Once their previous edeavour is resolved, the group is summoned to Tian Xia's region of Minkai by Venture Captain Amara Li. Here, you help her lay down the groundwork to establish a new lodge in the area. Amara Li has been collecting relics from across the world to house them in a new museum of relics focused on the local history. To this end, she has been traveling all over the nation to pursue leads. These relics have come from a combination of purchases and donations, and she has occasionally called on local Pathfinders to guard the relics.
You currently perform work in the city of Sakakabe, a presperous city infamous for silver and pearl trade. Venture-Captain Li summons you to meet with her in one of the gardens of the Kiniro Kyomai teahouse, a famous teahouse run by geisha. The quality of the Kiniro Kyomai’s tea, food, and samisen music make it a popular destination for locals and travelers alike. She waits for you to enjoy the tea and small talk before turning their attention to more serious matters.
"I fear that misfortune may have struck some of your fellow agents. I hope that you can help them return here to safety, but I fear the task I have to request of you may instead center around recovering what you can from your fallen allies and, if it is safe to do so, completing the mission in their stead."
She makes a brief pause, then carries on. "Last year, I received a donation of relics from Taldor. The route is lengthy and complicated, so I will spare you unnecessary details. A caravan carrying the relics safely arrived in Hongal to the north, where it met up with a pair of Pathfinder agents, Lin Po and Ti Lan. These agents inspected the cargo, sent me a missive indicating that all was in order, and joined a second caravan to take the Spirit Road through the Forest of Spirits. The journey is understandably long, taking over two months to complete. Still, the caravan is late, and I fear that they may have run into trouble along the way. They were supposed to reach Sakakabe two weeks ago."
"While it’s possible that they were waylaid in the northernmost parts of Minkai, I believe it’s far more likely that they ran into trouble in the Forest of Spirits, a mystical place that shelters departed souls and most of the world’s kami. Kami are spiritual guardians with a deep connection to certain living locations or living things. The locals pay great respect to the kami, never intruding further into the forest than their one coastal road, the Spirit Road, and a number of small settlements built around shrines. This should make tracking the caravan simple, since there’s only a single road along which they should have had to rest or resupply at some point. I need you to check each of the roadside settlements until you find the last one to have seen the caravan, then track it from there and figure out what happened".
"Be sure to respect the kami and the local traditions honoring them; I don’t want you to come to harm in your journey. The kami are mostly benevolent, so long as they receive the proper respect, but there are some dangers that might have harried the caravan. Bandits, hobgoblins, and giants, among other creatures, dwell within the forest. The forest also hosts some aggressive plants and animals, not to mention malign spirits such as the oni, the sworn enemies of the kami. The locals will know more than I of what perils to expect."
She lets you think for a moment while she finishes her tea, and looks around the room. "Questions?"
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A gnome with lustrous purple skin lounges on the low floors of the tea room. He is dressed in the ostentatious styles of Nex, white flowing muslin trimmed with gold and decorated with a few watercolor designs that compliment his coloring. He gives a yawn and lazily gestures for his manservant to bring him some tea.
In his forehead is a lustrous, almost glowing smooth cut ruby. The almost conductor's baton-like throwing dagger at his side also bears a smaller version of the ruby, in addition to almost being to gilded to be called anything but a display weapon.
"You have us doing the hard labor of setting up yet another lodge, the SECOND time I've been tasked with this mind you, and now we have to run around being errand boys... The Society back in Quantium made things sound so much more interesting. Sebnet is definitely getting an earful for this one. I swear it's like she doesn't want me there, sending me off to week and month long excursions like this."
After huffing for a moment, the gnome sits up a little and takes one of the small crumbly sweets and a sip of the bitter but flavorful green tea that Amara has served them. "But at least there are worse places to be. There's culture and refinement here that Razmir was sorely lacking."
He finishes the snack and then looks to Amara, "If you must send us out, then anything you could tell us about what might or might not offend the Kami would be helpful." He then gestures for his butler to start taking notes.
