Ambrus Valsin explains to the Pathfinders on the Sixwing Drake, "We recently made inroads with Lady Victiria of House Junianis, a noble family in Cheliax based in the city of Hinji. She gave us the opportunity to catalogue a series of their ancestral heirlooms that survived the Chelaxian Civil War. We sent a team of novice Pathfinders to perform the assessment, as it seemed a simple enough assignment for fresh agents.
Unfortunately, the assignment wasn’t as simple as it seemed. After the novices’ first day of examination, they did not return to the Junianis manor. Lady Victiria attempted to contact them using the resources at her disposal, and then reported to the Grand Lodge that our agents were missing.
Your task is to find our four missing Pathfinders and, if someone was responsible for their disappearances, make sure they are no longer a danger to the Society. If you find any of our agents, bring them to the Junianis manor. Lady Victiria has agreed to harbor any Pathfinders you find until your investigation is complete. Although the Junianis family has many connections in Hinji, it is important that you do not visit the Junianis manor except to drop off the missing agents for protection. You can go to Lady Junianis for additional information as a last resort, but relying on her for help might jeopardize our future relations. If the worst has happened and you find that the agents have died in the field, be sure to respectfully retrieve their remains and belongings.
After you bring the missing agents to the manor, complete the cataloguing of the heirlooms and report back to Absalom with the agents or their remains. Included with this letter are basic dossiers on each of the agents sent to Hinji, as well as a bag of holding and scrolls of gentle repose that are only to be used for the missing Pathfinders should they prove necessary. It is important that you use discretion—they were likely targeted for being members of the Society, so don’t go about flashing wayfinders and demanding answers.
Begin your search at the Waypoint Inn, where the agents were staying. The innkeeper is expecting you."
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Jayma tries to think back to her days in Cheliax to see if she remembers anything about House Junianis and the city of Hinji. She also asks her friends and less salubrious acquaintances what they know of the place.
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Itka thumps her way upstairs from Emdi's rave, trying in vain to brush glitter off her shoulders and out of her lanky hair. "Hmp. Kids and their 'music'." She hides her chagrin at not being able to dance (her limp apparently doesn't count as 'dancing') with her customary prodigious scowl. The serious expression on Ambrus Valsin's face snaps her out of her self-absorbed grumpiness. She hobbles over quickly to listen to the report.
"Hmp. Cheliax is too much like Nidal for me. Let's go get 'em. Those poor kids deserve to go home." Itka glowers out toward the horizon, ruminating on evil governments and societies. And kids. (Her kids.) Gokri, Ettu, Poak, Najku, Hrugrog, Grurm, Mucri, and Shurgi. A wave of despair washes over her. "One way or another. We'll rescue them. Hmp."
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The goblin emerges from bellow deck with some smatterings of glitter of his own. Apparently he spent Emdi's rave bouncing between the hull walls, vibing to this newfound "music." He had to apologize to many a raver that he crashed into in his enthusiasm.
Now the mood was somber as he heard news of missing young agents.
Hmm, maybe that was not the best place to send fresh faces. No worry, we get them back.
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From under the deck comes another dwarf, she is fully clad with half-plate armor, on her back hangs a steel shield, and on her belt a massive Warhammer.
"Is Torag mocking me? Isn't this Hornbori, Son of Mjothvitnir? "
Then she turns to others
"My name is Makai Goldenoak, Torag's Cleric. I was sent as apparently you need one more for your team. Good job on that saving of Count Varian. "
"Did we ever exercise the idea that Lady Victiria could be involved? Could she tricked society to send a team of agents and they set them up for some political gains?"
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Jayma gives Makai the once over and nods in satisfaction. "I have to say that I was a little concerned when Emdi said he wouldn't be joining us for this mission; he was one of my ablest defenders after all. But it appears that I worried needlessly. I could not feel safer having you two battle-hardened dwarves between our enemies and me. I'm Jayma, by the way. A pleasure to meet you Makai."
