~ GEOGRAPHY ~
The Hao Jin Tapestry is an artifact created centuries ago by the Tian sorceress Hao Jin.
It is the gateway to a demiplane of the same name, home to numerous different locations and environments.
~ BACKGROUND ~
Seven years ago, the Pathfinder Society acquired the Hao Jin Tapestry, a powerful artifact and gateway to a wondrous yet slowly disintegrating museum-like demiplane.
Despite the sacrifices made to preserve the Hao-Jin Tapestry by one of the Pathfinder Society's most influential members, the realm's collapse seems inevitable.
The Society has dispatched teams to high-value sites to salvage what they can of the historical treasures and knowledge, and the PCs are one of these first groups. However, their study of an ancient Tian site becomes far more complex thanks to not one but two burgeoning religions.
It's up to the PCs to navigate this landscape riddled with hazards both extraplanar and political.
Silence falls as two cloaked figures enter, marching in sync, their steps echoing through the hushed room. Ornate masks obscure their faces.
One mask is woven from spreading branches, while the other is a black domino mask studded with crystal tears.
The silent room buzzes with anticipation, as the assembled agents wait to hear why these masked figures, two of the shadowy Decemvirate that leads the Pathfinder Society, have summoned them.
The figure in the branch mask steps forward and speaks, their voice crisp but slightly distorted.
"Pathfinders," they say from behind their mask, "many of you have already undertaken missions into the demiplane within the Hao Jin Tapestry. Numerous expeditions have gone inside that artifact since the Society acquired it seven years ago, each mission yielding some handful of the near infinite treasures hidden inside it. Our last mission found the tapestry crumbling and Aram Zey lost."
Murmurs can be heard.
"You will be recovering what you can from the tapestry before it is too late for any to enter — or too late for what’s inside to leave. The venture-captains will give you more specific directions in the coming days. If you wish to be part of a salvage team, prepare as best you can and remain in Absalom. May fortune smile upon you all."
As swiftly as they entered, the masked figures depart, and the crowd’s excited conversations rise into a dull roar. Before you have a chance to disperse into the crowd, the familiar face of Sorrina Westyr - the Society's Master of Spells - catches your eyes as she's peering over the masses of agents. She makes her way towards you and gestures for you to follow, her voice barely audible over the nervous yet excited chatter that fills the chamber.
Before you know it, she has led your group down a flight of stairs and through a couple of corridors to a chamber containing the fabled Hao Jin Tapestry. Even from the outside, it can be seen with plain eyes that the fabric is fraying.
~ ~
"Agents," she begins, "I'm sorry for pulling you into this so suddenly, but with Aram Zey gone, and the Tapestry crumbling, we haven't had much time to make proper preparations. You have been selected to be the first salvage group to enter the demiplane. Your mission is to enter a part of the tapestry that holds a village that serves as the home for an ethnic group from the Chang Liao Jungle - The Sunsu Godae. Before Hao Jin repositioned the tribe to the Tapestry, they had suffered centuries of hostilities between warring neighbors, making them particularly hostile to outsides, as reported by yhe group of pathfinders that originally found the village."
She looks at you with her sharp eyes.
"Despite this complication, we need you to enter the village and learn everything you can about the Sunsu Godae's culture. We also have reasons to suspect that their lands may be home to a rare purple flower that has great magical properties, but is supposedly sacred for the villagers. Legend has it, that the flower only blooms once every 144 years, but..." she seems a bit hesitant to continue, "... I have reason to believe that the recent fluctuations and surges of magic in the tapestry may have triggered the flower to bloom out of cycle. However - maintaining good relations with the Sunsu Godae is more important than searching for the flower! If you can find the flower and collect a sample of it's pollen without angering the locals, do so, but don't just murder anyone over it!"
She lets out a deep sigh, the burdens of the last few weeks clearly wearing down on her shoulders.
"If you have any questions about this mission or the tapestry itself, ask now. Once you are ready, I'll send you in."
