The two of you walk to the cartography shop that the old gnome Veznutt Parooh inhabits, but, unfortunately, you find his shop closed. However, Jallia, you know that he's likely visiting with his best friend, Ilsoari Gandethus, at the Turandarok Academy.
Choose your own adventure!
Go to the academy
Spoiler:
The two of you walk down Cliff Street, and merge onto Main Street, sidestepping cavorting entertainers and wandering partiers. Pausing momentarily in front of the town hall to let Sheriff Hemlock and a short Shoanti man pass by, you continue on your way, until you see the two story academy, which has a glass dome on the top.
You see Parooh, an aged, yet nimble, gnome, and the human Ilsoari, not as aged, and a tad bit more nimble, standing side by side as they speak with a massively aged Varisian woman, clad in colorful shawls and beads, who is assisted by a young Varisian wearing simple robes. The gnome and the human look concerned as the ancient woman speaks to them sternly.
Go to the temple
Spoiler:
Turning from his closed shop, the two of you walk back to the Temple Square. Passing by two town guards, who let you pass seeing the familiar face of the town's veternarian, you enter through the double doors, and gaze at the interior. Despite it's spartan decor, the temple is elegant, in a simplistic fashion. Directly in front of you, a large circle in the center of the temple has been left alone, and for good reason: seven standing stones, slightly scorched from the burning of the previous temple, stand amidst freshly lain grass and flowers. A stone table lies in the center of the arrangement.
Off to the north, you can see two women and one man talking. You easily recognise the Lady Mayor, and Jallia recognises the other woman, an elf, as her friend Hannah. Farevon, with a shock, recognizes the man, a stout half-elf in worn clothing, as his eldest brother, who had moved from the rest of their family and began working at a farm in the Hinterlands of Sandpoint. The mayor and the half elf are arguing, and the elf seems to be acting as a mediator.
The portly man, who was scribbling something frantically on a long sheet of parchment, accepts the Pathfinder's money. He takes a strip of parchment, initials at the end of the ticket, and hands it to Elegost.
As Elegost begins to walk away, the half-elven entertainer bounces in front of him. "Mr. Elegost... I've been thinking..." she begins coyly.
"Maybe we could talk a bit after the festival ends... over some dinner, perhaps?"
Sheriff Hemlock gives the young Shoanti a searching look, then sighs. "Follow me."
He leads Zakok around the main streets, where people are congregating. "Listen, I can't help you in that regard; I've never lived with the tribes. My parents had left the tribes before I was born, and we were raised right here in Sandpoint. I can't tell you how you should adapt, because I've never needed to."
He then turns to the plainswalker. "What I can tell you is this: if you can live your life in the town lawfully, then you should be just fine. Just obey the laws and respect the other men in this town. Now, enjoy yourself; at lunchtime, the meals are free, so help yourself." With that, he gives you a small salute, and walks off.
The "pixie" looks back towards the theatre and frowns. "Well... it's nothing to worry about; just two prima donnas bickering..." she trails off. "Though..." she shakes her head, sending glitter in the air, "It's nothing to worry about.*"
She then puts on her widest smile. "In any case, you can buy tickets from Joss over there," indicating the somewhat portly human off to the side, sitting at a makeshift table with a lockbox and a pile of parchments. "And I hope you have a wonderful day today!"
*Elegost DC 5 Sense Motive
Spoiler:
Yeah... you don't think it would take much prodding to get the story out of her.
The sheriff quickly disappears after the opening ceremony, so it is about an hour later before you spot him again. He seems to be in deep conversation with a woman, a lovely woman with dark hair, and a comfortable yet elegant (and risque!) dress behind a stone two story building, not far from the cathedral. The two seem to be deep in an arguement, and their increasingly hostile attitudes easily cause passerbyers to steer clear*.
As you approach, the arguement ends, and the woman stomps off in a huff. The sheriff watches her leave, and sighs. Then, he notices your approach, and turns to size you up. "Yes? May I help you, friend?"
