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In pain, a large, stumpy-fingered hand rubbing with firm pressure against his own short lower lumbar, an aged dwarf with thin wispy hair begins hiking down the Galtan streets towards the summons destination, having committed the missive received to his eidetic memory, his stride is evenpaced if slow and sturdy, when suddenly some sound behind him draws his attention, and he turns with an unexpected jerk.
"Is that you?"
With antipodal energy "Master Knab - you are impossible to sneak up upon!"
A shortish gnome dressed in a fashionable suit and top hat sporting a black wooden cane parades behind him "I was having a conversation with a cell leader yonder - looks as though the opportunism here will be sufficient for us to conclude our business to satisfaction" his shockblue eyes sparkle to match his long shockblue hair, and with his white-gloved hand, he unrolls an accounting sheet from a thin scrollcase, which he shows to the dwarf, who squints at it momentarily and nods.
The gnome slows his gait to keep pace, quickly re-stowing the document, and the two of them continue down their path towards Woodsedge Lodge...
Pathfinders hustle about the grounds of Woodsedge Lodge, checking in, mustering in units, unloading and delivering supplies, cooking, and socializing. The atmosphere is tense but excited. The Maze of the Open Road is a place of legend that few Pathfinders have had the honor of traversing. Once dangerous, the Maze was recently repaired by Eliza Petulengro of the Decemvirate, and news that the Maze is once again malfunctioning has led to intense speculation among the gathering Pathfinders. Cutting through chaos and gossip alike, Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau takes the lead, ensuring everyone gathers in their assigned units and tends to their duties.
Verdant Wheel faction leader Urwal walks amid the gathered Pathfinders. He checks each person’s face before shaking his head and moving on to the next. “There are Pathfinders unaccounted for. Although the upcoming mission will be dangerous, Galt is not a land it would do to get lost in. Find our wayward companions and bring them here so no one gets left behind.”
Horizon Hunters faction leader Calisro Benarry clutches at her stomach as it grumbles loudly. “Just in time! I’m starving! Go lend the Lodge’s serving staff a hand so everyone can have a proper meal before this mission gets underway. We can’t set out on an empty stomach!”
Ashasar stands outside a magnificent hedge maze, examining it with interest. “This is the fabled Maze of the Open Road. Our divinations indicate the maze’s misalignment is due to an outside source beyond the maze and not a problem with the maze itself. Still, I prefer to conduct a second assessment to ensure nothing’s changed. I’d like you to assist by gathering magical readings—just don’t enter the maze!”
Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau proffers a long list of names. “I’ve organized all the Pathfinders into teams of between four and six agents. Take this list and help everyone gather in their assigned units.”
Head Initiate Janira Gavix smiles and waves at the sight of the PCs, then hurries over to say hello. “Do you have a second to lend me a hand? I brought along a few dozen newly graduated Pathfinders, but they’re worried about the upcoming mission. I know they’re ready for this, but the scale of it all is setting them on edge. Could you talk to the rookies? Some conversation and encouragement will help settle their nerves.”
Vigilant Seal faction leader Eando Kline sifts through crates and wagons, divvying gear up into piles. “Help me sort this equipment according to the supply list, then deliver it to the assembling teams. We need to ensure everyone is well equipped for the upcoming mission.”
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Arriving upon the busy scene, it quickly becomes apparent that help is needed everywhere!
Knab nods to Wekk, and they split up...
His first stop is in the kitchen - indeed his stomach grumbles too! - but just as Calisro Benarry yells at him to get to the kitchen, he races over out of fear of her, and arriving shaken, drops the first tray of food spilling soup on himself, and, incidentally, onto the venture captain's lap. With quick dwarven reflexes, he sneaks away from the scene before having to deal with the consequences of his clumsiness, leaving the mess behind...
...and arriving before Ashasar. I know the maze. He heads over to the library - wiping himself off first before entering - and grabbing a rolling ladders, swiftly climbs up and down the relevant sections, operating from memory, automatically grabbing the most useful texts - all by dwarven authors! - and unceremoniously dropping them before the librarian before skulking off to...
