More to come.
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A older man wearing a bowler hat and an overcoat follows the gnome. He has a club at his belt and he's caring a tea set. Something covered up the overcoat sticks up near his head.
"Tea anyone?" he asks politely. He turns to Zarzuket. "Tea Mr. Zarzuket sir?"
That idiotic gnome didn't kill me last time and NOW he calls me back for gods only knows WHAT!?? I hope he's eaten by a dragon!
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When Roldala walks in her glare darts around the room from beneath her thick hair, marking each person who's in there before taking a position near the corner. She's powerfully built, though she still seems slightly gawky, as if her full growth hasn't yet come in.
She introduces herself tersely, staring hard at each of the other agents before just as suddenly breaking eye contact. Even with as little as she speaks it is easy to see that her mouth is a horror of jagged teeth, filed and broken into mangled wreckage.
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Zaarah is a scrawny girl with auburn hair and amber eyes.
She is sitting on her chair with closed eyes.
Her features seem Chelaxian but also have something else mixed in.
She is wearing a mithral chainshirt and carries a black magical scimitar at her hip that is attached to her wrist with a very fine chain.
She is dreamily observing her environment and sometimes is looking a little bit crazy.
* * *
Something pulls her out of her state of trance and she jumps up.
"Oh me second, me second please!!"
She turns towards the other Pathfinders and has a slightly absent view when she starts speaking.
"You know ... I really like you and your invisible fairies ... and I have the feeling that I have heard of you ... but who told me about you ... everything is so fuzzy ..."
10 seconds of silence
"It actually is not as straight forward as you might believe. Well, my father is a devil worshiper ... or so I believe, my mother is dead, my eldest sibling is dead and I have many brothers and sisters ... some are Ifrits ... some are Kitsune - they are alive I assure you!" she says giggling.
10 seconds of silence
"What else do you need to know ... hmmm ... I am super weak but super fast. I can fight a little but I can talk better! Sometimes ... "
5 seconds of silence
"... well ... sometimes it might sound crazy but I promise it will be logical!"
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Suddenly, she looks around and walks straight to Roldala ...
Tears are visible in her eyes.
"It is especially good to finally meet one of the companions that fought at my brother's side in the battles against House Thrune. Roldala, I do not know if I will be able to follow in his footsteps but I am sure that we together can achieve a lot on this mission! I am still quite shocked that you Roldala really were able to help a whole city! And that you found out that our damn father was a member of a bloody chelish noble family of diabolists!" and the last sentence is almost spit out.
She looks at Roldala intently.
"Roldala, thanks for keeping my brother safe. I heard you saved everybody's life in that last fight!"
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Roldala looks entirely uncomfortable with Zaarah's approach.
Did she even say her name during that? Kitsune or an Ifrit... Andor?
"I don't know about a whole city... I guess we did what we could. I'm glad your brother made it out okay; Kintargo got pretty hairy there at the end."
Her mouth twists in a close-mouthed grin, "That last fight though... It was the only time I've ever wished I were in the arena. It was really something."
The adventure begins in Sargava during its dry season, which brings a respite from humid rains, but the heat still hangs oppressively across the region. The Eleder Lodge is built for the environment, with wide windows funneling breezes through its halls, but even so, it’s stuffy in this closed-door meeting with Finze Bellaugh, Venture-Captain of Sargava. He paces around his desk, filling glasses with cool iced tea before sitting down, filling his own glass, and pushing aside a velvet cloth filled with pieces of a wayfinder under construction. The sunlight slanting through blinds casts his features in shadow as he takes a swallow of tea.
“Thank you. Those of you who are new to Eleder, I hope you are enjoying my city. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it more upon your return, as your talents are needed inland.
“Ten years ago, an expedition into the Mwangi interior discovered some interesting items from the Age of Anguish: items believed to belong to the King of Biting Ants, abandoned in his defeat by Old-Mage Jatembe. Clearly, these are worthy of study—so much of that period is still half-myth! But we never had the chance. The expedition’s return journey crossed through Mzali territory, and, as I am sure you know, the Mzali despise trespassers. Only one agent made it out alive, and he bears... many scars. Some of a nature it has been impossible to heal.”
