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Having just finished your training, or after you de-briefing from the previous mission, you receive a knock on the door. A young boy stands there, a envelope in his hand. "For you, from Venture-Captain Brackett." Taking it you rip it open to reveal the letter inside, , Is there no peace for the wicked, no sooner than I finish something, then it's onto the next task. Oh well Andoran here I come.
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You arrive in Elidir, at the Old Oak Tree Tavern, to join up with the other Pathfinders assigned to this mission. Thence it is a trek to edge of the country and rendezvous with Lieutenant Pratt of the Eagle Knights, in their encampment.
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A young Half-Orc woman enters into Tavern, she has short black hair, light green skin and an athletic and muscular body as you may expect from someone with orcish blood, her tusks however aren't that notorious, she looks confident yet serious, she isn't smiling but neither looks angry and in her back lies a deadly looking falchion, an Orc's favorite.
That being said we can't overlook the robed figure that accompanies her, it looks humanoid but it's body is covered by the baggy cloak it wears and it's face hidden by a hood but as it walks it makes some unnatural noises, those of whirling gears and the likes that you can relate to clockwork devices and similar machines.
"Hey there, I'm Erika Ashton Breakfang from Numeria, just call me Erika, no need for formalities between fellow Pathfinders, and this gal is Synthia my opus magnus, short story she's an humanoid construct with basic intelligence, she isn't terrible talkative but is efficient and loyal." Introduces herself Erika and her construct companion as well.
"Anyways I don't want to bore you with the details of how I build her and all those irrelevant stuffs so, I assume you receive the same letter as I so you know what our mission is, any thoughts? As for me, well it may sound selfish but I'll be using this chance to test Synthia's performance." Adds the Inventor, she isn't a mad scientist but is a pragmatic person and isn't ashamed of that.
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A short and thin woman with dark brown skin and tightly braided pale hair enter the shop. She wears worn leathers and boots that show recent signs of repair. She carries a short sword and dagger on one side, an unstrung short bow sits on her back and a bandolier with medical supplies crosses her chest.
In the dim light of the tavern, she takes off the veil that she uses to protect her eyes from the outside light and you see eyes with large grey pupils that seem to absorb all the light. Looking around, she catches the other pathfinder's eyes and gives a bright smile, wiggling her pointed ears.
"Well met Erika and er... Synthia? I'm Elanna Elthiel, just inbound from the River Kingdoms. Not that I am from there, but the society sent us there for a little witch issue. I'll be serving as a scout in our little expedition.", she displays the same letter as Erika.
"Yes, I recieved the same letter and I have to say I'm more than intrigued. My mentor in the Society was also an explorer of the Darklands and he taught me a few things about spelunking. Plus my mother's tribe should be somewhere down there as well. That's where my eyes come from.", she puts a finger just below her eyes.
"So any knowledge about the Darklands is of great interest to me. Have you ever done any underground explorations yourself ?"
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To the table approach another figure. His hair is short and trimmed his beard is long and braided, he smiles broadly to each one of you
"My name is Makai Goldenoak, and before you ask yes from those Goldenoaks if you ever triad our ales you know that they are a great pride of ours."
He is dressed nicely carrying a cape on his back, behind his belt you can spot only a clan dagger and a cane in his hand with symbols of Goldenoak clan (matching those form the dagger).
"Joining this mission was very important to me, looking for a treasure of Ghelib is a great opportunity." than he stops smiling for a moment
You notice that he does not say a word about duergars.
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An elf stands in the group, their skin tinted slightly with blue, seafoam green hair hanging down to their shoulders in a rough, simple cut. "I'm Frayley. A new Pahtfinder. This is my first mission with the lodge." Frayley nods, they're purple eyes on Anjo's bow and then motions with their own. They were simple clothing, tight enough to keep it out of the way, but loose enough not to show much more than Frayley's general shape, which is a bit larger than most elves.
Frayley paused for a time before continuing, almost as if to themself, "In all my years, the Darklands is not one of the places I ever expected to go."
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"I've heard stories about the darklands but I honestly can't believe most of them, sure it's a dark and dangerous place, a whole different world than the Golarion we know but can it be THAT bad? Unless we go really deep we should be fine." Adds the inventor, she is either too brave or ignorant about the darklands.
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Over the trek to the Eagle Knights encampment, the Pathfinders get to know one another and work together. Eventually as you climb a rise, an Eagle Knight in a green tunic covering military grade armour with white breeches makes himself known from his hidden guard post. "Halt, friend or foe?"
