The Pathfinder Society has turned its attention to the Ruby Phoenix Tournament—a world-renowned fighting competition, held once every ten years in the city of Goka on the eastern continent of Tian Xia. More specifically, the Decemvirate is interested in the incredible prizes available to the tournament’s winner—a choice of treasure from the legendary vaults of Hao Jin, the Ruby Phoenix herself. As part of the preparations for the tournament, Pathfinder Society agents have been deployed across the Inner Sea and beyond to seek out forgotten lore, allies, and magical items to be used by the Society’s tournament representatives.
Venture-Captain Amara Li, leader of the Lantern Lodge and Goka native, has uncovered information about one such item hidden amid the reaches of the Wall of Heaven—an Iroran relic known as the Braid of a Hundred Masters. Organizing the search from her base in the Dragon Empires, she intends to send a group of Pathfinders to the high mountain range in search of the braid’s ancient home: the Clouded Path Monastery.
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Juno Berik stalked into Venture-Captain Amara Li's office like she owned the place, chose the nicest, comfiest looking chair and sat down. She adjusts herself, until she's perfectly comfortable, then turns to the others and smiles proudly.
"I'm Juno, of the Great Berik Clan! A dwarven clan more deserving of honour and adoration you will never find!"
Juno is an attractive, well-groomed dwarven woman of sturdy frame with muscles well-honed from hard labour. She wears well-worn armour and carries a dwarven waraxe and steel shield. She wears nice looking silver jewelry, fashionable clothes (of the Inner Sea region), and wears her long red hair loose down her back.
"This had better not be like me last few missions," she complains. "If I never have to deal with pit traps, foolish cults, and the Aspis Consortium again, I'll be a happy woman."
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”It is a pleasure doing business with you! If you have any interest in natural resources or animal products then I am your expert!“ Sadaf says.
Sadaf is a young Dwarf from an Osiriani merchant family that always felt the pull of the wilderness and saurian animals.
He is a stoic negotiator but has an empathic approach. He is very perceptive and understands people's motives which is very important as a merchant.
He typically walks around in his lamellar horn armor and during battle usually tries not to attack but use spells and his animal companion ‘Danduun’ instead.
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Juno smiles. "Why yes, it is a pleasure, isn't it. You're a lucky fellow."
Suddenly she looks suspicious. "WAIT! You look like a desert dweller. You aren't into that foolish cult, are you? Those ROIDIRANS? Ugh, say you're not!" After examining Sadaf, Juno adds, "Hmmm... Well, it doesn't look like you've torn your hair out or anything, so I suppose you've got more sense than that. Good!"
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A small wayang enters the room, quiet, sticking to the shadows. His small frame and grey skin can be off-putting to those who aren't used to wayangs. From inside his cloak, under his armpit, a small face pokes out. The wayang reaches a hand over, petting the small bat. He speaks quietly and carefully. "Hello, fellow finders. My birth name is Jale Usoara. My given name is Johnny Brom, Visbaron of Taldor." He stands a little taller, a littler straighter as he gives his title. His dialect slips into something more refined for a moment, then back to a more common tongue. "You may call me either, whatever is easier."
He wears no armor, just a cloak and simple black clothing. "This is my little friend, Ryme." He holds out the small black bat, then puts him back in his pouch. He goes to each pathfinder and bows, introducing himself. "I am not strong, or great with people. But I have read many books, and received blessings and spells from the great beyond."
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Maelstrom enters the room, and takes a seat in the back. His spellbound is a thick, black time with glowing blue lines that swirl across the cover, and if one looks at the sylph’s face, those same blue lines ebb and flow across his skin as well.
He doesn’t say anything for a second as he studies the room, and then he speaks quietly.
I am Maelstrom. I’m a practitioner of magic, and I control the wind to a degree. Glad to meet you.
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Juno smiles. "Why yes, it is a pleasure, isn't it. You're a lucky fellow."
Suddenly she looks suspicious. "WAIT! You look like a desert dweller. You aren't into that foolish cult, are you? Those ROIDIRANS? Ugh, say you're not!" After examining Sadaf, Juno adds, "Hmmm... Well, it doesn't look like you've torn your hair out or anything, so I suppose you've got more sense than that. Good!"