Generally speaking, the fates of unknown others ranked low on Jayma's list of cares; she was primarily interested in keeping her own skin intact. But the thought of some young Pathfinders in the clutches of Chelaxian devil-lovers did touch her a little. After all, she'd nearly found herself in that very same situation as a young woman trying to escape from certain death in Cheliax, and there would have been nothing she wanted more than for someone to come and rescue her had she succumbed to the same fate.
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"Hmp. I told him to drink a full glass of water between each drink, but would he listen to me? No. Darn kid. Hmp! ... Good to meet you, Makai. I'm Itka." Her scowl only softens slightly as she greets Makai, though it seems her face has reached its normal resting state. "Lady Victiria? Hmp. That would be bad if she double-crossed us. Not impossible, but unlikely. Best keep it in mind, but act like we're not considering it."
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"Yeah some humans have a hard time coping with alcohol. I heard different theories about them. Nevertheless, I hope he will get home in one piece rather than wake up in docks of Osirion without his clothes."
She nods to Jayma and Itka
"Pleasure to meet you both. Yes, I shall get in between you and whoever tries to hurt us. I don't know much about Cheliax but I am more afraid of the enemies that we don't see approaching."
Makai says her long brown hair is tied in braids to not get into her eyes. You can see her Warhammer bearing magical runes.
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Symeon, a little late to the table, staggers in, a little high off the ether he busted out for the rave. He gives the group an unusually giddy smile and picks up the papers on the desk, unaware he's cut his finger and is bleeding slightly. "Why we havvving a meeettting during the raaveee? I woulldd'vvee been ssooober for dis oderwise!"
He takes a long moment to recall what he can about Hinji and the Society there.
Pausing over the papers he takes a moment to realize that there's a new person in the room. He smiles and waves at Makai, extending the bleeding hand without realizing it's smeared in the stuff and says, "You're Makai, ain'tcha? Name's on the documents. I'm Symeon Isafira. Heard about ya from a friend, says you good at keeping people alive. Well, I'M good at keeping people alive! Betcha I can keep everyone alive-r than you can!"
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Makai looks at Symeon and shakes his head "Sure, sure, just don't fall out of this ship or the only one kept alive would be fish that eat you. However smelling from your state they might let you drift for a bit for your body to lose some of that poison."
"Good to be working with you, who knows maybe on this mission healing will not be needed."
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While Itka had been at the same rave as Symeon, she was mostly a wall flower. (Well, "flower" might be generous. Gargoyle is more apt.) She certainly didn't partake in any of the various substances that people were passing around. When Symeon makes his appearance, clearly having *way* too much fun in Itka the Grouch's presence, she grumps: "Hmp. Go sleep it off, Symeon. We'll fill you in later, when you're more likely to remember everything."
Good ol' stick-in-the-mud. She's more up-tight than the paladin.
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"Greetings, Reverend Lady Makai," says Hornbori, bowing low and doffing his helm. The manners of Highhelm are not easily dismissed, even in the Pathfinder Society, and Hornbori takes Torag's clergy very seriously. "The Forgefather is kind to reacquaint us."
Hornbori listens to the tales of debauchery with mild and somewhat hypocritical disapproval.
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In addition to notorious gangs like the Sons of the Tear, a smaller gang is coming onto the scene of Hinji’s ice tears trade: the Daughters of Cocytus. Led by the enigmatic Mother Forsythe, this all-female group has a reputation for spreading fear, as well as being accompanied by a mysterious light that their victims half-remember.
They told you about their hookup in a notorious gang called the Sons of the Tear, but they had just found a cheaper seller trying to undercut the market: a smaller gang called the Daughters of Cocytus. Led by the enigmatic Mother Forsythe, this all-female group has a reputation for spreading fear, as well as being accompanied by a mysterious light that their victims half-remember.
In addition to notorious gangs like the Sons of the Tear, a smaller gang is coming onto the scene of Hinji’s ice tears trade: the Daughters of Cocytus. Led by the enigmatic Mother Forsythe, this all-female group has a reputation for spreading fear, as well as being accompanied by a mysterious light that their victims half-remember.
"Did we ever exercise the idea that Lady Victiria could be involved? Could she tricked society to send a team of agents and they set them up for some political gains?"
