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Each of you is in the city of Sakakabe, (Minkai, Tian Xia). You have been here for at least a few weeks, more likely months, helping Venture-Captain Amara Li create a new Pathfinder Lodge. Your work likely was dependent on specialties. Some may have done the legwork, actual construction and the like, while others sought permits and navigated bureaucracy, or even secured and researched relics from abroad.
Today, however, your many days of rote work give way to a proper Pathfinder mission! Messengers found you to bid you meet Amara Li at the Kiniro Kyomai Teahouse. After several hours, she has yet to arrive. But your fellow agents are here, also enjoying fine food and samisen-lute performances by the local geishas.
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A young female halfling watches the performances rapt at the hauting sounds of the samisen.She struggles to remain seated, trying to imitate the sitting down position of the locals. From time to time she brings into her mouth, at least for her, the rather odd food. She addresses the nearest person to her while she chews, grains of rice visible on her teeth and lips.
Hello there!, she says with an easy smile. My name is Vilkik Birdsong. I don't recall seeing you before, but then again, I'm really bad with faces.
We were supposed to be here on a mission, but all we've done is builing and paperwork and no aventure whatsoever!, she blows a strand of hair from her brow.
Now we're here at the request of the venture-captain and they're not here yet!
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Eventually, in rushes Venture-Captain Amara Li. Her haste is unusual, but then again so is the lateness. "My apologies, Pathfinders. I was stalled in preparing your provisions for this undertaking." She gestures out a window in your booth to a mule-drawn carriage. Even now it is being loaded with supplies by several workers. "But even so, your time is valuable, and I have no excuses.
"I fear that misfortune may have struck some of your fellow agents. I hope that you can help them return here to safety, but I fear the task I have to request of you may instead center around recovering what you can from your fallen allies and, if it is safe to do so, completing the mission in their stead." She looks at all present, hoping the gravity of the situation is recognized.
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A powerfully built human sits at the table near the others, eating quietly. As he lifts another bite, the news of fallen Pathfinders causes him to freeze in place for a moment, before setting the food back down on the plate. He remains sitting but turns his head to the Venture-Captain. "Rescue and recovery. I have some experience with missions of this nature. I would be glad to help."
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"Last year, I received a donation of relics from Taldor," Amara begins. Even if you haven't been around any artifacts she has brought in, it is widely known she has sought many originally from Minkai to keep in its new Lodge. "The route is lengthy and complicated, so I will spare you unnecessary details. A caravan carrying the relics safely arrived in Hongal to the north, where it met up with a pair of Pathfinder agents, Lin Po and Ti Lan. These agents inspected the cargo, sent me a missive indicating that all was in order, and joined a second caravan to take the Spirit Road through the Forest of Spirits. The journey is understandably long, taking over two months to complete. Still, the caravan is late, and I fear that they may have run into trouble along the way. They were supposed to reach Sakakabe two weeks ago." The Venture-Captain's composure slips ever so slightly for a moment. She then squares back up and launches into further explanation.
"While it’s possible that they were waylaid in the northernmost parts of Minkai, I believe it’s far more likely that they ran into trouble in the Forest of Spirits, a mystical place that shelters departed souls and most of the world’s kami. Kami are spiritual guardians with a deep connection to certain living locations or living things. The locals pay great respect to the kami, never intruding further into the forest than their one coastal road, the Spirit Road, and a number of small settlements built around shrines. This should make tracking the caravan simple, since there’s only a single road along which they should have had to rest or resupply at some point. I need you to check each of the roadside settlements until you find the last one to have seen the caravan, then track it from there and figure out what happened.
"Be sure to respect the kami and the local traditions honoring them; I don’t want you to come to harm in your journey. The kami are mostly benevolent, so long as they receive the proper respect, but there are some dangers that might have harried the caravan. Bandits, hobgoblins, and giants, among other creatures, dwell within the forest. The forest also hosts some aggressive plants and animals, not to mention malign spirits such as the oni, the sworn enemies of the kami. The locals will know more than I of what perils to expect."
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"Previous owners would take time to dredge up the records on, but I do have a cargo manifest. I do not believe any bear special powers." Amara produces a long sheet of parchment, and is about to hand it to Sun Fire before passing to someone else just in case.
"Yes, they were housed in Taldor. Most were in museums and left to be ogled, rather than studied. But we paid well for them, and so I assume that is where their history in Avistan ends. I doubt any would be so foolish as to pay to have them stolen back."
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Used to not being trusted with important documents Sun Fire Boom Boom looks over the shoulder of his companions at the list instead.
Midway through though he notices Grumzuk "Hi, Grum.. Sun Fire Boom Boom here, we're gonna rescue some relics and Pathfinders, or remains there of from the Spirit Road."
Sun Fire will sing Vilkik Birdsong a little song though.
Vilkik sing
and Vilkik fight
Vilkik remember
lots tonight.
