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One of the villagers stands up. Placing two long fingers to her lips and puffing out a violet throat, she lets out a long whistle. The sound of flapping wings heralds the arrival of a bird nearly as colorful as her and twice as big. The grippli pulls a scimitar from the bird's saddle. "I am Wiem Weems." she peeps. "I will join you, for the sake of my people. Outsiders have been making a mess of our jungle and I wish to prevent it from getting any worse."
She turns to the elder huntmaster, "They have overcome the king & queen of Deepblood Ravine. I may be able to learn from them as well and eventually earn your place. With your blessing father?" she asks.
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=== Part 3 ===
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After the tribe of gripplis gave you the clay talisman bearing the symbol of a mountain under dozens of bright stars, their instructions were simple: break open the talisman in the presence of the Golden Guardian.
Upon your return to Fort Bandu, you receive a letter from Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin.
Pathfinders,
News of your mission in the Bandu Hills has reached me. It is unfortunate that VentureCaptain Sharrowsmith angered the kobolds so much that they attacked the local miners, but I have also heard that thanks to your efforts, the kobolds have ceased their attacks, at least for now. According to the latest report, you learned about an ancient monster watching over the dwarven ruins that Sharrowsmith had been studying, and you decided to visit the Kaava lands to acquire a powerful weapon that could defeat the guardian. I hope that your negotiations with the tribe of gripplis guarding the weapon were successful and you are now ready to continue your mission to find Sharrowsmith. I want to remind you that Nieford Sharrowsmith is our foremost scholar in the region, and thus, your first priority is to bring him back alive, or at least find evidence about what has happened to him. Naturally, also record any information of historical value as you explore the ruins. If you run into kobolds while exploring the dwarven ruins, try not to antagonize them any more than is necessary to find Sharrowsmith. The earlier trouble with the kobolds has already harmed our reputation with the locals. It is vital to the continued success of the Nantambu lodge that we secure allies, not make enemies. One more thing: we have reason to believe that the Aspis Consortium is planning to intercept your mission and kill or kidnap Sharrowsmith. Make haste and keep an eye out for trouble at all times.
Blessing of the Ten,
Venture-Captain
Ambrus Valsin
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The older dwarven lady, her grey hair in a tidy braid, gives a curt nod of her head. "Well, that's settled then. Welcome, Wiem... Weems? I'm not sure whether this sort of thing is normally allowed, but we'll take you on as a field recruit for the Pathfinder Society. Please be advised, though, that all artifacts acquired on this mission will be sent to Absalom for investigation. You will be properly rewarded, though. If we get along, we might even introduce you to the nearest Lodge if you wish to continue your life as a Pathfinder."
She stares at the saddle of the multi-colored bird, with her good eye and with the roving left eye, on the side of her face that is marred with burn scars. "Are you planning on riding that? Are you sure that's safe?" As an afterthought, she add "I'm Yndra, by the way. Representative of the church of Nethys." She holds up the holy symbol on a cord around her neck, by way of conformation.
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Yndra gives a sour grin when she's finished reading the venture-captain's latest instruction. "Well, I'm be damned if I can figure out how we'll satisfy all these objectives. The last time we were there, the kobolds were in the mood for anything but allying themselves with us. And that's even before we've gotten to the sacrifice of the miners or the desecration of the ruins." She scowls and thinks for a moment. [b]"Maybe we can pin any mishaps on that front on the Aspis, once we've dealt with them.
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Graxzos grunts in agreement. "I'm suspectin' we won' be doin' much o' that negotiatin'...but we'll see. Anyone speak Draconic? Could be useful if we can talk 'em down...otherwise it don' seem too complicated. Get back VC Sharrowsmith, don' make any unnecessary mess, an' watch out because the Aspis be on yer tail." He spits in a corner and grins. "Easy. I agree we oughter head out soon, but I'm gonna need a few hours t'resupply."
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Wiem shrugs her shoulders at the mention of artifacts. "These have been bringing trouble to us as far as I can tell. And I have a debt to settle with these Aspis folks, especially that Kalim croaker. I hope that we do cross paths."
Noticing the strange shape of the human's mouth, she says to Thaia, "You look like you've swallowed a mwangi maggot." Though how you can do that with such a mishappen mouth boggles the mind. "You shouldn't eat them until they pupate. Elder Bogwynne has a tonic for that, would you like me to get some for you?"
To the dwarf she sadly admits, "I've never learned their tongue, we've never had a chance to talk with them without worrying about their pointy sticks."
You can resupply just about anything you can afford while at Fort Bandu.
Before you leave Fort Bandu, you may want to ask around for recent rumors about the Aspis Consortium, the Golden Guardian, and the kobolds.
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Graxzos spends the day before the group sets out bustling around the markets, chatting up the merchants there, establishing contacts for his caravan, and buying some necessaries for the expedition. "'Ey Billie. Heard anythin' about those Aspis prigs comin' back around 'ere?"
potion of cat's grace (chronicle): 300 gp
potion of cure moderate wounds (chronicle): 300 gp
8 paper cartridges: 96 gp
2 flare cartridges: 20 gp
TOTAL: 716 gp
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Graxzos spends the day before the group sets out bustling around the markets, chatting up the merchants there, establishing contacts for his caravan, and buying some necessaries for the expedition. "'Ey Billie. Heard anythin' about those Aspis prigs comin' back around 'ere?"
"I swear by the Prince of Law that I speak the common Taldan tongue as well, but not quite the way you render it."
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"Yes they are always causing trouble for our village, but this season semms particularly bad," the grippli peeps during breakfast at the local cafe.
