EbonFist's Hao Jin Cataclysm Gameplay (Inactive)

Game Master EbonFist

Dot and delete when you come in.

You have all been gathered together at one of the Pathfinder Lodges. Some of you are familiar with each other while others of you are new both to the group and to each other.

You're not sure why you've been brought here or by who but it never hurts to get to know each other.

Books and trophies cover the walls of the study you are in and there are refreshments available, food and drink, both intoxicating and not.

Feel free to introduce yourselves and get to know each other. We're just under a week away from starting.

Quensha takes a seat and picks at some cheese and grapes, after a minute she picks a book from the shelves and leafs idly through its pages.

She is a tall, blue-skinned woman with thick, dark hair. At her side hangs a katana and a symbol of a katana against a sunburst bounces against her chest as she moves about.

When the first of her fellow agents arrives, she smiles and offers her hand, "Well met, Pathfinder." then gives a traditional pathfinder greeting, "The road wends ever on."

A thin, somewhat gaunt man, lounges at one of the tables. His hair is dark, with a slight wave that seems to move at even the most insensible of breezes. He talks loudly and charismatically with anyone who walks by, his speech somewhat slow and very theatrical.

His skin carries an unnatural white tint with a few smaller areas where light reflects wrongly for an instant before disappearing. It is unnerving at first, though his appearance seems to settle with time.

In front of the man, a chalice filled to brim sits on the table. He drapes a hand across its base- and your eyes are drawn to long, dark, fingernails on his hand. His cloak is white, with a deep blue trim, and under it a shinning breastplate. Leaned on the table next to him is an 6 ft shaft, topped with a keen blade.

"Ah yes, the road is always going I suppose. But where are my manners?"

In a scuff of chair on wood, he stands and gives a bow. Behind his movement is a brief instant of swirling energy that seems to emanate from his person- but it fades so quickly that you might doubt you saw anything at all.

"The name is Kal'ryon- Kal, Ryon, whatever suits your fancy is fine by me. It is a deep pleasure to meet you. Come, let us share a table and some wine- the first round will be on me! Waiter, another carafe of your best!". He punctuates this with another sweeping bow before motioning towards a chair at the large round table.

"...and the party never ends." An older, bearded man sits with Kal'ryon and he sighs before he stands. He picks up a wooden cup with intricate carvings and takes a deep drink. He sets it down and water sloshes over the side, like he barely took a sip.

The man wears Taldor colors, but a non-descript breastplate. You spot a holy symbol of Sarenrae hanging from his belt, however. The scimitar he wears confirms he's a Sarenrite, but you see a bowstave leaning against the wall near where he was sitting. The man limps over to Quensha, obviously bearing some injury -- perhaps from a battle or a childhood malady.

"Yes, join us. Kal and I were just talking about our last assignment. I hope this one is less...underhanded. Oh, pardon my manners. I'm Sir Hayden Greyrun."

"Well met everyone, I am Svårtill Gänglig. Being very new to the Society, I'm not quite sure what to expect on this adventure. I hope my preparations are sufficient. If any of you more experienced Pathfinders have any equipment recommendations for me to pick at the next chance, I would appreciate the benefits of your experience."

Quensha joins them at the table and takes a drink, ”Quensha Elberion, servant of Shizuru, a pleasure to meet you all.”

She smiles at the wounded man, ”Well, now you’ve teased me. What underhand business have you been up to?”

The knight laughs and returns to his seat. Now that you see him closer, he has a touch of weariness to him. "Ha. I supposed I did at that." He glances to Kal. "Perhaps this should not be shared fully as it's ramifications are still at work. But our last job was to drive a wedge between two enemies. As you can imagine, honesty and valor were less necessary than guile and...imagination. Our friend, Kal, has an abundance of both. If only I were so talented..."

"Shizuru? A honorable and valiant mistress. And you, Svårtill? What brings you here? I hope it's not the wine. It's about as strong as angel piss." Whatever that means, Hayden pours out the water in his cup and fills it with wine. He drinks a few gulps and grimaces, then drains the cup.