...actually leaving the premises! Saw some folks back aways. Dashing down the path he had came up, he sees some junior agents being mugged(!) by some street toughs. Intervening, he draws his clan dagger, and bashes the toughest looking one on the skull, knocking him out, and causing the lot to scatter. He then bandages his head while the lost pathfinders stand around in awe. "Go on. Get to camp!" he scowls, having scared them out of remembering to say "thank you" as they make it the rest of the way to the camp without incident!
Arriving upon the busy scene, it quickly becomes apparent that help is needed everywhere!
Wekk nods to Knab, and they split up...
His first stop is the supply tent. I wonder what special valuables they have here! With an appraising eye, Wekk applies himself to two simple tasks: Subtraction, then Addition. With ginger fingers, he pulls the useless junk out from the pile, and discards it in the proper place "We won't be having any need of these, Master Kline" before making a second trip to pull out the most valuable items, and sorting them into a separate pile, pulling a blanket out of a pack to arrange them neatly "These are what you are looking for!" and bowing for services rendered, skips his way to...
...stand before Janira Gavix "I do not believe we have been acquainted, but Master Knab speaks highly of you, said you once gave him an inscribed lid?" and kissing her hand if the gesture seems natural, he turns to the new recruits "I am small, but I am brave. And that should make the difference here. Though my skill is not in fighting - no! - I render myself useful in other ways, and never stray far from my right-hand-man (and employer). Such advice I pass to you: Though I give you no delusions that what you are about to embark on will be dangerous, you have eachother lean upon. Come now: Look smart!" the effect of which seems to be the intended outcome. On his way out, he waves goodbye to "Master Gavix, a pleasure" doffing his hat and making way to...
...visit Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau, bowing in salutation, and accepting the paperwork "Ah yes. What you need is spatial organization!" he begins sorting the papers into piles, organizing by rank, aptitude, and temperament, and several other capacities, making quick work of the process, then collating everything together, and handing them back, making sure, with a quill pen, to leave a front-facing note on each stack, marking it's relation to the perfect order assembled "There, that should make it foolproof!" again doffing his hat and skipping away.
And now looking this way and that "Alright boss. Now where did you get off to?"
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An aged silver-haired halfing with immaculate coat and tails and white gloves appears and begins taking stock of the situation.
He finds straggling guests to bring them to dinner for Monsieur Urwal.
Phillipton, of course, knows that there's no such thing as a proper meal if it isn't paired with the proper drink. "Probably a nice Sauvignon Blanc. I've got a good vintage from southern Isger."
His goddess, Our Lady of Plenty, Halcamora, has a tremendous amount of information for the care of magical plants, including magical hedges.
As a trained butler, he's well acustomed to escorting people into the right dining room or the right ballroom with gentle insistence.
Likewise, as a Chelish butler, he's had to lie to his master's face before. Easy enough to lie to these new Pathfinders that they'll all survive.
Finally, as a trained butler, he had to manage an entire mansion's staff and inventory. Easy enough to do so for a few wagons.
"There you are, you bandit" having located his master, our cunning entrepreneur whisks him away to the dinner table - but not before covering his face with make-up and throwing a coat over him! - barely not-at-all concealing the whole of his boss's unmistakeable body (and odor) from the likes of any faction leaders looking to hold him accountable.
"Another glass, please!" he asks of the service - mistaking the halfling for the common help "This Sauvignon Blanc is absolutely stellar with this Spiced Ghoulash!" before spotting the wayfinder amongst his effects "Ah! I see you are..." he consults his notes, having taken them during his run-in with Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau "...Horatio Phillipton. It says here you are a Cleric of Great Power! But I am afraid I have never heard of Halcamora. Would you care to enlighten me as to her (his?) area of concern?"
Whether or not he answers "So rude of me. My name is Little Wekk, as I present myself to you now. And this is my associate and employer Knab Moghadam. Rumors circulating are that there is some Mysterious Anomaly in the Maze of the Open Road - have you been keeping abreast of the goings-on around such events?"
