This is the gameplay thread for #5-08: The Confirmation. Please post in-character actions, chatter, and dice rolls here.
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The invitation delivered last night was remarkably simple, especially given the importance of the occasion: “Start where it all began. Meet us at the Pig’s Paunch one hour before dawn.”
The Pig’s Paunch is a run-down building with a faded sign of a large pig standing on its hind legs, arms folded above a corpulent belly. Inside, the air is thick with the scents of human sweat, stale tobacco, and leftover food. In the center of the room, surrounded by inebriates sleeping off their revelries, a familiar elven man stands high upon top of a large round table.
“Welcome! Welcome, my students! Please, have a seat!” With that, Kreighton Shaine, the Pathfinder Society’s Master of Scrolls, nimbly drops down to sit cross-legged on the table before looking about the tavern with a sense of reverent wonder. “Can you believe it? It all started here years ago—well, over four hundred of them at least. Under this very roof the Pathfinder Society was born.
“But today! Today you will begin your Confirmation! Master Farabellus, Master Zey, and I all agree you each have shown your worth and dedication to the Society, so there’s no better time to see if you can handle becoming full field operatives. Allow me to introduce you to Janira Gavix,” he says as he motions for an excitable halfling woman to approach. She wears a large backpack and carries all manner of tools, pouches, and scroll cases around her waist. Shaine continues, saying, “Janira here will be going with you on your Confirmation. She was one of my brightest pupils and will no doubt be an invaluable resource on your journey, for she discovered the caves you are about to explore during her own Confirmation.”
Janira speaks up in an enthusiastic and cheerful voice, “Greetings, aspiring Pathfinders! Six months ago, while I was mapping cave entrances in the foothills of the Kortos Mounts, I witnessed a lone gillman entering a concealed cave. I thought little of it at the time, but I saw another one enter the cave again a month later as my Confirmation stretched on. A few days later, after I completed my assigned task, I entered the cave system, but was unable to find the gillmen.”
Master Shaine hops to his feet. “Initiates, for your Confirmation, you will travel to these caves to explore and document its many passages. Additionally, and most importantly, you are to learn what the gillmen are up to in there. Oh, and you need to come back alive as well.” With these parting words, the Master of Scrolls jumps off the table and strolls out of the building while humming to himself.
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Janira offers further, "Master Shaine is brilliant, if not entirely focused. He has lived a very long time and seen things we could only dream about. I've just learned to accept his peculiarities and value any knowledge he wishes to share." She positively beams at the party with a warm, sincere smile.
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A tall Osirion man, dressed in ceremonial robes, in the style of his homeland, and holding an elegantly carved staff topped with a jackal head, listens to Kreighton Shane with quiet reserve, one hand tapping, almost impatiently, on a small journal sitting before him on the table.
As the young halfling woman is introduced, he smiles slightly, though seems only half listening. He does perk up, however, at word of the gillmen, his face going thoughtful as he opens his journal and makes a few quick notations.
"Although I am loath to leave my research for too long, I suppose one should not ignore social customs and rituals." He observes, dryly, with a light Osiriani accent, putting his journal away.
"How long is this expedition expected to take?" He asks Janira, "I've a decomp study to get back to before it starts to get a little ripe." He chuckles slightly.
"Oh, manners... I am Menes Strang." He says.
"Doctor Menes Strang." He adds, after a moment, emphasizing the doctor.
"Student of biology. Of the human, and not-so-human, form."
"Have not had a chance to observe a gillman close up before. The diffusion processes of their gills must be fascinating. Would love to get a closer look... or perhaps a sample."
He immediately starts going through his pack, silently admonishing himself for failing to anticipate and bring adequate sampling containers and vials.
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"Well met, Menes!" Janira offers, "The pursuit of knowledge is an honorable calling, and intellectual curiosity is an admirable trait! In what field were you awarded a doctoral degree?"
She considers your question for a moment, "Unfortunately, our mission will take several days, at least. Perhaps more! You may wish to ask someone in your faction to assist you with a Gentle Repose, or something, before you leave."
She continues, "As Master Shaine said, my name is Janira Gavix. I joined the Pathfinder Society nearly 4 years ago after coming of age. I am the only one of my siblings to have come of age, so far. I grew up in Eastgate, where my father still works as a porter who employs a dog cart to transport purchased goods from ships and shops to the homes of customers. My family and I revere Desna. But, I respect most other religions, and I believe that faith is important to everyone."
