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A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 5th- through 8th-level characters.
The Pathfinder Society is invited by Mayor Deyahi to take part in a special traditional ceremony known as the Festival of Fire! This ceremony has been performed for generations and is always an honor for the group of warriors chosen to defend the sacred bonfire. While it's expected that there will be several spirits and undead appearing throughout the evening, what Niishan is unaware of is the fact that an unknown figure has been watching the ceremony for its entirety, waiting for the time that the warriors are weak enough to make their move. With the Pathfinders appearing to fill this role, they see their chance to attack and make Niishan feel their ancient wrath. It's up to the PCs to hold off this villain and the other spirits, ensuring that the ceremony is successful and Niishan remains safe!
Written by Jacob W. Michaels
Scenario tags: Repeatable
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After being asked by Venture-Captain Rahaksenwe (female human beast gunner), who leads the first Pathfinder lodge in Arcadia, to represent the Society in Niishan’s Festival of Fire, the PCs begin the adventure as they arrive in town late in the morning before the start of the celebration.
The town of Niishan is bustling with people—mostly Mahwek humans, but also halflings, beastkin, and several small wooden humanoids, among others. Children run through the dirt streets, dodging around grown-ups, their happy screams adding to the calls and chatter of adult voices. Smiles abound, though some seem to carry a hint of anxiety or trepidation, maybe even just a touch of fear.
Star-shaped gourds and stalks heavy with scarlet corn wait to be harvested in small gardens that surround the circular earth lodges where townsfolk live and work. Smoke rises into the crisp autumn air from the homes’ dome-like roofs.
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I've got the following:
7th level healer/cleric
7th level Witch of the Night - this one which needs levelling.
7th level elementalist
6th level Angelic sorceress
6th level fey sorceress
5th level cosmic oracle
5th level Baba Yaga witch
5th level Magus
5th level winter witch
5th level poppet wizard
Do we want to go high or low? Also offering 3 glyphs
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Tess walks around Niishawn in growing excitement. She's matured over the seven months that her life has existed so far, enjoying every bit of life that mortal life has to offer. Watching the children dodging around her and screaming, she grins with a smile that lights up her pale, silver skin.
Even though she can never have children born of her body, even though she was never a child herself, she loves the wild abandon of mortal children. After a few minutes, she joins in the chase, happy to play 'it' with the kids. "I'm going to catch you, you better run!" Tess's elven feet run faster than most deer, but she lets the kids beat her half the time, until she falls down in genuine exhaustion. For the moment, the voices of her ancestors are quiet, and watchful.
Did you see the touch of fear in some of the adult's faces? It's the dry voice of one of her 'ancestors', one of the three souls that Tess's morrigna mother, Tosof, mixed to make Tess come to life. This voice is middle-aged, and most interested in seeing Tess hone her skills.
"I never noticed," Tess fibs casually to her ancestor, refusing to worry for now. "I love mortal festivals!"
Hmmmph. The voice in her head makes its disquiet known, and fades softly away.
Tess laughs as she lies on the ground, letting the smells of mortal cooking and the noises echo around her. Finally she gets herself up and asks at one of the food stalls, "Are there any local foods I should try? I want to try them all! Though... maybe not all at once!"
Then she notices the glint of a wayfinder around someone's neck, and waves them over. "Hey, I'm Tess. I think we may be working together? Want to share some of this roasted corn with me? I may have bought more than I can eat by myself!"
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BakBat is a goblin. He wears long wizard's robes that drag along the floor. He wears a peaked wizard's hat, complete with stars and moons, and wears a Demon Mask in the shape of a mouse face.
BakBat carries a large 'spellbook' that he refers to often. If you peer over his shoulder, you will notice that it doesn't contain spells, but drawings on each page -- mostly in crayon.
"Hello! I'm BakBat, the Mighty and Powerful Wizard. Were you also summoned by Venture-Captain Rahaksenwe?"
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Roasted corn? Why - thank you very much. I would be delighted.
This is from a tiefling woman. I'm Luna. Guardian of the Night.
She have walks, half dances towards the group. A small fruitbat sits on her shoulder.
