Almost all Pathfinders undergo extensive training for three or more years to learn the tricks of the trade, and their last test before graduating from the ranks of the initiates to the status of a full Pathfinder agent is the Confirmation, a special research project that involves considerable fieldwork and is designed to simulate the initiates' future work as a Pathfinder. Even the noteworthy field commissioned agents sometimes participate in such trials as a way to familiarize themselves with the Pathfinder Society’s rules and expectations. Although Confirmation is typically an individual affair, the society recently discovered a site on the Isle of Kortos that would be perfect for initiates but perhaps too dangerous to handle alone. Successfully uncovering this site’s secrets will not only contribute to the society’s body of knowledge but shape the exciting careers ahead for each of the prospective agents.
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the dot you shall not see
The invitation delivered last night was remarkably simple, especially given the importance of the occasion: Start where it all began. Meet us at the Pig’s Paunch one hour before dawn.
You've recently heard rumors that in order to meet growing demand the Three Masters, responsible for the training of new initiated at the Grand Lodge, have begun to advance the promotion of some of the Society’s most promising initiates. Could the invitation you received be related? Whatever the reason, you now find yourself outside of the Pig’s Paunch - a run-down building sporting a fading sign of a large pig standing on its hind legs, arms folded over an immense belly.
It hardly seems like the proper location for an important gathering, but another quick peek at your invitation confirms that you’re at the right place. From within, you can hear the sounds of clattering plates and muffled voices as the staff busy themselves preparing for yet another day. Inside, the air is thick with the scents of human sweat, stale tobacco, and food - both left over and fresh. Several tables are scattered about the room, some empty and others occupied by the inebriated sleeping off a night of revelry and the early-riser sitting down to an early breakfast. A slightly harried-looking woman waves to catch your attention.
"Mornin'! I bet you're one of them folks here for th' meetin', aintcha?" she calls. She gestures to an old battered table near the fireplace. "Jus' have a seat an' I'll be 'round to getcher order in a bit," she smiles before hurrying off to the kitchen.
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A hulking man enters the place.
It would be a slight exageration only to say that his muscles HAVE muscles.
A mane of brown hair, some bushy sideburns can't hide a young and honest face. Probably because lying needs more brain cells.
In an anwful metallic noise-as the big boy carries with ease many weapons and a large backpack that would make a normal man crawl- he sits on a chair
His voices booms, as if it too had too much strenght. But it seems that he is already at wits end for this small talk. He flexes his muscles nervously, and that takes quite some time.
He fidgets on his seat, and asks to the maid, with a shy smile that constrast with the power of his voice
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A gnome walks into the pub, leaning heavily on a cane and huffing and puffing as he goes. At least, he looks like a gnome, but for the green skin. He has tufts of white hair above his large ears, and a white plait lies on his shoulder. The top of his head is quite bald.
He sits near the fire on a small stool and wrinkles his nose as he places a full pack near his feet.
"Hmm. It is Gnoda you seek, yes. And Gnoda you have found."
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It hardly seems like the proper location for an important gathering …
Damn right!
With her upper-lip curled, Abdara pushes open the taproom door with a booted toe, trying to make as little contact with it as possible.
"Jus' have a seat an' I'll be 'round to getcher order in a bit,"
My Rose Eternal! Was that even Taldane?
A brunette with her hair tied in a ponytail, wearing weather-stained, deer-stalking garb blows into the Pig’s Paunch, like she’s assessing it for demolition.
She shrugs her pack off her shoulders, about to drop it to the floor – before having second thoughts. Scanning the room, she quickly notices Solomon.
“You there! You may convey my luggage to the cloak room. Be sure to obtain a receipt.”
♨
Choosing to stand haughtily by the fire, the woman gives Gnoda a slight nod to acknowledge his presence.
“The Honourable Abdara Kastner. So pleased to meet you.” Her tone doesn’t convince you that she is.
“I redecorated my brother’s study when Papa passed last year.”
She gestures at their surroundings with a casual wave. “This place could use a lick of … flame.”
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The tavern door opens once more to admit a tall, smiling man dressed in studded leather armor over his travelling clothes.
He brushes his longish hair out of his eyes and shrugs off his pack, careful of the longspear still strapped to his back and the quiver of what appear to be javelins resting at his left hip.
"Why yes I am, good lady! My thanks."
He makes his way to the bar, settling onto a stool and taking in the others in the room with a glance.
"Looks like I'm right on time."
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At long last, the door opens again. A disheveled man pushes through, eyes darting about, rapidly scanning for an unseen danger. "Hey, hey this is where the Pathfinders," he pauses for a quick 180 before resuming, "are sitting for that briefing?"
