Rumors are that a certain druid has arrived at the Grand Lodge and is eying a group of experienced agents.
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A stout dwarf in mage robes enters the Grand Lodge in hopes of having an eruditical conversation with the druid. 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 and lots of jewelry. A fighting staff is held loosely and he uses it for all manner of purposes, this time as a door knocker as he attempts to gain entrance.
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A Human of Shoanti decent joined the others at the Grand Lodge. Like most Shonanti, he does not have any hair, being completely bald and clean shaven. A rapier and short sword were riding on his hip, with a holy symbol of Desna around his neck. He appears to not have any noticeable armor.
"Greetings everyone, I am called "Two Blades in the Shadows" and while I can help patch you up, as the name suggests, I do most of my work from the shadows." he said as he made introductions with the others.
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A Half-Elven man with weathered features, and a wild, unkempt beard, clad in a suit of armour crafted from green dragonhide, strides into the room.
He has a wicked-looking scythe in one hand, and plodding along beside him is what appears to be an owlbear chick.
"I'm Radagast. That's Beaky," he says, pointing to the owlbear.
"He's mostly trained, so he shouldn't bite, unless you *really* irk him."
Radagast smiles, and tickles the juvenile owlbear under its beak, provoking a high-pitched hoot of enjoyment from his companion.
"Fair warning - although I attended this meeting in human form, I usually spend most of my time wearing the skin of some animal or another, so don't expect much in the way of conversation."
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A tall, pale-haired elf slouches silently into the room behind the druid. The hilt of a curve blade protrudes over one shoulder, and a cased longbow sticks up over the other. All of his clothing and gear seems to have been carefully dulled to eliminate any bright reflections. He glances around the group, his eyes lighting up when he spots Two Blades. "I, ah, see you've recovered from Bonekeep, my friend."
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Hello....I've been called for a mission, and I hope to be useful. My name is Desynthia Mezden, and use magic, even if I've never studied it. Mostly, I use summoning spells to help in fight.
This is a young woman, not even in her twenties, who is speaking. She is dressed quite casually, and doesn't wear armor, but one of her striking feature is her mane of white hair, which seems to change colors as she speaks
I'm not myself much of a fighter. I do have a curative wand to heal people, and most of the time I manage to use it correctly.
here with the others listed on subsquent Slides.
Two weeks ago, a certain druid, known as Osprey, showed up at the Grand Lodge in Absalom, his features shadowed by the long cowl of his heavy leather cloak, his unmistakable voice a sullen whisper of both mystery and urgency.
“A grim shadow creeps over Absalom, one that threatens all of us." Osprey had warned. "We know not its source or even its purpose, and need answers to secrets only known to the dead. Your task is one of great importance and urgency. You must retrieve the bones of the ancient mystic Amao from his cairn and bring them to me so our seers can contact his spirit. We need to contact him before these dark forces track his spirit down in the worlds beyond and devour him. Take extra care on this mission, for the Aspis Consortium also dearly desires these bones and their secrets. Amao’s bones rest in a cairn atop a mountain. Go to Cania’s Drop, a small waystation high in the Fog Peaks along the border of Southern Galt. There you will meet with an ex-Pathfinder named Rysam Aklon who will provide you with equipment and directions to Amao’s cairn. You shall hear from me again once you complete your mission, but for now may the gods speed you on your way.”
Now, here in the foothills of a wintery southern Galt and about a mile above sea level, bitter winds blister skin and numbness settles in to exposed extremeties. While Absalom isn’t known for its sunshine, at least its foggy shores are more favorable than the bonebrittling cold of the Fog Peaks. Before you lies your destination, a mountain waystation run by exiles and recluses.
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During the trip, Silgil will share what he knows about their destination. Among other things he recommends everyone be prepared for some nasty cold weather and a certain lawlessness (which puts a grim and disapproving expression on his face).
since others are making fort saves, I will throw one out too.
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A tall, pale-haired elf slouches silently into the room behind the druid. The hilt of a curve blade protrudes over one shoulder, and a cased longbow sticks up over the other. All of his clothing and gear seems to have been carefully dulled to eliminate any bright reflections. He glances around the group, his eyes lighting up when he spots Two Blades. "I, ah, see you've recovered from Bonekeep, my friend."
"Yep that was a rather painful adventure. Glad to see that you are on this side of the dirt also!" Two Blades said, as he started shaking his hand. "I was not expecting that "Until our skulls are gathered would happen to all of us."
Two Blades had a hard time adjusting to the elevation, not use to the thin air as the group traveled.
I'm willing to use the spell on you if you want, and on myself if you allow it.
