"Well I must say that it was more by accident than anything. For you see, in my younger years, I was a bit of a...shall we say, unfocused. I had been drinking my way steady for several days and I ended up in this harbor town. I don't even know which one it was now, that is how bad I was then. When I began to sober, against my will, I might..."
Nguyen was interrupted by a knock on the hidden door. "Who the devils could that be," he replied. Opening the door
Raelc was standing there with another person. The cook said "I'm sorry about this," in Common, "but the courier says it is important. He wishes to see your friend about a note from an important person." It takes a second for the tone to sink in, but then Nguyen realized it. Perhaps it is time already? he thought. The courier came forward and passed along a note to Nguyen, mistaking him for the true receiver of the message. He turned around and left before Nguyen could say anything. Nguyen nodded to the cook and shut the
DO NOT DISTURB:
door. Nguyen looks at you and says, "I believe it is a note from the Society. I shall read it to you." He then opens the missive and reads the following out loud:
Greetings, Young Adventurer:
I am writing this to invite you to have a conversation with some esteemed persons about an expedition into the wilds of the Worldwound, to be more specific could be harmful to those entrusted with this letter. The gentleman in questions wishes to speak to you and several others in one hour's time about this potential arrangement. To meet with him, please walk four blocks to the South of this establishment that you are presently in, and then wait to hear the following phrase: 'I though' I saw A puddy tat.' It may sound crude, but several of us this far North do speak with a bit of a broguish accent. Please respond with the following phrase: 'I did in fact see such a cat." You will then be led to a Respectable establishment and we will have our meeting in peace. Please be prompt as we do not have time to dally.
Nyugen sits back in contemplation for several moments before looking back to you. "Nothing that I can remember hearing from anyone will help me to remember more about it. Only that it is considered a priceless artifact that must me returned to the Emperor at all peril, assuming that it is in fact, still within the cursed city of Tsar. I can, of course, try to see if I can find more information, and have that passed along to you in your travels."
Looking at you intently, he says, almost in a whisper, "Can we count on you, Shadow Warrior, to complete this task for our Lodge?"
Macavity raises his active and interested hand. I would be ready to play sooner rather than later. As others have mentioned, any further investment in time for a game that I can not participate will be disappointing.
** spoiler omitted **
DO NOT DISTURB:
"In answer to your first question. It is an allegory. In real life, the liege sits around all day and will tell anyone who will listen how great he was when he was younger. The problem is that, he would rather do this, then enter into his old lands and take back what he believes is his by right, as any warrior should do. Am I right about this, Shadow Warrior?
"It is your second question that I brought you back here. Yes, you should eventually rejoin your peers as they sit around the campfire. But for you does our Lodge require a service. Somewhere inside the city itself, lies an ancient Tien artifact. Little is known about it, except that it was stolen from the Grand Council chambers of the Celestial Emperor's Palace of Tianjing, many centuries ago.
"Those of us who study that ancient culture know little of it, of whether it holds any powers or what they might be. What little is known for certain is that, first, it IS somewhere within that accursed city, and second, the clue to obtain its location is, 'I am the Celestial Lord Regent, who resides humbly within the House of Jade.' Only, we do not know of any such structure that was built within the city, based on our rather limited knowledge."
"To answer your first question, there is much information that the Society can use towards its long term goals. This is as much expedition as an archeology dig. That being said, there is a certain task our group would like you to perform, should you be chosen to go, which I will get to in a moment.
Second answer - You will be part of a group, unless I miss my guess, at least some of whom are already outside talking to the army officer. All of you (whomever is chosen that is) will travel via boat along the Sellen River to Gundrun. It is on the far side of the Worldwound from here. Gundrun is but a small town whose clanliege wishes to claim that it is part of the old Sarkosis empire from the last century. In reality, it is a few hundred people that are hanging on by threads to their existence. The clanliege prefers to spend his hours spinning takes rather than be the honorable warrior he might have once been.
About 50 miles to the northeast lies the place known as "The Camp." It was once a rear-line military base, used mostly for planning. It had some sort of strategic significance, but I am not sure what that was. It is still there and people live there now, but it is not a military site anymore. Should you go there, be very wise about who you speak to there. Yours won't be the first, nor the last group to try and plunder Orcus' wealth."
"Hmm, I see. Wait. Let me close this panel before we talk further."
Nguyen stands and walks to the door, peering out before...
** spoiler omitted **
DO NOT DISTURB:
Sitting back down, Nguyen continues.
"Tsar is a mystical place, but not one that would make one want to stay there. It is said that the Demon God Orcus still roams that place, looking for his lost temple. If he should ever find it, he will again loose demons upon the world. That being said, the devils that continue to pour out of the Worldwound might have something to say about that, but who argues with gods?
