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The invitation delivered last night was remarkably simple, especially given the importance of the occasion:
“Start where it all began. Meet us at the Pig’s Paunch one hour before dawn.”
The Pig’s Paunch is a run-down building with a faded sign of a large pig standing on its hind legs, arms folded above a corpulent belly. Inside, the air is thick with the scents of human sweat, stale tobacco, and leftover food. In the center of the room, surrounded by inebriates sleeping off their revelries, a familiar elven man stands high upon top of a large round table. “Welcome! Welcome, my students! Please, have a seat!” With that, Kreighton Shaine, the Pathfinder Society’s Master of Scrolls, nimbly drops down to sit cross-legged on the table before looking about the tavern with a sense of reverent wonder. “Can you believe it? It all started here years ago—well, over four hundred of them at least. Under this very roof the Pathfinder Society was born.”
“But today! Today you will begin your Confirmation! Master Farabellus, Master Zey, and I all agree you each have shown your worth and dedication to the Society, so there’s no better time
to see if you can handle becoming full field operatives. Allow me to introduce you to Janira Gavix,” he says as he motions for an excitable halfling woman to approach. She wears a large backpack and carries all manner of tools, pouches, and scroll cases around her waist. Shaine continues, saying, “Janira here will be going with you on your Confirmation. She was one of my brightest pupils and will no doubt be an invaluable resource on your journey, for she discovered the caves you are about to explore during her own Confirmation.” Janira speaks up in an enthusiastic and cheerful voice, “Greetings, aspiring Pathfinders! Six months ago, while I was mapping cave entrances in the foothills of the Kortos Mounts, I witnessed a lone gillman entering a concealed cave. I thought little of it at the time, but I saw another one enter the cave again a month later as my Confirmation stretched on. A few days later, after I completed my assigned task, I entered the cave system, but was unable to find the gillmen.”
Master Shaine hops to his feet. “Initiates, for your Confirmation, you will travel to these caves to explore and document its many passages. Additionally, and most importantly, you are to learn
what the gillmen are up to in there. Oh, and you need to come back alive as well.” With these parting words, the Master of Scrolls jumps off the table and strolls out of the building while
humming to himself.
Mounts, the points on the island.
constantly vie for territory up and around the Mounts,
with harpies being the most common at higher altitudes
and centaurs controlling the lower slopes and foothills.
an amphibious humanoid race believed to be the last
descendants of the ancient Azlanti people.
and destroyed the human empires of Thassilon and
Azlant. It is said that gillmen’s ancestors survived the
cataclysmic event because they received the blessing of an
aquatic entity that allowed them to breath underwater.
were responsible for the gillmen’s transformation. Any
alliance between them appears to have fallen apart over
the millennia, however, and the gillmen are now an
independent people.
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"Ooh, ooh, ooh, I know where that is! The Kortos Mounts is not far from here. This should be easy. They're just a li'l ways..." Khrezh points in a random direction. "That way. I think. I kinda get turned 'round in the city." He shrugs, embarrassed.
He pulls the leather glove off his right arm and clears his throat. "I, uh, I guess I'm a fighter? I don't know if it's a 'trade', but I could always beat my brothers, and I hit things pretty good. I got a cool new arm pros-thet-ic to hit things with; it's got these blades on the knuckles but I got to be careful not to cut myself. I, uh, I already did that a couple times." He stumbles over the word "prosthetic" and seems proud that he didn't get it wrong. Carefully, very carefully, he pulls the glove back up over the blades on his fist.
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A slender, gray-furred kitsune sits and takes in the conversation around her. The scents, the bustle, the occasional vibrations as larger patrons fall into their seats and their cups.
She bows a greeting to Janira.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Janira. My name is Yuzu." A twinkle shines in the vixen's eyes as she appraises the halfling. "Beginnings and ends, Pathfinders and Azlanti. Hopefully, answers."
"I think so, too, Big Sister. And here there is a fleshy one who is closer to our size. Maybe she gives good hugs?" says the smaller plant creature.
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An older man, in his early to mid-forties, with long, prematurely gray-and-white hair pulled into a neat ponytail, listens attentively to the words of both Kreighton and Janira. Brown eyes softened by age dart back and forth as he stands at parade rest. However, his posture is not as straight as one would expect from a soldier, being slightly hunched at the shoulders. Nevertheless, he wears a timeworn but clean gray uniform of uncertain nationality, and a well-used Aldori dueling sword hangs at his belt.
He glances at the leshies as they speak and does his best to hide his smile. Only in Absalom, he thinks to himself.
