Little is known of the history of the first human civilization, other than the sad story of its destruction. Myths tell of an ancient war between the Azlanti and a race known as the serpentfolk. The Azlanti are said to have driven their enemies off the face of Golarion and into the Darklands. In the war's final battle, Savith, an Azlanti hero beheaded the serpent god Ydersius in the Darklands realm of Sekamina. It is also rumored that exiles of Azlant founded the empire of Thassilon. Whatever the truth of that Myth, recent rumors of the discovery of a "Lost Island" in the Arcadian Ocean fuel rumors that Azlant has been re-discovered...
Prologue - Absolom - the Grand Lodge
The Pathfinder Society sent out a call for members to become involved in a new Expedition, the details of which are being played close to the vest. You all decide that such an opportunity, especially one this top secret, has to be worth the effort.
After a vigorous interview process to ascertain who among the members of the Society should be sent, and up against at least three dozen other Society Members, you are all chosen.
Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin ushers you into Skyreach, seated within are Master of Scrolls Kreighton Shaine, Master of Spells Aram Zey, and Master of Swords Marcos Farabellus. The Venture Captain starts the panels' commentary.
"You have all been chosen to infiltrate an Expedition being sent by the Andorans to what is rumored to be the Continent of the Azlanti Empire. A Colony has already been set up and this is the first return trip to replenish that Colony.
Azlant is the find of several lifetimes if not the greatest opportunity for an Expedition since Durvin Gest explored Old Azlant. That was a well funded Expedition, this is a Colony. Fantastic resources, reinforcements, a defensible base, and more to come to assist in a delve that could last half of a Human lifetime.
We've no doubt that this Expedition will fill volumes beyond what your group discovers in its initial visit".
Master of Spells speaks next, "Treat this opportunity the way you would any other delve. Take copious notes of the flora and fauna. If you find any items of interest catalogue and retain possession of them. Increasing our expansive knowledge of Azlant is reward enough in itself".
The Master of Scrolls follows up, "Communication, other than whatever means of magical communication you know or discover, with any Lodge should be limited to when you return here to the Grand Lodge. We leave it up to each of you individually to decide how long to stay.
Of course, your ability to leave will be limited by ship availability. No other agents will be sent but your group and we will not send another until at least one of your group returns".
The Master of Swords finishes, "For some odd reason, this consortium has refused to allow any of our member to freely and openly join this follow up Expedition.
Thus, Decemvirate felt it prudent to get agents' into the Colony through deception rather than risk detection attempting to ascertain if the Company had any ulterior motives beside the obvious, greed, by sending a ship of our own to locate this Colony. We are not interested in a fight.
To be clear, we disavow any knowledge that you are being sent as representatives of the Society. Under no circumstances are you to reveal your affiliations with the Society. Is this all understood?" This appears to be a rhetorical question.
No questions seem to be entertained by the panel and your group is shuffled off to a merchant vessel, the Emperor's Blessing a three-masted junk in the Tian Style. The sails themselves are decorated with images of a jade phoenix.
Prologue-Andoran-Almas
The trip to Almas itself is quick and uneventful. The Emperor's Blessing is as fast and well crewed as it is beautiful. In port you lay your eyes on an even larger ship, from the crew you have come to understand that the ship is named the Peregrine. It is a three-masted sailing ship with a spritsail on the bow. The vessel is 100 feet long and 25 feet across at its widest point. There are three decks and the ship and you imagine it can accommodate a cargo whose volume is substantial.
The ship's two boats itself are 20' long and at least 10' wide. Cargo is still being loaded onto the ship and it is a hustle and bustle of frenzied activity getting ready for the trip.
After you dock you all head to the Citadel of the Supreme Elect to sign up for the Expedition. The Citadel of the Supreme Elect is a walled complex that houses the offices and residence of the Supreme Elect, who is the chief executive of the democratic nation of Andoran, and who also serves as the mayor of its capital city, Almas. The small keep stands near the western end of the Field of Concord in the Liberty District of Almas. The citadel is topped by a large copper dome, and guarded by a battalion of Steel Falcons. The House of the Demarchy Assembly, which holds the offices of the ministers who advise the Supreme Elect, is also located within its walls, as are buildings that contain the offices of consuls, ministers, and other state officials.