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A tall, almost wiry looking, man stands a respectful distance behind Honzak, dressed from head to toe in all black, including what looks like a black on black suit and tie. The only points of color are a white face mask and a similar faintly glowing ruby in his forehead. At first glance he might just look like a butler with odd fashion sense, but a closer look reveals that he is still, perfectly, unnaturally still standing there. His clothes, up close are actually multitudes of spider silk laid out to look like clothes and, finally, anyone with familiarity with psychopomps would recognize that his mask seems to resemble that of a Morrigna.
He snaps into motion each time Honzak seems to give him an unspoken command, bringing tea, handing over sweets, and producing a notepad from somewhere on command. When asked if the group has any questions, Dimitsi takes a moment, as if asking permission, before turning to Amara and asking a question. His voice is flat and completely emotionless, but as he speaks there's the sound of funeral bells lazily pealing in the distance. "Are these kami or oni some sort of undead or trapped soul? Should we try forcing them back into the cycle or life and death."
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As Honzak finishes his tea and snacks, he sees a green ball unfold itself from a corner of the room and take the shape of a green goblin with beady red eyes.
She savors the tea and looks up. She squeaks in surprise at seeing another person in the room.
"Eek! You's here! I's named Lokaloka. Wait. I's know you! Brovver Lokoloko told me yous with him before."
She gets up and rummages in her pack for a bit. She reaches into her pack and pulls out a large green pickle and offers it to Honzak. "Brovver says yous like pickles."
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Honzak looks at the offending, putrid green thing with a look of disdain mixed with more than a little horror. "Loko's Siters? Please, please tell me you aren't going to be pickling random things like he does. That pickled finger was just... Sickening to think about."
He backs away from the small goblin, taking his sweetly bitter tea with him.
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Dimitsi gently imposes himself between Loka and his master, He speaks, again voice flat and emotionless, but this time accompanied by the sounds of war drums resounding as if beyond the walls, "I must ask that you not bring pickles near my master. He considers them 'biological weapons' and a 'real threat to his life.' I will take any and all such foodstuffs if you muct get rid of them."
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Smelling like a dog off the streets and just as mangy, a nearly seven-foot tall, powerfully-built humanoid enjoys the tea as he leans back to listen.
He wears a sword on one hip and a simple club on the other. Several odd-looking axe-shaped implements are hooked one one thigh, but it looks like his powerful jaws lined with sharp teeth could do more damage than any of the weapons he carries.
"Thanks for sparing us the unnecessary details," his gruff voice says almost mocking the long exposition. "What sort of weather should we expect this season and how are the roads?"
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Lokaloka looks crestfallen as Honzak retreats. "But brovver say Honzakqed like pickle... oh well, " she says, cheering up slightly, "maybe dog-man wants pickle." She absently takes a bite from the pickle and heads over to Gympie.
"Hello. I's Lokaloka. Pickle?" she holds the pickle out to Gympie, with a bite taken out of it...
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Rebalancing the heights in the room, Eldon speaks up. He is dressed in his stylish leathers and looking very dashing.
"Loka! Good to see see you!"
Taking a drink from his wine glass to wash down the sandwich he has just finished, he addresses their host.
"Just a couple of things to start with - what do the agents look like? I don't want to be accosting random people! And secondly, do you have a guide to the local language please?"
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A gray furred wolf runs up to Lokaloka and happily laps up the pickle, holding it in his mouth, hopping around it and biting haphazardly before licking the remains off the floor.
On the wolf's back is a small humanoid creature with withered wings and a longbow a bit longer than your forearm.
"Deroff, calm down. I've never seen him so delighted for a treat that wasn't bacon-related." The sprite pets him to calm down before turning to one of the wait staff. "It's okay. He's calm again. Could I get some more green tea? Thank you."
Nilaglade has enjoyed the change in scenery. Tian Xia's beauty is different, almost intoxicating. He's made a few favorites in town while delivering messages for the new lodge.
And Venture Captain Amara Li hasn't made a joke at the expense of his size. Not yet, anyway.
"Sounds like they got lost in the forest." Nilaglade muses. "Or, more likely, someone trapped them in the forest. I hope they didn't upset the kami. The guardians of nature get very upset if you approach things the wrong way."
