GM Valen's Pathfinder Society Scenario: #1-14 Lions of Katapesh (August 2023)(18 Challenge Points) (Inactive)

Game Master Lysle

Your presence has been requested in Katapesh.

...slumping along on all fours, knuckles bracing the ground in bounded "hops" across the Katapesh plains, a fury, dark, humanoid hero races across the terrain, his tongue sticking out of his toothy mouth, enjoying the breeze peppering his large-featured mug, the expression of joy like a child running across a playground unrepressed, radiant, even somewhat feral...

Arriving at Katapesh a Shisk wearing a leather armor and carrying a spear with feathers attached is looking for the address they given to him for the meeting point.

Basalt arrives at the location wearing light clothes. A sickle on his belt and a steel shield strappled on his back.

"Hello everyone, seems we are still missing some people, a pleasure to meet you all, my name's Basalt"

The Shisk hesitates to look at the approaching human.

Hello, we are Rinshu. We are not all here. Oh, no no no.

A halfling who looks like he's a farmhand arrives. There's a human-sized duck next to him.

W-well, I hope y-you're happy n-now. This is s-so hot! O-oh to be back in the shire having some t-tea.. the halfling says to the Duck.

He sees the others. H-hello. I'm Welby and t-this is D-drake. We were on our farm and one day D-drake has the notion of going adventuring. S-so I'm accompanying him on his adventures.... P-please to meet you all! Welby says, while Drake lets out a honk.

A gnome female wearing mostly the blues and greens of water enters the room. Even her hair is blue.

She approaches the group a bit shyly. Hello. I'm Ami .. um .. ooooh ... you're the biggest duck I've ever seen.

Drake honks approvinly, arching its neck proudly.

You see an orc approach in what appears to be bunker gear. Calmly looking around she says,"Pleasure to meet you all. I just got back from a nice trip from Arcadia. Im Pearl and Im originally from Mendev. Im trying to set up an emergency response team for the Pathfinder Society."

Following behind is a tiny round blob that barks.

Turning to the blob Pearl adds,"Ooo yes how rude. This is my partner Bob. He helps me handle more serious issues."

*to Bob* Ooooooh .... you're cute too

Drake honks at the blob.
"W-well, looks like this will be quite t-the team!" Welby says.

Ami sighs. I guess we'll see. This is my first real mission

Never liked the vanara much.

"Beat it, bub" A tall kholo with stark white fur whips a shining longarm from over his shoulder and points it at Hanu menacingly, his own teeth gritted into a grinny expression depicting the joy at perpetrating casual cruelty.

Thieves, those ones. He reaches instinctively for his coin purse. Still there.

The harmona gun remains aloft a beat...

Intimidated, our fury hero decides in an instant to retreat than to cause a commotion.

Jumping back into a full lomping stride, he bounds away, continuing down the prairie, seeking greener pastures where folks won't be pointing guns in your face, his own gleeful demeanor undampened as his knuckles and five-fingered feat alternate supporting and propelling his sizeable mass, a faint wind carrying him along to yet greater speed...

Axel Zeldo, the "White Wolf", lowers his gun.

"Rest of you can stay" he declares, speaking with unearned authority and curtness, before flipping the longarm back over his shoulder with a trained motion.

That's better.

*hides behind Pearl when the gun comes out*

"Well it does seem we have quite a group of capable individuals here, as always on society jobs. Nice to meet you."

Pearl just stands there a bit confused as to whats going on exactly while Bob just starts waving a flipper first at the Drake, then at Ami, and then at the person who leaves.

"Yeah we do seem like we will be able to handle any challenge.," Pearl says confidently in response to Basalt.

*peeks out from behind Pearl*

Pearl just cautiously looks at Ami and says,"Are you ok? You seem a bit skittish."

