Please dot in here. Estimated start date is October 1, as long as everyone is finished with their PBP Gameday Session 1 games.
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Toral is a young Dwarf from an Osiriani merchant family that always felt the pull of the heavens and stars. He embraces the lessons of the past as the heavens have watched over this world since the beginning of time.
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 full plate and during battle usually tries not to attack but use spells and hexes instead.
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Vaylin is a tall and thin human in ill fitting full plate. Any skin you can see is covered in a lattice of scars. Overall he does not look in any shape to be a pathfinder. He seems to be struggling to even carry his shield, Vaylin also appears to be unarmed.
He often salutes when meeting anyone with even an ounce of authority. Vaylin gives a small sad smile when he jokes that he has the muscle memory but neither to muscles or the memories to go along with it.
He is understandably cautious in combat, avoiding it where possible but doing his best to live up to the uniform he was found in. He knows more than he knows he knows.
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Sunlight Under Stone is a small collection of leaves and vines animated by a nature spirit. They seem cheerful and happy to help the people around them, but their smile fades when someone implies they don't know what they're talking about.
If left alone for too long, they'll hum an odd tune as they carefully assemble a small collection of rocks, which suddenly burst to life as they wheel around the room like a small pterodactyl before falling inert as quickly as they animated. If asked, Sunlight Under Stone says that's their friend Ancient Stone Glider, but they don't like to come out very often.
Sunlight Under Stone tends to stay rooted during battle, directing the fury of the earth itself to strike their foes.
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Toral raises an eyebrow.
”Good at? Well, I am a business man and can eat a lot!! Ha ha ha ... “ Toral says laughing.
”I was also blessed by the heavens to keep the lessons of the past. I can tell you ... I am as glad as you are when this mission is over! What about you? You look ... well ... kind of sick to be honest!“
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A very old man speaks up. "I'm good at getting under your skin. I can make the strongest fighter quake, the smartest wizard show doubt. I will slow one's reflexes and weaken the arm that swings the sword."
His scraggly, unkempt hair whips around his face as he stands; his beard parts for just a moment, revealing what certainly appears to be a bat nestled deep within. "All of which is very good for me, as I can't swing a sword to save my own life," he finishes with a smile.
Even as his motion has come to a rest, his beard and hair still seem to move slightly, as if an unseen wind flowed through the room.
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Menarul is a tall, lanky half elf in well maintained, but well used chain that like is twice his age and on closer inspection, bears the faint traces of an old style of Andorran armor. Over the armor he has a solid leather cross brace that straps an unstrung longbow and quiver on his back at an angle. Perpendicular to the bow is a Lucerne hammer. Along the front of the brace are many small pockets sewn into the front and filled with a multitude of softly clinking bottles, vials and other glass containers, as well as a few small bundles wrapped in paper with a fuse. at the very base are three specially shaped pockets, a slender long pocket with the end of a wooden shaft sticking out, a large square one with the top of a notebook visible, and a short rectangular one with some thing wrapped in a slightly smudged cloth. Over all of that he keeps a large forest green scarf around his neck. He often stays quite with his nose buried in a book he occasionally scribbles something in charcoal in.
When asked what people are good at, Menarul nods at everyone's responses, taking small memos in his notebook. It takes a few long seconds for him to realize that everyone has stopped talking and that it's his turn. With a sputter, he snaps the book shut. "Oh right I guess I should take a turn too. I'm really good at fireworks! My fahter, after he retired from the Andoran military started making fireworks out in the woods and taught me how to make them explode in all sorts of colors, shapes and even make them leave behind a sticky residue! I'm kinda hoping to learn how to attach one to the end of an arrow sometime, but i'm still experimenting with those. Other than that I can shoot a bow pretty well, and if need be hold off people with my hammer here!"
After a second to wrap up the charcoal in peice of cloth and put it ant the notebook away in their respective pockets, he starts again with a spurt. "Oh, and I guess I know some alchemy!"
