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Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng’s appearance in the middle of the night is surprising only due to his unfamiliar accomplice, a burly man dressed in full Isgeri military trappings.
“Pardon the intrusion,” Drandle says as he juggles the numerous scrolls and writing materials precariously balanced in his arms, “but I have a request that is of utmost importance to ask of all you. I’m afraid we have something of a situation on our hands.
“It is perhaps well known among the Pathfinder Society that trade is vital to our organization. Not for any monetary gain, of course, but because we rely heavily on overland caravan routes and trading lanes at sea to get important documents, treasures, and personnel from central Avistan to the Inner Sea. When such materials are of particular import, we have even been known to use more illicit modes of transportation, such as caravans operated by the Sczarni organized crime syndicate.
“It appears that a number of such Sczarni caravans, carrying important cargo for delivery to the Pathfinder Society, have recently begun to go missing along their more discreet trade routes from Cheliax to Druma, a little-known path that runs through the Chitterwood in Isger. Of course, the route along the Conerica River would be viable for more legitimate operations, but oftentimes we can’t afford to be forestalled with matters such as customs, tariffs, and inspectors, especially when such hindrances could also potentially result in the arrest of our business partners. Alas, I digress.
“I have agreed to work with the local Sczarni leader, Guaril Karela, in order to reclaim the caravan route through Isger’s Chitterwood. That’s where you come in. I have made all the arrangements necessary to ship you to Isger in the morning, where you’ll meet the caravan you are tasked with escorting through the goblinoid-infested woods. In the meantime, I have summoned the honored Isgeri war hero Gaspar Desime to help answer any questions you might have about your upcoming visit to the Chitterwood. Guaril Karela is also available and can answer any questions you have about the caravan you’ll be guarding, though I believe he is currently stationed at his shop in the Docks district.”
The short haired man with a well trimmed beard and mustache wearing a military uniform introduces himself to you as Gaspar Desime and is willing to answer any questions you have for him.
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Valandil looks over the two men with interest.
"There are a few obvious questions. What types of threats are we likely to face? Goblins obviously but are there any other _known_ threats in the area?"
He starts to tick off his hands.
"Secondly, is this a genuine caravan we are guarding, or it is a set up whose purpose is to be attacked?"
"Thirdly, how long is the route, and where are the obvious stopping points?"
Starting to run short on fingers he closes with
"And what of local law enforcement? Are we likely to encounter it, and what form does it normally take? Are bribes routine, and if so, how much?"
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Gaspar holds up a hand and starts to tick of some fingers;
"You will probably face nothing more than bandits, probably relying on the harrowing stories surrounding the Chitterwood to deceive and waylay travelers. Do not be surprised, though, if you encounter a hobgoblin or bugbear. I hear the city of Logas can still maintain a steady supply of fresh goblin heads for the pikes surrounding their walls, so there are apparently plenty of goblinoids to still be found.”
Gaspar looks at Drandle Dreng for the second question, Drandle Dreng tells you; "It will be a genuine caravan"
For the third question; "I do not know, not my area of expertise ..seems more of a question to ask a Caravan leader "
And for the last question: "The city of Logas keeps the surrounding area relatively free of goblins and other threaths. If you need to bribe them...I do not know..seems like a good question for someone with more caravan leading experience..'
"If you have no further questions for me, I suggest you go meet with the local scanzrni leader..he should be able to answer your other questions"
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Sidney steps up and smiles and adjusts his fine clothes.
"I have a single question--well a single two part question. Any dealing with these Scarscummy characters tend to immediately make them the prime suspects. Have they been fully cleared of any involvement in these caravan incidents?"
Sidney puts his hands together and offers a wink.
"I know the Pathfinders get in bed with some nasty characters. What do we know about this Karela besides he is shady by association."
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A weathered man, his clothes worn and patched, perches quietly in the corner, idly running his hand through the pelt of his canine companion. His boots are pitted and worn, and his cloak a mess of patches and loose stitching, the breastplate underneath it dented and dirty.
Muddy track marks lead up to him from the door, and he is surrounded by a strong smell of earth, dirt and sweat, as though bathing were a concept he had only heard of in stories. He picks at his teeth idly with a dagger, then spits upon it and wipes it down with his sleeve.
By comparison, the wolf lying at his feet is immaculate, coat brushed and and clean, leather armour clearly recently oiled. She looks out at the others through half lidded eyes, and sensing no dangers to her or her master, lies contentedly upon the floor, leaning up against her masters legs.
He take little interest in the conversation of the others, happy to tend to his weapons and wolf.
"The sooner we are back on the road, the better" he says gruffly as he checks another knife tucked into his boot. "Silvina gets restless if if we stay in one place too long."