* Zakok Listen Check DC 15
Spoiler:
You can hear the end of their conversation...
Woman: ...can't do it, then I'll take care of those... bastards myself!
Hemlock: Don't be so hasty; we need to gather more evidence against them...
Woman: More evidence?! Belor, my boys and girls, not to mention any one else those scum wronged in this town, need justice, even if I have to-
Hemlock: Kaye. Be reasonable; even though we know that the Sczarni are active here, we can't do anything lawfully until we have proof.
Kaye: Proof? What about those bleeding scars on that gypsy's face? How's that for proof?
Hemlock: That will only let us press charges against the boy, not the whole... Kaye!
As you turn from the girl that had sold you the meat pastry, you notice that she was about to say something to you. However, when you turned back to her, the teenage human had quickly averted her gaze and busied herself with the stall of pastries that she was manning.
Behind her, another teenager with the exact same appearance came with a tray full of piping hot rolls. She looked at her twin with with a curious glance, then sees you. Suddenly, she flashed a mischevious grin at her sister, and addressed you.
"Well, good day, sir! Enjoying your pastry, are we?" She set down the tray, removed her protective mitt, and offered her dainty hand to you. "My name is Arika, and this here tomato," indicating her protesting, blushing companion, "is my sister, Aneka. How are you enjoying the town and the Swallowtail Festival?"
As you wander the streets, you pass by a large building, with colorfully dressed people cavorting before it. Stopping to look, you see that it is an attractive yet tastfully designed theatre-house, designed with the intention of drawing eyes. Before it, actors dressed in flamboyant costumes shout for attention and perform amusing acrobatics, and on the steps is the proprieter, Cyrdak Drokkus. He seems to not be paying attention to his subordinates on the street, though, but instead talking to someone unseen through the open door of the theatre*.
Suddenly, a young half-elven lass dressed as some sort of pixie or fairy bounds into your view, sparkles around her eyes and a mischevious grin. "Welcome, Sir Traveler!" she proclaims, eyeing your stuffed backpack. "Would you be interested in coming to this weekend's production of The Harpy's Curse, starring the diva Allishanda? It is a most riveting tale of laughter and woe, and of violence and love! And it is only four silvers for a seat!"
*Elegost - Sense Motive DC 15
Spoiler:
Whatever Cyrdak is discussing with the person inside the theatre, it has the effect of making him somewhat angry.
The sun hasn't been illuminating Sandpoint for long, and already the town is bustling with activity and excitement.
Five years previous, a tremendous fire had taken the small town, killing many and destroying much of the settlement, including the church which venerated the six main deities of Varisia. Before that, terror had wracked the town when the infamous Cutter had gone on his murder spree. Now, with the building of the Sandpoint Cathedral, the town can leave behind Unpleasantness.
The streets bustle with activity of native and visitor alike, and the square in front of the cathedral is ringed by craftsmen, hawkers, and merchants, waiting to ply their trade with the excited folk. A group of children dart amongst the crowd, laughing as they nearly knock over a bread-laden girl, and ignore the shouts of her twin as they
scamper away. A burly Shoanti man stands away from the crowd, speaking to another man who, amazingly, is even more dour looking than he, and generally staying apart from the fun. Several ladies dressed in scandalous clothing approach out-of-towners, much to the discontent of their fellow native Sandpointers. In the alley mouths and the
crowd itself, shifty men and women flicker in and out, likely up to dastardly things. On the steps of the yet to be dedicated place of worship, four people speak easily with one another, or, rather, three do, and one just looks glum and concerned.
The bell of the cathedral suddenly rings out, and activity in the square slows as the masses approach the temple. The four already in front of the temple face the crowd, and one, a middle-aged woman with short, auburn hair, steps forward. She raises a hand for silence, and the throng of people before her slowly complies. Once she ascertains that the crowd is as silent as they are about to get, she begins to speak.
