The adventure begins in Starrise Spire, the shining fortress that serves as the Pathfinder Society’s lodge in Nerosyan. All of you were already staying at the lodge before the beginning of this adventure. An urgent matter intercedes with their plans. Venture Captain Jorsal of Lauterbury gathers you all in his office.
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Leyten strolls in. He's wearing a new burgundy cloak with a bright ocher trim - and, for once, his face is not hidden within a cloak's hood. He is obviously less self-conscious about or ashamed of his scars. Streaks of silver-grey run through his closely cropped black hair.
Over the past few days, Leyten's companions have noticed a growing optimism in the kineticist's manner. The group's successes and comradeship seem to opened a crack in the cynical facade.
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While the barbarian has not spent time around the lodge, there is little doubt he is happy to be 'home'. Upon their return and debrief, Osten gathered his gear and headed out of town. "Ain't seen nothin' but sky fer too long. Gonna remind myself what a tree looks like, maybe a creek. And beer...lots of beer."
He thought of inviting the others, but was grateful when they all had other plans. Leyton woulda been okay, but the old bird would have driven me mad. And then there's 'Dahni. Girl like that ain't gonna want nothin' ta do with a guy like me. Hell, I'm not even sure she can BE with a guy like me. Still, woulda been nice to share the stars, a bottle and a blanket with her.
A week or so seemed to be enough time to reacclimate to the rules, laws and 'rightness' of his home plane. He stalked through the streets, making his way back to the Spire.
He received the missive just after he settled in to his quarters. No rest for the wicked, eh? He donned his armor, grabbed his ax and headed down stairs.
Keen ears pick up a conversation about a cloak. Osten's heart skips a beat. Damn! Thought I might be over her. He gets to the base of the stairs and he stops mid-stride. Hearing the lilt in her voice was one thing, but seeing the sparkle in her eyes, the way her hair hung on her shoulders? These were something else all together. For a moment, he cannot breath. His heart races.
He then sees how she rests her hand on Leyton's arm. The hopeless reality he will never be with this woman twists his heart. Yep. This is gonna suck. His mood sours as he crosses toward the offices. "If you two are done fawnin' over the latest fashions, Captain Jorsal's waitin' on us."
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Not even thinking about the effect she has on men, Laafdahni turns at the sound of Osten's voice and greets him with genuine warmth and enthusiasm. "Osten! It is so good to see you. I was quite pleased to hear that you would be joining this mission." She looks him up and down. "You look like you have spent your time well." Her eyes twinkle conspiratorially and her hand, which had so recently rested on Leyton's arm, now flows across the space between them to alight on Osten's.
"I am curious to see if Lekki will make it. His name is on the list, but...I never know what to expect from him. His skills were useful during our last assignment, though." She shakes her head, her ponytail of thin braids sweeping across the back of her deep indigo neck. Despite her misgivings about his reliability, she can't help but like the amusing old bird.
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Leyten responds to Laafdahni, "I've been... well! Been enjoying walking instead of flying, for one thing, and then..."
He pauses as Osten enters, and he can't help but smile. "Fashion can be very important, Osten," he says drolly.
"It's a shame that Rumble won't be joining us this time... Lekki, I said IT'S A SHAME RUMBLE ISN'T HERE."
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The old bird, Lekki waltzes in right on queue, slowly waddling his way into the room beside the kineticist. He looks around the room, slouching, and lets out a loud yawn. "Y...y...yaaaaawwwwwwn!" His lanky arms go stretching, which at their full length barely meet the length of Osten's greataxe. He is extremely relaxed, as if he has come from a long holiday - this fact supported by his slightly tanned feathers. "I don't FUMBLE around, thank you very much Mr Krovt! Eyyyyy!"
He smiles at Laafdahni, "Did you do something new with your hair?" he slumps down, "I was enjoying a well deserved holiday at a retreat in Razmir. Ohhhhhh there was nice sun, and good weather! They only flogged me twice - Razmiran is such a great place - maybe we could all visit some time!"
"Anyways, what are we here for?"
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..."They only flogged me twice"?! How could he survive such treatment? He looks so frail. Laafdahni's limpid eyes are full of concern for Lekki, despite his relaxed demeanor. She gives him a sweet, somewhat sad smile and bends down to give him a gentle hug, enunciating clearly and loudly into his ear: "It is good to see you, Lekki." ...in one piece.
