A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 1–11.
At long last, the Pathfinder Society has reassembled the Numerian device known as the Sky Key. Initial tests suggest it is capable of projecting a location’s past into the present, allowing Society agents to peruse books from destroyed libraries and speak with echoes of long-dead heroes. Now that it has perfected the Sky Key’s controls, the Pathfinder Society is prepared to extract a slice of Absalom’s history and bring it into the present; however, there’s no telling what might be waiting inside—or who in the present might wish to wield the same power.
Written by Crystal Frasier.
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 centerof 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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A young woman of obvious Tien descent watches the proceedings from a medium distance. She shades her eyes for a moment to glance up at the sun, then frowns slightly.
"Milady is usually more punctual than this..." she mutters to herself, then shrugs, dismissing the thought as she swats irritably at an insect venturing too close, and resumes her study of the activity at and around the platform, one hand sliding down her side to brush the hilt of her katana, her fingers drumming an impatient riff on the hard leather...
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Marika is, in fact, already in the crowd, albeit easy to miss. Her short stature, particularly for a girl of probable mixed-Ulfen descent, makes the task of not being seen amongst the crowdgoers easier than it might otherwise be. She brushes some of her brown hair out of her eyes, before tucking it under a small straw hat to keep the sun out of her eyes.
Rather unlike the typical image of a powerful sorceress, she is wearing her customary leather tool-carrying vest over a silk shirt (the better for this nasty weather) and a pair of soft leather shorts cut off just below her mid-thigh, along with a solid pair of boots. She doesn't have any visible weapons, although that's hardly proof of anything around here.
"Really nice day they picked for this," she says absently to those around her, taking out a waterskin and sipping from it. "Don't mind the heat, but the bugs are killer,"
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Standing over six feet, this huge, tanned warrior carries several scars. His features place him as Ulfen, but it is hard to be certain with his nontraditional shaven head. Along with a well made great axe (that does not reflect the sunlight as well as one would expect), he carries other weapons. His breastplate seems to be of very high quality. His legging and boots are spattered and stained with mud. He stands like a pillar, arms crossed, eyes on the platform. He looks bored.
By Gorum's blade! When will they start?
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Uthraed stands on the outskirts of the crowd holding his massive black war bow in his left hand and a small book that he appears to be intently reading in his right. He looks up from the book and in quiet contemplation of what he just read and closes it stowing it in a pocket somewhere beneath in his pack. When he does the sun glints off of his scimitar. "I don't know why I even keep this sharp" he thinks to himself "it's not as if I ever use it, habit I guess" all of his cloths from the dark black plates of his kikko armor that he picked up in his travels, to his dark hair, to the pack on his back, everything is in good almost new condition.
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So many people. Too many people. Try to blend in.
Moving awkwardly about the crowd, seemingly on the outside of every makeshift clique of Pathfinders is an ice-white-skinned individual. She has platinum blond hair and an unseasonably high amount of fur clothing despite the weather. Closer inspection reveals bi-colored eyes that suggest elven ancestry, but the rounded ears commonly seen by Erutaki humans. A longspear and a robotic arm cross her back, and her left hand clutches a wayfinder, seemingly for comfort.
Look comfortable. Find a group. Stop pacing, she thinks to herself, unable to follow her own advice. Within a minute or three, she has circled the entire perimeter of the gathering, and said nothing to anyone there.
Talk to someone.
"The weather is great," she lies, poorly, answering the first question she hears despite its intent for someone else. "Soon?"
No escape, now.
She uses all of her willpower to avoid awkwardly withdrawing into the crowd, and manages a weak wave of a greeting.
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Uthraed looks down at the girl who just spoke. "hmm, oh yes, the bugs really are quite the annoyance." he says running his fingers through his hair and resting the tip of the bow on the ground. "I do love ships,"Uthraed says seemingly missing the point of the girls statement.
He smiles as the girl dressed in far too many furs approaches. "I doubt the bugs bother her but the heat must be excruciating."
With a slight bow of his head Uthread acknowledges the women surrounding him. "I am Uthraed, and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Uthraed says cheerfully.