A wizened old minister named Smedrik records your names in an official log and you are sent to the Shining Sea Inn to stay for a few days before the Expedition ship leaves for parts unknown. Shockingly you are asked point blank by the man whether you were Society Members, whether he believes you are lying or not he nods his head at your responses.
---
The evening before the ship is to set sail you al, and dozens of others present, are addressed by the Leaders of the Expedition including the Captain of the Peregrine including a female human, a human male and female half-elf.
The hall falls silent as the human female begins to speak, her voice amplified by a bit of magic, "Greetings friends and travelers. I am Ramona Avandth designated by the Bountiful Venture Company to make this, the second journey to the Andoran colony, Talmandor’s Bounty.
I will be the person to contact should you have any questions or concerns. I will also the person who is "in charge" of the expedition. I have no wish to be a tyrant or appear overbearing. But. We journey to a far away strange place. I will need you, all of you, to follow my lead. We need to work together to make this a successful venture. Captain".
The human male steps forward, "I am Captain Jacob Markosi Captain of the Peregrine. On my ship of course I give the orders. Still, I shall defer to Ramona on any matters which do not directly impact the well being of my ship. With me here is first mate Naerath.
As the journey begins I am sure we will all get to know one another. BY tomorrow I will have a full manifest of the crew, soldiers, and passengers that will be making the trip. Enjoy this meal and the soft beds that have been procured for you tonight, when we set sail no such luxuries await. The Peregrine is comfortable enough for a pleasure cruise but this is no such things. We will be at maximum capacity from a standpoint of travelers and supplies as we carry not only what we need, but provisions for the colony already in place".
Ramona steps forward again, "Once again congratulations to you all and I hope you are all looking forward to this as I am.
Once we set sail though, the time for questions and doubts is at an end, we will be off and will not return for months at the earliest. If you need to drop, do so tonight that we may find others still in the city to take your place. If you have any concerns, I shall be here in the main Hall to listen to them for tomorrow will be too late".
But what questions can truly be asked that matter? This is the adventure of a lifetime.
Boarding begins the next morning and you all discover that along with "the group" on the journey are the Captain, First Mate, and the Leader of the Expedition who introduced themselves the prior night, as well as:
The Peregrine's Navigator - Tyra Swain (female human),
The Boatswain - Raerg (male half-orc),
Quartermaster - Bean Counter Brady (female halfling),
The ship also has 16 sailors who work the rigging and keep the ship in tip top shape,
Colonial Soldiers numbering 6 who will serve Ramona Avandth,
Colonists numbering 36 who serve a number of functions required to facilitate the building of a community, above those are a few that stand out as having special skills along with all of your own,
Alba Divenvaar - (female dwarf alchemist),
Anya Sandstrider - (Shoanti female human ranger),
Carver Hastings - (male human archaeologist),
Eamon Caranth - (male half-elf cleric of Erastil),
Harcourt Carrolby - (male human aristocrat),
Kurvis Nurpico - (male human cleric of Abadar),
Luetin Calewick - (male human expert),
Lyra Heatherly - (female half-elf ranger),
Perrell Beys - (female human expert).
AZLANT - LAND HO!
After six long weeks, this morning the crew of the Peregrine sighted land to the west. A few hours later, the Peregrine sails into a natural bay with a sandy beach within rowing distance for the ship’s boats. As the crew begins to untie one of the smaller boats to lower it into the water, the sailors pass a spyglass among themselves and finally hand it back to the captain.
Captain Jacob Markosi peers at the island for a moment before grunting and handing the spyglass to expedition leader Ramona Avandth. “You should see this,” he says quietly.
Ramona accepts the spyglass and peers toward the shore. When she lowers the scope, she is clearly distressed but trying to hide her worry. She approaches and motions toward the far side of the deck, away from where most of the other colonists have congregated. “Can I have a word with all of you?” she asks.
Neziana is covered neck to foot in well-crafted leather armor. She's wearing an estoc on one hip, a large rapier the size of a bastard sword and got a cestus around one hand. Her purple eyes are alien and her dark hair is naturally streaked with red, clearly marking the outsider blood in her veins. "Sure ma'am, what do you need? What did you see?" Neziana responds respectfully.