"There are actually three entrances into the city, although face in one general area." Nguyen pulls out a sheet of paper and begins drawing. Before long, what you see is what you guess is the marker for Tsar, with mountains directly (on top of?) behind it. In front of the city, facing east, are three gates, one appearing NE, another due E, and the last to the SE. In the bottom right corner, Nguyen draws another, smaller symbol and writes "Camp" next to it. He then draws an arrow to the SE and writes "Gundrun." His map scale indicates that this "Camp" is perhaps 20-25 miles SE of the gates.
Bao replies to Domson's question with a smile, a nod, and extending two fingers. He continues to follow the Tien through the kitchens like a panther in pigs clothing.
With a push of a hidden switch, a wall panel opens before you and a small room, with table and chairs inside. Stepping in, you see that the walls are mostly covered with various military maps, some with stick pins, most without, adorning the walls. Nguyen motions you to have a seat. Moments later, the cook (Dumbson?) enters with tray and items for a proper tea ceremony. After placing the cups, saucers, and other items on the table (almost exactly where they belong, you notice), the cook leaves, allowing privacy to return.
"Domson may be a foreign devil, but he is quick to learn our ways, not to mention that he is an excellent cook. But do not listen to his prattling about how he is a great wizard as well, he is anything but."
After completing his portion of the tea ceremony, Nguyen speaks again. "So please, tell me of what you know so far about Tsar and its environs, and I will do my humble best to fill in the gaps."
Bao nods to the Tien and gets up to follow him to the more private area of the tavern. He stays in character as a normal traveler occasionally slightly jostling a table or making a board creak with noise. With all of the active circus creatures in the tavern, he passes without notice.
His mentor had told him where the secret rooms were in the tavern. It wasn't so much of a secret, as just a more quiet place to hold conversations. Many a military patrol had been plotted out in these back rooms. Nguyen walked back though the kitchen, nodding to the cook and asking in Tien for some tea and a quiche. In broken tongue, the cook replies,
"No eggs now, you want stew?
"No Dumbson, just tea."
With a scowl, Domson quips to you, "You friend want tea also?
"Yes, we can move to a more private area of the tavern. There is much that I would like to pass on." Nguyen shifts to begin working his way to the back.
The Fortunate Foul? The Drunken Goose? The Happy Duck? Yes, that's it, a duck. That's what the Society contact said. Bao thought to himself. He had arrived yesterday and spent the day watching the normal village activity of Nerosyan. After the lobster-man and little girl with the machine-monster passed, he figured that it was time to arrive.
His average height, strawweight frame, and hunched gait attracted little attention. Shapes of a backpack, quiver and shortbow can easily be seen under his mud-splattered cloak with a hood that hid his bespectacled eyes in shadow. No one gave his two curved shortswords a second thought.
A casual observer saw a lost traveler needing a tavern after a long trek. Bao approached the Duck askew and apparently confusedly circled around the building starting with the back. When he slowly arrived at the front door behind the machine-monster, he had cataloged all of the doors and windows for potential improvised exits.
Bao pulled the front door open and entered. The dim interior light caressed him like a lover. He settled into a wooden chair against a wall at an unoccupied table. He didn't remove his hood or gloves as one would have expected from a weary traveler.
Nguyen walked slowly and cautiously towards the tavern. It was not that he was nervous about entering the bar. In the 250 moons that he lived in this military fortification, he had gotten used to warrior types walking the streets, many of whom did not take of what they wanted. It was an interesting sight, given his childhood memories. No, it was the fact that is place served alcohol, and he hated being put into situations of temptations. He succumbed once, and was not sober again for almost half a moon, such was his desire. But, needs must, as his mentor told him.
Looking around, Nguyen was not sure if he would be able to spot anyone here. He was told to find a tall man of wiry stature, and that it was important to find him this evening, before he should meet with his peers at the Society lodge. Much information needed to be passed. Nguyen looked around and saw a couple of people that could be his contact, but he wasn't sure...
He waited for his Society contact or table service that probably would not come. Wow a minotaur? Never seen one at a bar before. This ought to be entertaining. He wondered.
