Welcome to the Winding Road Inn in Katapesh. Selected agents can start to dot in.
Venture-Captain Roderus (slide 3) sits at his desk in the lodge beneath the popular Winding Road Inn in Katapesh. Maps cover every wall of his workspace, and precarious stacks of journals and papers nearly reach to the ceiling. The venture-captain glances up from his work.
“Welcome, Pathfinders. I hope your journey here was not too arduous. I have a fascinating assignment for you.”
He plucks a single sheet of paper from the middle of pile on his desk.
“This is a letter from the Osiriani investigator Amenira, who works with the Temple of the All-Seeing Eye. Mercy, the town she mentions in her reports, wasn’t even on our map until now. It’s a small settlement out in the Mana Wastes. Magic is unpredictable out in the Wastes, and it sometimes coalesces into deadly storms. People in Alkenstar reported seeing one of these magical disturbances heading in the direction of Mercy, but the town weathered the fearsome storm without so
much as a scratch.”
He hands the sheet over for the party to read (slide 4).
The venture-captain clears his throat.
“One of my contacts at the temple received this missive from her four months ago, and he hasn’t heard anything from her since. I’m sending you
to Mercy to figure out why. If she’s still there, ask her why she hasn’t contacted anyone in months and help her finish her investigation; if she isn’t, find out what happened to her. While you are there, see how much of the mystery of Mercy you can unravel. Several of the clergy within the temple are intensely curious about why the mana storm didn’t level the town, and so am I. I will gladly provide you with additional pay for the information that you retrieve. I’ve booked a ship to the city of Alkenstar, which is a few days’ journey from Mercy itself. The ship departs in three hours. If you have any questions, ask them now. You’ll have time to purchase supplies when you arrive.”
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The sharp featured man in the wide-brimmed hat, and closely drawn cloak lights up at the mention of the mana wastes.
So much phenomena. So much to study there!
He immediately snatches up the letter.
Oh my, so Mercy would seem "blessed" against the storms somehow. I'm guessing that has some connection to her disappearance.
He passes the letter sideways to his companions.
Of course we will investigate! Was Amenira working with other Pathfinders at Mercy? Who else can we connect with once we arrive?
The All-Seeing Eye, Nethys' most well known temple. I think we will find very like minds in Mercy to work with!
The normally stoic mage is grinning ear to ear.
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“Forgive me, ser. Are you the one the Paracountess calls ‘Freddy?’”
While her tone is meek, the tall woman stands with a stiff military bearing. Long plaited hair is draped over the front of a shiny new breastplate. Her eyes are black, her features plain and her expression is neutral.
The multitude of weapons she bears look only slightly used, but are generally of a fine make. “If you do not know my name, it is Chunhua Zhang.”
“Chunhua is the name bestowed upon me by my parents in far off Shokuro, Tian Xia.” *bow*
☯
“Mercy seems like an odd name for a place to establish a temple of Nethys, Venture-Captain. Are the local priests Nethysian, or of some other faith?”
“Rivalry between carpenters and blacksmiths – woodworkers and ironworkers – a cold war that has probably been simmering since humanity learnt to work both.”
The young archer mutters absently, “I’ll need to give that clue some more thought.”
“VC Roderus, have you any idea what ointment Amenira refers to? Also, when you knew her, was she prone to illnesses of any particular kind?”
“Finally, are there any rumors of lost artefacts in the Mana Wastes around the location of Mercy?”
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Aldar joins the meeting, but his new appearance is almost unrecognizable. Having grown out a goatee from his time in Rahadoum, his face looks entirely different. A light breeze seems to always blow at his hair while lightning appears to dance in his eyes.
Aldar nods at Ferdrin, "Yes, you are correct about the All-Seeing Eye." he then looks to Venture-Captain Roderus, "Tell me, is Amenira capable of spellcasting? If so, this letter could be used as a powerful catalyst to find her with my new skills."
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Xiao Jr. is a small Halfling with features that show his Tian origin.
He has a buckler in his hand and wears a custom-fit chain shirt suit that looks like it has been recently oiled.
Resting on top of his chest, an amulet showing the holy symbol of Chaldira Zuzaristan is visible.
Xiao Jr. is sitting on a military saddle on top of a riding dog that looks like a mixture of a black wolfhound and a mastiff.
It is clear that this dog can fight while carrying a rider and Xiao Jr is in control.
On Xiao Jr.'s shoulder you see a flying bat that has dark black fur which in some areas has a brown coloring.
Xiao Jr, his riding dog 'Pars' and his flying bat familiar 'Khafaash' enter and you see that Xiao Jr is beaming.
He turns to all of you with his white teeth and broad smile.
"Ahh Ferdrin Ternyth! So great seeing you!! Where is the rest?!? I was so happy that our group remained so stable!! And our monk is sadly still missing!" Xiao junior says to the rest.
He then looks at Chunhua and Aldar.
“Pleased to meet you! I am Xiao junior, this is Pars and this is Khaffaash!!“ he says smiling.
He then turns to the VC.