"You, Sir, are too kind!" Kal smiles and slightly bows his head towards the half-elf. "Don't let Sir Hayden fool you, he has an abundance of untapped potential in both guile and imagination! Though he is right, the prudent thing would be to not discuss how we impersonated Aspis agents and set into action a series of events that is sure to draw animosity between them and a *cough* former ally." A coy smile settles in over Kal's face, and he quickly takes a long, full drink from his chalice- nails glinting in the light.

An Osiriani man watches you all from afar for a little bit before deciding you're alright.

"Bocke," he says curtly. A little too curt. Come on, you were the one who didn't want to be sneaking into tombs alone. You're the one who left Osiron to meet new people.

"I mean ... hi, my name is Bocke. Bocke Reed."

"Fulvio! Show yourself, you rogue!"

This furious shout is followed promptly by a howl of frustrated anger, and the crash of something breakable shattering. From another chamber of the lodge there is a clatter of determined footsteps, and the sound of someone searching the rooms off the corridor, one by one.

The door is thrown open and a burly male halforc looms in the frame, glowering at the assembled Pathfinders. His hand on a basket-hilted blade, his eyes scan the room, inspecting Kal, Bocke, Sir Heydon, Quensha and Svartil in turn. Seemingly not finding what he is seeking, he grunts, slams the door, and stamps on down the corridor to continue his search on a lower level.

A few minutes pass.

A scuffle is heard from the balcony door and a startled pigeon flurries up into the air. A pack thumps down on the balcony as a pair of leather boots appear in view, dangling down from the eaves of the roof above. They leap down deftly, revealing a prematurely balding half with a trim dark beard, carrying his sword belt and rapier casually over one arm. He darts into the cover of the doorway, nods to the assembled group whilst donning his belt and then buttoning the loose crimson shirt that billows open at his chest.

"Greetings, greetings all. Kal, Sir Heydon, great to see you again." Adjusting his britches he retrieves his pack and then moves to pour himself a glass of wine. "Can I pour for anyone else? Oh and have I missed anything on the briefing?"

Quensha laughs at the man’s entrance, ”we will be working alongside a group of hellknights inside Citadel Vraid. The Venture Captain impressed upon us the importance of protocol, patience, diffidence and modesty. I’m sure you’ll be perfect for the job.”

bluff: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

sense motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
kn local, samsarans: 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (15) + 6 + (5) = 26

Castinius looks around at the others and notes their amused expressions at the blue-skinned woman's words. He finishes fastening his shirt, then speaks in a low voice, "Lady Elberion, it is an honour indeed to meet you," as he seeks to kiss her hand, "perhaps you recall me and our time together from your previous incarnation? It would be a shame if such intense memories had been lost from your recollection?"

bluff: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Hayden sighs and puts his head into his head as he sees Castinus arrive. Wordlessly, he slides his cup over for more wine. He takes the cup and begins drinking again. "You two know each other? My condolences, Quensha." He smiles.

"Waiter?"
Once a waitstaff appears, I place an order.
"Yes popcorn, do you have it? This is going to get interesting and I want to be prepared for the continuing drama. Just bring a big bowl or bucket of it, we'll share."

sense motive: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

Quensha's eyes go wide, "You knew Elberion? How? You don't look old enough."

Her eyes grow damp with impending tears, "Tell me, tell me everything you know? Did you travel to Zi Ha?"

This is a major part of Quensha's back story :D

Kal silently chuckles at the impending chaos at the table.

"Yes, old friend! I don't believe that I have heard this story yet! I am quite intrigued."

He takes another long draught, and then reaches to the carafe to refill- before realizing that it is empty. As the waiter comes for Svartill's request, he motions at the pitcher as well.

"These pathfinders always seem to keep us waiting. Have us at their beck and call, but choose to leverage their power through delay. But, what choice do we have? Instead- we will drink on their dime and hope the delay doesn't outlive the spirits!"

The waitstaff in this gathering area in the Grand Lodge in Absalom have one unusual thing in common - they're invisible. In fact, the invisible servants are only noticeable because they are carrying around platters with the items people have requested.

As this particular group of Pathfinders makes their orders the tray before them hovering in mid-air dips as though the creature holding it bowed then rushes away, only to pause at two more tables for orders before starting its return.

I was going to have a higher ranking pathfinder burst in to summon you guys away for Ambush in Absalom but now I'm too interested in the interaction between Castinus and Quensha to distract from it.

