You are in Absalom, the mighty City at the Center of the World.
For some of you the training to become a Pathfinder has just ended ... some of you already had their first missions.
You have heard rumors that the Pathfinder Society is stretched thin at the moment and that junior Pathfinders are asked to complete more dangerous missions than usual.
You always knew that you would be continuously asked to explore one of the countless ruins that litter the plains outside the city’s walls on Golarion. Some of your colleagues have the opinion that this is the best way to start a life of excitement and adventure ... by exploring long-abandoned, dusty halls and perhaps claiming its ancient treasures but what about you?
* * * * *
You have been chosen to be part of the Pathfinder group that will leave to travel to Highdelve on a critical mission for the society.
You are led through the Great Hall of Skyreach past a large table with a shifting illusionary Inner Sea map on its massive surface. Standing around the Hall are dozens of pathfinders of various races exchanging stories of their exploits.
You are directed towards a smaller meeting room, past an ornate fountain with crystal clear water. You can feel the chill from the cascading droplets as some splash you on their decent to the pool.
The placard before the room reads, “The Pipeweed Nook”. Opening the door you see a long table, chairs.
You enter with the other Pathfinders but are still waiting for the Venture-Captain to arrive and give you the final briefing before you travel to Highdelve.
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Erôth Earthfist
is a rather average sized young dwarf with a small frame, for a dwarf. He has brown skin and very long hair in the colour of obsidian, and usually wears an earthen coloured leather breeches and a sandstone coloured Tunic. Many marble beads are woven into his long braided beard.
In battle he wears a leather lamellar armor, and a battleaxe.
His voice is a very deep, rumbly bass.
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A tall and slender elven woman with short brown hair cut into a thick, chin-length bob peeks into the room. Her bangs are cut unevenly in front, and there's a chunk of hair framing her face on one side which is a deep red in colour. A serene smile rests upon her lips, and her deep green eyes glitter with amusement. Gliding across the floor with an easy gait she bows slightly to the assembled Pathfinders.
"Greetings, comrades. I am Narissiel."
She offers a delicate--but surprisingly calloused--hand to each of the others in turn.
"It's a pleasure to meet you."
The door opens and you see the renowned Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng enter the meeting room.
He looks as if he did not have much sleep as he has a sleepy-eyed look on his face.
He has a violin and a meerschaum pipe in his hand and sets it on the table. He withdraws a small pouch from the slipper and opening it, removes some shag tobacco. He begins to pack the pipe with the tobacco before removing a hot poker from a fireplace in the room, touching it to the pipe bowl, and drawing on the pipe until the contents kindle an ember.
He stands eyeing the assembled group and puffing on the pipe for a long few moments before speaking.
"Well, well, so you are the team they sent here for this mission?! You look tough but are you the right people for this mission? You already heard that we are sending you to Highdelve, right?" he says with a stern look.
"First missions are usually less dangerous but our informant's reasons to ask for a team as well as the nature of the assignment were a little vague ..."
He eyes you again.
"I called you in tonight to discuss a problem I need you to solve." he says as clouds of pipe smoke drift lazily around his head.
"Well, more than two centuries ago, the humans of House Garess flourished in the foothills of the Golushkin Mountains in western Brevoy, where they founded Highdelve as a settlement of human artisans to work the dwarven ore their allies supplied. However, as the years went on, House Garess’s numbers waned, and the noble family scaled its business back. By this time, thousands inhabited Highdelve."
He looks at you to see if you are still listening.
"Rather than languish under House Garess’s neglect, the Highdelvers began to focus on self-sufficiency. It built a robust economy and 50 years ago, the leaders of highdelve approached the patriarch of House Garess in Grayhaven roughly 20 miles south. It wasn’t full independence Highdelve wanted as much as a release from any major taxes and military duties the town might owe its feudal overlords. Not in the position to fight the Highdelvers, House Garess acquiesced. From that day, Highdelve has been independent in everything but the strictest formalities."
He pauses for a moment.