Clearly of mixed Tien heritage, the man's stick straight brown hair haphazardly frames his face. His eyes bulge a little as he continues to examine every available nook and cranny. He looks at everyone but the people he is seated with and occasionally mumbles to himself.
B̸u̵r̶n̵ ̶t̵h̶e̸m̶ ̵a̴l̴l̴ ̶b̵e̷f̴o̷r̸e̴ ̸t̶h̷e̴y̷ ̶g̵u̵t̴ ̵y̷o̶u̸r̷ ̴s̵o̶f̴t̴ ̷b̷e̶l̷l̶y̴,̸ ̴f̸o̷o̸l̸!̶
"No, leave me alone! I have to prove to these people I'm not a liability!"
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Abdara takes one look at Pelagos, and visualizes striding back out the Paunch’s door –– sans backpack.
Remember who you are. Your station and duty.
Re-opening her eyes, the noblewoman smiles thinly at her untidy collaborator. “Some of us prefer to stand.”
Thinking through ploys to put the newcomer at ease, Abdara pretends to *shudder* beside the low glowing fireplace.
“I don’t suppose I could trouble you to poke the fire, kind ser?”
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Taking a look at the latest newcomer, his stomach curdles a little. There's nothing about his appearance or mannerisms in particular that sets the man off... but nevertheless he feels a sense of disquiet about this person that he can't quite put a finger on the source of.
He leans back against the bar on his stool, watching to see how the stranger responds to the haughty woman's 'request'; he doesn't usually feel this discomforted by the presence of someone he doesn't know and he's curious to find out if there's a reason he's on edge...
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Solomon looks at the woman, and hears her commanding tone.
His mom taught him to be kind, helpful and gentle with women, so he rises from his seat, takes the backpack with one meaty hand and brings it to the cloak room, if there's one.
He looks for a servant to get a receipt, as he was asked.
If no one comes, or if there is no cloak room, he brings back the backpack to its owner
If a servant is there, he asks politely for a receipt, and brings back a piece of paper on which is written "Ponytail brunette with a broom up her backside".
Sure, his mom taught him to be kind, helpful and gentle with women, but they DO have to be kind and gentle too.
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"Yes, Yes! I can do that!" Pelagos says, hopping off his chair and speed walking to the fireplace. With a practiced hand, he uses the nearby poker to reinvigorate the fire to a healthy level.
S̸i̷m̴p̶l̷e̸t̵o̷n̸,̵ ̸t̴h̵e̵y̷ ̴l̴u̵r̸e̸ ̶y̵o̷u̴ ̷a̶w̴a̵y̸ ̸t̴o̷ ̷s̸c̵h̷e̵m̸e̷!̵
"No, they're Pathfinders! They explore, report, cooperate! They wouldn't do that to one of their own."
He stands back up and looks at Abdara. "There! That's good, right? I'm Pelagos Sing, I'm a Pathfinder too," he clarifies. Why are they looking at me like that? What have I done now? Just need to keep cool, we're on the same team. I can do this.
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“Quite.”
Abdara accepts her backpack from the big man with a curt nod, like he’s just passed some secret test. “My apologies, Solomon. I thought you a factotum of this … establishment, rather than a fellow Pathfinder.”
She holds out her hand. “The Honorable Abdara, First Daughter of House Kastner. Devotee of Shelyn, aspiring actress and novice Pathfinder.”
“I should consider it a personal favor if you would share with the rest of us the reasons you find yourself in the Pig’s Paunch this morning.”
“There! That's good, right?”
“Capital.”
She gestures to the Tien fire-tender. “May I present Pelagos Sing, Esquire. I believe he’s in climate engineering. Pelagos? Am I close?”
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"I, um, well, sure, yes, climate... engineering," Pelagos stammers. They're all looking at me now, ok, I'll just keep talking, that's what they expect of me.
"I'm here because of a note I got," he explains, offering a crumpled scrap of paper. He brushes stray strands of hair out of his face, which immediately return. Uncrumpling the paper, the official Pathfinder letterhead is already faded and starting to rub away. "That's, that's it really."
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“Indeed, Pelagos? Then clearly our party has found its … what is that quaint term Remilliard uses ..? Face?”
Abdara’s half-smile makes it difficult to determine if her jest is good-natured.
“And with Gnoda as our inspiration; Solomon and the silent fellow at the bar (who thinks we haven’t noticed him) performing the roles of Big Duu… Dapper Fighters, why that barely leaves a role for me!”
