[PFS2E] GM kuey's Lost on the Spirit Road (1-06) - GD IX (Inactive)

Game Master kuey

Please ninja-dot, i.e. post any random stuff and delete immediately so that this thread will appear in your campaign page.

Through the request of Venture-Captain Amara Li, you've arrived at Minkai to help lay the groundwork for a lodge, performing a variety of tasks that are well-suited to their individual skills. (Map of Minkai and picture of Amara Li)

At the Minkaian lodge, you come to meet five other fellow Pathfinders who have similarly answered Amara Li's call. Knowing that you would be spending the next few months together, you take the time to get to know one another on the night you arrive round the dining table...

“Hello! I’m Peri!” says a cheerful and enthusiastic gnome. “This is my first visit to this continent, should be interesting!”

Judging from her equipment she has some martial training: breastplate, shield, longsword, even a bow. The religious symbol hanging from her neck is that of Ranginori, the Zephyrous Prince. That would explain to anyone familiar with that elemental lord why she has a whip hanging from her belt.

Peri wasn't the only follower of Ranginori at the table. A dwarf wearing a steel breastplate over explorerer's garb also joins the group at the table.

"My name is Lande (pronounced LAND) Striden. The air has been crisp and refreshing today, Ranginori be praised. I too am new here, thanks be the Zephyrous Prince. I couldn't stand the dwarven way of life and yearned for freedom. Ranginori's faithful showed me the way. I still carry the symbol of my clan," he says holding up his clan dagger, "but to me it is naught but a tool." As if to demonstrate this, he uses the clan dagger to stab another piece of meat and add it to his plate. He wipes the dagger with a cloth and sets it on the table.

"I am an explorer. The more lands I roam the more freedom I feel."

Peri is delighted that there is another follower of the Zephyrous Prince in the group.

“Pleased to meet you, Lande! How did you hear of Ranginori? In my case, it was my uncle who told me a little bit about how the society had released him. The story interested me enough that I looked into it more deeply. That eventually led me to my faith and my joining the society!”

She speaks rapidly, one sentence after another, but then gives pause so others have plenty of time to join in the conversation. A staccato response with a pause between each one.

A small goblin with a leather armor but without weapon approaches the table where Lande and Peri are discussing. he shows a sign with the hand to both of them.

I'm also new in this country. Well, my brother too I should say. We represents the Fix family. My name's Pre.

And mine is Su. We have been touched by a curse which gave us some powers.

It is said by another small goblin. Also without weapon but with a leather armor. He smiles.

I hope for myself that you like fire by example. I sees flames and smoke wherever I look. The flames are life.

At the point he moves a bit closer to the table and the candle light on it begins to flare, even if not dangerously.

Please excuse him. He likes to prove is curse quickly during presentations. Mine is more cosmic. Because Golarion is not enough...

He smiles again.

Looking back and forth between the two goblins as they speak, she waits for them to be done before saying “Pleased to meet you! I’m Peri if you didn’t hear. So is there a story as to how you got a family name of Fix? Some would expect an alchemist or clockwork crafter with a name like that! I don’t mind flames as long as they are properly directed. Also what do you mean about your curse being more cosmetic, Su?”

Oeri? You sure? I thought I heard Peri before...

Is the gnome trying to take the goblin for a ham? Well he answered the questions as well.

Not really cosmetic, that's more the fact of Pre with his flames and smoke. I told cosmic. You know: the stars. I feel sometimes like on the moon. I think how I feel should be the case the same over there anyway.

Brother, let me tell the story of the family. Please.

Then he squints his eyes and stirs his voice before the beginning.

It's an awful story like the story of many thousands goblins before the Society changed their condition. Once upon a time was a nice goblin family living in a house near a stream. Everything was very quiet and peaceful. But one day happened. A day when a group of adventurers arrived near the house where the nice goblin family lived. They came to kill the goblins. My great-great-grandfather wanted to protect his people. But a great warrior fixed him to the door with his spear. Then they laughed about him: the goblin Fix. They thought they were funny. But my great-great-grandfather told them: "okay, we take this family name. But be sure to get your boots fixed enough to run away before I take you down. And he became incorporeal. I must say he had another curse as well. In fact we all have another one.

