The last remains of a sage from an age long past rests high atop the snow-covered tips of the Fog Peaks in Southern Galt and the Society wants his bones in order to study them and learn from them. They've sent you into a wintry wilderness of primordial beastmen and snow creatures not seen below the snow line to do just that. With the Aspis Consortium also seeking the bones, the race is on to beat them to the top and, once the bones are recovered, to make it back down alive.
Two weeks ago, 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. 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, bitter winds blister skin and numbness settles into exposed extremities. While Absalom isn’t known for its sunshine, at least its foggy shores are more favorable than the bone brittling cold of the Fog Peaks. Before you lies your destination, a mountain waystation run by exiles and recluses.
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A dwarf is part of the team.
”Hello. Jangzafaar is my name. I read the report that was provided to me! Just for your information: I do not like winter and the cold, as they make me feel uncomfortable.“
He scratches his red hair with a desperate look on his face.
”But what has been decided ... has been decided ... “
He looks at the group and smiles.
"Seeing you all is ... good! Have I heard about some of you before?"
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Jangafzaar is a Dwarf from a Kelish merchant family. He works as a merchant and can be a stoic negotiator with an empathic approach. He is very perceptive and understands people's motives which is very important to him as a cleric and merchant. Unfortunately, he radiates a deep sadness which also saddens people around him.
He typically wears light armor and during a battle tries to use magic to support his companions or let his summoned creatures attack. Jangafzaar's family has deep roots in the Exchange faction of the Pathfinder Society.
Thus, the Kargar brothers Almaas, Jangafzaar, Toral and Sadaf are all members of the Pathfinder Society.
Suddenly, you all see a giant mosquito flying towards Jang and sitting before his feet ... it makes a constant buzzing sound and its bizzare appearance is not comforting.
But after having landed it is absolutely quite again.
Jang starts petting the incredulously large insect.
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A massive 6' 10" Nagaji wearing mountain pattern armor with his hands protected by spiked gauntlets approached the group. An adamantine bec de corbin and a metal glaive were in easy reach on his back while on his hip a wad of ponchos could also be retrieved.
"Greetingsss, I am Khugron. I have been sent to assist." he said before turning his eyes at the rather large mosquito that was larger than even him. "You got saddle for it?" he said with a toothy smile.
The Pathfinders approach 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 the Pathfinders with a mixture of nervousness and naked fear. As the Pathfinders approach the cabin, they 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.
”So, you must be the Pathfinders. I’m Rysam, your contact here.” He looks over the group with a skeptical, critical eye. ”Can’t say I much like your chances in the high snows, but I owe Osprey from my time in the society. I’ll set you up as best I can.”
”From what he told me, you’re heading up to the peaks to retrieve bones from a cairn. You’ll want to take the trail the ancients call the Qi-Oamatok Pass, though most ‘round here call it The Dragon. I can fix you up with dogsleds, food and winter clothes for the trip. You should stay the night and leave at first light; it is a long trip up the mountain, and you’ll need all the daylight you can get if you don’t want to get caught camping out on the mountainside.”
Rysam hands over a map, showing the trail. ”I wouldn’t recommend that, by the way. The trail runs through lands sacred to primitive beastmen, and they won’t take kindly to finding anyone trespassing on their sacred grounds. Best be fast if you want to live to tell the tale.”
Rysam jerks his head towards the cabin. ”Come on, I’ll get you fixed up with a warm fire and what passes for food and bed in these parts.”. He begins walking back without waiting to see if the Pathfinders follow him.
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Jangafzaar takes whatever winter gear that he can get and his fingers absently brush the chitin of the giant mosquito at his side before inclining his head to Rysam.
“Your honesty does you credit, Rysam. I, too, have doubts about these high snows… but the Society has asked, and so we answer.”
He studies the map carefully.
“Sacred lands and fearful strangers speak of wounds not yet healed. We shall tread with respect and with speed.”
A faint smile touches his lips.
“Warm fire and counsel are gifts I will not refuse. Lead on and may Erastil’s wisdom guide our steps upon the Dragon.”
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Rani isn't liking the cold either, currently looking like a furball in her cold weather gear. What you can see is a grumbling female halfling with long blond hair and a SHS of Desna.
I might have some hot chocolate somewhere Carlin - if I haven't drunk it already. she grouses. I'm Rani Frost ... somehow appropriate here ... brrrrr ... Halfling rogue, professional escape artiste, and you want to get in and out of somewhere, I'm your girl. Who did I offend to wind up here?
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Did someone say warm fire? Please. Lead on.
Rysam leads the group into the cabin. Piles of furs lie on cots scattered around the room. A roaring fire blazes on the hearth, where a large cauldron of stew bubbles away. Several unsavory looking characters sit on the cots around the room, while a pock-faced Andoren man stirs the stew.
"Hey, Krysher, get these folks a bowl. They're staying the night." Rysam points at the Pathfinders. "I'm going to go check on the dogs and get the supplies together before it gets dark."