When Janira approaches, he offers his hand to her. His grip is not particularly strong, and there is a very slight tremor in his hand, but he exudes a calm confidence. "A pleasure to meet you, Janira. Caebricalius Melandrus. Most just call me Cabe." He glances around at the others. "Is this all of us?" He offers his hand in greeting to any of the other members of the group gathered.
The little vine leshy almost leaps into Yuzu's arms for a hug.
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Krezh's face lights up at the mention of hugs. He takes half a step towards the little hug-ball then stops, his massive shoulders drooping with disappointment. "Ma says I can't give hugs anymore since I got big. 'You don't know your own strength, boy, you hurt people!' she says. It's true, I guess. I jus' stopped growin', and I'm a li'l clumsy sometimes. I'm a lot bigger than most people now, even my big brother. At least he don't bully me no more after the last time. His nose healed up all crooked." He grins mischievously.
"Hello Cabala... Cebrol... uh, hello Cabe! I'm Krezh." He walks over and shakes the man's hand vigorously.
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The older man chuckles and absently rubs his hand after the shake. "Cabe is fine. A pleasure, Krezh." He nods toward the prosthetic arm. "That is fascinating work. May I take a look?"
He pulls out a small pair of honest-to-goodness spectacles, perches them on his long, hawkish nose, and peers at the prosthetic arm. "This is marvelous. Did you craft this yourself?"
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I see you have fallen in with each other rather quickly. Janira pulls out a large leather-bound journal and opens it on the table. “Before we set out, we should review our plan. After all, the most important factors that determine whether an expedition will be a success are cooperation and preparation!
Janira pulls back a bit of exuberance and puts on a slightly more serious tone. If there aren’t any more questions, we should take a moment to go through your gear and make sure nothing important gets left out. We can meet all manner of adversary out in the wild: some creatures are disperse like SWARMS and require splash weapons to be dealt with, some creatures are more susceptible to fire, but they all draw blood. Mind your defense and healing. Protect yourself at all times. Janira levels a serious gaze at the group. If her tone doesn’t instill some peril in you, it should.
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Krezh's face falls. "No, I didn't make it. I don't know much about that stuff." He brightens quickly. "It works great though! After my accident I couldn't do much with just my left hand, but now I'm even better than before!" He brandishes the limb proudly, manipulating his fingers as nimbly as a real hand.
He looks up at Janira as she speaks. "I'm ready! Look, I have some acid!" Digging through his backpack, he pulls out a flask of acid and almost drops it at his feet. "Whoops! That was close, hehe. The lady told me that it's good at getting little bugs off, but the flask breaks easy so I have to be careful." He places it gently back in his bag.
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A wide-eyed vanara with white and gold fur enters the Pig's Paunch. His prehensile tail waves back and forth--the tip just over his shoulder--like a snake waiting to strike. "Is this one late?" he asks as he looks over the adventurers in the middle of inventory. "Mapache is very sorry for his tardiness."
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Yuzu gently puts Sita back down with a serene smile.
In response to Janira's question, the kitsune pats her equipment. "An alchemist's blaze, naginata, and my blade. I am well-prepared."
With Mapache's entrance, a twinkle of amusement lights her eyes. "We a pair a-furred, two of us of human sort, and three verdant green. A welcome to you, newest friend and companion. My name is Yuzu."
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Janira stands with her pack and slings her whip to her belt. Not at all, Mapache. You are just in time. Very well then, we will be off.
As the party progresses deeper into the forest, the trees
towering overhead begin to shield most of what remains
of the day’s sun and the vegetation beneath grows denser.
Janira pauses a moment and pulls out an intricate silver
compass emblazoned with the Pathfinder Society logo: the
Glyph of the Open Road. “I received this wayfinder when
I successfully completed my Confirmation. Should we be
successful on our journey, you will get your own as well.”
She flips open the device and holds it in front of her; the
initials J. L. are engraved into the inside of the device’s
lid. After studying the compass inside for a moment,
she remarks, “We’re on the right path. We need to keep
heading northwest past those large rocks up ahead.”
Most of the trees in this section of the forest have
trunks that are too big for any creatures to share their
space. Sporadic patches of light undergrowth provide
areas for creatures to hide while restricting movement for
those passing through. A large rock outcropping to the
east rises nearly 20 feet above the forest floor, and a small
sinkhole to the northwest drops off sharply, descending
to the ground 10 feet below.
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"This one is happy to meet you, Yuza," the vanara says with a grin as he climbs over the back of a chair and then sits down cross-legged. "Good, good," he says to Janira and them climbs back over the back of the chair as you all prepare to depart.
Mapache hardly stops moving except to eat and then only barely as you travel. He ranges from the front of the march to the back, chatting with whoever is nearest and willing to listen.
"From where do you hail, Yuza?"