"Within weeks after turning 20 years old, I enlisted with the Pathfinder Society, and although I initially joined to see the world and sample all of the fine food it has to offer, I quickly took to the study of scrolls and focused on learning and preserving knowledge. I hope to have my work published in one of the Pathfinder Chronicles." She gets a dreamy, faraway look in her eyes, "Maybe one day, I could even train as a Pathfinder Chronicler."
"What about you? What made you decide to join the Pathfinder Society?"
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"Am studying many things, of course," He responds with a smile, "But my primary area of concern is necromany. Far too much stigma, not nearly enough understanding." He nods emphatically.
"And 'several' days..." he frowns slightly at the word. "Is not an accurately defined unit of time, as you may well imagine. Could you be more precise?"
"Exactly why I joined this organization." He continues good naturedly. "I see all these fine folks coming to my homeland, to study and record their findings... And I think, 'What a grand endeavor!'"
He frowns slighltly before adding, "I must say, it came as a bit of a shock, when I finally got the opportunity to read some of these records, to realize there was a rather unfortunate emphasis on prose over precision."
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At the table sits a grey and old Gnome. His skin is white and seems thin and stretched his dark eyes sit in deep sockets and have an inquisitve and slightly unsettling air. He is dressed in simple garb and doesn't carry much more than a short blade and a backpack with him. Not tall by anyone's standards but very slim and with an earnest expression on his face. Remarkably he has not talked too much until now but all that changes when introductions are made.
Good day. the Gnome offers and then begins to pour a stream of words from his mouth. They say with age comes wisdom and this one has aged long and aged well if I may add. I go by the name of Mido but my students call me master Mido. My interest in the Pathfinder Society is largely academic in nature and I assume also a bit driven by my curiosity so to speak. They always say, you know, we Gnomes are born curios and as we age we become sedate and no longer have an appetite for exploration. Well my research has concluded that much of this is due to the average Gnomes overt compassion for earthly joys and frivolties, good food, wine, women. Thus the average Gnome by the time he has passed a hundred years will have have grown fat and lazy and thus prefers the study of books to actual exploration. Well in any case in my case this seems to not be the case as I have for many years, what say I decades worked to allign spirit and body. And now through hard work and training feel well prepared for the tasks at hand. That is to be precise, exploration, research and lastly also hostile confrontation. So indeed I must confirm Master Shaine's assumptions that I am indeed ready for my confirmation. and the task at hand looks to be one very well suited to do so!
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Janira laughs joyfully, "Excellent! Hard work, curiosity, and academic interest. You would enjoy tutelage under Master Shaine. Welcome, Mido!"
Janira pauses for a moment in thought, and replies, "I'm sorry I can't be more precise. It's your confirmation mission, after all. Some choices will be left up to you." Her eyes sweep over the whole party, "All of you."
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Menes frowns. "The distance to our destination is a choice?" His tone is slightly admonishing. "Would we need food for two days, or two week, for instance?"
"Exactly the lack of obvious detail to which I was refering." He grumbles.
He opens his journal and starts writing out calculations. "At least we're on an island," He mutters to himself as he writes. "Five days in any direction would hit the ocean. Of course if its the northern side of the mountains..."
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A tall, strong, and absolutely hideous half-orc stands. It is surprising that everyone was not looking at him before, because his presence is nearly overwhelming. He wears a scale armor and a red cloak, so battered it is hardly wearable. He carries a well-used falchion.
"Harrow Tatterhood. I will join you. This journey will be more glorious because of my feats you will witness," he says. "You shall see."
It is not clear how civilized this half-orc is; but the look in his eyes seems wild and short-tempered.
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Janira looks up, and up, and up at Harrow, "You... You're..."
With a quiver in her voice she whispers, "..." She doesn't really speak that last word; rather, it seems to escape her body almost like an involuntary exhale as her eyes lock with Harrow's for a moment.
"Hail, Harrow Tatterhood! I'm sure you'll have ample opportunity to demonstrate your strengths, and work on skills you didn't even know you had." Janira claps her hands excitedly.
Janira sends a nod and a wink at Zannah, "Indeed, Zannah! A level head and well-considered actions will get you through your upcoming Confirmation!" Janira leans in, and in a conspiratorial tone adds, "Plus, you know the boys would be lost without us, right!" She laughs.
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Harrow lets loose his verbal fury. (Indimidate: 14. )
Janira meets Harrow Tatterhood's gaze straight on. The corners of her eyes are creased with a suppressed smile as she listens to him. "Oh, Harrow," she begins, her voice taking on a husky tone, "I promise: I'll show you skills you didn't even know you had." She motions for him to lean over, and continues, "It'll be an experience you never forget!"