"Have you ever heard of Aurelliax?" he asks.
Being so far north, winters are long and harsh. The short spring and summer seasons require the populace to farm and fish just enough to keep food on the table.
* * * Separate check * * *
You have heard the stories of Highdelve's history in more detail ... what the Highdelvers didn’t know, however, is that benevolent eyes had been watching the situation that the Venture-Captain described unfold.
The settlement piqued the interest of Aurelliax, a gold dragon who had lived for more than a century in a mountaintop lair near Highdelve.
The dragon admired the town’s tenacity, and its people’s generosity toward their neighbors warmed her kind heart. Shortly after Highdelve broke from House Garess, Aurelliax offer the humans her patronage and protection for free.
Elated and humbled, the townspeople accepted—provided that Aurelliax never involved herself in the settlement’s internal affairs. After all, the Highdelvers did not wish to simply trade one overlord for another. Her motivations genuine and pure, Aurelliax assented.
For the Highdelvers’ part, awe for Aurelliax quickly turned into true affection, as the dragon time and again has demonstrated her dedication to this settlement of about 4,500.
Dreng raises an eyebrow.
"Aurelliax is a gold dragon who had lived for more than a century in a mountaintop lair near Highdelve and the dragon time and again has demonstrated her dedication to this settlement of about 4,500."
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The cheerful and outgoing Meraina is known for her bubbly laugh, witty humor, and knack for capricious magic.
Though from northern Brevoy, Meraina strains to remember the stories of her youth and consider whether she has heard of these tails or not in the past.
From her youth, she remembers only that Brevoy is cold. Though a clever girl, she's always been able to rely more on her looks and charm, and therefore hasn't had to study much.
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From the other end of the table, a small, but surprisingly plump gnome finally reaches the top of the chair with one final grunt. As her head peeks just barely over the table as she stands, her dull grey eyes twinkling red from the torches, she utters squeakily, "Gold dragons don't usually eat people, right?" She thumbs the holy symbol of Iomedae attached to a pin holding her long blond hair in a traditionally Tian bun, "because I most certainly do not plan on being eaten. I've heard gnomes taste like shriveled, month-old Dire Rat carcasses anyways."
"Isn't Brevoy that place with, like, a civil war brewing?" she asks inquisitively. "Long harsh winters, short crappy spring? Not warm in the slightest, like ever?" She ponders for a moment before continuing, "Guess I'll be grabbing my coat!"
Dreng nods at Azra's remark.
"I do not want to go into the details of why a gold dragon would do that but I can assure you that we had a hand in that story. This was just background information because your mission actually concerns two kids. Well, they are young adults by now. RICHELLE AND TOLWIN are their names. They are not related but they are the kids of two deceased Pathfinders. We placed them under the protection of the mayor of Highdelve 17 summers ago - Winette Qarl is her name."
The Venture-Captain sighs and looks at his feet.
"We received a message that they are misbehaving. I have to admit that this mission is personal for me and I want you to check on them. They know nothing about their parents' history but if you can find out what is going on I would appreciate that."
He looks back into your eyes again and smokes his pipe, sending smoke into the air.
"Of course we would never send you to Highdelve just because of two kids ... this is just a coincidence that I am using to my own benefit." he laughs.
"During one of our other missions we learned of a plot againt Aurelliax. We do not know the details but we know that an agent of a cult of Kostchtchie, Gilda Korgren, traveled to Highdelve more than a year ago to craft a ring with special significance to the cult of Kostchtchie ... additionally, we learned about a Port Ice–based shipping company that is trying to track cargo that went missing between the port and Silverhall in southern Brevoy. We do know that the cargo included several Thassilonian relics that could also be of value to the Kostchtchie worshipper."
Born a mortal man of Ulfen stock before being cursed, Kostchtchie is now the demon lord of giants and biting cold.
Kostchtchie's main worshipers are giants who have turned from the worship of their traditional deities, particularly Thremyr, and instead embraced the demonic as being a more aggressive philosophy.
