Having traversed the new portal in the Maze of the Open Road, the Pathfinders convene around the massive hearth fire in the center of the fledgling Port Valen lodge. Refreshments are set out, the scent of spiced cider and freshly baked bread mingling with the rich, smoky aroma from the hearth. Venture‑Captain Bjersig Torrsen approaches them with his dog Mahki, his scribe/interpreter Lirall, and Rahaksenwe.
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As the group gathers in the lodge, the door opens to reveal an elf with silver hair and calm, emerald green eyes. Erevan steps inside, carrying a satchel of fresh herbs and vials strapped to his belt.
He nods politely and speaks in a warm, measured tone:
"Greetings. I am Erevan, an alchemist from Kyonin. I’ve come to lend my skills in healing and crafting elixirs to aid our missions. If anyone needs an elixir, let me know—I’ll begin brewing shortly."
With practiced ease, Erevan begins sorting his herbs, quietly readying himself to support the group in the tasks ahead.
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"An elixir? You have any booze?" One woman lifts the tip of her hat as a young Nephilim looks at her sternly. "What? I've heard it helps ward off the cold."
If the woman's dull purple skin didn't tip you off to her demonic heritage, her silver horns, wiry tail and stubby bat wings make it clear. "I'm Swayaah Maeleranti. This is Fae, she follows me around. Also, my parents are in Tian Xia and told me to get out of the house." She shrugs.
She usually tips her wide brimmed hat as a greeting, but she is willing to shake hands. Her claws slow the shake down as she practices a safe grip.
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A small gnome wanders through the portal. They look around, as if somewhat surprised to find themselves here. Then a broad smile crosses their face. "Well, that is not something you do every day now is it?"
Their skin is pale, but their eyes (at least for the moment) sparkle with interest. A small silver flute appears in their hands and they play a jaunty tune.
"Nice doggie!" they say, approaching Mahki.
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"Oh, you want that elixir? There will be plenty of that but duty calls. I will prepare you a batch once this is over - and we all live." He has just finished combining the ingredients and is ready to infuse the concoction.
He is so busy with his concoctions that he waves a hand to everyone who enters.
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A large, thick necked man is sipping some cider. He's got tattoos covering his arms and on his hands. Some of them look crudely done, and in general he looks like the type you try to avoid. He looks at the others and casually, stretches out his neck with a small pop.
"Name's Jaxon. They usually call me when they need some muscle with little qualms."
The venture-captain nods to those who have introduced themselves. Mahki seems to be entertained with Slipp's music but not for long.
“Welcome to the far side of the map! I don’t know what I was expecting to find here, but it sure wasn’t the hospitality that the locals have shown us. I mean, just look at this new lodge! It’s like we never left home!" Venture-Captain Bjersig Torrsen’s oversized gestures convey his excitement.
“Speaking of leaving home, we’ve worked alongside Rahaksenwe and other Port Valen leaders to link this lodge to the Maze of the Open Road. They helped us set up the portal so that future Pathfinders won’t need to cross monster-infested waters to get here like we had to. That help wasn’t free, though.”
Rahaksenwe nods and explains, “The portal could not have been completed without the blessing of Viltydus, the fey guardian who guides travelers through the Forest of Trials. Viltydus has a keen eye for heroic potential, and their one condition for building and maintaining the portal is that Pathfinder agents must assist them regularly to foster greatness in this region. That’s why you’re here: to hold up your end of that bargain.”
“Viltydus is a crossroads guardian, a fey created to serve a primal purpose. Theirs is to help travelers who are called to Valenhall safely navigate the Forest of Trials. Around here, we deeply respect Viltydus’s work. They have been a mentor and protective spirit for generations of us.” she adds.
Torrsen jumps back in. “So, wash up, get what you need from the quartermaster, and follow the footpath just outside the town gate right to the stump at the edge of the forest. Viltydus will meet you there—somehow, they can always sense when Pathfinders are on the way! Any questions?”
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Fae's frown silences Swayaah's response. "Sigh, fine. When it's over. In the meantime, could you make an Eagle Eye Elixir?"
Erevan's face lights up with glee upon Swayaah's request and immediately sets aside a couple of flasks currently brewing. "Wow! I haven't made one of those in ages. It's a good thing you notified me at once or we could have waited another few hours. One Eagle Eye elixir coming right up!"
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"Sounds simple enough. Hopefully we don't get munched by a giant plant." Swayaah sighs.