”I am honored to work with you Sir! I have heard a lot about you!!! And this sounds like the right mission for me! I love small towns and I love mysteries!! Can you tell us more about mana storms and this area in general? And also more about the missing agent maybe?“ Xiao Jr. asks with a confident smile.
Oh my, so Mercy would seem "blessed" against the storms somehow. I'm guessing that has some connection to her disappearance.
Of course we will investigate! Was Amenira working with other Pathfinders at Mercy? Who else can we connect with once we arrive?
"That remains to be seen. That's why I've asked the team to investigate."
...
"Amenira is a capable agent and was working alone. I'm afraid you're on your own when you arrive. All the information I have on Mercy comes from Amenira's hand."
“Mercy seems like an odd name for a place to establish a temple of Nethys, Venture-Captain. Are the local priests Nethysian, or of some other faith?”
"Amenira worked closely with the Temple from Osirion. I didn't get the impression that Mercy has a local one."
“VC Roderus, have you any idea what ointment Amenira refers to? Also, when you knew her, was she prone to illnesses of any particular kind?”
"I'm afraid not to both of these. If she was ill during any of our face to face meetings, she hid it well."
“Finally, are there any rumors of lost artefacts in the Mana Wastes around the location of Mercy?”
"Only Amenira's suspicions. But if there is one, I trust your team will be able to record any information about it. And with luck, return with it."
Aldar nods at Ferdrin, "Yes, you are correct about the All-Seeing Eye." he then looks to Venture-Captain Roderus, "Tell me, is Amenira capable of spellcasting? If so, this letter could be used as a powerful catalyst to find her with my new skills."
"Amenira is quite skilled in the arcane arts. Although the Mana Wastes can punish anyone too reliant on them."
He then turns to the VC.”I am honored to work with you Sir! I have heard a lot about you!!! And this sounds like the right mission for me! I love small towns and I love mysteries!! Can you tell us more about mana storms and this area in general? And also more about the missing agent maybe?“ Xiao Jr. asks with a confident smile.
"May your enthusiasm serve you and Amenira well! The Mana Wastes are a dangerous place, particularly the farther you stray from pockets of civilization. The war between Geb and Nex millennia ago devastated the land, physically and metaphysically, and the scars linger to this day. Expect areas where magic doesn’t work or becomes unpredictable. Clouds of poison and storms of terrible power erupt spontaneously. There are mutated creatures, undead horror, and monstrous scavengers, among other things. Use your best judgment, be ready for danger, and don’t go wandering off into the Wastes more than absolutely necessary.”
"As for Amenira, she is a young but trustworthy companion. She follows the All-Seeing Eye of Nethys, and it draws her to various ruins, abandoned libraries and other areas of magical significance. I asked her about visiting Mercy in the Mana Wastes and she jumped at the call. She's been prompt with her updates up until recently."
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“Forgive me, ser. Are you the one the Paracountess calls ‘Freddy?’”
Ferdrin attempts to return the bow. Indeed I am. Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Zhang!
He then greets the familiar and nearly familiar faces.
Good to see you too Junior. And Aldar, a career change is most fascinating! Maybe we'll discuss how you arrived at it as we travel to Mercy!
From there "Freddy" listens intently to the VC's responses to their questions, after which he seems satisfied and ready to set out for Mercy.
"Very well. Good luck Pathfinders and I look forward to reading your report. I trust you can be discreet walking back upstairs. I'm afraid I have several stacks of reports to still read," says Roderus with a sigh.
...
The ship travels down the coast of the Obari Ocean, tacks northwest up the Elemion River, then sails south down the Ustradi River, finally stopping at the city of Alkenstar. It docks slightly short of a five-hundred-foot-tall waterfall in the middle of the city, where southbound ships painstakingly ride a winding elevator to the river above. Nearby, carriages wait to lead passengers into the smog-covered city.
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Aldar spends some time speaking to the people of Alkenstar about the town of Mercy. Once he meets back with his group of Pathfinder, he relays the information. "Let's see." he says, checking his notes, "Mercy is about 20 miles south of here, and some people mentioned that a vampire hunts travelers on the road. We should either only travel by day or be prepared to ward off a vampire attack."
He moves on the next page of his notes, "The people of Mercy worship Robori, an obscure nature god. They also have very rigid rules. Finally, I got word that Amenira came to Alkenstar every month to trade for supplies and send letters."
He puts his notebook away and pulls out a weapon from his jacket, "Oh, and I found a gun!"
He looks closer at it and realizes it's a battered firearm that will never function correctly, "Damn, paid 10 whole gold for that."
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Ferdrin marvels at the ship elevator in Alkenstar.
I need to get more missions in this region of the world. People really put their minds to work around here...
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Ferdrin jumps back several feet when the gun is brandished.
Whoa! Careful where you wave that thing Aldar! Good work on the info gathering though.
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“Aldar, please call me Chunhua. Zhang is my father’s name.”
She *bows* politely to the Investigator. “In Tien it means ‘Archer.’”
“Not sure I believe the part about the vampire, but it sounds like there might be some good farmers in Mercy.”
Chunhua muses with her mouth curled down. “I’m not surprised the Mercyites/Mercians?? don’t follow Nethys. I’ve never heard of ‘Robori’ though.”