Dreng stops pacing long enough to knock some of the ashes out of his pipe and reload it with more tobacco.
"Yes, Kostchtchie is an evil demonic god of giants. How you check on the kids I leave to you. You are trained experts and will surely find out what is going on with them. So go to Highdelve and see what you can find out!"
With a stern look on his face he turns to Eroth.
"To be honest we know very little about Gilda Korgren. She is a human follower of a demonic god ... and we know that she has a son from a letter we were able to dispatch. But nothing else."
He looks at the whole group and tries to assess your level of comfort with this mission and continues.
"This is one of your first mission so be careful. Please make haste and travel to Highdelve."
With those words he turns his attention away from you, picks his violin up, opens the door and begins playing and walking out of the room simultaneously.
HIGHDELVE
It’s late when your caravan arrives in Highdelve.
Most of the travelers are only stopping for dinner before proceeding on to the next town, but you have a mission here, and so you remain when the wagons pull out again.
When you get to the inn you find it unusually crowded. The innkeeper only has one room available, what with the festival tomorrow.
If you’re willing to share, however, she has some cots she can set up and there should be room enough for the four of you. As you walk down into the common room for dinner, you find it, too, is more crowded than you would expect.
A four-top comes open right as you walk in, though, and almost as soon as you sit the waiter comes by with bowls of stew and mugs of ale for the four of you. You eat and have a chance to get to know your new comrades on this mission.
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With grunts of frustration, shouts of "Hey! Watch it!" and "Woah there guys. Wait for me. I've got tiny legs!", and a few weak grunts, Azra's head finally pops over the top of the table. "MAN! I HATE busy spaces. Too many people that just don't look for me!" she shouts as she begins to nurse a large, fresh bruise forming on her arm. "You'd think they'd at least hear me coming. Sheesh!"
She looks over to Bluefire, notices her elaborate eating technique, and decides to crawl across the table towards her. "Magic is not for eating, mama always said!" She attempts to grab the spoon the next time it approaches the plate, while silently munching on her much-oversized-for-her turkey leg.
Brightbloom Jubilee
During the first evening and your first hour on the jubilee you learn that the Brightbloom Jubilee is a 2-day party with a distinct structure of events.
Before the jubilee, the town elects two young locals to serve as Bloomgivers — an enormous honor for those chosen. Early on the celebration’s first day, the Bloomgivers venture with an empty wagon up nearby Dendra’s Slope, where the largest field of brightblooms grows.
The jubilee then runs throughout the day, and it includes a full slate of amusements, games, and festive street food, all set up in the town’s main Protectress Square.
In the afternoon, the Bloomgivers return to town with the first harvest of brightblooms, and the townspeople fete the youths’ journey by escorting them from the gates back to Protectress Square.
There, the Bloomgivers hand out brightblooms to eager townspeople. The rest of the evening is spent as a public dance party known as the Brightbloom Ball. The jubilee’s second day is spent alternately removing winterizing measures from the town’s buildings and breaking into spontaneous rounds of song and dance.
Several well-dressed professionals stand in a circle bandying about the lingo of seasoned traders. “What a time to be visiting!” one shouts.
“It’s the best time to catch important people in one place. If you’ve any business to conduct in Highdelve, now’s the time for it, to be sure!”
A teenage boy pushes through the crowd with a star-struck look on his face.
“Have you seen her? Have you seen Aurelliax? You know, the gold dragon! The one who keeps the whole town safe! She’s here, but she never stays in one place for long. Everyone wants to talk to her, and she’s so nice—she wants to spend time with us all!”
* * *
For the past decade or so, the people of Highdelve have expressed some concern about sending their youthful Bloomgivers up Dendra’s Slope to collect brightblooms for several hours alone.
The brightbloom field is about an hour’s hike from the town proper, and the foothills are full of threats.
To quell their qualms, and to reinforce that Aurelliax would never suffer an outside threat to the town, the gold dragon has begun lending the Bloomgivers a special amulet called the Golden Pendant each year for their journey up the slope.