Luna is a darkskinned female tiefling with two tiny horns and no sign of a tail. She looks to have been descended from succubi. She's dressed in provocutive dark robes and has a starknife as a visible weapon. What looks like a Holy Symbol of Desna is actually black.
And I should introduce my familiar - Flutterbat.
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A handsome, but serious looking half elf in full plate armor walks in. A holy symbol around his neck and he wears a cloak of red with gold trim. He also wears a tabard, emblazoned with the symbol of the Knights of Lastwall. He has a bastard sword in a scabbard and he carries a pole arm, a fauchard with him as well. He nods to those who are here. Greetings. I am Sir Kidron Quintus, knight of Last Wall of the Order of the Knights Reclaimant
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Interested stares from the townsfolk follow your arrival, soon attracting the attention of Mayor Deyahi (female halfling mayor).
"Welcome representatives of the Pathfinder Society to Niishan, please follow me. We have much to do."
The mayor leads the way to her home, stepping down onto the sunken floor of her earth lodge and gesturing for everyone to sit on the cushions scattered around the fire. “I’m so glad you’ve come,” the mayor says as she hands out flatbreads filled with meat, squash, and herbs. “Our Festival of Fire starts tonight when we celebrate the turning of the seasons and our town’s continued prosperity. When Niishan was founded, a group of four brave explorers were the first to spend the night in the area. They lit a fire and through the night battled or befriended all manner of spirits from the prairies until sunrise, allowing them to make peace with the spirits of the land and start building the town.”
“Each year, we honor their memories with a great fire, and honor the four people who have done the most for the town over the last year by giving them the Fire Watch. They protect the fire—and the town—from the prairie’s spirits, soothing those they can, and fighting off those they cannot. This year, the year the star gun Hatahasi came back to us, we have decided this honor, one of the greatest we can bestow, can only belong to the Pathfinder Society. We have also decided, in the spirit of understanding, that we will honor the Pathfinder Society’s traditions—though there were only four heroes on our first night, we know the Society traditionally sends four to six agents together, and so the town’s people agreed that all who came would be allowed to participate in the Fire Watch. Normally, those who will be in the Fire Watch also lead our festival preparations. Though you have only just arrived, I hope you will help with the final details. This will also let you get to know our town, and for our people to better know you. You may even see some of the spirits that have decided to join Niishan at previous Festivals of Fire. Please know that though these spirits may look monstrous to you, our relationship with them means a great deal to the people of Niishan.”
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As Mayor Deyahi is leading you to her house, a brown furred ratfolk in a dusty, mangy cloak starts rushing towards the group. As he catches up, you see a wayfinder on a chain around his neck. He carries a staff and wears leather armor under the cloak.
Panting slightly as he joins you, he introduces himself. “Hello, I’m Brekovi.”
He settles down next to Tess and accepts one of the flat bread sandwiches. He watches Tess take her first bite and smiles. “Still excited by new foods, glad that hasn’t changed Tess.”
He then focuses on the mayor as they begin their story.
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Tess happily shares the roasted corn with Luna, and holds out a small clay container of dipping sauce. "This is sooo good!"
At the introduction of Flutterbat, Tess lifts up her hair where a little spider is hiding. He skitters down Tess's tattooed arms that are covered in Pharasman iconography. "Hello, Flutterbat! This is my familiar, Humphrey."
She then hands all the roasted corn to Luna and runs to hug Brekovi. "Oh my gosh! It has been forever since we adventured together. How have you been?"
Tess listens to the Mayor's speech, and nods to show she has been listening.
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Soon a slim character moves towards the group of Pathfinders. He has yellow eyes and a bit greenish skin pointing to some orcish blood in him. He wears a traveler cloth but of fine quality and a nice looking drum under his shoulder.
"Am I late?" he takes off his topper hat and bows, smiling with a devilish grin
"Xun Saburo, Storyteller that will make you immortal, assuming that the mission will have enough spice." he says smiling to the mayor
"Do I smell corn? I am famished" he says
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The six of you quickly come to a consensus. Just as elsewhere in Golarion, one of the most common ways for spirits to manifest in Arcadia is as undead, as they're already untethered from their mortal form.
Locally, legends also tell of the wanikkawi, a spirit unique to the area. Parents warn their children to behave and not go out late at night, or a wanikkawi will get them!