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"I'm much better than I used to be but I think I'm also much worse than I used to be. This armour used to fit, I was found near it. I can't use it any more but it helps a little. It is dangerous out there. If I really concentrate I can cast magic with just my mind. That can be very helpful. I am useful. I am getting better." says Vayline after listening very carefully. While other people are talking you can see he is really physically putting effort into listening.
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A golden-haired man slips into the room, dressed in armor and an array of standard gear you’d expect on a Pathfinder. You likely notice two things. First, he has no weapon or scabbard despite his martial bearing and dress, and he has clearly visible scars around his wrists and neck, likely from manacles.
“Greetings, fellow Pathfinders. My name is Calvert. I joined the Society after receiving my freedom by fighting in the recent undead and demonic assault on Absalom. Seeing the bravery of Pathfinders in the face of such horrors inspired me to join, and so far I have not been disappointed in my choice.
As for what I bring, mostly this.” Calvert extends his right hand and concentrates, his brow furrowing. Out of thin air, a green, shimmering longsword appears in his hand.
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”You!! I know you!! Well, you ruined a big deal between Lyssalans and the Aspis a while back ... we had lots of fun listening to the stories of your sabotage in the crazy cultists’ hideout!! Ha ha ha!! Great job!“ Toral says and shakes Calvert’s hand.
Calvert looks a little embarrassed by the attention from Toral, but gives a nod and a small smile, "Yes, I was part of that mission. Luckily the Society sent some agents experienced in skullduggery. I just followed their lead. It was quite illuminating."
Several well-armed guards patrol the perimeter of the Sandswept Hall of Sothis, watching passerby with suspicion. As they scan the crowd, the lodge’s front gates swing open, and Venture Captain Norden Balentiir steps out into the street, waving calmly to the guards.
“It’s all right. They are Pathfinders.” Balentiir steps back inside the gates. “Please, follow me. We have much to discuss.”
Instead of leading the way into the lodge itself, he walks around the back of the building to a lush garden. Sycamore, tamarisk, and fig trees provide shade to cushioned benches, and trellises covered in grapes and flowering plants provide privacy.
“Last night, a thief broke into our vault and fled with a pair of valuable items. While we were unable to stop her from escaping, a guard caught a glimpse of her as she fled. Our thief is a janni named Jamila al-Shafah. She has served as an ally to the Society in the past, but now we have to assume she might have been planning this theft for some time. She’s made her way southeast toward the Underdunes. We’re still figuring out if she had help, but in the meantime, I need you to find where she escaped to.” Norden pauses and glances toward the sky before continuing.
“In a way, this could be a blessing in disguise. The Underdunes have many hidden bits of lore. If you find something interesting along the way, be sure to take note of it for later. But don’t tarry too long—Jamila already has a lead of almost half a day.”
Norden leads you to a secluded portion of the garden, ready to answer any questions you may have before you depart.
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Toral starts to clap his hands and looks really upset.
”I hate thieves! Negotiations are the only just means to rip someone off but stealing?! Pah! No backbone this janni! Hard enough to earn a margin these days. So what are these Underdunes? And what did the janni steal?!“ Toral asks still quite angry that he has to deal with thievery.
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Before the venture captain starts to speak Vaylin pulls out a journal and pencil. As the venture captain speaks Vaylin takes detailed notes using his own system, he writes down any questions he has and leaves space to fill in answers as they come. Each section is labelled, dated, and has a summary at the end. Once Balentiir has finished speak Vaylin looks back through a few pages and then looks over his bullet points. Standing to attention he taps each question before starting to speak, ” Where is the vault? What were the two items? Can we speak to the guard in question? What is a janni? What did Jamila al-Shafah do for us in the past? What are the Underdunes? What lore might be in the Underdunes? Sorry for all the questions sir but I do best with everything written down.” While Vaylin does bombard the venture captain with questions he speaks confidently and leaves enough time between questions to receive an answer. When on the job he almost seems like a new person.
