Dot-and-delete as you like--I'll get up an intro post later today, hopefully. We officially start tomorrow.
Each of the party find themselves in possession of a copy of a missive from Venture-Captain Amara Li. After receiving it, you each make your way by various means (most likely magical, given the vast distances involved) to the city of Hisuikarasu, the capital of the nation of Kwanlai in Tian Xia.
I received an urgent request from an old friend of our Society, the samurai Shiyo Takarak of the Way of the Kirin. To my surprise, she has been working with another, more recently acquired friend of the Society: an archon of Heaven named Zepha. The two, it seems, have been pursuing leads discovered by one of our Society’s previous expeditions into the Kimu Mountains. Clearly impressed with their previous interactions with our colleagues, the two have asked for skilled Pathfinders to lead an expedition into Tianjing to follow the trail of evidence further.
This is an excellent opportunity to strengthen our ties with both the Way of the Kirin and the archon. It also provides an opportunity to explore some of Tianjing and perhaps some of its ancient celestial-inspired architecture, arts, and philosophies. Zepha and Shiyo are in Kwanlai’s capital, Hisuikarasu, planning the expedition. Meet them there in the private room of the Gilded Lotus Teahouse.
With Regards,
Venture-Captain Amara Li
After arriving in Hisuikarasu, you make your way to the Gilded Lotus Teahouse, where you are escorted to a private room.
The Gilded Lotus Teahouse in Hisuikarasu is unusually busy. An eclectic band of tengu soldiers, possibly mercenaries, take up most of the seats in the common room. The archon Zepha and the tengu samurai Shiyo Takarak wait patiently in a private room at the back of the teahouse. The private room is much less rowdy, and its walls dampen the noise to a bearable level.
A second tengu stands by Shiyo’s side, dressed in a uniform that matches those of the soldiers in the common room. He proudly boasts, “They may be noisy, but they’re the best fighting force this far west of Xidao.”
With a quizzical look, Zepha retorts. “That does not tell one much, for if I were to step outside and turn left, I would be able to see the Gulf of Xidao quite clearly.”
Thankfully, Shiyo interjects before the tengu soldier manages to mouth off a reply. “Welcome, Pathfinders. Those returning, we welcome you as friends of the Way of the Kirin. For those whom we meet for the first time, you have our thanks for your trust in this endeavor. Before we delve into the particulars, introductions first. I am Shiyo Takarak, a samurai of the Way of the Kirin. To my right is Zepha, the righteous messenger from Heaven who has gathered us together.”
Zepha’s glowing eyes flash in acknowledgement. Shiyo then gestures towards the tengu soldier before continuing. “And this spirited and talented warrior is Captain Tai Dan. He and his soldiers, the Twenty-Four Masks, are to accompany you on your mission.” Tai Dan bows.
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A young man of Taldan descent wanders into the room. His holy symbol prominent on a thong around his neck, he smiles at the gathered agents.
Blessings of the Dawnflower on you all. I am Goran. It is nice being back in Tian Xia...love the culture here. he says as he orders a few things from the menu in the local language. A curious tattoo/scar peeks out from the low collar of his tunic, and sports a Sarenite cross in a wayang style ear piercing.
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The blue-skinned lady standing in the back bows to Lady Shiyo, Zepha, and Captain Tai Dan, then greets them in fluent Tien: ”承蒙厚接，感佩不已。得谒师由夫人暨泽法仙人，实为荣幸。妾乃罗森塔尔氏之义女，名苍唯。世或目妾为巫术之师，然所习不过末技，聊以自娱耳。”
The tengu samurai Shiyo Takarak replies to Hekk, "The Way of the Kirin is an ancient organization focused on rooting out corruption in society. We are allies of the Pathfinders--that is enough to know for now. We will have time for questions after the briefing."
With that, Zepha the archon takes over: "Recently, a group of Pathfinders uncovered evidence that suggests trouble on the border between Kwanlai and neighboring Tianjing. If we are lucky, it is nothing more than a group of misguided individuals leveraging the region’s history to their own benefit. It may, however, be more serious than that. Much like the Inner Sea region’s Worldwound, Tianjing was once the site of a rift, torn between realities, that allowed a horde of qlippoth a way onto the Material Plane. Only the combined efforts of an army of archons, azata, agathions, and angels pushed the invaders back. The celestials, however, could not properly seal the rift. Ever since, the celestials and their aasimar descendants have maintained a vigil against the ancient threat."