Hao Jin was from Goka, a city on the continent of Tian Xia. A powerful sorcerer and famous collector, Hao Jin was killed and returned to life several times before she vanished without a trace over 400 years ago.
The Hao Jin Tapestry is an artifact created centuries ago by the Tian sorceress Hao Jin. It is the gateway to a demiplane of the same name, home to numerous different locations and environments.
Hao Jin originally created the tapestry by ripping settlements (alongside their inhabitants) and geographical features from Golarion and transporting them fully intact to the demiplane to be preserved. She used it to hide her most dangerous treasures, and hid it away when she left the Material Plane.
The demiplane is accessible via the seemingly mundane wall hanging, the Hao Jin Tapestry, and is stocked by Hao Jin with people, monuments, and entire cities that she collected during her travels. Originally, each location Hao Jin created or placed in the tapestry had its own micro-climate, carefully controlled by Hao Jin's magic. However, recently, these climates have begun to shift and bleed into each other, developing its own strange weather pattern.
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With you in the room is a dwarf. He wears a breastplate forged in the hottest fires known to dwarves, in the sunlight the metal shows a slight orange-red glimmer. Two fine waraxes hang from his belt and on his back you see a crossbow.
The dwarf listens carefully to Sorrina Westyr's information about the village inside the demiplane. Once she finishes he introcudes himself.
"My name is Elliot Feardwarf. I've never been inside the Hao Jin Tapestry before. Have any of you? Any idea what else awaits us inside, apart from the Sunsu Godae? Did the agents who met them before leave any information about them? Did they already try to make good relations with them? How do we get in and out of this tapestry?"
Next to the dwarf stands a halfling with clear blue eyes and long brown hair, wearing a blue cloak with mystical symbols. She has a charred staff in her left hand and a light crossbow on her back.
"Hi, I'm Enora. I haven't been inside the Hao Jin Tapestry yet, but I know a bit or two about it."
She shares her knowledge about the tapestry.
Afterwards, she asks the venture captain: "Do you have more information about this purple flower? It certainly sounds very interesting!"
Then she murmurs to herself: "I need to buy empty vials for the pollen..."
"My name is Elliot Feardwarf. I've never been inside the Hao Jin Tapestry before. Have any of you? Any idea what else awaits us inside, apart from the Sunsu Godae? Did the agents who met them before leave any information about them? Did they already try to make good relations with them? How do we get in and out of this tapestry?"
[dice=Kn. Local]1d20+5
The master of spells smiles at Elliot.
”The Hao Jin Tapestry is a demiplane, serving as an archive of ancient wonders collected from across Golarion by the legendary Hao Jin, a Tian sorcerer from days long past. The Pathfinder Society won the tapestry in the Ruby Phoenix Tournament seven years ago, and we have been slowly exploring it and extracting its treasures ever since. Over the last few years, the demiplane has been becoming increasingly unstable, nearly shredding into strips cast adrift in the Astral Plane. A group of heroic Pathfinders managed to prevent total destruction, buying us time to continue to study the tapestry’s wonders!“
She looks at the tapestry.
“Well, on how you get in and back from the demiplane when you’re done? Previous expeditions into the Hao Jin Tapestry have taught us how to open and maintain a planar eddy, essentially a small link between the fabric of the Material Plane and the Hao Jin Tapestry created by your connection to the Material Plane. When you enter, a glowing planar eddy will appear where you entered. No one else will be able to see this portal, but you will be able to use it to return to the Grand Lodge!“
She then turns back to Elliot.