Y... yeah ... guns .... and gun wielding maniacs ... make me ... nervous I .. honestly thought we were all going to be shot[/b]

But yeah ... I am a bit ... seems odd for a gnome though

Now assembled, the party of Pathfinders make their way through the maze-like piers, warehouses, stores, and inns that cater to the city's bustling sea trade. The proximity of the ocean offers little relief from the heat of the noonday sun.

A massive statue of a horned giant with a trident, stretching more than 40-feet high, rises from the shorelin as if to ward away enemies coming from the sea or, perhaps, to ensure that a certain vanara leaves on the ship he came in on.

Passing through a relatively narrow gate that stands between huge crenelated towers flanking the Docks, the Pathfinders get their first glimpse of Katapesh. The searing sun glints and shines as it reflect off of structures adorned with precious metals, sandstone, and ivory. Could not this be why Katapesh is known as the Golden City?

Though difficult to navigate, the party is able to locate the small dive near the Nightstalls, where the party was directed by Venture-Captain Wulessa Yuul to meet with one Yigrig Moneymaker.

The powerful goblin merchant can be found within the back meeting of the establishment, slumpin in a large chair. His face, normally so proud and assured, looks troubled.

“It’s good to see you, Pathfinders! I have a lot of respect for the Society. You’ve been good to me in the past, and my family has aided you in return. But today I come before you, my hat in my hands, in need of help."

“My family and I have almost brokered a trade agreement between the cities of Solku and Oenopion. It’s a beneficial deal, one where Solku gains the materials it needs to defend itself, Oenopion gains a new trading partner, and everyone stands to make a heap of coin. There’s only one issue standing in the way of the negotiation being finalized: a bridge must be constructed over the Elemion River to facilitate safe travel between the two cities. My family is responsible for building and maintaining this bridge. It should have been a simple job… easy to pull off."

Yigrig frowns. “It has been anything but easy.”

The old goblin leans forward. “Every morning at the work camp, it is discovered that more of my children have been\pulled from their beds in the night, presumed dead. Every shipment of aid I send gets attacked. The last one I sent did not even arrive.

“There is a lot of money riding on this deal, but I admit this isn’t about money anymore. This is personal. Someone is harming my family and I can’t sit by and let that happen."

“I have contracted the Pathfinder Society to protect the bridge and surrounding work camp while construction is completed. I have a caravan ready to leave, filled with new workers and supplies for the bridge site. I want you on it. When you see it safely to the bridge site, I need you to stop the attacks on the camp by any means necessary until the job is complete. When you get to the work camp, you will meet my son Zig, the overseer of the project. Sweet kid… takes after his old man. He’ll be your liaison with the workers and see to your needs."

“Nothing is more important than family. Nothing. And so, I’m asking you to take care of mine. Our future is in your hands."
Any questions, Pathfinders?

Those who wish may attempt a Nature check to Recall Knowledge about the wilds around the bridge site.

"T-that is terrible. We'll d-do our best to stop t-this," Welby says. Drake mutters something and Welby shushes the duck.

"Y-yes Drake, but g-goblins deserve saving t-too!" Welby says.

Nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

”Protection gig. Easy.”

A Kholo of few words, and a bit of a bully, our cocksure hero smiles with mischief as the sensitive gnome hides from his presence, and perhaps proceeds to underestimate her, being himself a brute who is motivated primarily by force, with difficulty seeing and appreciating the subtlety of less forceful team contributions.

He nods unconsciously to Basalt, imagining that their similar stature constitutes some sort of other physical understanding of vague unspoken camaraderie, and snorts with laughter as the briefing continues.

Plains Lore (Trained): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Ami is still a little skittish - first mission jitters perhaps? The statue in the harbour fascinates her and she wonders who or what it represents.

Family is everything where I come from she says to Yig. Any idea what is attacking sir?

nature: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

The Shisk looks at the goblin thinking.

nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
"Has there been any other issues besides the kidnapping and missing caravans?," Pearl says with a pondering look.

Turning to Ami she adds,"Oooo if you get nervous you can hold Bob. He's always calmed me down when Im nervous."