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The Tien girl nods at Uthraed. "Kageko Mori, at your service, and likewise," she responds, then looks back at Marika. "I must admit to still harboring some reservations," she offers. "I mean, I can see the appeal; we've dedicated ourselves to unearthing the past and recovering lost histories, and if this works we could do that job much more easily -- but should we forget that many of those histories were lost for a reason?"
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Marika glances around. "This strikes me as a horrifically bad idea." Marika mutters, some lightning crackling between her fingertips. "Well, if we're actually going we can't just wait here!" she says much more loudly, charging ahead to avoid the wasting of time.
Just before she reaches the portal, Marika pulls out a scroll. "Was hoping to save this a bit longer, but I have a feeling we're going to need all the mojo we can get today...
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"Gettimg to see the mysteries of the past for ourselves, this is why I joined up with the society. " Uthraed picks up his bow and follows the brown haired girl who was talking to him. "She seems to know where she's going" As he begins to run off her turns to the strange over dressed girl and shouts "Are you coming" waving his free hand beckoning her to follow.
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"So that's why so many mages were busy recently," Kageko mutters to herself as she listens to the announcement.
She nods to Marika. "I can't help but suspect that no one bothered to inquire as to why the dwarves, after assembling and presumably using it, chose to disassemble and conceal this contraption..." she notes as she moves up to the young woman's left flank, casually shifting her stance to ensure she'll have a smooth draw once it becomes needed. "I suspect we're about to find out, Milady. "[b]Let's take a look at what the world was like, shall we?"
The lowest level of the temple complex consists of sprawling networks of caverns and artificial tunnels that appear to be used as animal pens, stables, and cave garden. You head inside along with dozens of other Pathfinders and find yourself in a huge cavern which stinks of animal scat and rotting meat. Shelves, passageways, and fixtures have been carved into the wall by careful hands, each stylized to resemble a serpent’s head or body.
Ahead of you, you spot a pair of small dinosaurs, being led by a reptilian humanoid. Your eyes widen as you realize that this creature is from a time before Absalom existed. The creature spots you at the same time and hisses, releasing the leads on the two beasts and shouting in a sibilant language.
"घुसपैठियों उन्हें मेरा पालतू जानवरमार डालना"
Round 1
Initiative order: Red Dino, Sees-Far-Ahead, Kageko, Lizard Man, Blue Dino, Marika, Osten, Uthread. (Delaying Lizard Man to go with the Blue dino to speed things up.)
The red dinosaur advances warily, moving towards the group.
Sees-Far-Ahead and Kageko, you are up! Everyone else wait until we resolve that.
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"Well, at least that didn't take long," Kageko quips as she draws her blade and shifts into a guard stance, ready to strike at the dinosaur should it continue its advance.
Kageko's stance fairly obviously favors her left leg, suggesting that she'll move to the right and interpose herself between the attacking dinosaur and Marika to protect the latter.
Round 1 (continued)
Sees-Far-Ahead moves forward, longspear at the ready.
Kegeko draws ehr blade and shifts into a guard stance.
The Blue Dino moves forward,hissing, and warily circles to the right.
The lizardfolk hefts his club and moves in, staying close to the red dino.
Marika, Osten, Uthread are up!
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Uthraed takes a step towards the lizard man as he does he notches an arrow and pulls the bow cord back to his chin. As he does he lets out a string of words, deep and commanding and locks eyes with the lizard man.
"डालना के अंग्रेजी अर्थ व शब्द, हस्तक्षेप करना"
As he says the last syllable he turns sharply to the left drawing his bow cord back to his ear and releases the grey fletched arrow with the full power of the great war bow behind it in the direction of the blue dino.
Round 1 (continued)
Marika blasts the lizardfolk with her lightning power, scorching him.
Osten moves forward and swings his axe at the lizardman, but misses.
Uthread releases his arrow and hits the lizardman full in the chest. He drops without a sonud.
End of Round 1!