"Regarding your question on what we know! Let me start by saying that that last team made clear that it will not be easy to make amends with the Sunsu Godae. Especially, the lack of a common language is the biggest obstacle, and we decided it was best to leave them be for the time being. Now, however, we no longer have the luxury of waiting for a more opportune moment. The Sunsu Godae are a cultural group of Tian-Hwan people from the Chang Liao Jungle in Po Li. Based on the report from the previous group, the villagers likely speak Hwan, but the dialect is likely divergent from the modern language of the eastern Tian Xia. To avoid hostilities, I will cast Tongues on each of you. It should last for a bit over an hour and half, and overcoming this language barrier should help with establishing peaceful contact. I will also give you a scroll of Tongues to use after my magic fades - and I recommend that you prepare any magic you have at your proposal that gives you more time to converse with the Sunsu Godae."
She then looks at all of you.
"As to how you should get to their better side? They adhere to the warlike practices of ancient Hwanggot, shaped by centuries of violence with their neighbors. Their presence in the tapestry affords the Pathfinder Society a rare glimpse into the living past - an opportunity to access the traditions and history preserved within. The previous group identified a village called Onhae at the bottom of a river valley during their expedition. You'll enter the tapestry in the immediate area of the village and should not have trouble locating it. There isn't much else advice I can offer, but you're all seasoned agents - The Society has faith in your skills."
Afterwards, she asks the venture captain: "Do you have more information about this purple flower? It certainly sounds very interesting!"
”We don’t know what magical power the flower possesses! Legends concerning the flower are inconsistent. Its powers in them range from sealing unbreakable oaths to communing with the gods to restoring the dead to life!“ she answers Enora.
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Berato knew little about Hao Jin beside the rumors everyone already knew. In fact, the mithral armor-clad priest had avoided any mission related to the Tapestry. Uncomfortable with planar travel in the first place, the frayed nature of the artifact had done nothing to appeal to his Torag faith upbringing, a clergy preoccupied about quality and craftsmanship. More comfortable with faraway missions in Varisia and the rest of Avistan, Berato was in one of those rare moments between two assignments when the 'mandatory' meeting had been called by two of the Decemvirate themselves.
When Sorrina Westyr's gaze had settle over his group, Berato had been the first to spot her coming over and had tried to disengage from the conversation with Weaponsmaster Feardwarf, but had been unable to do so politely without cutting him off, and so he was now caught like a fish on land as she was already debriefing the group that included him...
"If this is a diplomatic mission, has the Decemvirate deemed fit to prepare a suitable gift for transport?" is Berato's only question, attempting to show a professional façade and hide the bitterness in his tone, and somehow hoping he'll find a flaw that will delay the mission further...
”These people need personal relationships to part with their secrets! You are the gift!“ she says with a smile.
THE TAPESTRY AWAITS
Sorrina proceeds to cast Tongues (Duration is 100 minutes) on each of you, before directing you to touch a specific spot on the tapestry. With a gesture and a few arcane words, the world around you twists and turns for moment.
You notice that you have arrived a cliff overlooking a small village in the middle of a jungle. The immediate surroundings are mostly rocky cliffs and steppes, but you can barely make out a batch of more swampy looking terrain in the distance.
As you slowly approach the village, you notice that it is rather small and picturesque - about fifty single-story buildings interspersed with tall, flowering trees and tropical ferns. The buildings are mostly made from wood, stone and clay, and their exterior walls are decorated with colourful red and blue tiles and feature wooden double doors and slim, grated windows. Curved tile roofs extend over the entrances to cover small wooden decks. People of Tian-Hwan heritage move about the village, dressed in long-sleeved brocade jackets, wrapped tops, and high-waisted pants and skirts.
A few of them slow their steps and they stop to observe your approach. One of the adults - a woman in her thirties - seems to grip the handle of her broom a bit tighter as she calls for the nearby children to fetch their dad. The villagers eye your group, clearly suspicious, but no weapons are drawn and they don't seem to be openly hostile.
Then she murmurs to herself: "I need to buy empty vials for the pollen..."
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Zafira has a wand of Comprehend Languages, as she will let the party know, so she feels set there. She has no wayfinder. Not feeling confident in the idea of being the gift, she rummages around for treasures but only finds half a bottle of fine wine. To make a good impression, she spritzes herself with perfume and offers the other party members a spritz if they want as well.