Luna does add that in addition to undead, spirits of the Arcadian plains likely include fey, giants, and plant creatures.
"Once you've had your fill, there is still much to do and so little time to do it. Perhaps it is best for you to pick out two of these tasks to tackle as a group"
Mayor Deyahi puts a list on the table, four items remain:
Preparations:
Prepare the feast
Keep the children occupied
Build the bonfire
Craft the talismans
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"I love performers! Maybe I can join you?" Tess claps for the storyteller, Xun, but whispers to him, "It's probably for the best that you do not make me immortal. I don't want to get on Mom's bad side. She's a rather strict Pharasmin."
Xun smiles and nods "Going unnoticed by gods is usually a good way." says bard looking at the list, then he reaches to his pocket and pulls out a pouch and passes it to Tess
"Even I can see spirits reaching out to you, hold this, it may help."
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“Some of the spirits are hateful, the wanikkawi is said to be one of the most hateful, though I have never encountered it myself."
"Sensible choice. This celebration cannot happen without the bonfire at the center of it all. I told Mekobin to expect that Pathfinders might come looking for him. He's on the outskirts of town, kind of hard to miss. Once you are finished, return here and I'll see if my daughter needs a more mature hand to guide the rest of the children."
It doesn't take long for you to find Mekobin, a tall, muscular man wearing pale blue hide clothing with a blue bison embroidered on his breech cloth. He frowns as he looks up. “One of the last things we do is gather ceremonial fuel for the fire. The mayor says I should have you accompany me, so you can learn what the prairies provide. What we gather, we give back in the fire. They say the founders used these same materials to help call the spirits and soothe them during the first Fire Watch.”
"I'd like you to gather some of the fuel, particularly of interest is a plant called Thunderbrush. Bring back as much as you can find."
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Xun walks behind and the place reminds him of the jungles that he was raised in, he seems to be humming a tune, and hears distinct answers. He was a shaman for long enough to know when to follow ghosts and wherever he goes he finds good fuel for the bonfire. He keeps on humming, and soon begins to beat the rythm with his steps moving in a rythmic way.
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Mekobin explains that thunderbrush gets its name due to the fact that it pops loudly when burned. He does caution you that it bears a striking resemblance to rotweed, which exude3s a noxious smoke when burned.
Using this information, Luna finds adequate amounts of the brush, as does Brekovi working with Kidron.
BakBat, being overly cautious, fails to bring back much.
Xun and Tess know some subtle details of their growth pattern that allows them to find it more easily.
"Impressive," Mekobin beams. "You are practically Niishani. If you should decide to remain here for a while after the festival, I'd be honored to help you become more acquainted with our town and its customs."
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As you are preparing to return, you hear a thunderous crashing in the distance. A herd of bison come running through the brush, threatening to trample all of you!
Mekobin is mostly unhurt, and is puzzled why a herd of bison would have charged through the brush out here. It is not something they would ordinarily do.
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Xun keeps drumming with his fingers and soon he realizes that he matches the rythm of running bisons ...
He tries to dodge one than another but he gets out of it pretty hurt.
After it is over, he looks from where the animals came, wondering if there are spirits that wishes them harm, or something in flesh ...
"I think this is the first time it happened to me ..."
Xun hits his drum, playing soothing music.
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No species of creature comes to mind. It does not match a tengu's talons.
After taking some time to heal you return to the mayor's residence to help her daughter, Peyqua, to mind the other children.
A halfling girl who bears a strong resemblance to Mayor Deyahi and a group of other children gather on a side street as a few adults swing wide around them. They hold various play weapons as they stand around a pile of brush, which they appear ready to defend with their very lives. “My mother, the mayor, told me I have to keep the kids busy,” she declares.
“So we’re playing Fire Watch. You be bad spirits! You have to attack us, and we fight you off, like when the founders met a wanikkawi for the first time and drove it away!”
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Brekovi balances on a fence and wraps his cloak around himself, with the hood obscuring his face. In his best spooky voice, he says “I am wanikkawi. I have come to trick you into abandoning your duty!”
When one of the children threatens or otherwise stands up to him he takes a prat-fall off the back of the back of the fence, saying “Oh no! Run away!”
Trained