"So this is King Sveinn Blood-Eagle's former feasting hall?" She runs a hand on the wooden walls. "Did they ever find Valenhall? Seems like this lodge in Port Valen is the closest they ever got to the legendary Warrior's Paradise."
She clutches a >Potion of Leaping< from the provision storage. "This should be good."
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"An ancient fey guardian of the road of heroes!" exclaims Slipp.
"Why this sounds much more interesting than some tasks the society has set before me." They look around. "At least we're not likely to be assailed by books on this one."
They are careful to pack a healing potion, smuggled through the maze from the Grand Lodge.
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A small green body detaches herself from nearby shadows and walks up to the Pathfinders, munching a pickle.
"Oh hullo. Yous must be the Paffinders I's was asked to meet." Seeing a familiar face, she walks up to Jaxon with a wide smile. "Looks like we's partners again. Pickle?"
Turning to the rest of the Pathfinders, she bows, "I's Lokaloka. Nice to meet you all!" She turns to each one and offers them a dripping green object. "Pickle?"
"And what would they have us do? What preparations do you suggest we make before heading off?"
Rahaksenwe replies, “Viltydus will provide details once you meet with them. They care deeply about legendary exploits, so your tasks won’t be chopping wood or other mundane work. I doubt you’d have made it this far if you didn’t have the skills to handle whatever Viltydus needs, though.”
"Did they ever find Valenhall? Seems like this lodge in Port Valen is the closest they ever got to the legendary Warrior's Paradise."
Bjersig answers, “Nobody alive has visited Valenhall and returned. Legends say that folks who haven’t received its call can’t find it at all. The Society hopes to earn the right to visit Valenhall someday, but it probably won’t be today. If you do, be sure to write home!”
"So we just do what Viltydus tells us to?"
Yes, basically," the venture-captain turns to answer Jaxon.
"To give you some background, The Pathfinder leadership determined that supporting Society activities in Arcadia would be much easier if a gate could be opened to connect the Port Valen lodge to the Maze of the Open Road. We know that the Maze is a magical, extradimensional hedge maze that connects various Pathfinder Society lodges, including the Open Road Lodge, the Grand Lodge in Absalom, and Woodsedge Lodge in Galt, among others. Rather than establish such a connection on their own, the Port Valen venture-captains consulted with Mayor Bloodfang and Rahaksenwe to determine the most responsible way to connect the Maze to their new lodge. Given the Maze’s connections to the First World, the local leaders suggested that the Pathfinders reach an agreement with Viltydus, a fey guardian with the primal purpose of guiding heroes as they brave the Forest of Trials on their journey to Valenhall. If the guardian determined the portal was a threat to their purpose, they might thwart the Society’s efforts, but if Viltydus were to grant their blessing, the portal could be opened safely.
"After an extensive search of the forest, the venture‑captains and our local allies established contact with Viltydus. To our surprise, the crossroads guardian immediately agreed and they sensed that allowing more Pathfinders like these to travel to the area would be a welcome benefit. Viltydus made one demand in exchange for allowing the portal to stay open: the Pathfinder Society must regularly send representatives to the Forest of Trials to prove their heroism."
"It seems that there are no more questions, and I will not hold you for long." he continues and presents to them a large wooden crate full of items.
"Get your Pathfinder Provision for this mission, and your group can go."
With all things prepared for their mission, they travel a short distance beyond Port Valen’s borders toward the forest. A massive stump eight feet in diameter sits at the edge of the wood, and all the surrounding plants and earth seem to direct their focus toward it.
A lithe Mahwek individual stands atop a giant stump, their average height magnified by an awesome presence of personality. Their fingers, lips, ears, eyebrows, and nostrils are richly adorned with dozens of rings, each one made of a different material and etched with varying pictograms and sigils. They speak with a voice like wind in the canopy. “The portal already beckons souls destined for greatness! Welcome, Pathfinders, to the Forest of Trials, a noteworthy juncture in your travels across this vast, beautiful world.”
Viltydus closes Lokaloka's gaping mouth and proceeds to their task. "I have four tasks for your group to get accomplished. Follow me for your first task." Viltydus turns their back to them, and Viltydus sends them back to the feasting hall. By the time they return, the lodge is packed with layfolk, eagerly distributing and enjoying ales and meads. The floor near the hearth fire has been cleared to provide an impromptu stage, with Viltydus standing at its center.