Zepha pauses momentarily, allowing those present to consider the possible implications in his message. “Pathfinders, your mission is thus two-fold. Travel with the Twenty-Four Masks into Tianjing to the North Winds Watch, the Tianji fort nearest to where your predecessors uncovered their evidence. Once there, attempt to determine the nature of the threat and deal with it, if possible. The Way of the Kirin has graciously covered the Twenty Four Masks’ fee. We have briefed them already and they are prepared to assist you in any way possible. Their blades should prove invaluable should you encounter the worst."
take over Tianjing. The empire even sought to supply the aasimar nation with food, art, and any other support they required. With their basic needs cared for, the Tianji turned their attentions to the arts, philosophy, and scholarship. By the time Lung Wa fell, Tianjing had become almost fully reliant on the empire. Unable to support and sustain itself, Tianjing sank into a state of anarchy, with its military unable to maintain both its vigil against the qlippoth and defend the nation’s borders. Only through the relatively recent actions of an individual hero, Sulunai, has Tianjing begun to recover.
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What had been a slowly-escalating whistling sound you'd thus far dismissed as a tea-kettle or possibly a bird starts to become to loud and shrill to bear; the whistle lowers to a fiery roar, and then...
Inches from the Teahouse, from the sound of it, you feel a surge of heat, and also strangely cold, from outside, immediately followed by a comparatively softer, yet even closer crash as...
"...YEEEEEEHAAA"
...Flying through the window of your private room and landing on the central table is what could generously be described as a glittery, gangly pile of darkness. After some unnerving twitches, the pile leaps upright, revealing itself to be a darker-than-dark little man. By this point many of you are likely to recognize a Wayang, but this one's features are a little extreme even by that race's standards: Black as fresh tar with pointy and generally inhuman features, framed by what is presently a very disheveled and very-slightly immolated mane of indigo hair and set with large, mirror-white eyes (of course, anyone with vision better-than-Human vision will recognize them as infrared in color).
He sports what appears to be a lacquered, rune-etched breastplate made of teak over dark, Tian-esque finery that you somehow cannot decide whether to interpret as morbid or jolly, especially in its current state, coated in both ash and ice. He has an attractive little sword and a rime-slicked bow at his side, a stunning silvery buckler reminiscent of a full moon with a sheen to match, and clutched in a sweatless death-grip, the most curious thing of all: A 'bouquet' of stylized black metal...well, you're not sure what to call them, but they're all tipped with incredibly detailed and stylized wrought images of various beings, mostly exotic animals and monsters.
After a moment's near-literal spinning in place as he gets his bearings (or something), he gives a veritable fusillade of Tian-style bows to all present before nimbly flashing his Open Road token.
"I believe I have made it to the right place?!" Upon spotting Aoi (after initially bowing his way right past her), his jaw drops. "So soon! Ah, I must be, very good to see you again, I see you made it back as well!"
"To the rest, I am Ṣ̄ilpin k̄hxng ngeā thī̀ xāṣ̄ạy xyū̀, but 'Xasay' will do!"
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"Mastery? Oh, I am but a journeyman," The little nightstalker demures. "But such journeys have I been on already!" He rallies with a grin so wide you wonder how he can make it without severing his crescent-moon-like head in half.
Well, wayang's do know their way around the shadows...
"Making my way back from Aucturn's Tear took a lot more than just a healthy pair of eyes, let me tell you!"
He turns back to Aoi. "I decided to stick around to do some more exploring, how could I not?! When I was finished and before it went too much further on its Journey, I hitched a ride on one of the 'Tears of the Tear', as the legendary sorcerer Samael Twein once did!"
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Khugron shrugged his shoulders at the comment from the creature that was half his size.
"Oh, you might need these." he said, pulling out a bundle of ponchos, one of which would fit the Wayang. "You may want to wear them if you are around me. I tend to paint the wallsss with my foesss" he said "And thisss isss my primary paintbrush." he said, pointing out the bec de corbin.