Family is everything where I come from she says to Yig. Any idea what is attacking sir?

"Then you understand. We are not so different, our kinds." The merchant nods in reponse.

"Since the attacks began, information has been spotty getting out," Yigrig concedes. "However, I know that some sort of large animals have been attacking the work camp during the night, and something else has been aggressive toward anyone that tries to leave or enter the site, no matter what time of day. Bandits? Animals? Accounts have been conflicting, but whatever they are, they’re dangerous.”

"Has there been any other issues besides the kidnapping and missing caravans?," Pearl says with a pondering look.

“Yes! The bridge is not getting built!" The goblin cries out.

"I am sorry for the outburst," he quickly adds and apologetically. "I, too, am nervous." The goblin eyes Bob for a moment, but then thinks better of it.

He turns back to Peal. "As you can imagine, I am near my wits end. And, I fear it is not only I, who am affected by all this. Morale is likely low in th ecamp and, I suspect, it is already impacting those of us here--including the workers I am sending with you."

" Zig will give you more information at camp, but so long as you can prevent goblins from being killed or abducted, the bridge can be built on schedule. If the threats to the goblin workers persist, the builders will remain too scared to finish the job. Personally, I can’t blame them for that.”

Anymore more questions?

Ami takes the offer to hold Bob, assuming Bob doesn't mind, especially when large predators such as lions etc are mentioned.

"O-oh dear. We will d-do what we can!" Welby says.

The Shisk leans on his spear ready to depart.

Bob happily nuzzles Ami's leg despite hearing about the danger involved.

I'll keep ypu safe Bob. I just hope I can keep me safe

"Well, at least seems like a straightforward mission." responds Basalt as he gets himself ready to depart.

Bored with all the anxious questions, Axel sits on the ground and unrolls a sooty rag filled with vials of gunpowder and various reagents, and begins combining them into little capsules, some bullet-sized, others palm-sized, and begins arranging the completed concoctions across his bandolier...

"All right Bob. I don't think Im going to need your help like the last time so just stay back and if need be you can lend me some of your power," Pearl says to her familiar very calmly.

Bob just salutes in acknowledgement using his flipper.

When do we go?

"I'm ready to go whenever you guys are ready" he says while playing with some floating rocks he's been channeling while waiting.

"W-we're ready too!" Welby says. Drake lets out a honk.

My apologies. I have been slammed with work.

After the party finishies talking to Yigrig, he leads them to a goblin caravan. The goblin caravan consists of four wagons and an assortment of twenty nervous goblin workers. As many goblins loathe horses, the caravan’s wagons are pulled by camels. The caravan also contains a trove supplies including wooden beams and food.

The leader of the caravan is a goblin named Muckmuck.

Behind Muckmuck, an assortment of other goblins go about making preparations for the journey.

"You longshanks, best buy what you can here in Katapesh," Muckmuck suggests. "It will be quite a trek out to the bridge site."

Muckmuck murmurs. "That is, if we actually make it there."

"The most safe, best roads lead to Solku." The goblin grumbles further. "But for most of trip, us goblins just going through wilds and dangers."

Please note any purchases.

The caravan is expected to take two days to reach the camp. The party has plenty of opportunities to speak with the goblin workers en route.

If you have not already done so, please provide the requested modifiers and marching order.

"Loud is first to die" he reprimands Muck Muck almost casually, not quite a warning nor a threat, if merely passing as an observation, and certainly an obtuse request for a cessation of whining.

Taking note of the absolute weaklings he is surrounded by, our strident hero pushes to the front of the pack, six-and-a-half feet of bombs and bullets with a menacing rifle, maniac grin, and devil-may-care attitude.

He imagines not being welcome in Solku, but keeps his thoughts on the matter to himself...

Oh oh oh, we hope you have a long fuse for all this bombs...

Says the Shisk thinking loudly.