Maka is enjoying the refreshing sea breeze on his face when he's called by the woman in charge of the expedition, Ramona. For a moment, he's worried that their cover might have been discovered, but then he realises the summoning happened after using the spyglass to watch the settlement. "There must have happened something there" he thinks while walking steadily to where asked. "I'm here. Is there something we can help with?"
Caiden has spent most of the trip telling stories. Some he made up, others were more historic entries. While he was armed and armored, it's clear he was not expecting a fight on the ship, and instead was simply trying to pass the time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"How can I help ma'am?" Caiden asked, rather chipper. After all, soon they would be off the ship and on land, exploring what is purported to be a piece of ancient Azlant itself!
Gnarok lumbers over to Ramona and the rest of the group. He'd kept mostly to himself on the voyage so far, content to tinker away in his cabin.
To most observers, however, he looks like the archetype of a Kellid barbarian, dressed in furs and leather, a crude dagger on his belt. There's a stylized cog in red face paint over his left eye, and he wears a necklace of teeth around his neck.
His voice is low and rough when he speaks, with a clipped Starfall accent clearly noticeable, "Yea, what's the issue?"
Vigny has been on ships for a long, long time by the time that final 'Land Ho!' is called. First there was a ship from Magnimar to Absalom. She had hardly more than a couple of days in the city before shipping out to Almas. Thankfully there were a few days on land in Almas, but after another six weeks at sea she's very ready to be off ships for a while.
Oh wow, I've been on boats for soooo loooong.....
Vigny somehow never picked up that ships are not boats, and it's quite embarrassing to refer to a ship as a boat.
She goes to join Ramona and Captain Markosi when she's called. Just so long as this isn't some sort of delay. I gotta get off this boat. Soooo booooring....
What's going on?" she asks the Captain, figuring he's the one who knows the most about what's going on since they're on his boat.
Outfitted with light leather armor, a thin blade more suited for thrusting, a slender spear and a shortbow, Lalali-Re lounged lazily on the deck so far.
Her long black hair blowing in the wind, she stretches and yawns as she stands up.
Are we there yet? Or do you bode ill news?
AZLANT - LAND HO!
Darvan Waverider trails in the rear, remaining silent as you all collectively step to the bow. Ramona speaks quietly, “We have a problem. Something is wrong. Nobody’s in sight. There’s no smoke from cook fires or the smithy. Some of the buildings look burned out.
Sailors can’t keep their mouths shut. Soon all the other colonists are going to hear about this—if they can’t see for themselves already—and things could become… tense.
Based upon your interviews, I believe you lot to be the most qualified to go ashore and check out the settlement. If you wish me to, I can send a few of the soldiers with you as well.
In the meantime, I going to ask Captain Markosi to sail north along the island’s coast to a secondary landing site determined by the expedition’s surveyors as an alternative spot to found a colony. The site was later designated as an emergency extraction point should any danger befall the first wave of colonists.
Perhaps there will be someone there.
After you have had a chance to investigate Talmandor’s Bounty, rendezvous with ship at this secondary location. It is due north along the coast. Once we have better information, I will make a final determination on where the rest of the colonists should disembark.
I know this is asking a great deal... can I count on you all?"
Yes Madame, you can count on us. Or on me at last. We will find out what happened there and see if there are any survivors, and if possible eliminate or at least determine the threat.
But perhaps you should give us those coordinates as well, so we can rejoin later.
Neziana gets a worried look on her face when the news are revealed. "I hope there are survivors and that there's some natural explanation for why there are no people here. But these are unknown lands. We don't know what's out there... Yet. We will find out regardless. Though I don't think it'll be necessary with more soldiers. You'll need them at your new camp too.
Do you have any supplies, food, maps or otherwise we could aid us in uncovering what has happened here?"
Gnarok nods. He'd made some interesting modifications to his musket, and this might be a chance to try it out.
"Of course you can rely on me. I don't really know the rest of them, but we can fix that while we resolve the issue!"
Caiden thinks for a moment, then adds "Could we perhaps get a day or two of food, in case it takes that long for you to get back to us?"
Vigny uses her hands to shade her eyes and squints out for a long look at the settlement.
"Sure. I'll get suited up and grab my stuff."
Before she goes she asks Ramona "Did they know when we would be coming? Any word back from here since they arrived?"
The tall, ebony-skinned warrior nods in agreement to what the others have said. Since the only voice that has spoken about the extra soldiers was a negative, he stays silent on that. "Better if we don't have to fake."
