Getting close enough should probably set up a gameplay thread :P
Dot away! And feel free to chat about and introduce yourselves in character if you'd like.
The mission proper will begin in just two weeks :)
The windows in the Starrise Spire’s conference room provide a study in contrasting views. To the southeast, you can see the city of Nerosyan shinning below. Even from this height you can make out constant streams of movement through the streets as merchants and crusaders go about their business with great purpose. To the northwest however, the comparative stillness is unnerving. The Worldwound as it was may be finally sealed, but its ravages remain as you gaze out across barren and blasted landscapes that stretch all the way to the horizon.
“Greetings Pathfinders!” This salutation comes from Venture- Captain Jorsal of Lauterbury, a powerfully built Garundi man with keen eyes and a calming demeanor. ”I am so glad you could be here today. Many around the Inner Sea may think that with the Worldwound closed our work should be done here, but in truth that was only the beginning.” He pauses, then allows himself a warm smile. ”though an important beginning I will admit.”
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Coughing as he steps in, this sickly looking half orc is not only pale but his physical frame looks to have being ravaged by disease of some sort leaving him frail looking.
"Greetings." he coughs out.
"I am Urias Leogil and I received the summons to journey here. What task have you for us." he looks around the room.
Despite his appearance, his weapons appears deadly enough......
Greetings indeed. Jorsal says.
He bites his lip for a moment as he mulls something over in his head before speaking once more. I’ve just received a letter from a young woman named Nelket, the leader and god caller of the Sarkorians in Mishkar. She’s a capable woman, particularly with that god of hers, a massive, feathered bear called Dolok Darkfur, at her side. The letter is badly smudged and damaged. Unfortunately, a bird delivered the message, so there was no one to ask for further details. As far as I can tell, it sounds like they’re having some kind of problem with forest goblins from the Iobarian woodlands trying to burn the town down. But there’s only so much I can tell from this blackened paper. Once you’ve read Nelket’s letter, I’ll be sending you on to Mishkar with all haste. We’ve made a promise to see these people back to their homeland, and I don’t intend to break it.
He holds out the letter in question for you to observe for yourselves.
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A tall, thin human, dressed in well-worn travelling leathers, with a hint of chain beneath, and a darkwood bow on his back, pushes himself off the wall where he is leaning, and nods thoughtfully.
"Well, if they are trouble, we should help them."
He then turns to the others.
"The name's Jack. Some call me 'Mad Jack', but I have never really understood why. This is Beaky," he says, gesturing to an adolescent cassowary. "I've been raising him from an egg. Still a long way to go, but he shows potential!"
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A muscular swordmaiden stands among the others. Her traveling leathers are covered from neck to waist with a metal breastplate. She carries a variety of weapons, but the most well-made of them is the longsword at her hip. Her hair is a light blond, almost white, but a keen observer might notice the much darker roots at the top. The same observer might notice that while she's unmistakably human, there's something-- off about her. Her stance is just a little too casual, her clothes show their wear in odd ways. Like someone trying desperately to fit in.
Her gaze keeps finding the northwest window. The Worldwound. Once, the Worldwound had been a source of exaltation for her, almost glee. Iladora had never made it there, she's fairly certain, but she recalls it filling her with a certain giddiness. She has since come to understand that for those around her now and everyone they knew, it had been the opposite-- a terrible place, a source of horrors, of nightmare fodder. People on this side had fought desperately, determined to hold back the terrors pouring forth. Until finally, it had been sealed. Never again.
"Forest goblins, huh? Shouldn't be a problem. My name's Iladora."
The smoke may be a complication Jorsal agrees morosely. I have managed to recruit a wizard to teleport you all there, but unfortunately she is getting up there in years and will likely be unable to stay if the environment is dangerous. The blood pines of Finadar Forest are famously flammable. If there are goblins lighting fires in Mishkar, things might get a bit…exciting with heat and smoke. I’ve requisitioned a postion of resist fire for each of you to bring in case it is needed.
The venture captain pauses, his brow furrowed as he tries to recollect. Goblins can of course be pests wherever they show up, which is nearly everywhere, but the Farheavens clan is currently protected by their deity Dolok Darkfur. I am surprised that the local goblins would pose much of a threat. Be on your guard.
Are there any other questions?
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"An unfortunate turn of fortune perhaps." Urias shrugs and as he does so, a part of his collar slips revealing skin that seems to be covered with scales or sign or infections.....
He pulls it up high once, covering it up.
"Is there anything you can tell us about the woman, Nelket. Also I have never heard of the god she worships, hopefully someone can enlighten me?"
Nelket is the Farheaven’s God Caller Jorsal says to Urias. It is a role central to the Sarkorian spiritual tradition, dating back long before the Worldwound devastated their people. Many of the clans of Sarkoris each had their own gods, and it was the god caller’s duty to maintain the relationship between the people and their deity. They would call upon the gods, who would come to the people and offer them guidance, protection, or other services in return for their worship. Such gods might not have been as powerful as the deities you’re familiar with, but they also helped people directly.
He smiles. Nelket is fairly young to have the weight of her tribe fall on her, but in my correspondences with her she has proven to be a tough and hopeful warden of the Farheavens. And she has come to a strong accord with the Farheavens’ god: Dolok Darkfur. He walks among them taking the form of a massive feathered bear and I’m given to understand he’s quite formidable. He gave a few of your fellow Pathfinders some trouble about a year back, but since then he has become a fast ally of the Society. Dolok’s knowledge of the history of Sarkoris is unrivaled by any other creature I know of.