—-
Zafira, a half-orc dressed in loose, comfortable clothing, perks up as she sees the villagers. An adherent to martial arts, she feels no need to keep her weapons out; her many backup weapons are stuffed into her bulging backpack. She holds her hands out wide to show that she is unarmed then waves to them.
She prefers to let someone else take the lead in talking to the villagers, but will greet them if needed.
Then she murmurs to herself: "I need to buy empty vials for the pollen..."
The villagers are still eyeing you but somehow Zafira has already made a good impression.
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With his weapons tucked away in his backpack, except for one masterwork consecrated silver warhammer swinging at his belt - the symbol of Torag's faith - Berato steps into the Tapestry. Accepting Zafira's perfume with a nod, he is careful not to overdo it either.
Just before entering the village, he casts a spell of eagle's splendor and fallback strategy on himself. As soon as he enters the village, he notices the inhabitants tensing up a little, and he assures them of their good intention. "Good people of Onhae! we come in peace. Our mission is to learn to know your culture as much as we can, and create a relationship between our people. My name is Berato Aquilinus. I am a priest of Torag, the Father of Creation. I can offer healing and see to anyone who is sick, in the spirit of cooperation. May we enter your village and meet with your elders or sitting leaders?"
The villagers of Onhae seem to relax a bit as Berato addresses them in their own dialect of Hwan with the tounges spell cast on them.
Most of them continue on their daily chores, while a few stay and watch as a burly man dressed in a guard's attaire hurries towards you from the direction of the village's center.
His hastily donned blue lamellar armor seems to be made out of leather, and his intricate kabuto helmet is decorated with golden crest and bright hues of blue, red, white and yellow.
The guardsman looks a bit surprised to learn that you wish to talk their leaders.
"You ... you want to offer healing? I am sorry but the Onhae's hierophant isn't in the village at that moment. As your group expresses interest in learning more about the settlement, we can offer to give you a short tour! You are welcome to enter, but be advised that the populace will keep their eyes on you. Most of the townsfolk you will see will be going about their daily tasks! Pay them little attention as they need to work!" he says very directly and with full transparency.
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
The guard points out several locations that may be of interest to you to explore:
a small Inn welcomes travellers from elsewhere in the tapestry. The guard mentions that the Inn also has a small collection of books written in Sunsu Godae's traditional written style, that serves as the village's library.
Hostler's House - the people of Onhae seem to keep a few horses, mostly in the stables behind the inn, and the hostler could probably tell you more about their horse-based traditions.
Baker's house is surrounded by lingering scents of exotic spices, and visiting it could provide details about the fundamentals of Sunsu Godae cuisine.
Shrine of the Pheonix: The shrine features an intricate silk and gold tapestry of a pheonix, and could provide insight on Onhae religion.
Smithy: The Village smith has a small forge near the inn. Your guide mentions that the smith, Lin Wo Got, trades frequently with lizardfolk in the nearby swamp.
Training Building: From inside, you can hear a local swordmaster issuing commands to a group of children as they practice complex series of sword forms.
Bridge: You spot a net of some sort underneath the bridge with a couple villagers attending to it. Examining it closer could provide insight into it's purpose and meaning.
Weaver's House: Several prominent weavers reside in the building. Talking with them and observing their work may tell you more about the local style and characteristics of clothes, nets, blankes and brocades.
Houses: The rest of the village is comprised of small houses. While the villagers seem to go about their business without paying you much attention, you suspect that they might be open to speaking to you about some of the current events in the village.
Despite your guide not mentioning anything about it, among the houses, you spot one that has been Boarded-Up and there are a couple of guards waiting around it.
~ ~ ~
Gathering Rumours: Instead of focusing on cultural aspects, the people in the streets are more interested in discussing current and recent events. Gathering information takes just 1 phase (20 minutes) instead of the usual 1d4 hours.
