Gameplay will begin on March 6.
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”Doodle? Seriously girl! Like I have not seen you in forever! How have you been? Staying out of trouble I hope. “ Lasaraleen smiles and waves to her old friend on the way to the meeting
Doodle basically squeals with delight at seeing her longtime friend! ”You know the drill! Exploring ancient tombs, almost being drowned by sea bags, the usual,” she laughs as she vaguely describes a couple of her most recent missions.
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Two seconds after a wave of breeze entering very usual looking blond elf in a dusty battered boots. Blindfold laing at his forehead but his murky eyes might not yet see you. He smeels with magical components and
He straightens his battered durable hiking vest before bowing shortly.
-Atum. I recently returned from Hell, so could feel some reliefe but. Staying out of trouble is not too Pathfinderish...
-the elf looks at Doodle and Lasaraleen with some desperation or immenese but adds pretty intriguing:
I am aware of...matters. Generally. Sometimes that's overwheelming. But we always have hope and striveing for next adventure. But now I am in the middle of investigation... do you believe in Fate? It is not a matter at all but somehow hypothesis about existance of Fate is pretty sustainable. What do you think, near-seekers?
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Lasaraleen smiles in
Delight at the sight of the elf
”Atum? You are coming on this too? That trip to hell was like not fun at all. Hey, have you met my friend Doodle? Wow, if only Jair was here it would be the old group again.“
She pauses at the question
”Fate? I really have not given it much thought. It totally seems most of the recent missions have gone to the junior class agents.. I have spent the past months at temple of the Dawnflower. “
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Atum blinks few times before looking at the cleric clearly.
-Oh, Lass? Good to know eternal flame's spark is still with us. I am glad we gathered. How is Sarenrae I wonder? Hoi, Doodle! Do I see scales under your skin? Long life provides so much wonders to see and so interesting magic's manifestations. Yeah, Fate - lets say my current research strogly connected to this concept. Although even my diviners expertise suggest you can not predict the actual future, so there is now particular future for us. yet...
Atum pauses for a moment to look upwards and adds
-Vesh calims he doesn't like you both. Probably you are too kind and not really pragmatic. Or lacking of selfishness or ego. Who knows. He dislikes many good folks but at least he will show respect to fellow Pathfinders, rigth?
last words Atum obviously sends towards likely stonewall but everyone near feels someone is there.
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Silgil, though dressed more like a mage than a warrior, does carry himself like a warrior, a tribute to his days in the dwarven militia. He sports red unruly hair, almost gnome-like, but covering most of his face as well as head. He walks with the confidence natural to dwarves and a bit of a swagger.
"Hail and well met, friends."
Looking around he sees what looks like a bunch of casters and then looks towards the door.
"Where's the beef?"
A gnarled beggar passes you in the street, begging for coppers. His grimy fist clutches a crinkled piece of paper, which he deftly slips into your palm before disappearing back into the throng of longshoreman, merchants, stevedores, and other pedestrians.
The Saucy Wench is one of the few permanent structures in the Grand Bazaar in the Coins District of Absalom. It is a four-story mead hall of ill repute and one of Osprey’s favorite places to disseminate secretive orders from the Society to its member Pathfinders.
You have part of a day to do what they can to prepare for travel before you meet with Osprey. Since it isn't entirely unprecedented for the Society to, say, Teleport agents directly into danger after a briefing, make your purchases now. The note did say Come ready to travel. You may or may not have time after the briefing.
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Atum gathers intellegense from his observer familiar but agrees with Lassaraleen regarding oddness. He looks around and up Detecting Scrying...
Altough after Atum becomes agitated after taking a look at the note.
-Osprey, huh. That's pretty intriguing! I've never met him in person but heard legends about his ... quests. Misteries, enigmatic things and grave dangers! That's promising. But we should be prepare for any surprises.
Atum starts to check through a paper with checklist but decides to follow Las at the same time.
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From behind the gnome a familiar voice calls a greeting. "Doodle! How long did it take you to get the sand out of everything?" The speaker is a tall (or would be, if he didn't slouch), slender, pale-haired elf. The hilt of a curve blade shows over one shoulder, and a cased bow is over the other. All of his clothing and gear are in shades of dark green, dark grey, or black, with nothing that gives even the hint of a reflection (including the breastplate he wears). "I see you got a note from Osprey, too. Have you heard anything more than this?" He slows his pace to match that of the sorcerer and the dwarf.
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Doodle, I am not sure how many more of these missions I can take. You know. I have been thinking about retiring. Sure everyone says it sooner or later. But like how many of us agents actually do it?
She pauses, then smiles at her longtime friend.
Too many do not even make it past their first year. And I am not saying I will not miss all the good friends along the way. But the getting my hair burnt off every time is getting like, you know. Old.
As you arrive at the Saucy Wench, you spot Osprey. He sits in the far corner on the first floor, his stubble-covered chin the only visible feature jutting from the shadowed cowl of his worn leather cloak. With a subtle nod, he gestures to you as you enter, then signals a scrawny porter-boy. The lad scurries quickly to the table with a gallon cask and a set of wooden pint mugs. He bids you to sit and be served. After exchanging gruff pleasantries, he speaks.
