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A young Jalmerayan boy steps in to the room and announces, "Ladies and gentlemen it gives me extreme pleasure to have the courtesy of introducing a hero for heros. For it is in this man that I can say we can go to sleep at night safe from the tyranny of evil. His honorary titles are many and brought forward in great favor though he ask not of fancy titles but only for no more than his own name, Henery son of Scranton esteemed and beloved of the Flaxseed clan of Cassomir of prestigious Taldor. It is with want that I continue as my master is humble and care naught for frivolous titles; First Watcher of the Wise Guard of Absalom, honored guest of House Eiredor, honorary Steel Falcon of the righteous Eagle Knights of Andoran, and tamer of beasts. May you have the glory and luck to be in his presence."
A pygmy brachiosaurus with a halfling on its back stomps into the room. The halfling gives an approving nod to the boy. "Who? What? Well done, Waman, better every time! Who, what, what? Hey!" Henry dismounts his sauropod and takes a seat, making note of everyone's name. "Whoa! Hey! Mighty fine group here, mighty fine! What?"
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It has been weeks since the siege of Nerosyan, when demonic hordes from the Abyss surged forth from the region known as the Worldwound to assault the capital city of the crusader nation of Mendev. Brave Pathfinders stood side-by-side with the city’s defenders, managing to push back the attackers and ensure Nerosyan did not fall to the demons.
Venture-Captain Jorsal, the Society’s principle representative in Nerosyan, took charge of the Pathfinder defenders and since the siege has deployed numerous groups on missions throughout the region. Having left Nerosyan to survey the devastation of Kenabres, which fell to the demonic offensive—Jorsal ensured some of his agents, namely you, remained behind in Nerosyan to guard the Starrise Spire, the local lodge.
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Cairo looks around wide-eyed at the sight of Neosyan. He is a young Kelish man in a suit of Fullplate that seems a bit too big for him. He has a scimitar at his hip and a silver holy symbol of the dawnflower around his neck. He looks more like a kid on vacation than a seasoned pathfinder here for a job. "I think I heard Kyra was at the siege. I wonder how many demons she slew? I should totally ask around."
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Earlier this morning a messenger arrived with a sealed letter from Jorsal, signaling that more work remains to be done.
Esteemed Pathfinders,
I trust this letter reaches you without incident. I remain in Kenabres, assessing the damage dealt by the demonic offensive that struck all along Mendev’s western border. Although the city is devastated, the fiends lost momentum and failed to maintain their advantage, and several particularly brave crusaders have rallied the scattered forces for a counterattack.
Since the siege of Nerosyan, I have mulled over a most troubling discovery. I received reports from Pathfinders involved in the siege implicating Thurl, Nerosyan’s other venture-captain, of knowing that the demons would attack and when. What little evidence I have goes so far as to suggest that Thurl assisted the demons in planning the assault against us.
Following the attack, I sent several Pathfinders to investigate Thurl’s lodge, and though the ground floor was bare of any further incriminating evidence, the lower level were inaccessible. Thurl left many magical wards to keep out intruders, and until we could investigate further and confirm whether or not my dwarven colleague had engaged in dire mischief, the Decemvirate has ordered that I not publicize my suspicions. I received word only an hour ago that those wards appear to have faded.
I have kept you at Starrise Spire not for mundane guard duty but because I can trust you to finish the investigation of Thurl’s lodge. Go there, enter its basement, and find what evidence you can that implicates Thurl in activities against the Society. Once you have explored his lodge thoroughly, report back to Starrise Spire and await my return.
The Pathfinder Society must know for certain whether Thurl has betrayed us and to what extent our trek to Jormurdun—to say nothing of the Mendevian Crusade—has been compromised. Our efforts shall mean nothing if sabotaged by a traitor, and the sooner we know, the less damage he can inflict.
Inheritor guide your hand,
Venture-Captain Jorsal of Lauterbury
Included is a map of Nerosyan where Venture Captain Thurl's lodge is marked plainly. You should be able to find it quickly and without difficulty.