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As they are lead back into the garden, Menarul immediately takes out his charcoal and notebook, and starts to sketch the open space. Occasionally scribbling a note of what the venture captain said in the margins he starts to plan out how he'd want to do a fireworks display over the open space. As the other's pipe up, he continues writing and sketching, before stopping a moment as Vaylin asks about janni. He holds up a finger, "Just a second."
He flips through his notebook with one hand, back and forth for a few seconds, before lowing his finger. "Dangit, I don't have any notes on the janni. Proceed."
He perks up at the mention of benefits that the society might provide. "I can use a scroll or wand of Endure Elements, or if we don't get any provide it for up to three people, though you'll have to let me feed it to you." He then buries his nose back into the notebook.
As everyone finishes their questions, Meanrul pops his nose out of the book for one last time and adds. "Seems my companions covered all of the important bits, but I do have one question. Could we use this courtyard for a fireworks event some time? It has a fantastic view of the sky and the shape and demensions are perfect for great reverberating explosions!"
The Venture Captain answers:
“We first met Jamila as a silk merchant from Qadira. She was a companion of the late Venture-Captain Targos Min-Katheer, and she helped lay him to rest. We considered her to be an ally of the Society. Now we have to wonder whether her aid was just part of a larger ruse.”
Balentiir gazes off thoughtfully as he considers the best way to describe the thief.
“Jamila has pale skin, long red hair, gold-colored eyes, and angular brown tattoos. She typically travels with a bird with green and orange feathers whose talons crackle with electricity.”
Concerning the theft itself, he says:
“We’ve identified two missing relics. The Sandstorm Codex is an ancient tome written in Osiriani, Aquan, Auran, Ignan, and Terran. It’s an elaborate text, and we haven’t yet fully deciphered it. The other is an abacus that supposedly belonged to the Pharaoh of Numbers.
The Underdunes is a area of the desert southeast of Sothis. It is filled with large, sandy trenches and prone to sandslides, scorching heat, and the other dangers of the Osirion desert. It is also the home of several tribes of elementals, which are constantly in some kind of conflict with each other."
Turning toward Calvert, he adds,
"We aren't able to provide you any material support, but the region is well-traveled by desert merchants and traders. You should be able to buy anything you need, and I'd advise you to speak to some traders before you leave Sothis to learn about the safest routes through the area."
At this, he pulls out a map and spreads it on a table shaded by garden foliage.
"As you can see, about 10 miles outside of Sothis, the path through the Underdunes breaks into several routes. Our traders tell me that they choose their routes are based on current conditions of weather and elemental activity. Be sure to consult with someone familiar with the area before you leave the city. They may even have spotted Jamila--she's certainly conspicuous.
While catching Jamila is our first priority, you are still Pathfinders. The Underdunes hold many mysteries, and we have not had much chance to explore them. Rumor has it that the binding rituals of Ancient Osirion caused the elemental planes to bleed over into the desert at spots. If you can find proof of that theory, or learn
something new about the elemental tribes, that discovery would give this proverbial cloud its silver lining."
At this, he rerolls the map and hands it to you, before bidding you good luck. He tells Menarul that everyone will certainly be in the mood to celebrate if the stolen items are recovered.
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Toral touches his belly.
”It looks like she really took some valuable items that were important to her! This was surely planned. I am not very well accustomed to elementals but I believe that we can do something against the heat if I prepare the relevant spells! We should make haste my companions and start the chase immediately so that our chances are high to get her!“ Toral exclaims.
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"I can also call in some favors, see if I can get my hands on a wand to help us endure the elements," offers Sunlight Under Stone. "Toral, maybe some of your merchant connections know which way we should head. Do you feel up to asking? The rest of us could try to help - unless someone else likes talking with people?" The last phrase is left open-ended to the party.
On your way out of the city, you meet a spice trader named Kihur who often travels through the Underdunes between Sothis and El-Shelad. In fact, he has just returned from such a trip and is happy to ply you with samples of tea and spices from his stocks.
While he has not seen Jamila, he is able to advise you on the safest way through the Underdunes and offers your a discount on any tea or spices you wish to purchase, for being such "charming customers."