Explaining you are Pathfinders and have been told to report to Lieutenant Evanno Pratt, the corporal calls one of his subordinates from the hiding place. The soldier escorts you down into the encampment below the ridge. White tents with green and white banners of the Eagle Knights flying in the breeze. A small nomadic town of canvas, knights walk proudly through their makeshift streets, even to the small central square is full of military life, trampling the grass to muddy tracks. To the edge of the camp is a larger pavilion, overlooking an entrance to the Candlestone Caverns. You see an officer as you approach, Evanno Pratt standing in front of a map, coordinating tactics with other Eagle Knights. All around, several soldiers are building sturdy wooden barricades. As you close on the lieutenant, he turns to see who approaches.
“Ah! I see the Pathfinders have arrived.” An Eagle Knight officer steps aside from the ranks, doffing his hat jovially. “Pleased to meet you all! Lieutenant Evanno Pratt, at your service. But you can call me Evanno, or Ev.” He smiles as he waves your group over to a table bearing several incomplete maps, labeled as depicting nearby sections of the Candlestone Caverns.
“We’ve been dealing with a problem these past few weeks that a bit of collaboration should be able to solve. A group of duergars from the Candlestone Caverns have emerged, raiding the nearby lands for slaves and supplies. We’re not sure if they’re a scouting party, colonists, or something else; frankly, it doesn’t matter to us. They’re abducting Andoren citizens, and that’s not something we can allow to stand.”
Evanno’s expression darkens slightly. “We’ve been setting up some barricades in Candlestone, blocking off several passageways. Our plan is to force the duergars into this cavern right here, forming a two-pronged assault to wipe those filthy slavers out before they can escape deeper into the Darklands. The second prong,” he gestures to your group, “is right here in front of me. When my platoon found that journal on a duergar body, I knew that good ol’ Brackett would send some of his finest in exchange for it—and you all certainly seem capable. The placement of barricades is nearly done, and we want you to meet us there through the fastest means necessary; once they realize our trap, we need to act quickly. This map’s incomplete, so feel free to depart from it if you find a faster route. Any questions?”
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"Thank you, Lieutenant, we will do our best. Do you know what kind of tactics we can expect from the duergars ? Especially, what have this group of slavers be witnessed using?", asks Elanna as she thinks about what she knows of duergars.
"In case it is of use, Lieutenant, I do speak Undercommon and should be able to communicate with them."
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Frayley watches the camp impassively as they are led to Evanno. They greet Evanno cordially enough, but mostly remain silent, fingering their short bow, until the man has finished and hands them the map.
Frayley steps up next to Anjo and begins inspecting the map with him, "What do you think about this tunnel? It looks like it might work, but I worry about how narrow it is." They continue to look over the map and discuss a route with Anjo.
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Evanno grimaces dourly as you seek knowledge about the duergar. "They’re a bunch of dwarves who went rogue ... I don’t know the whole story about how they became the monsters they are now, but they enslave other creatures above and below the surface without a care. They have taken our very own Andorans prisoners, we will bring retribution. Those scum work people to death ... the sooner we’re rid of them, the better." he almost spits the words out.
Then with pride in his military, their achievements and battle honours he continues, "We the Eagle Knights, are the military of Andoran! We are sworn to protect our homeland within and without from wicked organizations that seek to undo it. We have a particular enmity toward slavers, as I’m sure you can tell. My platoon here represents one of our branches, the Steel Falcons, who do whatever must be done for freedom’s sake. And in this instance it is to free Andorans from the threat of these scum, to obliterate their operations and send them to hell!"
You cannot add anything to the information given by Evanno, but you expect the caverns to be dark and gloomy.
Once his venom for the duergar has subsided, he points to the map where Frayley and Anjo are tracing their way through the cavern. Then he looks to his fellow officers questioningly, "What do you think?" The other officers murmur amongst themselves, before several nod quickly, "Possible Sir, we'll have to close up there and there with barricades, yes that might do it." However, it is apparent that the route laid out for you is the known shortest route.
Elanna Cavern Lore
You know that duergars are dwarves who refused to venture to the surface and came to worship the evil god Droskar. Their time underground has exposed them to occult energies that allow them to turn invisible and grow in size for a short time. They take slaves, following the code laid out in a series of tomes known as Successful Methods for the Enslavement of Lesser Races.
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"You'll find me right besides you where slavery is concerned, Lieutenant. And I understand from both you and Makai, my fellow pathfinder here, that there will be no talking to them.", she nods towards both of them, taking their aggressive stance in consideration.
"However, I can still listen and understand what those slavers will be saying and relay that to you if useful. If the occasion arises, I will also try to deceive them to get them deeper into our trap or confuse them."
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Makai spends some time chatting with the knights in the camp trying to learn a bit more about the situation with duergar.