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A Tien-Dan man of roughly 5'7" is dressed in loose-fitting cloth pants, heavy boots, and a vest without a shirt. On the back, a single character in Tien are embroidered, 刀. On his back, he carries a backpack of miscellaneous goods and a pair of blades of different lengths. Around his belt are stuffed a number of pointed pieces of metal, designed like a 4-pointed star. He has been milling about the lodge, adjusting a few minor knickknacks but avoiding heavier work altogether.
"Guess I should find everyone else signed up for this break-in; I certainly didn't sign up for this gig to crusade or whatever it is these 'Inheriteds' do."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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After heading to Thurl's lordge, you see it to be a modest structure that lies in the Egelsee district of Nerosyan. A single front door provides
ingress, and any other doors or windows that might have existed long ago have been long since removed during the Venture-Captain's renovations. A blacksmith and a local brewery flank the lodge.
As you approach, four people, whom you recognize as other Pathfinders, emerge from the door carrying loads of books they are loading into a cart. Dropping their load in the cart, one speaks.
"Pathfinders! Glad you made it here before we set off. We're just loading up the last bit now. So you're the ones Jorsal wants to explore the Lodge, eh? Good! We've been instructed to give this to you to help you on your way."
With that, he grabs a small box from the cart and hands it to you. Nestled within are a potion, an elixir, a scroll, a vial of antitoxin, and a pouch of dust.
"Be careful in there. Rumour has it Thurl wasn't entirely on the up and up with the Decemvirate. Agents who work for him tend to have short life expectancies due to the dangerous work of exploring the Worldwound at his behest. Gods only know what they found and brought back here. Keep a sharp eye in there.
Quickly, the other agents lock up the cart and, with a wish of good luck, depart the lodge leaving you to your inspection.
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Before they depart, they address your questions.
"Not so much amiable, just doing our job," he says with a laugh. "We're Pathfinders as you are. Our assignment was to clear out the ground floor. It was all books and the like, which we are taking back to Jorsal's lodge for studying. The door to the basement was enchanted, so we stayed clear of it. It seems to have discharged recently, but we still haven't been down there."
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"Alright then." Xenobia responds, her concerns allayed for the time being.
After the other pathfinders have left she passes out identical platinum rings out to the group. "Please wear these, in the event that things get a little more hectic than anticipated and I need to alleviate some pain from a distance."
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Inside the lodge, there is very little left of note. The heavy iron door that leads into the basement is undecorated, with a faint lingering aura of abjuration magic over it.
Beyond it, a long set of dusty wooden stairs leads down into an equally untidy archive of tall shelves populated by crates, bins, and tomes. A handful of folios lay scattered about the room, concentrated most heavily near a large table that stands only about two feet tall. Aside from the door you just emerged from, there is no obvious exit to the room.
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Very nice. Flinders say as he examines the items. The elixir is one of vision and the dust is one that makes invisible things appear. I do not know what the scroll is. He says as he hands to Xenobia. Hmm, there was a potion here I missed. Let me examine it real quick before we go in.
After the party descends to the basement. He begins to examine the tomes with great interest. Ah, books! The meat and potatoes of my life.
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After the party descends to the basement. He begins to examine the tomes with great interest. Ah, books! The meat and potatoes of my life.
With extra sarcasm, Sen chimes in. "Oh, that's great to hear. I'm going to look over in these crates, see if anything is actually worth something." Sen for any secret tunnels or whatnot.
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Flinders glances over his shoulder at Sen. Tut, tut man. Learning is single most important goal of life. Flinders holds up his hands to fend off any remarks from the ninja/figher. Before you disagree, hear me out. You had to learn how to to use your weapons and fend for yourself, no? You had to learn how to wipe your arse and feed yourself. You had to learn what can kill and what you can kill. The man who stops learning, stops being alive, stops growing, in my mind. You should try to pick up a book sometime, they range over any subject you could think of, even something that might interest you.
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"See, but books ain't some good way to learn. I learned damn near everything I know by doing. Didn't bother owning books any longer than they were to change hands for coin. Learned to move by running messages from street to street. Learned to hide by bypassing Gokan patrols. Learned to fight by dealing with said Gokan patrols. Knowing the names of twelve different swords won't do you anything when you're in a back alley and there's a halfling with an axe staring you down. Reading just sounds like a lot of sitting on your ass and not doing anything."
