What mysteries await on Mediogalti Island?
It's a quiet afternoon in Detmer, the cleanest port city you've ever been in, as you sit in the common room of the Prophet's Purse, a fine inn offering Druman fare at the usually exorbitant prices. After the message you sent in Kerse, it seemed wise to plan your next move somewhere with a bit of breathing room.
A hooded figure approaches your table, but before you have an opportunity to put hands on your hidden blades, he uncovers his head, revealing a familiar face. The slender aiuvarin man with golden brown skin and long white hair who wears a red hooded cloak over leather armor. His dark red eyes glitter, but he approaches calmly and in a non-threatening manner.
You recognize Vatum, a high-ranking courier who serves the Vernai and is known as a favored contact of Blood Mistress Jakalyn. While assassins in the field are typically assigned new contracts by courier, you've not been approached by Vatum before. A personal visit from one of the Blood Mistress's favorites is a high honor.
"Greetings, friends. I've arranged with the innkeeper for use of one of his private dining rooms. Shall we sup together?"
Following the courier, you feel the brush of magic and see a faint shimmer of runes as you cross into a room at the back of the inn, and Vatum closes the door.
"I've taken the liberty of ensuring our privacy. My most sincere congratulations for completing the contract on Prophet Ganrill. Kerse is swarming with Blackjackets like a kicked ant's hill. His fellows will surely question whether there supposed road to "divinity" protects them from justice."
"Considering your accomplishments, a new target has been selected for a visit from He Who Walks: A powerful, notorious priest of Gorum: General Ordulf Bladecaller."
The courier quickly briefs you on information about the target, then opens the floor for questions.
• General Ordulf Bladecaller is an Ulfen man, born in a now destroyed fishing village along the shores of Glacier Lake in Irrisen.
• Ordulf escaped from the winter witches of Irrisen as a young man and fled west, eventually seeking shelter in the neighboring Lands of the Linnorm Kings; rumors that he personally wrestled one of the chicken-legged animated huts that guards the borders of Irrisen to the ground swiftly won him acclaim and respect in the eastern regions of the Linnorm Kingdoms.
• Ordulf earned the byname “Bladecaller” for his intimidating nature: he had a noteworthy tendency to win conflicts through insults alone even before drawing a blade—his words, many say, cut as deep as any sword or axe.
• Today, Ordulf’s standing in the church of Gorum is obscure. Some rumors say that he is one of the god’s favorites and been blessed so that he cannot be killed, while others insist that he’s turned to
other sinister powers to ensure his longevity and that his faith in Gorum is a sham. Of note, all those who confronted Ordulf on matters of his faith were swiftly slain by the warlord.
• Ordulf wields a frost greatsword and a wounding battleaxe capable of fighting on its own at his side in battle.
• Ordulf single-handedly slaughtered a clan of adlets who had taken residence in an ancient dwarven fortress in the foothills of the Stormspear Mountains. Now renamed Crownhold, this fortress is his seat of power. The closest settlement to Crownhold is a remote trading post called Glacier’s Rest.
• Recent rumors say that Ordulf is preparing his forces to wage war against Trollheim, the capital of the kingdom of Hagreach in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, rather than following local tradition and killing a linnorm to become a king. Many in Hagreach and kingdoms beyond see this as an affront to tradition, but Ordulf’s reputation is such that none dare oppose him—least of all King Freyr Darkwine, who arrogantly considers Ordulf to be a “mountain-squatting troll” and not worth
his time to even consider a threat.
"The call for Ordulf’s assassination reached our ears via many whispers," Vatum concludes. "While none in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings would dare claim responsibility for setting these events in motion, the assassination of General Ordulf Bladecaller, a man who would abuse his position of power to usurp the rightful traditions of rule, is now a matter for the you to resolve."
"You are to return to Ilizmagorti once the deed is done with his personal religious symbol in hand as an offering of respect to He Who Walks. As what questions you will; you should set out presently."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Dianora gives a smile.
"Sure do, that sounds like something we can handle. I think they call folks like that iron-tongued , if I remember correctly. Though that never made a ton of sense to me. If his tongue was iron, it'd be awfully hard to speak. And you probably couldn't taste anything, which would be a real shame. Nothing like a good piece of cooked heart to really whet the appetite," she rambles.
Ordulf's words may be deadly -- but Dianora's could be no less so. The only difference was his apparently tried to kill you, while hers made you just wish you were dead.