He stands, wipes one hand on his breeches, and extends it in greeting "Names Havern, good to meet you all."
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"Good question Sidney"
He looks a little uneasy at the grimy hand extended by Havern, but does eventually take it, and leans down to pat the wolf too.
"You remind me of my sister." he eventually says. "She too is more comfortable on the road than the comforts of civilisation."
Once Sidney's question is answered he heads off in search of the caravan. "Let us find out some more answers, as there may be more preparations we need to make."
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@Sidney Dreng answers"We've used Karela's aid successfully in the past..what he does when he isn't helping us I can't say." And we have no reason to believe that the caravans are disappearing of their own free will..so far their leader has been quite forthcoming with information and has answered our questions.
"If you have no further questions for Gaspar, then I suggest you move your line of inquiries towards Guaril Karela, he's been told to expect you."
Havern splits off to go get some supplies he needs
You have no difficulty in finding Guaril Karela’s store, the Pickled Imp, located in Absalom’s seedy Docks district (If you've played first steps with this character then you will recognize him). When you enter the store;
Karela’s curio store seems dark and cramped, regardless of the time of day. The dirty windows block most outside light, leaving the inside of the store permanently encased in shadow.
Rows upon rows of shelves filled with knickknacks, baubles, and trinkets—all of varying levels of quality and authenticity—run the length of the store, leaving little room for people to move about.
From somewhere behind the shelves, Karela, acting as shopkeep, shouts a greeting to potential customers as they enter.
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Valandil looks around the shop with a degree of interest. "Are those real picked lesser blue spotted toads? It is so hard to tell them from the Sapphire spotted toads from just looking at the outside - but their properties are quite different."
Dragging himself away from the oddities, Valandil directs himself to the task at hand.
"Guaril Karela, we are here to help escort one of your caravans. I was curious about how long the route is, and where we are planning to stop. Also any local, ahh, customs about dealing with the local law enforcement squads, should they turn up."
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"Ah, you must be the pathfinders I was told to expect. To answer your questions; Which answer do you prefer..that they are real picked lesser blue spotted toads..or that they are not? I could get either for you..for the right price off course." The man says with a grin.
" And to answer your other questions; If you don’t slow the caravan down, the journey through the Chitterwood should take just over a week. I do not know where the caravan plans to stop..I think that will vary on a day to day basis..like weather..things slowing you down, stuff like that”
"I think it's best if you let the caravan leader deal with the local law enforcement squads if you happen to run into them, just follow their lead..they have more experience with this sort of thing...but it would be best if you could avoid dealing with any sort of law at all..if possible. At least until you are done guarding the caravan..what you do after that it entirely up to you."
As Sidney looks around he detects nothing magical, this must not be where they keep the valuable items
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After calling in a favor at the Lodge to procure a fresh wand, Havern and Silvina heads down to the caravan to await their traveling companions, both eager to be free of the stifling confines of the city.
Havern looks over the caravan with a wary eye, eyeing the animals for signs of sickness or age lest they threaten to slow the journey. Silvina mirrors her master, but with a more basic need in mind, eyeing the larger creatures hungrily.
Havern notices one of the horses spook at the approach of the wolf, and reaches into his pack. He pulls out a hunk of un-identifiable, still driping meat and throws it over his shoulder, away from the unsettled creature. Silvina immediately turns to track the rise and fall of her meal, turns back to huff angrily at Havern for the inconvenience, and then lopes away to curl defensively around her meal, gnawing happily at the bloody flesh.
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"There will be only one wagon..it's not a very large caravan. It would get rather...crowded if all of you are going to ride on it. With very little room for the ...merchandise"
He offers each of you a colorful Varisian scarf. He explains that
the scarf will help his informant at Logas spot you, so you should be sure to wear it when you finally arrive in Isger.
The journey between Absalom and Isger takes several weeks, first by sea and then by land, until finally ending in front of the gates of the Isgeri city of Logas. The Goblinblood Wars may be over, but the goblinoid threat still lingers, as is made apparent by the rows of fresh goblinoid corpses that hang from pikes along the city’s walls. Every now and then, seemingly at random, a trebuchet from behind the city walls hurls a huge boulder into the forest.
You arrive at Logas safely and have an opportunity to make a few more purchases before a Sczarni associate meets you. The associate, a Varisian wanderer named Kazrin, leads you to the caravan rendezvous point, several miles south of Logas, where you find the caravan waiting for you.
The caravan includes only one large, covered wagon, pulled by a single horse. Kazrin introduces the rest of the caravan crew: two more Varisians—the driver and a guard—and a halfling passenger. Kazrin himself serves as an additional guard.