“Perhaps I should pitch tents, stand watches and designate myself camp cookie, what?”
Abdara’s *whinnying* laugh indicates the radiculitis of such a notion.
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He laughs at the call-out, shaking his head a bit and leaning forward to reply.
"Not at all; simply watching my new companions for a moment. My name is Felix and I'm here for the same reason as the rest of you, I assume."
With that he shows them his own letter, nodding.
"It seems like we've got a lively and..."
He pauses, glancing briefly at Pelagos before continuing.
"...interesting group here. I'm looking forward to working with you all!"
As the waitress finally returns with Solomon's order - a generous portion of meat and potatoes with a tall glass of milk - the door of the Pig's Paunch opens and in strolls an elf who looks quite familiar - Kreighton Shane, the Society's Master of Scrolls. Following closely behind him is a young halfling woman, all manner of tools and implements about her waist and carrying a backpack stuffed nearly to bursting. Shane quickly spots you, all loosely congregated near the bar, and heads over. Pulling up a nearby table he nimbly hops on top of it and sits down cross-legged as his halfling companion takes a seat in one of the chairs.
"Ah, here you all are and some already hard at breakfast," he begins, shooting a grin at Solomon. "Good, good, it wouldn't do to send you off on an empty stomach now would it?" He looks around the dingy tavern, a look of reverent wonder on his face. "Can you believe it? It all started here years ago - well, over four hundred of them at least! Under this very roof, the Pathfinder Society was born." Shane continues gazing around until a gentle cough from Janira seems to remind him that he in fact had more to say.
"I'm sure you're all wondering why we called you here today and at this early hour, yes?" he says as he turns his attention back to the group. "Today! Today you will begin your Confirmation! Master Farabellus, Master Zey, and I all agree that you've each shown your worth and dedication to the Society - and what better time than the present to see if you're ready to become full field operatives," he continues, clapping his hands excitedly. Turning to the halfling woman, he smiles. "Allow me to introduce Janira Gavix. Janira will be accompanying you on your Confirmation. She was one of my best and brightest pupils and I'm sure that she'll be a valuable asset to you on your journey, especially as she was the one who initially discovered the caves that you'll be exploring as part of her Confirmation!"
As she's introduced Janira excitedly jumps to her feet and bows to you all, wobbling as she tries to balance the enormous pack still strapped to her back. "Greetings aspiring Pathfinders! It was six months ago that I was out mapping cave entrances in the foothills of the Kortos Mountains. While I was there, I saw a lone gillman entering a concealed cave. At the time I didn't think too much of it, but as my Confirmation stretched on and a month passed, I saw another one enter that same cave. A few days later once I had finished my work I entered the caves myself but wasn't able to locate any gillmen. Of course I really only had time to just have a peek inside before I had to return here to Absalom. But that's where you come in!"
Hopping to his feet and ignoring an indignant cry of, "'Ey! Them tables is for eatin' on, not for standin' on!" from the waitress, Shane waves his arm with a flourish. "Initiates, for your Confirmation you will travel to these caves and explore and document its many passages! Additionally and most importantly, you are to try and learn what the gillmen are up to in there." He pauses and then adds almost as an afterthought, "Oh and you need to return alive, as well. That's quite important too."
With that, the Master of Scrolls jumps off the table and strolls out of the tavern, humming a jaunty tune to himself.
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As Kreighton Shane makes his exit, Janira beams happily at the group. "Well, there you have it! I’ll explain a little more about what we’ll be doing in a few minutes but first, we should get to know each other a little bit. Building a sense of camaraderie with your fellow Pathfinders is very important, you know. ‘Cooperate’ doesn’t just apply to the peoples we encounter on our missions but to each other as well!"
"I’ll start first, if any of you have any questions for me - or any questions about what Master Shane had to say?"
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At the center of the Isle of Kortos stand the Kortos Mounts, the points on the island.
Entire tribes of centaurs, harpies, and minotaurs constantly vie for territory up and around the Mounts, with harpies being the most common at higher altitudes and centaurs controlling the lower slopes and foothills.
Also known as the Low Azlanti, the gillmen are an amphibious humanoid race believed to be the last descendants of the ancient Azlanti people.
During Earthfall, the Starstone struck Golarion and destroyed the human empires of Thassilon and Azlant. It is said that gillmen’s ancestors survived the cataclysmic event because they received the blessing of an aquatic entity that allowed them to breath underwater.
Most scholars believe the terrifying aboleths were responsible for the gillmen’s transformation. Any alliance between them appears to have fallen apart over the millennia, however, and the gillmen are now an independent people.