"One of my field operatives, Eiastor Wyrn, has been traveling undercover with a small team of Aspis Consortium explorers. Recently, they found the fabled Drowning Stones and recovered from them a significant stash of a rare and deeply disturbing set of demon-linked stones. That was two weeks ago, and I’m starting to grow concerned. I was preparing a larger group of Pathfinders to track down the Consortium team and commandeer their stash, but this sudden change of circumstance prompts me to send someone immediately." Osprey leans in close. "If what we know about these stones is true, they cannot fall into the hands of the Aspis—do you understand? You’ll be going to the Mwangi Expanse."
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The diviner takes his shoes off to get off some sand, looking at Doodle with understanding.
Atum stares at Osprey a bit and scan him with Veshtahz aid.
Atum sips a suggested drink. And asks after intro:
-Why do you provide us with operative's name if he's undercover? Sounds like you do not expect us to meet him as our target are... stones, right? How large these Drowned stones are and how many? I'd like to try scrying but so I'd appreciate any detailes. And if we are going to Mwangi - we need maps and repelents.
-Why do you provide us with operative's name if he's undercover?"
Osprey looks at you oddly. "Why would I not? It is fine for you to know his name and know that he is a Pathfinder. I don't expect you to blab it to any Aspis agents you encounter."
Sounds like you do not expect us to meet him as our target are... stones, right?
"No, I do expect you to meet him. He is undercover with the Aspis Consortium. You are to intercept the Aspis group and commandeer their stash of stones. If Wyrn is among them, you'll need to keep him safe and bring him back with you."
How large these Drowned stones are and how many? I'd like to try scrying but so I'd appreciate any detailes. And if we are going to Mwangi - we need maps and repelents.
Osprey shakes his head. "I think you misunderstand. The Drowning Stones are a location. They are a pair of megaliths carved in human-like shapes. They rise from a small gorge. Waters from nearby streams wash over the palisades into their 'mouths,' so it looks like they are drowning.
The demon-linked stones are smaller objects found around there. We don't know how many. They are linked to one of the demon lords and infused with that lord’s essence—nasty business and a source of power the Aspis must not have."
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"Can any of you cast endure elements? I have a wand of it left over from my last trip to the Expanse." The elf gets a faraway look for a moment, then shakes his head. I haven't seen Alaric for some time...I hope he's all right. Humans live such short lives, it would be a shame if his was cut even shorter.
Atum spends an hour casting the spell but, at the end, is unable to see anything with Scrying.
At this point, with an hour spent on the spell, Osprey is getting quite impatient. "Are you taking the job or not?"
Once you agree to the mission, Osprey leads you into a back room and down a moldering flight of rickety steps into the dank cellar.
When you are ready, Osprey removes a plain-looking scroll from his pocket, unfolds it haphazardly, and mutters an incantation. A bright blue light surrounds you and sends you deep into the Mwangi Expanse.
A haze of crackling pops and blurring smears of light fades into dim shadow, and an assault of hot, sticky air that reeks of mildew and soil. Canopied beneath an oversized tent, hammering sheets of rain slam against the thick canvas like the flapping wings of a huge, primordial beast. Drops plink into buckets scattered about the floor, while additional canvases lie draped over shipping crates and other supplies.
Despite all effort, the rains soak through the tent, turning the dirt floor to a muddy soup crawling with roaches. A young man perches on a nearby crate, cloaked in a thick oil-canvas to keep dry. Cracking a wide smile, he raises his voice to speak, but his words are barely audible against the din of the rain.
"I'M DIRCH! PATHFINDER!" you can faintly hear him shouting over the rain. He holds aloft his Wayfinder and motions you to come closer. There are four other individuals next to him, .
They are about 30' away (the tent is about 40' wide and you are near one end).
What do you do?
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Lasaraleen smiles and waved.
”Well Hello there. This rain is totally wrecking my hair.“
She quickly looks for anything out of the ordinary with the group and any hesitation in his voice.
well I only remembered one contact was an undercover Pathfinder and he would not call out in front of non pathfinders she ponders to herself.
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Before the teleport, Doodle pulls a scroll of Endure Elements and uses it, preparing for the jungle. She also casts Mage Armor, giving her additional protection for 10 hours.
After orienting herself post teleport, she steps forward and smiles at the man with the wayfinder. ”Im Doodle! Nice to meet you!”
Diplomacy
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Silgil decides to tough it out rather than expend a scroll of endure elements. He leaves a 1st level slot open in case he has to change his mind.
Not surprisingly, he is very suspicious of the four folks that just happen to be waiting for them and holds back, watching everyone's backs. He winces as the gregarious Doodle walks right into what is probably a trap. Then again, he is very poor at reading people so maybe it is just good old fashioned dwarven caution.
These five individuals turn out to be allies.
As you get closer, and Dirch doesn't have to shout, he explains that he and the other four operate a small Society waystation here in the Mwangi Expanse.
