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"Greetingsss, fellow Pathfindersss", a hissing voice comes from a newly arrived suit of nearly 7 foot full plate armor. The man removes his helmet to reveal the snake like face of a nagaji. "I am a warrior, not a performer, but I appreciate that sssometimesss education and ssspeechesss can make a big differencess."
"I usssed to be quite mercssenary in my businessss dealingsss, because I thought I had to. Banished from my homeland asss a child, forcssed to sssurvive in the wildernessss on my own, I sssold my ssservicesss asss a jungle guide. I learned how to fight, and grew to be big and ssstrong, and eventually became a warrior for hire." "It wasss honorable Venture-Captain Amara Li who recruited me to join the Sssocssiety. My firssst few missionsss were sssimple errandsss, and dealing with odditiesss, but nothing heroic." "Then, I returned to Tian Xia for the firssst time sssincsse Amara Li first sssent me to Absssalom, and helped defend the sssmall village of Nesssting Ssswallowsss from banditsss. It wasss a great feeling to know I defended thossse ordinary commonersss from a terrible fate! That wasss the type of heroism that had inssspired me to become a warrior as a child. That is the type of hero I alwaysss try to be." Details in the most detailed back story I've ever written for a PC
"I wasss glad to be of ssservicsse in helping to exsspossse one of thossse corrupt politiciansss, when I recssently visssited the nation of Andoran for the firssst time." "After being releasssed from ssserving Amara Li and the Lantern Lodge, I ssswore my sssword for the caussse of freedom and liberty for all, and I am glad that Andoran mossstly upholdsss those princssiplesss, but my loyalty isssn't to the nation itssself. I am happy to be able to focusss more on ssspreading freedom throughout Golarian than dealing with corrupt politiciansss. I prefer to work with my sssword than my tongue, anyway, though I sssuppossse I am pretty good at talking to people."
My Tengu think all you "downies" look alike anyway. One of these days your feathers are going to come in.Racist jerk. You're just jealous of my gorgeous coat. I don't go baldskin-form unless I have to.Isn't that kind of the kitsune racial thing? Makes a lot more sense being in human form when you are in the Inner Sea region than running around in fox-form where you'd be somewhat a freak.I don't know, I have played with at least 3 different Kitsune characters that never came out of their human form and revealed their true nature. I learned this either through high perception or just chatting with the player out of character. And thats just the ones I know about. "I too have a hard time telling mammalsss apart. Kitsssune are easssier to dissstinguish from other typesss of mammalsss becaussse their hair coversss their entire body. But I sssometimesss have trouble telling two kitsssune apart."
I'm sorry, but this is a step backwards in addressing the "Pathfinders are a menagerie of freaks" issue. I'm pretty sure that any civilian in Absalom would call the guards and grab their pitchfork if they saw even one of these races.That would be why I make sure they never see me, my dear. "Everyone ssseesss me. A nearly ssseven foot tall sssuit of full plate armor walking around town iszz hard to hide. But until I take off my helmet, nobody knowsss I'm a nagaji. I could be Gorum himssself for all they know." OOC: Had this character over a year with a boon, just hit level 5. I actually really like playing a nagaji. But given their racial bonuses to strength and charisma, I'm expecting a flood of nagaji paladins after GenCon.
"Rasmarr is excited about fellow Nagaji joining Pathfinders. It might mean his people are finally throwing off bonds of slavery. They should join Rasmarr in Liberty's Edge to show other Nagaji that one who serves a master, even one as great as the Naga, is still a slave." "Thisss hasss never been a problem for me. My tongue may be forked, but I don't ssspit."
"Rasmarr is excited about fellow Nagaji joining Pathfinders. It might mean his people are finally throwing off bonds of slavery. They should join Rasmarr in Liberty's Edge to show other Nagaji that one who serves a master, even one as great as the Naga, is still a slave." "I agree that liberty and freedom are noble causssesss, worthy of my sssword. Though I've jussst returned to Absssalom after my firssst visssit to Andoran sssincsse pledging my sssword to their caussse, and I wasss quite disssappointed to find corruption in their democratic government. But to be able to return home to Nagajor, to live a sssimple life ssserving the Naga, will alwaysss be my greatessst wish."
An almost 7 foot tall snake man (nagaji), completely covered by a suit of full plate, except for the helmet resting on the table and leaving his head exposed, perks up at the mention of non-mammals. "As Bree-Bran sssaysss, we are not all mammalsss here. And sssome of usss do not partake of alcohol. I do not underssstand the mammal preoccupation with sssuch thingsss." "Asss for ssso called 'might of Iomedae'" the snake man practically spits the goddess's name, and even those of you who have never met a nagaji can tell he's angry as he bangs his helmet on the table beside him and yells, "I DON'T WANT ANY OF IT!!!"
CAW.... this is a change in the Andoran faction? Its been what half of us have been doing for years... Indeed, friend Corvusss, I agree. When the Lantern Lodge completed itsss mission here in the Inner Sssea lassst year, and I had to choossse new loyaltiesss, I ssswore my sssword to Andoran'sss causss of freedom, not to the local politicsss of the nation itssself.
"I tell mammalsss apart by their hair color, hair length, and sssometimesss clothing. It would probably be easssy for two humansss with short, brown hair to fool me by trading armor with each other. I'm glad other hair colorsss are more common here in the Inner Sssea region than on my native Tian Xia."