Alik, the only other guard besides Kazrin, is the youngest of the crew.
The halfling introduces himself as Camon.
Jandri, the driver, is a sullen, middle-aged woman.
As Havarn checks out the single horse he can tell that's it's been very well treated and doesn't seem to suffer from any signs of sickness
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Havern grunts, satisfied that the creature isn't a risk to the caravan, takes up position to one side of the caravan.
He pulls the scarf out of one of his many pockets and looks down at the bright colours with a look of revulsion on his face. He looks around briefly, and reaches down to affix the scarf to Sylvina's armour, flying it as a pennant from her back.
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"Nah..they are nice scarves though. You can keep them if you want or take them off. They did make it easy for me to find you back in town though."
As you travel around for a few days you get to know each other better
and to add some flavor to the journey you learn that;
Alik says little throughout the journey. She does, however, show a particular animosity toward Chelish supporters
Camon hopes to reach Andoran or Druma and seek his fortune there
Jandri only seems to show any kindness to her horse, Anka. She replies to questions using only one-word answers whenever possible.
Kazrin, on the other hand, is friendly and talkative, and is always willing to share a drink at the end of the day. Kazrin has worked with Jandri for years and reckons that the driver must be an incredibly wise woman, and he admires her for her composure and willingness to speak only when she must.
Jandri and Alik say little throughout the day, only speaking when they need to issue an order. Kazrin more than makes up for his companions’ somberness, though, telling numerous jokes and the occasional Varisian legend as the caravan winds through the woods. Camon says little too, but is at least approachable, unlike Jandri.
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As you travel through the Chitterwood, there is evidence of the war everywhere—discarded and rusted armor and weaponry, numerous displaced trebuchet-hurled boulders, and occasionally the remains of a hunter’s trap, only recently triggered by an unfortunate forest animal. Even in the light of day, the blackened trunks of the Chitterwood trees, still bearing the scars of the great fire that marked the end of the Goblinblood Wars, loom menacingly over the narrow forest path.
Eventually, the thud and crash of boulders launched from Logas can no longer be heard. Even the sun struggles to penetrate through the canopy at times, leaving dark pools of shadow stretched across the path.
Toward the end of the day, Kazrin announces that the caravan should reach the first planned campsite soon.
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As the caravan starts to slow down a bit to look for a good place to camp Sidney,Valadil and Senjin notice something odd about the road..it has been recently disturbed. Right as they are about to comment about that as a large skeleton burst forth from beneath some piles of dirt and stand up.
init
surprise round (1 action)
Sidney, Valadil and Senjin
normal round
Sidney,Valadil,and Aaziroth
Skeleton
You guys
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As soon as the skeleton starts to rise Valandil is able to hit it twice with a small glob up conjured acid while Senjin manages to send one arrow into it's ribcage..it leaves behind a cracked rib..but you think it would have done a lot more damage to a living opponent with some blood to loose and flesh to pierce
init
surprise round (1 action)
Sidney
normal round
Sidney and Aaziroth
Skeleton
You guys
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Sidney suddenly changes into a lizard man and seems barely holding back his fury
Aaziroth charges forward wielding a rather large hammer and manages to hit the skeleton, clubbing his head right off and sending it spinning into the forest.
Covered by the sound the skull makes as it flies through the foliage covers the sound off rustling leaves closer to the caravan as more skeletons appraoh
The lizard man formally known as Sidney charges the closest of them and heaves it right back where it came from, as the bones hit the ground they fall apart in a disassembled pile.
The remaining 2 advance further and swing their broken scimitars
Senjin takes a viscous cut to his side while Waman's armor protects his flesh from the scimitar's blow
init
You guys
Skeletons
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Valandil steps back from the skeleton near him and conjures up some more acid but only manages to scorch the ground near the skeletons boney feet
Senjin punches a skeleton, making it's ribcage crack down the middle
Sidney moves up and as he wants to strike at his target it falls apart before he can get close to it (since you missed I don't it matters right now that your target went down already)
The combined might of Waman, Havern and a bit if help from Silvina is more then the skeleton can handle as it's smashes into pieces.
Aaziroth makes his way back to find the fighting to be over.
The skeletons carry some broken scimitars and very old, almost useless armor.
You can identify tracks leading from the north. The
tracks include both skeletal and booted footprints.
One check, result will determine how many (if any) of the spoilers you can look at;
You also know that Mercenary League engaged in several battles in this section of the Chitterwood, and that one of the more famous of those battles occurred a short distance north of the ambush site.
Kazrin is able to tell you that the first campsite is little more than half an hour away and, once there, the caravan should be safe enough to see the night through.
You can escort them there and return later - in the morning when it's light again..or head out now and see what you find right away