Ninja dot then erase
You begin in Twisting Garden Lodge in Merab, an expansive garden maze surrounded by a few small buildings that house caretakers, residents, and visitors. The proprietor of the Lodge is Diya Akan, a half-elf who retired from adventuring when a potent curse—one that magic has yet to overcome and that she has accepted—in an ancient tomb left her blind. The same mission left her quite wealthy, so she established this lodge to continue her service to the Society. Since Amenopheus’s revival of the Jeweled Sages, Diya has also taken an interest in that faction and lent her aid to the sages when she can.
It takes nearly five full minutes, even with a guide, to traverse the maze of hedges and sandstone walls leading to the center of the Twisting Garden Lodge in Merab. The path eventually opens onto a spacious courtyard with a large pavilion at the center.
A voice calls out,
“Please, join me, before the food grows stale!”
The guide gestures to the pavilion, where cushioned benches line the edges of the shaded area and surround a large table covered in delicacies. There Diya awaits, wearing a loosely wrapped red and white headscarf affixed at her shoulder with a scarab pin.
”I am blind. Introduce yourselves so I know who has arrived.”
Diya exclaims.
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A man of Taldan descent follows the guide, a pack and armour slung over his shoulder. His hair is done in a topknot for ease of travelling. His tunic open a bit at the top of his chest, revealing the edge of a bright and intricate tattoo over his heart. A golden bible from Tian hangs from each ear. He drops his gear off in the corner and hurries to the table.
I am Goran, of the Cassomir Baldaros' delighted to meet you. If you need any help, please let me know... he says, as he nods to the Suli across the table from him.
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A man, around 5’8” or so but built solidly walks in. His skin has a slight green tint to it with an odd shaped darker green mark above his right eye. His ears have a slight point to the tops. Two of his teeth barely protrude from his bottom lip. He wears studded leather armor and has a heavy flail stuck in a holder on his lower back. Between his belt, backpack, legs and ankles he has a variety of small weapons. Javelins, hand axes, small hammers and daggers. He speaks in low but clear voice.
”Well met. I am called Kato.”
”Merab’s officials have requested that your first order of business be to inspect and clear the ruin. You may learn something of the creature’s purpose in the process. I suggest you interview the dig team and speak with the scholar Obahar, who is probably already nosing about the site. You can trust his assistance. After investigating the ruin, follow up on these leads, and any others you discover. We must discover what this creature wants, as Amenopheus asked.”
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"If the people are in danger, our duty is clear. It seems that our expedition unleashed this danger; it's our responsibility to see it destroyed or contained once more."
Kemset considers their task for a moment before continuing. "Venture-captain, do you have any information about the site? Any reports of its contents or age?"
She slides another note on the table.
”Now I can answer your questions. Make sure you have what you need for your journey.”
”We don’t know much about the creature unfortunate. As far as the region there’s some rich history there.”
”Merab is the capital of the Thuvia region. At the dawn of the Age of Destiny, Thuvia was a harsh realm ruled by a nomadic group of desert tribesmen who banded together to form a league of city-states along the region’s coastline and rivers. Known as the Tekritanin League, this region along with Jistka to the west played key roles in reestablishing civilization in the Inner Sea region after Earthfall. When ancient Osirion began its expansion westward into the lands of the Tekritanin League, its leaders forged an alliance with the nomads to aid Osirion in its war against Jistka. At the height of this war, the notorious Pharaoh of Forgotten Plagues traveled to the deep deserts of the region, far from the Tekritanin League’s reach, where he built the House of Oblivion—a vast structure engineered to lure a powerful extraplanar entity called Ahriman from his dwelling in Abaddon. Ahriman answered, bringing with him a small army of corrupted genies collectively known as divs. In return for the gift of the House of Oblivion, Ahriman promised the Pharaoh of Forgotten Plagues his support not only in the destruction of Jistka but also in tightening the Pharaoh’s control over the rest of his realms. When the Pharaoh of Forgotten Plagues was destroyed in –3047 ar by his successor, the Song Pharaoh, Ahriman was defeated as well, although the central deserts of Thuvia have remained the haunt of Ahriman’s violent div minions and his cult, the Usij, ever since.”
”What would you like to know about Merab.”
she asks the group.
Diplomacy (gather information) or Knowledge (local)
The people of Thuvia are often quite religious and observe a number of superstitions. Citizens may be reluctant to speak of evil creatures.
The most common type of fiend encountered in Thuvia is the div, a creature spawned from a corrupted genie that seeks the corruption of all things.
Knowledge (dungeoneering or history)
During Merab’s millennia of continuous occupation, its citizens have as often demolished or build atop of older structures. As a result, it’s not unusual for dig crews to stumble upon long-concealed layers generally referred to as the undercity.
Typically, such ruins are uncovered as the city expands outward, but this discovery was near the center of the city, where previous construction is being cleared to make way for newer, sturdier buildings. These ruins likely predate any known structures.
The Pathfinder, done with questions, head to the dig site.
Merab’s population has grown steadily over the past decade, and construction crews—such as this one—have prospered, breaking new ground and leveling old buildings to make way for new structures. It is not uncommon for workers to break through into a collapsed section of the old city—or more accurately, older cities. The workers at this site, however, had to halt their excavation when they uncovered an ancient complex that predates Merab’s earliest surviving records.
Now, the workers stand idly by while Obahar, an expert on ancient history and archeology, pokes and prods at the entrance to the ruins, looking for any clues about the structure’s origin or purpose.
Nearly a dozen workers mill about the area as a wide array of excavation tools gather dust in the corners. A bearded man busily examines charts and objects laid out on a wooden table shaded by temporary awnings. A muscular young man in his late teens walks up and says, “I am Anaref. If you’ve come to cleanse the ruins of evil, I’ll tell you all you need to know!”
"I saw the creature with my own eyes. A floating head, with a tongue as long as my arm and eyes like ice. It tried to lick me! I asked my Gran and she says it was a vargywheel."
You sense he is fibbing to get attention from the others. You know he caught only a glimpse.
”No. I just wan, wante, wanted the attention.”
He somewhat stutters as he answers.
As he gives a weak and vague answer you notice the leader of the dig team. She appears eager to get back to work as she paces back and forth.
You notice that she wears a bracelet with a protective talisman bearing the symbol of Pharasma. Local superstition dictates that speaking of a near-death experience is a good way to tempt fate to repeat it.
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Kemset notices the woman's jewelry. "I understand your reticence to discuss these matters, but we are here to make sure that this situation should not spiral out of control."
Kemset gestures at her only religious symbol. "You have more than just the Lady of Graves on your side. Wadjet also watches over the communities anywhere that Ancient Osirion once touched."
”Fine. I am Kehlaviya and I saw the creature.” she says with a slightly shaky voice.
“It was a floating head, like the others say—thin and ugly. Seemed to be in quite a bit of pain. Reminded me of a rabid animal. I heard it in my mind. It said it was looking for the dungeons, and that ‘she who wears the spiral of death’ would be there. I have no idea what it meant. I’ll admit, I don’t scare easy, but it scared the skin off me. Please kill it.”