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"Halcamora, our Lady of Ripe Bounty, sees over wine, gardens and orchards and hospitality, sir," Phillipton says in an even keel. "We are not a particularly well-known religion, certainly not known as religion for crusaders or adventurers; Most think of us as a branch of the church of Erastil, as our Lady is the daughter of the Stag Lord."
"I find myself very rarely kept abreast as a Pathfinder agent before the mission starts. Its not for us to reason why. Its our but to do and die."
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Kang is a tanned Tian man, slight in figure and awkward in demeanour when around other people. Yet, you might notice that his self-consciousness fades away rather completely when he doesn't realise people are looking at him. He is rather well-groomed yet careless about his appearance at the same time - hair is neatly combed back but loose strands are sticking out, and he doesn't seem to have shaven in days. The robes he wears is rather fine and exquisite, but is wrinkled at many places.
He introduces himself in a rather mousy voice, "Um, my name? My name is Zhao Kang, but call me Kang. I originate from near Goka, but that was many seasons ago now." He looks rather whimsical when he says that.
Eventually though, he notices the hustle and bustle of activities, and he wanders around, looking at how he can help.
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A clearly Ulfen man in well crafted Ulfen attire walks in. He is wearing a breastplate under which appears something like a Talden uniform. He is obviously carrying a large flail.
"The name is Griss, Griss Thisslethorn. I'm a from the Mammoth Lands through Taldor, or a Talden through the Mammoth Lands, I have a very mixed history. Sorry for the delay, I stopped to help some of the organizational efforts."
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Knab sees a familiar face!
But lo, although the physical distance between them is not so, through mutually excluding anxieties, the social distance between them is vast enough to dissuade a formal reunion. Indeed, prior to leaving, and once having returned, our awkward hero starts and stops at least times to approach Master Kang, failing spectacularly at each attempt, most probably in a manner the disattentive wizard would easily fail to glean.
But then, while collecting books at the library, Knab on his way out, Zhao on his way in, circumstance would have it that, with their eyes and noses in books, that they accidentally bump into eachother in front of Ashasar.
In such a circumstance, a brave putting of oneself out there "Hey" in the meekest of voices...
Escort
Griss and Knab with unconventional help from Horatio find many a wandering Pathfinder in the nearby woods and lead them to the camp before the Maze of the Open Road.
"Well done," says Urwal. "I see you have found some of our lost ones."
Last Meal
Horatio, fittingly, advises the cooks in preparing a fine fish meal that goes well with his selected white, which you are all able to partake of before the mission begins.
Magical Investigations
Zhao Kang, Horation, and Knab each conclude that the Maze of the Open Road has been affected by some force to focus all of its routes to the same place. "I must tell Venture-Captain Jirneau right away," says Ashasar. "Please. Take some of these supplies in thanks."
Mustering
"Fantastic job, what was your name? Moken? Fantastic," Venture-Captain Jirneau compliments the hireling gnome. "Are you certain you wouldn't like to come work for me as my assistant?"
Reassurance
Johny nearly scares the unbloodied Pathfinders to death, but Moken manages to cheer them up and calm them down.
Supplies
"Efficient work," Eando compliments you.
"Well" properly rebuffed, but off-kilter only a moment, Little Wekk objects "I plan to Do - and not to Die!" somewhat pleased with himself at the retort, he elaborates with "As I said, I am not a fighter. It's what I bring him along for!" indicating Knab across the table (who is eating heartily) "And as a matter of technicality, I'm not even a pathfinder! More like a subcontractor" expecting to be gaining an audience with his loud and boisterous banter, he faces away from the halfling, and towards Johnny, expecting him not to be familiar with the term, and explaining it thusly "One job at a time to the highest bidder! That way I have my pick of the litter when it comes to employers..." folding the thought away for now, he asks the dhampir "So - that's a strong looking crossbow! Are you a hunter?"
All the while talking, Little Wekk barely touches his food!
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Kang stumbles a bit when the dwarf approaches him. He is quite certain he looks familiar, but like many things in his life, he fails to make the connection. But he has since figured the easiest way is just to ask. Directly.