Wiem Weems shares one of elder Bogwyyn's stories about the Golden Guardian around the inn's fire.
"If you do this sort of thing a lot, I'm going to need more practice."
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Yndra strolls along the encampment, making some last-minute purchases and trying to catch some of the latest gossip. "I heard the kobolds have been making less of a nuisance of themselves lately. You know what that's about?" She also thinks on anything she might have heard relating to the Golden Guardians.
You collect info while making final purchases in Fort Bandu before heading out again.
Almost everyone at Fort Bandu knows the legend of the Golden Guardian, but no one seems to know anything substantial.
Mount Nakyuk. Until recently, the kobolds have largely kept to themselves. Most local people didn’t even know about the kobolds before the incident with Sharrowsmith.
About the Aspis Consortium’s latest movements. A contingent of Aspis mercenaries was seen approaching the Bandu Hills from the northwest—the direction of Bloodcove.
You did not hear anything specific
You did not hear anything specific
Save for torrential rain alternating with scorching heat, the journey from Fort Bandu to Mount Nakyuk progresses smoothly. Ancient, crumbling stone buildings choked with vines and adorned with bone fetishes emerge from a patch of thick jungle underbrush. A scattering of bones and discarded tools hints that
this location was recently inhabited. A gaping stairwell yawns behind a blood-spattered altar, descending to the mysterious depths where the Golden Guardian makes its home.
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"Well, that wasn't so helpful. At least they had decent supplies for sale," grumbles Yndra. "Most folks didn't even know there were kobolds before the Venture-Captain roused them. Nothing useful about this Guardian as well."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"Mercenaries we c'n deal with," Graxzos harrumphs as the group closes in on the yawning staircase into the earth. The dwarf keeps a wary eye on the surrounding jungle as the party moves toward the ruin they've visited once before. "It's this here 'Golden Guardian' I'm worried about...lots o' people talkin' about they've heard of it in Fort Bandu, but no one knows anythin' real." He peers down the stairs. "Anyone gotta light? I got a flare, but I'd rather save those fer emergencies."
Two granite statues of dwarves in full armor stand guard in this entrance hall, flanking the entrance to a corridor to the south. Antelope skull patterns painted in red ochre cover each statue’s face. In the wall to the south are two rust-stained iron doors.
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Thaia gives some last minute instruction to her employees. "Wewe mbili, kukaa hadi katika milima hiyo. Tunatarajia kampuni silaha katika mfumo wa Aspis mamluki . Kama unaweza kuona kitu kuashiria sisi na hii. Tunapaswa kuwa nyuma kwa jua kutua." She hands Jakob her steel mirror.
"Haki bosi."
Jakata nods grimly.
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Yndra shakes her head in derision at Grax's suggestion that anyone would need a light. She drops the issue when Thaia lights her Wayfinder. Good, at least the girl can take care of herself.
Yndra carefully moves forward into the first room. "Be wary of anything," she whispers. "There might be traps."
The two henchmen (wow these guys did not resign once you made it back to the fort) stay outside as the rest of you head down the stairs.
Once down the stairs, both dwarves notice the scratch marks from a crowbar on the stone door frame where the eastern door to the south was pried open then later jammed shut again.
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"This door's been opened recently," Graxzos growls, crossing to the eastern door and squatting down by it, squinting, but not yet touching the door. "An' jammed shut after that. Do we think it's our VC Sharrowsmith? Or did the Aspis get 'ere ahead o' us?"
Glancing over, he squints into the darkness. "Looks like there's another door o'er there, an' a hallway...Yndra, can you see anythin'?"
The door appears to be jammed from the other side but not especially well. A good shove or two would likely open it.
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"This door's been opened recently," Graxzos growls, crossing to the eastern door and squatting down by it, squinting, but not yet touching the door. "An' jammed shut after that. Do we think it's our VC Sharrowsmith? Or did the Aspis get 'ere ahead o' us?"
"I think our Aspis friends will be waiting for us outside if we don't get a move on."
Yndra easily pushes the door open, revealing a small room.
The air in this room smells stale. A pile of rocks sits on the dust-covered floor in one corner of the room.
Thaia, while watching Yndra enter the room, notices something odd about southern wall as it is illuminated by her light spell.
The door on the south wall is bent slightly inward.
Yndra determines that the pile of rocks in the corner is too orderly to be a natural feature. Looking at the stones she finds a sachel marked with signet of Sharrowsmith. It contains a journal and some other gear.
Anyone reading the journal....
===Earlier EXCERPT FROM SHARROWSMITH’S JOURNAL
Every time I plan to depart on the expedition, a new responsibility crops up and demands my attention. There will never be a perfect time, and Aya is more than capable of handling the business and the lodge in my absence for a few weeks. That settles it; at first light, I will begin my journey at last.
===Final ENTRY FROM SHARROWSMITH’S JOURNAL
I did not run into any guards on the way here, but the religious decorations and traps suggest that kobolds live in these ruins. I found a room that had not been used recently. It seems safe enough to rest a bit and to store some of my equipment here. If my hunch is right, there is a temple somewhere deeper in these ruins.
Wiem moves into the room and tries to open the south door.
Sapper and Graxzos wait in the initial room.
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Yndra strides over to the pile of rocks and starts examining the contents, reading the journal first. "That's very interesting. It seems like Mr. Sharrowsmith was quite unlucky. And not too cautious, it seems. I'm a bit worried about the doors, though. That's the second door that seems out of shape. The room back there isn't flooded, is it?" She then continues to rummage through the satchel left by Sharrowsmith.