"I won't say it's impossible, but she's taken quite a few personal risks to move our relationship even to this point. Keep your eyes open, but your orders are to consider her a resource and her offers as genuine unless you have specific evidence to the contrary."
The Venture-Captain hands you a list of the missing Pathfinders.
Tanno Kembers
• Tanno Kembers is a human man who made a living as a self-taught tomb robber.
• He first came into contact with the Pathfinder Society at a dig site in Nex, which he reached before the Society did.
• After assessing his skills and artifact collection and determining his willingness to work toward more noble ends, the Society gave him a field commission.
• Tanno is skilled at disarming traps, and is wary of potential foes at all times.Selia Torossel
• Selia is an elf historian who specializes in the Chelaxian Civil War. She is perhaps slightly overzealous in her desire to uncover the truth of what brought Thrune to power, a dangerous topic of study.
• She is strongly affiliated with the Grand Archive faction.
• She is a novice practitioner of divination.Jespya
• Jespya is a halfling martial artist, a skilled unarmed combatant with a reputation for bravery.
• They joined the Pathfinder Society after their partner died in the field.
• They are one of Marcus Farabellus’s favored pupils for their efficient yet overwhelming combat tactics.
• They were assigned to this mission as protection for the other, less combat-capable agents.
• They requested not to be resurrected in the event of their death.Kiiruba
• Kiiruba appears to be a human woman, but she is actually a kitsune who favors her tailless human form.
• She is proficient in diplomacy and emissary’s duties and dreams of seeing the world.
• She was recruited to the Society through the Lantern Lodge. This is her first mission after completing her Confirmation in Absalom to become a full agent.
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The Pathfinders’ arrival in Hinji and journey to the Waypoint Inn is uneventful. This nondescript inn is comfortable and welcoming, and Sellinore welcomes the Pathfinders as they enter.
"Welcome! I've been told by my old friend Lady Junianis to expect a group of Pathfinders coming to investigate the missing-" Her voice lowers to a whisper. "-roses' lodgings for clues. As long as you're paying room and board, I have no complaints as to who stays in the rooms. You're all paid up for the next week."
They give the Pathfinders keys to the four small rooms and wishes the Pathfinders good luck in their search.
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Jayma happily shares all that she learned with the rest of the group on the way to Hinji. "This so-called ice tears drug sounds rather nasty to me, though the idea of being able to see 'possible futures' does seem intriguing. I wouldn't mind finding out more about the mysterious light that follows Mother Forsythe around though. I have my suspicions as to what it might be." She racks her brains to see if she can recall anything about creatures or magical items that manifest themselves as a floating light.
Jayma takes one of the room keys from Lady Junianis and turns to Makai. "Since we're a little tight for space, why don't we share a room?"
Jayma hands Makai the key. "Here you go, then. I'm going to go for a little walk around town to see if I can find out more about the Sons of the Tear, and anything at all regarding the strange Mother Forsythe and her Daughters of Cocytus." The idea of searching those rooms for several hours sounded excruciatingly boring; she'd much rather be out and about sweet-talking the locals into giving her information.
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Before they go to their rooms Makai shares with the others
"I spoke once with someone from Hinji, who told me about a strange local custom of imbibing alcohol along with a local drug called "ice tears". When combined with alcohol, this ingested drug bestows visions of the past and “possible futures” to those under its effects, and its trade is largely controlled by criminal gangs that abuse those who become addicted. They told me about their hookup in a notorious gang called the Sons of the Tear, but they had just found a cheaper seller trying to undercut the market: a smaller gang called the Daughters of Cocytus. Led by the enigmatic Mother Forsythe, this all-female group has a reputation for spreading fear, as well as being accompanied by a mysterious light that their victims half-remember."
Makai nods her head "Sure Jayma we can share a room"
When Jaym leaves Makai thinks for a moment about what to do.
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Symeon wakes up slightly groggy the next morning after 'sleeping off' the ether. He takes a few moments to read some notes he wrote himself and pieces together what happened and where the group is going. At breakfast, he pauses and extends a hand to Makai again. "Did we meet last night? I can't quite remember what happened. Would it be a problem if I asked you your name again? But my memories and notes I left myself would agree with you about the Ice Tears of Hinji."