“Stuinvolk was an excellent field agent before this. But the trauma of seeing his friends die, from being hunted, tortured, and then barely escaping... upon his return, we tried to find a place for him, but the limited fieldwork we provided showed he hadn’t recovered enough for that type of stress. His moods changed without warning. Anger mingled with icy reserve, throwing himself into needless risk to protect others, or shutting down in a panic mid fight. We tried to find him other work, but in all cases he had become unsuitable. Even when simply taking reports from other agents, he would break out in a sweat when hearing about experiences even slightly similar to his own.
“We have been trying to find ways to help those who suffer mental distress like this on the Society’s behalf—Stuinvolk is not the first, of course. And, in the past year, he has made some success. He is working with a specialist who has soothed many of the rough patches in his mind. He now understands the deaths of his friends are not his fault. There is one element to his therapy that remains to be seen, though: revisiting what he feels is his greatest failure. At the end of the Mzali hunt, Stuinvolk was alone and unsure if he would survive. He hid the artifacts where the Mzali wouldn’t find them. But they caught him, tortured him, and left him for dead.
He would have died if not for a twist of fate. Have any of you heard of a creature called a nuno? Odd, solitary gremlins, mushroom-headed and possessed of an affinity for ants. Stuinvolk was left staked out among this particular nuno’s anthills. While it eventually set him free, it was so outraged by the intrusion that it laid a curse upon Stuinvolk—a curse we have not been able to remove. Stuinvolk managed to return to civilization, but he has lived with the nuno’s mark upon him all this time. And that is how he can undo his greatest regret—those who are cursed by a nuno also have the ability to unerringly locate that nuno again. ”
Bellaugh leans forward on the desk, and his voice lowers to a whisper. “To be clear, this is no mere treasure hunt. As important as the artifacts are, they are trinkets. You are escorting and protecting Stuinvolk because his counselor believes he needs to reach some kind of closure. He is willing to revisit the place of his greatest nightmares and retrieve that which he feels he lost. I would like those artifacts, yes, but my main concern is helping my agent. I have seen too many lost to horror. I am sending you all along to bring him home again. Find the treasures, compel the nuno to lift its curse, but most of all, help Stuinvolk find peace.”
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Geico sweats giant beads - he is in his casual clothing - a light cotton suit in this sweltering weather and listens to the venture captains plea. Most of the trip here he was handing our pamphlets describing Mutual of Abadar. It is a new product - you pay money to the temple and in exchange they pay for your expenses when you are in need. The temple SOMEHOW turns a profit. It was a lot of math for those of you who aren't usually inclined.
A look of shock over comes his face. Man the Society is changing. Last time I was sent to help a troubled agent they were much less nice about it! He strokes his braided beard. I think this is an interesting proposition. If it works out we may need to employ these techniques at my temple.
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Zaarah listens ... then zones out with a look of fear on her face ... then listens and yawns and at the end just ... laughs.
”Ha ha! That is sooo cute ... I love ants! I love people too ... so this will be a perfect mission for me!! Venture Captain... just leave this with us. We are all soooo sane that we will make a super good start for a recovery!“ she says with confidence.
”But a couple of questions... this therapist... does he also take private patients?! Of course I am just asking for a friend of ... a friend ... “ Zaarah says a little more silently.
“You’ll meet with him soon. He can be distant, often. His therapist theorizes he keeps himself apart from emotional connections so that he doesn’t suffer if people die. He can help in a fight. He shouldn’t involve himself in hand-to-hand combat, but he’s a good archer; staying at a distance should keep him from overextending himself. He still has mood swings, though they’re less extreme than before. Depending on the day, he might be enthusiastic, or he might be irritable and easily distracted. Please just be patient and remember what this man has given—and is still willing to give—for the Society.”
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Aroden thinks about the Nuno, and comes up with the same information as Zaarah.
"I know something about regret for one's mistakes," the wizard says. He looks off into the distance and is quiet for a moment. "I will be understanding and patient with this man and do what I can to help him overcome his demons. I think bringing him on this mission is a risk to his mind, but one worth taking for the benefits it might bring to him. A successful journey may bring him peace."
"Do you think we will encounter Mzali? Since they caught and tortured him, I would think encountering them likely to hurt him, and unlike the nuno that is not a curse that may be lifted."