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"Oh and you need to return alive, as well. That's quite important too."
Lame ballerina! Is it too late to join the Aspis Consortium?
Unwilling to show her ignorance in front of her new companions just yet, Abdara seizes on their chaperone’s words.
“I’ll start first, if any of you have any questions for me – ”
“Is there time to purchase paper before we depart, Mistress Gavix? We’ll need some if we’re to document the Gillfolk passages.”
She adds casually, “Also, I’ve heard experienced Pathfinder agents say the Wounded Wisp is the actual birthplace of the Pathfinder Society – at least according to Drandle Dreng.”
“Does research form part of your skill set? If so, who is correct? The Master of Scrolls or VC Dreng?”
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Pelagos stares at Soloman. So... much noise... "Janira, as a Pathfinder, would you mind looking at some of my stuff? To make sure I've got the right gear. I haven't done one of these proper expeditions before," he explains a little sheepishly.
P̸a̴t̵h̴e̷t̵i̸c̸ ̸c̸r̴e̸a̴t̵u̶r̶e̶!̷ ̴N̴o̸w̶ ̵t̶h̸e̶y̷ ̶k̴n̸o̷w̴ ̴y̶o̸u̵ ̸a̸r̸e̴ ̴w̷e̸a̴k̸ ̵a̶n̵d̸ ̴r̴i̴p̷e̵ ̴f̴o̵r̵ ̷c̸u̶l̷l̸i̵n̴g̸!̷
"It's the right thing to do, I can't be the weak link," he mutters to his shoulder.
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"Mmmmm. Who packed your bag Janira? Terrible job, they did."
Gnoda, a very efficient packer, ambles over to Janira and starts rooting through her pack, tossing things on the table, scrutinising them, and the putting them back in neat and tidy order, all the while expounding on the subjects of the Kortos Mounts and the gillmen.
"The Kortos Mounts are the points of the island we stand on, mmmm. Full of fierce monsters, they are. Centaurs, minotaurs, and harpies call them home.
The Gillmen are the last descendants of Lost Azlant, mmmm. So some say.
There, Janira. Heavy items at the bottom, remember."
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Abdara’s eyes widen and her mouth drops open when Gnoda …
Emptied her pack in front of everone (!!)
The bard takes a step towards the halfling in subconscious solidarity, removes her own pack and hugs it to herself protectively, like it’s the owl-teddybear she secrets inside it.
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Hearing the others asking the detail-oriented questions, he taps his chin for a moment as he tries to come up with one of his own... but quickly abandons this notion in lieu of his own natural curiosity.
"So, Janira, tell us a bit more about yourself, if you would. What're your areas of expertise as a Pathfinder? What was your own Confirmation like, if you don't mind telling us?"
"Is there time to purchase paper before we depart, Mistress Gavix? We’ll need some if we’re to document the Gillfolk passages."
"Yes, of course! We'll have some time to stop on our way out of the city."
She adds casually, "Also, I’ve heard experienced Pathfinder agents say the Wounded Wisp is the actual birthplace of the Pathfinder Society – at least according to Drandle Dreng."
"Does research form part of your skill set? If so, who is correct? The Master of Scrolls or VC Dreng?"
Janira offers a sheepish laugh. "Truth be told, VC Dreng has the right of it - the Wounded Wisp is where the Society got it's start. Master Shane, well..."
She waves her hand in a vague gesture.
"Master Shane is many things but 'keen on details' sometimes gets by him and, well, this place is a popular watering hole among some of the Society's VCs and all. So that's probably where the mix-up came from! And Master Shane had already had those notes sent out to you before I caught the mistake."
"On the bright side, your question is a fine example of how important it is to listen - really listen - to what others say," Janira adds with an approving nod. "It's amazing what you can pick up if you do!"
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Solomon, unknown to him, has a milk mustache, which adds unexpected comical effect to his serious face and sound questions
"Er, well, they're a lot like humans but they've got three little gills on each side of their neck, like a fish does," Janira answers, blinking as she sticks a finger in one ear to muffle the noise. "They're known to be rather secretive...oh, but they're generally not hostile or anything like that," she adds quickly. "And as you'd expect due to their gills, most of them live in or near the water."
"And that's another good question about your gear! I only saw just inside the cave's entrance so I can't speak to what sort of terrain we'll find inside but it certainly wouldn't hurt to bring some climbing gear along. Or at least some rope, if nothing else. We should be fine wearing our regular travel clothes though; the cave seemed a little damp but not particularly cold."
