Dot in here.
Ekeene awakens with the sun, rising from her bed. She stretches and performs her daily katas, the graceful elf raising her arms and lifting her leg as she assumes the poses of her crane stance.
After several minutes, she completes her routine. She bows, then straightens and smiles, ready to see what the day has in store...
Muruwa sees a little dot and reaches out with her grippli tongue to eat it.
Thanks, all updated now.
A cane reaches in and pulls Muruwa off stage. Zane walks in, whistling innocently.
Muruwa doesn't know what happened. She was quietly talking with Kalaggi, her trusted friend (her only friend) when a mysterious force pulled her away. Momentarily befuddled, she tries to hop back to her position as if nothing happened.
She looks around, feeling confident that no one noticed.
Teacher Ot addresses the group with a welcoming warmth. “Today,” he says, “begins your growth within the world. What better place than in the Indigo Hall, the building dedicated to the tradition established by the magic warrior, Ibex? Their work was the foundation of many medicines we use to this day and have since shared with the rest of Golarion in one fashion or another.” He gestures at a still, mirrorlike pool in the circular plaza and sits on one of the four curving glass-blown benches surrounding the wide, ovular pool. “Community is the cornerstone on which the Magaambya and Nantambu grow. Without our community, we have nothing and learn nothing,” he says. “Today, you join our communities—both of this city and of our school. Learn from them; I guarantee they will learn from you in kind.”
Teacher Ot hands each student a seeking bracelet, a magic bracelet made of teal beads with one slightly larger burgundy bead strung among each. “We’ll have your first lesson today in my office in the Heron Archives, but before we do, I want you to meet your first community contact, the fisherwoman Alandri. Help her with whatever tasks she has this morning, then meet at my office at midday for your lesson. If you make a mess that you can’t clean up yourself, Alandri will summon me by crushing this red bead to tend to the issue. Make sure that does not happen.”
Teacher Ot begins to walk from the overgrown plaza, looking behind him as if signaling to follow. “You can find Alandri at her home a mile and half northwest of here, opposite the canals near Sharrowsmith’s Exports. She’ll be expecting you before the sun finishes rising. Off you go!”
Ekeene accepts the bracelet from Teacher Ot, bowing to him once he has finished assigning the group their task. "Thank you, Teacher Ot! We will not disappoint!"
The young elf turns to her classmates. "Come on, let us make our families proud!"
"A challenge! Fantastic!" smiles Ufi, the slightly rotund priest.
He too accepts the necklace, placing it around his neck with reverence.
"Let us be off! And hope that Alandri does not have us just sweeping and gutting fish all morning!"
Zane shrugs his shoulders at Ekene's suggestion.
"My family will be fine. As long as I don't fail out, ah, hah, hah," he chuckles nervously.
"But this sounds hecka fun whether it makes our families proud or not!" He rushes off after her.
Muruwa, one of the few gripplis in the academy, hops up with excitement at the group's first assignment. She turns to her friend Ekene and whispers, "Oh, isn't it wonderful?" She accepts her bracelet from Teacher Ot and puts it on. "You can count on us, Sir!" She marvels at the teal beads, which perfectly match her skin tone.
Muruwa stays close to Ekene, chatting as they make their way to the fisherwoman's place. The two make an odd pair: a 2' tall grippli doing her best to keep up with the 6' elf.
"Indeed, I cannot wait to put our skills to the test, Muruwa! I will race you to Alandri's house!" The long-legged elf laughs as she takes off into a run.
A grinning dwarf clad in full plate runs out from the Indigo Hall, waving. “I overheard where you’re headed. Want to race to Alandri’s stall? I’m headed in that same direction to help with Sharrowsmith. I helped Alandri a lot during my Perquisite, and I know the quickest way to get there!”
The dwarf offers a handshake to Muruwa, introducing himself as Haibram. He explains his route to reach the stall, and before the group can fully process his directions, he’s off to the races, running ahead. Haibram yells for the heroes to follow him, insisting that they’ll reach the stall in no time if they can keep up.
Haibram feints and darts through the crowd in an unexpected direction, having never clarified which way “north” actually was to the group. A hero can attempt a DC 10 Society check to Recall Knowledge of Haibram’s directions and apply them to the race at hand.
”Hey! Wait up!” Ekene calls. She is momentarily confused as Haibram darts off, unsure of which way to go.
Ufi laughs as the dwarf sets off. "If I can't keep up with dwarf, especially one in armour.."
The laughing stops as he sees how fast the dwarf in armor moves. As the dwarf vanishes into the crowd, he tries hard to remember directions
"Come on!" he calls to the others, waving. "This way!"
Muruwa shakes hands with the taller dwarf.
Muruwa isn't sure which way to go, so she follows Ekene.
Eventually Haibram comes to the edges of the residencies. He jumps onto and off a passing water taxi in one of the canals to reach the next city block. A hero can attempt a DC 12 Athletics check to keep pace.
Now Ekene is in her element! She springs off of the water taxi and follows the dwarf!
Seems like Muruwa is always trying to keep up with Ekene.
On this particular occasion, her little grippli legs don't let her down!
"I know a shortcut!"
Zane speeds through some back corridors and effortlessly keeps up, despite not being in the best of shape.
As the dwarf comes to the canal, Ufi pauses for a moment for a breather. Then, as he sees the runners plan he sighs. "I can do this!" he says charging forward.
He steps forward and launches himself cleverly into the back of another water taxi where he reclines to get his wind back.