Sadaf looks at Juno a little confused.
”Do I look like one of those whatever?!? No! I am a Druid!! What about you? What is your story?!“ he asks with a raised eyebrow.
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"Performance, huh?" Juno remarks, assessing Zelrora. "You a musician then? You play at bars and on street corners and stuff?" She points at the shamisen. "Why's your lute so skinny?"
Juno grins proudly at Sadaf. "I am Juno Berik, of the great Berik clan! A well-respected dwarven family! My sister and I moved to Absalom a while back and recently were asked to join the Pathfinders. It's below my station, of course, but they do need me..." She leans back in her chair and chuckles. "So here I am. I've taken down psychos, saved minotaur nobility, battled cults -- Roidirans and Lissalans -- and had a few dust-ups with the Aspis Consortium." With a twinkle in her eyes she adds, "That last mission was a lot of fun..."
She nods at the others. "And you? What kind of missions have you done with the Pathfinders? Anything special?"
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A rather uncouth half-orc joins the group, accompanied by his surly horse, Horace. "Gronkh's the name. Gronkh Maha to be specific. And this here's Horace. Hope this adventure brings us some loot, lots of it. Got bills to pay, don't you know. Be a Pathfinder, they said, get rich, see the world. Hmph. We'll I've seen a bit o' the world, I'll grant you that, but I'm still waiting for me share o' them riches..."
Horace rolls his eyes at his master's rather boorish remarks and dips his head to eat some oats.
Venture-Captain Amara Li has called all of you to Goka and given you instructions to travel to the Wall of Heaven where you are to ascend the treacherous slopes to the Clouded Path Monastery in search of an ancient relic known as the Braid of a Hundred Masters. She has arranged for local guides to get you to the base camp, from where you will ascend the mountain. Other than the name of the relic, she has little information to share.
Knowledge (Geography)
Knowledge (local) or Diplomacy to gather information
Horace dips his head into his oat bag and neighs softly, seemingly quite content to let Gronkh and the others go off "adventuring" without him.
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Jale pulls out the notes on this region which he brought with him. He speaks, his voice quiet. "Yes, it seems we should prepare for the cold. The mountains are quite high, after all."
Sadaf's gathered intel matches what Jale has in his notes.
He follows his allies, going to purchase a set of warmer clothes.
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Jale looks down at his wet noodle arms and frowns. Ya, good idea. I've always been a people person, not a treking person. He buys snowshoes, to help him keep up with the group, and a climbing kit. Carefully, he approaches the excitable dwarf. "Uh, Juno? Could I ask you a favor? I know we just met, but would you be able to hold this for me? I think it might be a bit much for my small backpack." He looks hopeful. I'd purchase a mule, but I don't think he'd make the ascent either.
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Sadaf pats his small Velociraptor animal companion on the back.
"Danduun, we are going to have a great time in the cold! Ha ha ha!! Just kidding! We are going to freeze but I bought warm weather clothing for us! Sadaf says.
"Team, I believe it is time that I introduce you to Danduun! Danduun has been my companion since I first undertook the sacred rites to bind myself to the saurian animals of the wilderness. As you can see Danduun is a small, brightly colored dinosaur with a playful nature ... but he does tend to nip people when annoyed. So be careful! Ha ha ha ..." he says laughing.
Danduun just stands next to Sadaf and looks at you without moving much.
You realize that Danduun until now followed every step that Sadaf makes and tried to stay right next to Sadaf.
After gathering your gear and picking up some extra supplies, you head out. You travel for about ten days across villages and farms to eventually meet your guides. Xue Ho and Hai Xuan are locals from the farming villages below. The two are experienced mountaineers and are familiar with this stretch of the Wall of Heaven. The two men, both well under 6 feet in height, have lean frames and skin prematurely aged through exposure to the mountain winds. The pair, though only capable of broken Common, have proven to be friendly and knowledgeable guides. They lead you thousands of feet up the mountain to the final base camp, from which the monastery should be reachable with another day of climbing.