A perspective of fighting underground on a rocky floor does not scare him, but he knows that it can be tricky for his allies. It will be basically a fight on duergars terrain, maybe the element of surprise will tip the scale to their side.
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As you mingle with the soldiers, most are friendly but busy sharpening swords, cleaning crossbows and greasing their armour and taking other precautions to ease their movements. Young boys run about in the camp, taking messages between different platoons. Engineers check nuts and bolts that hold barricades together.
Evanno invites you to buy stores from the quartermaster, before he heads off, "Good Luck, we'll see you as we catch those scum in our trap. Time for action, time to lead. You may purchase supplies from the quartermaster if you require anything?" He strides manfully to the head of the units, as they begin to line up for the expedition.
Leaving you with Lieutenant Brackett, who cheerfully asks, "When you are ready, I'll lead you to your cavern entrance. Ready?"
The Candlestone Caverns are a gateway between the Darklands and Andoran. Its tunnels can be treacherous, and many an adventurer has either gotten lost in the caves or fallen victim to an unexpected plunge.
The upper layers of the Darklands are overgrown with bizarre plants and fungi. Vegepygmies are one of the greatest threats of these subterranean jungles,infecting duergars and other natives with their spores.
From the map you think that the route in the quickest known route, but other unmapped routes may exist. However there is no time now to scout the caverns, as the Eagle Knights led by Evanno start to make their way towards your rendezvous point.
I know what the dice rolled when I previewed.
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Lieutenant Brackett smiles and leads the way forward, softly he recites the march, "Left, right, left...." as though you were regular army types.
After about an hours march, Brackett points to the dark rocky entrance to a tunnel in the grassy hillside, "That's the way in, you go that way and we'll have the duergars cornered." he winks and smiles in anticipation of the plan. "Now you're gonna have to shift your butts it's a long way down there to the rendezvous, and I mean long. Time is of the essence to catch them blighters in the pincer trap. So good luck, we'll see you later." he gives you the thumbs up, before a quick salute and returns.
After about an hour’s travel down the caverns following the map, going deeper into the hillside, water dripping down the wall of the tunnel, over bumpy rocky ground, twisting and turning, just as drawn on Evanno's map. Then as you move on the way is barred, rocks and earth build up narrowing the tunnel, until very quickly there is no way through, a cave-in blocking the main path forward, but just as you are about to retrace your tracks, the light catches a dark hollow, could this be your lucky day.
They Frayley the elf looks at the map and the way Evanno had planned for you to go, then scratching the end of their nose they comes to a conclusion.
You start down the smaller tunnel, which is quite easy to start, though the sides and roof close in on you more than the main tunnel.
Suddenly the tunnel plunges down into a steep decline too arduous and uneven to simply walk down. A slip could make life difficult, care must be taken.
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Makai looks into the narrow tunnel and unloads his crossbow. He hangs his cape on his back and hopes that it will be there after they pass this path.
"I can go first..." says Makai hoping that it is a good idea. His dwarven eyes focus as he tries to see through the darkness.
He begins to balance at the slide going down. He feels somewhat natural doing so, even that the way he speaks and dresses might mislead someone into thinking that Makai only sits in the taverns.
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Upon entering the tunnel leading to the caves, Elanna had removed her veil, relying on her inherited sight to guide her in the dark.
As the pathfinders arrive at the steep sloped tunner, Elanna fishes our of her pack a rope and grappling hook. Setting the hook in a crevice at the top of the slope, she sends the rope down after Makai.
"There! That should help anyone going down. Go ahead, if you please.", she gestures to her companions. "I'll unhook the rope and go down after you."
Waiting for her turn, she keeps watch while everyone makes their way down.
Then, if everything goes to plan, she will unhook the rope and walk down the slope, balancing her way down.
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At the cave in, Frayley studies the map and their predicament before nodding. "I believe this side path may be shorter and faster, but it is likely more dangerous. We don't have any good alternatives, so I'd say we follow that path."
Frayley squirms as the tunnel closes in on them, but maintains their composure. Finally, as the path drops, they allow some of their discomfort to show through with a click of their tongue. "Thank you for the help, I hope I won't need it but I'd rather be safe than sorry." Frayley grabs onto the rope, and lets it slide through their fingers as the begin to balance their way down the slope, using the rope as an aid if they start to slip.
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After Makai and Elanna lay the rope down the tunnel, making it easier for the rest of the group to descend. Frayley starts to make their way down holding the torch high. Although Frayley's feet slip completely several times on the rough loose rocks, causing Frayley to cry out in horror. Erika is able to grab Frayley from behind and stop her momentum before the fall can do any damage, enabling Frayley to snatch the rope once more and control their way down to the bottom.