"Sorry, must of slurred it a bit. Yes, Peri is my name. Don't want any confusion! I will try to enunciate better. I can see where it is much easier to explain fire than stars. I'm much more familiar with the first than the second! So you can moon walk?"

Thanks for pointing out the typo. Fixed it so we don't have others getting confused.

After Pre finished: Yes, and we should fix it one day! Ah ah ah

Then to Peri: That's not a problem. And yes I can moon walk.

He does a moon walk like a well-known singer of the '80 in another world.

Performance: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

He laughs.

That's a joke! Yes I can. If I use my powers I don't weight that much and can almost fly. On the other side, the stars make me more resistant.

Scooting into the room, huffing and puffing and with a vigorous flush to her cheeks, is young female gnome. Her wavy aquamarine hair is a bit of a blousy, tangled mess. The dismay in her amethyst eyes precedes her breathless apology: "Whew! Shoot. Sorry I'm late. I meant to be on time, but... I got lost in a melody. Oh! My name's Salaish Talenduth. How's it going, everybody?" Clad in studded leather armor with a rapier and a dagger at her side, it is obviously her comfortably held viola that's her tool of choice. Once she catches her breath, she absentmindedly begins humming as the others speak.

"I heard about 'bout Ranginori from some other Pathfinders. I guess they had something to do with setting him free. They said I had a gift from Ranginori himself and that I should meet others who could tell me more about him."

Holy posts! Fast start everyone. Catching up :)

Vorons eyes narrow as Lande mentions he also represents Langinori. His expression becomes more and more incredulous as they continue discussing the faith and swapping stories about entering into it.

Did I... stumble into some sort of religious convention here?

He shakes off the thought dismissively and quickly, moving onto his own introduction.

I am Voron, an arcane practitioner. My beliefs are irrelevant (for now) but my tools are potent. And I'm interested in where your tools came from, little goblins.

He turns to Pre and Su.

Do you know the source of your curse, and what other powers does it give you? Perhaps your great-great-grandfather awoke these powers, but where do they come from?

Just then the other gnome rushes through the door.

Now now there, catch your breath. We're not in that much of a hurry. Say... how late at night do you practice that thing?

You catch your first hint of smirk (still not a smile) from the wizard as he points his bony finger at Salaish's viola.

The small goblin looks at his brother and answer to Voron confidently: My power comes from the stars and his one from the fire. And he nods.

Voron's eyes narrow further as he takes in the response.

So... you don't know or you're not telling me. Very well...

Lol, do let me know if this character's antagonism bugs you. He's very suspicious always.

We play them doing as they don’t know what occurred and if they were simply naive. That can evolve in further levels.

Over the next few months, the Pathfinders do what they can to help Venture-Captain Amara Li establish the lodge in Minkai, performing a variety of tasks that are well-suited to their individual skills. They learnt that Amara Li has been collecting relics from across the world to house in a new museum with a focus on relics from Minkaian history that have been kept in other nations. To this end, she has been traveling all over the nation to pursue leads. These relics have come from a combination of purchases and donations, and she has occasionally called on local Pathfinders to guard the relics. The Pathfinders find themselves working in Sakakabe, a prosperous city famous for its trade in silver and pearls.

Venture-Captain Li summons the PCs to meet with her in one of the gardens of the Kiniro Kyomai teahouse, a famous teahouse run by geisha. The quality of the Kiniro Kyomai’s tea, food, and samisen music make it a popular destination for locals and travelers alike. She waits for you to enjoy their tea before turning their attention to more serious matters.

"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."

After a brief pause to ensure that none of you balk at the idea of a recovery mission, the venture-captain continues.

"Last year, I received a donation of relics from Taldor. 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."

"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." She pauses here, waiting to see if you have any questions.