Not even the gold dragon has elaborated on exactly what the amulet can do, and she’s instructed the townspeople not to bother examining it much magically, but everyone knows that it’s a treasure that would make Abadar himself proud.
Two elderly women watch a group of adolescents giggle and shoot furtive glances toward the square’s western entrance.
“It warms this old granny’s heart to see those sweet kids,” one of the women says. “So young! So much energy! They just can’t wait for the Bloomgivers to come back from Dendra’s Slope so they can celebrate. But I wonder what’s keeping those Bloomgivers? They’ve usually returned by now!”
The mood is festive in the inn as the evening progresses. Eventually, weary from your travel, you head to bed.
The sun rises, and after a quiet breakfast, you emerge out into the town square. Beams of sunlight stream past the snow-capped mountains as a joyous scene spreads before you.
Overnight, the town's staid and utilitarian main square sprouted colorful tents, a pop-up theater, a spinning contraption made of barrel bottoms, some manner of race course, and more unexpected delights.
Laughter and boisterous shouts echo from all the square's corners as its quaint cobblestone streets teem with villagers sporting festive clothes and wide smiles.
Throughout it all, the smell of fried foods weaves through air laced with the warmth of a summer that's just begun.
Activities in view:
A1. Youths stand on and around tall wooden storage boxes, playing some sort of game.
A2. Lanes have been drawn and sack races are being run.
A3. A large, gilt statue of a dragon.
A4. A Barrel-Go-Round ride has been erected.
A5. A small puppet theater has gathered a crowd.
A6. A stand sells delicious-smelling fried food on sticks.
A6
Eroth takes the lead and starts walking around. They arrive at the food stall.
Buzzing about the multicolored tents here are townspeople eating fried dough and meat skewered on thin sticks. Rich, delicious smells permeate the air as a tall, broad-shouldered man works the crowd, telling snappy jokes and offering friendly handshakes.
”Well hi there folks! You must be visitors to our fair town! Eh, get it? FAIR town?”
He chuckles as he rushes off to greet the next group walking up. The next time he passes by, he says ”My name's Toshi. Anyway, welcome! What can I getcha? Funnel cake? Corn dog? Fortifies the bones, only one silver!”
Toshi looks at you and is quite happy about your decision!
"Well, I am the proprietor and head chef at the Golden Wings tavern! As you see I have my hands full working the large crowd of customers and unfortunately can’t pause for long to talk with you but come over in the coming weeks for a chat! Next please!" he shouts.
Meraina tastes the fried dough and Toshi was not exaggerating about the fried dough’s heartiness!
When you arrive at the statue, you can take in it's majesty up close.
Fully 10 feet high and twice as long, the centerpiece of the square is a gilt statue of a gold dragon with outstretched wings. A plaque at the base reads: "Highdelve dedicates this statue and all of Protectress Square to Aurelliax, Our Gilded Lady. Long may her golden wings envelop us, and may we never fail her when she calls."
* * *
Standing next to the statue watching a group of children play is a cheerful-looking woman with white hair and ruddy cheeks.
You see that a female dwarf approaches the woman and after greeting each other they start chatting and you are perceptive and overhear parts of the conversation.
”Well ... but Richelle and Tolwin cheated!" the white haired woman says silently. You cannot hear the dwarf's response but you see the the woman reacts harshly and says a little louder than she she should: "You know that they rigged the bloomgivers election and therefore are not allowed to attend the festival. This discussion is over!"
The female dwarf looks disappointed and retreats in the direction of the sack race.
Mayor Qarl stands near the statue and touches it for a moment. "Hello dear visitor. I am mayor Qarl. This town has no problems or dangers and is under Aurelliax protection ... do not fear! " she says to Torgen with a warm smile.
Two youths are laughing, though there’s a bit of fear evident in their eyes.
“We all saw him; he had skin as pale as a sheet and these freaky little horns!” a girl says.
