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You are summoned to a private audience with Venture-Captain Jorsal of Lauterbury within the Starrise Spire in the city of Nerosyan. A silent halfling in a hooded robe leads you to a chamber near the top of the spire and departs with a solemn nod, leaving you to your meeting. Jorsal’s study is a small, tidy room lined with bookcases and furnished with an altar in its eastern corner.
A mail-suited man kneels on the stone floor with his back to the door, his head bowed in obeisance as he murmurs his evening prayer. As the door creaks shut, he stands and turns to acknowledge his visitors.
“Well met, Pathfinders. I am Jorsal of Lauterbury, Venture- Captain of the Starrise Spire. I hope you’ve enjoyed your stay in Nerosyan thus far—a short visit, regrettably, that is now at its end. Tomorrow, you travel north to rendezvous with my friend Selik, a representative of the Farheaven clan. Selik awaits you within a trading post at the crossroads, where you are to exchange supplies and information.”
Jorsal beckons his guests toward a high table strewn with rolls of parchment, broken quills, and pots of ink. He gently sweeps the items to one side, revealing a painstakingly detailed map, inked in his own hand, of the Sarkoris Scar and its surrounding lands. Jorsal thumbs a spot south of what was once the Worldwound and continues, “This is your destination. I cannot rely on mere couriers for this errand, as miles of dangerous country lie between Nerosyan and this site. The demons’ foul influence still lingers in some parts of these accursed lands. I’ve hired a wagon to bear you and the supplies to the trading post. Your driver is a stalwart woman who’s made the journey many times. She’s prepared to depart tomorrow at first light.”
Jorsal pauses to study his map and absentmindedly traces a finger along the route from Nerosyan to the crossroads. “Your task is simple, but I warn you to stay vigilant, and report any unusual occurrences to me.”
Jorsal slides you a small parchment with the Vigilant Seal emblem stamped in wax upon it.
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"Finally! A challenge worthy of my skills"
This proclamation is from a woman of medium height, wearing leathers but bristling with weapons. She moves confidently, though some would see her posturing as arrogant.
"Francine Quickfingers. You may have heard of me. I was top Gladiator in Absalom several years ago. Retired from the arena when winning got boring..."
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A frail-looking man followed by a well-built angel whose naked upper half-body glistens golden in the light arrives at the scene. Hearing the report, Charlies can sense they will have their hardest mission so far. "Hello, I am Charlies, and he is Estes." the man introduces himself and the angel. "What information do you need us to know about and what information do we need to exchange in return? And what is this Farheaven clan?"
After reading the letter, Charlies just shakes his head for no reason. Maybe he just does not approve of how the faction leader deals with missions.
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Slouched against a wall is a man wearing a magenta leather vest. His eyes are obscured behind dark sunglasses, but his long ears betray his elven ancestry. This elf is constantly shuffling a deck of cards with only a single hand, while the other is ambidextrously holding documents. Apparently he's enough of a card master to be able to multitask inspecting paperwork while unconsciously shuffling cards.
"Charlies ain't no fool: gotta know the hand we're dealt," the elf muses, "Information is a vital game piece, 'specially if we'll be exchanging it."
"For the new players at the table," the gambler acknowledges the other Pathfinder agents by flashing—mid-shuffle—a playing card stamped with the Glyph of the Open Road. "call me Jack of Diamonds. Covert operation specialist, acquisitions expert. Pretty good swordsman, too."
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“Devil’s Rest, as locals call it, was an established landmark long before I first began sketching this map. The building has stood for decades, perhaps even centuries. Devil’s Rest serves as an inn and supply station for all manner of travelers. Rumor has it that the name is because it was founded by a Chelaxian noble.”
“Though the Worldwound closed years ago, only fools believe the demons were driven out of the surrounding lands entirely. Some of the wild creatures still bear the Abyssal corruption, and the lawless roads are crawling with brigands.” Jorsal motions to the illustrated forest around the trading post. “I’ve heard rumors of even darker things in these woods. It’s best to be on your guard.”
