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The basement of the Grand Lodge is completely silent, other than the echoing footsteps of a few over-eager scholars. The note was simple, “Meet me in storage room 34c at dawn. Bring coffee.” At the end of a long hallway, a door stands ajar and the smell of sulfur, saltpeter, and other chemicals wafts from it. Venture-Captain Michael Schwartz peers out from behind a maddeningly intricate series of glass tubes and beakers and wipes a bit of soot off his face.
“Ah, good, good, glad you all managed to find my ‘office’. Sorry for the mess, I’m in the middle of prepping extracts.”
His gravelly voice echoes down the empty hallway. He motions for you to approach before continuing.
“Tell me, how many of you have heard of a town called Kassen?”
Without waiting for an answer, he emerges from behind the alchemy lab, holding a stack of parchment.
“Apparently it’s a minor village in northern Nirmathas, purely agrarian, mostly isolated, and completely uninteresting.” He grins. “Except, of course, for the one thing that’s interesting about it.”
“The town is less than two days travel from the resting place of the hero Kassen, a crypt that no one outside the village has set foot in since its creation. The locals call it the Crypt of the Everflame, named for a unique magical flame that was lit to honor the fallen hero. During the harvest, they often send their best and brightest, in this case, you, to retrieve the flame as a sort of coming of age ceremony.”
He shrugs and cracks a smile.
“Maybe they think it makes the crops grow bigger, I don’t know, and the Society doesn’t particularly care.”
“The flame is ultimately irrelevant, it just provides us with an in. Three months ago, one of our contacts reported seeing a small band of heavily armed individuals passing through the town, heading in the direction of the crypt. They’re what the Society cares about.”
“Your mission is to go to Kassen, participate in their ceremony, and enter the crypt. Once there, make note of anything historically significant, discover what the grave robbers were after, and retrieve the flame. It should go without saying, but avoid damaging the crypt or offending the locals, we’re guests in Kassen and would like to be invited back in the future. Remember, the most important thing is to watch each others’ backs, and get out alive. The boat leaves in six hours, but do you have any questions?”
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Entering the seemingly abandoned section of the Grand Lodge stands the hulking figure of a seven-foot tall man with skin the color of the sky, his frame taking up a significant portion of the room.
“Um...”
From behind the imposing figure sounds a small yet purposeful voice of a man standing at a mere (for a half-elf) 5-and-a-half-feet tall, dressed in what seems to be a pirate costume.
“If this crypt is for a coming of age ceremony, wouldn’t it make more sense for the town to send a local and not a group of strangers from hundreds of miles away? Secondly, what exactly do we know of these ‘heavily armed individuals’? Thirdly, I think something’s burning back there...”
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From behind the pirate sounds a thin, gravelly voice. "Excuse me dears, coffee coming through," and an older elf gracefully makes his way around the other visitors with a thick-walled vial in one hand and a pair of cups in the other. He approaches the Venture-Captain, sets down the cups, and deftly serves them both hot coffee from the vial. "Now, what's this about a crypt?" he says, sipping and eyeing the parchments interestedly.
A second later, a small songbird flutters in and lands on the elf's shoulder. "तो ये हमारे यात्रा साथी बनना है" he chirps as he looks back down the hallway.
“Seems there’s a distinct lack of adventurous-types in Kassen this year. Mayor Uptal sent out the annual call for heroes to the surrounding region, but no one answered. When the Society heard about the heavily armed group, and the still-unanswered call for heroes, we decided to send you lot.”
Venture-Captain Schwartz nods at the aging elf and takes a cup of coffee.
”We don’t know much about the group. They didn’t talk to anyone, and only stayed for a single night during which they drank the tavern dry, using newly minted coins. After they left Kassen no one ever saw them again. To me, that sounds like an adventuring party that got in over their heads.”
“Now, where are those other two Pathfinders?”
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A heavily muscled, though surprisingly short, half-orc moves from behind Ja'ali.
"I'm here." the man grunts, as though he has been trying to speak up for 20 minutes but couldn't figure out formatting. He looks up from his notebook and asks:
"Is there any more information we have on either the Crypt or the flame itself?"
“The town has assured us that the crypt is completely abandoned, and has been for centuries. Which means you can expect it to be anything but. I’d be prepared for undead, swarms, and traps.”