During the meal, he re-reads the notes and briefing documents and pursues a few leads.
Once in Hinji, he takes his time watching the locals and seeing how they move and behave.
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Side-eyeing this conversation over breakfast, Itka mutters: "Hmp. Dang kids."
Spearing a sausage, she plucks it off the fork and slips it into her pocket for Akti. She avoids eye contact with Symeon for the better part of an hour before she realizes how dysfunctional that behavior is. Hmp. Get over it, Itka. He's an adult, and now it's time for *you* to act like one. Be professional! Out of the blue, she makes eye contact, giving him a curt nod and a "Hmp" by way of apology.
She doesn't find anything in the room.
The Snake Tails gambling den is operated by the Daughters of Cocytus, an up-and-coming gang. Its nearby docks and connection to the sewers make it ideal for criminal activity.
A lack of adventuring gear in Tanno’s room suggests he accompanied Selia, while Jespya’s and Kiiruba’s rooms are somewhat unpacked, suggesting they left later.
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After making the rounds of the local bars and women's clubs looking for information on the drug gangs, Jayma returns to the Waypoint Inn to update her colleagues on what she discovered. "I found out from some of the locals that a female elf and a male human matching Selia’s and Tanno’s descriptions were asking for directions to the Snake Tails gambling den, and that a later in the day, a human and halfling pair, most likely Jespya and Kiiruba, asked after them. Turns out that the Snake Tails is operated by the Daughters of Cocytus. It's near the docks and connected to the sewers so perfect for carrying out felonious activities. Sounds to me like our neophyte Pathfinders went to the Snake Tails and haven't been heard from since."
Jayma takes a deep breath after her extended report, then looks around to see if anyone else found out anything interesting.
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Makai looks at Symeon "You don't remember if we meet..." she repeats baffled. "I am Makai Goldenoak, cleric of the Forge Father."
Symeon gives a small sheepish look and then comments, "Ether, can, uh make halflings forget things if they take enough of it. I promise, I wasn't expecting a briefing in the middle of the rave, else I would have not brought it out. Thank-you Makai, I believe I've heard of you from a friend of mine, a rather pompous gnome by the name of Honzakqed, always followed by a psychopomp butler. It'll be a pleasure to travel with you."
Side-eyeing this conversation over breakfast, Itka mutters: "Hmp. Dang kids."
Spearing a sausage, she plucks it off the fork and slips it into her pocket for Akti. She avoids eye contact with Symeon for the better part of an hour before she realizes how dysfunctional that behavior is. Hmp. Get over it, Itka. He's an adult, and now it's time for *you* to act like one. Be professional! Out of the blue, she makes eye contact, giving him a curt nod and a "Hmp" by way of apology.
Symeon spots the cold shouldering and responds to the curt nod and 'Hmp' with a frown and slightly worried look. He pulls Itka aside when they have a moment in the inn and asks, "I didn't, uh, do anything to offend you last night did I? I'm sorry, I wasn't in my right mind but that still doesn't make up for whatever I did."
He later comes down stairs and meets with everyone, "I found a letter in Selia’s room from one Dr. Howell. It requests that Selia meet the doctor at the gambling den Snake Tails to receive some historical context for an artifact in the Junianis family’s collection." He passes the letter around and gives everyone a moment to read it before adding, " It seems Jayma's tale about Selia and Tanno heading over first adds up as Tanno's room doesn't have any adventuring gear, but
Jespya’s and Kiiruba’s rooms are half unpacked, suggesting they left later after the other two didn't get back in a timely fashion. Also suggests they were planning on coming back."
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Arfsnarf returns downstairs to report his disappointment and hear what others found.
Turns out my room is boring. Nothing there.
Then Jayma and Symeon speak.
So, two of them may have been lured into den of snakes. This make Arfsnarf kinda nervous.
He fidgets with his clacky-rock and lets it loose on the floor nearby.
What it mean... they okay? They barely avoided unlucky 13 but still very close to it? We must proceed to snake den with utmost caution!