"This section of jungle bordering against the sacred lands of the Rumawa tribe. We try to maintain good relations with them.
And we provide what resources we can for fellow Pathfinders exploring the region, including food and first aid. We've got some basic maps of where you will need to go, but only the rivers.
Eiastor Wyrn was relaying information to me via spells. I don't know the precise location of the Aspis team that he has infiltrated, but there is no word of them passing back through the Rumawa’s territory. From Wyrn's last message, I think they had made camp just upstream of the tribe’s territory. So that's where I would look.
We have basic supplies here as well as some flat-bottom push-rafts. I would recommend taking the river. If you follow the river, you’ll get there. I don’t have good enough maps to get you there through the jungle, and walking through there is like being swallowed by a kraken—avoid it if you can.
It would be about three hours on the river, I think, if you had the light or could see well in the dark. Would you want to camp here and set out in the morning?"
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”Well you are incredibly helpful. The boat sounds like a wise idea. And travel by night is apt to totally miss clues along the way. We may want to reconfirm our spells and gear based on this new info.“
She sits down and tries to detangle her hair and dumps water from her boots.
”Any particular dangers besides the Aspis? Just jungle creatures like creepy snakes and spiders? I hate jungles. Did I already mention that?“
”Any particular dangers besides the Aspis? Just jungle creatures like creepy snakes and spiders? I hate jungles. Did I already mention that?“
"Oh, um, well, the natives might kill you if you don't respect their religious customs. I am not too sure about those, so you'll have to rely on your own knowledge. I'm new here."
"And, uh, it gets hot in the day out in the open. Really hot. Like, you could pass out, especially if you are in armor or heavy clothes. It's not quite as hot under the trees, but there it is pretty dark.
And... usually a big downpour in the afternoon.
Creatures, we've been lucky - we are all still here - but I heard something big once. Don't know what it was.
Let me see, what else... insects and spiders and scorpions, of course. I saw a swarm of army ants devour a wild boar.
Oh! Disease. Yeah, sometimes if you drink the water it doesn't agree with you. That can be bad. So using magic to clean the water can't hurt.
Disease from mosquitos and things, you pretty much just have to suffer through.
Ancient curses, of course. Lots of them, I hear. Especially where you are going."
He looks up at the much more experienced Lasaraleen, seeking her approval for his extensive knowledge. "And... that's about all the dangers I can think of."
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Atum shurely purchase magic components and foci if necessary and thereafter he just a bit dissapointed thet he could not see with Scrying.
This may tell us that undercover agent is good.
-It is an honour to aid you, master Osprey. It was not my intention to spend time, but gathering intellegence usually worth acodring to Master of Spells studies. We are almost ready.
Atum knows he is going to Mwangi, so he purchases also a Wand of Endure Elements using his reputation and protects his body with this basic wether shielding.
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As far as they appear in the rain, Atum sends Veshtahz to the air to see from above what is happening, as well as point at good creatures among these people around.
If he realise it's clear and no ambush or danger around - he will relax a bit and participate in dialog.
-I will do scounting to know more about reiver path and surroundings. And Las, I've got Endure Elements. Although I still not like to rest in this dirty wet place full of decease.
The diviner uses flying Doru and also prepare another ritual to send Arcane Eye over predicted path.
You set out on the rafts in the morning.
The forest beyond quickly darkens into an endless void of shadowy leafy claws. Impossibly tall trees stretch up into the sky, as if strangling the sun into fragments of amber that slip between their angry branches. The ground below is barely visible beneath a carpet of thick green shrubs and mosses.
The lush vegetation grows right up to the water, obscuring the stream banks. The waters run slow, dark and murky with rich black sediments from the recent rains.
After about an hour, you are in what Dirch noted on a rough river map as Rumawa territory. Loud drumming rises from the forest.
Both Atum and Lasaraleen recognize that this drumming is a signal.
This drumming is part of a religious ceremony requesting trespassers to offer a sacrifice to the totem animals of the local tribe - in this case, the totem animal being a crocodile. A proper sacrifice requires throwing a freshly slain game animal into the stream.
What do you do? Do you keep proceeding along the river, or do you go to shore to find a game animal to sacrifice?
Doing so will require three consecutive successful Survival checks.
Do you wish to pull the rafts to the side of the river and try your hand at hunting, or do you wish to keep going?
Taking 10 is certainly possible, and a 15 is not terrible but also not stellar. So is a 15 high enough? You definitely can't judge the difficulty from the middle of the river.
As to Aid Another, I would rule that in this particular instance a failed Aid Another counts as a failed check - having more people along on the hunt carries a risk of scaring off the prey. It's a risk if you want to bring others along.
The check also represents more than a minute of effort, so Guidance would not work. Heroism would, however.
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Atum fells and looks bad in the morning and his mood obviously lost somewhere in the jungle. He is irritated and trying to breath and remain silent. He likely refuses to paddle if asked to.
As far as folk tribes lands get closer he says.
-Probably we should sacrifice several crocodiles but not expect me to follow some barbaric and violent superstitions. Althoug I can create some horses to bait. We can always Dimdoor, but we likely need other rafts this way