"Hi! You look familiar. We've met before right?" He then ends off with, "My name is Kang." Wait, he probably knows that if we've met. Or maybe he's as forgetful as me...
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Seelah, the noble champion from Absalom, is riding through the streets of Galt at breakneck speed. As she pours down the road, the group hears the desperate clops of her horse getting louder and louder.
Finally with all the grace of a student late for class Seelah leaps off the back of the horse and lets the beast run free to adventures unknown.
"HUFF huff... Wow...I uhh... *phew* hadn't adjusted to Galtan time zones yet. Still not too late to make some new friends?"
She adjusts her Half-plate takes a look at the provisions and doesn't think about what to grab at all. She takes the potion, the antidote, and the grasshopper, and prays to Iomedae they weren't just garbage.
Hi, names Seelah, sorry about missing muster.
Seelah panics at all the work that's been done and sees if she can pull off a miracle.
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A hush falls over the gathered Pathfinders as Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau ascends a podium erected outside the entrance to the Maze of the Open Road. “Welcome to Woodsedge, Pathfinders! Thank you for coming. As many of you know, the Maze of the Open Road is an interdimensional pathway built long ago by Forest King Narven Feathereyes as a gift for the Society. Time was not kind to the maze, but thanks to the efforts of Eliza Petulengro and other Pathfinders, it was repaired.
“Recently, the maze’s paths realigned and now all point to a single location. Our investigations indicate this isn’t a problem with the Maze of the Open Road but an outside source—a beacon—that’s attracting the paths. The maze is of critical importance to many missions and must remain available. Our mission is to fix this strange anomaly.
“We traverse the Maze of the Open Road to an unknown destination. Although this is an exciting opportunity to explore new horizons, our mission is not exploration. Our mission is to find the beacon and sever its connection to the Maze of the Open Road. Prepare yourselves! We leave shortly.”
After a few minutes to allow for any last-second preparations, Venture-Captain Jirneau leads the assembled Pathfinders into the Maze of the Open Road. ”Stay close, we won’t be here long.”
Armeline guides the Pathfinders through the maze with confidence, while Eando Kline, faction leader of the Vigilant Seal, takes the rear, ensuring no Pathfinders get left behind. Armeline hesitates only a moment before plunging through a shimmering portal, out of the Maze and into the unknown.
Following her lead, the Pathfinders arrive in a large stone chamber with red stone walls and polished tan floor tiles, lit by a luminous arch rising from a central raised platform. The chamber has three side chambers and one exit. “Fan out, Pathfinders!” Venture-Captain Armeline orders. “Secure the area.”
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You emerge into the empty ruins and quickly investigate the entry room with its three side chambers.
Fountain Chamber
The first side chamber contains a fountain that splashes water into a large stone washing basin. The running water makes a soothing, burbling sound that is quite relaxing. The water is clean, clear, and tastes metallic.
Everyone except the Ulfen, Griss, easily realize this is an ablution chamber, used to ritually wash before entering a sacred space.
Wooden Hooks Chamber
In the second side chamber, three rows of wooden hooks protrude from the stone walls in a line around the perimeter of this side chamber, one row at three feet above the ground, one at five, and one at nine. A smooth and well-worn black wood bench is in the chamber's center. It’s old, but sturdy and comfortable.
However, Griss and Kang easily realize this is a dressing chamber, which would have held clothes for creatures varying from halflings to ogres in size. The rest of you wonder how such an obvious fact could have escaped you .
Arch
The arch in the center of the room soars up fifteen feet wide and twenty-five feet tall. It’s constructed of a luminous crystal that sheds bright light.
Everyone except Griss, once more, determine the arch is a powerful artifact with a connection to another plane.
Ovoid Chamber
The final side chamber behind the arch is ovoid-shaped. The entrance to this ovoid chamber is only partially blocked by a circular stone door, which slides in and out of the wall. The red stone chamber is completely curved, with no angles or hard edges anywhere.