"Anyway, not sure why it made me think of that, but can you tell us anything about Glacier's Rest, or Hagreach? Anything we need to worry about there, or places we could get supplies if we need?"
Kimmich, a brooding shape standing at attention behind Dianora, gives no sign that he has taken in any of the briefing. His face is painted in a warmask, though instead of the traditional patterns of Belkzen tribes, his mask instead evokes the severe planes and harsh lines of an insect - a blood-red mantis, to be specific. His tusks, jutting from his lower jaw, have been filed into serrated points.
The kitsune known as Yuki the Red glances over at Sister Dianora and nods her agreement. Yuki’s white fur is tinged crimson red, where normally there would be grey markings. Her black silk kimono is discreetly patterned with a red insectile motif, reminiscent of a preying mantis.
Crystal, turns her small glass mirror back and forth, checking the makeup on her face and flicking back her long reddish brown hair before tucking it back into her crimson read cloak and nodding.
"Okay. Ordulf. Ordulf..." She says the name slow and holds it long on her tongue to commit it to memory. "Yes what more do we know of where he is staying and where he is located? What sort of job do we expect this to be? More open among his army or are we finding him in a tent or a social event? Or is that for us to learn when we get there..."
Without another beat she retrieves the mirror again to check her face, reapplying a new coat of red lip paste and pitch black shadowing around her eyes.
"Glacier’s Rest is located in northwestern Hagreach in the foothills of the Stormspear Mountains, just north of a long road that winds along the northern border of the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, connecting remote Stormspear Keep to the east on the Irrisen border with the settlement of Turvik on the well-traveled Path of Aganhei over a hundred miles to the west. When Ordulf isn't campainging, he can be found at his keep, which he styles 'Crownhold,' a few miles outside the town," Vatum helpfully informs you.
"You're expected to carry out the killing of General Ordulf Bladecaller in a way that leaves no question that his death took place upon the blades of the Red Mantis. However, as long as he’s killed in a way that none can mistake who slew him, the methods and timeline of his assassination are left entirely up to you," the courier continues. "This is not a matter to be resolved politically, or with the aid of anyone in a position of power within the Lands of the Linnorm Kings. This is the duty of the Red Mantis alone. I suggest you thoroughly infiltrate Glacier's Rest and Crownhold to familiarize yourself with the target's resources and choose the best point for the assassination."
As Vatum speaks, Kimmich reaches up to a bandolier and takes out a thin metal star, one of many strapped to the bandolier, which he idly rolls across his fingers as the courier speaks. When the instructions are finished, the orc nods deeply to the courier, and closes his eyes for a long moment; the star vanishes, reappearing on the bandolier next to its bretheren.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
"What does a rich man call a Calistrian prostitute?" Dianora asks, out of nowhere. "Easy! Assuming Achaechek answers my prayers in the morning, I can get us there -- or close -- in less than an hour."
Yuki pauses a moment to consider their destination and target…
Yuki is very familiar with Glacier's Rest! Perhaps she visited there long ago, or the information came to her in a vision.
The Locals
The majority of locals revere Gorum. Anyone who wears heavy armor or carries a greatsword gains a +1 circumstance bonus to checks to Coerce, Make an Impression, Request, and Gather Information. Conversely, anyone who is revealed to be an enemy of the faith or who publicly mocks the Gorum-worshipping lifestyle is swiftly seen as a coward, and they instead take a –4 circumstance penalty to all of the above checks.
Important Residents
Einn Snowspeaker (female rimesoul undine alchemist 5) shy alchemist, nature lover, and artisan
Gundar Icebreaker (male human innkeeper 4) observant, middle-aged host of the Frosty Stein
Jarlin Innveig Stonefist (female human wrestler 6) foulmouthed and short-tempered enforcer of “peace”
Notable Locations
Crownhold Warehouse: As merchants come into town, they deposit goods bound for Crownhold here under the care of Kranold Buergon (male dwarf prospector 5). Kranold lost his fortune searching for adamantine in the Stormspear Mountains and now acts as warehouse custodian until he saves enough for another expedition into the unforgiving north. He makes deliveries to Crownhold once a week, after the merchant caravans have gone.
Frosty Stein: The friendliest innkeeper in town, Gundar Icebreaker (male human innkeeper 4) caters to the merchants who arrive about once a week. He earned his surname after a demonstration where he punched through a solid block of ice, a demonstration he still performs on request. Prices for meals and lodging here are standard, as listed on page 294 of Player Core, although no extravagant suites or fine dining options are available.