She smiles widely. "These are just the sorts of questions I want to hear, by the way. The VCs generally do their best to get as much information for the mission briefings as they can...but sometimes the smaller details can get lost in the shuffle. So when in doubt about something - ask!"
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"Janira, as a Pathfinder, would you mind looking at some of my stuff? To make sure I've got the right gear. I haven't done one of these proper expeditions before," he explains a little sheepishly.
"You read my mind! Before we leave I'll take a look at the gear you've brought and make sure that between everyone we've got all the necessities." She pauses for a moment, a new thought having clearly occurred to her. "Er, that is if you don't mind me looking. I don't have to rifle through anything personally because I'm sure some of you have your own way of organizing your packs - I know I do and it would take me ages to put everything right again if someone just randomly pilfered through it! I'll just have you take your things out so I can see what we have."
"Mmmmm. Who packed your bag Janira? Terrible job, they did."
Gnoda, a very efficient packer, ambles over to Janira and starts rooting through her pack, tossing things on the table, scrutinising them, and the putting them back in neat and tidy order, all the while expounding on the subjects of the Kortos Mounts and the gillmen.
Janira seems about to interject but it's too late and she finds herself forced to watch the little gnome systematically remove everything from her pack and then begin to repack it.
"Wha...but...I had a system..." she whimpers.
"The Kortos Mounts are the points of the island we stand on, mmmm. Full of fierce monsters, they are. Centaurs, minotaurs, and harpies call them home.
The Gillmen are the last descendants of Lost Azlant, mmmm. So some say.
There, Janira. Heavy items at the bottom, remember."
"Oh yes," the halfling nods at Gnoda. "Been paying attention in history class, you ha-" she begins and then shakes her head. "Ah, you know what I mean."
"So, Janira, tell us a bit more about yourself, if you would. What're your areas of expertise as a Pathfinder? What was your own Confirmation like, if you don't mind telling us?"
"Ah! Well, I don't know if I could rightly claim any one area of expertise," Janira chuckles. "I've trained and studied the most with Master Shane but Master Farabellus taught me the art of the whip, crossbow, and blade. Master Zey even deigned to teach me a few spellcasting tricks, too. So you could say that I'm something of a jack-of-all-trades more than a specialist in any particular thing. But it takes both types to make a good team of agents!"
"My own Confirmation has actually turned out to be the jumping-off point for yours, like Master Shane mentioned earlier," she continues. "I was sent to survey the southwestern quarter of the island and cataloguing the flora and fauna in the area was part of the job. That's how and why I happened to spot the gillmen - twice, actually. A different one each time and both times fell during a full moon. By the time I had the second sighting my supplies were running low so that's why I was only able to get a quick glimpse of the cave entrance."
Janira considers all of this for a moment and then laughs. "All those words and I still haven't really answered your second question, have I? I enjoyed my Confirmation because it gave me an opportunity to learn more about the land here and the things that call it home. And I've always loved to learn, so I think Master Shane felt I was suited to the task."
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“If you are doing something at every moment we are in combat – even if it’s aiding another in melee or providing a flank – you will be doing more than half the newly minted Pathfinders I have seen, Pelagos.”
Abdara moves to lay a reassuring hand on the man’s shoulder, before reconsidering at the last moment.
… and cataloguing the flora and fauna in the area was part of the job.”
Sounds riveting.
… and both times fell during a full moon.”
“I wonder if tidal forces have something to do with the gillfolk’s appearance? I assume our field trip is also timed to coincide with the moon’s final phase, Mistress Gavix?”
Perhaps VC Shane isn’t the fool he appears to be. Janira is perfect for this task.
Pretty, non-threatening, bright and bubbly ... Somebody hand me a bucket!
“If you are doing something at every moment we are in combat – even if it’s aiding another in melee or providing a flank – you will be doing more than half the newly minted Pathfinders I have seen, Pelagos.”
"Yes, always be doing something," Janira nods in agreement. "Every little bit helps."
“I wonder if tidal forces have something to do with the gillfolk’s appearance? I assume our field trip is also timed to coincide with the moon’s final phase, Mistress Gavix?”
"Yes, yes, exactly! That's a very good conclusion to draw," Janira claps her hands approvingly at Abdara's insight. "Of course we won't know for certain until we reach the caves and you're able to explore inside but if there's not some sort of water source in there somewhere, or a path to one, then I'll kiss Master Zey right on the lips!"