He's mostly nervously muttering to himself.
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Makai takes a sip of beer and keeps nodding when Jayma is talking "I heard a similar story, but without the part about daughters of cocytus."
"And who might the Daughters of Cocytus be?" asks Hornbori, leaning on his axe.
Makai takes another sip "Are you staying in the same room as Symeon is? Have you taken something yesterday? Daughters of Cocytus is a new small gang that is trying to win the market by selling ice tears cheaper than the current gang Sons of Tear. Daughters are an all-female gang led by Mother Forsythe, there are some rumors about mysterious light that accompanies them. "
Makai nods her head and listens to Symeon now
"Yeah I remember Honzakqed, we built a castle together. An interesting person. But the story with Dr. Howell sounds odd. What kind of archeologist wants to meet in a gambling den. It sounds like our friends stumbled into a territory of a gang." she wonders what that could entail
"Torag is dedicated to protecting his own, we should go to that place and have a look. If that gang knows anything about the four, we might be able to persuade them that it is in their best interest to help us. If we fail, I will bring my hammer."
She drinks what was left of her beer.
"Let us go and find our friends."
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Jayma nods in agreement with Makai. "It seems pretty clear that Selia and Tanno were lured to the Snake Tails on false pretenses and were captured. When Jespya and Kiiruba followed along later, they met with the same fate. Splitting up their group like that was a rookie mistake. We definitely need to go to the Snake Tails and rescue them. These gangs have to be shown that interfering in the work of the Society comes at a high price."
Snake Tails is located in a slightly more run-down part of Hinji, within the Sailors’ Row district. The Pathfinders’ journey there is uneventful, though they notice some of the most unsavory elements of the streets eyeing their expensive gear.
The stares continue inside the Snake Tails; several conversations come to an abrupt end at the sight of strangers.
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"Turns out my room is boring. Nothing there."
Itka grumbles under her breath: "It would've been more boring if you hadn't been jumping on the beds. Footprints on my pillow..."
Symeon spots the cold shouldering and responds to the curt nod and 'Hmp' with a frown and slightly worried look. He pulls Itka aside when they have a moment in the inn and asks, "I didn't, uh, do anything to offend you last night did I? I'm sorry, I wasn't in my right mind but that still doesn't make up for whatever I did."
"Hmp. I was overreacting. It was unprofessional. Not everyone can be as consistently dour as I am. Hmp. It's a skill that takes years to perfect." Itka's grinding-gravel voice doesn't convey much encouragement for Symeon, but there's a twinkle in her eyes, showing that she's not holding a grudge anymore.
Snake Tails is located in a slightly more run-down part of Hinji, within the Sailors’ Row district. The Pathfinders’ journey there is uneventful, though they notice some of the most unsavory elements of the streets eyeing their expensive gear.
Itka openly glares at some of the most obvious stare-ers, casting Evil Eye on one of them with a flip of a very specific finger and a creepily menacing grin.
Once inside the Snake Tails, Itka selects an unlucky patron near a corner to be her volunteer. Her heavy cane thunks on the floor as she hobbles over to them, blocking their ability to leave. With a flick of that special finger, she casts Evil Eye on them and rises to her full 7 foot height. "I'm looking for some folks. You're going to tell me what you know about them, and who else knows about them."
Once she has their undivided attention (ahem), she describes Selia, Tanno, Jespya, and Kiiruba in low, menacing tones. All the while, she sustains and re-casts Evil Eye as needed to 'convince' her poor victim to share everything they know.
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Jayma's mood turns more and more sour with ever step she takes towards the Snake Tails. She scrunches her the nose in disgust at the smells issuing from the piles of garbage left to rot in the street and at the increasing sketchiness of the denizens they pass as they move deeper into the Sailors’ Row district. "Ugh! Why is it that these underworld gambling dens are never in a nice part of town? The well-heeled also like to gamble and they've got substantially more money to lose than these... people." She moves her hands to indicate the miscreants in their vicinity.