“As far as the flame itself, I’m sure the bumpkins...errr…townsfolk of Kassen can tell you all about it.”
”Oh, I have nothing against them. I’m sure they’re very...quaint...or something. Now, did you have any other questions about your mission? If not, make your preparations and head to the docks. Like I said, your ship sails in about six hours. If I were you I’d make any essential purchases here in Absalom. I wouldn't count on finding much in the way of adventuring equipment in Kessen.”
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"Sorry! Great apologies!" exclaims an older heavyset human as he rushes into the room. He takes a moment to catch his breath, leaning against the doorframe.
"I do be quite late! You Pathfinders do be quite serious about your security... Ought to learn me to keep track of letters of introduction I suppose...
Stumpwater trails off for a moment, then snaps back to the matter at hand.
"I do believe I heard mention of Kassen, yes? Reckon that's our destination?"
He glances over Kevin's shoulder at his notes.
"Good lad. Crypt, adventurers, walking dead, we lot do be getting ourselves into trouble, don't we... Bah! If it do no be a challenge, it do no be worth doing! I'll be on that boat, ye have my word."
The journey to Kassen is uneventful. Almost too uneventful. Once the Pathfinders arrive and find themselves in Kassen on the 4th of Neth, just as the winter winds are beginning to blow...
The bells atop the Temple of Erastil toll their midday song, echoing throughout the quiet town of Kassen. As the peals begin to fade, the first of the townsfolk make their way into the square, dressed in black, as if attending a funeral. They slowly fill the square, moving quietly across the cold, hard ground, their eyes downcast and mournful. After a few moments, a murmur passes through the crowd as it slowly parts to let Mayor Uptal through. He leads the way with a tarnished silver lantern. Behind him, an old donkey drags a cart laden with backpacks and supplies.
Once he reaches the center of the crowd, Mayor Uptal stops and calls out to the assembled townsfolk. “Once again the winter winds blow through the Fangwood, marking the end of another harvest. There are wolves in the woods, howling at our walls, and serpents in our shadows, waiting to strike. Just as it was one hundred and seventy-four years ago, when Kassen himself left these walls to protect us, so it is today. Where are the heroes? Where are the brave folk that will venture out to Kassen’s tomb and retrieve the flame to keep this community safe for another winter?”
The mayor hands Angoldir a lantern and a map.
”Use this lantern to bring the fire of the Everflame back to Kassen so that it might burn through the winter, a symbol of the hero Kassen’s resilience. This map shows the way to the Crypt of the Everflame.”
The donkey cart has 20 days’ worth of rations (5 per person), a tent, 4 winter blankets, 4 full waterskins, 50 feet of hempen rope, a box containing tinder and three tindertwigs, a labeled potion of cure light wounds, three torches, a grappling hook, and a small bottle of local brandy.
The mayor once again speaks to the townsfolk.
“I present to you the brave heroes who will follow in Kassen’s footsteps to retrieve the Everflame! Some of them may not return, but I say to you that their sacrifice shall not be forgotten. Go, brave heroes, and do not return until you have the eternal fire.”
With that, the mayor points to the south, the direction of Kassen’s tomb. The townsfolk begin waving goodbye with cold, solemn looks on most of their faces.
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Angoldir graciously accepts the map and lanturn from Uptal and stows them on his belt. "We shall strive to be swift as the hunter's first arrow in the springtime," he announces to the crowd, then turns back to Uptal and says in a softer voice, "Perhaps you could tell us more about Kassen before we depart? I'm sure Ja'ali has more questions, but the more we know about this journey, the better prepared we can be - and the more likely to successfully bring back the Everflame." He then bows and motions for Ja'ali to step forward while he takes out the map for further study.
The mayor quietly replies, ”the 'solemn' ceremony is really just for show. You’ll be fine.”
After you’ve been walking South for about two hours, the narrow path winds through the raking claws of the trees, now bereft of their leaves, which crunch loudly underfoot. Up ahead, a fallen tree trunk blocks the path. Suddenly a trio of snarling humanoids leaps up from behind the log, all greenish skin and fearsome tusks, bellowing vulgar challenges.
PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!