"I sspent mossst of my life in Tian Xia. It is the Inner Ssea region that iss new to me. But I have visited or lived in many of the countriesss of Tian Xia. Where on the continent are you going?"
Gorjo shakes the hand of the Tien newcomer. "Yesss, I am originally from the nagaji homeland of Nagajor. While the Inner Ssea iss different from Tian Xia in ssome ways, there are many ssimilaritiesss. In both, I am in landsss dominated by you mammalsss. But I left Nagajor as a child, sso thisss iss not that new to me."
"Sso, thisss where Andoren Pathfindersss gather between missionsss," says a hissing voice from a nearly 7 foot tall suit of full plate mail armor as it clanks noisily into the room. The large warrior takes a seat and removes his helmet, revealing the reptilian face of a snake-like nagaji. "I have been dissmissed from sservice by noble Amara Li, ssince the Lantern Lodge sstopped operationsss here in the Inner Ssea. After disscussionsss with other Pathfindersss, I've descided to sswear my ssword to the causse of freedom by aiding thosse Pathfindersss from Andoran."
"It'sss not a matter of jusst not being undersstood. I have to overcome that whenever I travel with other Pathfindersss. But the organization as a whole sseemsss to have many unusual people, and iss very accepting of quirksss." "I wasss worried that the sstigma of being cursssed by devilsss might prevent Major Maldrissss and the resst of you from accsepting me. If indeed it iss devilsss who curssed me, which iss now unclear."
An almost 7 foot tall suit of full plate armor walks in, wearing a buckler on one arm, longsword and morningstar sheathed on its belt, and a longbow and quiver strapped to its back. The large warrior removes his helmet to reveal the reptilian, snake-like face of a nagaji. "Greetingsss, fellow Pathfindersss. I am Norowareta Nagagorjo, but mosst people call me Gorjo for short." "I originally came to the Inner Ssea and joined the Pathfindersss to earn money to ssurvive. While I have alwayss sstrived to carry mysself with honor, I did not have particular goalsss in mind, other than perssonal glory. But eventsss as a Pathfinder, ssuch as protecting a village of innocent farmersss from wild maraudersss, reminded me of why I dreamed of being a warrior when I wass a child. There is no greater calling than protecting thosse who cannot protect themsselvesss." [b]"Having been dissmisssed from the sservice of Amara Li, when she rescently closed the Lantern Lodge branch in the Inner Ssea, I have been ssearching for new purposse here in Abssalom. It wass recommended to me that my sstrength and ssword would be helpful in aiding thosse of Andoran in taking up armsss for the causse of freedom. Thisss sseemsss like a good and noble causse, and I would be glad to help." "However..." Gorjo's tall form seems to sag, and his face falls so visibly that even someone who has never met a nagaji before can tell he is upset, and reluctant to continue talking. After a visible pause, he lifts his head again and continues. "However, I do not know if Major Maldrisss and thosse who fight for thisss causse would want one ssuch as me. I am cursssed." "I can only sspeak the Infernal language of devilsss in battle. I had alwayss asssumed that devilsss had been toying with me, but rescent evidensce makesss me conssider otherwisse. I am sstill trying to ssort it all out." "But if you will take me, I will dedicate my ssword to the causse of freedom, helping all thosse who are oppresssed or ensslaved, wherever the Pathfinder Ssociety ssendsss me."
Interessting. Where did you pick up that way of sspeech? You did not sspeak that way before I introduced mysself. Do you mean my diary thread? The diary itsself wasss written, not sspoken, sso my ssnake-like lissp that mammalsss alwaysss mock our kind for wasss not readily apparent. But all of my earlier sspoken sstatementsss have alwaysss reflected my way of sspeaking.
What you mammalsss call food doessn't conscern me. I am conscerned with carrying mysself with honor, aiding othersss, and bringing my ssword only to jusst and noble caussesss. While Lin Xiu Ying'ss wordsss of loyalty to the Pathfinder Ssociety are honorable, I find mysself needing a reason for ssuch loyalty. When I joined the Ssociety, I was jusst looking to leave behind Tian Xia, and the village and nation that drove me out for being curssed, and make my way in the world. But sspending the last year as an adventurer working for the Ssociety and Lantern Lodge, I have had a chanssce to do real good in thisss world, ssuch as protecting innocent farmersss from disshonorable banditsss. Thisss is why I wanted to grow up to be a warrior when I wass a child! Sso to continue ssuch good work, I am looking at either the Ssilver Crussade or Andoran. Both sseem like noble caussess, but the Ssilver Crussade appearsss to ssspend more time aiding the needy by feeding orphansss than hunting down evil doerss. While thisss isss noble work, I am a warrior looking for a jusst causse worthy of my sssword, not a pack animal looking to carry food to the needy. Ssso I am leaning towardsss joining the Andoran causse of liberty and freedom for all, actively ssseeking to free sslavesss and kill the cowardsss who prey upon the weak.
