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The invitation delivered last night was remarkably simple, especially given the importance of the occasion: “Start where it all began. Meet us at the Pig’s Paunch one hour before dawn.”
The Pig’s Paunch is a run-down building with a faded sign of a large pig standing on its hind legs, arms folded above a corpulent belly. Inside, the air is thick with the scents of human sweat, stale tobacco, and leftover food. In the center of the room, surrounded by inebriates sleeping off their revelries, a familiar elven man stands high upon top of a large round table.
“Welcome! Welcome, my students! Please, have a seat!” With that, Kreighton Shaine, the Pathfinder Society’s Master of Scrolls, nimbly drops down to sit cross-legged on the table before looking about the tavern with a sense of reverent wonder. “Can you believe it? It all started here years ago—well, over four hundred of them at least. Under this very roof the Pathfinder Society was born."
“But today! Today you will begin your Confirmation! Master Farabellus, Master Zey, and I all agree you each have shown your worth and dedication to the Society, so there’s no better time to see if you can handle becoming full field operatives. Allow me to introduce you to Janira Gavix,” he says as he motions for an excitable halfling woman to approach. She wears a large backpack and carries all manner of tools, pouches, and scroll cases around her waist. Shaine continues, saying, “Janira here will be going with you on your Confirmation. She was one of my brightest pupils and will no doubt be an invaluable resource on your journey, for she discovered the caves you are about to explore during her own Confirmation.”
Janira speaks up in an enthusiastic and cheerful voice, “Greetings, aspiring Pathfinders! Six months ago, while I was mapping cave entrances in the foothills of the Kortos Mounts, I witnessed a lone gillman entering a concealed cave. I thought little of it at the time, but I saw another one enter the cave again a month later as my Confirmation stretched on. A few days later, after I completed my assigned task, I entered the cave system, but was unable to find the gillmen.”
Master Shaine hops to his feet. “Initiates, for your Confirmation, you will travel to these caves to explore and document its many passages. Additionally, and most importantly, you are to learn what the gillmen are up to in there. Oh, and you need to come back alive as well.” With these parting words, the Master of Scrolls jumps off the table and strolls out of the building while humming to himself.
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A muscular dwarf in a basic yet a little exotic outfit (sandals, breeches and a loose shirt, bound together with sashes) is sitting at a table, a mug of ale standing before him.
His hair, beard and skin are light brown - nearly the same tone as his clothes.
On the floor next to him you can see some rather uncommon weapons: three sticks of metal, connected by short chains, and also a sword with several branches.
He gives each of the other confirmands in the room a brief look, followed by a nod, then he addresses Janira:
"Hello. I am Baldrum Battlehand. When do we start?"
Not one for much small talk, it seems...
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Also seated at the table is a young human man, with medium length, somewhat unkempt hair. He’s dress in earthy tones of brown and green. A shield is propped beside him on his chair, and he carries a longsword at his side and a bow on his back.
He spends much of the briefing absentmindedly scratching the head a tiger sitting patiently at his side.
He nods to Baldrum.
”Oliver Temple. Well met.” He pats the tiger a few times. ”This here is Tarragon.”
Oliver then turns his attention over to Janira, ”What can you tell us about these caves? What should we expect to find in there?”
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"Is he always like this?"
Janira pips up. “Master Shaine is brilliant, if not entirely focused. He has lived a very long time and seen things we could only dream about. I’ve learned to just accept his peculiarities and value any knowledge he wishes to share.”
”What can you tell us about these caves? What should we expect to find in there?”
“Centaurs control the lowlands and surrounding wilderness of the Kortos Mounts. The areas farther up the Mounts are controlled by minotaurs, and the icy peaks are home to tribes of harpies. They’re always vying for territory, but with any luck, we should be able to avoid them and reach the caves without conflict.”
Janira pulls out a large leather-bound journal and opens it on the table. “Before we set out, we should all get to know each other and review our plan. After all, the most important factors that determine whether an expedition will be a success are cooperation and preparation! I’ll go first!”
"I joined 4 years ago after coming of age. I initially joined in a chance to see the world and sample all of the fine food that it had to offer, although I quickly took to the scrolls and the preservation of knowledge. I one day aspire to have all of my hard work written in the chronicles one day. Although I trained most with Kreighton Shaine, I also learned the arts of the whip, blade, and crossbow from Marcos Farabellus and a few spellcasting tricks from Aram Zey. What about all of you? What made you decide to join the society? Where did you grow up? How do you handle yourself in a fight or do you prefer the study?"
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"I am Keechu from Kwanlai, far across the ocean. I came to Absalom looking for opportunities to improve my skill with the sword. I became a Pathfinder because it offered a chance to learn more about the world and also to make friends and a better life." Keechu says showing off her rapier as she speaks.
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"I'm Oliver Temple. I come from Andoran, although I wander so much I don't really call any place home. I joined the society because it can be useful to have friends across the globe. It makes wandering a bit easier."
He nods towards his tiger, and pats the cat on the head again. "I fight with Tarragon here. He's a capable partner."