Classes/Levels
Warpriest of Angradd | HP 20/27 | Fervor 1/1 | Blessings 2/4
Stats:
AC 26/12t/21ff | Fort +5 Ref +2 Will +5 (+3 vs. spells, SLA, poison) | Init. +1 | Perception +2, 60-ft. Darkvision | CM +8/20
About Thondrir Baradorn
F A L L OF F A I R H A V E N T H O N D R I R B A R A D O R N WARPRIEST of ANGRADD
Tracking:
Spells 1st Level—bless, divine favor, magic weapon, protection from evil
Fervor: 1/1 Blessings: 2/4
Male dwarf Warpriest (Angradd) 3 LG Medium Humanoid (Dwarf)
Init +1; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +2
--------------------
DEFENSE
--------------------
AC 26, touch 12, flat-footed 21 (+9 Armor, +3 Shield, +1 Dex, +1 Dodge, +1 Natural, +1 Trait)
HP 27 (3d8 [18] + 6 [Con] + 3 [Favored Class])
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +5 (+3 vs. poison, spells, and spell-like abilities)
--------------------
OFFENSE
--------------------
Speed 20 ft.
Melee +8 masterwork cold iron dwarven waraxe (1d10+3; x3)
Ranged +3 heavy crossbow (1d10; 19-20/x2)
Space 5 ft., Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blessings, Fervor, Sacred Weapon
--------------------
SPECIAL ABILITIES
--------------------
Blessing (Ex): [Good and War] A warpriest’s deity influences his alignment, what magic he can perform, his values, and how others see him. Each warpriest can select two blessings from among those granted by his deity (each deity grants the blessings tied to its domains). A warpriest can select an alignment blessing (Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law) only if his alignment matches that domain. If a warpriest isn’t devoted to a particular deity, he still selects two blessings to represent his spiritual inclinations and abilities, subject to GM approval. The restriction on alignment domains still applies.
Each blessing grants a minor power at 1st level and a major power at 10th level. A warpriest can call upon the power of his blessings a number of times per day (in any combination) equal to 3 + 1/2 his warpriest level (to a maximum of 13 times per day at 20th level). Each time he calls upon a blessing, it counts against his daily limit. The DC for any of these blessings is equal to 10 + 1/2 the warpriest’s level + the warpriest’s Wisdom modifier.
Good: Holy Strike (Minor): At 1st level, as a standard action you can touch one melee weapon to bless it with the power of purity and goodness. For 1 minute, this weapon glows white and deals an extra 1d6 points of damage against evil creatures. This bonuys damage does not stack with the holy weapon special ability.
War: War Mind (Minor): At 1st level, as a standard action you can touch an ally to grant it a tactical advantage for 1 minute. Each round at the start of its turn, it can select one of the following bonuses: +10 feet to base land speed, +1 dodge bonus to AC, +1 insight bonus on attack rolls, or a +1 luck bonus on saving throws.
Fervor (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, the warpriest can draw upon the power of his faith to heal wounds or harm foes. He can also use this ability to quickly cast spells that aid in his struggles. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to half his warpriest level plus his Charisma modifier.
With one use of this ability, a good warpriest (or one who worships a good deity) can touch a creature to heal 1d6 points of damage plus an additional 1d6 points of damage per 3 warpriest levels above 2nd (to a maximum of 7d6 at 20th level). Using this ability is a standard action, unless the warpriest targets herself, in which case it’s a swift action. Alternatively, the warpriest can use this ability to harm an undead creature, dealing the same amount of damage he would otherwise heal with a melee touch attack. Using fervor in this way is a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Undead do not receive a saving throw against this damage.
As a swift action, a warpriest can expend one use of this ability to cast any one warpriest spell he has prepared. When cast in this way, the spell can only target the warpriest, even if it could normally affect other or multiple targets. Spells cast in this way ignore somatic components and do not provoke attacks of opportunity. The warpriest does not need to have a free hand to cast a spell in this way.
Sacred Weapon: [1d6] Weapons wielded by a warpriest are charged with the power of his faith. In addition to the favored weapon of his deity, the warpriest can designate a weapon as a sacred weapon by selecting that weapon with the Weapon Focus feat (if he has multiple Weapon Focus feats, this ability applies to all of them). Whenever the warpriest is wielding a sacred weapon, he treats his warpriest level as his base attack bonus for attacks made with that weapon, stacking with any base attack bonus from other classes or racial Hit Dice.
Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 10
Base Atk +2; CMB 5 (8); CMD 17 (20)
___________________
Drawback:
Overprotective - The abject feeling of hopelessness that gripped Thondrir upon discovering the remains of his fellow Pathfinders still hangs heavy on the dwarf's conscience. Such carnage he will not allow to be visited upon those he calls friend or peer ever again. Effect:If one of your allies should fall unconscious from hit point damage, you take a –2 penalty on attack rolls and skill checks as long as you are farther than 10 feet away from your fallen ally.
___________________
Traits:
Defender of the Society (Combat) - Your time spent fighting and studying the greatest warriors of the society has taught you new defensive skills while wearing armor. Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus to Armor Class when wearing medium or heavy armor.