“Greetings Pathfinders!” This salutation comes from Venture- Captain Jorsal of Lauterbury, a powerfully built Garundi man with keen eyes and a calming demeanor. “Over the last several months, I have been working on the Society’s behalf to assist a group of Sarkorian refugees in preparing for the long trek from Iobaria back to their homeland. With the Worldwound closed, these Sarkorians may just be able to make a new life for themselves in the lands of their ancestors.”
Jorsal 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.”
The Note:
Sir Jorsal,
On behalf of the Farheavens I want to th––k you for assisting us with the ––––––––––. Unfortunately, an unex–––––– issue prevents us from ––––––– out. The Finadar Forest is aflame, and the fire threatens to ––––––– Mishkar. A tribe of goblins –––– –––––– to be –––––––––– –––––– –– the fire. Please send aid quickly to help contain this threat to the region!
Do you have any questions?
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"No offense, but what am I supposed to do? Chop the fire? Surely the Pathfinders have wizards who can open portals to water or druids to make it rain." He holds up his hands in recognition of the Captain's impending explanation of the lack of personnel and/or resources. "Okay, I get it, we're all ya got. Sounds like were gonna need some protection from smoke and fire, as well as some way to put it out."
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Laafdahni thinks over her spells. While her bloodline is of the perfect type to counter fire, unfortunately she doesn't know any spell to create water to put out fires. Her brow furrows slightly as she considers what to do. "Hmm... I think the primary issue we are being sent to solve is the cause of the fires. If the entire forest is ablaze, there is not much we could do aside from joining their fire brigade. However, if these goblins are maintaining the fires, we must first neutralize that threat."
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With a tired sigh, "I'm guessin' that the little runts makin' all the fires don't really care what or WHO they'll be burnin'. Bein' the ones to get 'em to stop means we will be their next target. So, some kind of protection. If' they're hidin' in holes underground, they may not care what's burnin' above. Smoke goes up, no down. Just tryin' to make sure we cover all the problems."
Osten you are correct. “The blood pines of Finadar Forest are famously flammable. If there are goblins lighting fires in Mishkar, things might get a bit…exciting. Be prepared for heat and smoke.”"
“They can be pests wherever they show up, which is nearly everywhere, but the Farheavens clan is currently protected by their deity Dolok Darkfur. It’s surprising that goblins would pose much of a threat.”
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After listening carefully, just to make sure he gets all of the information right, he sighs, "Ahhh yes. Goblins and their flames - never ends well! I agree with Laafhahni, goblins are not organised to do so much damage by themselves. Just to clarify...where exactly are you sending us? And Nelket- she sounds familiar - has rhe society worked with her before?"
Dolok Darkfur, a powerful eidolon who takes the form of a colorful feathered bear.
tree with scarlet needles.
keep these fires from growing out of control.
conjurers who used the trees as fuel for rituals designed to
bring immense beings of elemental fire into the world.
"Lekki you are going to Mishkar. Any other questions?"
"If you have none, then you have an hour prepare and gather supplies."
He gives each of you a potion of resist energy (fire) and two week’s worth of trail rations.
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The information Laafdahni can recall about the area and its people is superficial and scant at best. The possibility that some more powerful entity is the driving force behind the goblin trouble has her wondering what exactly they will encounter on this mission. After thinking for a few moments, she queries: "What sorts of trouble has this area had in recent history?"
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The old bird nods along, watching the expressions of the group. Seeing how uneasy everyone is, he offers some more information. "Ohhhhh, it will be fine! I remember reading something about the place once. Let me see... Oh yes! A few obscure legends hint that the blood pines of Finadar were carefully cultivated in a past age by cyclops conjurers who used the trees as fuel for rituals designed to bring immense beings of elemental fire into the world! Be sure to pack some fire blankets!"
Ready to go.
"It's Cold Iron for demons." the Venture Capetian responds to Osten.
You return to Starrise Spire to meet with the venture-captain. Venture-Captain Jorsal warns you that the wizard he was able to procure on short notice with knowledge of Mishkar and the ability to reliably activate a scroll of teleport is too old and frail to spend long in smoky air. As a result, the wizard will not be able to remain and assist them against the flames.
The wizard is a frail looking human who leans heavily on his staff, and breaths shallowly and quickly.
Your teleportation deposits them on target. You arrive a few hundred feet outside of Mishkar, next to a large sign bearing the city’s name.
A smoky, orange-tinted haze fills the air, dimming the sun and scattering its rays into an orange halo.
Since there are too many of you to travel in a single casting of teleport, the wizard uses several scrolls to travel back and forth. Each time he casts the spell, his voice grows raspier.