So when they enter the Snake Tails to such a cold reception, she wasn't having any of it. Putting her hands on her hips, she shoots back a murderous look at the staring patrons. "What are you all looking at? You never seen an exceedingly well-dressed gnome with perfect hair before? My goodness what a sorry lot you all are. Now why don't you point us in the direction of a stiff drink and get back to your games." She pushes her way to the bar and flags down the barkeep. "A bottle of your least watered-down booze for me and my friends here, and make it snappy. I've had a long day and my fuse is getting shorter with every passing second." Once the drinks arrive, Jayma remains at the bar and continues bullying the barkeep into giving her information about the local crime situation.
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Makai gets inside and looks around first, she tries to stay close to Itka who seems to believe that fear is the best tool to get information. Then she saw Jayma doing pretty much the same thing
"If anything Daughters of Cocytus may offer this two a job, their ways seem to be alingned"
She looks around and tries to spot someone who might be more chatty then the others. Then she approaches and asks if Selia, Tanno, Jespya and Kiiruba were seen here.
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Uh oh.
The goblin looks a little worried as Jayma draws the attention of the entire establishment onto them.
He walks to the side (opposite direction from Itka) and mutters audibly at no one in particular, but loud enough for nearby patrons to hear.
I’m not with her. But, I do be looking for some missing persons.
Itka corners a man and scares the piss out of him - literally. He's leaking water both from his eyes and from his pants as he relays that someone spotted a body out near the docks to the north of the gambling den. Nobody's investigated because most people around here know it’s best to ignore such things.
The barkeep is usually tight-lipped, but he's not at all prepared to be browbeaten by gnomes half his size. He's caught off guard, and says a little more than he's "supposed" to - that the Daughters of Cocytus recently captured a drake and are using it to guard something important in one of their drug dens.
Makai looks for chatty individuals, and finds a loud-mouthed drunk who ignores the warnings of his friends to "shut up, shut up before you get us all killed." He says the Daughters’ leader, Mother Forsythe, is an unnerving woman who’s accompanied by some sort of weird light that’s apparently alive. They both thrive on causing terror in others, from their victims to their underlings.
Arfsnarf's neighbors all pretend not to hear him, but he overhears them talking about Mother Forsythe concocting lengthy demises, such as starvation or suffocation, for those earn her rage.
(+9 for initiative)
Jayma, Hornbori, and Symeon all spot a hooded figure, who is taking a great interest in the number and types of questions that the Pathfinders are asking. They then try to slip out of the back door unnoticed.
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Once Jayma is satisfied that the barkeep has given her all he knows, she flashes him a brilliant smile and rejoins the rest of the group to share what she's discovered. "So it looks like we're going to have to go through a drake to get to Mother Forsythe and her strange floating light. That should be interesting. We better go check on that body that Itka heard about; I fear that it may well be one of our young Pathfinders." She glances over at the hooded figure keeping an eye on them. "We made a pretty splashy entrance, so I suspect that the Daughters of Cocytus have heard of our presence by now and will quite likely prepare a special welcome for us soon." When the hooded figure makes for the back door, Jayma hops onto her feet. "I'm with Makai. I see no reason not to question our mysterious new friend on the way to the docks. Let's hurry before they get too far."
Unfortunately, as soon as the Pathfinders exit the tavern, Arfsnarf's fear comes true.
Itka and Arfsnarf smell it from a mile away, though.
--Round 1
Itka (40/40 hp)
Arfsnarf (38/38 hp)
Red [Recall: Society]
Yellow [Recall: Society]
Blue [Recall: Society]
Makai (50/50 hp)
Hornbori (88/88 hp)
Symeon (38/38 hp)
Jayma (40/40 hp)
vs DC 20
Yellow is frightened!
The ambushers swarm Hornbori!
As the third approaches, Hornbori cannot keep track of all the enemies.
Two hits get through.
--Round 1
Arfsnarf (38/38 hp)
Makai (50/50 hp)
Hornbori (73/88 hp)
Symeon (38/38 hp)
Jayma (40/40 hp)
--Round 2
Itka (40/40 hp)
Red [Recall: Society]
Yellow (frightened 1) [Recall: Society]
Blue [Recall: Society]