adds.
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"Her name's Vanya... she's quite the character actually... but I doubt she would be happy if she knew I was talking about her missions... answers Rogar, uncharacteristically wary.
Then he changes the subject:So, once we reach Azlant Ridge cutting through an army of consortium agents and a few tribes of apemen... what can we expect as a welcome party? Any ideas?"
"No ideas as to what might be there." She says.
You know
Several millennia ago, the western Mwangi expanse was a contested battleground between the declining serpentfolk empire and the cyclopes of Ghol- Gan. Although the Azlanti were not generally allies of Ghol-Gan, they had the insidious serpentfolk as a common enemy.
The Ghol-Gan cyclopes were renowned astronomers and worshiped celestial bodies.
If the Azlant Ridge site is indeed 10,000 years old, as believed, then it would have been established just as the Ghol-Gan empire was slipping into its own
decline, exhausted after long centuries of fighting the serpentfolk. The cyclopes would likely have welcomed Azlanti aid against their old enemies.
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"Hrr, serpents. And I thoguht just walking through the jungle was bad. No offense Fola." Barnaby says.
Turning to Aya Allahe, he asks, "Aya, you got a couple of antitoxins we could take? Oh, and a scroll of daylight if you have it. Send to receipts to the Grand Lodge, care of the Archive. They should take care of it."
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A tall thin elf with somewhat flyaway hair poofing out on his head suddenly appears among you. He looks around with an annoyed look and nods. "Pathfinders. Right place then?" Seeing confusion he smiles wryly. "I'm Spengler. Zey said I was to assist the mission. I have certain knowledges that may be of use."
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Kyra poofs in shortly afterward with a glowing light that fades as she rises from her kneeling in prayer.
Glancing around and smiling at the sight of the group of pathfinders nearby Kyra grabs her holy symbol.
"The light of Sarenrae has not yet deserted us, if I have made it here successfully and directly on target.
Kyra looks around taking a few seconds to memorize each persons face and appearance before nodding and holds her holy symbol out to the group.
"With Sarenrae as my witness I shall do all in my power to insure that all of us who depart on this mission, come back from it."
The holy symbol glows brightly for a second before fading to normal as Kyra smiles and begins to ask for more details on her mission as she was teleported rather abruptly with little details.
A series of thin switchback trails climb ever higher out of the jungle. Near the top, a dilapidated camp comes into view. The camp is surrounded by a wooden palisade wall forming a semicircle that both starts and ends at an imposing cliff face looming hundreds of feet above the camp. A gatehouse towers over the palisade, guarding a wooden gate. Near this gate is a large gap of splintered wood, as though some enormous creature recently smashed its way through the wall.
As you approach a man calls out to you. "Who goes there?" His voices wavers with apprehension.
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Barnaby steps slowly forward towards Vim as he lets Rogar and Chak chak openly discuss fighting their potential hosts. Go back into the Mwangi. Familiar territory. It'll be a great idea...
"Fola and Aya said that you'd had some trouble lately. I take it that's what happened there?" The half-elf says as he nods towards the gap in the pallisade. "Don't tell me the thing hasn't been repaired from the first incident in all these years."
The man is visibly relieved, "Oh thank goodness. Come in and look for Happ Voltz." He says.
You head into the camp. You see a man directing the packing up of some tents in preparation to depart.
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Barnaby follows the man inside easily. These walls still aren't great, but they're better than what's on the outside.
Looking around and shaking off a series of mixed memories, he follows Vim towards the figure seemingly in charge of dismantling the operation. "Happ Voltz? You Happ? Barnaby Rockford. Me and the others were sent by Aya and Fola to help out with the Juliet situation."
"You all seem to be in a hurry. What's going on? Is the site being abandoned, again?"
"I am indeed. You the rescue party i take it?" He says.
Hap explains.
A few weeks ago, a steady white light appeared in the
Terwa Uplands. Juliet Dias and six archeologists went
to investigate. Although the light appeared to be only
a day away or so, no one has returned.
Happ and the remaining workers focused their
research on the ivory sphere, and learned that its glow
doesn’t just indicate danger—it indicates powerful
fiendish activity. When a fiend is near, the sphere
activates an Azlanti monolith to seek and destroy the
fiend. The remaining workers became much more
concerned about Dias’s welfare upon learning this,
but didn’t feel qualified to trek across the Terwa
Uplands themselves.
Two days ago, another Azlanti monolith activated,
smashed its way through the camp (killing several
workers and guards in its way) and plodded off toward
the distant light.
Convinced that Juliet Dias and her crew must
already be dead and that some formidable fiend is
most certainly active in the area, several survivors
immediately fled back to Bloodcove.
Happ and the remaining archeologists are too
responsible to flee without first packing the camp and
preparing it for their hoped-for return. They have
been taking the few days necessary to secure the site
and pack up the camp, in the hopes that another team
might reopen the dig someday. They plan to leave first
thing tomorrow morning.
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Another sphere!?!? The monoliths are moving again? I wonder if it's the same... Barnaby's mind races as he processes Hap's words.
"The light, you say it's been steady? It hasn't intensified over time? Then that's good then isn't it: whatever fiend's out there it's likely not getting any closer."
"We can go looking for Juliet and the other, now, but the best thing for you is to stay here - for at least another day or two. There's walls and a fall-back position in the mountain to run too and shore up if you need, and the site's already held off an attack once. Out there in the Lowlands you'd be open if something is roaming. Don't have to be stupid-brave, just give us some time: if we're not back by the third sunrise I'd be running right back to Nantambu with you."
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Kyra listens to the story frowning in concern about possible wounded remaining in the camp before speaking once the others have "If you have any wounded i could tend to them before we depart. I would recommend you stay here unless their is another attack as if you are willing to wait till our return you are more then welcome to travel back with us, which will assuredly be safer then by yourself."
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"Seems as good a story as any. Personally I've seen stranger things happen. So let's cut to the case or, more apropriately, to the chase. We follow the huge construct of doom hoping it leads us to Dias and her team and they have not been eaten alive by this fiend that could stalk the jungle right now... In other words, the usual..." says Rogar in a cocky tone.