Round 2
The red dino's frill expands like a cobra's, and it hisses and leaps at Osten, triggering an attack of opportunity. Osten can't hit the tiny dinosaur as it enters his square and attacks! Luckily the reptile's venomous bite does not affect the sturdy warrior.
Sees-Far-Ahead, Kageko are up!
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"हमें अकेला छोड़ दो," she says, barely making the words out.
The lady in furs brandishes her spear to the lizardly warrior, her voice disappearing as she repeats it louder, shouting directly into its mind:
हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!हमें अकेला छोड़ दो!
The blue dino begins to bleed from the eyes and ears and falls dead to the floor.
Combat over!
As you examine the bodies, you realize that all three of the reptilian creatures before you seem subtly different from examples you may have seen before, likely due to the time difference. This is a chance to see evolution in action!
You head farther into the cube of ancient Absalom, through tunnels dug millennia ago. Ahead a large cavern beckons. Clouds of steam rise from this balmy chamber’s countless pools. Small, rocky islands abound, separated by cloudy, mineral-laden waters. Each island supports a stone plinth carved with minute glyphs and elaborate pictograms which probably give valuable clues to their purpose. Sliding across the floors and floating in the pools, thousands of snakes of various species and sizes slither throughout the chamber and bask in its tropical heat. As far as you can tell, they are all venomous.
Also remember, you have an Aid Token you can use, and then pass to another table.
Aid Another: A Pathfinder agent helps the PCs solve a puzzle, disable a trap, or accomplish some other task as if performing the aid another action for a PC. In Subtiers 5–6 and 7–8, the total bonus is +3.
Allied Offensive: A Pathfinder agent strikes a creature at the same time as the PC, increasing the damage dealt by one attack by 2d8 points. In addition, after the attack, anyone attacking the target is considered to be flanking it until the beginning of the attacker's next turn.
Burst of Healing: A Pathfinder agent heals all of the PCs of 3d6 points of damage. In Subtiers 5–6 and 7–8, the amount healed increases to 3d6 points. Alternatively, in any subtier the agent can instead cast neutralize poison, remove curse, or remove disease with a caster level equal to the table's APL (minimum 5).
Spellcasting Synergy: A Pathfinder agent casts a spell at the same time as the PC, increasing the save DC and caster level of the PC's spell by 2.
Timely Inspiration: A Pathfinder agent provides the effects of a bard's inspire courage bardic performance for 3 rounds. In Subtiers 5-6 and 7-8, the competence bonus is +2.
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Kageko looks somewhat less than pleased at the snakes, then takes a deep breath while touching her fingertips together just in front of her chest, muttering something in Tien.
With that remark, she starts wading through the shallow water after Marika, moving in a curious rhythm to avoid causing large ripples...
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As the last combatant goes down Uthraed walks over and examines the lizardman.
"Fascinating, I encountered lizardmen in my last mission for the pathfinders but they looked quite different from this."
The group continues further and when the encounter the snakes Uthraed will attempt to cross stealthy.
Uthread takes some quick notes on the lizardman corpse, providing useful information for Kreighton Shane's later enjoyment.
At the pool, Marika manages to move through the water without a ripple, pausing to await gaps in the ophidian procession. She manages to reach the first island, and can examine its stone stele in detail. It seems to be in an ancient form of Draconic, with a few words which share similar roots with Taldane and Elven speech.
Meanwhile, Kageko misjudges the motion of a group of vipers, and receives several nasty bites for her trouble. Luckily, only one bite actually penetrates the skin, and beside a severe itch she suffers no ill effects.
Uthread also tries to slip through the water, but the snakes, now aroused, bite at anything that moves. - 1 Con damage from the poison
Sees-Far-Ahead activates her wand.
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"Not sure what I'm really looking at here," Marika admits, looking over the stele. "Looks like it's some form of Draconic, but beyond that I can't tell much. Do we have an actual expert here? I just find the stuff." She continues looking around, before she glances at Uthraed. "That looks like a nasty one," she notes. "Uhm...not sure what to do about it for now, though. I'll move on to the next island, see what else I can dig up."