For the first time, the corners of Jorsal’s lips curl into a smile. “Selik is a son of the legendary Farheaven clan. The followers of Dolok Darkfur may seem strange friends for crusaders like myself, but time and again they’ve proven their mettle. Selik is no exception. He’s headstrong and impetuous, but you won’t find a better scout or a better shot with a bow. His strength in battle aside, I think you might enjoy his company. Even if you don’t, treat him with respect—he and his family are crucial allies to the Society.”
“The wagon I mentioned is loaded with supplies we’re donating to Sarkorian reclamation efforts around the Scar. As leaders of the project, the Farheaven clan chose to send Selik to speak on their behalf. You’ll be exchanging reports with him, as well as delivering these supplies.”
Chalies knows a thing or two about Devil's Rest. Though management has changed over the decades, Devil’s Rest is a well-known trading post and inn that never turns a guest away. Crusaders, travelers, and even fleeing criminals have enjoyed the post’s frontier hospitality in the past. The rumor that the trading post was founded by an exiled Chelaxian noble is true.
Charlies also knows The Worldwound was the name given to the demon-haunted wasteland at the northernmost reaches of central Avistan between the years 4606 and 4718 AR. It was created when a planar tear to the Abyss opened in the Kellid nation of Sarkoris shortly after the death of the god Aroden, and for more than a century was among the greatest threats to life on the face of Golarion.
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A small canine humanoid clad in plate mail in a traveler's chair with a rose emblazoned on the spiked wheels enters the room. A large axe that glows faintly is strapped to the back of the chair. He cheerfully offers a paw to each of the other Pathfinders and says, "Hello, I'm Ra'uf. They usually send me in when they need muscle, but I am pretty good at getting Agents out of all types of bad situations."
He reads the letter and listens patiently to the briefing. "Demons. Will be a nice change from fighting whatever humanoids try to take over the Grand Lodge this week. I'll be ready - just point the way."
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"Ekaterina Elvana, scholar of the arcane and the occult. I have studied in Dacilane and the Magaambaya." the human dressed in a fashionable human dress introduces herself as reads the note while a wisp of air moves around her head bobbing on occasion. "Oh, and this," she points to the wisp above her head, "is my familiar, Midnight.'
Ekaterina nods to Maeri before taking a seat.
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Charlies shares what he knows about Devil's Rest and the Worldwound, the information communicated telepathically by Estes actually. The angel does not mind the credit to be taken, the important thing is they know what they might be dealing with.
The next morning, both of them wake up early and prepare for the mission ahead. Charlies greets Maeri with a nod and obediently gets ready for them to leave and go to their next location.
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Maeri looks relieved when no one seems particularly interested in trying to talk to her and anyone feeling chipper enough to try to talk to her she simply responds with a stern, "I'm only a driver, friend. Let me do my job."
The route takes the group through miles of wilderness along uneven road. There's plenty of time for everyone to share adventuring stories. The trip is, however, unpleasant. The road is rough and the wagon constantly bounces you around; and the only sound in earshot is that of the whistling wind and Maeri shouting commands to her horses.
The day drags on but Maeri seems determined to make it to the crossroads before nightfall and doesn't ease up. She continues to drive her horses hard. As you travel you notice that the landscape subtly warps the farther north you travel; gnarled tree trunks creep along the path rather than upward, and riverbeds contain stagnant greenish-black sludge, and disturbing animal calls that sound like human screams emanating from the overgrown brush.
Around midday Maeri stops near a polluted stream to tend to her horses. "Stay away from the water!" she commands.
As Maeri is tending to her horses, a lone traveler approaches atop a horse. As he gets near, he slows his horse and leaps off. "Greetings! I'm Kellvan, investigator from Nerosyan. Might I ask you a few questions?" He presents a badge as his credentials.
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Ekaterina groans at finally getting to stretch her legs. "That was one bumpy ride." the witch mutters as she tries to relieve the stiffness in her shoulders.
Still trying to treat the stiffness on her shoulder Ekaterina spares the traveler a glance before replying. "Greetings. Go ahead. Ask your question."