The sun continues its descent as you travel onward. You find a small cabin at the waystation, just before sunset, after spotting a wisp of chimney smoke.
Outside the cabin are rows of sleeping sled dogs, curled up together in the deep snow. The few strangers out in the cold eye your party with a mixture of nervousness and naked fear. Among them is a pock-faced man of Andoran descent, watching you with particular interest.
As the you approach the cabin, you are immediately approached by a burly man with a shock of wild curly black hair, with strong, rough features that jut through his scraggly, unshorn beard. With ebon eyes gleaming beneath a low-sloped brow, and a demeanor burning bitter as the highland winds, he introduces himself. "Rysam Aklon is the name. If I am right about who you all are, then I can't say that I'm too pleased to meet you, especially when I'm probably sending you all to your deaths in these harsh wintry highlands. But, I still owe a few favors and I'm eager to clear my debts."
"You are welcome to remain out here in the crisp mountain air, should you wish, where you can take in the locals and the sights along with as as the fresh powder that the night is sure to bring." adds Rysam. "However, I believe I can squeeze you lot into my cabin for the night. It may be a bit cramped, for certain, but it'll at least provide you with a warm, dry place to sleep."
What's happening here? Why do I feel so much tension?
"The air can make feel all kinds of things," Rysam replies quickly. "Why don't we talk inside?" He points to his cabin.
"I'll stay in the cabin. I'm more of an indoor or underground kind of guy. Yea, I can feel the tension too. And what's up with the guy with all the pock marks? Every time I look, he's staring at us."
"Glad to hear it! Come! Come inside!" Rysam says, opening the cabin door. He ushers the party inside.
At the mention of a pock marked person, Two Blades ears perked up. "Yes, who is he?" he asked.
"That is Krysher. I understand that he's an ex-soldier serving punishment for desertion. Among other things, he serves as a cook." Rysam notes. "Which is rather fortunate as there is always a demand for good food around here, but seldom a need for soldiers."
"As for why he's staring at you, who knows? Maybe he figures you to be bounty hunters? Perhaps, he fears you're looking to turn him in?" Rysam speculates.
Once those party members who wish to enter do so, Rysam shuts the door tightly then secures it against the chill of the coming night. As promised, the cabin is large enough to accomodate the party, but offers little more in the way of comforts other than a modest fireplace.
"As one who spent a lot of time serving the Society, it is clear to me that you are Pathfinders." Rysam says. "And as a former Pathfinder, I still owe a few favors to the Society and Osprey in particular. I said outside that I am none too pleased about dealing with visitors. I came here to serve penance, not play babysitter. Worse, Osprey knew I put myself in this self-imposed exile for murder and now the Old Bird seems intent on having me send you to your deaths in these mountains."
Rysam lets out a sigh. "Like I said, I'm eager to clear my debts."
After rubbing his hands near the fireplace, he turns to the party and continues. "I understand that you are heading to Amao’s cairn. You can reach the cairn by traveling a snaking trail the ancients called Qi Oamatok Pass, which loosely translates to the Winding Serpent. Locals simply refer to it as the Dragon."
"The cairn lies about twenty miles northeast of here, a short but precarious journey through the icy mountain terrain." Rysam notes. Then, almost as an afterthought, Rysam adds, "The Dragon bisects wild lands sacred to clans of primitive beastmen that roam the high snowy peaks."
Rysam gives Silgil a nod.
"I can only provide you with a few meager supplies, including dogsleds, among other things." Rysam offers. "Though, I suggest that you spend the night, and leave at first light if you hope to reach the cairn alive."
Rysam shows the party three dogsleds. "I can offer you these. Along with 6 trained dogs to accompany each one of them. I trust you know how to use them."
Rysam also offers the following equipment to the party: 12 days worth of rations, 1 set of heavy furs to help protect from the cold, one map of the Dragon with each of its parts demarcated, and one heavy pick.
"I suggest that you spend the night and leave at first light if you hope to reach the cairn alive." Rysam adds.
"I hope someone can figure it out. I certainly do not know how to use a dogsled."
"I suggest, then, that you learn quickly before tackling the Dragon." Rysam says. "You are Pathfinders after all. It should be simple for you to learn if you deliberately set your mind to it."
What could help us in our travel, esides warm clothes and cautiousness? Could someone here act as a guide?
Rysam produces a number of scrolls. "These may be of use to you and I am happy to offer them at a discount. Just twenty gold pieces each." He has 2 scrolls of calm animal and 4 scrolls of charm animal.
"Odd, some of the places here, desertion is a death sentence, where did he come from?Two Blades asked.