I am sstill not sure what faction to join now that the Lantern Lodge hass left Abssalom. I thought about perhaps the Shadow Lodge or Grand Lodge, to sstay loyal only to my fellow Pathfindersss, but recent experiencesss have reminded me of why I wanted to be a warrior to begin with. Protecting othersss is an honorable profession, and if I have the sstrength to help, I should lend my ssword to a worthy cause. Noble Ssichelgaita, tell me more about the nation of Andoran. I have recently begun to sstudy the hisstory of the Inner Ssea region, and learned a little of your nation. The cause of sspreading freedom and ending sslavery seemsss very noble. I have alsso been conssidering looking into the Ssilver Crussade. They do sseem more focussed on helping othersss in more non-combat waysss, though, which isss not my area of expertissse.
I am still not sure what to think of my curse. I have just returned from another trip to Tian Xia in service of the honorable Amara Li, where I helped in her dealings with the Way of the Kirin. While I expected this new Inheritor's Smite spell from Iomedae to be useful, my sword wouldn't strike true, even with this supposed divine aid. If anything, I was fighting less effectively than I have in years. Out of character:
The dice gods were totally against me on Monday. The first time I used that spell, along with other buffs, I had a +17 to hit in a tier 3-4 adventure, which should be enough to slice open anything, but I rolled a natural 1. The next time I used the spell, I rolled a 2 and missed again. And it just went on and on like that all evening. In fact, my first roll of the evening was a diplomacy roll to help someone else with a faction mission, and I used my shirt reroll on that, because I rolled a 1 for that, too.
I don't think I've ever rolled so many 1s and 2s in a single session before. It was truly pathetic. I think I hit maybe 3 times in combat the entire session, out of at least 15 attacks, despite having high enough strength and all sorts of buffs that should have had me hitting 75% or more of the time. So I'm going to play it up in character, which will make it take longer for Gorjo to accept that Iomedae is his patron deity. I begin to suspect that maybe this isn't the spell I thought it was. Perhaps, it is a trick by the devils who cursed me to make me think that my curse was actually a blessing by the holy goddess Iomedae, when in fact, it really is an infernal curse, as I believed all along. The devils are toying with me, and I don't like it one bit. I will test this spell again on my next mission, but I don't hold out much hope for its usefulness at this point. Luckily, my noble Pathfinder companions were more successful in combat than I was. It was my first time working with a druid who can change into mighty beasts to attack with claws and fangs in battle, and he was very effective. I wasn't sure what to make of him at first, when he asked my aid in talking to a shop owner before we began our mission. But I try to always aid my fellow Pathfinders, so I assisted him in procuring a healing balm for his friend, Grandmaster Torch. He certainly returned the favor in the way he and his trained war pig companion attacked our enemies once combat began. It was also my first time working with a wayang in the Pathfinder Society. This one was very sneaky, as one would expect from their race, but he was helpful to our group, throwing many alchemical weapons to burn our enemies. He also speaks Infernal, so he was able to translate for me during combat, to help us coordinate our attacks better. But now, Amara Li is returning to Tian Xia permanently, and closing down the Absalom branch of the Lantern Lodge, so on top of everything else, I have to decide what faction to ally myself with in the future.
Now that I have aided the honorable Amara Li one lassst time, in thisss bussinessss with the Way of the Kirin, it isss time to return to Abssalom and continue my work for the Pathfinder Sssociety without her. Thisss isss a time of much change for me, while I have other thingsss to work out, apart from thisss. Everything I thought I knew may be wrong. I am not sure where to turn for guidancsse, or where to put my loyaltiesss.
I had heard of Iomedae before, of course. The paladin I'd worked with on my Society mission back to Tian Xia had been among her worshipers, and he was a good and honorable man. But I don't understand how a devil could grant me the power to cast a spell that only Iomedae's worshipers should be able to cast. So this is what got me thinking. I know I've never been the smartest nagaji. I'm big and strong, forceful in personality when I need to be, but I've only ever considered myself average in mental capacity. But it seems to me that if only Iomedae can grant this spell to mortals, and I can cast this spell, then does that mean she could be the source of my magical powers? And would that mean that she's the one who cursed me to speak this Infernal tongue, and got me kicked out of my village, never to see my family again? Why would a good and noble goddess destroy an innocent child's life like that? Was she really so good as everyone said? I went to Aram Zey for books on history to learn about her, and everything I've read confirms that she was a great and valiant paladin in life, and a major force for good since becoming a goddess. So why would she ruin my life this way? Why would she do this to me? Or am I interpreting this wrong? Is she not the source of my curse? But the more I think about it, the more it adds up. I've always tended to prefer swords over other weapons, settling on a longsword as my primary weapon as an adult warrior, and that's the favored weapon of Iomedae. As a child, I wanted to be a strong, noble warrior, a protector of the innocent, just like she was as a paladin in life, and like she inspires her followers to be today. Perhaps that's why she chose me. But why curse me this way? I still don't understand. Thinking back, the earliest magics I could use with my curse were those I couldn't deny were useful, even though I didn't initially want them. But I grudgingly accepted them, and eventually came to rely on them. More recently, I've been granted access to spells that are useful in an unselfish way, to aid my allies as much as myself - Stabilize, Bless, Guidance, and a more powerful cure spell. The types of spells you'd expect to be granted by a good and noble goddess. And now that I'm studying the magic to understand it for the first time, I can suddenly cast an incredibly useful spell just in time to realize that it must come from her. Is this her way of revealing to me that she's my ... patron? Is that the proper word? So I put this out there for the rest of you, my fellow Pathfinders. What do you think? Is there any way my use of that Inheritor's Smite spell could come from any other source? Could this be some sort of devil's trick to mislead me? Or is Iomedae truly the source of the magic I wield? What do you think of my interpretation of these events? And if this is the truth, if Iomedae is the one who cursed me... Should I be thankful that it wasn't devils all along, or curse her name for ruining my life?