“He was skulking around until the watch came and scared him away. Now people pretend like he was never here—don’t want to scare away visitors, I guess. Oops!”
She looks at you slightly surprised and then points at the statue.
”She is the gold dragon that has protected this town for generations! So do not worry!“ she says with a warm smile.
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Azra, finally able to pry her eyes from the puppet theater, lets out a shriek. She never even realized you guys had walked away from the food stand. She hastily throws down a silver, and gathers near the dragon statue.
With a mouthful of food, Azra states "So, the children over there said something about a pale dude with horns, I think we should..." She stops as she notices the mayor standing there. "Oh, Hi there! I'm Azra! Nice to meet ya!" She then gestures to the dragon, "She looks pretty! Hey, guys, can we go watch the puppets, yet?"
Azra knows that Richelle and Tolwin are apprentices to Carth Garenth and Yarla Bowhammer.
Carth, a male human, is a hobby puppeteer, an elegant man as well as one of Highdelve’s finest jewelers. Richelle is his apprentice for three years now and he was asked by the mayor, who 'raised' Richelle, to teach her his trade.
Yarla, a dwarven female merchant, is the leader of the Peaktop Company which trades in dry goods up and down western Brevoy. Tolwin is her apprentice for five years now and she was asked by the mayor, who 'raised' Tolwin, to teach him her trade.
———————-
The Bloomgivers return
Suddenly ... murmurs of alarm from the western end of Protectress Square soon become shrieks of shock.
Two people stumble into the square-a young dark-haired man and a light-haired woman, half walking and half relying on the shoulders of friends. Winces of pain cross their bloodied faces.
Somewhere, someone shouts, "The Bloomgivers have been attacked' Someone get Aurelliax!"
The crowd around the Bloomgivers hushes and parts, and the mayor strides purposefully toward the injured youths. A grim look on her face, she reaches a hand lovingly toward the Bloomgivers.
Mayor Qarl addresses the crowd in a commanding voice. "Silence! Aurelliax left minutes ago due to an urgent matter. She did not trust me with the details."
She turns toward the Bloomgivers. "Kameer. Kara. Young ones, what has happened here?"
The Bloomgivers pause to catch their breath before answering. " We' re so sorry, Mayor Qarl ," Kara says.
"We were picking the brightblooms when those bullies set upon us. They took us completely by surprise, and they stole the Golden Pendant right from Kameer's neck! We barely got out with our lives!” Kameer nods. "It was Richelle and Tolwin! They're up on Dendra's Slope, and they've still got Aurelliax's amulet!”
At this news, several individuals, including the proprietors of the jubilee's events- emerge from the crowd.
The town's mayor visibly bristles with anger. "I've had enough of those two! Clearly we should have punished them more harshly!" she says. "We have to retrieve these misbehaving kids? We have to get Aurelliax's amulet back, and those two will get the justice they deserve in our stocks."
A man in the crowed shouts "We have to get Aurelliax to help!"
The mayor looks at the man ruefully. "These bullies are two of our own!"
The people in the crowd give a regretful nod.
"You all know the rules! I'm terribly sorry," Mayor Qarl continues, "but I'm afraid that Aurelliax can't directly help. You see, Aurelliax promised our forebears that she would never interfere in the town's interpersonal matters. She cannot turn her wrath against any of our town-not even if they might deserve it."
She turns to the crowd. "Are there any among you who are willing to be heroes for Highdelve? Could you retrieve these bullies and Aurelliax's amulet? I assure you all that I will award those successful most generously!”
”Thank you, visitors! Please, travel up Dendra’s slope, directly west of town about 3 miles," the mayor says gently.
"It sounds like the bullies are still there. The brightbloom patch is just past an old abandoned shack-that's where you'll want to start looking."
”Find these wayward youths, and return them along with Aurelliax's amulet to the people. We'll bring back the brightblooms to the square, and Kameer and Kara here can hand them out as planned. We'll commence the Brightbloom Ball and put all of this unpleasantness behind us!"