"At any rate, we should get ready to get going so on to the fine details," she continues. "Master Shane reviewed my notes personally and also believed that it was no coincidence that each time I spotted the gillmen entering the caves, it was during a full moon. And so it's also no coincidence that we're leaving the day before another full moon. Both of us agreed that tomorrow night is our best chance to find out why these caves are important to the gillmen and what the heck they're doing in there."
"The caves we’ll be travelling to lie under the base of the Kortos Mounts and we’ll need to spend every minute of daylight possible to reach the caves by foot," she explains. "We'll be crossing over the Cairnlands, taking the paths to Diobel, and finally making our way through the wilderness. With any luck we won’t run into any of the local inhabitants! Once in the caves, we’ll need to work together to explore and determine whether any gillmen are present or have been recently. Oh, and be sure to keep an eye out for any other clues that might tell us why these caves seem significant to the gillmen!"
The halfling then rolls up her sleeves. "Okay, so like I said, I'd like to take a quick look at everyone's gear before we head out so go ahead and show me what you got..."
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Once everyone's carefully emptied their packs (or not), Janira quickly peruses the goods.
"Okay, most everyone here looks like they brought the essentials - food, light sources, and camping gear. And um, weapons. Plenty of weapons..."
And then as Janira finishes the gear inspection, she nods approvingly and offers a few words of praise.
"Looks like you've got quite a variety of weapons here, Solomon," she points out. "That's good because some creatures are naturally resistant to certain types of weapons. A common example would be skeletons - piercing and slashing weapons don't do much against pure bones, you know? You need something like a mace to crush them!"
"Ooh, Gnoda's got some smoked goggles! Those are handy to have if you think you might be going up against creatures with gaze attacks or other tricks that are sight-based."
"Wow...that's a nice collection of alchemical items and potions, Abdara," Janira whistles when she gets to the young woman's pile of gear. "See this alchemist's fire? This right here works wonders against swarms and it's pretty cheap in the grand scheme of things. Always a good thing to have on hand!"
When Janira gets to Felix's gear, she smiles. "Rope and javelins. You know, it's amazing just how often rope comes in handy and how many people don't carry any. Same for javelins or any sort of ranged weapon, really - without those any sort of flying critter is likely to ruin your day!"
"And last but certainly not least, here we've got a weapon forged from cold iron," she declares when she reaches Pelagos' gear. "You'll want something like this for sure if you ever run into any hostile fey!"
The gear inspection complete, Janira hefts her own pack onto her shoulders and practically bounces with excitement. "Okay, looks like that's everything! If anyone needs or wants to pick up any extra supplies we can swing by a shop on our way out of the city no problem! Let's get moving!"
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Gnoda "tuts" and shakes his head as he sees the parlous state of the Pathfinders' packs, but manages to refrain from repacking them himself as he ponders additions to his gear.
A few cold iron bolts, almost as cheap as steel ones. And alchemist's fire, for swarms and wood golems. A tanglefoot bag also, in case a harpy should come too close.
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Returning Janira's smile, he nods as he readjusts his quiver of javelins.
"They've gotten me out of a few tight spots, that's for certain!"
He too then shoulders his pack once more, not having anything else he can think of to purchase (that he can afford, anyway!) before they set off.
Perhaps I should look into some cold iron when next I have some coin...
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With her back to the male Pathfinders in an attempt to shield her rucksack’s contents from them, Abdara holds the pack open for Janira’s inspection while glaring over her shoulder at the boys.
Gnoda "tuts" and shakes his head as he sees the parlous state of the Pathfinders' packs
“Don’t even think about it, Gnoda.”
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"That's the spirit," Janira remarks brightly to both Felix and Solomon as she leads you all out of the tavern. "And another reason why I wanted to do an equipment inspection - everyone's got different thought processes and you can learn a lot by just seeing what your fellow agents do."
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After leaving the Pig's Paunch, Janira leads you through the early morning crowds that are beginning to fill Absalom's many winding streets. Besides a quick stop at Boldrin's General Goods to pick up some additional provisions, the trip out of the city is swift and uneventful.
The first part of your journey takes you across the vast Cairnlands, a region littered with the ruins and other detritus of millennia of warfare and countless attempts to lay siege to Absalom itself, and then along a well-worn path that leads to the town of Diobel. The weather is perfect for travel - not a cloud in the sky and just breezy enough to keep the heat of the sun from becoming too uncomfortable. During this first day Janira insists on keeping a relatively brisk pace in order to stay on schedule and yet somehow maintains plenty of energy to point out various landmarks, distant mountains, and the variety of flora and fauna that the group see as they tromp along.