He also seems willing to talk if you have any questions about the dangers of the desert.
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Sunlight Under Stone pulls another Pathfinder aside as the party leaves the Lodge, and about an hour later a courtier finds them chatting with Kihur and drops off a small package "for the leshy".
After pressing the merchant for information on how the plants he gets his tea and spices from are treated, Sunlight Under Stone politely declines a sample. "I'm more interested in what you might have seen in the desert during your last trip here," they inquire. "Was there anything interesting or out of the ordinary from when you've made the journey before?"
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Menarul smiles brightly as the option to have a fireworks festival is put on the table. He finishes up the final sketches, and then makes a quick list of the ingredients he'll need. With a wave and a smile, he heads out of the garden and for th market place.
After securing everything he'd need for a good display, he finds the group again on the way out of town, and right in front of a sice merchant. He peruses the stocks that Kihur has, considering buying a tin of tea, before asking, "Anything we might want to be prepared to handle? I've never spent much time in a desert before. Also how much for this tin of tea... oh and the sodium you have over there?"
The kindly merchant answers,
"Beware the desert sun! Temperatures are extreme in the Underdunes. It wouldn't hurt you to bring a rope and some climbing gear.
I would also be wary of elemental tribes. They are unlikely to attack you on sight, but there are often conflicts between the various groups that affect travelers in the area."
He offers you some fine teas for 2 gp. "All the way from Casmaron!"
Well-prepared for your journey, you set out into the desert southeast of Sothis. While most people travel to El-Shelad by sea, this route is still frequently traveled, and you meet several travelers and merchants, none of whom remember seeing Jamila.
As the day wears on, you feel the sun beat down and the temperature rise, but you are protected by the magic of Sunlight Under Stone's wand and are able to continue traveling comfortably.
After a few hours, you reach an area of the desert that is crisscrossed with long, canyon-like trenches. You are reminded of things that you have heard about the Underdunes before.
Rival tribes of elementals lay claim to both the Underdunes and the surrounding area. Ancient Osirian pharaohs once bound many of these elementals into service.
You may also notice some interesting features of the Underdunes as you travel.
While the canyons appear naturally made, the manner in which the rocks have been worn runs counter to the region’s wind patterns. Some recent sandslides seem to have occurred in areas that should be stable enough to avoid such disasters.
The wear on the rocks in the area and the formation of sand dunes is arranged in a pattern—one that can likely only be viewed in full from high in the air.
The altered areas make a pattern of five circles nested within each other, like an archery target. These circles surround four triangles, each of which points toward the center of the target.
As you travel, you come to a particularly deep canyon where the road diverges into two paths. A steep downward trail leads to a trench that provides shade from the desert heat. The other path leads upward toward a series of ledges that eventually lead to the top of the canyon. This higher path provides less protection from the sun, but its high vantage point could allow a better view of the surrounding area.
Your map indicates that travelers sometimes take either path, and that they should converge into a single path again soon.
You notice a few additional features of the paths. The loose rubble and
sand along the edges of the lower path suggests the risk of a sandslide, while strong,swirling winds on the upper path could make travel along the narrowest ledges dangerous.
Which path would you choose to take?
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Menarul narrows his eyes at the tin, clearly undecided. "You'll still be here in a few days, right? I'll think about it."
On the way out of town, the half-elf flips through his notebook and a couple of older versions as well, clearly trying to find any info he might have written down about the underdunes at some point.
He soon finds the page he was looking for and starts reading off the rather dry entry he must have copied down from some where. "The Underdunes are ruled by many different tribes of elementals. Two of the most promenient are the Goanron Triumvirate, comprised of air, earth, and fire elementals, and the Ainsi, a splinter faction of air elementals. Both groups tend to cause problems for travellers, which often requires them to change routes periodically. The two major tribes mostly clash over the lost city of Tumen The Goanron try keeping the place buried, but the Ansi think it will elevate the desert to its 'true glory.' The place is considered highly dangerous with out proper precautions."