Castinus' eyes grow grave and a forlorn sadness touches his face at Quensha's questions. "My dear, though the fact that your kind reincarnate after each life lost is not common knowledge, I myself am all too aware of your eternal cycle of lives lived and then all but forgotten. You must know that with the elven blood I inherited from my mother comes a modicum of longevity, greater than that of a normal human span. Though I may look youthful to your eyes, I am in fact over 80 winters old. And one of those winters many decades past was spent with a beautiful blue-skinned samsaran woman by the name of Elberion, in the northern mountains of Nirmithas. My lady, I hold those memories close to my heart; it is a tragedy that you must have but the faintest of recollections of that heady, passionate winter we shared."

bluff to maintain straight face/inspiration: 1d20 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 1 + (4) = 8

Castinus intends a light jest only, and is not trying to humiliate Quensha; this might be betrayed by the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth as he finishes his speech with a sip of wine...

sense motive: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Quensha's smile is a sad little thing, "Ha, too good to be true."
She addresses the half-elf, "You had me there, not a doubt. But I'm afraid you are more of an age to romance me than my forebears. I am nearly eighty years young myself."

She shakes her head, letting her long hair fall across her face, and when she looks back at the group the warmth is back in here eyes, "That might not be a terrible idea, come to think of it." She winks at Castinus and takes a sip from her drink.

bluff: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Kal continues to chuckle quietly to himself, enjoying the sport. He picks up the fresh carafe and offers to top off Quensha's glass with a silent nod and slightly forlorn nod.

SM: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

Castinus raises one eyebrow in thoughtful appraisal, and a mischievious smile flits across his face. But then a terrific crash rings out from a lower level in the lodgehouse, followed by violent and noisy swearing in orcish. He momentarily looks a little nervous but recovers before admitting "A monk acquaintance of mine warned me that the path of greater wisdom might be to eschew romantic entanglements within one's fellow Society members. It might avoid unnecessary tensions in what can already be a stressful environment. He sips his wine. "Also, he'd suggest that being caught in an close embrace with the daughter of one of the Lodge's more violent halforcs was an error of judgement, too..."

Castinus leans back in the high-backed leather chair, swirls his glass, and looks idly at the lengthening shadows outside. "So...how much longer are we to wait for the society to brief us, then? My continued well-being depends on a swift exit and brief absence from this lodge and its other occupants..."

**OVERSEER ANNOUNCEMENT**

Former Master of Spells Aram Zey addresses the assembled Pathfinders as more agents stream into the Grand Lodge. “Pathfinders, an entire world is in danger! The Hao Jin Tapestry is on the brink of collapse. If we do not act now, all its wonders and its people will be lost to us forever. Find your assigned group, aid in our preparations to enter the demiplane however you can, and await further instructions.”

GMs, you have one day to complete your mustering and perform the tasks in Part 1.

A very violent half-orc had just come into the room and, spotting Castinus after scanning the crowd, begun to stalk toward them when Zey's announcement came.

The half-orc looked uncertainly between the door he came through and Castinus before reluctantly heading back the way his came but not before threatening to do something nasty, violent, and frankly impossible to/with Castinus more personal anatomy.

Countless Pathfinders stand ready in a large stone room deep beneath the Grand Lodge. A ragged tapestry covered in clashing colors and abstract symbols rests on an inclined slab in the center of the room, surrounded by scaffolds and ladders. Scholars frantically rush along the scaffolds, studying a flurry of rips appearing on the tapestry.

A harried oread woman approaches. “I am Master of Spells Sorrina Westyr. I won’t mince words—the situation is dire. This cloth is the famous Hao Jin Tapestry, an ancient relic the Pathfinder Society acquired in the Ruby Phoenix Tournament six years ago. It contains a vast wealth of locations, treasures, and peoples torn from Golarion by the sorceress Hao Jin. We have explored many regions of the tapestry, struggled to keep the Aspis Consortium from turning its populace against us, and devised a means to use the tapestry for fast travel across all of Golarion. But now, it has begun to unravel. We must act quickly to repair the tapestry—and that means sending agents into the demiplane itself. Our former Master of Spells, Aram Zey, knows more about the tapestry than anyone here. He is preparing a formal briefing. In the meantime, familiarize yourself with your team, discuss any previous experience you may have with the Hao Jin Tapestry, and gather what information and resources you can. One more thing, and this is important: you will be able to retreat safely from the tapestry to Absalom. However, we cannot risk damaging the tapestry further by sending groups back and forth. Be sure that you gather everything you need before entering the tapestry, because once you return to Absalom, you will no longer be a part of this mission.”

