The VC smiles more and accepts the items, "Ah nice! Magical relics and useful information. Just have to figure out how it is useful."
He winks at Dran, "Any uh, cleanup or guard activity I need to worry about regarding these items?"
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Just some sort of dog...or something...I don't know...put a bullet in its skull and we had to burn it...kept healing like a troll...odd...Ander explains as he finds an ashtray and finally butts out his cigar. He grabs a mug of ale and sits down
Yep...about it I reckon... as he fishes out a smaller cigar and lights it. Can't smoke these much...too delicate...don't keep a heater worth a darn...breath wrong and they go out...
He seems impressed, "Some sort of trollhound probably. Well done on the burning part. Alright then, everyone write up a full report and get it to me by the end of the week. Hopefully we will have some information about these documents by then."
The dwarves head out to continue their drinking fest. If they ever get assigned a mission further than walking distance to a tavern, there could be issues.
A week later only three reports have been submitted and everyone is called back into Dreng's office.
"Good news, your reports are due," the Venture Captain starts off with then continues, "but who really cares about those. Moving onto interesting things, from our initial research into the documents we found quite a few actionable items. I have sent Janira off on a scouting mission into the mountains to follow up on one local lead. I'll let you all know if I get any others. Feel free to take a couple weeks rest though, upgrade gear, work side jobs, burn your gold in the pub, whatever. After that, just be ready for the next mission."
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Don't mind the beer stains on my report...there was a scuffle at the next table...and migrated over to mine...and the next...still can't remember what started it... Ander says as he scratches his head trying to remember.
I'll be around...just gotta get the specs for a replacement breech for my twig...prevent a bunch of misfires...and fit it and sight it in...fun stuff... the rifledwarf says as he makes plans with the others to stay in touch.
About a month passes. Halali ends up spending a lot of her time at the tavern drinking and trying to get her dwarf friends to hit on her (considering this happened twice in the session, I think this is sorta accurate?)
Kaztor renews his vows, trying to get to the bottom of why he acted so aggressively towards the gnome. Perhaps a childhood trauma?
The Magi's public persona spends a bit of time working in the local courts. Mostly Pro Bono but he scores a few middle class jobs to keep the lights of his office lit.
Grunigon apprentices himself to a local locksmith, hoping to pick up a few good references for future work. The pay is okay, but they barely let him rekey ANYTHING!
Dran finally lands his contract! A local brew-pub recognizes the need to attract the dwarven stout crowd and hires him at good wages. He spends most of his hours refining a nice craft brew. The hipsters love it!
Bilos hits it freaking big! Responding to an request on a job board for a scribe, he apparently stumbled upon a wealthy wanna-be-playwright. The wages for a mere three week scribe job, where he copies down a dictated set of plays and reorganizes them into the proper format, net him excellent pay. He did figure out why no one else wanted the job though, the playwright is incredibly annoying.
Ander manages to make a bit of money, but had to really put in the hours. Without being able to own his own shop, he had to work on commission. And while there are plenty of commissions for a trained master of the alchemical arts, to make any more than pocket change one has to work ten plus hours a day, no days off.
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! One month ago, while I was mapping cave entrances in the foothills of the Kortos Mounts, I witnessed a lone gillman entering a concealed cave. A few days later, after I completed my assigned task, I entered the cave system, but was unable to find the gillmen. I thought little of it at the time, but later at the lodge found records of gillmen being sighted at that cave by other observers.”
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.
Janira holds a plastered smile on her face until Shane leaves and then releases a large breath, "OH MY GOD! I told him three freaking times you all were already agents. For frick's sake he can't remember a damn thing unless he thinks of it. I get here and he acts like y'all are raw behind the ears or something stupid. Eesh.I also know that it uh... isn't the wisest thing to tell him he is wrong about anything so... sorry about that. I'll send him another memo, but frankly, we still need to do this mission. In fact, this cave system was what I was mapping from the documents you all found a little over a month ago. That's why I suggested your group for the mission and I'm glad you all are still together!"
She pauses, for once in her life, and waits for questions or reactions.
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"Was this Dreng's idea?" he asks as he sees that the Society has assembled the same group of dwarves for another job. Still, he nods amiably as he takes his seat.
"Didn't we just have a job at another tavern where the Pathfinder Society started?" Bilos mutters as Kreighton and Janira drone on. When he finally notices the silence at the end of the briefing, he adds, "Gillmen? Sound wet. Nothing like good mountain-folk. What can you tell us about them?"
Janira will answer the questions to the best of her ability if no one knows anything.
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"Nothing wrong with wet, Dran. I like wet" Halali says, speaking from under her hood. Concealed by her cowl, it's hard to guess if she's keeping a straight face.
"No surprise that there are two taverns where the Society is supposed to have begun, Bilos. I bet there are at least a dozen more in Absalom that make the same claim, and each probably has Pathfinder clientele to argue for it."
"Anyway, I didn't spend all of the last month in the pub. I did a bit of reading, and I know some stuff."
Halali informs the group of her knowledge.
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I think the first members of the society were drunks...but that's just me... Ander says with a laugh as smoke poofs up from his cigar as he does.
So...we gotta document this place? Like..maps and stuff? I ain't got the prettiest writing...but if they want it, they got it...I mean..as long as they're footing the cost, right? he shrugs.
I'm good to go..just topped off my walking snacks...and fresh stogies too...last batch was pretty bland...mighta been old... he says as he pats a pouch brimming with assorted goodies.
Halali shares with everyone the following geographical details. Her smooth yet scratchy dwarven voice melodically spelling out the details.