The GM might rule that you can't use this ability if the act of encouraging your ally would interfere with the skill check (such as a check to Sneak quietly or maintain a disguise).
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"The relics should have nowhere near the import to prompt an attack by a rival of ours. Certainly not the Aspis, even. They have cut back their activities, and we hardly saw them around here to begin with.
"The caravan leader, I have not met. But he came highly recommended and is allegedly professional. Trusted by people I trust. As for our agents...Lin Po is a short and heavy man, often shaven and smiling. His partner Ti Lan is much taller, noticeably athletic, she rarely smiles but does mean well."
Vilkik has heard tell of the Forest of Spirits during her time in Sakakabe. The woods are host to many benign spirits, mostly kami. Such beings take many forms, but often must communicate through possession. Such a takeover should only share memories and will not overpower the host's control over themselves.
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"Yes, Sun Fire; I have eaten and fought and remembered some,", Vilkik says with a smile at Sun Fire Boom Boom's song. She turns to the others. "The forest is home to mostly benign spirits, of many different forms. If they wish to communicate with us, it is through possession, but fear not. We'd only share memories, it's not a total loss of control. Although..." she trails off, "I'd imagine it still is unpleasant.", she finishes with a slight wince.
"Venture-Captain Li, how far away is it and when would we leave?"
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"It would be best to leave immediately," Amara replies. "Barring any purchases or arrangements you have to make. Sadly, it will take up to several weeks of travel for you to reach the Forest of Spirits. My apologies for that, but I see no other option. I'm sure you are already bored enough with the rote labor of the past few weeks."
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"In that case, you'd best go soon," Amara Li says with a grim smile. "My thanks again for taking this mission. There should be food and other supplies to last you both legs of the journey. And I had the cart specifically drawn by mules, just in case." She casts a glance at the assembled goblins.
The journey stretches nearly three weeks before any events of note. At least it gives your company as much time to converse as you'd like! The wagon makes good time over a road on the plain en route to the Forest of Spirits. Other passersby are few, and the fewer still who speak Taldane are friendly, but unable to point you towards your quarry. Entering the forest proper, it becomes clear as a place of great natural energy. A blanket of snow covers the floor. It is untouched by the many small animals, even as you watch them walk across it in their efforts to avoid you.
Not long into your trek through the forest, a patch thins. It is exposed to the Osogen Grasslands. This patch, no longer choked with trees and other vegetation, is taken up by a quaint settlement. One woman among several holding hands outside a bamboo hut stands up. She calls out to you in decent Taldane. "Welcome to Basaru, travelers! What brings you along this way?"
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"We are fortunate enough to see many caravans," the woman replies. "Come along, let us ask my friends. You are among my friends now as well. We have extra food for you, not like you would get on the road." In the middle of her circle lies several townsfolk, who she walks back to, eyes downcast. "Some of us have grown sick. Whether by the early winter or an oni's influence, our efforts have done little.
"Please, join us in beseeching the kami for aid. Or perhaps those trickster spirits sent you to our side themselves?"
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"The caravan we are looking for would have had to humans, one that is short and shaven, and one that is athletic and doesn't smile much. Have you seen anyone like that?" Riff asks as he eats some of the food.
After he eats, Riff grabs his trumpet. "I will play a song for you and your kami! Maybe then they will help you feel better, and help us find the caravan." Riff says, smiling. He is hoping to build rapport with the townspeople through music.
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You take about an hour to examine the ailing townsfolk and socialize. You aren't entirely certain what's wrong with them, but some catchall medical techniques see several feeling a bit better. Everyone is taking a shine to you, offering good food and chattering away despite most only speaking Tien.
Your friendly guide has asked around, and has found a few who remember the Pathfinder caravan. It has taken a while, though - these villagers prove incredibly easy to distract. She is about to start translating when screams erupt from around the corner!
Men and women run from a group of strange little creatures bearing knives. Two are purple, three are blue. They look a bit like goblins with their short, hunched-over stature and pointed ears.
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Riff follows his fellow goblin's lead, taunting the same squat creature. He then hurls a snowball at it with his magic. But he is far off the mark on both counts.
Both purple fey run into the fray. One tries to stab Sun Fire Boom Boom in retaliation, while the other goes for a now-surrounded Vilkik. The halfling is dealt a nasty wound, the goblin a lesser one!
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"Oh, no you don't. Shame on you!", Vilkik yells as she gives the fey attacking Sun Fire a withering look.
She then screams as the pink fey rips into her, causing a nasty wound. "Cayden, give me strength to protect my friends!", she gasps as she draws her sword and strikes at the pink fey.
Swinging, she lets out a whimper and focusing she touches her wound.
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Grumzuk runs toward the left side of Sun Fire Boom Boom. He takes out a lesser acid flask and throws it toward the left blue fey with his quick bomber ability.
[color=#0000ff] damage: 1 acid damage + 1d6 perstistent acid damage + 1 acid splash damage [/color]
He then returns to the back of the group, where he began.