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Drandle Dreng awakens you late at night in the Grand Lodge. "Please devilver this letter from the Decemvirate to Nashota Bloodhoof a centaur ally of the Society. The letter gives her
3 days to settle her affairs before leaving for the port of
Diobel, where a ship waits to take her to Goka in distant
Tian Xia. She's needed for the Ruby Phoenix tournament."
Dreng provides you directions to her camp deep in the foothills of the Kortos Mountains. The journey to her camp is uneventful. She greets you and you present her with the letter.
“Three days?” Nashota exclaims, tossing the letter from the
Decemvirate to the ground. “That’s quite the sense of humor
you Pathfinders have! I tell you I need time to make this land
safe for my tribe, and you give me three days? You think by
paying off one enemy, you solve all our problems? Look
around you—we make camp in unfamiliar lands, our strongest
warriors lay dead, our wounded captured by minotaurs, harpies
and thieves harry us constantly. But lo! The hounds of Absalom
retreat, we are saved!”
This rouses a hearty chorus of laughter among the centaurs,
until Nashota raises a hand for silence. “A promise is a promise.
I owe you much, and Nashota Bloodhoof pays her debts. Give
me a month to train and arm a warband so I can clear out these
damned mountains. Then I’ll sail off to fight in your silly little
game for human prizes.
“Or,” the centaur says, smiling, “you could always march
up the mountain in my place. You Pathfinders dealt with our
enemies to the south—might as well handle the north, east,
and west while you’re at it, since we’re such good friends?”
Nahsota grins, and gestures up the mountain. “To the north,
there’s that freak harpy Jerevyx. She roosts somewhere up
by Hollowfrost Pass. Just follow the path up Mount Ganog
to find her. In the east, look for Dahruun Firehorn. I hear he
and his minotaurs are holed up in the old Northwind Mine.
To the west, the thief Urso Landel makes camp somewhere in
the forest. I don’t care what you do with him so long as you
get back the arms and armor he stole from us. Deal with them
in three days,” she snorts derisively, “and I’ll consider your
request. Until then, the matter is closed.”
She answers questions if you have any.
What can you tell us about Urso Landel?
one of the brigands Absalom hired to collect centaur
skins. I killed his horse the first time we first met in
battle, and he’s had it out for me ever since. Of course,
after that he hired on with Otheron’s sellswords, but the
damn fool didn’t stop his attacks after the truce. As far
as I can tell he’s got around half a dozen bandits still
working for him. Also, keep an eye out for my lance. He
stole it from my tent in a raid three weeks ago, and I’d
like to get it back.”
How about Jerevy? you called her a “freak.”
sorcerer, definitely dragon-blooded from what I’ve seen.
Claims to be descended from the old wyrm, Maejerex, but
whether or not that’s true I can’t say. I should warn you,
she keeps a pair of frost drakes as ‘pets’. I’d been looking
forward to hunting them down—I’ve always wanted a
piece of dragonhide armor.”
You mentioned dahruun and his minotaurs?
seen him using some strange magic. He’s new to the area
like we are, and word is he’s starting up a cult to one of
those demon lords they worship—Baphomet, I think. A
few weeks ago his minotaurs smashed their way into the
camp and stole several of my people. I don’t hold much
hope for you finding them alive, but if you’d look for
them in the mine, I’d be grateful.”
Can we teleport to these locations?
to try, but the Kortos Mounts play strange tricks on that
sort of magic. Something residual from when Aroden
raised the island, or some old ward Maejerex placed, I’m
not sure. Most of the time it works just
fine, but don’t be surprised if you don’t
end up where you meant to go.”
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"Well, that seems a bit rash, on both sides of the table." The man known as Menes Strang observes, frowning slightly.
He is a tall osirion man, in his mid thirties perhaps, dressed in elaborate clerical garb... although to what god is not immediately obvious, all of you would know by now that it is Anubis, an ancient Osirion god of the dead.
In one hand he holds a long staff, with snakes twining up the haft, and a golden jackal head on the top. When you first met, back in Absalom, he will have introduced himself as a doctor. And you long ago realized he likes to talk about things... treating most events and places as teaching moments.
"As you say, three days notice seems hardly appropriate. But giving the same to resolve such a myriad of problems seems equally foolish. Especially given what such would involve."
He sighs slightly, though looks thoughtful, before adding a minute later... "Harpy's you say? Have read a bit about those, but they are not common in the deserts of my homeland."