Once all of you have reached their destination, the wizard apologizes for not being as spry as he once was. After a brief bow and a hacking cough, he teleports back to Nerosyan.
As you arrive on the edge of Mishkar, they hear the sounds of a town in chaos. Frantic townsfolk have formed water brigades pulling water from the town’s central well and dousing houses, both to drown patches of fire and to protect the buildings from further scorching.
Roiling clouds of smoke from a massive forest fire darken the sky and dim the sun’s light. Utter chaos reigns as humans and goblins dart back and forth between the fire and a town, carrying buckets of water to douse buildings or stoking fire breaks to keep the massive conflagration from spreading into town. The signs of recent battle mar the buildings and many of those fighting the conflagration bear the marks of conflict in the form of bloody bandages or pained limps. Across a large field from the village’s southern edge, a hastily erected encampment bustles with the clopping hooves of numerous centaurs.
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Laafdahni is confused. "Wait...Am I seeing this correctly? Are goblins helping to fight the fires? If so, perhaps the intent of the damaged message was grossly misunderstood!" She begins striding towards the back end of the action, her footsteps flowing fluidly over the ash-flecked ground. She is intent on getting answers, or at least being pointed in the right direction.
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"Oooooohhhh my! What happened here?" The old bird looks anxiously at the mess unfolding before his old eyes. He rubs then once, and then a second time. He read's Laafdahni's lips, and nods along - "I think you are right, young lady. Oooooh, it looks like the goblins are helping to light the fires!" He gets into a defensive stance, and begins to take a defensive stance. "Does anyone have a bucket?"
Lekki wanders over to Osten and looks deep into his eyes. "You will need this for when the goblins start casting spells." He implants gift of will mesmerist trick into the barbarian, if he accepts it.
The bird will follow the group to wherever they decide to go, hurrying behind them towards the centaurs and the encampment.
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What in the Nine Hells is the crazy old bird up to now? The barbarian watches closely as the tengu imparts his magic. I must be crazy to trust this old coot. Remembering the earlier comment, Osten leans over to look Lekki directly to his face. He points to his own lips as he says, "No killing the goblins until Dahni says so."
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A warm, amused chuckle trips from Laafdahni's lips like crystal clear water tumbling over smooth river stones as she meets Osten's eyes, thanking him wordlessly for stopping Lekki's potential indiscretion. Gesturing to Lekki for him to follow, she turns to continue making her way toward the centaurs, her thinly braided hair swaying in its ponytail in time to her gait.
We should probably don masks to keep the smoke from our lungs. She muses as the smoke irritatingly tickles her throat.
As the group begins to approach the village, the centaurs gallop forward. They are brandishing weapons and yelling at you. “You are in league with the forest burners, and we will not let you destroy our homes." They look angry, and about to attack you.
Osten Grimhelm: 20
Lekki Pioro: 20
Leyten Krovt: 18
C1-Blue: 15
C2-Yellow: 15
Laafdahni Riverrun: 9
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The irritating smoke causes her to hack and cough uncontrollably for a bit, ruining her attempt at diplomacy.
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Osten unslings his ax, but does not brandish it. "Take care of your next actions. I have too much honor to fall prey to fear as easy as you, horse-man. But I understand what it means to defend one's home. We are not here to burn your stables. Stand down so that we may help. Otherwise, more tragedy will visit your heard this night."
• A successful Bluff or Diplomacy skill check to start convincing the centaurs that the you aren’t from Mishkar, that they are on a mission to
investigate the fires, or other details that make it clear that
the you are not in league with the goblins.
• A successful Intimidate check to start scaring the injured centaurs into retreating from you.
• A successful Knowledge (nature) or Survival check to help put out fires near the centaurs.
• Healing one of the centaur’s wounds.
• Each round during which none of the PCs attacks automatically counts as an attempt to end hostilities.
Healing, casting defensive spells, and other actions that do
not harm a centaur do not count as attacking.
The centaurs throw clubs at the Pathfinders still yelling about them being firestarters and in league with them. Both attacks miss.
Initiative
Osten Grimhelm: 20
Lekki Pioro: 20
Leyten Krovt: 18
C1-Blue: 15
C2-Yellow: 15
Laafdahni Riverrun: 9
The two centuars attack again. Both throwing their clubs at Lekki. They are still yelling about goblins and burning down their home. They both miss as the clubs fly wide.
The centaurs break away after Lekki heals them and returns to their camp.