"Sure Rysam." the man begins to ladle out stew into several wooden bowls. "We've got mutton stew. Its got a few vegetables in it, and its hot."
"Well, the sleds are usually for teams of two people, pulled by six dogs. Usually one person drives and handles commands for the dogs, and the other rides."
Krysher doesn't seem interested in elaborating, but spoons out soup for everyone.
"I don't really drive the sleds much, but I think you just need to know how to command the dogs, really, and they do most of it."
I'm okay to entertain later if you guys are interested.
Krysher looks a little skeptical, but shrugs. "Probably, especially if you're good. We don't get a lot of entertainment out here."
Several of the residents of the outpost come inside as the sun sets, along with Rysam. None of them approach the Pathfinders of their own volition, and most eat their soup and rest.
Rysam and the other inhabitants of the cabin cheer and whistle as Rani puts on a show. "Now that's something we don't get to see every day! Wouldn'ta thought you could be that bouncy."
As the evening wears on, the fire dies down, and the cabin inhabitants and Pathfinders retire to their furs and sleep. The wind howls outside as the temperature drops well below freezing, and when the Pathfinders awake to the crisp and brilliant dawn. Outside, Rysam has three dogsleds ready, each pulled by 6 dogs. He has packed trail rations, and has one set of cold weather furs.
"Mornin'. Looks like clear skies, good day for travel. Hope you brought your cold weather gear, this set is the only one I got to spare. Make sure not to get the dogs killed if you can, got it?"
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And that flexible Rani quips after the show.
Next morning, Rani is wrapped up in her cold weather gear and will happily accept a charge from a wand of endure elements if one is being passed around, otherwise she'll use a potion of endure elements. She bought six of them once she found out where she was going.
As for the sled, she'd rather be a passenger.
Carlin, Laplace and Jangafzaar take their places as mushers on the sled, while Rani, Khugron and Klara take their places as passengers.
The Pathfinders set out on the trail, following the map. The first two thirds of the travel is straighforward. The ground is relatively flat, with few obstacles. The dogs set a good pace, and the miles pass by as the sleds slide over the icy snow.
Three and a half hours later, the sun is rising overhead when the Pathfinders reach The Dragon. The map lists the first area as The Tail, a two mile long section where rocks start to jut out from the snow, like spines on a dragon's tail. At a normal traveling speed, it is easy to direct the sleds around the rocks and continue gliding along the trail.
After half an hour of travel through the Tail, the trail starts to climb into a steep incline. This part of the trail is labeled The Haunches on the map, and begins to gain elevation. The dogs struggle more here to pull the sleds up the steep ramp, and have slower going. There are several turns near the bottom of this section that are easy to nagivate going up, but look like they could be difficult going down, with the possibility of a long fall down a steep slope if the turn fails.
The dogs push up the slopes, traveling a little under two miles in the next half hour. The air starts to thin as the sleds rise in elevation, leading to heavier breathing; the Pathfinders can look back over the icy foothills, and see the smoke rising from the waystation far in the distance.
The path levels slightly, as the Pathfinders enter the area of trail known as The Spine. Here there is a sloping field of boulders, and driving the dogs through this part requires getting the dogs to properly turn to avoid clipping the boulders.
After about 15 minutes carefully driving through the boulder fields, the Pathfinders reach the part of the map labeled The Heart. Here, a chasm splits the path, and a bridge of solid ice spans the 15 foot gap. A chain runs across the chasm 3 feet above the bridge, anchored to massive boulders on either end. Below, a fast moving stream flows at the bottom of the chasm, the movement of the water preventing it from freezing.
Laplace mushes the dogs hard, and drives them straight at the icy bridge at top speed! The dogs try to shy away at the last minute, but he is able to keep them under control and the sled slides across safely.
Rani scouts out the area while the other two sleds are unloaded and pushed across. The area does not seem to have any immediate dangers, and she sees no signs of life.
Once the sleds are hooked back up on the other side of the Heart, the dogs take off again. Half a mile later, the trail enters The Talons, where it splits into a narrow, icy high pass that overlooks a rough lower with many ups and downs.
The pathfinders drive the dogsleds along the lower path. It is slow going over the ice dunes, but the sleds steadily climb the mountain. After half an hour, everyone is starting to feel the effects of the thin air. Khugron and Magas are hit especially hard, and start to feel light-headed from the lack of oxygen.
Towards the end of the trail, the Pathfinders notice a trail of frozen blood that crosses the trail and heads off through a rocky slope of boulders next to the trail.
The pathfinders halt and park the dogsleds. Khugron follows the trail of blood. It is hard going off the path in the mountains, but the trail is not long. Slowed down by both the mountainous terrain and having to track, Khugron follows the trail for about 8 minutes before coming to three piles of fresh snow that poorly conceal bodies. Two of the piles hide the bodies of hideous beastmen, white furred simians native peaks known as Taer.
The last pile hold a human, perhaps of Chelish descent, killed by a gaping bite wound between his neck and shoulder. He has been stripped of equipment, but in one pocket is a small bronze coin indicating membership in the Aspis Consortium.