You have recently arrived at the northern village of Aaminiut, in the polar region north of Avistan known as the “Crown of the World”. Here, Erutaki tribal members live side-by-side with Ulfen traders. The peaceful cooperation of these peoples has made the town a safe haven for many seeking shelter and trade before entering or exiting the deadly ice fields and glaciers of the Crown of the World. Lately, rumor has it that this peace has been disturbed by a creature slipping in across the ice floes that blanket Aaminiut’s frigid bay, sabotaging the nets and lines of Erutaki and Ulfen fishers, and stealing their catches.
Today, in Aaminiut’s central square, the leaders of the settlement’s two cultures—the boisterous Ulfen merchant known as Bjorn the Blade, and the elderly Erutaki matriarch Seshu—converse quietly as Bjorn hammers the final nail attaching a scrolled piece of hide to the village’s notice board. Villagers and traders gather around the board to read the scroll, murmuring in concerned interest. When they give way, you discover a bounty poster depicting a draconic head with the following notice written in both Common and Ulfen, as well as the local written dialect of Erutaki:
HUNTERS NEEDED!
Over the past weeks, a creature some of us have come to know as the “Whitefang Wyrm” has been spotted lurking near our settlement, stealing fish from our nets and baskets and leaving nothing but wreckage in its wake. We believe the creature’s lair is somewhere on or across the ice floes of Whitefang Bay. As this creature poses a threat to the survival of all of Aaminiut’s residents, we have prepared a sack of ivory and oosik carvings from the Erutaki and silver bracelets and armbands from the Ulfen, payable to whoever ends the creature’s attacks on our food supply. Proof of the creature’s defeat must be presented to claim this bounty.
~ Elder Seshu & Bjorn the Blade
The town leaders are still present in the square. What would you like to do?
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A small body worms his way to the board. Dressed in a pristine and catchy black and white outfit, geometric shapes adorn most of his clothes. Pretty obviously a gnome, his garishly white hair contrast his pitch black eyebrows and long eyelashes.
He looks up at the picture, "This is it? A poorly drawn rendition of a dragon head and a name? No details, no colors, no first hand reports? An opportunistic fellow, which I am not, could just wander into the woods and kill a big reptile."
He looks up at the crowd, "Unless there is more information on the Whitefang Wyrm to be found somewhere...?"
Trig tries to recall some sort of creature that could at least match the climate, location and attributes listed. Eats fish, handles cold fine, maybe intelligent enough to go after caught food and not get caught themselves.
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A tall, unusually slim orc emerges from the crowd, walking with a cane he clearly does not need for stability. His black hair is drawn back in a low ponytail, and he wears a dark tailcoat adorned with a subtle floral pattern of some slightly reflective material.
The man bends over to study the poster for a moment, both hands on the top of his cane, then swivels smoothly to face the local leaders. "Well, I won't pretend that aquatic beasts are my specialty, but perception and deduction should prove useful whatever the nature of the hunt. My geometrically-inclined colleague is right, however; more information with which to begin our search would be an immense help. Has anyone observed one of the monster's attacks directly? And what leads you to the conclusion that its lair is on the bay's ice?"
While he awaits an answer Mutaq studies the drawing of the Wyrm in more detail, fixing its image in his mind and pondering its potential species.
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A black bird dressed as a duelist swordsman with a rapier at his belt comes in front of the bounty board. He looks at it blowing a pair of dice into the palm of his hand.
It seems someone is stealing something. This story can be cleared. Perhaps it is simply a misunderstanding. We can explain it to the interested. Bandit, squale or wyrm. Most of all we must do it with panache.
Then he turns onward the organizers of this hunt:
And of course you will allow us to borrow a slide to go over there to speak to the responsible of these disappearing?
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The iruxi man is immediately thinking: Of course it's always the fault of a dragon or a lizard. Always the same song. It's a bit bit easy.
And what proof do you have that this wyrm would be responsible of your problem? Otherwise it could be one of you who is trying to put the hat on the wyrm to see some strangers coming and killing it for you.
The man is wearing a hide armor but apparently without carrying any weapon except his claws.
Both Trig and Mutaq recognize the drawing well enough to think this might be some sort of drake or tatzlwyrm—smaller cousins to dragons that lack some of their more powerful cousins’ most terrifying abilities while maintaining the same bluster and confidence.