Gunilla’s Goods: Locals use this small market for their everyday goods, while merchants give Gunilla Crowfriend (female human witch 5) a huge boost in business to resupply their caravans or purchase tools to fix their wagons. Common magic items (other than weapons or armor) of level 5 or lower can be purchased here.
"It sounds like posing as a merchant may be our best way in," Dianora says. "We should see if there's anything we can buy here that might be of interest. Maybe some spices? A bit of this, a bit of that. Variety could be the spice of death for Ordulf."
Yuki holds a hand to her mouth to cover a dainty laugh. “Shall we retire to somewhere more private to finalize our travel plans?”
Kimmich nods again. "I should should get a greatsword, too" Kimmich says, the first sounds he's made all briefing; he was rapt while Yuki relayed her information. His voice is quieter than his large frame might suggest.
Crystal pulls out a collection of small mirrors and a pair of empty vials sized for alchemical elixirs from a satchel hanging over her left side and pushes them briefly towards Sister Dianora
"Sister, if you think a good bet is to pose as merchants, I am actually a bit of an artisan. Glasswork, officially but I can also do elixirs and... other alchemicals. I have some guild licenses in a few cities... they're mostly not mine but the people they belonged to won't be needing them anymore anyway."
After a day of shopping and a night of rest, Sister Dianora's prayers to Achaekek send you hurtling across the face of Golarion. Druma fades away in a red mist, and you are in the Quah-lands of the Shoanti, grasses and broken rock stretching far into the distance. Another casting brings you to the opposite side of Varisia, into the domain of the Runelord Belimarius. You stand on the coast, with the ancient spires of Xin-Edasseril in the distance, as Dianora completes her final casting.
A cutting blast of frigid wind greets you at your final destination in the foothills of the Stormspear Mountains on the northern border of the Lands of the Linnorm Kings. Based on Yuki's knowledge of the area, you know you about a half-day's cold journey west from Glacier's Rest. Nearby, you spot a major east-west road, no doubt they highway that runs from Stormspear Keep on the Irrisen border to the town of Turvik at the terminus of the Path of Aganhai.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Dianora eyes the vials. "That could work, maybe. I worry they'll see right through them, though." A smile splits her face as she looks up to see if Crystal laughs at her joke.
Still chuckling, she shakes her head as she goes to make her final preparations for the voyage.
"Ah, it's good to be back home," she says as they arrive at the new location. "A real cold welcome. To Glacier's Rest then?"
Crystal smiles but takes back her wares and looks down at her mantis armor. "Right then, let's get moving, but I'd better look the part first."
With little more than a wave of her hands, the armor's illusory disguise shimmers over it showing little more than a worn set of leather armor over her work clothing. She tucks her sword into one sleeve, then slides the second slowly inside one of her mirrors.
Throwing her still crimson cloak over her shivering shoulders she nods and begins following Yuki along the trek to Glacier's Rest.
Kimmich has cleaned his mask off of his face for the teleporting day, revealing a face unlined by age but ritually marked by scars. His sabers from yesterday are nowhere to be seen, but a menacing greatsword is visible over his shoulder, and two daggers have been added to bookend the rows of shuriken on his bandolier. He keeps his eyes alert as he takes position at the back of the group.
Yuki as well has hidden away her saber and is hiding her kitsune form. “We should probably come up with our plan so we’re all telling the same story?”
"If Crystal is our merchant," Dianora says, her sabers concealed in their sheaths, "then Kimmich, you and I are guards. Unless you have some other role you want to play. Perhaps a scribe?"
"Yes of course. No merchant in any land across Golarion would travel without guards so long as they could afford them, so that shouldn't be an issue."
Your cover story established, you set out on the frosty journey.
An icy wind blows across the open tundra south of the town of Glacier’s Rest, which crouches atop an upthrust escarpment of stone that looms a hundred feet above the surrounding plains. To the north stand the formidable Stormspear Mountains, while a treacherous-looking trail consisting of three switchbacks ascends the ridge to the town from the trade road that winds into the distance to the east and west.
The town itself is bordered by further defenses—palisades of pine that block the frigid winds and deny townsfolk a view of the southern tundra, further accenting the dominance of the mountains to the north. Clusters of log cabins, alehouses, trading posts, and storehouses huddle together around a massive longhouse, ribbons of smoke reaching to the sky through holes on either end of the town’s largest building. A single track winds north from town into the mountains—the only indication that this remote settlement is not the last bastion against the frozen wilderness to the north.