As the heroes arrive back in the city block, the craftspeople start setting up their wares for the day’s business. Haibram anticipates this and opts for the side alleys at the last second. The heroes don’t have enough time to split off, so they have to weave through the crowd. Have a hero attempt a DC 12 Acrobatics check.
"Oh, I love the craft markets!" sighs Ufi.
He gets thoroughly distracted by a beautiful blue cloak. Feathers of exotic birds he is told. Beautiful. And by the time he tears his view away from it, Haibram is almost out of sight.
Ekene effortlessly dances and weaves through the crowd!
Muruwa is having a grand time on the city chase. Even though it's a far cry from her jungle, she loves the outdoors.
She zigs and zags her way through the market. As she passes Ufi browsing through some wares, she calls back to him, "Don't dally too long. But if you see anything nice ..." Her voice trails off as she speeds along.
The race causes a ruckus among the crowd, and some Nantambu guards start chasing down the heroes. Another hero must attempt a DC 10 Stealth check to Hide from the guards.
Zane hides, although he's not very good at it.
Ekene hides, and she is very good at it! She laughs as she leaves the guards in the dust!
Muruwa is really impressed watching Ekene effortlessly make it through the streets of Nantambu. She follows her friend to a hidden corner of the market. Ekene is so well hidden, she almost can't find her.
As they're hiding behind some boxes, Muruwa whispers to Ekene, "You're amazing, my friend. Like you've lived here all your life." She catches her breath, and prepares to follow Ekene when the coast is clear.
Ekene laughs softly. "My warrior training is paying off! Now, if only I could be so effortless with my studies! Fortunately, I have you to help me with those, Muruwa."[/smaller] She gives the grippli a friendly squeeze on her shoulder.
As Haibram and the heroes hang a left onto Alandri’s street, a rancher moves his team of hogs across the road, blocking the path. At this point, a hero can attempt an Athletics check to leap over the hogs, an Acrobatics check to weave between them, a Nature check to convince the hogs to move faster, or a Performance check to distract the hogs and make an opening to the shack.
Ekene continues to display her physical prowess as she spins and weaves around them!
Zane oinks out a warning to get out of his way!
He's very porcine!
Watching in continued amazement as Ekene weaves through the hogs, Muruwa uses her grippli legs to hop over the animals.
With Quick Jump she attempts to long jump over them.
Ufi, bright blue shawl draped over his impressive form spots the guards late. Still, who would suspect the man in the blue shawl of causing a disruption?
The guards pass by, and Ufi continues on, blocked now by the team of hogs. Now, hogs is something that Ufi can understand, their needs are simple and they can be almost affectionate.
Tossing some rotten fruit from a pile on the street ahead of them, she encourages the team to get out of the way.
The heroes barely reach the shack before Haibram. He thanks you for a fun race, gives the group two minor elixirs of life and takes his leave just as the first rays of the sun hit Alandri’s shack.
Alandri’s wood and clay row house sits near the canal bridge, a sign hanging over the front door displaying her name. The unusual front door is a mosaic of glass scales with the abstract image of a royal-blue fish swimming in the sky. A gnome wearing a suit of dark scales like a second skin opens the door and assesses your group, her wry, scrutinizing eyes peering from beneath wild purple locks. Alandri cracks a dimpled smile and casually says, “You’re late.”
Ufi looks pointedly at the suns position, and then decides that it is much too nice a morning to pick an argument. "Sorry, but we are here now! And ready to help all morning!"
He offers a small bow, showing off his bright blue shawl, and introduces himself. "I am Ufi!"
\
Muruwa is just catching her breath as the group finally arrives at the fisherwoman's house. When Alandri admonishes them for being late, Muruwa apologizes, "Oh, please forgive us. We would have been here sooner, but Ekene kept slowing us down." She grins at the elf, giving her a playful jab in the ribs.
Turning back to Alondri and admiring her home, the slightly scatterbrained grippli adds, "Oh! Hi! I'm Muruwa. I just love the mosaic on your door. It's very unique!" She takes a closer look at the glass scales.
"Funny, Muruwa! Very funny," Ekene says with a grin. She is content to let her more well-spoken companions do the talking.
"Zane Ikundi, at your service," Zane announces, with an exaggerated, deep bow.
"Fine, fine," Alandri says impatiently as she gathers up the cold food. "Let me tell you what I want you to do. You will help me catch the day's wares to sell later on in town."
She pauses, then takes one of the seeking bracelets. "Your tardiness does not reflect well on Teacher Ot," she scolds you as she crushes one of the beads. She goes to the stove to reheat the food while waiting for Ot to arrive.
Ufi gulps as the bead in crushed.
"While we wait for Teacher Oh... " he says.
"Is there anything we can be getting on with to help you? Untangling nets?"
Zane shrugs as the bead is crushed. It's all good, as long as I don't get kicked out.
He does look forward to fishing, though.
Teacher Ot doesn’t show up after several minutes Alandri shrugs and gives the group a stern lecture, reaffirming the importance of punctuality as she proceeds to serve them reheated food.
Before they eat, Alandri presents each hero with a shiny black scale that shimmers different colors under the light. She recommends that the heroes consume their bubbling scale with their meal, as it goes down easier with food and drink.
Alandri explains her method of fishing in the Vanji river nearby. Some of the more challenging quarry she hopes to catch swim through the river early in the morning, and she needs the group’s help to acquire them before noon. After going over safety measures and instructions, she works with the heroes to seize her catch for the day.
Zane eats the scale.
When fishing, he casts a spell and thorns sprout all over his body. He swims up to fish and tries to spear them with the thorns.