In addition, if any of you wish to attempt the Recall Knowledge check, please fill in your Forest Lore or Nature skill proficiency in the table here. Leave it blank if you don't, in case you worry about crit failures.

Peri takes great delight in trying the tea. She asks a few questions about some of the unfamiliar food, trying a sample of them after hearing about them.

When the conversation moves to more serious things, she listens intently to what Amara Li tells her. Finishing her sip of tea, she sets her cup down for a moment.

“What can you tell us of the two agents, Lin Po and Ti Lan? I really do hope they are all right! You said the journey normally takes about two months, how long has it been? I don’t think I’ve met a kami, maybe this is my chance! It sounds exciting! What should I expect from one?”

An idle thought pops into Salaish's head: I wonder if anyone from one of those settlements had something to do with their disappearance? Like, what did they know about the cargo? "Well, good thing I've been learning all the local music I can out here! Good music often loosens tightly wound tongues, if there are any. Say, should we know what the relics are? Just in case they have magical powers or high sale value, or if they got 'separated' somehow?"

And is there somebody who could want to steal you these relics? I mean for a good reason independent from the money.

The air around him is warm like if his brainstorming could boil some water by itself.

What my brother would like to know is: have you got some enemies in Tian? And more largely does the Pathfinder Society have enemies on the continent?

The goblin speaks with the eyes closed and seems to be in the stars.

"I bet on bandits."

"Oh, a betting pool? Hmmm..."

Some of you may be surprised as she actually pauses for a moment in thought before saying anything more. When she does speak again, it is the same rapid-fire burst of words you've come to expect. "What sort of odds would you give me on dragons? There was mention of kami, is there something that would be an evil kami? What are the odds it being Wayang? There is supposed to be a settlement of them somewhere on this continent right? How far away is that? So difficult to choose, any of those could be exciting!"

"I think she called them oni. But you have to admit bandits to are the more likely explanation without any hard evidence."

Voron becomes a little less grumpy listening to the explanation of the kami, the spirit forest and the road.

Would bandits generally draw the ire of the kami? Would the kami help us against them having waylaid innocent travelers in their forest?

“What can you tell us of the two agents, Lin Po and Ti Lan? I really do hope they are all right! You said the journey normally takes about two months, how long has it been? I don’t think I’ve met a kami, maybe this is my chance! It sounds exciting! What should I expect from one?”

"Well, Lin Po and Ti Lan are relatively new Pathfinders although they've gotten a number of successful missions under their belt. Lin Po is a short, heavyset Tian man with a round, clean shaven face and an irrepressible sense of humor, affable even under stressful conditions. Ti Lan is his life partner. An athletic woman, she stands a few inches taller than Lin Po with broad shoulders and a stern demeanor."

"They are late for a few weeks already. And with their reports suddenly ceasing shortly after they entered the Forest of Spirits, I fear the something has befallen the caravan."

"As I've mentioned, the kami are generally benevolent spirits. They are generally incorporeal, and in fact are seldom seen for their inhabit the natural around them. Trees, stones, the wind. And when they do manifest, they can take many forms, humanoid or otherwise."

"Well, good thing I've been learning all the local music I can out here! Good music often loosens tightly wound tongues, if there are any. Say, should we know what the relics are? Just in case they have magical powers or high sale value, or if they got 'separated' somehow?"

"This particular relic that I've acquired is a green scarf, woven of the finest silk from the worms that reside in the Qiang Tian Mountains. Beyond it material value, rumours have it of some but faint magical properties although what exactly is unknown. That was what I was hoping to find out after it has arrived."

And is there somebody who could want to steal you these relics? I mean for a good reason independent from the money.

"Considering the value of this, I would not be surprised if someone wanted to steal it. But I was quite certain to keep the transaction secret. On appearance, Lin Po and Ti Lan were merely escorting a bales of cloth to build up the supplies for our lodge."

What my brother would like to know is: have you got some enemies in Tian? And more largely does the Pathfinder Society have enemies on the continent?