I know it may seem paranoid, but ever since my childhood in the jungles of Valashmai, when I first discovered I could cast magical spells, I would always cast the spells known as "Detect Poison" and "Purify Food and Drink" on every meal before I ate. It's actually been years since I've found any poison in my food, since I left the jungles, actually. But my years of exile made me untrusting, so I continued the ritual of it, and felt safe in the security of that meal time routine. But just this past Moonday morning, as I sat down to eat breakfast, I found that I could no longer cast the spell to detect poison! It was as if that magical ability was gone, the spell no longer known to me. I was still able to cast the spell to purify the food and drink like normal, and given my recent reading on the subject, I realized that would eliminate any poisons, even if I didn't know they were there. But it did seem odd to me to suddenly lose the ability to cast one of those spells I'd been using for years. I spent much of that day studying my magic, determining if I still had the ability to cast my other spells, and I discovered that I now have several new spells that I hadn't been able to cast before. A new spell that creates a cloud of fog seems useful for providing cover from arrows in battle. But I also can now cast a spell of guidance, and a spell to stabilize a fallen ally in battle, to prevent them from bleeding to death. Like the Bless spell that surprised me, these also seem surprisingly selfless for magic granted by devils. But then came the real shock, which sent me back to the books looking for answers, and led me to write this diary to try and understand it all. One of the new spells is much faster to cast than others, and guides my sword to strike more accurately in battle, allowing me to push back enemies when I hit them. I wanted to know the name of this incredibly useful power, and I discovered it in a book of spellcraft that Aram Zey had recommended. It's called "Inheritor's Smite". Apparently, this spell is the invention of a good and holy goddess named Iomedae, and only her divine worshipers can cast it!
Upon returning to Absalom, honorable Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng sent me on a short mission to Taldor, after which I was sent to Varisia to aid the honorable Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch. I must admit I have met many mammals working for the Pathfinder Society, and I sometimes have trouble telling them apart. I have also spent much of my time just traveling on ships between missions. I always spend my rest time between missions and aboard ships training with my sword and bow, working to become a greater warrior. And once again during this time, I discovered that without my wishing it, my skill with magic had grown, as well. But this time, instead of spells to protect me from poisons, supply pure water, or aid just myself in combat, I discovered that I now had a spell to aid all of my allies in battle. I was immediately confused by this. I understood that the devils who cursed me might have wanted to help me stay alive in the past, so they could later exploit me for whatever purpose they had in mind when they chose me for this infernal curse. But I have been doing good work, protecting innocent farmers, and recovering lost relics for a Society that would protect them from falling into evil hands. Why would those accursed devils want me to aid my allies and be more likely to succeed in my missions? At the risk of getting ahead of myself once again, I believe I may have an answer now. But I'm still trying to make sense of it all. After spending some time assisting Mrs. Heidmarch in Varisia, I returned once again to Absalom. This time, I spent my training time between missions not only working with weaponry and lifting weights to improve my strength, but also with my nose in books, to increase my knowledge. People call me an "oracle", though I never wanted to be more than a simple warrior. But I finally realized that if I was going to have access to this magical power, and apparently more power emerging over time, I should probably try to understand it. The Society's honorable Master of Spells, Aram Zey, was most helpful in assisting my study. He rightly pointed out that I should be ashamed of my ignorance of the magical abilities I wield, and recommended books that would help me to understand my curse, spells, and to know more about oracles in general. I was somewhat frustrated reading these books at first, since they are written in the Taldan language that is the Common of the Inner Sea. But I saw it as a challenge to overcome, good practice with this language so I can better communicate with my fellow Pathfinders, and I eventually learned quite a bit from his books. I learned that oracles generally can cast many of the same spells as those clerics who pray to their deities for power. Since these powers come from divine sources, this makes sense, and I naturally assumed from my Infernal curse that the divine source of my magical power must be Asmodeus or some other devil. I resolved myself to continue being good and honorable in the use of my magic and sword, just to spite the devil who'd cursed me and ruined my life. I also learned the names and more detail on the spells that I had been casting for some time now, to better understand how each works and why some of them have become more effective as I've grown more experienced at using them. It was during this time, just a few days ago, in fact, that the magical spells I'd finally gotten used to and come to accept... changed.
What came next was a series of surprises, some pleasant, and others that were not. After a relatively short time in Absalom, I was sent back to Goka in Tian Xia. Amara Li needed a group of Pathfinders to recover the legendary Braid of a Thousand Masters, and find a way to activate it. Obviously, I accepted this mission. Much to my surprise, there was a young witch among the Pathfinder agents I was working with who could speak the Infernal language of devils, so she was able to translate for me, allowing me to speak to my allies in combat for the first time in my life. While communication was still an issue, this greatly helped ease that burden, and helped me feel a camraderie with my brothers and sisters in arms that I had not experienced before. During my time in northern Tian Xia, my group not only succeeded in our mission for the Society, but also helped defend an innocent village from ruthless bandits. Even though the villagers we protected were humans, not nagaji, it felt good to protect the innocent and fight for what's right and just. Fighting alongside a paladin of Iomedae, working with an honorable witch, rogue, and sorcerer, as well, all to defend an everyday farming village from despicable thugs - This is why I wanted to be a warrior as a young boy! The day of that final battle against those bandits, I went an entire day without hating my life and the curse that had ruined it for the first time in over a decade. For that one day, I remembered the spirit of adventure and justice that had inspired me as a child. If I was born just to do good on that one day, to save those farmers' lives, and stop that evil from overtaking that land, then perhaps my curse has served a noble purpose, after all. Writing that last sentence is the first time I've ever thought of it that way. Perhaps... That may actually be the answer to all my questions. But I will get back to that later.