"This is it? A poorly drawn rendition of a dragon head and a name? No details, no colors, no first hand reports? An opportunistic fellow, which I am not, could just wander into the woods and kill a big reptile."
The crowd murmurs in response, whispering in confusion.. "It's too cold up here for reptiles.."
The elderly Erutaki woman emerges from the back, seeking to console the confused crowd. ”We have little to offer beyond the details already described in the bounty,” She sighs. ”It couldn’t be larger than a harbor seal.” She gestures to several sleek figures resting along the coastline, each no longer than the average human is tall.
And of course you will allow us to borrow a slide to go over there to speak to the responsible of these disappearing?
The Ulfen trader steps up beside the woman and nods. ”A witness described this 'wyrm' as having a fin running down its spine, so it can probably swim well.” He then strokes his beard. ”If you are truly interested in helping us, I can rent you dog teams and sleighs to traverse the ice. Each can transport up to three riders. Five silver pieces per team, per day is what I charge.”
And what proof do you have that this wyrm would be responsible of your problem? Otherwise it could be one of you who is trying to put the hat on the wyrm to see some strangers coming and killing it for you.
The crowd gasps.. "Ack! A reptile!"
The two figures once again console the crowd and turn their attention back to the question. "Nets have been destroyed, earnings have been down, and people are fearful. Nobody has gained anything from the terror this beast has wrought."
The Ulfen watches silently as the tengu leaves, and the crowd amicably quiets down in response to Quetzhal.
"We wish you a safe journey, and thank you for your assistance," the elderly Erutaki adds.
You travel across the ice on foot! Though your trek is likely slower than if you had taken sleds, the Wyrm’s tracks do prove much easier to see .
In fact, because of your slower pace, about 3 hours into your journey, both Quetzhal and Mutaq notify the party that you have reached an area of unstable ice!
It takes the group roughly 8 hours to traverse the iceflows before you reach the entrance to the Wyrm's lair. The sun sits low on the western horizon and its rays cannot reach inside . The cavern’s ceiling is 10 feet tall, and all of the surfaces are made of ice.
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"Certainly!" Mutaq replies, returning Trig's smile.
When the team arrives at the cavern entrance, Mutaq reaches into his coat and draws out a short cape of dark purple silk with a flourish. He tosses the garment over his left shoulder and grasps its end with his left hand, ready to raise it into a protective position when necessary.
Dueling cape prepared, the orc twists the knob at the head of his cane until it clicks audibly. In a single smooth motion he draws the blade concealed within it and aims the sword's point at whatever dangers lie past the cave's opening. With a nod to his companions, Mutaq advances inside.
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The Tengu looks at the Orc when they prepare before to enter into the cave. He thought to be the only one to be so smart to use a cape for his defense. Well he will also use it to attack for his part. All in all he undresses the cape which hangs over his shoulders and wraps it around his arm in a single movement. Then he draws his rapier.
He begins to enter in crab's manner but quickly wait for somebody who could give a bit more light in the darkness.
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With a sigh, "See? Everyone here would be lost without magic. You're welcome."
He twists the top of his gnarled walking staff and it begins glowing with a soft light. Pointing inside the cavern he urges the others to continue.
"You want me last, as I expect I have the only ability to magically stitch your wounds together." His eyes narrow, trying to gauge which of his allies are the most competent at fighting.
I suppose I'll have to see them in action.
He stays just far enough back that he can dimly see their half-orc scout without bathing him in full light.
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Trig takes a breath and tries to smooth things over, ”Listen, I didn’t mean to slight your beautiful dark eyes in the least, they are wonderful to look at and likely quite useful. Sure, they were probably created by ancient magic, but the point isn’t really even that. You can’t fight this thing alone and the rest of us needed magic to join you. So, magic again saves the day.”
Expecting danger, your hopes are fulfilled as a fierce-looking, pony-sized reptile ambushes you from one of the tunnels!
It begins to inhale sharply with a sibilant hiss followed by a wet snarl, "Du vil betale dyrt for å ha invadert riket til den mektige Ssalarn!"
Trig
???
Mutaq
Quetzhal
Chupko
The wyrm shakes his head, pushing aside the worst of the mental onslaught. He then rushes up to the half-orc, envelops him in a puff of icy breath, and then retreats 30 feet back into the darkness.