"I can handle the boat." Darvan says as the others prepare to go ashore.
AZLANT - LAND HO!
Ramona shakes her head no to Lalali-Re's question, "Exact coordinates are known only to myself, the Captain and the First Mate. My description will guide you there from the Settlement".
Ramona nods at Neziana's question, "Certainly. We can provide you a weeks worth of rations, this way you will not need to hunt if you are forced to head to the secondary location".
She purses her lips, "Absolutely Vigny, well, there was a rough estimate, an exact day could not be provided obviously as seafaring travel of this magnitude is not an exact science. At least, not yet".
---
Darvan preps the dinghy and the Pathfinders are able to easily enough board and begin to guide the boat towards shore. The bay’s waters are calm, with only a gentle rocking of the ship’s boat. The shore is approximately three hundred feet to the east, where a lonely dock is built off a sandy beach.
Once you are halfway to the dock, something under the water begins to approach the boat!
"There's something in the water!" Neziana shouts in alarm as she draws and point with her Estoc.
Vigny clambers down into the dinghy and takes a place at an oar. She does her best to coordinate her pulls with the other rowers, which leaves her no time for staring out at the water.
Something being in the water isn't really unusual, but something approaching a boat like that certainly isn't most usual. Watch out, i can't see what it is yet.
Lalali grabs her spear tight, but also holds onto the boat.
Maka braces his shield when the rest warn about a possible danger.
Gnarok unslings his rifle, a gap-toothed grin spreading on his face, "Whaddya say we do some fishin'?"
Caiden climbed down and was about to start rowing, when the others made their warning. He sat down the oars and drew his blade instead.
"Where is it?" he asked.
At the back of the boat, one hand on the tiller and the other holding a line to sail, Darvan calls out: "I don't see a thing! Someone describe it to me."
Lalali points at the shadow moving underwater.
Well over yonder is a big enough shadow underwater to be spotted moving towards us. Which is beginning to concern me, hope it's not some big fish or monster trying to topple the boat!
AZLANT - LAND HO!
The ship is turning about to head north towards the emergency evacuation site.
The seawater is murky from your vantage point but it is clear that something is coming towards you all as you close in on the colony.
Foes -
Caiden -
Darvan -
Gnarok -
Lalali -
Makanaky -
Neziana -
Vigny -
"There are two of them in the water! Get ready everyone, we'll get through this. No matter if they try to ram the boat or attack us in the boat, we'll fight them off." Neziana centers herself and readies to strike the things moving in the water.
"Everyone ... hold on."
Darvan turns the tiller to maneuver the boat past the sandbar.
Maka is a bit lost in the boat. "Should I help rowing, or should I get ready to fight off whatever they are?"
If asked to fight, he'll stand ready to shield bash off the boat anything that tries to come in.
Caiden says "Whatever we're doing, we should decide now." while looking for whatever is coming under the water.
"If it ain't human or some kinda mermaid, I'm shootin'," his grin pauses as he spits onto the ground, a thunk sound as a tooth hits the deck, "Ah, that happens sometimes. Not to worry." He shoulders his rifle, ready to fire.
Vigny keeps rowing.
"Maybe it's dolphins or something. Lots of stuff lives in the ocean."
"By the way, everyone here knows how to swim, right?"
"That doesn't look friendly at all to me. If you're able to fire at them from here it's probably a good idea to do it before they get too close..." Neziana says worriedly. She doesn't want to be sent tumbling into the water by the shapes capsizing the boat.
AZLANT - LAND HO!
Darvan guides the boat around the sandbar and the shapes adjust their trajectory to head towards the boat.
As they get closer it is clear that they wield some sort of weapons and are projecting forward with tentacles. They get close enough and the Pathfinders strike first!
Round 1 -
Darvan, Lalali, Vigny - GO!
Foes (2)
Caiden, Gnarok, Makanaky, Neziana
"Welp, not dolphins. That's too bad, I really like dolphins."
Vigny stows her oar up out of the water and slides out her longsword. She lays the blade down flat against the boat's gunwale and waits for one of the things in the water to get close. When it does she shoves her sword forward, running the blade along the gunwale to steady the thrust.
Lalali stabs at the first one in her reach with her spear.
Darvan trusts his companions to keep the tentacle monsters out of the boat.
