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A sylph in nondescript clothes enters the room and takes a seat. Other than a slight blue tinge to his skin, he looks like an average human. Too average, perhaps - when you look away, you have a hard time keeping an image of him in your head, he is so plain. He does have a dagger with a fine-looking hilt at his hip, but with a flutter of clothes, it is hidden again, and he loses his one identifying feature.
"I am Devaan," he says simply, holding out a hand to each of you.
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A well proportioned and powerful female warrior enters the room. Her long blond hair and blue eyes are striking for someone of mixed orcish parentage.
She nods to Beshmet and Devaan smiling and she gladly accepts Devaan's hand in friendship.
"Hi, I am Rogarch."
She points to a strange looking scorpion on her shoulder.
"And this is my travelling companion, Helping Hand."
Helping Hand waves to the assembled Pathfinders.
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The female gnome in hide armor waves at the other Pathfinders and says happily, "Hello there, I'm Beshmet the druid and this bear here is Fluffy, my best friend and a very good fighter."
Fluffy the bear is wearing leather armor specially fitted for her. She also has her left front paw in a large jar labeled 'Honey'.
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In a room of people of notable looks and races Allanen still stands out. His blue-green skin that shows around his breastplate is damp and glistens slightly. His eyes are large and collect so much light they appear to almost glow. His fingers are lightly webbed. he carries a spear and there is an underwater crossbow on his back. A hawk that seems to radiate health rides his shoulder It peers at the group with sharp black bird eyes and angular tilted head. Greetings my fellows. the newcomer intones as he enters, moving slowly and with deliberation. He intentionally touches the chair as if trying to understand it before sitting. I am Allanen.
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The adventure begins in the dining hall of the Heidmarch Manor, where Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch has invited the PCs and Luvyire over for a noontime lunch to discuss business.
Thank you for joining us for luncheon, Pathfinders. She gestures to the array on the table with a proud gleam in her eyes. I thought we might chat over some quality Varisian cuisine. Please take a seat and help yourself to whatever you like, though I do recommend trying the mackerel—it’s freshly caught this morning.
Settling into her seat, Venture-Captain Heidmarch pours herself a small glass of chilled white wine and reclines. You likely know several areas of the city were recently disrupted by necromantic activity. The investigation traced the attacks to a will-o’-wisp named Tulvhatha, who has taken control of a holy site of Ashava known as the Glade of Silver Sparks. From what we’ve already seen in the city, along with Luvyire’s account of what occurred at the glade, it’s clear this creature wields power that surpasses most others of her kind. She flicks her gaze
toward the blue-skinned man and inclines her head toward him.
Luvyire here has already offered Ashava’s blessing to transform the Pathfinders who saved his life into holy emissaries of the True Spark—something which can only be accomplished by the light of the full moon. Luvyire adds, And I shall offer my goddess’s blessing to the rest of you as well.
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Dehydration. Maybe being in the desert sun without water.
Allenen helps himself to a larger serving of the mackerel. After a bite he comments. Excellent. Slightly more done that I normally partake of but still quite good.
After the initial mission brief he asks I have only just arrived to this fair city Venture Captain and do now of the necromantic disruptions. Might I ask that you review them ad well as what is known of this Tulvhatha and the Glade of the Silver Sparks. I would also benefit from hearing Luvyire's Luvyire’s account of what occurred at the glade. Allanen smiles benignly after asking for the Venture Captain to go into more detail.
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Luvyire says Two weeks ago, our home was attacked by a malevolent will-o’-wisp called Tulvhatha. She and her servants called upon dark powers to corrupt the glade, and they tore my friends apart. I fled here, to Magnimar to seek aid. Her cultists nearly caught and killed me but I was lucky to escape.
Shelia takes over at this point. Tulvhatha is a vicious will-o’-wisp possessing great supernatural strength beyond the capability of most of her kind. She’s likely taken control of the Glade of Silver Sparks to usurp its power and use it to her advantage. Beyond this, we know very little about her.
Luvyire continues The glade is... was a holy dancing field dedicated to Ashava. I maintained and guarded it with two of my dearest friends, who died protecting it. The site also held a sacred relic called the Soul Spark—a mystical orb that helped draw in wayward spirits so that we might lead them to their final resting places. I don’t know what has become of it or the glade now.
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In a small voice, Devann replies, "What can will-'o-wisps normally do? And what can this one do that they can't?
"And what does it mean to be an 'emissary of the True Spark'?"