As Knab, Kang, and Seelah enter this chamber, they see a large grey and blue container in the center, similar to a sarcophagus, constructed from metal and glass.
However, Johnny, Phillipton, and Griss merely see an empty chamber.
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A single path?
Knab's curiosity piques. He files through with his team, clan dagger in hand, through the windings and meanderings and past the breach through the portal, and into a room with a... bath!? Shunning the pool of water, he continues on into another chamber whose function is foreign to him, but someone else describes as a "changing room" - whatever that means - and he measures himself up to two of the three hooks - being a head too short for the middle one, that same head too tall for the last one - and on through the Magnificent Arch, where a quick appraisal of the runes in it's carving describe a powerful connection to another plane (of which, the dwarf scratches his head to wonder which) - finally delivering everyone into an ovoid chamber.
"Do you not see the Large Container that looks like a Tomb?" his question to Horatio is frank, as indeed, in the thick of exploration, our dwarven hero has forgotten that he is a shy man.
He moves to examine the metal and glass container - what kind of creature might he find inside? And in what condition?
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Seriously how can you be so uninterested in this obviously curious grave?
Seelah moves forward and as Knab begins to investigate Seelah will aid with her own Crafting.
Looks maybe Osirian? Maybe the arch leads to Nethys' realm... The question is, of course, why?
The container is made of a glass-like material, certainly not stone to Knab's trained eye. The metal looks like aluminum. When he and Seelah attempt to touch the container, their fingers pass into it as though it were no more than an illusion and then it vanishes.
The two investigating the container look very silly to those not able to see the container, but once the container disappears for Knab and Seelah--who never see it again--it begins to flicker in and out of everyone's sight, though never in sight of all the same people at the same time.
As soon as Horatio asserts this, he himself witnesses the container appear for a moment and then disappear on him only to appear several seconds later just as briefly.
Yes I did. It sounded worried... or in trouble? If its temporal distortion as you say. We might be looking into what had happened here. Gods forbid what it means if we're peaking at the future!
Seelah stands back up and cups her hand to her head clearly trying to wrap her hear around the implications. She walks back to Griss who is still looking at the hooks in the wall.
I didn't bring enough hats with me for that. She says with a smile.
Wanna pull one down see if it moves? If nothing happens I'm ready to continue deeper into the area.
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"Nonsense" is Knab's gut check against the concept of "peaking" at the future.
"If it shall come to pass, so be it. But there is no way of knowing. I do not believe in predestination. Perhaps this is an echo of the past" inadvertently opening a debate on time travel by stating his opinion, and suggesting what is, at least in his mind, a more "sensible" explanation.
Looking down at his effects, no actionable ideas come from his eidetic memory, and so, unable to diagnose the problem properly, he decides not to waste time standing around ineffectually "Let us move on" he suggests.
Any Untrained Lore Skill (~) +8 (via Pathfinder Agent Dedication)
Arcana (**) +12 or 20 Assurance; Automatic Knowledge
Crafting (*) +10
Lore: Engineering (*) +10
Lore: Pathfinder (*) +10
Lore: Underworld (*) +10
Medicine (**`) +13
Nature (**) +12
Occult (**) +12
Religion (**) +12 or 20 Assurance; Automatic Knowledge
Society (*) +10
"Alright! Let's move!" Eando Kline shouts at you from the main chamber. He points towards the large black door through which the rest of the Pathfinders are filing. As you leave the ovoid chamber, Phillipton and Kang think they see Knab walking through the arch in the central chamber, but once you blink he--or someone who looked like him--is gone.
As you approach the door, you see six foreign, faintly glowing glyphs are inscribed on the far side of the black door. Beyond is a series of branching halls. The different teams begin splitting off to follow different paths.
A small yellow rabbit hops into sight, gesturing frantically at the hallway it emerged from. Once spotted, it bounds away, back the way it came. Johnny, Kang, Phillipton, and Griss confer and agree that it is acting strangely and likely someone's familiar.
Being Pathfinders, you follow after it. You find yourself in a true maze. The rabbit leads you to dead ends, after which you turn around and find the rabbit hopping past the hall behind you. On and on this strange chase goes.