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The party is in the Grand Lodge of the Pathfinder Society in the city of Absalom, also known as the City at the Center of the World. Abasalom is on an island called the Isle of Kortos.
DC 15: Tribes of centaurs, harpies, and minotaurs constantly vie for territory up and around the Mounts, with harpies being the most common at higher altitudes and centaurs controlling the lower slopes and foothills.
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Master Mido strokes his wrinkly chin as he ponders what he knows about Kortos. As he does not want to withhold any important information from his fellow Pathfinders the Gnome begins to lecture them.
Sadly I do not have the correct books with me but as I recall at the center of the Isle of Kortos stand the Kortos Mounts. I recall this because tribes of centaurs, harpies, and minotaurs constantly vie for territory up and around the Mounts, with harpies being the most common at higher altitudes and centaurs controlling the lower slopes and foothills.
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“On to the details of the mission at hand,” Janira says with an eager grin. “After reviewing my mission reports personally, Master Shaine believes it is no coincidence that each time they entered the caves it was during a full moon, so it is also no coincidence that you have been called here now, just a day before the moon is full again. We both believe that tomorrow night is our best chance to find out why these caves are important and what exactly the gillmen are doing in there.
“The caves we’ll be travelling to lie under the base of the Kortos Mounts. We’ll need to spend every minute of daylight possible to reach the caves by foot, crossing over the Cairnlands, taking the paths to Diobel, and finally making our way through the wilderness. With any luck we won’t run into any of the local inhabitants. Once in the caves, we’ll need to work together to explore and determine whether any gillman are present or have been recently. Keep an eye out for any other clues that might hint at the caves’ significance, too.”
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The halfling smiles, "Pathfinders should be ready to grab opportunity at a moment's notice!" "Yes, we can hit the Grand Lodge's PX on the way out. But we shouldn't dawdle too long,"
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Janira pauses, "Harrow, Cryp is a horse, right? The area we’re heading to is controlled by a large centaur tribe. If we cross paths with any of them, they’ll see the use of horses as an affront and might become dangerously unfriendly. Our mission is to explore the caves and investigate the gillmen activity, not fight the local populace. Cryp might also have a difficult time navigating the terrain within the caves."
Janira adds, "It would be good to make sure you guys have essential adventuring gear such as rope, a light source, a way to make fire, etc." She passes out writing supplies and paper to the party. "It is crucially important to keep accurate records of your adventures."
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All of a sudden a very loud sound rings out in the back as a large figure of a man come bowling in the room. With speed but not much grace he collides into one of the empty chairs and goes down with a loud thump! Completely out of breath he struggles so speak. "I here!!"
Eren yalls out. "I here! This is were the meet for the Confirmation is right?" Eren says from the flat of his back. To exhausted from running "Eran Lightheart reporting"
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Zannah appears shocked at Master Mido, You think all men are dim wits, too? That's refreshing. I was beginning to think that most of the world was blind to the fact.
Is it because you are so short? Is that what happens? Men get too tall and broad and it squeezes out their all of their brain? Or is it because you're so old? How old are you, anyway? Don't most men do something so brainless they die very young? I guess you've been lucky, to get so old and still be alive.
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Janira sighs. "Now, Harrow," she begins patiently, "murderhobo is what other people call Pathfinders. We're explorers! Remember our three duties: . Surely these have become second nature to you by now, right?"
She reaches up and pats Harrow Tatterhood on the calf. "Now, come along, everyone. Let's get your gear and be ready to explore!"
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After resting for a bit Eran fumbles his way to his feet. The man is tall and looks as strong as orc. In facted, he is just as ugly as one too. Unforchantly he's oblivious to this fact.
"Leave with out me??? then who would have protected this lovely lady?" Eran point at zannah and give her a wink to show his interest. " I do not believe anyone els is coming ....ummm" Eran looks around for a face to put with the voice that acknowledge him and is left dumbfounded when he realizes that it was a Halfling. "ummmm, thank you." taking a sec to regain his thoughts, Eran introduces him self to the rest of the room" I am Eran Lightheart. 3rd son of Alix Lightheart. It is a great honor to be joining you all on the Confirmation." Eran smiles
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Dr. Strang looks down at the young man laying on his back at his feet, and raises one eyebrow. "Yes, here you are indeed." He says sarcastically. "Though it's usually easier to sit in the chairs." He frowns slightly at an unidentified stain on the chair beside him, leftover from the previous nights celebrations at the pub, and adds. "But perhaps no less sticky."
He lets Eran get back on his feet by himself, however, turning back to Janira and the others.