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An elven man enters into the room, he is dressed as a woodsman. He wears leather armor and has a bow on his back. His purple eyes shine with friendliness and his hair is long and white. He has a fancy new bow, made out of the antlers of a stag.
He greets the room with a nod of the head and gives the goblin a gracious bow.
Greetings, I am Thalaasi Elevas of Kyonin, I am a follower of Keypthis, the Hunter. Looka it is nice to have you back.
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Lokaloka shrieks in fright as the wolf rushes at her and grabs her pickle.
She has a spell on her lips and is about to send darts of force when she recognizes the wolf. "Deroff! Yous scared me! You likes pickle too?"
Lokaloka's eyes widen as she sees her two friends Thalaasi and Eldon again. Happily, she digs into her pack again for more pickles to give her friends.
You previous studies gives you some insight on the Forest of Spirits itself.
This vast forest just south of the arctic circle is the primeval birthplace of the kami—spirits who protect those animals, plants, objects, and locations that can’t protect themselves against civilization’s advance. Some have even started to accept and protect artificial creations as their wards—anything that lacks its own sense of free will and self-awareness might have a kami protector.
While not entirely hostile to humanity. The kami are nevertheless wary of letting civilization encroach. But not all of the forest’s denizens are so impartial to civilization. Some small settlements manage the delicate balance of being welcoming to outlanders while still honoring the kami’s wishes.
A well-traveled route called the Spirit Road hugs this coastline, connecting the nations of Hongal and Minkai—since this route is one of the most important trade routes in all of Minkai, that nation takes great pains to keep it well maintained and to keep the kami satisfied with offerings placed at numerous shrines along the roadside.
Although much of the Forest of Spirits is protected by the kami, there are places where even these protective creatures dare not tread.
You have us doing the hard labor of setting up yet another lodge, the SECOND time I've been tasked with this mind you, and now we have to run around being errand boys... The Society back in Quantium made things sound so much more interesting. Sebnet is definitely getting an earful for this one. I swear it's like she doesn't want me there, sending me off to week and month long excursions like this.
The Captain gives you a surprised look. "I apologise if you feel this way. If you insist, I can request that you are relocated - after this assignment. I'm afraid you are one of the few that are on hand right now, and this is important to the image of the Society in the region."
If you must send us out, then anything you could tell us about what might or might not offend the Kami would be helpful.
"Well - the way I understand it, much like people, each spirit is different. But as a general rule of thumb, I suggest you don't disturb the environment too much. They like the Forest in its current state. That's why they are keeping it that way."
Are these kami or oni some sort of undead or trapped soul? Should we try forcing them back into the cycle or life and death.
"No, nothing like that. It's hard to explain in simple terms, but they are not undead, and I assure you they are here voluntarily. They are very much like you or me, just less ... corporal."
Just a couple of things to start with - what do the agents look like? I don't want to be accosting random people! And secondly, do you have a guide to the local language please?
"Lin Po is a short, heavyset Tian man with a round, cleanshaven face. Quite a humorous one, that. Ti Lan is an athletic woman - broad shoulders, stern demeanor. They are like fire and ice. But like to work together, apparently. In either case, I am hoping they will be near the caravan with the relic."
"As for language, if you did not pick something up by this point, I can certainly teach you a few phrases. But you might need some time to pick up on the nuances of Tian."
Amara Li pours some more tea for whoever wants, but bends her brow when Nilaglade suggests any ill fate meeting the other agents. "I suppose that is the nature of the profession. Explorers and adventurers are usually in more danger than most. But let's hope that is not the case here. If it is, I am sure you will do your best to help them."
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"Of course we'll help them out. Really depends on the kami and their interpretation of the rules. Hopefully they're in a deep sleep, or stuck in a pit someone made as a prank." Nilaglade looks up and puts a hand on his chin. "Then again, they may have pleased a kami so much they are forbidden from leaving. Those events get real spicy."
Deroff pays attention to the jar of pickles and the goblin holding it. He goes down, putting his paws on the floor and sitting upright. Nilaglade has to hold onto the harness to not fall off.
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Honzak takes a seat diametrically opposite Loka and tries his best to not notice the extra pickle brine additive. "Amara this is an amazing tea, I don't think there'd be any need to add anything it's perfect as is."