Amara smiles wanly at this. "The Society has made enemies, many of them with reach all over Golarion. However, I've not received any intelligence of a planned and organised hostile action against us. Should you encounter something larger than you can handle, quickly return," she warns.

"I bet on bandits."

Would bandits generally draw the ire of the kami? Would the kami help us against them having waylaid innocent travelers in their forest?

Amara nods faintly at this. "Voron has it right. Most residents give due respect to the kamis in the Forest of the Spirits, and reports of banditry from there are rare. But that is always a possibility. As for whether the kami would give assistance, I believe that would have to be between you and the kamis. The kamis are as varied as ... as us."

"What sort of odds would you give me on dragons? There was mention of kami, is there something that would be an evil kami? What are the odds it being Wayang? There is supposed to be a settlement of them somewhere on this continent right? How far away is that? So difficult to choose, any of those could be exciting!"

"So yes, there can be hostile kamis as well. But so long as you treat the Forest with the respect that is due, I trust you would be fine." She then breaks into a gentle smile at the mention of wayangs. "No, my dear. The wayangs live in the Minatan isles far to the east of here. There might be individuals who travel the lands, but they are rare."

If not further questions, I'll move us on tomorrow. Go ahead to slot your boons and select your Pathfinder training items. Post them in the Discussion thread.

Voron nods at the answer and things some more. He softly adds on some additional thoughts.

You know, they say the kami can possess living creatures as a way to share memories. They can't control you, per se, so I suppose such an intrusion would be seen as something of a blessing. Oh, I know a bit about some of the villages along the way too, and communities of kitsune. But I'll save that for when we come across them.

Peri shakes her head at Voron’s statement. “No, no! You have it all wrong! The forest is named for the incorporeal undead that inhabit it! These spirits possess unwary traveler’s bodies so that they can horrifically murder their hosts!”

Voron frowns at the gnome and looks at her sideways.

Where... did you hear that?

The goblin stays quiet, as he doesn't know anything about the theme.

But his brother intervenes: Well I think Voron is more in the right direction. There are no undead but spirits.

“Incorporal are undead, right? Spirits are incorporeal. Therefore they must be undead! I was told about this at the noodle shop “Ramen Boat” by the sailors there. It is at the base of the hill. They go up and down the coast, so they must know! That’s why the don’t want to come on land there!”

Well, cool down and let's talk about something else. Otherwise the air around you will become so warm like when my brother uses his powers.

Still debating over what they know about kamis, the Pathfinders get ready to set off. Amara Li provides you with provisions for the long journey, lending a pair of horses and a sturdy wagon stocked with basic provisions, including food, water, a repair kit, and a map of Minkai and the Forest of Spirits. The map of the Forest of Spirits indicates that the only settlements within the woodland are along the Spirit Road.

Although Sakakabe is the closest city to the forest of Spirits, it still takes several weeks of travel on a road that winds through the Osogen Grasslands to reach the Forest of Spirits. Along the way, the Pathfinders cross paths with travelers heading south into Minkai, as well as the nomadic herders who call the rolling plains home. No one you meet in the grasslands has seen the caravan that you are looking for.

When you eventually enter the Forest of Spirits, the atmosphere changes. The forest is cool and damp, and profoundly alive. Snow blankets the ground and clings to branches of towering pine and spruce trees. Birds, rodents, foxes, deer, bears, and numerous other creatures roam through the woods, keeping their distance from the road. The density of the trees suggests that logging is almost unheard of in this forest. Animals are not the only creatures moving out in the woods; the Pathfinders occasionally see unexplained movement in the trees and rocks or feel like someone is watching them. As you progress through the forest, you visit several small villages, none of which have seen the caravan you are looking for. You find signs of passage from several caravans and groups that travelled on foot, and the remains of campsites right next to the trail. However, there are no indications that any of these groups came to harm.

Eventually, you arrive at a village nestled deeper in the forest’s outskirts. From a distance, you notice that while the area is generally snowy, the village is particularly snow-covered. Despite that, you can't help but find it welcoming, especially with the tendrils of smoke rising from the houses that promises warm interior from the cold.