Mutaq
Quetzhal
Chupko
Trig
Ssalarn
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Mutaq is about to respond to Trig's explanation when the wyrm arrives and immediately occupies his full attention. He shivers and grits his teeth as the creature's frigid breath washes over him, but manages to avoid any major adverse effects.
As the reptile retreats, Mutaq searches its movements for exploitable weaknesses and tries to pin down its species with more specificity in order to determine what sort of resistances or other combat abilities it might possess.
When it reaches a tunnel entrance, he dashes after the wyrm. Shortly before reaching the creature Mutaq steps to one side and attempts to slide past it across the ice before spinning to face it from behind. Regardless of this maneuver's success, he then drives his sword into the creature, taking advantage of his previous study to perfectly time the stab.
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The wyrm snarls again as his eardrums begin to bleed.
Mutaq recognizes this creature to be a Northern variety of Tatzlwyrm. The biggest distinction between this and the regular variety is its frigid breath weapon and ice-blue coloration. He then stumbles past the creature and shanks it!
"Pesssky, inferior GNAT! I will ssshow you what a TRUE DRAGON is capable of!"
Mutaq
Quetzhal
Chupko
Trig
Ssalarn
Mutaq
Quetzhal
Chupko
Trig
Ssalarn
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If you don't come to Chupko, Chupko will come to you!
The Tengu moves forward to flank the would be dragon, feints it with a brilliant move and strikes it in a seeing worth move.
Deception, cape:
Rapier, Confident finisher:
Damage, Precise strike:
Damage, Precise strike, crit:
Then, he concludes: Yes, you was a snake.
Between Chupko's daring swordstrike and Quetzhal's miniature lightning bolt the tatzlwyrm formerly known as Ssalarn is exterminated and his reign of annoyance is brought to an end.
Mutaq
Quetzhal
Chupko
Trig
Searching the ice cave you find that the wily wyrm had actually set up several traps further down the tunnels, including ice slicks, pit falls and collapse points. In one of them you come across the remains of another adventuring party... and are shocked to find one of them still alive! albeit unconscious...
After collecting the requisite evidence that you defeated Ssalarn your return trip to Aaminiut is uneventful. Elder Seshu and Bjorn the Blade are at first alarmed by your harrowing tale, but happily reward the four five of you with the pre-negotiated bounty: a sack of carvings and silver jewelry worth sixteen twenty gold!
You have recently arrived at the town of Petitioner’s Port and anxiously wait outside the Meticulous Truffle Inn, where the local Bounty Board is regularly updated. At the strike of noon the town’s deputy leader, a female half-elf by the name of Administrator Salayah, swiftly approaches from the government building and tacks up a new piece of parchment in the center of the wooden scaffold:
ADVENTURERS NEEDED!
My farm has been the victim of a terrible threat. Some kind of awfulness is murdering my precious alpaca herd. I need help immediately and am willing to pay a reward of 20 gold to the adventurers who put a stop to these murders. Come visit my farm, due north of Petitioner’s Port, for more information.
~ Wilhuff Harjhack
Mutaq knows everyone in town relies on the Harjhack farm for various foodstuffs and that the town’s local fineries store depends heavily upon its alpaca wool, noting that the farm is renowned for the quality of its alpacas due to cross-breeding with a baccalia stud.
Trig knows that baccalias are a rare alpaca breed with some of the highest quality wool on Golarion.
Administrator Salayah begins to be heckled by questions from the rest of the crowd. What would you like to do?
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"Welcome, Otova!" Mutaq tells the tiefling. "I look forward to fighting beside you."
Later, in Petitioner's Port, Mutaq quickly moves to address Salayah, sliding himself between her and the bulk of the crowd. "Administrator, my team and I are more than happy to take on this bounty, and I am certain we will have it dealt with soon. Before we talk to Harjhack, is there any information you can provide us about this 'awfulness' or anything like it you've heard of in the past?"
Mutaq recalls that this is, clearly, a wereporcupine. Its quills can be fired at range with deadly accuracy, so the best way to combat it is to get in close, and stab it in the underbelly with a silver weapon.
Administrator Salayah responds that Wilhuff approached representatives of the Resplendent Bureaucracy (Druma’s governing branch), who agreed to post his request for assistance on the town’s bounty board, and that she doesn’t know much more than that.