"May I ask what exactly did the precious Pathfinder team discovered?"
"An excellent question," Zepha the archon says. "Upon my request, your fellow Pathfinders visited Yiangma, a village along the border between Kwanlai and Tianjing. There they discovered that sinister forces corrupted many of the village, the neighboring woodlands, and a nearby Hei Fengan shrine. The Pathfinders did well to cleanse the village and shrine of this corruption. Yet after reviewing the collected evidence, witness accounts, and your colleagues’ reports, I now suspect that the qlippoth played some role in what occurred in and around Yiangma."
The crow-headed archon looks between the party and the tengu Shiyo Takarak. In turn, Shiyo speaks, "If there are no further questions, you will be leaving with the Twenty-Four Masks as soon as you are ready. Any questions for Tai Dan will wait for the road. Should any of you need mounts, those can be provided."
Zepha nods to Aoi and answers, “They are the original inhabitants of the Abyss, and their existence predates that of demonkind. As I understand, the qlippoth did not view the birth of demonic life favorably, and thus frequently clash with the demonic host. Their ancient war has spilled over into the Material Plane on several occasions, with their assault on ancient Tianjing as perhaps the largest and most prolonged of such incursions. As for how one battles such fiends..."
The archon shakes his crow-head and looks at you with his glowing golden eyes. “I do hope that you do not find yourself in such a situation.
But if you do, know that one qlippoth may vary drastically from another and that each needs to be handled in its own way. However, they do
share tolerance for the extreme cold of the deepest layers of the Abyss, as well as imperviousness to most effects that influence the mind."
Shiyo says, “You will be journeying to the North Winds Watch. This fort is one of many found within and along the edges of the Kaimuko Wood. These forts serve as observation posts, training grounds, and staging areas for the Tianji military. The North Winds Watch is just to the south of the Kimu Mountains, the range that marks the border between
our two lands. It is quite a distance, and we do not expect you to make the journey on foot. Instead, the Way of the Kirin shall provide the mounts and carriages required to get you and the Twenty-Four Masks there as swiftly as possible."
With that, Zepha rises and says, "Before you depart, allow me to pray for your success. The Twenty-Four Masks will be a great help, but when facing fiends of the Abyss, the aid of the celestial cannot be overlooked." He raises one hand over his head in an importuning gesture and prays, "Great Andoletta, Grandmother Crow, guide and guard these stalwart souls as they venture into the Kaimuko Wood. Protect them from the corrupting influences of the Abyss, and grant them success in their endeavors. So let it be."
With that, Tai Dan leads the party out into the common room and the tengu mercenaries begin preparations for the expedition to get underway. They provide mounts for the party to use, and soon, the expedition is on the road toward North Winds Watch. The hills roll on before the group as they ride, though the journey is relatively peaceful--at least for this leg of it. Tai Dan and his sergeants stay near the party, curious to learn more about what their charges are capable of and how they can best assist the party.
The Twenty-Four Masks, as their name suggests, comprises 24 tengu soldiers and a handful of support members. Tai Dan has subdivided the Twenty-Four Masks into three squads of eight. Tai Dan leads the first, while a sergeant leads each of the remaining two. No two of the tengu carry the same gear, with each soldier donning the armor and carrying the armaments most suited to their particular skills or squad roles. Even so, the idea of a uniform still exists. First, each tengu wears navy blue prominently, whether as clothing, dyed and prominently displayed feathers, or painted armor and shields. Second, each soldier carries an elaborate mask, with most representing powerful beasts, such as tigers, or supernatural beings, including dragons and oni. A few soldiers carry more than one, tying the extras around their waists or to their backpacks—Tai Dan is quick to explain that some of his soldiers choose to also carry the masks of their predecessors, trainers, mentors, or fallen friends.
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Aoi will share her wealth of spell knowledge with Toko, as the Society spellcaster utilizes many uncommon or niche spells to great effect.
She will also assures Naki that the Pathfinders are well-stocked with consumables, to the point where about 95% of the agents have their own healing wands and can afford to expend wand charges without batting an eye.