He takes a moment to consult some of his reference materials, but when Nashota mentions the harpy leader might have draconic bloodlines, his interest is truly piqued. "The biology behind such a hereditary descendant must be fascinating!"
He seems considerably less excited about the prospect of more minotaurs. "The last of their kind I encountered was long ago," He concedes thoughtfully. "Though I suppose not too far from here, now that I think on it. Though Baphomet makes sense... he does seem to draw their kind."
He does not seem intrigued by the bandits at all.
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"Just for the sake of assurance... is there anything unique about your lance that would allow us to identify it from any other lance they may have?" Hikaru waits for an answer, trying to quell his impatient nature while he does so. His brightly coloured feathered cloak and hat bounce a bit as if brushed by a breeze while he awaits an answer.
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Baudrian flashes his biggest smile at Nashota, "It's a lady's prerogative to have absurd and irrational needs--and a gentleman's duty to fulfill them."
The aasimar bows with a dancer's grace before continuing, "Baudrian Skyborne at your service. Of course, it's also a host's duty to provide for her guests--and I've yet to taste centaur wine."
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Vrald looks around for something that might pass as a fine wine glass. Somewhat disapointed he selects a well worn mug and raises that.
"To the Ruby Phoenix Tournament! And Success!"
Then, once the preliminary courtesy is seen to, he is happy to lead the way into the forest.
"How hard can routing a bandit be?" he wonders out loud.
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"Ah, my apologies Hikaru. To our success!" Baudrian passes the flask around to everyone, then retrieves a small rod and mutters a spell.
"Everybody ready?"
Baudrian remains talkative during the hike, asking each Pathfinder about their previous missions and specialized training. "Myself, I'm a follower of the Accidental God. The Pathfinder Society seemed like perfect way to travel and spread my good works."
At the last part, Baudrian adjusts himself and grins. "A true gentleman helps every lady in need."
He chuckles, then continues in a more serious tone, "The Lucky Drunk willing, I'll keep all of us alive when things get interesting."
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"I'm sorry, Baudrian, but I've no skill with such things as geography or travel-lore....perhaps another might be able to advise you.... Oh where is Jerizhana when I need her? She'd be able to keep track of such things and tell you what you want to know." He sighs softly and his eyes take on a dreamy look for a moment.
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Dr. Strang looks thoughtful.
"Well, a typical person, assuming average fitness and a relatively unobstructed path, usually covers a mile in about fifteen minutes." He says. "But, factoring in equipment weight, and unknown terrain, probably safer to go with twelve or so for our purposes."
He starts to mutter to himself, apparently doing math in his head. " ... over seven miles... carry the one... "
"We should be there in just short of an hour and a half." He declares, smiling. "Once we start out, I can throw up a simple prestidigitation cantrip and once its duration has run its course, we should be relatively close for your purposes."
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Vrald swings his shield into place and loosens his sword in the scabbard.
"Let us approach with some caution. Surely any bandit that is capable of surviving an attack against Nashot is highly skilled and probably is already aware of us. It may be that diplomacy can avoid us a fight here."
He cautiously advances forward, hoping the keen eyed amongst the group are able to spot any traps or ambushes. When a respectable distance from the camp he calls out "Hello the camp. We are seek out Mr Landel."
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As Vrald calls out to the camp, Hikaru hears the sounds of weapons being drawn and sees a armored human man mount a large flight less bird with a sharp beak. Some of his men point weapons in your direction.
The man on the bird shouts out "Don't come any closer and lower your weapons! I am Landel! What do you want?!?!"
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"Hard to lower what hasn't been drawn yet! We've not come to fight, but to talk... Come, let us meet properly and chat. I am K'kei Hikaru, Landel, and I am honored to make the acquaintance of such a storied warlord. Tales of you and your little band have reached even my ears and I thought it would be awesome to meet you, and perhaps me and my band could even join you!"
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He turns to Hikaru still mounted on the large bird. His men eye the rest of the party warily. A roast boar is on a spit over the fire.
"Join me? Why would I let you join me?!? How many centaurs have YOU killed? And who are you?" He stares at the tengu.
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"I can't say I've killed centaurs... but I'm sure I'd be good at it if I turned my attentions that direction. I've killed dragons... surely centaurs can't be more of a challenge... But first you'd have to show me you're not all bluster yourself... Tales can be blown out of proportion you know. How many centaurs have you killed? And what proof do you have of your claims?" Hikaru tries to get him to incriminate himself... He smiles of course, and speaks with firm but friendly banter in his tone.