“Sounds like a robot Irori.”
She goes quiet again … pondering.
“The word ‘ointment’ has been bothering me. Do you think it could refer to some kind of oil? One of the fibres Weavers work with is wool, which contains a natural oil called lanolin.”
Lung-burning smog covers the Alkenstar skyline as the city's skyline of jagged smokestacks continues to billow out thick, grey soot.
The dirt road toward Mercy winds through rocky, tree-lined hills. Sporadic clearings occur where large sections of trees have been destroyed or damaged. Some are only missing a few branches, while others have been split almost in half vertically or chopped down to a short stump. The exposed wood is black and perfectly smooth. One such clearing reveals the opening of a narrow cave in the hillside. The trail splits, leading both into the cave and off to the north
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“The black sheen on the wood is burnt sap. Oh! And I think that there should be far more debris in the area based on the amount of destruction!“
“Perhaps we’re getting close to Mercy then?”
Um, I think we may have some wildlife friends nearby. I see mottled fur, and triangular ears that way. They seem to bob back and forth, perhaps curious of our presence...
While waiting to see if Ferdrin can gather more info on their furry friend, Chunhua casually shoulders her longbow, shrugs off her backpack and pulls out her iron rations.
Crumbs! The best meat I’ve got is beef jerky.
Making a face at the poor fare, Chunhua nonetheless removes her straw nón lá conical hat, tips it upside down on the ground and fills it with fresh water from her waterskin.
After laying the jerky beside the makeshift ‘water bowl’, she steps back calling quietly. “We can be friends if you like. We shan’t hurt you.”
As Chunhua yells out to the field, a guttural neighing-like sound bursts out from around the group.
"Hulle sien ons! Aanval! Ons eet op pienk vleis!"
More forms emerge from behind large boulders. A mixture of olive green bulbous flesh covered in thorns and cysts flail about a deformed hyena like head whose maw drips a glowing viscous saliva. Adjacent to them are the trotting forms of hyenas.
Entering Combat! Please place your characters in the green box to start.
Bold can act!
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Aldar 19
Ferdrin 17
GM 16
Xiao 15
Chunhua 12
The two humanoid creatures somehow manage to wield a bow, firing arrows that sail at Aldar as he takes the lead.
They sail across the tall grass with a *woosh* before landing with a rustle.
Party up!
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Aldar 19
Ferdrin 17 - casting
GM 16
Xiao 15
Chunhua 12
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Xiao starts to inspire courage and he’s got his flag out!
“Get these things!! Ehh … what are they?!“ he asks himself.
Knowledge Arcana +13 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +6 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Dungeoneering +13 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +6 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Engineering +13 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +6 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Geography +13 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +6 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge History +13 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +6 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Local +13 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +6 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Nature +13 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +6 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Nobility +13 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +6 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Planes +14 (Rank 2, Class +3, Cha +6 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Religion +13 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +6 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
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Unencumbered, and with her armor training allowing her to move at full speed in a breastplate, Chunhua runs as a full round action, diving amongst the rocks at the end of her run.
"Xiao, Junior, I’m guessing the enemy are some kind of gnoll aberrations affected by the magical storms around Mercy that Captain Roderus mentioned!"
"Do you know anything about how to kill them and how they’ll try to kill us?"
With the wind pushing him forward, Aldar makes it into close combat with the closest (red) gnoll. "Stop shooting and let us pass." he warns as he draws close.
The mishappen gnoll appears to pay no attention to the investigator.
Xiao nods.
“You are so right Chunhua! They are some kind of mutations! So let’s hope they can’t fo things that gnolls can’t do!“
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Ferdrin snaps out of his spell and a small fire elemental manifests above him on the higher part of the road!
It wheels around behind Aldar to approach and menace the further hyena, slamming it's fiery forearms into the creature.
The mage then books it to advance on the road and catch up with his newly summoned friend.
Damage
Red Hyena -1
The fire elemental lashes out and singes the flesh of the hyena. Irritated, it lunges forward to bite with it's strong jaws while circling the living flame. The bite clamps down and suffocated the fuel for the flame, greatly weakening the creature.
The mutant gnoll drops it's longbow in favor of a spear and shifts to fight side-by-side with the hyena, jabbing and flailing.
The other gnoll continues to fire from cover, aiming at the visible Ferdrin. The arrow makes a dull thud as it embeds itself into Ferdrin's flesh; the sharp jabbing pain quickly following the sound.
Party up!
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Aldar 19
Ferdrin 17
GM 16
Xiao 15
Chunhua 12
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Ah! Hang in there Flameo! the mage yells as he watches his summon get gashed by the animal.
The element roars in pain and gets right back to beating the hyena.
I will singe your furs simple beast! it utters in an ancient, guttural voice.
Meanwhile the mage continues along the road, grunting now that he's suffering an arrow wound and dripping blood along as he goes. He stops to catch his breath before releasing an empowered battery of force missiles.
Damage
Red Hyena -2
Flameo and the hyena continue to tumble together, piling on the scrapes and scorches.