"See there, that great spire in the distance? That's the Spire of Nex! Created by the archmage himself when he attempted to lay siege to Absalom in 166 AR," she explains as she points out a distant column of smooth grey stone that rises into the sky. "It's supposed to be made out of a piece of Nex's personal demiplane and hold all sorts of pocket dimensions. There's not any obvious ways to get inside but that doesn't stop people from trying...or the strange creatures inside from getting out, from time to time." The rest of the day proceeds in much this same manner.
When nightfall arrives you make camp just off the road, Janira looking pleased with the progress that you've made for the day. "We're moving right on schedule," she beams as the group settles in for a campfire supper. "As long as we keep up this pace we should reach the caves a little before nightfall tomorrow. But today was the easier part of the journey," she admits. "Tomorrow we leave the road and head into the forest, where the undergrowth will slow us down a bit. If any of you know much about finding trails and following tracks, we might have to rely on your expertise to lead us in the right direction! But I'm sure it won't be a problem; if need be I should be able to get us back to the caves. It'll just take us a little bit longer, that's all," she smiles as she toasts what look like gooey white puffballs over the fire. "Marshmallow, anyone? They're a wonderful treat if you like sweet things!"
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“I’m the youngest of six and the only girl. Certainly my upbringing was privileged, but it was also stifling. I was barely allowed to do anything remotely risky.”
Initially embarrassed to chat with her new peers, Janira’s caring, good-natured conversation opens Abdara’s eyes to the kind of natural leadership practised outside of a traditional hierarchy.
“Is it any wonder I ran away to join the Pathfinder Society? Why did you join, Solomon?”
When nightfall arrives you make camp just off the road.
Abdara grits her teeth as the Pathfinders begin setting up camp. After watching Janira muck in with the others, she rolls up her sleeves and begins scrounging deadwood for the fire.
After all, Papa would take the older boys on overnight fishing trips quite frequently when they were younger.
“Felix, I’m not as strong as you, so I’ll get the campfire going, perhaps with some help from Pelagos. You busy?”
And these accommodations are probably luxurious compared to what Remilliard and Wycombe endured in the army.
“And I’ll let you know now, Gnoda I’m a lousy cook. My boundless enthusiasm is more than offset by the ashy flavor I bring to everything.”
“Hellooo? Can anyone help me with this dashed tent peg? Felix? Solomon? Anyone? I swear it hates me! Oh, why won’t it stay at the angle I set it??”
Once everyone is settled after supper, Abdara encourages a joke-telling ice-breaker.
Timothy Plumley-Browne: "Seven."
Tutor: "No, listen carefully... If I gave you two cats, and another two cats and another two, how many would you have?"
Timmy: "Seven."
Tutor: "Let me put it to you differently. If I gave you two apples, and another two apples and another two, how many would you have?"
Timmy: "Six."
Tutor: "Good. Now if I gave you two cats, and another two cats and another two, how many would you have?"
Timmy: "Seven!"
Teacher: "Timothy, how in the name of Abadar do you get seven?"
Timmy: "Because I've already got a frickin’ cat!"
"Marshmallow, anyone? They're a wonderful treat if you like sweet things!"
Abdara is prepared to try this 'quaint Andoran custom' but misjudges the distance to the fire on her first couple of attempts, reducing her marshmallows to cinders.
The noblewoman sighs as she impales another fluffy white victim. “I’ve heard rumors some people actually go camping for Fun. That can’t possibly be true, can it Janira?”
“I mean, why would one want to live in worse conditions on one’s holidays than one does at home?”
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Pelagos jumps a little when Abdara shouts for him. "No, no I'm not busy." Seeing her trying to align firewood, he comes over with his flint and steel.
Y̴e̶s̴,̵ ̷h̶a̵v̶e̸ ̵a̵ ̴h̷a̵n̸d̷ ̷i̸n̸ ̶m̴a̵k̶i̴n̷g̴ ̵y̶o̷u̵r̷ ̵o̸w̸n̴ ̵p̶y̵r̸e̶,̶ ̴w̷o̷r̴m̴!̶
After helping her stack the logs appropriately, he uses a trowel to dig out a circle around it. Finally, placing the kindling, he holds the flint and steel in his hands, breathing heavily. Time... for silence.
Striking the tools together, the kindling is quickly ignited and Pelagos stares deeply into the resulting blaze. He looks at peace, much calmer than you've yet seen. He doesn't seem to register the call for marshmallows, but Abdara's joke yields an absentminded smile.
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Gnoda is small and unimposing, but makes fair speed for an old gnome with a walking stick. Not without grumbling though.