~ ~ ~
Searching the Village: Taking your attention away from conversation with the villagers, you can study your surroundings.
"I think it would be more appropriate to take the tour of the town before we begin our investigation. What say you, friends? How about we start at the inn?"
A1. INN
This small inn clearly welcomes travelers from elsewhere in the tapestry.
The innkeeper, Gao Lai Wam sees you coming in!
In common he says, “Ahh, new customers! Here let me offer you a free meal of smoked trout served with rice bread. You know, no visitors are currently staying in the inn so I have room for you!!!“ he says with a smile.
It’s clear that the rooms subsidize the meals and you learn that there are three rooms with two beds each open for guests for 2 gp a night, with additional space on the floor by the fireplace for 2 sp per guest.
“You can spend the night here as long as you behave!! Please don’t get banished from the village!!“
The inn also has a room full of books that serves as the village’s library.
"Certainly," says Zafira, although she plans on tagging along (or behind) while studying her surroundings.
SEARCHING THE VILLAGE
Zafira spends the time searching the village! So taking their attention away from conversation with the villagers, they can study their surroundings. There are three useful pieces of information you can gain from their search.
Onhae still bears the scars of old damage and repaired holes in the tapestry, and those who search the village may find some evidence of this.
Elliot seems really interested in the smithery and what kind of weapons the folk is using.
A5. SMITHY
Elliot gets to know the village smith, Lin Wo Got, who has a small forge near the inn. The tongues spell works wonders!!
Elliot realizes that Wo is rather traditional in their values, and confides in Elliot that a new faith has been born recently!
They find the recent change in faith particularly unsettling.
When Elliot does not really understand what they mean they look reserved.
“No no, I should’ve.. ahh ... a mistake to discuss this uncertainty with outsiders. Listen Elliot! I have something else! Because the jungles lack metal and other materials needed for forging, I frequently travel to the nearby swamp to trade with the lizardfolk there. As a result, I speak fluent Draconic. Do you potentially have someone in your group with whom I could practice Draconic?!?“ he asks.
It seems that Wo is quite excited to see an outsider as they are talking and talking.
“You are surely interested in my forging techniques! But I can’t tell you about that!! Rather, ask me why my work of forging weapons is so important to the safety of the village and its connection to the past alike!!!“
Wo speaks poetically of a time long ago, back when their ancestors lived in a jungle that stretched far and wide, serving as both a wise teacher and a hunter for those who could not protect themselves.
The Sunsu Godae who lived outside of its harsh wonders forgot the ways of the sword and the discipline of the mind. They became soft, and when danger loomed, they “surrendered their identity” to invaders without a fight, ceasing to become Sunsu Godae.
You know that Wo is referring to events nearly 700 years ago, when the Empire of Lung Wa conquered much of Tian Xia; in particular, they are referring to the peaceful surrender of Hwangott to Lung Wa.
“Yes, yes! You may read but don’t take them out!!! This is all we have about the past!!!“ he says with a smile.
Enora accepts the perfume spritz. "Thank you, Zafira!"
She will join Berato at the inn, looking for a room to store her belongings while walking around.
When the library is mentioned: "Oh, a library! Very interesting! May I have look? I promise to be careful!"
Is the above mentioned bonus applicable to the whole party once Enora shows them the books and the quirks of the language?
And how does the tongues spell help with that?
Berato rejoins Elliot and Zafira. Upon hearing Elliot's report on the smith's story, he tries to recall anything from his early historical studies.
[dice=Knowledge History]1d20+5
The name mentioned by Elliot does not ring any bells, so Berato proceeds to look at the village locations outlined by Zafira.
[dice=Perception on areas which bear damage from the Tapestry]1d20+24
Berato notices several places where the ground seems to have stitched back together unevenly, leaving odd puckers and straight seams.
He also notices a portion of the stream where their reflection is distorted.