Viltydus’s eyes flash with genuine joy and playful mischief. “We consume food and drink for our bodies, we consume books and studies for our minds, but we consume tales and stories for our souls. Stories allow us to share our common love of life and remind us why we press on even when our bodies and minds beg us to turn back. Pathfinders gather stories from across the whole world, farther than the sight of a humble villager or even an Arcadian fey. Therefore, I task you to share your most exciting tales with us so that we may for a moment share in your greatest achievements!”
"Please, tell us stories that feature magic and mystery!"
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Lokaloka shyly steps up, pipes in hand. She recounts a tale of how she used magic to defeat Aslynn (or at least, her shade) in the Vaults of the Grand Lodge in Absalom using a magic exploding head. She alternately plays music on her pipes while she narrates. "Then, when time right, flying head move to Aslynn. I scream 'FLYING HEAD GO BOOM!!!'. Head explode and take Aslynn with it!"
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Fae sits in the crowd, eyes wide open, tracking every word, gesture and movement.
Swayaah sighs. "Oh boy, Fae's going to be up all night recalling this ."
"Aslynn's dealing with some barely understood, Occult stuff. Have you heard of the Blackros Museum? Seems like every week there's something in there that shouldn't. This one time, Pathfinders were sent to investigate and it turned out a creepy tentacle vine thing was brainwashing everyone. It grabbed me and I almost lost myself."
As Swayaah tells the story, she notices Fae has turned quite serious. Maybe Swayaah is jogging a few memories she shouldn't...
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As the Pathfinders feast on and share stories, Erevan quickly brews an elixir to help him gain confidence in his storytelling.
"And adding to that, let me tell you about the legend of the Mosquito Witch of the village of Shimmerford. A plague of mosquitos has wreaked havoc on the village and those who were sent to investigate them never returned. My allies and I were also sent to investigate and we were able to find out who were responsible for the problems that the villagers experienced. But we were still unable to find the very root of the problem."
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Ami is also a gnome female with blue hair and wearing leaf weave armour. She's also been staying in the background. She introduces herself as a water kineticist.
She also accepts a pickle but is a bit disappointed that Lokoloko didn't recognise her. Still, it had been a while since the Swordlord Challenge.
Lokaloka shyly takes the lead in telling the first story of flying heads and playing music to defeat an enemy hag. Swayaah supplements it with another story that involves a museum, about how she almost gets dragged to death by the creepy tentacle vine. The audience is in awe while they tell their stories.
Erevan continues the story, shifting to the legend of the Mosquito Witch. He tells a quiet convincing plot that up until now remains a mystery who really the Mosquito Witch is.
Slipp helps them by providing background music to heighten the audience's emotions, while Ami provides background props to accent the climax of the stories, and Jaxon cheers at the end to move the audience with him.
The audience is so enamored by their stories that they want more. "Please tell us more stories, please?" a young goblin from the crowd pleads to them.
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Erevan goes to Lokaloka and whispers something. "I'll tell the main story this time around. Could you help me out with one of your spells?"
Erevan clears his throat and recounts their adventures in Niishan during the Festival of Fire. "When it was time to guard the fire, we faced furious spirits. After facing them, we were beckoned to retreat from our mission. The impulse was so strong that we had to fight it. Then, a huge creature called the Wanikkawi appeared. It introduced itself as the mysterious explorer from years ago. We fought to the until we prevailed..."
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"You gotta be careful about this. Sometimes otherworldly forces don't want you to know what's going on."
"One time we had to help one of the Captains on a nature hike. More like a trance, honestly. He didn't talk, he wore a blindfold, he would only stop to eat or drink, even when demons attacked us he kept moving. Something was beckoning him, and all he knew was that he couldn't refuse it."
She scans and notices Fae simply nodding. Not her bubbly self, but rather following every word. Swayaah decides not to stick on it for too long.
Erevan takes charge as the next storyteller, telling them the story about guarding a fire during the Festival of Fire. He details the horrors that happened that night that certain Wanikawwi brought.
Slipp heightens the horror with her flute notes, which Lokaloka joins, causing the audience's hair to rise on their ends. Meanwhile, Jaxon creates the sound of banging and moaning that mimics spirits, but the audience is startled but not that scared. Swayaah, on the other hand, warns them and supplements a story about guiding a captain on trance while traversing the demon-infested area, which makes the audience huddle with one another.