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“On to the details of the mission at hand,” Janira says with an eager grin. “After reviewing my mission reports personally, Master Shaine believes it is no coincidence that each time they entered the caves it was during a full moon, so it is also no coincidence that you have been called here now, just a day before the moon is full again. We both believe that tomorrow night is our best chance to find out why these caves are important and what exactly the gillmen are doing in there."
“The caves we’ll be travelling to lie under the base of the Kortos Mounts. We’ll need to spend every minute of daylight possible to reach the caves by foot, crossing over the Cairnlands, taking the paths to Diobel, and finally making our way through the wilderness. With any luck we won’t run into any of the local inhabitants. Once in the caves, we’ll need to work together to explore and determine whether any gillman are present or have been recently. Keep an eye out for any other clues that might hint at the caves’ significance, too.”
Janira claps her hands together. “Now, before we head out, if there aren’t any more questions, we should take a moment to go through your gear and make sure nothing important gets left out such as rope, light source, food, ways to make a fire, and healing.” Janira begins to tick off each item on her fingers as she hands out a blank sheet of parchment. "Pathfinders should always keep accurate records of their adventures."
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"What do we know of gillmen? Are they likely to be friendly?"
“The gillmen are a humanoid race much like humans save for the three piscine gills on both sides of their necks. They’re a little secretive but not outright hostile. Most live in or near the water.”
Janira shakes her head, "Sorry, I don't have any extra but as long as you have the coins they are for sale in the market over there." She motions out the door and is willing to wait a few moments for last minute purchases.
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"Don't worry, Keechu. I have a wand and a potion of CLW. That should get us somewhere, yes?"
The monk then turns to the bard.
"Cherry, I know the command word of the wand, but it does not like me, it seems. I'd lend it to you for the time being - use it as you see fit."
He tells her the command word.
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The journey through the City at the Center of the World is swift and without incident, and the long trek across the Cairnlands provides a great opportunity to discuss Master Shane’s class on the history of Absalom. Most of the journey is uneventful, as Janira points out old siege towers and distant mountains throughout the region. The party has a pretty good first ay of travel with no significant events.
On the next day the party progresses deeper into the forest, the trees towering overhead begin to shield most of what remains of the day's sun and vegetation beneath grows denser.
Janira pauses for a moment and pulls out an intricate silver compass emblazoned with the Pathfinder Society logo: the Glyph of the Open Road. “I received this wayfinder when I successfully completed my Confirmation. Should we be successful on our journey, you will get your own as well.” She flips open the device and holds it in front of her; the initials J. L. are engraved into the inside of the device’s lid. After studying the compass inside for a moment, she remarks, “We’re on the right path. We need to keep heading northwest past those large rocks up ahead.”
As Janira stops to regain their bearings the party hears a set of trees fall in the distance.
As the trees fall a large amount of spiders come skittering through the trees, in fear, right at the party as they flee from the cacophonous noise. Hundreds of spiders clamor over each other as they are destined right for your path.
Janira pulls back against the tree. "Let's see what you all can do!" She says as she offers a bit of heartfelt inspiration.
──────────
BOLD: GO!:
──────────
Janira
➤ Thornrose
➤ Oliver
Spiders (Red)
Spiders (Green)
Click-Click
Charity
Keechu
⠀⠀Tarragon
Baldrum
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The swarms each skitter across the ground and surge into Thornrose and Oliver's bodies.
──────────
BOLD: GO!:
──────────
➤ Janira
➤ Thornrose
➤ Oliver
Spiders (Red)
Spiders (Green)
➤ Click-Click
➤ Charity
➤ Keechu
⠀⠀➤ Tarragon
➤ Baldrum
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Charity mends Thornrose's vines as Oliver begins to wave a torch in front of his body to keep the spiders away. The torch burns away more than its fair share of spiders as the flame causes several bodies to shrivel up.
Baldrum's alchemist fire misses as it bounces off a branch to the side of the swarm, slightly burning them.
──────────
BOLD: GO!:
──────────
➤ Janira
➤ Thornrose
Oliver
Spiders (Red)
Spiders (Green)
➤ Click-Click
Charity
➤ Keechu
⠀⠀➤ (Oliver) Tarragon
Baldrum
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Click-click ignites another torch as he swipes it across the mass of spiders as the pair of swarms close in around the group. Keech grabs ahold of a flask of oil and completely coats one of the swarms in the flammable liquid as it bursts across the ground.
Seeing this Janira grabs ahold of a bottle of alchemist's fire and tosses it into the swarm's midst.
The oil ignites in a bright blaze as one of the swarms is completely engulfed and shrivels away from the intense heat.
The remaining swarm of spiders shambles over the logs and onto Click-click and Baldrum.
──────────
BOLD: GO!:
──────────
➤ Janira
➤ Thornrose
➤ Oliver
Spiders (Red)
➤ Click-Click
➤ Charity
➤ Keechu
⠀⠀➤ (Oliver) Tarragon
➤ Baldrum
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Oliver's torch misses the spiders completely and while Keechu's rapier does skewer a spider or two it doesn't seemt o hurt the overall swarm in the slightest.
──────────
BOLD: GO!:
──────────
➤ Janira
Oliver
Spiders (Red)
Thornrose
➤ Click-Click
➤ Charity
Keechu
⠀⠀(Oliver) Tarragon
➤ Baldrum │