Preparations:

While you are waiting for the official briefing by Zey, you can engage in any of the following preparations. The group can make a single check for each of the below tasks, though aiding each other is possible, as usual. Don’t take too long discussing, we’re only going to be in this phase one day.

ASSESS THE DAMAGE

Relevant Skills: Appraise, Disable Device, Perception, or Use Magic Device

You inspect the tapestry itself to help discern what might be happening to it.

INTERROGATE THE SNAKES

Relevant Skills: Bluff or Intimidate

You interrogate a group of Aspis Consortium agents recently arrested in Absalom, attempting to discern if the Consortium is infiltrating the tapestry again. The agents insist that the Consortium is not involved.

KNOWLEDGE OF THE WEAVE

Relevant Skills: Diplomacy (gather information) or Knowledge (local or planes)

You recall or gather information about the Hao Jin Tapestry.

SOMETHING IS WATCHING

Relevant Skills: Knowledge (arcana or planes), Perception, Sense Motive, or Spellcraft

You get a strange feeling of being watched and investigate to determine what is going on.

SUPPLY CHECK

Relevant Skills: Appraise, Craft (any relevant skill), Knowledge (arcana), or Profession (any relevant skill)

You assess the repair team’s supplies, including climbing gear, traveling gear, food and drink, and supplies for magic rituals.

TALES FROM THE TAPESTRY

Relevant Skills: Diplomacy, Knowledge (history), or Perform

You briefly swap tales of the Pathfinder Society’s previous adventures in the tapestry.

TRAVEL TIPS

Relevant Skills: Knowledge (geography or nature), Profession (any relevant profession), or Survival

You share tips for navigating and surviving a variety of terrains.

Ok...I know that's both an info dump and a lot of things to do but I'll take the best results from each set of skills for each check. Feel free to do all the checks in one post and give a little in character description of what you're doing instead of posting a post for each action.

Hayden's highest relevant skills are Knowledge, Nature at +5, Spellcraft at +5, and Sense Motive at +4. He's not really a skill guy, so he might just be aiding.

GM, can we use different skills to aid the primary roller? For instance, when doing Assess the Damage, can Hayden use Perception or aid someone doing UMD, or does it have to be the same skill to aid?

GM, can we use different skills to aid the primary roller? For instance, when doing Assess the Damage, can Hayden use Perception or aid someone doing UMD, or does it have to be the same skill to aid?

It has to be the same skill.

Let's get this party started, lots of rolls incoming. I'm using my highest bonus's for the primary and the lower ones to attempt to aid someone.

I do all the things.

ASSESS THE DAMAGE
Relevant Skills: Appraise, Disable Device, Perception, or Use Magic Device
UMD: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

INTERROGATE THE SNAKES
Relevant Skills: Bluff or Intimidate
Intimidate (aid): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

KNOWLEDGE OF THE WEAVE
Relevant Skills: Diplomacy (gather information) or Knowledge (local or planes)
Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

SOMETHING IS WATCHING
Relevant Skills: Knowledge (arcana or planes), Perception, Sense Motive, or Spellcraft
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

SUPPLY CHECK
Relevant Skills: Appraise, Craft (any relevant skill), Knowledge (arcana), or Profession (any relevant skill)
Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

TALES FROM THE TAPESTRY
Relevant Skills: Diplomacy, Knowledge (history), or Perform
Diplomacy (aid): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

TRAVEL TIPS
Relevant Skills: Knowledge (geography or nature), Profession (any relevant profession), or Survival
Survival (aid): 1d20 ⇒ 19

I share all of the information I learned with the rest of the party.

Bocke's best skills are WIS-based: Perception +6 and Sense Motive +7. If anyone has better modifiers, I'll aid. Otherwise, I can be primary for Assess or Watching.