"Spire of Nex? Mmmm. Somewhere to visit in the future, it is."
"Much have I done in my life. Consulted for the Society I have, in the past. Tutored the youth of Absalom, Cheliax, and places far across the Inner Sea. Better now to share my knowledge in a more practical manner, yes. On the open road.
Camping. Not something I have much experience of, mmmm."
Gnoda does at least attempt to help with the cooking.
"Several species of elemental outsider consider Prime Material ash a great delicacy, Abdara. Alas, we all appear to be humanoids." Gnoda laughs, and waves at the bard jovially.
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I heard being a Pathfinder was a dangerous occupation. But no one warned me about your cooking. May I still resign, Janira?
*eye roll* “Ho, ho, ho. Oh, yes. Very droll, Solomon.”
But her smile reaches her eyes this time, betraying her enjoyment of the banter.
♨
Content to let Mesmerized Pelagosi Lie, Abdara holds a spoonful of Gnoda’s cooking up to her nose suspiciously, before risking a few nibbles.
“My word! This is actually quite decent, Gnoda. In a ‘temporary liquidity problems’ kind of way.”
After a full day of honest labor, Abdara digs in heartily. “Perchance, does it have a name?”
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"That doesn't sound too bad... Father raised me with a spear in my hands and battles in front of me, so I got used to doing risky things rather quickly!"
He laughs a little, taking in the sights as they make their way across the countryside and converse with one another.
--
He's more than happy to help set up the tent and other parts of the campsite, though he too isn't much of a cook.
"If it's not half-stale camp rations or homemade charcoal I think I'll be able to get it down. Maybe we can find some game at some point, who knows?"
He settles down around the fire, enjoying the burgeoning camaraderie among this group of soon-to-be Pathfinders.
"For my part, I joined up with the society as something to do after striking out on my own... fighting's mostly all I know and I was told that this was better than mercenary work. Contributing more, like, rather than just in it for my own coin and supper. That's what called to me about it."
"Heh, believe it or not, yes, some people like to do this sort of thing for fun," Janira chuckles as she spears another marshmallow. "If it helps, camping out isn't really my favorite thing to do either but I don't hate it, or anything. Just part of the job of being a Pathfinder; lots of places we travel to are out of the way so you won't be finding anything like a Green Dragon Inn or Pig's Paunch or Max Hitpoints (what a strange name that one was) to bed down at."
As everyone begins to relax and chat a bit more she smiles, genuinely happy to see a little bit of camaraderie beginning to develop among you.
"You know, I originally didn't even join the Society as part of a noble goal like you, Solomon, or even for a way to support myself like Felix did," the halfling remarks as she carefully rotates the marshmallow-laden stick in her hand. "All I wanted to do at first was see the world...and try all of the food it had to offer! It wasn't until I started my training with Master Shane that I really started to appreciate the focus on learning and preserving knowledge that the Society - or parts of it anyway - hold."
The marshmallow toasted to her satisfaction Janira carefully removes her toasting stick from the campfire and begins to carefully nibble at the treat, taking care not to eat too quickly and burn her mouth. "Mmm...delicious! But I'd better stop now or I'll fill up on these instead of the meal Gnoda was good enough to make for us. But anyway, each person's reason for joining the Society is just a little bit different and that's one of the things I love about it - that so many different people, with different experiences and different outlooks, can all come together for a common purpose. It's really sort of amazing, isn't it?"
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"...does it have a name?"
"A recipe from far, far away. Mmmmm. Beru Stew it is called."
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“So a vegetarian dish as well, Gnoda? Jolly fine show.”
“… many different people, with different experiences and different outlooks, can all come together for a common purpose.”
Is she implying the six of us have something in common? Really?
It’s been a day of firsts for Abdara, so as much as she’d like to, she doesn’t dismiss the idea out of hand.
Despite the distance between homelands and backgrounds, one cannot deny we are all in this ghastly dell together, right now and by choice.
Shelyn’s Brush! She may just have a point!
“It's really sort of amazing, isn't it?”
“Scarcely able to be believed.”
“Scarcely able to be believed.”
Perhaps surprisingly, Janira blushes a little bit. "Maybe that was a little much, huh? I really do think it's amazing but I know that probably not everyone does. Maybe I'm just easily impressed."
Finishing her marshmallow Janira then carefully ladles out a generous portion of Gnoda's Beru Stew for herself. As she pops a spoonful into her mouth her eyes widen a bit. "This is really good, Gnoda. I'm glad I got a chance to try it! Do you think you'd be willing to share the recipe when we get back to Absalom?"