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JR has been pretty quiet on this leg of the trip, his mind else wheres it seems.
"Hello, I'm JR, and yes, we're all Pathfinders. I hope the travel has treated you well and you're all safe. So far we've had a safe journey ourselves, but I'm sure that'll change once we get closer to the mountains." He steps forward, hoping to make a positive impression on the group.
"What brings you out to these parts?"
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Chulyin chuckles and shakes his head. "I assure you that I have no desire to kill you or take your things," he says. "If we had wanted to do that, we would not have announced our approach and taken you by surprise. You should probably assign someone to watch while in the wild, especially at night. Never mind bandits or orcs, but some wild animals may approach and might think your food for the taking."
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There are three young men and two young women in the camp. They wear practical outfits, well‑suited for the rough terrain, but the outfits and the gear all look very new.
You notice that the brooch on the woman's cloak is a purple shield covered and surrounded in blades. It is the heraldry of House Tilernos, a minor Chelaxian noble house.
"Let me introduce ourselves," says the man who's been doing most of the talking. "I am Jasper Caperinas, master of swimming, and owner of a fantastic book identifying tracks!" He proudly pulls out and shows off his book.
"This is Saveri Tilernos, who excels at knot-tying and mountaineering." he says, indicating the woman with the brooch.
"Next is Amyas Charthagnion, who is the leader of our little troop. He is also an expert outdoorsman."
"Then we have Leonie Ciucci, she who doesn't trust the Pathfinder Society. She is our tracker, and has an excellent compass and set of maps.
"Finally, we have our archer, Dacian Julistarc.
"We are also trying to win that challenge!"
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"My lady," Nina curtsies as Saveri is introduced. "I am Emira Nina Jaribu, of House Jaribuni in Vidrian," she offers.
"This is Chulyin, our tracker, and his pet cat," she intentionally understates. "JR, a local guide from Isger. Ror'Ryk, our archer. And Yaegren, an alchemical merchant who had a vested interest in new trade routes."
Nina is deliberately misleading them into thinking we are less adept at fighting than we are, and less trained at the outdoors than we are.
"It appears we are competitors, but there is no need for animosity."
"Let us enjoy the time together that we have. In the morning, you can choose your direction and we will take another."
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Once the possibility of a fight passes Ryk joins the others in talking to the group. After seeing how young and possibly green they are in the wild he adds to the conversation.
"I like you younglings gumption to be out in the wild. It takes to get comfortable out in the woods. I have been working in the wild for many years and I still do not know anything. Take heart in learning as much as you can every time you venture forth." Ryk tells the youngsters. He draws one of his knives and shows it to them. "This here is a good knife for skinning game. See that gut hook, that is what you need to look for. This is not a fighting dagger, but rather a survival tool. It is still sharp though so treat if with respect."
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When asked by Nina, Saveri seems to sadden, as she replies, "I undertook this journey not for myself, but to honor the adventurous spirit of my sister, a Knight of Ozem who was slain when the Whispering Tyrant destroyed the former nation of Lastwall.
"I've always enjoyed climbing, and since this is a search for a mountain pass, I figured that my skills would come in handy. My parents got me my new gear, and I've been practicing my knots whenever we have a free moment."
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"I'm not as much for ropes, I'll admit. But what better rock climber would you want instruction from than a dwarf?" Yaegren looks a bit softer on Saveri when her mood drops.
Following that, he deigns to school anyone else on basics of hunting and camping. His advice is applicable to cold areas, but less so for mountains. He also stresses the importance of someone in the group knowing simple first aid.
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The team enjoys a lovely meal around the Chelaxians' campfire. It is clear that they have brought the finest of gear and supplies... in fact their stew appears to have been flavored by some quite exotic peppers, and contains mushrooms that are only found on the Sodden Coast.
When Chulyin approaches Amyas, he replies, "I am a skilled outdoorsman. My family has always been interested in nature and the outdoors. In fact, several times a year, since I was a child, I went hunting with my father and his Master of the Hunt. Just last year we went out, and we brought in a 8-point buck. It was quite impressive, as you might imagine." He goes on about his hunting trips, and it is clear that the true woodsman was the Master of the Hunt.
Ryk approaches Dacian. At first, he looks down upon the half-elf with a disdain that only a Chelaxian noble could give. Then, when the talk turns to archery, his demeanor changes. He starts explaining how good of a marksman he is, and "As you can see, my bow is of the most magnificent quality. Created by the finest bowyer in all of Barrowood, and my arrows by the finest fletcher!" It is clear that his gear is absolutely top-notch.