"What a lovely town. If by lovely, you mean, 'can we go back to Mediogalti now?' " Dianora observes. "I guess we should head to the Frosty Stein, which I'm sure will be loads better than just sleeping out here on the ice. Then perhaps this Kranold Buergon can give us some clues to what we'll find once we finally get to leave this idyllic vacation spot."
Kimmich nods in agreement - vehemently at the unflattering analysis of the podunk town, and agreeably to the plan of checking out the inn. "Heh. Scribe," he chuckles to himself as his broadsword clanks with each step, still amused by Sister Dianora's joke from earlier in the morning.
“Maybe you’re a scribe and I’m a guard.” Yuki laughs. “But yeah I think I can make a believable assistant/scribe type person.” Yuki has also changed her clothes to something more suitable to the frigid climate. As they approach town she takes on a more demure persona. Deferring to the sister like a good assistant would.
Crystal shivers slightly. "Let's just... get out of this weather, it's chapping my lips and I intend to look my best upon our arrival." There's a slight grimace on her face as she pulls her cloak tighter around her body and pushes towards the inn.
You make your way to the Frozen Stein, a sturdy and well-kept inn. Your entry makes little stir, as the common room is already crowded with a crew of merchants.
The only one who makes particular note of your arrival is a burly, blond man wearing an apron. "Welcome! Grab a seat and I'll bring you an ale."
The innkeeper suits word to deed and brings you refreshments, "What brings you to town?"
Crystal flips her hair over her shoulder on one side and smiles as softly and charmingly as she can. "I'm a merchant coming up from Varisia and scoping out new trade routes up here in the Linnorm lands. A rival of mine seems to have taken over some of my previous buyers so I'm taking the excuse to do some travel and find myself some new markets. I'm hoping to stay a few days and hopefully make some contacts, would you happen to have room for us?"
"Well, of course. Eight silver a night for a private room, meals additional," the innkeeper offers. "You won't find a finer place to stay in Glacier's Rest. Gundar Icebreaker, at your service."
"Not much custom in town for foreign goods, but you may have some luck up at the Crownhold," he gestures vaguely to the north. "Competition though. Another big caravan just came in, and those folks will be bringing their goods up to the fortress for the next two days."
"Is there any other place to stay?" Dianora asks blithely, looking around.
"Perhaps we can travel with them?" she muses, falling into her guard role. "Anything we need to worry about on the path there that might be interested in her goods without spending gold?"
Kimmich nods thoughtfully at the mention of the other caravan, and grins in a predatory way at the intimation of banditry or other dangers. "Wouldn't mind scrapping with something on the walk to Crownhold," the orc says under his breath.
"Only the dungheap that goat-lover Vid calls a tavern," Gundar informs you. "If you've made it here, you've probably already dealt with the most charming neighbors: giants, trolls, the occasional wyvern."
"Someone should talk to these people and see what we can find out," Dianora suggests. "But I think this town is killing me. I'm going to see if I can find someplace more hospitable. Maybe the frozen wastes..."
With that, she slips away toward Crownhold, using her magic to make sure she approaches unseen.
Yuki excuses herself after finishing her drink (can’t let those go to waste). She moves about town, ostensibly gathering information for her mistress about trade opportunities. But, in reality gathering information on Ordulf himself. Using her knowledge of Society.
"Very well, I'll ask around some of these public stores and try to make some contacts around town. I can't stand being out in this crazy cold too long anyway so maybe I'll get some benefits out of a few conversations around a fireplace."
Kimmich stays at the bar, then asks around for the roughest, toughest place to wet one's whistle. He shoulders up to anywhere he can find large people of violent professions and listens, using his physical presence to deter any unwelcome attention and to scare out any intel about Ordulf.
Massive Arms: Tholl the Thrice-Burned (male human smith 5) runs the most successful smithy in town. He provides Crownhold with all of their basic weapons and armor, specializing in heavy armor and two-handed weapons. When he’s not forging another implement of war, he crafts iron sculptures from scrap metal. Common metal armor, metal shields, and weapons of up to level 5 can be purchased here.
Sensible Science: The local apothecary also doubles as an alchemist’s shop run by Einn Snowspeaker (female rimesoul undine alchemist 5). While the locals and visiting Ulfen alike are suspicious she might be a Jadwiga spy, they still go to her when they need healing supplies. Common alchemical elixirs and tools of level 5 or lower can be purchased here.