Ah .... don't mind him ... Ami tries to reassure Muck Muck. Just be thankful he's on our side.

But yeah, we promised Yig that you will be protected, and, yeah, so you will be.

She looks for a spot on the lead wagon where she can look ahead. Wanna sit with me Bob?

Pearl gently places Bob on Ami's lap and says,"Yeah he'll gladly sit with you. You know he was a large help on the last adventure we went on. Ended up calming a bunch of animals by providing a source of water."

Staring awkwardly at Bob who stares back with a goofy smile she adds,"I mean he was the source of water but he didn't mind given he's a water elemental. I think? I don't know the whole metaphysics of the situation makes my head hurt."

Turning to Muck Muck she says,"If you need any healing or medicine Im here to help. That's the one thing I know Im good at."

He's a water elemental? Wow ... and I'm a water kineticist, so I'm also a source of water. And I'm supposed to know the metaphysics so, I'll see if I can explain it to you sometime. I've been studying the Water Elemental Plane, the source of my power.

She pets Bob as she talks.

" Im a water kineticist too. I thought I knew how everything worked until someone started asking a bunch of questions and kind of scared me a bit."

Yes it did say she was a barbarian but that was when I thought she would be an elemental barbarian. I fixed the name.

No wonder I felt an affinity to you. And I guess that sorta explains your name too

And yes, she's dressed as if she is expecting to go for a swim at anytime.

Welby looks around, quite amazed by everything around him.

But yeah, we promised Yig that you will be protected, and, yeah, so you will be.

Muckmuck laughs to himself.

“You longshanks think you can protect us? You can’t save Muckmuck. You’re weak. Face facts. We’re all going to die."

Turning to Muck Muck she says,"If you need any healing or medicine Im here to help. That's the one thing I know Im good at."

“You sit there in the back and talk to the workers. We’re all scared. Doesn’t matter what we do. We’re all going to die."[/b]

The caravan departs and begins the journey. The first day is uneventful, but while the goblins are setting up camp for the night, the goblins' attention turns to revelry in its many forms.

Muckmuck is the exception. The grizzled goblin sits quietly peering into the fire.

When he spies one of the Pathfinders, he begins to speak, though he fails to make eye contact. “Tell you truth, I don’t want to go. Yigrig reads too many books. He’s lost his mind. We all think about leaving before he gets us killed. Not help that the minstrel lost hand in teethbrushing accident. Much blood. Can’t play lute anymore."

After a few moments of fixing his stare into the flames of a newly-set campfire, his cold demeanor warms somewhat. He turns to the nearest Pathfinder and says, “Tell you what. You want to help? You be the minstrel. Make fancy music. Make goblins feel less likely to run away. Convince them we’re not all going to die.”

Another one of the goblins approaches one of the Pathfinders. "Pronk found dry unburnt wood up in rocks. Brave goblins go after it. Get it to burn! Maybe longshanks brave enough to follow!"

"Broz have torch!" shouts one goblin. "Broz, rsh it to tent, but it blow out between when Broz dip torch in firepit and when Broz get to tent. Broz sad."

Still another goblin approaches the Pathfinder and says, "Me, Muckmuck. Big bad caravan leader. Longshanks do what, Muckmuck say, or me, Muckmuck, give you no sleep!"

A PC who wishes to make music, may attempt a Performance check to Perform for the goblins.

A PC who wishes to bravely gather wood to burn, may attempt an Athletics check to Climb to impress the goblins with their physical prowess.

A PC who wishes to nimbly bring the torch to Broz's tent, may attempt an Acrobatics check to Tumble Through the crowd while trying to display agility and grace and keeping the torch lit.

A PC who wishes to drive off a pesky goblin impressionist with their own impression of Muckmuck, may attempt a Deception check to T Impersonate
Muckmuck or the goblin hounding them.

Each PC can attempt a total of two checks of the above, and no check listed above can be attempted more than three times before the caravan departs for the bridge camp.