Continuing my diary: As I said, during my time working as a guide in the jungles, I worked for some very dishonorable people. As a child, I'd wanted to be a noble warrior, defender of the innocent. But growing up, I just did what I could to survive. I did not rely on my employers or aid them beyond what they paid me for. I was in it only for the money, and whatever skills they could teach me, because I knew that's what I needed to survive. When I arrived in Absalom, I hoped all Pathfinders would be good and noble, like the honorable Amara Li. But I quickly learned during my training that while there are many good people in the Society, there are almost as many who are merely seekers of treasure and glory for selfish reasons. I was beginning to believe that this was all there was to the world, and my boyhood aspirations were simply childish naivete. Not being used to trusting others, my first Pathfinder missions were something of a change of pace. My first missions were small tasks in Absalom, running errands for Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin and helping resolve a problem at the Blackros Museum. I knew I had to prove myself and increase my skill as a warrior before I would be entrusted with more difficult tasks. But even with such a simple task as containing wild monkeys running loose in the museum, I learned that Pathfinder agents in the field must learn to work together and rely on each other for survival. Among my other magics, I learned that I had the power to cure the lighter wounds of myself and my allies, and use a wand with such healing magic, and I offered that service to help keep my allies alive. I also knew that I could not hide my shameful curse from those I would be fighting with side by side in battle. As much as it pains me to do so, I always reveal to my traveling companions that I will be unable to communicate with them in battle. I cannot hide this from them, for the sake of our mutual safety.
For the next few years, I hired myself out as a guide to any who would pay, always agreeing to lower my price for those would throw in training with weapons and armor as part of my payment. I was quite mercenary in my dealings, and I quickly realized that many of those who hired me had no honor. While some of them were truly despicable men, I kept my bargains with them, knowing I needed the money, and also wanting to maintain my honor even among those who had none. I not only survived this difficult time in my life, but grew stronger for it. I eventually grew to my adult height of 6’10”, much taller than any human I met, and more muscular than all but the strongest. I also discovered more powers tied to my curse, such as the ability to cast spells that made my blows more accurate in battle and protected me from evil. Sick of serving ignoble savages traipsing through the jungles, I resolved to travel north away from Valashmai and Nagajor, to the major cities of Tian Xia, where I could find more noble work as a true warrior. Along the way, I heard stories of noble warriors from the west called Pathfinders, who had recently won the famed Ruby Phoenix Tournament. I decided to learn more about these noble Pathfinders, and possible even return with them to the Inner Sea, the farther from my homeland of Nagajor, the better. Upon reaching the largest Tien city, Goka, I sought out the honorable Venture-Captain Amara Li, who welcomed me into the Lantern Lodge and arranged passage for me on a ship bound for Absalom. I learned the common language of the Inner Sea during that long sea voyage, and upon arrival at the Grand Lodge in Absalom, I underwent additional training to become a Pathfinder field agent. During that time, I was mentored in my martial training by one of the Pathfinders involved in winning the Ruby Phoenix Tournament in Goka, a very strong barbarian who goes by the nickname “Mash”. While he is not the smartest Pathfinder in the Society, he is truly a force of nature in battle, and loyal to his allies above all else. I can understand why he was recently promoted to the rank of Venture-Captain. I learned much about combat under his tutelage, while trying to ignore my curse and the magic that came with it. To be continued...
I was speaking the Infernal language of devils, despite never having been instructed in it. The matriarch recognized and understood my words from having intentionally studied the language herself. But my ability to speak it, and suddenly lose the ability to understand my own native tongue while under stress, had only one possible explanation. I was cursed by devils! To protect the village, I was banished. To protect my family, I was stripped of my family name, so the devils couldn't find them through me. From that day forward, my family name became Norowareta, and I have been called Norowareta Nagagorjo, or as you'd say in the common tongue of the Inner Sea, Nagagorjo the Cursed. My family tearfully said goodbye, and gave me what supplies they could, to help me survive on my own in the world. The warrior who had instructed me felt so bad for me that he was nice enough to donate an old short sword, so I could defend myself out in the world. It is an honorable thing to show compassion for one as cursed as I, and I still respect him for that act of kindness. If it all possible, I shall some day repay his aid. The naga matriarch told me I should leave the nation of Nagajor altogether, and not wanting to bring further dishonor to my family or village, I complied. I soon found myself in the jungles of Valashmai to the south, where my strength and thick reptilian scales helped keep me alive, but I don't think they would have been enough without the discovery that my lingual curse also carried with it other magic. When desperate for clean water to drink in the jungle one day, I somehow summoned water out of thin air! I soon realized I could sense poison in foods and creatures in the forest, and could magically eliminate that poison so these things became safe to eat. With very little practice, I mastered these magics, and they served me well for years after that. In those jungles, I met mammal humanoids for the first time - humans who needed someone familiar with the terrain to help them navigate. I agreed to work for them in exchange for coins, food, and weapon training. They agreed, and although I tried to hide my shameful secret, they eventually realized I was unable to speak the normal Tien language while practicing swordplay with them. They were mildly surprised at first, but didn't seem to care too much, and mostly laughed it off. It seems the curse that ruined my life was nothing more than a joke to them. That first group of humans actually brought me back to Nagajor, but to the capital city of Rhiu'jhilan-Hoi, nowhere near the village of my birth. From there, I frequently found foreigners passing through who wanted guides to help them navigate Valashmai's jungles as they fruitlessly followed rumors of lost riches.