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To Griss "You say something?" then realizing his question has no context, he looks away, confused. Did he just...
Doubt creeps into our dwarven hero's mind!
As he falls in line behind Horatio "I'll watch your backside" and "Follow the white rabbit"
Griss (Trained) +7
Horatio (Trained) +12
Johnny (Trained) +9
Kang (Untrained) +3
Knab (Untrained) +8
Seelah (??) +?
Seelah will keep watch and bring up the rear of the chase. Iomadae knows she's not going anywhere fast in all her armour.
"Jeepers creepers"
Little Wekk, emotioned somehow with an exciting cocktail of fear and fascination, sticks to the middle of the pack, keeping an eye out for nooks and objects to quickly dash behind in the event the bunny, um, attacks.
"In the field" he explains "A "rabbit" is what we call someone who curries our commodities from hither to tither, incurring some risk to their standing as a citizen, of course, but compensated in proportion. In fact my good associate here" he points to Knab, who frowns "is such a person" now he scowls, continuing to be talked about "Don't be fooled by appearances! I assure you my associate can be much "hoppier" than he might seem at first glance!" now reddens with embarrassment.
Lingering only a moment "While I daresay Queen and Country have never done anything for me, I can say that, if you can get us out of this dizzying labyrinth, I will consider you a fine gardener indeed!" conversation, if one-sided, does seem to calm the talkative gnome's nerves - never taking his eyes off his surroundings!
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Kang watches the rabbit hop away, wondering what wonders the little creature intends to lead them to. Excited to find out, he stumbles after but quickly is bewildered by the maze and reluctantly hangs back, hoping the rest of the team might be better able to track.
At that, he pulls his fox familiar out from his backpack and let it down on the ground. "There, Huli. That's probably more comfortable. Maybe you'll have better luck tracking one of your kind. I mean magical familiar. I know you're not a rabbit."
At one moment in the chase, you think you just saw Seelah walk past an intersection ahead of you. Looking behind you, she is obviously still there. Horatio and Knab are able to keep you on the trail of the rabbit, and Huli enjoys the chase.
Suddenly, the rabbit's ears perk up and it stops. Most of you realize that something has frightened the rabbit--something like a predator. The rabbit begins to slowly slink forward toward a side hall. As you reach the turn in the hall, Knab and Horatio spy an enormous bear chewing on a dead Pathfinder agent.
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Griss is paying special attention as they move through the corridors, stopping to mark each passage they travel through.
"Stay on guard everyone. That creature's goal might be more about getting us lost than leading us on."
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"We must recover the agent's body. It's what we would want under the same circumstance."
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Knab looks around at his party.
Griss (Unrained) +7
Horatio (Untrained) +3
Johnny (Trained) +11
Kang (Trained) +11
Knab (Trained) +10
Seelah (??) +?
Hmm. Those two. And no Experts in espionage...
In a small voice, he whispers "I think it will hear us coming no matter what..."
The consensus appears to be to slay the beast--that or at least there's no point in trying to sneak past it--and so Griss and Johnny lead the way. Once they step around the corner, the bear snorts and looks towards them. A growl begins in the back of its throat as it drops the body of the Pathfinder.
The rabbit quickly darts into the side hall it had been slinking toward.
Encounter! Round 1. Bold may act.
Horatio
Bear
Johnny
Griss
Kang
Knab
Dudith
Horatio is certain that it is a bear and that bears eat meat.
The bear roars as it charges towards the Pathfinders. It swipes its massive paw toward Johnny and catches the dwarf deep between the ribs with its claws , pulling him into a ferocious bear hug. Then, likely to everyone's horror, it bites down on the dwarf's head . The grating sound like nails on a chalkboard can be heard as the bear's teeth grind against the dwarf's skull. Likely the only thing that saved his life was dwarven hard-headedness.
Encounter! Round 1. Bold may act.
Bear
Johnny (9/75 hp; Grabbed)
Griss
Kang
Knab
Dudith
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Horatio