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"I have enjoyed the forests," Chulyin enjoins. "I have grown up in the jungle, though my grandparents hail from northern climes. I have spent many years studying the wild and its denizens. Each land is its own. The forests of the low lands and the forests of the high lands are very different. The skills needed in the mountains differ from the skills needed to survive in the fields. The temperate is different from the boreal. Let me share with you some of my learning..."
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Nina approaches Leoni. "I, too, used to distrust the Pathfinder Society. When I was growing up in Vidrian, there were Pathfinders who came to our lands. They were mostly interested in treasure, especially taking it, and murdering to get it. They were uninterested in us, those they considered savages.
I met an elf named Fola Braun from the Mwangi Expanse who showed me how to harness my growing powers. When I found out she was from the Pathfinder Society, I was flabbergasted.
There are many different types in the Pathfinder Society. Some, like Fola, are patient in teaching others."
Nina offers Leoni a drink from her waterskin.
Nina drinks a little and then throws up a little, but continues non-chalantly.
"... It's an acquired taste. Some, like the goblins who introduced me to pickle brine, are mischievious little critters. But we're all united by a mission to help one another - our quirks and all."
Perhaps I could teach you a little about the compass you're carrying as a gesture of good will?[/b]"
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"Maps you say? Leonie, care to show me some of them? And bring your compass. I'm curious to see the difference between it and my wayfinder." The half elf slides up next to the reluctant woman, hoping to get a look at the maps and help make sure she actually knows how to use a compass.
It becomes clear that Leonie is placing too much faith in her maps. You talk to Leonie about how to spot an unsafe rock wall. Being able to find your way through rough terrain is important, but there are many dangers lurking in this kind of terrain.
She listens to you carefully, and looks more and more concerned when it becomes clear that she hasn't thought this out well!
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"The finest bow and the finest arrows will not serve you in all situations," Chulyin says, turning his attention to the archer. "It will not save you when the jaguar pounces from behind, in all but the best hands it will not stop an angry bear, and it will certainly do nothing for you if you fall into a raging river nor help you to recognize poisonous plants when foraging."
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Yaegren becomes more animated when talking about something he's competent in. "...This loop here will hold your weight, mine, even, if you just keep your foot in it. You'll want to watch which rocks you hitch it to, though. Nothing too gray or small. And I think we can skip the seminar on catching fellow climbers by their beards, you don't need that."
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[dice=Nature (E)]1d20+10
"The finest bow and the finest arrows will not serve you in all situations," Chulyin says, turning his attention to the archer. "It will not save you when the jaguar pounces from behind, in all but the best hands it will not stop an angry bear, and it will certainly do nothing for you if you fall into a raging river nor help you to recognize poisonous plants when foraging."
Dacian listens carefully to Chulyin, even though it is against his nature to do so. He eventually comes to the realization that he has over-estimated his skill.
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"Jasper, have you ever swam in the sea?
Nina offers him a drink from her waterskin.
Nina throws up a little.
"... It kind of tastes like that. But that's what the outdoors is like, right? If we wanted to eat delicate pastries, we would have stayed at home."
Nina offers to teach him a little about nature.
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JR eyes the vomiting socialite with concerned eyes. Has she been like this the entire trip? I need to pay better attention to my teammates.
"Ah glad you're picking up what I'm putting down Leonie. There's nothing wrong with inexperience so long as you recognize it. We're all learning daily. Just remember to learn at a slow pace, its safer."
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Yaegren becomes more animated when talking about something he's competent in. "...This loop here will hold your weight, mine, even, if you just keep your foot in it. You'll want to watch which rocks you hitch it to, though. Nothing too gray or small. And I think we can skip the seminar on catching fellow climbers by their beards, you don't need that."
Yaegren thinks he has the young woman convinced, but then he gets confused in his discussion about the beards, and loses here.
Though Yaegren doesn't impress the young noble he is chatting with, the others do a very good job. By the end of the evening's discussions, it becomes clear that they are in it over their heads, and they decide that they are going to turn back in the morning.
In their gratitude, they give you the research that they have completed already, including their purchased maps and charts, which although incomplete, cover much of the area, indicating some likely paths through the mountains.
In the morning both parties go their separate ways. The Pathfinders go further up into the foothills, while the nobles turn back for Cheliax.
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After passing through the foothills, you arrive at the feet of the mountains. The lower reaches are covered in dense pine forest and traversing the steep terrain becomes increasingly difficult. Your journey is unremarkable until they come across a swift-flowing mountain stream.
The dense forest opens up to a gently sloping clearing, cut across by a brook.
As you approach the stream, a flock of ravens appears to be spooked, and flies up. Many fly off in different directions, but most appear to be flying towards you.
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Chulyin steps forward as the flock begins to approach them. He digs deep into his primal connection to the spirits of animals and tries to understand and calm the spooked birds.