Hidden Compartments Crownhold was built by dwarves thousands of years ago during the height of their ancestral expansion to the surface world. The dwarves abandoned this outpost to consolidate their troops during the Five Kings War, and the outpost has been changing occupants ever since, usually through conquest. Over the years, those who have occupied the fortress have found some, but not all, of the hidden compartments the dwarves built into the structure. This knowledge allows the party to use a Leverage Point to assist with the Hide Bodies complication; when you use a Leverage Point in this way, describe a convenient feature of the immediate area (a small hidden nook, a narrow gap in a wall, a secret panel that opens into an empty compartment) that gives you an advantage.
One of the caravan guards relaxing in the common room tells you that Ordulf has become one of Gorum’s favored priests, and that he has been granted Gorum’s major boon.
Dianora continues to observe Crownhold, setting aside any frustration that she's spent half a day already without learning anything useful. Other than any guards might as well be blind.
Kimmich spends more time at the Hatchet and Barrel - the last piece of information was so intriguing (and honestly, combatively exciting) that he feels some more time around the bar is in order.
A blue-skinned giant with three eyes emerges from the central doors on the second floor holding a mug, tosses the coffee dregs over the wall, then goes back inside. You don't recognize the type of creature, but you could accurately describe it.
Yuki Round 2
Yuki, not wanting to overplay her hand switches to learning about the secrets of the hold itself. Making sure to compliment to Gorumites and Ordulf on their acquisition of such a defensible fortress. Hoping to get people to brag and share stories about this cool fact they know.
Not only does Gorum favor Ordulf, Crownhold is divinely protected and its guards are bolstered while non-believers are penalized. You understand that the entire structure and its inhabitants are protected by the effects of a 7th-rank consecrate ritual, and that the altar on which the effect is focused (and thus, the point they need to reach in order to have a chance to dispel this effect) is located in the general’s bedroom.
Crystal spends some time seeing if the alchemist here actually is a spy and has some juicy information about the town, playing up her own alchemical dabblings with the woman.
Einn Snowspeaker doesn't seem to be a spy, but she is a well-informed gossip. She tells you that there’s a secret vault in Crownhold somewhere in the basement, and that the vault reputedly stores a powerful magic rapier—a storm flash—that an assassin attempted to use on Ordulf a year ago. Rumor holds that while Ordulf defeated the assassin and kept her magic rapier as a trophy, he has a particular hatred of this weapon and has on numerous occasions nearly melted it down—yet each time, the pride at having defeated the assassin compelled him to relent and keep the weapon as a trophy.
Kimmich, feeling the urge to stalk and hunt, goes to Approach Crownhold
(+24 stealth)
You create two effective, single-use tools that grants 1 Leverage Point each for dealing with complications. At any point during a complication, you can spend an LP to describe a flashback scene of you preparing just the right tool for the job. In doing so, you must describe how the tool helps overcome the specific complication. These Leverage Points should be represented as special tokens or specific entries on your sheet, and when you (or another player) uses a tool to help in a complication and spends the Leverage Point this tool granted, the tool is consumed.
Out on the tundra, a pair of massive polar bear-like creatures with too many legs travel in wide arcs in front of the fortress. Two humanoid figures sit atop each bear’s back.
As Kimmich arrives, Dianora nearly pulls her twin sabers, before realizing at the last moment who's approaching. "Don't you know it can be bad for your health to sneak up on someone? You nearly gave me a heart attack, by which I mean I was going to stab my swords right into your heart!"
Once she settles down to keeping watch, she notes, "It seems pretty quiet. Only thing I've seen is a blue giant with too many eyes. Or should that be two many eyes? I guess that would only be if it were a cyclops. So maybe it's just one too many eyes. For three total."
Yuki Round 4
Yuki continues to look for ways to manufacture a distraction when I is most needed.
+23 Deception…. Perhaps a local celebrity Bard visits and “Beatlemania” takes hold of the staff. Or the food spoils and suddenly everyone gets sick at the same time…
-Groups of three soldiers patrol the fortress, each wearing furs under heavy plate armor and carrying greatswords.
-The balconies on the second and top floors each end with a large, round rampart on the east and west corners. Each platform holds a springald (Guns & Gears 76) with a crew of 2 soldiers.
-Occasionally, what looks like a giant white owl flies from the top of the keep. It circles around, swoops down on an elk or yak, then returns to the keep with its prey. You recognize it as a frost roc (a rare gargantuan beast.) You also earn 1 Leverage Point.