"At the center of the Isle of Kortos stand the Kortos Mounts, the points on the island. Entire tribes of centaurs, harpies, and minotaurs constantly vie for territory up and around the Mounts, with harpies being the most common at higher altitudes and centaurs controlling the lower slopes and foothills."
Janira fills in anything she knows and was asked, "Glad you asked! 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." She seems appalled at the possibility of capture and interrogation, quickly squashing that down, "Oh no, nothing like that at all! You just need to find out what they are there for. The only known permanent surface settlement of the gillmen is in Escadar. Why they're venturing into the foothills of the Kortos Mounts is a mystery."
She starts packing up her things and stands, "We can talk on the way though, we need to leave now to make it in time. Grab any last minute items and meet me back here in thirty minutes."
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Janira is waiting impatiently outside the tavern a mere twenty-five minutes later. She nods to each dwarf as they arrive (or if they stayed), "Alright, we are off. Any questions or plans, make them as we go. I know you all are experienced enough to handle that, so I'll just be here as a very loose overseer. I'll try to provide good advice and not pull rank, but you never know."
The city gives way to suburbs, which give way to small towns and fields, which eventually give way to hills and forests. A full day later, you all make camp with the expectation of an early wakeup for another long day of travel.
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I believe the rank we have achieved is called "peon"...otherwise known as "fresh Meat" and "rookie"...ooh..does it come with an insignia? Ander jests. He lights up a cigar and jams his hand into his snack pouch for a handful of whatever mishmash he threw in there and stuffs it into his piehole.
Snacks anyone? Ladies first... he offer to Halali and Janira, then the others.
Janira smiles, ignoring Ander, "Oh yeah, for sure! Field Agent would be the term used. Normally I'd be the same rank, but they gave me a temporary title of overseer for this one, so I could order you around if necessary. Probably won't be, my main goal is to stay out of y'all way."
She continues, "Anyway, 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."
The halfling declines Ander’s offer, ”No thanks, brought my own. It’s a special trail mix I came up with. I hate raisins, but I needed some sort of dried fruit so I experimented with about twenty until I figured out dried pineapple and mango work much better. And obviously sunflower seeds. There are a couple other things too. What is in your mix?”
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Well..let's see...peanuts, about four other kind of nuts..some toasted and salted...apricots I think this is...oh...apples...and this thing called a coconut..from Mwnagi...it's some sort of nut that has milk in it...they gut it and toast the shavings...really tasty. And I added a few sweet candies....and the secret ingredient...jerky! A well balanced snack!
Janira leads the way for a while, then you all get into the forest.
"Alright, I'll be stepping back a bit. I'm happy to provide directions, but you all need to take over now. Scouting, group organization, etc... These are all important things for agents."
She points to the north, "North is where we need to go, though we will need to camp for the night soon so maybe start looking for a good site for that while we walk?" As the tall trees bring the level of light here down, she casts a simple cantrip and the whip at her side starts glowing.
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Ander keeps his eyes open for a good spot to lay low for the night.
We should looks for a spot that at least give us cover on two sides...from weather and such... he says fairly confidently. He grabs a fallen branch from the forest floor and wraps a piece of cloth around the end.
Little trick I learned... he grabs a small pinch of gunpowder and mixes it with the rag and lights it with his cigar , lighting the torch.
Saves time trying to rub a pair of twigs together...
Ander and Dran manage to located a decent little clearing under some evergreens that provide a nice soft spot to lay a bedroll. The bugs aren't even thaaat bad and apparently in the past two months, someone else also thought it was a good spot as there are remains of a campfire.
Managing to just barely avoid lighting his beard on fire, Ander gets a torch going from his cigar. It flares into existence, providing an excellent starter once someone finds some deadwood.
Settling in for the night, the pathfinders get some rest.
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Ander wakes up, grumbling as he does. He grabs a pot and fills up with water and heats it. He stuffs a mittful of "trail mix" into his mouth as the water boils. When it's done he pours it into a large kettle. He adds a brown powder and stirs it. He tosses a bit of sugar and some liquid that resembles milk into it. He makes himself a cup and takes a large(for a dwarf) sip.
Ahh...good morning all! You guys sleep good? he says with a smile as the brew reaches his belly. He offers the others a mug of the brew.
It's good for you...well, good for me anyways...helps shakes the cobwebs away...
Another friend? How many do you have...wait...don't tell us...guys...let's start a pool...I put 5 silver on 6...who's in?
Some form of warm creamy sugary beverage is made and offered to everyone by Ander, who starts the day with an offer of a wager.
Bilos pulls in another 'friend', this one seems nicer.
Janira is already packed and ready to go by this point though, foot twitching to get back on the road.
"We don't have much time, grab some food and clean up the site. Let's get hoofing."
And it isn't more than a couple hundred yards down the path when trouble strikes, either. Perhaps the noise or smell of breakfast attracted something. Perhaps the noise or smell of dwarves. But whatever the reason, the short hairy clan finds itself in trouble.
Three nasty giant bugs poke their heads up from the brush, mandibles and claws already bathed in blood!
Group Buffs: NA
Phantom
Halali
Dran
Purple Bug
Yellow Bug
Grunigon
Bilos
Ander
Kaztor
The Magi
Green Bug
Bold May Act! No difficult terrain.
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So...second breakfast is out then? Ander quips as he helps pack up the site. He pours the remainder of the coffee into a pair of mugs. He offers the second one to Halali.
Might help jump start your day...and I ain't wasting a good brew...
When he sees the bugs, he chugs the rest of his coffee.
Well, so much for an easy morning...
Ander easily identifies these as Giant Fleas. Neutral medium sized Vermin. And just like tiny little fleas, these can jump! Like legit, they can jump in a straight line charge 120 feet, without even a run-up, AND make an attack at the end.