"Welcome! As many of you know, I am Kendra Deverin, and I am proud to serve as mayor of this fine town. It's wonderful to see so many of you here to join us on this proud day, and I'd like to extend my welcome to the many new faces I see in the crowd. I hope you all are enjoying your stay here in Sandpoint and, especially if it is your first visit here, I sincerely hope that you're having a wonderful time. To all of those old faces I see today, thank you for coming and thank you for everything that each of you has done to keep this town strong in recent years. I see that even Larz Rovanky has torn himself away from work to join us today! It is truly a miracle from Desna herself!" With this, laughter breaks out from the townsmen and visitors who know of Larz, and Larz, looking on from the back of the crowd beside the now softly chuckling Shoanti, manages to deepen his scowl even more. Kendra, grinning wickedly, waves to him in apology, and continues, "Without further ado, let me introduce your Sheriff, Belor Hemlock!"
A dour looking man, clearly of Shoanti descent, armored and armed, walks to the center of the stage, scanning the crowd seriously. He shakes the Mayor's hand and begins to speak in a deep, quiet voice.
"Thank you, Mayor. Even in the heat of celebration, let us not forget the sad events that brought us to this day. Also, let us not forget the souls that were lost five years ago. I would like you to all join me in a moment of silence to remember the lives that were lost in the fire that claimed our previous chapel on that fateful night." With that, the Sheriff lowers his head in remembrance, most of the crowd following suit awkwardly. After several long, uncomfortable moments, the guardsman lifts his head up again. "In remembering let us also not allow these events to repeat themselves. I am of the understanding that a bonfire is planned for tonight. I urge you all to observe caution during this event." For several moments, he seems to be lost for words. "... Enjoy yourselves. Let me introduce the next speaker; give your attention to Cyrdak Drokkus, proprietor of the local theatre."
He nods to the crowd and walks back to the mayor, passing the next speaker who is already on his way up to the front of the crowd. This man is quite a contrast to the Sheriff; he is brightly dressed, sports a well-groomed goatee, and seems to be thoroughly enjoying the day. As he reaches the center stage he loosens his collar a bit, winks into the crowd and begins his speech.
"Well, thank you, Sheriff, for that uplifting oratory! Now I know this town has been through some hard times, but look at what we've accomplished!" he exclaims, gesturing to the grandiose cathedral. "And I'm telling you, they spared no expense with this place. Father Zantus' chamber pot? Solid gold." He pauses for the laughter that sporadically erupted. "I kid you not, our generous nobles put a pretty copper into the construction of this joint. I even think the Churches chipped in a silver or two! I even heard a rumor that all of the Gods got together and scrounged up four gold pieces to help get this thing built! But don't take it from me, the good Father over here," he gestures toward the young priest behind him, who is laughing along with the crowd at the actor's antics, "is the one with the direct line, he's the one you want to hear from! But," he winks in conspiracy at the crowd, "before I let him get things going I'd like to take this opportunity to extend my personal invitation to each and every one of you to the new production of The Harpy's Curse starring, none other than, the world-famous Magnimarian diva, Allishanda, as Avisera the harpy queen!" He comically takes a step back in feigned surprise at the crowds' sudden eruption of applause and cheers. "It's all premiering tomorrow evening at the Sandpoint Theatre and it is going to be fab-u-lous! And now join me in a bit of applause for his holiness himself, Father Zantus!"
The crowd cheers as Cyrdak motions Zantus to the center stage. The young priest looks abashed at the reception set up for him. He wears the traditional ceremonial robes of a priest of Desna and a shiny silver holy symbol about his neck. He smiles and tries to calm the crowd down, eventually speaking when the applause has subsided.
"Ahem, thank you. Thank you, Cyrdak, for your enthusiastic report on the construction of the Cathedral. And, thank all of you for coming to join us on this most Holy day. Today is a day of new beginnings so, without boring you with long speeches, I declare the Swallowtail Festival officially underway!"