With the excitement over, everyone else easily descends, including Erika's little mechanical friend.
You find yourselves in a wandering cavern. The walls appear totally natural for the most part. Rough walls that are almost passageways in themselves, turning back into the main chamber, then wandering out again. Occasional drops of water drip from the high up ceiling, landing with a splash on the heads, then sometimes even your eyes as you look up into the darkness to see where they come from. As you all make their way around its perimeter, you are stopped from any more forward progression by a metallic grate securing the only apparent exit from the room. The grate appears to be completely sealed, with no knob, lock, or other mechanism to open it. Near the grate, an inscription in a mixture of Dwarven and Undercommon glows faintly in a violet light on the wall.
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"No worries,", she calls back to Frayley. "That's why I'm lugging all that equipment. We need reach our destination in one piece."
Elenna grabs back the rope and takes back her place at the front of the group, moving with as little noise as possible and keeping her eyes open.
As they find themselves in front of the metallic grate, Elanna squints in concentration: "That's strange, it looks like a mix of Dwarven and Undercommon. It looks like we're getting into Duergar territory.", she says, trying to decipher the inscription.
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If you would like to describe the opening of the grate, sights and sounds, and starting to go down the next section of tunnel...but not too far .. :-) ) If you don't want to I'll do it tomorrow.
You realize the text draws heavily on Successful Methods for the Enslavement of Lesser Races, but between quotations, text alludes to two hidden switches near the grate that, if pushed at the same time, cause it to open.
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Elanna studies the writing with attention, her ears giving an involuntary twitch from time to time. "I’ve already seen these words somewhere…", she frowns. "Now if I could just remember where it was."
She stokes her nose a few times and then snaps her fingers : "Yes, that’s it. These are quotes from the « Successful Methods for the Enslavement of Lesser Races ». That’s a Duergar book, I think. I read part of in during my training. Not a book I recommend for the faint of heart. Actually, I do not recommend it at all."
She let her fingers trace lightly the inscription: "You see, they’ve put quotes both in Dwarven and Undercommon. But in the Dwarven ones, there are a few words in Undercommon and vice-versa."
She points to some words and starts muttering. "And if you read only those words…"
She moves to a small crevice to the right of the door and puts her hand in, while reaching for another one just above the ground.
"There we go!" she pushes on the two carefully hidden switches and a soft click is heard.
Dusting her hand, she pushes on the grate. A few motes of dust cascade down as it pivots on its side with barely a noise. "Duergars, despicable as they are, are still crafty people. A good thing a lot of them believe other people are so dumb."
She motions to her fellow Pathfinders: "Let’s go. If we are stealthy, we can surprise them. I bet they don’t think anyone can get their little riddle."
The tunnel beyond the grate is pitch black with an alternation of moldy patches and dry rock, giving a smell of damp and rusted metal to the air.
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Back into the darkness of this new tunnel the musty smell persists, you move on. As you continue, you realise that this section of the tunnels is oval in shape, providing plenty of room for the group to spread out.
That is, until there is a low rumble as you see a large looking spider, the size of a halfling, fly across your path in front of you. Hairy legs, detaching from it's body, before it thuds into the cavern wall to your right. Those who can see, watch as the fangs and pedipalp twitch as though trying to find the enemy that had sent it here. But with it's legs broken, its abdomen smashed, wrecked and bleeding out, these are just the last final signs of life in the now dead insect.
An acrid smell of saltpetre hangs in the air to the left.
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With your ears ringing from the sound of the explosion and the spider lying dead in a heap, you realise that the Duegar have set explosive traps in the area.... Time to be wary, or perhaps you might follow the same fate as the spider, ending up splattered against a wall. Even searching for the spider's nest is fraught with danger from any bombs that may get triggered. Time to be very careful ....
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Despite Anjo seeming to loose his bearings as he concentrates on the spider's corpse, Elanna is able to use her elven senses to find a safe passageway through the cavern. There are no explosions to throw you against the cavern wall, as did the spider whose body you left behind. To either side you see the occasional stone out of place, almost invisible threads cast between two outcrops, small barrels and some with flasks that glint in the yellow light of Frayley's torch. You proceed with care following exactly in Elanna's footsteps, until you come to another set of tunnels.
As the group once more traverse farther into the tunnels, you hear the sounds of a pitch battle between the Eagle Knights and the duergars far off in the distance. Without knowing the way and at risk of becoming lost if you charge forward too hastily, you must proceed wisely with intelligence, less speed more haste. However you realise that with time pressure bearing down, one of you must take the lead and guide the party through these tunnels to the pinch point and into the fight.