The base camp site, only a few hundred feet above the forest line that covers the lower reaches of the Wall of Heaven, offers a panoramic view of the surrounding farmlands, far below. The half-flooded terraced farmlands appear silver and mirrored in the late afternoon light. The camp itself is little more than a trio of unmaintained wooden shacks surrounding the remnants of a large firepit and a fallen wooden corral fence to the east.
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Juno looks down at the scrawny pale... fellow. "Too much for your backpack?" she scoffs. "Too much for you! Look at those arms! I'm surprised you can move!" She grins. "I suppose I am rather strong. Alright, hand it over." Juno adds Jale's heavy gear to her own. "Watch that the wind doesn't blow you over. I've heard it can be fierce!"
Juno looks at Sadaf. "Looks like dinner. How's he taste?"
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At the base camp Juno draws her dwarven waraxe. "COME OUT AND FACE ME!" she bellows at the shack.
When Sadaf shouts, your guides drop what they were holding and run to get behind you. You look toward the shack Sadaf is pointing to, but nothing immediately happens.
As Juno throws the door open, she fails to notice the large white cat hiding in the shadows.
Juno's heavy armor serves her better than her eyes, though, as the cat's jaws clamp down on hardened steel.
The cat's exhibits the reflexes its kind are known for, and it immediately attacks in earnest.
Again, Juno's armor proves superior to the cat's claws and teeth and she is unscathed.
Kitty
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Danduun
Maelstrom
Johnny
Juno
Sadaf
Gronkh
Zelrora
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Jale walks a few paces, to where his white eyes can see the form of the tiger within the darkness of the shack. "Hmmm... snow leapard." His lips pucker and his expression tenses. He mutters a quick prayer in Aklo.
"Unknowable one, give me courage to move forward, or I shall surely flee this place."
He stares at the leapard, sweat manifesting on his brow. The stare is intense, as if he was pushing all the pain he had suffered into the tiger.
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Gronkh feels the thrill of excitement that comes with the rush to battle. He taps his heels into Horace's flanks, urging him into battle, and then with a sigh recalls that Horace is far down the mountainside, eating his fill of oats in a cozy stable. Still, there is battle to be had! Gronkh draws his falchion as he rushes in to battle.
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Maelstrom buys snowshoes, a climbing kit, and cold weather gear before departing. He spends the trip silently writing in his spellbook, and watching the people around him with interest. As the cat attacks Juno, Mael steps forward and jabs a fist in the cat's direction. A burst of air so dense you can see it bursts forward from the mage, and speeds at the feline. It strikes the cat with a concussive boom, strong enough to knock the beast over!
Danduun runs forward into the hut and tries to hit the cat with a talon.
The cat yowls as its mind is clouded by Johnny's magic, and again as a spear of force smashes into it. Sadaf fires a sling bullet into the fray, but it bounces off the wall.
It swipes ineffectively at Gronkh as the half-orc and the small raptor move in past Juno to flank it.
Juno swings hard with her axe, and fells the poor, hungry kitty.
After that brief jolt of adrenaline, you carefully search the rest of the area. You find nothing else, dangerous or otherwise. Your guides tell you that the local villagers have had no reason to maintain it, since the monastery stopped having visitors.
They also tell you that this is as far as they will accompany you; the dangers of the mountain beyond this point are too much for them. They will wait here for you to return.
They do provide you with simple maps and directions. You will have to pass through a cliff cave, where you will have to climb into some narrow passages before getting to another path. After that look for the Path of Many Shrines, where travelers would pay respects to local deities and spirits, then a chain bridge crossing a chasm, and finally a pair of standing stones known as the Two Brothers. From there, the path leads directly to the monastery.
You make camp, and will be setting out in the morning.
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As the cat's limp body falls, Jale's body relaxes. He wipes the sweat from his brow and smiles timidly. "Wow, that was really scary. That leapord almost got you guys!" He purses his lips nervously.
After the guides explain that they will not continue, he dances a little from foot to foot. "What if we get lost? And, do we have to climb to this cliff cave?" His eyes fitter to Juno's backpack where his climbing gear lies. Oh dear...
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In the morning, Johnny meditates for an hour, his lips barely moving in some silent prayer.