"This one has never met a vine who speaks," he says to the leshy. "What do you eat? Do you dislike we who eat plants? This one does not eat meat."
"Very interesting," he comments as he pokes Khrezh's prosthetic with the tip of his tail. "Who performed this modification?"
"May this one read your book of spells," he asks Salvadore.
Once you reach the forest, he spends as much time traversing through the branches above as he does walking on the ground.
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Suna smiles. "Sita and I dissolve our nutrients in water, which we then swallow like you do your drinking water. We understand that many plants are good to eat for fleshy creatures, and do not object as long as the plants don't think."
Suna and Sita both poke their heads into Suna's backpack, and start to discuss what gear they may need. The buy one alchemists' fire and also two days of food.
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As you pass through the clearing, you are beset on by 2 young hippogriffs. Janira quickly arms herself and addresses the group. Ok, don't panic. This is part of your journey. Remember to be resourceful and work together. I will intervene only if necessary. Now GET OUT THERE AND MAKE THE PATHFINDERS PROUD! Janira Inspires Courage in you.
Salvadore
Yuzu
Hippogriff 1
Suna
Cabe
Hippogriff 2
Mapache
Khrezh
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”I hail from the East, in the land of Tian Xia. Have you ever been? At Daikitsu’s shrine, I was raised a samurai. My blade is my art,” she explains.
”Tell me of yourself. Vanara are new to me. Are you far from home?”
She is happy to march toward the front of the cheery group, and as the sun sets and the trees hasten the night’s descent, she takes the naginata off of her back mounting.
”My own Wayfinder! I grow yet more excited. I shall have mine soon.”
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Yuzu dashes at the animal and slices into it with her large blade. Salvadore follows with a punching bolt of force.
The assaulted hippogriff lands and approaches slowly, employing its natural attacks on Yuzu.
Missing the kitsune.
Salvadore
Yuzu
Hippogriff 1 (-9 HP)
Suna
Cabe
Hippogriff 2
Mapache
Khrezh
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Cabe grunts as he takes the brutal gash on his arm, which dangles practically useless at his side. Fortunately, his sword arm works just fine. He channels arcane power into the blade and gives the winged beast a death glare. "Taking a trophy from you," he growls, and brings his dueling sword down in a vicious arc.
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Cabe's attack slays the last standing hippogriff.
Well done, recruits. That was quite an ordeal. Cabe, we nearly lost you. Let me patch you up. Janira produces a wand of healing and relieves your wounds.
The party marches on a bit forward. Then...
The dense forest opens to a wide clearing at the base of a sheer
cliff. Thick vines cover the surface of the cliff stretching 30 feet
overhead. “Here! The cave entrance is behind those vines,”
Janira says with a broad smile as she walks to the cliff’s face. She
pulls back several layers of vegetation to reveal a narrow crack in
the cliff’s surface. “This is where I saw the gillmen enter.”
As she motions toward the aperture, the surrounding woods
come alive with the sound of small animals fleeing some unseen
danger and a large creature crashing through the undergrowth.
The halfling worriedly remarks, “Quick, take cover before
whatever it is spots us!” As if she’d summoned the creature
with her words, a massive horned monstrosity emerges from
the trees. Standing eight feet tall on a pair of cloven hooves and
wielding a tremendous axe, the bull-headed creature roars with
unbridled anger when it spots the group.
Wisely assessing that a minotaur is beyond her charges’
capabilities, Janira screams, “A minotaur! There’s little chance
we can stand against it. Take this bag,” she continues, pulling
off her backpack, “and head deeper into the caves. Finish your
mission. I’ll lead it away from the caves, lose it in the forest, and
join you as soon as I can. Now go! GO!” She heaves her backpack
into the cave, casts a spell, and darts off toward the minotaur
before turning to lure it away.
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Should they be bleeding out rather than completely dead, Yuzu lays her hand gently upon their unconscious foreheads, stabilizing them.
As they walk, she speaks:
"The seven souls converge in crowded wood,
Azlanti ruins waiting to be found.
Two hippogriffs emerge seeking their blood,
Their bellies to form our funeral mound.
But quick was Yuzu with long-armed blade,
and Salvadore's force found its feathered mark.
The half-orc Khrezh bound into the green glade,
and smashed hippogriff's head into the bark.
The fair Mapache with sling did follow,
Salvadore struck again with hope to harm.
The beaked ones fought back and with bellow,
Caebricalius nearly lost his arm.
With blows well-struck, we know they fell at last
Whilst Suna and Sita dreamt of repast."
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Yuzu replies with a decidedly un-poetic "oof" as the bag is shoved into her midsection; she grabs it and pushes it onto her shoulder as their guide runs off as a distraction.
"We must now decide, do we run in and assist? Or follow orders?" she asks.