Thread for running of PFS2E quests.
You arrived yesterday at the Sandswept Hall in Sothis, Osirion, yesterday. You had a chance to meet each other, before being called to a meeting today in the lush gardens surrounding the Pathfinder Lodge with Venture-Captain Norden Balentiir .
The shaded gardens outside the Sandswept Hall provide a welcome respite from the sweltering midday sun. Venture-Captain Norden Balentiir reaches up to one of the date palms overhead, pulling down a bunch of ripe fruit to share with the table. “They’re good for much more than shade, my friends. But I did not call you here to enjoy my garden. A few months ago, I finally received confirmation that we would be able to execute one of the last excavation permits issued by the Osiriani government. The site is a desert location where the dunes have shifted, revealing the beginnings of a staircase leading down beneath the sands."
“The Osiriani government is protective of its cultural history, and with recent changes in their stance on allowing foreign archaeologists to work inside their borders, I wasn’t sure this permit would even stand. The bureaucracy was rather slow this time around, but it turns out we were approved before they stopped issuing permits. I’ve already secured your provisions, including camels, tents, food, water, tools to perform the excavation, and a map to the site. As you know, it may take many weeks to clear the site of debris. The desert can be unforgiving, so don’t hesitate to return here to rest as needed."
“The government has already sent guards to oversee the site and protect against any potential thieves. Remember—keeping up a good reputation in Osirion is vital to the Pathfinder Society’s continued presence here. Don’t antagonize the guards.”
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As the team comes together for breakfast, "Greetings fellow Pathfinders. My name is Jakob, it is a pleasure to meet you all. I'm a retired innkeep turned storyteller. Yourselves?" He helps himself as they wait for their Venture-Captain, making small talk between bites.
The tall, older human male reaches up and plucks a date. "A marvel, keeping enough water flowing to ensure such luxury." He takes a bite of the fruit, "Are there any other laws or protocol we should be aware of? Do we have to declare what we find?"
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"No need for concern, Venture-Captain Norden Balentiir." announces a handsome warrior, his armor well-maintained and his polished blades glistening in the light. "A task, once bestowed upon Pell the Peerless, is as good as done."
"Greetings fellow Pathfinders. My name is Jakob, it is a pleasure to meet you all. I'm a retired innkeep turned storyteller. Yourselves?"
"A storyteller, eh?" Pell smiles. "Then you'll no doubt wish to stick with me, old man, as I assure you that you will have no shortage of dashing tales to tell."
The warrior reaches up and grabs several pieces of ripe fruit from the tree, before placing most of them within his mouth. After chewing for several moments, he adds, "So, when do we depart?"
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”Glad ta see someone who takes pleasure in da craftsmanship of der armor.”
Brogag looks at Peel up and down. ”We make dem tales togeder den.”
Shield slung on his back. Brogag carries a dwarven waraxe on one hand. His chain mail
clangs slightly with each step. His red beard perfectly kept.
”I got a tale. Once had dis crab try to...” Brogag stops and angrily bangs the handle of his axe on the ground. His face showing a hint of rage he continues.
”Dat crab try to make Brogag a meal, but me got mad and smashed it.”
”Jakob, how bout a tale before we go?”
"Our permit will allow us access to whatever you find without having to declare it. I don't think you'll run across any unusual laws, but be wary of any aggressive actions against others that aren't aggressive towards you. You can leave this evening. I'd suggest traveling during evening and early morning to avoid the desert sun and the cold of night. This map should guide you easily to the site from here." He provides you with a map of a fairly straightforward path to the ruin and the Society's permit to explore it.
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"Well enough, we can be peaceable. Lastly, are there any thoughts as to what this may be? Any legends or tales that may hold a clue?" He smiles to the team, "Certainly, I've tales enough to keep us entertained on our way."
As VC Norden finishes answering the teams questions and prep is done, Jakob begins the tale of the abbot and the castellan who bravely a explore an ancient desert tomb... Not unlike what the team is about to do... How the two awake an ancient Pharaoh and the surprisingly humorous turn their adventure takes.
“ We don't have much information about the site. The shifting winds revealed only the top portion of the staircase. What lies beyond it remains a mystery.”
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"Ah, a mystery. A fine reason to travel far from Absalom." The speaker is a shaven-headed elf in undecorated and practical robes whose creases indicate their newness. He bows to the Venture-Captain and the rest of the party. "I am Lo--your pardon. I am called Aeinquel, and I am a practitioner of the arcane arts."
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A red haired dwarf with skin that has the texture of someone fair who has been sunburned enough to be dark sits at a corner of the table at breakfast. He eats methodically but copiously, obviously more for fuel than for taste.
"Ulfgar," he says, tersely as introductions are being made.
After a few more bites he throws in. "Ironhead."
At the briefing, he plucks a single date and chews it slowly. His arms are crossed over his chest and a scowl that seems the only expression he's capable of rests on his face.