When I was almost 10 years old, I began actually wielding weapons as part of my training. I was so excited to be doing more than just polishing the swords and listening to stories, to actually be allowed to wear armor and grasp a real sword for use in a fight with my trainer. I listened carefully to my master's instruction... and it made no sense! He seemed to be babbling in a language I'd never heard before, but he acted like I should understand him. Not wanting to admit my ignorance, I took hints from his body language, and lunged at him with the sword, as he seemed to be inviting me to attack. Predictably, my attacks were unskilled and undisciplined, and he easily demonstrated techniques to defeat me. He continued talking the whole time, in that strange tongue I didn't understand. I nodded my head a lot, and continued to try and use visual cues to know when it was time to continue with the physical part of the instruction. But he rapidly got angry with me, and yelled at me in that strange language. It was obvious from his tone that he was asking a question, and expecting a response, but I didn't know what to say. He eventually gave up, taking the sword and shield from my hands, smacking me in the head so hard that I fell to the ground. He pointed in the direction of my family's home. It was clear he was sending me away. I finally got up the nerve to ask why he was speaking a strange language, and he looked at me strangely, obviously as confused as I was. It was only when I spoke that I realized the truth of the situation. I was the one speaking a strange language! He had been speaking my native nagaji tongue all along! I went home in shame, embarrassed and not knowing what was happening to me. I couldn't understand anyone in my village! After hours of hiding myself away, I finally calmed down enough to join my family for the evening meal, and I found myself understanding them again. I didn't know what was going on. Eventually, others realized that there was something wrong with me. First, my family, then others in my village. I was brought before the ruling nagas and elder nagaji, while the entire village watched. I was asked questions, but again, I couldn't understand my native language as they questioned me. So I tried to explain myself the only way I could, leading to shocked gasps from everyone around as I spoke in that weird, unnatural language. But the naga matriarch understood! When she spoke back in the same language, and I understood her, I thought I was saved! You have to understand, nagaji are brought up to worship the nagas like gods, and to me, this was proof that she was truly all powerful. But that feeling only lasted a minute, before the meaning of her words sunk in, and life as I knew it came to a bitter end.
I am a nagaji, a humanoid "snake man", as many mammals insist on describing my species. It is a simplistic way of viewing us, but it gets the point across in writing such as this, for those who may never have encountered my race. I am from the nation of Nagajor, in southern Tian Xia, the land of the ruling nagas and we nagaji, who they created to serve them. I was born in a small farming village, and named Nagagorjo by my mother. I had a family name back then, but to avoid bringing dishonor to my village or my family... Actually, I cannot call either the village or the family "mine" any longer. As I started to say, to avoid dishonoring them, I will not mention the names of that family or village as I write this. I was a big, strong boy for the son of nagaji farmers. I grew up healthy and strong, wanting to use my physical strength to become a noble warrior. At the time, I envisioned myself as the defender of my village, protecting the innocent and serving the ruling nagas as needed. This was the highest calling I could imagine at the time, at least the highest calling that the son of a farmer might aspire to. And due to my physical size and strength, the elder nagaji and ruling nagas encouraged my ambition. I began the training to become a warrior when I was 8 years old. For more than a year, I squired with the warriors, learning to care for their swords and armor, was shown how to use them, and heard stories of great battles and noble deeds! It was all so exciting to a young boy - I wanted to be just like them. Looking back, I think those warriors probably never traveled more than 50 miles from that village their entire lives, while I've since traveled to foreign countries, and even other continents when I came to the Inner Sea. Ironically, my younger self would have seen the travel and adventure I've reluctantly lived through as exciting. Now, I know better. But I should get back to my story.
Forgive me if my writing is not clear. Coming from Tian Xia, the Taldan language that is common here in the Inner Sea is still somewhat new to me. My name is... was... Well, let's just say that I am Nagagorjo, and most of the Pathfinders I've worked with call me "Gorjo" for short. I'll get into my name... and why it was changed... later in this story. For now, let me explain the purpose of this diary, then I will begin my story where it belongs, at the beginning. Like all Pathfinders, I turn in reports of my missions to the Venture-Captains who sent me on those missions. Those which are seen as important or exciting will find their way into the Pathfinder Chronicles, for all Pathfinders to read. The others presumably are filed away for safe keeping, in case they are needed for reference later. This diary is my autobiography, telling the events of my life before and between those official missions. I've recently learned things that make me question everything I thought I knew. So I've decided to write it all down, document it, to clear my head and think about the meaning of it all. But I also ask my fellow Pathfinders to read this and tell me their interpretations. Am I right? Am I understanding this new information correctly? Was the matriarch wrong about the curse? Was my banishment all for nothing? Was ... But I get ahead of myself. As promised, let me begin at the beginning.