He pondered a bit "Maybe he is the bounty hunter and you are the bounty. Where does he stay at, the cook's tent or something? he said with a sly smile.
"If Krysher does have a death warrant out for him, it may explain why he may be wary of newcomers. Probably, wouldn't be the only one in this parts to have one either." Rysam speculates. "But, I think him from Andoran and that country isn't known for issuing harsh punishments."
"Krysther serves as a cook at Jaive's Inn, presumably in exchange for lodging there--not that it has much to offer along those lines." says Rysam. "You are welcome to stay at the inn, if you'd like, but I assure you that you'll find my price for my cabin far more reasonable and the accomodations more comfortable."
"As for me being a bounty, I'm not aware of any having been set for me. Are you aware of something that I am not?" Rysam asks with curiosity.
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"Sounds like staying would be the easiest thing to do, that way we can get an early jump on our travels in the morning." Two Blades said as he looked for a place to crash for the night.
"I have something to find out at Krysher's place. There is information that he might be spying for someone that has a bounty out on Rysam. I am open to anyone else coming to take a peek and hope that we could keep our host alive." he said.
"Good day, let me get an ale to clear my head, the air is mighty thin here." Two Blades said as he plunked down a silver piece for two mugs of ale as he surveyed the area to see where Krysher stayed,
"Good day, let me get an ale to clear my head, the air is mighty thin here." Two Blades said as he plunked down a silver piece for two mugs of ale as he surveyed the area to see where Krysher stayed.
Speaking with the innkeeper, Jaive, the Pathfinder Two Blades secures an ale.
Jaive heads to Krysher's room and direct's the cook to get to work in the kitchen. Krysher complains to Javie about the lateness of the hour, but eventually emerges from his room and gets to work cooking within the kitchen.
Confirming Krysher's presence in the kitchen and seeing Jaive approaching Krysher there to speak with him, Two Blades is able to momentarily slip away from the dining area unseen and to investigate Krysher's room. Finding no traps, Two Blades is able to enter the room and finds it to be sparsely furnished with contents that appear quite tidy and organized. Within a chest at the base of the bed, the Pathfinder finds a chain shirt and a matched pair of otherwise mundane shortswords. Searching the bed, he finds a pair of well-made bolas, which had clearly been hidden there.
Two Blades does not find any paper or other media that may contain any messages and does not find any other items of note.
Returning to the dining area, Two Blades sees Jaive and Krysher in the kitchen, plating a dish in preparation of serving it to their sole customer.
Per Rysam's directions, the cairn lies about 20 miles northeast of the waystation, a short but precarious journey through the icy mountain terrain. The second part of the journey follows the eight-mile long ancient pass shown in Rysam’s map labeled “The Dragon.”
Travel is relatively uneventful, aside from spotting a few circling falcons and stray animal prints left by hares and wolves.
The first parts of the Dragon is the section known as "The Tail". This section of the pass is flat, but rocky.
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Unable to find any information, Two Blades was annoyed, but the bolas were of interest. Taking his any-tool, he carefully weakened it so that if they were used, the target would have an easier time of escaping before putting them back.
Two Blades did not seemed bothered by the trip on the dog sled as he guided it forward.
Desynthia has an hard time maintaining her balance, but manages not to fall of the sled.. barely
The trek remains bumpy, but the party realizes quickly that the party is able to balance as long as the sleds don't go to fast.
The party next takes a steep turn before reaching the steep incline of The Haunches. A slip on the turn would send one 200 feet down a steep embankment onto a collection of exposed boulders. The turn would be difficult to navigate during a descent, but the party has no trouble on the turn. The rest of the climb here, however, is a bit slow.
Overcoming the haunches, the party next reaches The Spine. Along this section of The Dragon, the pass runs through a sloping field of boulders.
The elf crashes the dog sled into a boulder! The sled flips and all riders not strapped in are thrown from the sled.
The dogs continue to drag the sled for several seconds.
Fortunately, the sled is not broken and the Pathfinders survive.
The party next moves into The Heart of The Dragon. In this location, a dangerously narrow bridge of solid ice spans a 15-foot-wide ravine that splits the pass. A weathered chain, secured to large boulders at either end of the bridge, hangs suspended about three feet above its surface.
Beneath the bridge, a chasm plunges 30-ft-deep to a rocky stream at the bottom.
Travelers usually tie off to the chain when crossing and walk the sleds.
The Dragon next splits into two adjacent routes in this section called, The Talons. One route is a higher path with a slow incline and the other is a wider steep path that plunges below it across a series of ice dunes. The upper path sits between 10 to 40 feet above the lower path. It is only 10 feet wide and presently clear, but there is evidence that it often ices over in a short amount of time.