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green dudeguys
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Stumpwater Jack
Angoldir
Ja'ali
Kevin
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Angoldir turns to Kevin. "Can you translate what these orcs are saying? We might learn something." As he steps to the side, pulls out his bow, and launches an arrow at the orc in the center of the group with typical elven grace, Qadar warbles loudly from his shoulder and a magical effect goes off.
,
Even with the fallen log between himself and the green humanoid, Angoldir’s arrow strikes true and dark blood seeps from beneath crude armor. Ja'ali’s crossbow bolt, on the other hand, flies wildly into the trees as he’s startled by the creatures. The extraplanar warrior moves to stand ready with Kevin, and the snarling tusked foes stand with their weapons ready.
PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!
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green dudeguys
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Stumpwater Jack
Angoldir
Ja'ali
Bhenqai
Kevin
Kevin approaches the similar-looking green humanoid and lays into it with his scythe but not before the foe can make an attack with his greataxe.
One remaining foe maneuvers to flank...
while his ally charges Kevin.
The last attack manages to connect with Kevin as his defenses were lowered while he rages in battle!
PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!
-----------------
green dudeguys
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Stumpwater Jack
Angoldir
Ja'ali
Bhenqai
Kevin
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Round 2
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”Kevin!” yells Angoldir as he sees his companion falter. He drops his bow, but another terrible idea surfaces before he can move.
Why are these orcs here? What could they be after... The wagon!
He murmurs to Qadar, “क्या आप वैगन की जांच कर सकते हैं और सुनिश्चित कर सकते हैं कि हमारे उपकरण सुरक्षित हैं?” The bird warbles affirmatively and flies off back the way they’d come.
Angoldir strides forward, unsheathing the sword from his cane as he does so. He gracefully leaps atop the log and strikes at the orc attacking his friend, trying to distract them long enough for Kevin to make another decisive blow.
( )
The foe Kevin knocked down with a swipe from his scythe recovers from the blow and gets back up! But the one hit by the outsider Bhenqai falls to the ground unmoving. The elf deftly leaps atop the log and distracts one of the creatures.
PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!
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green dudeguys
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Stumpwater Jack
Angoldir
Ja'ali
Bhenqai
Kevin
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Round 2
The raging half orc takes one last brutal swing with his scythe, opening a massive gash in the foe’s flesh. The holy man calls upon the power of his nature deity, channeling negative energy all around him.
And with that wave of negative energy, the remaining orcs fall to the ground. And then, strangely, they all seem to fade into nothingness before your eyes! Kevin wakes up after a few moments, feeling slightly confused as to why his previous wounds appear to have vanished.
Now that you've dealt with the orcs that you now know were illusionary, you are able to travel for most of the day in peace. Following the map is relatively easy.
After you have followed the map for most of the day, the sunlight begins to fade and a cold wind begins to rattle through the leafless forest. There is now no sign of civilization in sight. As the sun reaches the horizon and night starts to come on, you think it’s time to find a safe place to camp.
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Angoldir looks about the nearby woods and tries to help locate a place to sleep. He quickly realizes this is beyond his exptertise and returns to the wagon and cart, murmuring to Qadar as he does so.
“शायद आप सहायता कर सकते हैं जहां मैं असमर्थ हूं”
Qadar flits through the trees in a loop around the cart, then returns and whistles mournfully.
Kevin easily locates a nice level spot while Angoldir, Qadar, Ja’ali, and Benqai fumble around as if they haven’t slept out in the woods much before. The campsite is surrounded on three sides by a thicket of bushes. There is plenty of dry wood to be found to start a fire, and the rations in your wagon can be cooked into a stew that could be described as, “better than nothing,” if everyone contributes.
As you are sitting around the camp after dark, you all hear howling off in the distance. Over the next hour, the howling seems to grow closer before becoming eerily silent.
Just a half-hour later, a creature of some sort can be sensed just beyond the edge of the firelight by the magical bird and the half-elf.
Qadar sings a slow, mournful melody that floats in the cold night air. He tries to discretely warm Angoldir that something approaches with the song.
Qadar then flits upwards onto a tree branch, trying to stay out of sight while still keeping an eye on the encroaching creature. He is worried, and lets his fears flow through the empathic link he has with Angoldir.
“They’re dumping kraut in blue cheese,” you think you hear the magical bird say before it flies up into the trees above you.