Perception (+6):

Sense Motive (+7):

Knowledge (arcana) (+4):

Survival (+3):

Intimidate (+1):

Bluff (+0):

Diplomacy (+0):

Svartill, can I suggest rolling back your ASSESS THE DAMAGE roll?
UMD is tough to aid on and I have a +10 to perception, which everyone can aid on.
perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

INTERROGATE THE SNAKES
I have +3 to intimidate against evil creatures but Castinus has a +6 to bluff.
aid another, bluff: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

KNOWLEDGE OF THE WEAVE
Svartil, you migth want to rethink that.
Castinus could roll diplomacy with inspiration and we could all aid. With Knowledge (local) the best you can get is one aid.

SOMETHING IS WATCHING
Again, Spellcraft is a trained skill.
I could roll perception (with a +10) and everyone could aid.
perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

SUPPLY CHECK
Arcana seems like a good call. I cannot aid on this one.

TALES FROM THE TAPESTRY
another chance for Castinus to use inspiration?
diplomacy (aid): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

TRAVEL TIPS
I think I have the best Survival, everyone can aid.
survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

I'll let you know, you guys have gotten the best results possible for every task except Interrogate the Snakes and Tales From the Tapestry.

Svartill, can I suggest rolling back your ASSESS THE DAMAGE roll?

UMD is tough to aid on and I have a +10 to perception, which everyone can aid on.

I understand, but you realize I already hit the max DC for that and we don't really need to worry about it further. The only couple we are mising (which are not my strong suits) are: INTERROGATE THE SNAKES, TALES FROM THE TAPESTRY, and TRAVEL TIPS. Of the ones I was taking primary, I hit the max DCs and the ones I was aiding in, I failed to aid except for the travel one using survival.

Castinus aids the others, too, but takes the lead on two of the tasks:

INTERROGATE THE SNAKES, Intimidate, free inspiration, 1 x aid: 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 6 + (4) + 2 = 24

TALES FROM THE TAPESTRY, Intimidate, free inspiration, 1 x aid: 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 6 + (3) + 2 = 23

The group rushes from one task to another, knowing that preparation is the key to success in such an important missions. Svartill takes the lead on most of the challenges but Castinus throws his proverbial weight around in a couple situations and others help out.

Reviewing the damage to the tapestry you notice that the largest holes appear around six of the regions that Pathfinder agents visited in the past few years and that it is radiating warmth.

Despite the tapestry’s warmth, there are spots around the largest tears that are chill as a grave.

Once during the adventure, when the group encounters one or more undead opponents, the group can activate this reward to grant the PCs a +4 bonus on their initiative checks for that encounter.

Aggressively interrogating the Aspsis agents causes you to believe the Consortium agents when they say they haven't been in recently. The agents reveal that the Aspis Consortium recently tried to re-infiltrate the tapestry, but it was too unstable and they could not gain entry. You also gain information about the Consortium’s past dealings with groups in the tapestry.

Once during the adventure, one PC can gain a +2 bonus to a Charisma-based skill check made when interacting with a creature in the tapestry and can roll twice and take the better result (in addition to gaining the +2 bonus).

As a group you recall that many regions in the tapestry are pulled directly from Golarion. However, most of its denizens have lived in the tapestry for their entire lives, and some can trace back many generations to ancestors who lived on the tapestry as well.

Once during the adventure, one PC can reroll any one d20 roll.

While doing your investigations, you get a strange feeling of being watched and investigate to determine what is going on.

You feel suddenly anxious and detect a malicious presence. Before fighting it off, you sense its intentions: to feed on the chaos and death in the tapestry.

Once during this adventure before attempting a Will save, one PC can roll twice and choose the better result.

You give the repair team a little support and guidance when it comes to choosing and packing their supplies.

The repair team, grateful for the your aid, provides each of you with a potion of cure serious wounds. They also provides each of you with an additional 1st level potion of your choice that does not have an expensive material component (please indicate the desired potion in the discussion tab. And the repair team is supplied well enough to set up a rudimentary shop in the Hao Jin Tapestry. Between encounters, you may purchase items from the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook or Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Equipment with a price of 1,500 gp or less.