"Hold off those creatures and I'll get us to shore!"
He keeps his hand on the tiller and his concentration on guiding us towards land.
AZLANT - LAND HO!
As the creatures burst from the water, the Pathfinders are ready!
Vigny stabs at one with her longsword, gutting the thing like a fish.
Lalali's strike comes before her foe can ever burst from the water. One strike, one kill.
Neziana looks at the now two corpses and recognizes them, Grindylows. With a large head and numerous teeth, this unsightly creature resembles a goblin from the waist up and a greasy octopus below. Wicked sadistic creatures, essentially they are what they appear to be the goblins of the sea.
Darvan pushes the boat past the now floating corpses of the threats.
The Sailors on the Peregrine watching the battle let out a cry as you easily dispatch of the threat! Soon enough, the Druid gets the group to shore.
---
Talmandor's Bounty
A solitary dock extends from the beach into the bay. The construction is solid and looks recent, suitable for tying off a small boat, although no watercraft are visible. The beach inclines to the east before giving way to grass and trees. Further on in that direction, buildings and a palisade wall stand on the rise.
As the group disembarks, you all see a well-worn path in the grass rises up a slope toward a cluster of buildings to the east. The buildings are arranged in a rough triangle, with each point ending in a wooden circular enclosure with rectangular notches cut intermittently, like battlements. These round enclosures are clearly meant to be three points of a wooden palisade fence, which would enclose this first group of buildings once completed.
The palisade fence, however, is complete only along the southeastern side of the triangle and is obviously unfinished elsewhere. The grass around the settlement looks like it was cropped at one point, and many paths exist between locations in the settlement, but in less well-trafficked spots, the grass has started to regrow. All the buildings are constructed of either rough timber or mud bricks set in a wooden frame, and have pitched thatch roofs. Many have open window frames, but only a few have actual shutters or even a canvas curtain for privacy. Doors are basic, wooden affairs, too simple for locks, and some buildings lack them entirely. The construction is new, quite rough and unfinished.
The entire settlement is dead quiet.
Caiden -
Darvan -
Gnarok -
Lalali - +2 While Concealed
Makanaky -
Neziana -
Vigny -
You all notice there are no tracks in the sand leading from the dock to the colony.
Darvan and Lalali spot a canoe on the seafloor at a depth of 10 feet off of the western end of the dock.
Neziana studies the dead bodies as they pass. "Grindylows, the goblins of the sea. They are just as wretched as their land-borne cousins. It's good to be rid of these sadistic creatures. Though I wonder what that means for the settlement." She finishes pensively.
Neziana carefully steps off the boat and looks around. Apprehensively she says. "No boats, no people no tracks. There haven't been any people here in a while. Whatever drove them away it's not recent. We should be careful. Maybe something took up residence after the villagers left... Let's go investigate." She starts moving up towards the remnants of the village to figure out what happened.
Caiden seemed a little disappointed that he wasn't given the chance to join the fray before it was over. Sheathing his blade, he helps Darvan row
"We should bring the boat up with us far enough inland so that we can hopefully prevent a repeat incident of what happened to the canoe." Caiden suggests.
"A dark omen. Let us see what this empty settlement has in store."
"Good thinking Caiden, give me a hand and we'll pull our launch up onto the shore." Darvan replies to the archaeologist.
After they secure the boat he tells everyone.
"It looks like someone sank a canoe just off the dock. It could have been some mishcief caused by the sea gobbos."
"Let me take a look."
He drops his pack, loosens his shoulder and then dives into the sea.
He surfaces, shakes his head to clear his nose, and then dives down to look at the canoe.
Talmandor's Bounty
Neziana scans the settlement but sees nothing moving and hears no sounds but the waves lapping on the beach and the wind.
Darvan dives and finds the canoe submerged 10' down. It is upside down pressed into the sand and there is a hole in it.
Vigny scans the area visually while standing on the shore. She has a habit of thinking out loud, and this time is no exception.
"No bodies to be seen. Raiders or pirates don't tend to tidy up after themselves so maybe not that. It this place was abandoned because there was some problem, or they found a better location, I'd think they would have a spotter here. They knew we'd be coming. It would surely be a big deal to them."
"Could be some of both. An failed raid and then everyone moved inland or something like that to protection. Have to keep an eye out for anything that might be graves..."