After finishing his recitation, Menarul repacks his books and then spends sometime examing the walls of the place, intrigued by the comepletely different enviroment from the one he grew up in. A puzzled look crosses his face, and the alchemist moves up to a particularly low ledge, testing the rocks and wind. "That's odd. The wind isn't blowing this direction at all, but this looks like the work of wind erosion. And that sand slide over there is surrounded by some of the toughest sandstone I have ever seen..."
Intrigued he pulls the notebook back out and starts making a map of the odd formations. "It almost looks like a pattern of some sort. Anyone able to fly up and get a good look?"
Keeping an eye out for other oddities, Menarul quickly spots the rubble around the bottom of the lower path and the bits of sand whipping about on the upper path. "Hmm, if we go down that way, we might get a sandslide on our hands, but if we go up that way we might get blown off the path. Which way do you want to go?"
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When Menarul mentions that there might be a pattern visible from the air, Robyyn smiles. "I think I can help with that."
He moves as close as he can to the features, then abruptly starts rising into the air, continuing to rise until he starts to see anything he can recognize. He spends a few minutes rising into the sky, then floats down gracefully, coming to rest almost exactly where he started.
The witch grows lighter as she gains power, eventually gaining the ability to fly. At 1st level, the witch can use feather fall at will and gains a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks. At 3rd level, she can cast levitate once per day. At 5th level, she can fly, as per the spell, for a number of minutes per day equal to her level. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-minute increments. This hex only affects the witch.
Levitate allows you to move yourself, another creature, or an object up and down as you wish. A creature must be willing to be levitated, and an object must be unattended or possessed by a willing creature. You can mentally direct the recipient to move up or down as much as 20 feet each round; doing so is a move action. You cannot move the recipient horizontally, but the recipient could clamber along the face of a cliff, for example, or push against a ceiling to move laterally (generally at half its base land speed).
A levitating creature that attacks with a melee or ranged weapon finds itself increasingly unstable; the first attack has a –1 penalty on attack rolls, the second –2, and so on, to a maximum penalty of –5. A full round spent stabilizing allows the creature to begin again at –1.
The affected creatures or objects fall slowly. Feather fall instantly changes the rate at which the targets fall to a mere 60 feet per round (equivalent to the end of a fall from a few feet), and the subjects take no damage upon landing while the spell is in effect. When the spell duration expires, a normal rate of falling resumes.
The spell affects one or more Medium or smaller creatures (including gear and carried objects up to each creature's maximum load) or objects, or the equivalent in larger creatures: a Large creature or object counts as two Medium creatures or objects, a Huge creature or object counts as four Medium creatures or objects, and so forth.
This spell has no special effect on ranged weapons unless they are falling quite a distance. If the spell is cast on a falling item, the object does half normal damage based on its weight, with no bonus for the height of the drop.
Feather fall works only upon free-falling objects. It does not affect a sword blow or a charging or flying creature.
Regarding the path they should take, Robyyn suggest the higher path. "Since both choices sound risky, let's take the path that gives us a better view of our surroundings."
The altered areas make a pattern of five circles nested within each other, like an archery target. These circles surround four triangles, each of which points toward the center of the target.
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Winds whip the sands around the party as Robyyn studies the dunes from the air; they only die down as his feet gently sink into the sand. His hair, continues to whip as if buffeted by the wind, though the party no longer feels it.
"Hooo, well, that was certainly interesting. These dunes form a series of concentric circles. Large concentric circles, and they surround a ring of triangle that all point to the center. It's like a target or something." He immediately looks to the split trail that they're thinking of following, trying to judge its destination.
Winds whip the sands around the party as Robyyn studies the dunes from the air; they only die down as his feet gently sink into the sand. His hair, continues to whip as if buffeted by the wind, though the party no longer feels it.
"Hooo, well, that was certainly interesting. These dunes form a series of concentric circles. Large concentric circles, and they surround a ring of triangle that all point to the center. It's like a target or something." He immediately looks to the split trail that they're thinking of following, trying to judge its destination.
...a few hours' walk"
From what you saw, the paths will rejoin significantly before then.