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Tulvhatha has proven capable of wielding significant necromantic abilities, and her activity has caused the dead to become quite active, so it’s likely you can have to deal with such threats. There are also many fey in the Mushfens, of both avoidant and hostile natures, so you should be on guard for the latter. Beyond this, the Mushfens hold their own natural perils with terrain that is quite dangerous for those not accustomed to traversing it.
The way to the Glade of Silver Sparks is too difficult to reach without
knowing the path, and Tulvhatha’s influence has transformed the nearby landscape, cloaking it in mist and shadows and distorting what few landmarks there are to be found out in the swamp. However, when the full moon’s light shines upon one blessed by Ashava’s grace, she will be able to see the path. In addition to this boon, the blessing will grant abilities quite advantageous to taking down a foe like Tulvhatha
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To live in a non magical world.
And what about her necromantic powers? I mean it summons some undead but do we know what kind of them? Fortunately we've brought a cleric with us in this case. And what's the plan? To go to this glade, to look, to destroy the whip'O'whisp and to come back? Or is something more technical to learn before?
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Rogarch nibbles on the freshly caught fish.
"This is quite good actually."
"I have dealt with undead on several occasions. Generally a good hit with a hammer is enough to take them down. This will-o-the-wisp might prove to be more of a challenge."
@phaeton_nz : The Pathfinder Society, Primer provides a bonus to characters visiting certain lodges. In Magnimar you are allowed to borrow items from a list. My character will choose a purse of 10 gold for bribes or tolls. She has not participated in the first adventure (10-05).
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Ashava the True Spark is an azata empyreal lord who manifested from marsh lights that danced in Elysium for ages, achieving divinity in doing so. Legends hold that Ashava seeks out lonely ghosts who have become lost, leading them to safety at night. Graveyard shrines to Ashava reportedly give lost souls a place where they can rest.
Luvyve is a blue-skinned man with solid black eyes, pointed ears, and butterfly wings. He is sincere and is also an azata.
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Luvyire asks you to take his hand one at a time, and a full moon appears on the top of your dominant hand. If you presses a finger to this marking, you are gifted with a vision from Ashava herself, who shows all of you dancing in Magnimar under the light of the full moon, slowly transforming from your usual appearance to that of a werewolf with fur the colour of silvery moonlight.
While applying the blessing, Luvyire says While you will be taking on the form of a celestial werewolf, you will not actually be infected with the lycanthropic curse. You will retain your personality and control, and it will last only for the duration of tonight’s full moon. After tonight, the blessing ends and you will return to normal form.
In reply to Allanen, Heidmarch replies The Mistress of Angels in Ordellia, the Founder’s Flame in Naos, and the Cenotaph in the Capital District were all affected by Tulvhatha’s minions. They sought to spread the will-o-wisp’s haunting influence on the area. Luckily, those troubles are now behind us.
Luvyire then offers to teach the you all a sacred Ashavan dance to help soothe any restless spirits you may encounter.
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That night ....
You arrive at the Mushfens by twilight. Moonlight streams through the forest’s thick canopy of dark branches. The chirps and gurgles of nocturnal critters echo in a soft, steady hum, interrupted only by the occasional snapping of a twig or low hoot of an owl. In the distance, fireflies flicker in the shadows. The scent of wet moss and dirt clings to the misty air. Several damp paths branch off, each leading deeper into the
swampy woods.
As the full moon’s light washes over them, those that accepted Ashava’s Blessing transform into celestial werewolves. Those Blessed also see a stream of faint, shimmering motes of light gleaming upon one of the paths plunging deeper into the Mushfens.
The trail here leads you to the east, into an area of swampy ground.
The swampy ground and trees both provide difficult terrain. The large web in the southwest of the map belongs to a particularly vicious giant spider that is currently not present. The cocoons contain the corpses of large animals, such as raccoons, deer, and even an alligator.
Shortly after you journey on the twinkling path you meet some unexpected company.
A sharp breeze cuts through the night, rustling loudly through the trees and brambles. Shadowy figures emerge from the undergrowth. The husky voice of the tallest figure calls out, Halt where you are, monsters!
I knew there was darkness inside you, Pathfinders, the man continues, his gaze a steely fire of determination and fury. Does the rest of the Pathfinder Society even know what foul beasts walk among them, or do they know and harbour you nonetheless? Maybe it’s even worse than that, hmm? Perhaps this paltry cabal of you represents the true face of the entire organization. Be assured that I shall find out. But for now, I see the truth of your malignant nature, and the ruse ends here—along with your lives!
Those who played the prequel recognise him as Inspector Theodorus Ichonvarde.
Helping Hand taps his mistress for luck (Guidance cast).