“Before, the team was doing some general surveying on their way back; crossing through Mzali territory was unexpected. Avoiding it entirely is difficult, but hopefully you can skirt the edges. Also, by the time they met the Mzali, the team’s resources were depleted and they couldn’t fight the patrol. If you encounter a patrol and they aren’t willing to negotiate, I trust you have the skills and resources to ensure your—and Stuinvolk’s—survival.”
Due to the relative difficulty of removing a nuno’s curse via magic, the best options for a creature cursed by a nuno are to slay the nuno or parley with the creature. Since the curse could have triggered while the nuno wasn’t present, both approaches are made easier by the nuno’s wax locator ability. Though inherently grumpy, nunos are easily bribed with offerings of fruit or valuable objects, and can at times be swayed by a particularly well constructed argument. They can also usually be persuaded by humanoids and fey they find beautiful, though a nuno’s predilections are unpredictable at best, and they tend to loathe conventional beauty.
KNOWLEDGE (HISTORY)
Based on the results of a Knowledge (history) check, PCs might know about the King of Biting Ants and Old-Mage Jatembe.
KNOWLEDGE (LOCAL)
Mzali has a fearsome reputation in Sargava. PCs may be familiar with the place based on the results of a Knowledge (local) check.
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"The King of Biting Ants was a menacing sorcerer from the Age of Anguish. It is said his body was composed of venomous insects. He was defeated by Old-Mage Jatembe and his Ten Magic Warriors. You all know about the great Mwangi wizard Old-Mage Jatembe, right? One of the legendary figures who brought knowledge of magic back to the world after Earthfall."
"The Mzali hate outsiders, especially those from Avistan, such as the people of Sargava. They oppose colonialism, but even go so far as to reject trade with non-Mwangi people. They live in a city-state on the Pasuango River."
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”I just want to add that the Mzali people’s distrust of outsiders stems from its ruler, the mummy-god Walkena. In in distant generations, corrupt rulership led to a decline in the city’s fortunes, but in the past century, Walkena’s return has reversed that, making it one of the greatest strongholds of Mwangi culture on the continent, in spite of the child-god’s isolationism! So being outsiders doesn’t make it easier for us! I look Chelish after all ... but I could make an exception and use my ... ehh ... my ‘natural’ form as a Kitsune when we are in the jungle.“ Zaarah states.
The day after meeting with the Venture Captain, you meet Stuinvolk at a quiet tavern to go over the expedition.
Stuinvolk is tall, lean, and handsome. Unfortunately, the nuno’s curse has burdened him with gruesome, hair covered pustules on his neck and chest. He is resigned to his disfigurement, and in the heat of the Mwangi Expanse, rarely bothers buttoning his shirt to hide it.
With out even offering to get the PC's name he begins to lay out his plans. "We will go up the river and make landfall well into the expanse. It is best to try and skirt the lands of Mzali and into the savanna."
Stuinvolk looks over the group. "We set sail tomorrow morning. Make sure you are ready. It is dry season right now. It is going to be a bit warm, so pack accordingly"
No, I'll be fine. I have been to this region before, but do not try and make a habit of it. Other, than remove this curse, hopefully we avoid the locals He answers the questions with out even looking at the PC's. Well, I'll see you all tomorrow morning. With that he walks out the tavern.
After a few days’ travel upriver, the boat transporting the PCs arrives at a makeshift dock on the east bank of the Lake of Vanished Armies. The captain points out a route marker about half a mile in the distance—a post mounted with a beaten brass sun. “That marks the edge of Mzali territory,” she says, [b]"this is as far as my boat goes.
After the PCs finish unloading their gear and arrange a time to meet here for a return trip, the boat weighs anchor and departs.
We should follow the lake and river Northeast for 50 miles or so. Stuinvolk says holding up a compass. "This will lead us away from the Mzali's terriroty. We should be able to cross the Upper Korir river. We would still be in Mzali's "claimed" territoty, but I would feel better with another river between us. Once on the other side, I will start using this curse to locate the Nuno."
The group heads out, and soon take notice of the heat of the Mwangi Expanse.
Everyone is able to survive the days heat, Stuinvolk grows more distant than normal as the day goes on.
As the sun sets and the party makes camp, he paces the camp’s perimeter, glancing at the campfire with mixed emotions.