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"Many thanks," Kellvan smiles. "I am working an investigation in the area on rumors of a con artist defrauding locals by conducting false séances and psychic readings." He explains, though doesn't go into too much detail. Turning towards Ekaterina. "What kind of shipment is this? And where are you heading? This is all I must ask before I carry on my way" His eyes go back to Jack and finally rest on Fran's rapier while keeping his hands visible. He doesn't appear to be armed with more than a simple hatchet and hand crossbow which rest at his side.
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Ekaterina gets the sense that he is being truthful
"We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot here, this is just some casual questioning for my investigation. Though if you are who you say you are then I trust everything is in order here and I'll be on my way. I have urgent business to attend to as part of my investigation." Kellvan takes a step back towards his horse and prepares to mount it.
"Nevermind all that, let's move" Maeri says with little regard to the questions and returning to the wagon. She doesn't take long to get back on the road and continues to be focused entirely on getting to Devil's Rest before nightfall.
Several hours pass in such a manner until the trail crosses through a thick forest of mutated trees. The horses suddenly whine and rear, bringing the wagon to halt. Maeri disembarks to free them from their tangled harness when some wild boars appear and charge towards the wagon.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Quetzahl
➤ Jack
➤ Fran
➤ Ekaterina
➤ Charlies
⠀⠀➤ Estes
Boar (Red)
Boar (Green)
Boar (Yellow)
Ra'uf
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Ekaterina hides in the nearby buses as Quetzhal moves through the trees and ends a ray of freezing energy into the side of one of the enraged hogs.
The trio of Boars rush over the logged bridge as they snort and claw at the dirt putting deep furoughs in the ground.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Quetzahl
➤ Jack
➤ Fran
➤ Ekaterina
➤ Charlies
⠀⠀➤ Estes
Boar (Red)
Boar (Green)
Boar (Yellow)
➤ Ra'uf
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Let's hide!" Charlies telepathically tells Estes in which the angel silently nods. Charlies goes toward the large boulder and Hide behind it while Estes Sneak toward the trees and Hide behind it.
◆ Act Together (◆ Stride of Charlies; ◆ Sneak of Estes among the trees)
◆ Hide of Charlies (behind the large boulder)
◆ Hide of Estes (behind the trees)
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"'Hide' is not something I am particularly good at, but..."
◆ Stride
◆ Interact to draw axe
◆ Hide
You free an ally from restraint. If the trigger was an ally taking damage, the ally gains resistance to all damage against the triggering damage equal to 2 + your level. The ally can attempt to break free of effects grabbing, restraining, immobilizing, or paralyzing them. They either attempt a new save against one such effect that allows a save, or attempt to Escape from one effect as a free action. If they can move, the ally can Step as a free action, even if they didn’t need to escape.
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Ra'uf rushes forward with his axe as Quetzhal shifts positioning and sends another ray of freezing energy into the charging boars. Unfortunately it freezes a nearby bush instead as a frightened squirrel flees the cold hiding spot.
Jack, Charlies, and Fran both hide as they trio slide behind trees and duck down behind boulders.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Quetzahl
Jack
Fran
➤ Ekaterina
Charlies
⠀⠀Estes
Boar (Red)
Boar (Green)
Boar (Yellow)
Ra'uf
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Charlies decides to join the others. He empowers his connection with his angel eidolon Estes to boost him while the angel moves close to one of the boars, Green. Estes gives a mighty blow on Green with his wings. "Be careful," he tells Estes.
bludgeoning damage, plus 1 good damage on evil creatures or those with weakness to good damage
◆ Act Together (◆ Cast a Spell, Boost Eidolon for Estes, +2 status bonus to damage rolls with unarmed attacks, of Charlies; ◆ Stride of Estes)
◆ Strike of Estes
◆ Cast a Spell, Protect Companion for Estes, +1 circumstance bonus to AC, of Charlies
↺ Life Block for Estes (if triggered with a crit success attack that has 10 or more damage)