He then looks at the Venture-Captain, "Well, seeing as we have little choice in this mission, when do we leave?"
Amara Li smiles briefly, finishes her tea, and stands up. "I took the liberty of getting a wagon ready for you. If you would follow me when ready, please."
She leads you outside the tea house to find a loaded wagon with two horses attached to it. The cargo contains food, water, and a repair kit. She also hands you a map of Minkai and the forest of spirits. The Forest map indicates that the only settlements in the woodlands are along the Spirit Road.
"I suggest you go as soon as possible, preferably immediately. If you need to take anything of your personal belongings, feel free to do so, but time is of the essence. Your colleagues might be starving, lost, or in a dangerous situation."
Once you finish your final preparations, you set off into the wilderness. Although Sakakabe is the closest city to the forest of Spirits, it still takes several weeks of travel on a road that winds through the Osogen Grasslands to reach the Forest of Spirits.
Youmeet several caravans along the way, as well as nomad herders that call the forest their home. Unfortunately, none of these encounters are Lin Po and Ti Lan.
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Nilaglade waves goodbye to some of the servants. "I still can't figure out the game with the stones, but I'd don't mind losing to you. See you soon!"
Deroff moves alongside the wagon as they travel through the Forest. Nilaglade feels welcome within the woods. Sakakabe is too noisy. That's not it, it's the wrong noise. He interacts with too many people, too easy to indulge. Deroff's howling anchors him to what's really important. His family.
Nilaglade keeps quiet most of the time. Deroff asks him to ask for Lokaloka's pickles. "What is with you and brine?" He sighs.
He asks the travelers about local crops and any major events that may have occurred recently. Do any of them know Lin Po and Ti Lan?
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Nilaglade waves goodbye to some of the servants. "I still can't figure out the game with the stones, but I'd don't mind losing to you. See you soon!"
Honzak's eyes light up at the mention of the 'stones game.' "Wait do you mean Go? I learned how to play that while here! I'd love ot teach you how to play properly." He gives a small wave of his hand and Dimitsi produces a board and two pots full of the black and white stones. "We can learn on the road. This seems like it might be less of a complete bore."
Honzak pursues teaching and then playing Go with Nilaglade with a ferocity rarely seen out of religious cults.
Outside of those times, though, Honzak seems to languish in the boring and almost unchanging landscapes. He does perk up at the occasional sight of a passing priest or other religious seeming folk, asking them about their use of music in religious ceremonies and what importance such songs or sounds bear.
He occasionally, when truly bored and fearing an early bleaching, accompanies Loka and her silly goblin songs with a small ensemble of summoned instruments that he conducts with his baton-like dagger. Even rarer, does Dimitsi pull out their violin scythe and play a Haunting tune or two.
"Can we take some of that tea with us? And maybe some of that rice wine please? Possibly rice cakes too?" Eldon smiles sweetly.
Amara Li packs the requested items, and sends you off on your way, emphasising that time if of the essence.
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The atmosphere changes abruptly once you enter the Forest of Spirits itself. The forest is cool and damp, and profoundly alive. Snow blankets the ground and clings to branches of towering pine and spruce trees. Birds, rodents, foxes, deer, bears, and numerous other creatures roam through the woods, keeping their distance from the road. The density of the trees suggests that logging is almost unheard of in this forest. Animals are not the only creatures moving out in the woods - you occasionally see unexplained movement in the trees and rocks, and sometimes feel eyes of another on your backs.
As you progress deeper into the forest, you visit several small villages, none of which have seen the caravan you're looking for. You can find signs of passage from several caravans and groups that travelled on foot, and the remains of campsites right next to the trail. However, there are no indications that any of these groups came to harm.
Eventually, you arrive at a village nestled deeper in the forest’s outskirts - the village named Basaru. Snowfall almost seems denser in the village, and as you enter the village proper, the snowflakes fall into your eyes, and you are forced to partially close your eyes to stop them from doing so.
The village is a simple one - a few minor buildings surround a central square. In the middle of the square, you can see a smouldering hearth. Around the hearth, there are several statues carved out of wood depicting local animals - a bear, a deer, a fox, and a small flock of birds on a stump.