Glory of Old (Regional) - In your veins flows the blood of dwarven heroes. Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus on saving throws against spells, spell-like abilities, and poison.
Divine Warrior (Religioin) - From an early age, you were trained by a militaristic order of Warpriests. You are devoted to the teachings of Angradd, and demonstrate your devotion regularly by regular show of force. Benefit: Whenever you cast a divine spell that affects any melee weapons, choose one of those weapons; it gains a +1 trait bonus on damage rolls for the duration of the spell.
___________________
Feats:
+2 Con, +2 Wis; -2 Cha
Defensive Training: +4 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the giant subtype.
Hardy: +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.
Darkvision: 60 ft.
Hatred: +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the orc and goblinoid subtypes.
Mountaineer: Mountain dwarves are skilled at climbing and navigating narrow ledges. Dwarves with this racial trait are immune to altitude sickness and do not lose their Dexterity bonus to AC when making Climb or Acrobatics checks to cross narrow or slippery surfaces. This racial trait replaces stability.
Rock Stepper: Ignore difficult terrain created by rubble, broken ground, or steep stairs when taking a 5-foot step. This racial trait replaces stonecunning.
Weapon Familiarity: Proficient with battleaxes, heavy picks, warhammers, and all dwarven weapons are treated as martial.
Background:
Thondrir Baradorn hails originally from Janderhoff, though he is but one of many who would profess readily that the confines of that Sky Citadel were never meant to hold the dwarf long. Even as a youngster, Thondrir would often sneak out to the surface to explore the nearest reaches of the Mindspin Mountains, much to the chagrin of his family. Hoping to instill some measure of discipline and solidarity in the fledgling dwarf, he was apprenticed to the clergymen of The Fatherforge, Janderhoff's temple of Torag. Unfortunately, the youth's forge burnt too fiercely to find any measure of home amongst the strategists and defenders of Torag's faithful. The priesthood of the Fatherforge saw in Thondrir the restlessness of a dwarf given to action, and before long the fledgling dwarf found himself given over to the care of clerics of Angradd, serving at a shrine located on the fringes of Janderhoff's surface dwellings.
After completing his training, both spiritual and martial, Thondrir elected to make his way in the surface world. And though he occasionally returns to Janderhoff to visit with his family, the wanderlust that is bred into his bones ever compels him to venture without. Such a calling is what compeled him to seek membership among the Pathfinder Society. He secured his own membership within their ranks at the fledgling lodge in Magnimar under the tutelage of Sheila Heidmarch. From there his career—as well as the career of the other companions in his detachment—flourished wildly. After many months and ruin delves, the quartet of Pathfinders to whom he belonged were given assignment in Korvosa. The city bore no particular love of Pathfinders, so they found themselves mostly working in subtlety, pursuing a hidden library deep within the underground vaults of the city. Their assignment was of the meticulous and studious nature, researching rumors and hunches involving something called The Doomsday Door; an assignment for which Thondrir's qualities were found wanting. Seeing in him the restlessness that felt nearly imprisoning to the dwarf, all agreed eventually that perhaps Thondrir should take an opportunity to visit home given their relative proximity to Janderhoff. Thondrir departed Korvosa in short order, eager for an excuse to be away from countless hours of poring over tomes and interrogating Korvosan scholars and information brokers.
Nearly two weeks after having departed for home, Thondrir returned. He found his companions not slaving away under boring pursuits upon his return. Instead, he was confronted with their defiled remains, swimming in an odor of festering decay and a bevy of feasting insects. Each of their bodies were missing their brains; nothing of any value nor any of their research notes were taken. After several moments of grieving and soul crushing anger, Thondrir mastered himself enough to gather up any sensitive material he could find for safekeeping before seeking out Korvosa's authorities in order to bring to justice who or whatever the culprit was. The results of the investigation were predictably disappointing: either too incompetent, lazy, or terrified to give the nature of the slayings their proper due, the investigation was attributed to one or more active intellect devourers. Thondrir pressed as far as he could for the authorities to offer further, actual aid, but he was rebuffed up to the point of threatened arrests for continued harrassment of their offices.
It was not until he encountered Devan Steed that justice would be found for his fallen friends. Thondrir's continued pleas, so persistent and obnoxious, inevitably made their way to Devan's ears. And in Devan, Thondrir finally found a means of vengeance and closure—perhaps more importantly, Thondrir found a likeminded friend with whom they scratched out new purpose and meaning in Varisia. After meeting up and venting their frustrations about the failures of Korvosa's city watch, Devan informed the dwarf of his own troubled past. More importantly, the human had discovered the location of the ghast that had slew his wife and child. Thondrir needed no coaxing from there—they struck out on their hunt immediately and brought the beast to justice with axe, eidolon, and flask.