Instead of seeing themselves and the village as it is, they see a disintegrating, partially unmade version of themselves, surrounded by a village in flux, crumbling away and being rebuilt before them.
If the PCs succeed at this check, they receive a +6 bonus on the check to find the hierophant’s dream.
Zafira scouts out what seem like ragged edges or patches in the tapestry.
[Dice=Perception]1d20 + 18
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After deciphering the books, Enora will go searching the village.
Afterwards, Enora will meet up with the others.
When hearing about a story about ancestors, she pipes up:
"Oh, that sounds interesting! Tell me all about it!"
... but then her stomach rumbles and she heads to the Baker’s house.
A3. BAKER
The wooden floors of this home are thoroughly dusted with rice flour.
Its windows are open to let out the heat from the oven. This is the home of the village’s most skilled baker, an elderly man whose clothes and short hair are never entirely rid of rice flour. He makes copious amounts of rice bread for the village, and some for trade.
The light, crispy bread serves as the base for most local dishes. It can be made plain or with a variety of spices to complement the flavors of whatever it is paired with.
Zafira can sense two external pulls on her own emotions: one nudging her to be more prideful and confident, and the other pulling her to be more fearful and uncertain.
After deciphering the books, Enora will go searching the village.
Enora recognizes traces of a silver squall, a planar weather phenomenon comprised of aggressive, competing thoughts, gusting through the village.
The silver squall building in Onhae is a manifestation of the competition between the old and new religion, as well as the villagers’ tensions and fear.
Detecting the squall in advance gives the PCs benefits when they face it later in this scenario (see on page 22).
After deciphering the books, Enora will go searching the village.
Enora, you know that Wo is referring to events nearly 700 years ago, when the Empire of Lung Wa conquered much of Tian Xia; in particular, they are referring to the peaceful surrender of Hwangott to Lung Wa.
~ ~
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Zafira enjoys her time in the bakery but is unable to pick up on any cultural nuances as someone who mainly subsists on pungent jerky. When the opportunity arises, she lets the others know what she saw there, and the emotions she felt at the edges of the tapestry.
After heading out of the bakery, the movement of a net under the bridge catches Zafira’s eye, and she approaches.
Zafira enjoys her time in the bakery but is unable to pick up on any cultural nuances as someone who mainly subsists on pungent jerky. When the opportunity arises, she lets the others know what she saw there, and the emotions she felt at the edges of the tapestry.
After heading out of the bakery, the movement of a net under the bridge catches Zafira’s eye, and she approaches.
A7. BRIDGE
A woven net underneath this bridge catches fish and debris as they travel down the stream.
The Sunsu Godae check the net regularly, placing the fish in baskets and depositing the debris outside of town.
They carefully manage their use of the net, tucking it away periodically during large migrations to avoid damaging fish populations downstream.
The sound of martial drills draws Zafira to the Training Building.
Wooden swords and training dummies line the walls of this building, interspersed with the occasional spear, shield, or bow. Suits of o-yoroi armor and decorative masks carved to resemble the faces of demons and oni fill the corners of the room. It is here that Onhae’s children receive instruction in the sword.
The Sunsu Godae have a long tradition of swordsmanship, and its young people are expected to master and demonstrate a complex series of sword forms as a part of their coming of age ceremony.
An edler man with a katana approaches you Zafira.
“I have heard of you newcomers! I am Swordmaster Jai. As long as you are respectful, I am willing to show them a few of the forms!!“ he says.
Though he is patient with his young students, he has no interest in giving you training.
Jai is impressed and tells Zafira about the coming-of-age ceremony. He tells her that it originated long ago in their ancestral homeland of Hwanggot, when war was commonplace and such training was essential to protect life and family.
[dice=Survival]1d20+6
Elliot watches the fishermen carefully and after some time he joins them to collect fish from the net. Trying not to damage it.
Elliot is successful in learning the fishing techniques!!
Berato: 1 / 2
Elliot: 1
Enora: 1 / 2 / 3
Zafira: 1
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