As you near, the villagers notice you. There is very quickly a heightened excited buzz in the village. Soon a small crowd has gathered, led by an elderly woman, supporting herself on a walking stick. Despite that, she is steady and the villagers accord her due respect.

"Greetings, travelers! Welcome to Basaru, our humble village. Come, come, get out of the cold, and warm yourselves by our fireplaces. My name is Hikari Nishiyuki." She glances at your wagon before continuing, "You are merchants? Travelling from Sakakabe?"

"Nah, not merchants. We are looking for a caravan that is late in arriving, maybe that got lost or stuck in the snow."

Along the trip, Peri tries to talk to some of the other travelers so she can find out who is right — Voron or the sailors she met.

——

“More of a rescue party. We want to find out what happened to the other caravan.”

Extending her hand in welcome, she introduces herself. “Peri Badgerbrow, champion of Ranginori. Pleased to meet you!”

The oracle, the eyes half closed says, as in a second sleep: Have you seen a caravan escorted by two guards, one male and one female. It was supposed to come from this way and going to Sakakabe. If you have seen it, where did it go?

All along the way, Salaish does her best to entertain the group and those they encounter with pleasing music to suit the situation, whether with her viola, her voice, or whatever she can improvise. With that and her incessant humming and tapping, the only silence anyone hears on this journey is while she is sleeping.

In this current situation, she hops down off the wagon with her instrument on display and cheerily adds: "And I'll be happy to give some entertainment in exchange for the information!"

When he still was a little goblin he read some comics about a bard of a village with a harp who was always bailed and attached. Salaish is lucky that people act not the same way in the real life.

During the discussion with the guy he stays quiet as his brother has already said everything.

By this time, Hikari has led the party and the small entourage into what appears to be a simple inn, catering to the various caravans and travelers that come by this way. Indeed, there is a roaring fire within and it is indeed quite cosy.

"A missing caravan, you say? Several caravans from Avistan have passed along the Spirit Road in recent months. When was this caravan expected to have passed through here?" She then gestures to the rest of the villagers who have joined your in the inn. "My memory is not the best, but perhaps collectively we may be able to piece together something."

A series of skill checks here to see how much info you can dislodge from them. Each of you may attempt each skill check once, including any efforts to Aid (although that's not really worth it at such low levels). As usual, if you worry about crit failures, you can choose not to attempt the check. The first is Diplomacy.

“Two Pathfinders by the names of Lin Po and Ti Lan were with the caravan. You might have seen their wayfinders?” She takes her own wayfinder out of its engraved case and shows it around,

Diplomacy T: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Salaish begins tuning her viola, adding: "They were supposed to reach Sakakabe, coming from Hongal, two weeks ago. Lin Po is a short, heavyset Tian man with a round face, clean shaven. Ti Lan is an athletic woman, a few inches taller than Po. She has broad shoulders and is kinda stern. Does that ring any bells?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

The gnomes have the right of it. Such a pair seem like they would stand out in one's memory. It's really quite important we find out what happened to them. They could be in danger.

The wizard attempts to be less grumpy, leaning on his staff and straining to smile.

Voron has +0 to diplomacy... so going to not touch that.

"Ah yes, that sounds familiar," A pimply-faced youth with a rag over one shoulder calls out. He looks like he works in this inn. "That must be about ... oh six weeks ago? Yes, I remember the two of them. So different in personality. The woman almost chewed my head off because I was late with her order, and the man apologised on her behalf. Yes, the caravan stop here for a night to rest before setting off. " That seemed to have jogged the memory of the rest of the villagers in the inn, as a few seem to nod in recognisation.

Just then, though Hikari suddenly starts coughing, a dry hacking cough that goes on and on. A young girl beside her starts stroking her back, but it does little to relief her. "Oh dear, the cold weather is triggering her cough again," she mutters.

Next, a Medicine check to help Hikari with her hacking cough to continue to win the villagers over.

"It's not really the cold, it's the dryness. Someone go fetch her a hot cup of tea."

Medicine: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18