Beyond potential magical protections, Zeebo recalls that covering ones moth with a damp cloth or scarf can help protect from the worst of smoke inhalation.
Hopefully it will be, Jorsal agrees. He looks up as the door opens to reveal a woman that while weel-dressed appears to be even more under the weather than Urias. Ah good, you made it! If there are no more delays Cherylia will be able to take you and some supplies to Mishakr post-haste. Good luck Pathfinders! I look forward to seeing you back here with the Farheavens soon. And please give my regards to Nelket and Dolok.
The mage introduces herself in a quiet voice, then brings you down the tower to the Starrise’s yard, where several large chests filled with food supplies have been gathered. Drawing a scroll from her pocket, Cherylia gestures for several of you to link hands and reads from the page. In an instant the city’s scene vanishes: instead you blink to see a large wooden sign bearing the name “Mishkar” standing tall from the packed ground next to you. Despite it being midday a smokey orange-tinged haze fills the air and dims the sun, with roiling clouds of smoke from a massive forest fire further darkening the sky. Though the haze works to obscure some of the details in the distance, several hundred yards away you make out a large settlement that is bursting with activity. Chaos seems to reign as figures tall and short dart back and forth between the town and the nearby woods carrying buckets of water to douse flare-ups and smoldering buildings.
As Cherylia, coughing, draws out another scroll and vanishes again, those of you in the first ‘port notice what look like signs of battle on the ground in front of you. The lightly-forested floor is packed and trampled by scores of footprints and hoofprints and bloody bandages are strewn here and there. One of the closest building’s walls appears to have a sizable chunk broken into it by force rather than flame. Looking around, you see that across a large field from the village’s southern edge, a hastily erected encampment seems to also be a hotbed of activity. The sound of clopping hooves echoes amidst the general crackling of the fire and shouting of the firefighters
With another *pop* Cherylia returns with the rest of your party and the supplies. She gives you a quick bow, coughing out Sor-*cough*-ry. Not as *hack* spry as I used to be… and with a final spell disappears once more.
Even from outside the village, the rushing people seem to be getting to water from within Mishkar’s walls. Thus, you rush towards the village, eager to help as fast as you can.
But while nearing the town, the sounds of hooves grows. Two large shapes hurtle through the haze from the southern encampment and race to block your path. As they stop several yards away, positioned between you and the town, you see human-like heads, arms, and chests rising out of equine bodies: centaurs!
Both bear cuts and one has a bandage around his left hind leg as they hold out their arms for you to halt while gripping a club in their other.
No further! one of them calls out in heavily accented Common. You Mishkarans, in league with the forest-burners! You will not drive our people from our homes!
One of the centaurs emphasizes his point by rushing forwards and throwing his club at Seebonickk, but the gnome manages to duck behind a tree and dodge.
for
Initiative
Jack
Arin
Iladora
Urias
Urias moves through the outlying scrub to get in a better position.
Jack gets straight to the point, firing off two shots. Even having to aim around the gnomes, he strikes true with the first arrow, scroing a deep cut on the alreayd hurt centaur. The other shot goes far wide to thud into a nearby tree however.
Initiative
Arin
Iladora
for
Arin also fires off a shot, but the armored target deflects it easily with a shield. Seeing this, Iladora moves forward and tries to smash through the shield, leaving the centaur more exposed. The object is heavily dented by the force of her blow, but for the moment still holds.
The other centaur throws his club at the now nearer Iladora, before rushing to meet her, drawing out a second club as he does.
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Initiative
Seebonickk
Zeebo
Seebonick jumps out and yells to the centaurs. The nearest one looks at the gnome and listens for a moment. But just a moment.
More tricks! he snorts. We left you alone and in peace. But now that the fires burn you side against us! Do you think as we flee you could swoop in for our homes so easily?
Initiative
Seebonickk
for
Seebonickk starts as the centaurs are just a bit far away for his small feet. So, the gnome draws forth a crossbow and fires at the centaurs, though his bolt clangs off their armor.
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for
for
for
Tired and bloodied, the first centaur swings at the nearby Iladora with its club. The blow clangs off her armor, but a following hoof slips under her guard and smacks the ranger to leave a deep bruise.
Initiative
Jack
Arin
Iladora -6hp
Urias
Urias calls out for blunter attacks just as a trio of arrows shoot from the archers farther back in the party’s ranks. Two of the three hit their marks. With a cry of pain, open centaur drops, while the other catches a shaft right in his flank. Bleeding heavily, while his guard is still up as he warily eyes Iladora, the remaining centaur keeps glancing toward the centaur encampment off in the distance, as if trying to decide how to make a break for it.
Initiative
Iladora -6hp
With Urias and Arin yelling out for mercy, Iladora stays her blade for a moment. Instead she attempts to stem the fallen attacker's bleeding, though his breath continues to grow fainter.
The action gives the upright centaur enough time to withdraw, and he goes limp-galloping away from you and Mishkar and back toward the encampment.
Zeebo rushes to the downed centaur and channels life energy into it from his wand. The worst of the wounds close, though the centaur is still unconscious. Underneath its breastplate the gnomes notice that the creature wears a necklace with the symbol of a red tree emblazoned on it.