A large, heavily armored nagaji looks through a book for a minute. You notice the cover is written in Tien, while the material inside seems to be a mix of Tien and the Common tongue of the Inner Sea region. "Pirate. He pauses. "I sssee," he says, looking up from the book. "You mussst forgive if I ssseem ssslow. I am ssstill new to your language." "When I return from my current mission in Tian Xia, I will be happy to help defeat thessse piratesss and recover the ssstolen papersss." OOC: Gorjo is currently in the middle of The Quest for Perfection series.
Noble Venture-Captain Amara Li, I am but a humble warrior with the curssse of a devil in my blood. I am young and new to the Pathfindersss and the Lantern Lodge, but I hope I ssserved you well in the one mission I've been sssent on sssso far. I hear rumorsss that the Lantern Lodge mission in the Inner Sssea shall sssoon come to an end, having completed our goalsss here for the time being. While thisss isss very good newsss, I wonder what will become of your loyal ssservantsss here in Absssalom. I am not yet ready to return to Nagajor, for I have not yet proven myssself honorable enough for my people to overlook my curssse. If I am disssmisssed from your ssservicss here in the Inner Sssea, I may look into sssome of the other groupsss within the Pathfinder Sssocssiety. The Sssilver Crusssade and Andoran in particular ssseem like good and noble groupsss, trying to make Golarion a better placsse. I had thought to offer to aid my sssword to helping rid Cheliaxss from their plague of devilsss, but apparently, they don't consssider the devil infessstation a problem. I sssometimesss wonder if I'll ever underssstand mammalsss.
1. Why are you a Pathfinder? I grew up wanting to be a warrior. Perhapsss a temple guard or bodyguard to the ruling naga of our village, which are among the mossst honorable professionsss available to the ssson of nagaji peasantsss. But when I began my combat training, I began to ssspeak in the infernal language of devilsss! It wasss clear to all in the village I was cursssed, and I wasss banished from my home. I continued to train with the weaponsss of a warrior, but I did realize that the magic of my curssse would be helpful, too. Ssso I learned to be a mersscenary with my sssword and magic, but the dissshonor of sssome jobsss brought me great shame. Eventually, I learned of the Pathfindersss and traveled to the Inner Sssea to join. I wasss disssappointed to learn that the Sssociety isss not as honorable asss I had hoped, ssso I work with the Lantern Lodge to try and ssspread the cultural honor of Tian Xia to the Sssocssiety and Inner Sssea. 2. Do you have a name and surname that is not ripped straight out of existing Earth mythology or popular culture? Earth? I have not heard of that. Nagagorjo isss a common nagaji name. Norowareta isss... my shame. In Tien, it meansss "cursssed". 3. Which nation did you grow up in? How did this nation influence you? I am from the nagaji homeland of Nagajor. After being banished, I traveled throughout Tian Xia, from the junglesss of Valashmai to the cssity of Goku. The Tien people are varied, like thossse of the Inner Sssea, but there isss more honor in the Tien culturesss, which I hope to ssspread. 4. What do you look like? What are your wearing? How does this vary when you’re stalking through forests, sewers, deserts or in glittering cities? I am larger than average, even for a nagaji, wearing heavy armor and weaponsss. 5. What do you love? (Treasure and experience doesn’t count) My homeland. I wish I could return. 6. What do you hate? (Unclear and irritating darkness level rules don’t count) THIS WRETCHED CURSE THAT RUINED MY LIFE AND GOT ME BANISHED FROM MY HOME!!!!! 7. Which other Pathfinders (PCs) do you rely on for teamwork, survival and butt-kicking? Do you have a bro? a mentor? a father figure? maybe a rival? I have great ressspect for the honorable Amara Li. I have only been on one adventure for the Sssocssiety, ssso I have no lasting friendsss or alliesss yet. 8. How does your race influence your views? Are you a stereotype of a certain race? How are you different from most humans/elves/gnomes/orcs/tengu? Apparently, Sssome humansss and other mammalsss think that my way of drawing out "sss" sssoundsss when I ssspeak is typical for a sssnake perssson. I find thisss ssstereotype offensssive. 9. What are you afraid of? Do you have any phobias or worries? I am afraid I will never gain enough honor and renown to convincsse my home village to take me back, dessspite my curssse. 10. What is your most treasured possession? Material goodsss are meaninglessss without a family and home to share them.
Of course, a Nagaji / Kitsune couple would be different. We nagaji are not lizssardfolk. We're sssnakefolk. That'sss why we all draw out our "Sss" sssoundsss when ssspeaking.
*Gorjo looks down at Kuro Poe in a way that makes you think he'd be raising his eyebrow if he had eyebrows* "My curse runs deeper than that. I am cursed to speak with devils, even when they're not around. I cannot be a normal warrior, my only desire growing up, because this magic runs through me. I accept that the magic can help in a fight. I'm learning to use it. Cure spells are useful. But I will always hate this curse and how it ruined my life."
"Greetingsss, noble Ben Dan. Call me Gorjo." "From your gear, I gather you're a warrior of some sort? I aspire to be a warrior, as well, though I have been cursssed by the godsss and forced to deal in magic, as well." Nagagorjo is wearing heavy armor and weaponry that seems to back his claim to being a warrior of some sort.