A handful of pre-teen children play hide and seek around the statues and the nearby buildings, and older villagers watch them from the fire as they clean up and prepare whatever they have hunted and gathered for food in the recent days. They glance over at you, but don't seem to pay any extra attention beyond the polite nod or wave. Just another caravan passing thrugh. The children peek at you from their hiding places now and then, but keep getting back to their game.
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Like they've done in so many of the other villages before, Honzak, now dressed in much, much warmer and thicker clothes, drags whoever they were using to translate up to the front and gives a proper courtier's bow.
"Greetings there and apologies for intruding on this fine winter day, but we are here searching for a small caravan of ours that is severely delayed and feared lost. You haven't seen or heard of a Lin Po or Ti Lan? Or a short, heavyset man with a round, cleanshaven face and an athletic woman - broad shoulders, stern demeanor?"
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"Yikes, I've been so rude. I thought they were telling me to Go Away when they pulled out the board. I spent so much time sweet talking them..." Nilaglade hops off of Deroff and joins Honzakqed's game of Go. "Some pointers would be nice. I owed the kids a lot of candy."
Deroff takes this time to munch on some more pickles.
The town of Basaru feels nice. These folks do not endure the land, they live with it. All of the villages here showed respect Nilaglade appreciated.
Honzakqed takes the lead to talk to people, and Nilaglade's not far behind.
"Hey! Do you speak um... Taldane? Maybe I need to speak LOUDER and SLOWER so you understand me!"
Deroff's brine soaked tongue rolls out and the vinegar aroma goes with it...
One of the villagers comes forward to Nilaglade, smiling. "Some speak your language. We trade with caravans. Basics... useful."
After a short pause, he follows up. "Want to buy pelts? We need medicine. Fox, rabbit, wolf... uhhh kumaaaa...", he thinks for a moment, then raises his arms menacingly and imitates a quiet roar. "Oh... bear. That the word."
While villagers think about Honzak's query and discuss it among themselves, Lokaloka is approached by a few children. A a mix of fear and curiosity can be seen in their faces as they do so. A small boy, about 5 years old steps forward from the group, looks back reluctantly, and nods. He moves closer to Loka and tugs on her sleeve.
"Ewww... You smell!", he covers his nods while smiling. "Do you want to play monster hunting with us?", he asks hesitantly when he remove his hand from his nose. "You can be the monster!"
Others watch the scene unfold, and hear a set of childisn laughter from the group. As you look over, you see the other children prepare snowballs to cover whoever accepts with a barrage. They even have a few feet high snow wall - well, mostly a semi-toppled fort - behind them.
Assuming you want to participate in the game, you pick up on the game pretty fast. You act like a scary monster stalking the woods from the treeline, while children lob snowballs at you until you give up.
With broken common, the man introduces himself as Chou. He pulls Thalaasi close to his house, and opens a small wooden structure nearby. Within, you can see animal pelts hanging from racks. Some older, some fresher, but mostly well preserved, given the cold conditions.
As Chou mentioned, he has several rabbit pelts, a few white foxes, three or four wolves, and one bear. The bear one is a little damaged, however. From stabbing.
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Honzak, loathe to get involved in something as wet and cold as a snowball fight, however does send Dimitsi into the fight instead, directing him from a distance as he stands at the tree line nibbling on something he has in his hands.
He seems to be trying to hide it, but the thing he is nibbling on is very clearly a cucumber... One that looks like it might have been pickled.
While the children pepper Deroff and Dimitsi with snowballs, you can hear happy laughter in the village. The people from around the campfire watch, smiling, but one woman is looking towards Thalaasi and Chou with some concern in her eyes.
Meanwhile, near the pelt rack, Chou makes his pitch to Thalaasi.
"Want kuma cape? We make, but need medicine for son. Son injured. Chou trapper. Chou's son injure hand playing with bear trap.", he grabs his right forearm with his left hand, making a snapping motion. "We make cloak for free, if you - or friend - can help. Yes?", he looks at Thalaasi expectantly.