Castinus starts to threaten some of his fellow Pathfinders before realizing it's nice to be nice and chats them up, instead, briefly swapping tales of the Pathfinder Society’s previous adventures in the tapestry.

You recall several stories of Pathfinder agents adventuring in the tapestry and dealing with all manner of different peoples and creatures, from ratfolk and lizardfolk to ancient mummies and manipulative demons.

Each time the PCs attempt a Knowledge check to identify a creature in the tapestry, one PC can choose to gain a +2 bonus on the check. Once during the scenario, each PC can treat their result as they had rolled a 20. Alternatively, the PC may gain the benefits of the DC15 result while treating the Knowledge skill as trained.

Finally, you share tips for navigating and surviving a variety of terrains with both your group and the Pathfinders around..

You recall the various terrain types from the Pathfinder Society’s previous adventures in the tapestry: buildings, caves and tunnels, ancient ruins, mountains, and deserts. Many more are known to exist within the tapestry as well and share advice for dealing with different terrains.

Once during the adventure, each PC can choose to re-roll a failed skill check made as part of their movement (such as Acrobatics, Climb, or Fly).

The knight slaps Svartill and Castinus hard on the back. "Good work! I have great faith in the both of you!"

Edit: Just realized that we already hit them all. oh well. These are going to stay because I took the time to write them all!

ASSESS THE DAMAGE
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

INTERROGATE THE SNAKES
Intimidate: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

KNOWLEDGE OF THE WEAVE
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

SOMETHING IS WATCHING
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

SUPPLY CHECK
Know Arcana: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

TALES FROM THE TAPESTRY
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

TRAVEL TIPS
Survival: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

**OVERSEER ANNOUNCEMENT**

Aram Zey cries out in alarm as a massive rip appears in the Hao Jin Tapestry. A silvery void dances within the breach. “The rifts are widening—we’re running out of time! Quickly, Pathfinders. Finish your preparations and gather around the tapestry.”

Aram Zey’s gaze remains fixed on the tapestry as he addresses the crowd around him. He is harried and pale, with dark bags under his bloodshot eyes. His hands tremble slightly as he sets a mug of coffee down on a table already littered with empty cups. “Pathfinders, the Hao Jin Tapestry is falling to pieces. Both the physical object you see before you and the mystical realm it contains have been unraveling for several months, possibly even longer. My only hope is that there is still time to save the tapestry
and those who live inside.”

The former Master of Spells glares at the tapestry for a moment, and then a new rip catches his attention. He jabs a finger at the frayed fabric. “There! You see? The degradation is causing—or perhaps caused by—rifts to the Astral Plane that are appearing throughout the demiplane. Fixing these tears is not as simple as stitching fabric or performing a few rituals. We must enter the tapestry itself, find the rifts, and repair them as best we can. But the tapestry is in chaos—undead horrors are emerging throughout the demiplane, and we do not quite understand why. On top of that, the people and creatures of the tapestry are reacting to the chaos, and they are only making matters worse! That, Pathfinders, is where you come in.”

Aram Zey finally turns to face the crowd gathered around him. “The tapestry is a massive realm, and we have spent years exploring it and using it for travel. I fear that our activities are at least partly responsible for the degradation. I don’t think it’s a coincidence many of the six most damaged areas of the tapestry are sites of previous Pathfinder missions.” Zey’s face twists into a pained expression, “My efforts to repair the demiplane over the course of the last several days have met with nothing but failure. The decline continues to accelerate. I have no choice but to send you into the tapestry to deal with the chaos around these six sites. I’ll be sending in other teams to perform the laborious work of patching the rifts once you’ve established control of the situation. Then I can work on a permanent solution. Time is of the essence. By my estimates, in a little over two day’s time, the entire demiplane will collapse without your efforts. I don’t care what motivates you, whether you want to preserve powerful artifacts, save innocent lives, or be a good Pathfinder—get in there and get the job done.”

Aram Zey returns his gaze to the tapestry, raising his hand to his forehead and wincing in pain. In a low grumble, he adds, “You all are this demiplane’s last hope. Don’t let them down.”

Table GMs, please begin Part 2.

Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch approaches to provide additional briefing.