Elegost
Spoiler:
At your last visit to the Magnimaran Pathfinder lodge, you had recieved instructions from one of your mentors to travel to Sandpoint, a town approximately fourty-five miles east of Magnimar. Apparently, you were requested, by name, no less, to accompany a well known historian on his travels. You have no idea what this historian was researching, aside from the fact that it involved some ancient empire. You have been in Sandpoint for three days, and you've seen neither hide nor hair of this historian. However, you've managed to at least skip out on paying fees for your lodging, for the proprietess of the inn you're staying at, Ameiko Kaijutsu, was impressed enough by your tales that you dredged up using your knowledge of history, the arcane, and just plain bullplay, that she waived the costs.
Sorion
Spoiler:
You're pretty sure you're clear from your flight from your home, after you disobeyed their wishes by chasing after your childhood friend, Shalelu Andosana. That, and you don't think they'd be happy with the fact that you filched a good bit of currency from their till. In any case, you've been wandering south for the last few weeks, following rumors of the female ranger. Recently, you heard a tale that the elven bounty hunter visits a predominately human town by the name of Sandpoint somewhat frequently. With hope in your breast, you reach the town in the early hours before dawn, just in time to see people setting up for a festival.
Zakok
Spoiler:
Angry with the people of your village, you left in bitterness for better pastures. Along the way, you were hired on by a merchant headed to Sandpoint, who needed protection from the vicious goblin tribes in the area. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on your point of view), no madly singing monsters attacked his wagon, and you found yourself with a few pieces of gold. Wandering around town, you met another Shoanti man by the name of Garridan Viskalai. He invited you to dine with him the night you arrived, and spoke with you much about Shoanti customs and your tribe. Though a city man, he seemed to desire to live in the plains with your shared cousins, which was an ironic twist of the circumstances that led you here. That night, he let you stay in his inn, the White Deer, for no charge. In the morning, you awoke to the beginning of the festival.
Jallia
Spoiler:
For the past five years, you've struggled with maintaining your husband's alchemy business and your own veternarian services, but to no effect. Your once decent savings has now dwindled to a mere pittance, and you're finding yourself hard pressed to gather the funds to maintain your rent. Your friends and neighbors have noticed this, and have quietly and discreetly offered help and aid. Your collegue, Hannah Velerin, has even stated at one point that she may need a friend to assist her in her business, though you can see clearly that she is offering you charity. In any case, without your husband, you feel the need to return back to the lands of the gnomes and fae, and away from the bad memories of Sandpoint. However, you might as well stay for the festival...
Farevon
Spoiler:
For the last several years, you studied devoutly at the prestigious Windsong Abbey. Now confirmed as a holy cleric of the GOddess of Valor, Iomedae (much to the surprise of your parents and peers; Iomedae isn't that popular or widespread devotion in Varisia), you decided to follow in the path of your parents and become an adventurer. On the last day at the Abbey, you heard of the Swallowtail Festival at Sandpoint. You were at the Abbey at the time of the Great Fire, but your father and three of your older brothers had went to help the town deal with the aftermath. Perhaps this would be a good time to see the town and try to become reaquainted with some old friends... You manage to arrive in Sandpoint just minutes before the speeches gave before the massive crowd.
And so it begins. Roleplay, if you wish, and my next post will be at noontime of the festival.
First off, the list of potential players I have right now are Chimp, Talion, Keno, Dreamweaver, Kahoolin, and Valegrim. (Dreamweaver and Kahoolin, I got your names from Aubrey. If you don't want to be in, that's fine.) So far, Keno has said that he's interested.
Yes! Yes I would love to play, if you still have room. Thanks! And thanks to Aubrey. I only just saw this thread...
All right, you got spot seven. Gimme me a moment, and I'll write down our troop. For easy access, all the players' profiles are on my DM Sect alias.