Like Brogag, he has a Dwarven Waraxe, wearing it strapped to his back. But instead of a shield, he has a Clan Dagger at his belt. It is obvious the weapon is not for ornamentation and shows the wear and tear of being a tool he's used not only for killing and skinning.
Departing that evening, you have a relatively uneventful trek through the desert following Balentiir's instructions to avoid traveling during the hottest and coldest parts of the day.
When you arrive at the ruin, you see that the entrance to the ruin has been excavated. A canvas fence is secured around the staircase that leads down into the ruin, blocking the sand from undoing the work that appears to have been done. Sitting under a nearby tarp, is an armored woman humming to herself, while keeping watch over the site. Two additional people are lying under the shade of the tarp and four camels are hitched at the site.
As you approach, the woman calls out to you, "Are you more Pathfinders? Nice of you to get here after all the hard labor clearing the entryway was finished."
”We’ve been here for over a month securing the entrance and getting it cleared. The head Pathfinder came last week to start cataloging the ruin’s history. The rest of the agents went home after the sand was cleared away. Do you have a permit to be here?”
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Jakob provides whatever documentation Balentiir shared, or provides any statement of authority. As he does he asks, "A month? Quiet but dreadfully boring labor! Once we've finished we will recommend due compensation for you all. You're time and work are appreciated." He offers since gratitude for the guards work, then asks, "Did you say the head Pathfinder? Odd, we didn't expect him to join us. Was it Venture-Captain Balentiir? Or if you didn't get a name, could you describe the person?"
The woman looks over the permit you were provided. "Yes, that permit will do. He said his name was Nefaram Subeli. Balentiir sounds familiar. I think that's who he said sent him. You can ask him yourself, he's down there working now."
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Ulfgar looks over the dig with an appraising eye. He leans over to look down the steps.
Slowly, his head turns to the guard when she mentions other Pathfinders showing up before them.
His left hand comes to rest on his Clan Dagger, though he doesn't draw it...yet.
He looks around at the other Pathfinders who came with him, giving them a few seconds to prepare then heads down the steps.
Despite what he reached for at the surface, once he gets out of sight of the Osiriani guards, he unlimbers his axe, holding it in his left hand and pulls a javelin out with his right.
He is looking for, and expecting, trouble.
Despite knowing the exploits of many Pathfinders past and present, none of you have heard of a Nefaram Subeli.
Presuming you continue on into the ruin, you make your way down a 10 ft. wide staircase to a room that is dark save for the light coming in from outside. The floors are covered in a thin layer of sand and pillars hold up the ceiling of the 10 ft. high entryway. Several of these pillars are collapsed, while statues around the edges of the room depict scarab beetles. Exits lead south and west from the room, while a doorway to the east has become blocked with the passage of time.
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The elf murmurs a cantrip and sets his staff to glowing. By the witchlight, he studies the walls and statuary. "Ah, yes. Scarab beetles, or as the people of the time called them, 'kheper.' They are commonly associated with tombs, mortuaries, and the like." He sketches some of the statues in a notebook.
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Jakob lights a lantern and holds it high in his left hand, he rests his right hand on the pommel of his sword.
"Perhaps we should try to find this Subeli first? Try to clear up his purpose for being here." He moves cautiously into the tomb looking for anything out of the ordinary. "Is there anyone able to track him?"
Ulfgar sees a number of tracks in the entrance. The tracks primarily lead back and forth to the western exit, while only a single set of tracks crosses the southern exit and does not return.
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Ulfgar cocks his head to the side, slowly swinging his gaze from the western exit to the southern one. His mouth moves as though he were chewing something, yet it's empty. That doesn't stop him from spitting in to the dust after several seconds of contemplation though.
Standing up, he readies axe and javelin again and heads south.
As Ulfgar starts to follow the single set of tracks, he notices it stops just before the arched doorway, continues through the doorway to the other side and stops again. He can’t see where they go from there yet.
Ulfgar spots a pressure plate in the archway that looks like a trap of some kind. A Thievery check can disable it, if you choose to continue in this direction.
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Ulfgar nods in agreement as Brogag speaks about questions. He puts his javelin away long enough to rest a hand on Aeinquel's shoulder, though he has to reach WAY up to do so. It's not exactly friendly but...reassuring.
He leaves his javelin sheathed, for the moment. "Which way?" he asks, looking from the other exit back down at the pressure plate. He slaps his waraxe against his palm, indicating how he would have to deal with the trap if they pick the one with the obvious danger.
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Jakob eyes the pressure plate, "Let's follow our friend's footprints. Seems he wasn't able to disarm the trap either." He motions to the western passage where the trail continues.
"I'm no coward, but I will freely admit my skill with this sword won't be inspiring many tales. With that, who would like to go first? I can follow second or third. I have some minor healing abilities as well."
With darkvision, Ulfgar (and anyone else) can see that the double door directly across from the trap is somewhat open.
There are footprints in the squares where you have identified the trap is.