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Well, Hekk definitely has a point to make. Finesse is no substitute for a good old fashioned pounding and he makes a point to show them. But even if he loses he is gracious about it. He loves a good fight and insists that Toko matches him up with the best and that the opponent does not go easy on him.
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Khurgon looked around for a sturdy target that he could use to practice with the bec de corbin.
Measuring an area around him, he started to grow. The rage came to the nagaji as he was focused on brute force. With but a thought, the bec de corbin flicked into his hand while his arms grew longer, using the weapon to tear into the target.
He then started to do a series of punches and kicks in the area around him.
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Omar will sing a ballad during the ride.
” Crimson threads on a weathered map,
a silent pact in the mountain's lap.
Twenty-four masks, a whispered creed,
the Tengu's shadow, a forest's deed.
They move on stone where the wind is thin,
a hollow breath, a discipline.
A flash of blade, a sudden grace,
erasing tracks without a trace.“
Omar smiles
”It is an honor to travel with such a band of such renowned soldiers.“
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Xasay is familiar enough with the Qlippoth to know that seeking to know more would take courage, even for him!
On the trail, Xasay puts his mount's sturdy back to good use and begins playing what sounds a bit like a funeral-march on his trusty portable clavichord...
...some of that crazy shadow-magic must be involved, because It comes out a bit deeper than one would expect.
"We Pathfinders only ever travels in the group of seven at most (yes, 7 people table still legal in PFS1). I am curious about, why not have four teams of six, instead of three teams of eight?" Aoi chit-chats with captain Tai Dan.
Tai Dan is quick with a joke: "Hm, perhaps because you prefer that the odds be in your favor? Better for your enemies to be in a fight with 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 than you."
The Twenty-Four Masks' leaders seem duly impressed with the friendliness and competence of their charges. There is definitely a sense of relief that the Masks were not going to have to 'carry' the party.
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The party makes its way through the hillside and into the mountains over the next few days. Just after cresting the Kimu Mountains, the Kaimuko Wood immediately comes into view below: a majestic expanse of woodland that covers more than half of Tianjing. From the high vantage point, individual clearings can be seen through the Wood, marking the location of aasimar villages, lakes or dams, lumber yards, and even military observation posts.
The foot of the mountain range serves as a natural border between Kwanlai and Tianjing. Farther down the mountain pass, a large wooden arch stretches across the road. This red-painted arch is a torii, a stylized gateway said to guard the boundary between the mortal world and the spirit world. Though common in some regions of Tian Xia, particularly in Minkai, these arches have special significance in Tianjing as symbols of the Tianji people’s ancient responsibility.
When the PCs approach the gate, Tai Dan approaches them with a word of caution: “This torii reminds me that, for some of you, this is your first trip through Tian Xia. Foreigners often consider Tian Xia as a very spiritual land. I know, however, that’s just a polite way to say something’s haunted. Actually, this talk of spirits and qlippoth reminded me of another matter. We should have mentioned this earlier, but some governments expect spellcasters to formally register their powers so that the governments can call on them during an emergency. Or so that governments can control them. It depends on the government. In Tianjing, it seems to vary from fort to fort. It’s routine for us, as we need to register our presence as soon as possible, lest we get mistaken for an invading band of common bandits. For you though, I suppose the choice is your own. There may be benefit in hiding your spellcasting, there might not. Best make a decision before we reach the fort though. My soldiers won’t say a word either way."
At noon the day after cresting the Kimu Mountains, the expedition arrives before a squat fort with a lower half made of ancient stone and an upper level with additional wooden structures of more modern design.
"We have arrived," Tai Dan declares. "This is North Winds Watch. I will declare the Twenty-Four Masks' presence. Any who wish to register as spellcasters may do so here as well."
The tengu mercenary captain heads directly for the fort's gatehouse, prodding his horse to a fast trot. The rest of you follow shortly after. During the registration process, you notice something is amiss at the fort. The receiving soldiers take to their task poorly, displaying a noticeable sense of apathy.
When those spellcasters among you who chose to register as such ask about registering spellcasters, the soldiers sigh with exasperation before mumbling an excuse that they don’t have the requisite paperwork on hand. They half-heartedly offer to find you later to finalize the registration, should you choose to stay at the fort for a while. This sense of apathy and low morale pervades the entire fort.