After smiting the ghast that had claimed Devan Steed's family, the two then further cemented their friendship by scouring Korvosa for the creature that had slain the four Pathfinders that Thondrir had called friends. Their search led them finally to the true fiend behind the slayings: a dreadful creature known as a Neh-Thalggu—its disgusting posterior still pulsing with the brains of the dwarf's former companions. The confrontation with the creature nearly cost them their lives. Had the violent exchange not spilled out onto the open streets of Korvosa, the pair would have died for certain, for their foe far outclassed the two of them. Fortunate favored them in this instance, however, as their confrontation with the Neh-Thalggu happened within close proximity to the structure that housed the local Hellknight Order of the Nail. The emergence of several Hellknights under the command of Maralictor Malfestus onto the scene was instrumental in putting the horror from Beyond the Tapestry down.
Though harrowing and successful, their encounter demonstrated to the pair a need for more depth among their number. In order to tackle such horrors and terrors as they intended to, they would require more competent hunters and slayers to rally to their cause.
Thondrir's former (and now dead) Pathfinder chapter
Rangor; Male Human (Kellid) Barbarian; an obscenely fat and muscled brute of a man that served briefly on the frontlines in Mendev before finding easier work with the Pathfinders.
Julios Vectra; Male Half-Elf Sorcerer; A quick-witted man with eyes that could melt the heart of most women, Julios was wrongly imprisoned for treason in Brevoy, though managed to escape barely before being publicly executed.
Alwyf Chain-Bender; Female Ulfen Ranger; Once a slave of Cheliax, Alwyf freed herself and her fellow slaves, leading them in overthrowing their Chelaxian master before disappearing into the Varisian countryside.
Rylina Bellarose; Female Human (Galtan) Rogue; Once a hopeless pesh addict, she was taken in by Sheila Heidmarch and reformed into a consummate Pathfinder.
Thondrir is not terribly unique by dwarven standards. Like most of his kin, he is stoutly proportioned. His height ranges a little higher than most of his kind, though his bearing is otherwise unremarkable. His hair is the color of pure silver—a trait that most of his family in Janderhoff share. His eyes are a aquamarine, though the vibrance they were once famous for have lost a fair deal of luster since the loss of his Pathfinder companions. A rotund paunch speaks volumes of the man's overindulgence in fatty meats, thick brews, and stout spirits. It serves as little obstruction when the dwarf chooses to mete out Angradd's wrath upon his chosen enemies, however.
When on assignment, Thondrir is sheathed in an immaculately crafted suit of plate armor, the forge-fire of Angradd emblazoned with immaculate detail on both pauldrons and foremost upon his breastplate. The thick, silver strands of his mustache and beard are woven together in one immense braid hanging nearly to the dwarf's feet, tethered into large bronze clasp where it culminates.
__________________________________________________
Ht: 4'3"
Wt: 234 lbs.
Eyes: Aquamarine
Hair: Silver, slicked back and secured in a bundle at the nape of his neck; thick beard and mustache both restrained in one massive braid.
Skin: Pale and ruddy
Age: 85
Personality:
HAUNTED PAST: Though his ordeal did not break the man outright, his eyes tell plainly of the torment that yet resides within his heart. So many friends lost in so gruesome a manner was nearly more than he could bear to endure. While Thondrir has chosen to make the best of it and use his past trauma as fuel for a righteous fire wielded against the unspeakable terrors of the world, he will likely never truly recover from the ordeal.
GRUFF FACADE: Despite evidence to the contrary, Thondrir has a heart of gold. He tends to present the front of a grizzled veteran with on time for foolishness, though chinks in the armor often appear. Nowhere is this more pronounced than when in the presence of children—the dwarf seems to be a separate entity altogether then, doting and spoiling as if he were an endearing grandfather.
KIND-HEARTED: Thondrir means well, even when his words carry barbs. He thinks of himself as the "watchful uncle" of Steed's Samaritans—the wizened veteran whose presence keeps the up-and-coming members from getting themselves chewed to ribbons by the maw of some darkness-spawned horror. As such, he tends to go out of his way to take people under his wing, regardless of their willingness to comply.
VENGEFUL: The suffering of the downtrodden and the wake of tragedy gnaws at him—ignites an immutable fire within his very being. He knows too well what suffering such calamity inflicts upon those touched by it. His aim is to spare as many such pain as he can manage. And for those to whom such pain has already been visited? To visit terrible ruin upon whatever creature is the offending party.