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Flinders shrugs. Fair enough. I can not disagree that learning through experience is a most able and valid way to get along. My only argument would be that sometimes, just sometimes a book can teach you about something you have not encountered yet, and just might save your life. Sometimes learning by mistake can be fatal.
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Flinders and Sen both hear the shuffling of someone coming around one of the bookshelves, but all are surprised to see who... or what it is.
An unholy surgical union between what looks like two different demons and a human woman steps out, a patchwork of cream, red, and purple skin with asymmetrical horns and mismatched legs. She regards you with an air of happiness. When she speaks, her voice is pleasant, except when her voice deepens to a booming roar or lowers to a timid squeak .
"Ah, Pathfinders! I was wondering when the Decemvirate would send reinforcements! Mi jam komencis pensi, ili forgesis pri mi. I assume you are here to inspect the rest of the basement, TE SZÁNALMAS KIFOGÁS A KALANDOROK? Good!" She continues without awaiting a response. "The traitor Thurl built a hidden workplace past this room, and that’s where he performed his most vile experiments. If the Society is to understand just how BALGA he is, someone must uncover his terrible schemes. That’s where you come in, Pathfinders. There is a hidden door against that wall." She waves a crimson claw toward the reading table. "Beyond you shall find his lair. KÉRDÉSE?"
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"Of course, kie estas mia kondutmaniero? I am Valais Durant. I am also a Pathfinder, sent here by the Decemvirate to spy on Thurl. Since then, I have stayed here. Just in case Thurl returned, I wanted to be ready to mortpiki lin en la dorso, tiam senfeligu vivigos."
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"Yes, Thurl would do these things. He is working with demons, and is trying to harness their powers in strange ways below. How exactly, I was not able to figure out, but it was clear that he had no moral boundaries in his research. Come, Pathfinders. I shall lead you as far as I can."
Valias strides to the eastern wall of the room and presses on a section of wall which easily swings open to admit you. Nothing but darkness can be seen, but she bids you enter as if it was entirely lit.
It doesn't take long for you to realize that this is a maze. However, Desna smiles on you when Valias directs you from behind. "Head straight and take the 4th right, the 3rd left, then left again and right again, around the corner...." and so on.
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As you wander the maze, you all notice that many many sections of wall have been knocked down, reduced to rubble.
Valias makes small talk between directions as you go through the maze."Flinders, it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, oh, turn right here. Who are your companions do mi scias kion skribi sur ilia tombo-ŝtonoj kiam ili falas?"
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"What? Oh! Where are my manors, of course! Waman, give the lady the introduction."
The young boy nervously steps forward and gives the general introduction. "Ladies and gentlemen it gives me extreme pleasure to have the courtesy of introducing a hero for heros. For it is in this man that I can say we can go to sleep at night safe from the tyranny of evil. His honorary titles are many and brought forward in great favor though he ask not of fancy titles but only for no more than his own name, Henery son of Scranton esteemed and beloved of the Flaxseed clan of Cassomir of prestigious Taldor. It is with want that I continue as my master is humble and care naught for frivolous titles; First Watcher of the Wise Guard of Absalom, honored guest of House Eiredor, honorary Steel Falcon of the righteous Eagle Knights of Andoran, and tamer of beasts. May you have the glory and luck to be in his presence."
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"Pleased to make all of your acquaintances, TE MOCSKOS PARASZTOK. Ah, we've arrived! I came up from here, beneath the altar... statue... thing. Looks like it's closed now."
After countless turns and probably the occasional circle, you come to a clearing . Near the center of this room stands a raised altar made of ivory-inlaid wood, its virtually pristine condition a sharp contrast to the shattered walls around it. At the center of the altar rests a statue of two figures locked in combat: a brass bull and an iron dwarf that grips the animal by a horn from over its shoulder while holding a warhammer aloft. Delicately incised words encircle the statue’s base, reading, "In my name is the strength of my history, my tradition, and my people. Speak your name into my ear, and I shall judge your worth."