“As Aram Zey said, we have identified the six most damaged areas of the tapestry. Unfortunately, each of these areas is populated. In some of them, you’ll find allies who require aid, and in others long-time foes that would thwart our efforts. We must defeat these foes or win them over to our side. Choose your missions carefully! If you have visited the tapestry before, its people are likely to remember you, for good or ill.

“I do have one piece of good news—the tapestry’s attempts to repair itself have caused loose threads from these six locations to connect to each other. What that means for you is that traveling between those locations once you’re inside should be straightforward. Advance scouts tell us these connections look like bridges made of tattered fabric decorated to resemble the two locations in the tapestry that the bridge connects.

“As for getting back home, when you enter, you’ll leave a little blue portal behind you. It’s called an astral eddy, and it’s your personal connection to the Material Plane. Walk back into it, and you’ll reappear in Absalom. Once you’ve come home, though, we won’t be sending you back in.

“You have two days to complete as many missions as you can, but don’t be so hasty that you throw away your lives. Take the time to rest if you find a safe place.”

See Slide 3 for descriptions of each mission. First one that gets 2 votes is where we’ll start.

Bocke votes for

1d6 ⇒ 6

Mission 6, Mystical Fountain is go!

Quensha always chooses the most intriguing option.

And that's 2! Here we go.

Pathfinders enter the tapestry in waves. When you have made your choice and approach, you are given a password. Reaching out to touch the tapestry, your hand is cold then burning hot for a moment before you abruptly find yourself...somewhere else.

Nestled in the center of a serene woodland valley, this small lake bed is devoid of water. At its center, a dozen humanoid turtles lie on their backs, alive but unable to move. To the north, a ravine leads to a small temple on a rocky hilltop.

"It's not a trick! Please help!" they call out, not quite in unison.

It's a Knowledge (Nature) check to identify the creatures. Let me know what other information you'd like to know from the check.

Know nature: 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (15) + 6 + (5) = 26

Castinus muses the scene ahead, hand on chin...he is trying to understand whether these talking turtles are naturally approachable or aggressive, and what attacks they might have.

Being as this is my first trip through the tapestry, I marvel at the immense amount of power I have just witnessed in not only creating this place but transporting us here as well.

"I'm at a loss for words..."

"Wait, what was that I heard? Some things need help? What are those?"

Hayden shivers as he steps through the tapestry. He wasn't sur eif it was his imagination of the cold or not.

He steps to the edge dry lake, seeing the turtles in distress. "Hang on! We'll be there in a moment. What happened?" He looks to Castinus who seems to be considering the situation. "Come on, they said a magical water source stopped. Is it too hard to imagine it fed the lake?"

The older knight steps out on to the lake bed, looking back at Castinus for a moment before he begins limping towards the turtles. Castinus feels the familiar push on his lifeforce as Hayden literally puts his life in the man's hands. He yells over his shoulder. "Don't be surprised, you reckless fool. Just don't kill us both."

Hayden has a move of 15, so it'll take him a while if they're going to ambush him. Lifelink on Castinus.

Castinus recognizes the creatures as Kappas - turtle like amphibious humanoids that are known for playing pranks...which is probably why they were so eager to assure the party that they are not tricking them now.

Also of interest are the unusual bowl shaped depressions on their heads. These are normally filled with water from their home body of water, all now empty. What is most unusual about those bowls is the fact that if they are emptied, the Kappa is all but helpless, able to take a few, weak actions but unable to move from the spot where they are. Currently, all the bowls of all the Kappas are empty. They are resistant to cold and acid.

"That stupid, mean dragon stopped the water flowing to this lake! When we told her how stupid that was, she knocked us over and left us like this!" the kappas explain, each in a slightly different way and pace that means it requires concentration to figure out the story.

Bocke searches through his items to look for a flask of water.

Can I assume to have one although not spelled out, or is this something I should have explicitly purchased?

Bocke searches through his items to look for a flask of water.

Can I assume to have one although not spelled out, or is this something I should have explicitly purchased?

Technically, I would at least want you to have purchased a waterskin (I would assume you filled it up before you set out) but I'm not going to hold things up too much if no one happens to have a water source.

Are there little puddles left over where Bocke could scoop out some water with his hands and at least fill their bowls part way? If so, Bocke will do that. And write down "waterskin" on his shopping list.