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Honzak immediately smacks the sychte hands away from the weapon, "Dimitsi, that is not an appropriate joke. No killing or joking about killing people who aren't attacking us." After a moment the gnome holds up a small silver wrought Cresent moon with the phases of the moon worked onto the face of the object. "I can do a little healing with magic if needed, but if this is something that can be patched up with a bandage and good poultice that might be a better option to try first."
He glances down at the symbol for a moment before his head pops back up, "I should go and look for a proper jade one of these while I'm here! This is where Tsukiyomi's faith first started and where most of the jade in the world is mined!"
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Nilaglade and Deroff stand alert as Dimitsi pulls out a weapon amongst a crowd of children. Honzakqed's quick rebuke and Eldon's request for aid brings a welcome distraction.
"Come, my steed of darkness! We must retreat, these children are too strong for us!" With that, he hustles towards Eldon and Chou, investigating the wound.
"That's a nasty one..." He conjures some Dancing Lights and holds it near. "Let me see what I can do."
"Okay, I think I know what's wrong. Let's see if this helps with the fever."
Nilaglade 'retreats' from the snowball storm, and walks over to Chou, offering help with his son's injuries.
Chou takes you inside his house - a humble affair, barely larger than a cote. A set of beds, a few racks for clothing, and very few possessions. It is clear that Chou keeps most of his belongings in the wooden tannery nearby. Unfortunate for his son, since - as Chou explains while you observe the youngster's injuries - he managed to somehow arm and set off a bear trap while picking up one of the pelts.
In any case, the injury is a rather simple one. The bone is not cruehed or brokne, but as you look at the wound, the boy - delirious from fever - pays you no mind. The bone is visible through the pus and inflammation. It seems the trap sliced through the soft tissue, and only stopped when hitting something beyond.
Nilaglade observes the wound, and suggests a fairly simple method to reduce swelling and the fever. He leaves some herbs with Chou, and suggests partitioning, and cleaning the wounds with a strong alcohol so that various parasites do not set in during the healing process.
Chou thanks you for the herbs. He was already cleaning the boy's wounds several times daily, but was not able to get a hold of the herbs from the warmer climates.
In either case, he leaves the house, sits by the fire, and speaks briefly to the woman who was earlier looking concerned.
The woman smiles, nods towards Nilaglade, stands up, and briskly walks towards Chou's hut. She disappears inside.
"My wife. Lovely woman, she went to mush the plants you gave us. We continue healing.", Chou smiles, and invites all of you to sit down.
"You help us, we help you. Chou saw your friends.", he smiles. "In hurry. Took short road. We said short road dangerous. They go anyway.", his smile changes to concern as he watches the fire.
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Nilaglade knows a thing or two about medicine, but he knows more about happiness. Chou and his wife are weary, but happy. He doesn't understand family, but watching them take care of their son gives Nilaglade a glimpse.
"I see. Sounds like they took a shortcut. But a shortcut doesn't mean it's faster." He looks at the child, hoping his rest is fruitful. "Thank you."
Nilaglade waits for his teammates before calling them over. "Looks like there's a long way to Minkai and a shortcut. Our allies took the shortcut. Probably got lost along the way. I say we follow them."
A few short moments after Chou speaks about the caravan you are looking for, you hear bells ringing from the forest. When the villagers notice, they run for their children, retreat into their homes, and you can hear doors being barred from the inside. In the northeast part of the village, four boar-like creatures emerge from between the pines. Their fur is not brown, however. It is instead dark green and seems like instead of fur, short branches covered in pine needles grow from their bodies. They enter the clearing between the buildings and lock their gazes on you as they snarl aggressively.
One of the creatures rushes towards you, but it seems to be giving the fire in the middle of the village a wide berth.
Round 1 - Bolded can go
Blue
Eldon
Lokaloka
Green
Thalaasi
Red
Nilaglade
Yellow
Dimitsi
Gympie
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Lokaloka takes one look at the hostile creatures running towards her friends. Putting her pipes to her lips she plays a jaunty melody to inspire her companions. She makes it memorable so that it sticks in their minds for a while.
She looks closely at the creature trying to see if she's seen it before, before summoning a green shield of revolving pickles in front of her.