*To Lokan* "I've found that most... mammals... don't appreciate the cuisine of reptiles such as myself. And to be quite honest, the feeling is frequently mutual." *turning to Wa-Chan* "Greetings, Wa-Chan. I do agree about the lack of honor among many here in Absalom, even among the Pathfinders. I have not been sent on my first mission for the Society yet, but I do hope that at least all Pathfinder agents will be loyal to each other. It is tough enough for me to adapt to the cultures of mammals, but those without honor are that much more difficult."
No need to apologize, Kuro Poe. I understand using nicknames. I merely point out that my second name is mine, while my first name is... temporary. But as a child, my family called me Gorjo as a shortened form of Nagagorjo, and I would be happy if my friends among the Pathfinders were to do the same. As for your offer of baking on the roof of the lodge, I'm afraid I'll have to decline. This city is too dry for me, compared to the jungles of Nagajor and Valashmai, where I grew up. On cold days, I prefer to stay indoors to warm up by a fire. On warm days, it will be too dry on that roof for me, unless it is raining.
Kuro Poe, I do not think tengu women would appeal to me. No offense, but I do not like feathers. Or hair. It is odd being here in the Inner Sea, where everyone I meet are... mammals. You are the first tengu I've seen since I've arrived here, and I have not met another nagaji. Also, please do not call me Noro. Norowareta is a title I wear with shame. My name is Nagagorjo. If you must shorten it for your convenience, you may call me Gorjo.
OOC: Ahh. You know more about this stuff than I do. I didn't know Tien was supposed to be Chinese, not Japanese. I just knew Tian Xia was the Asian themed continent, and I googled to find the Japanese word for cursed, because I thought it would sound cool in the character name. But I'm no expert on Asian cultures or languages, or their in-game analogues.
OOC: I had to look up the Minkaian language to know what you were talking about. I'm assuming it's close enough to Tien to have a conversation? Nagagorjo only knows Tien and Nagaji as his native languages, Infernal as his oracle tongues curse language, and he recently learned Common in preparation to come to the Inner Sea region. Nagagorjo turns to speak with Lazeril, and continues the conversation with him in Tien. "Well met, friend. I do not wish to be a leader. As the sson of a farmer in a ssmall village, I would have been content growing up to be a temple guard or bodyguard to the ruling naga of our village, both honorable and resspected positionss among my people. Other than becoming a priesst, thesse would have been the highesst goalss a farmer'ss sson could hope for." "But beginning my warrior training as a child, I sstarted to babble in the infernal tongue of devilss against my will. When the village elderss found out, I was deemed curssed, forced to give up my family and name, and banished from the village. I wandered Tian Xia, working as a guide for thugss in the jungless of Valashmai for a while, and learning to fight to become a more noble warrior than thosse who trained me. I came to the Inner Ssea on the hope that it would offer a fresh sstart, knowing that I would be sseen as odd for my sskin, and hoping people here might not recognizze my actual curse." "But I do not wish to lead. I wish only to prove I am honorable and not evil, desspite thiss wretched cursse. Then, I may return to my home village, reclaim my family name, and marry a nagaji woman who can lay many fine eggs that we may hatch and raise together. Now, I would be content to go back to being a farmer, but I musst prove myself as a warrior before I can do that."
A large man with the skin of a snake walks in, wearing heavy armor with several weapons strapped to his belt and backpack. Being from Tian Xia, or at least well versed in its culture, most of you would recognize him as a member of the nagaji race. "Greetingss, fellow Pathfindersss", he begins, his forked tongue drawing out the "s" sound in many words like the hiss of a snake. "I am Norowareta Nagagorjo." Tien language:
Those of you who speak Tien recognize that his family name has been replaced with the Tien word for "cursed", so his name would translate into Common as "Nagagorjo the Cursed". "I am new to the Pathfinder Ssociety, and to the Inner Ssea region. I have sspent mosst of my life wandering variouss partsss of Tian Xia, ssince being ba..." he cuts himself off and pauses for a second, "ssince leaving my home village in Nagajor." "The Pathfinder Ssociety sseemss like a good way for a warrior ssuch as mysself to prove my honor, sso I may return to my homeland, and reclaim my place in my village. I had thought to perhapss aid thosse in the Ssociety from Cheliaxs, as I heard they have a devil problem that I would gladly help with. But apparently, they work for the devilsss, not againsst them. Sso I remain mosst loyal to my fellow Tien Pathfinderss, though I hope to honorably aid all Pathfinderss where I can."
A human sized suit of armor walks in, covering enough of its occupant that you can't tell anything about its race or gender. The voice that comes from under the helmet has a Tian accent, and also seems to draw out the "S" sound in some words just a tiny bit longer than normal. "Greetings, Pathfinders of Cheliax. I hope my appearance will not startle you." With that, the warrior removes his helmet, revealing a reptilian face that some of you recognize as a member of the nagaji race. "I travel long way from Tian Xia. Cursed and banished, I wish to prove my worth as warrior and return a hero. I thought to join Lantern Lodge of Pathfinder Society, but then I learn of Cheliax, and your nation's... relationship with devils." "I was cursed as child to speak the infernal language of devils against my will. I have since learned that my curse comes with magic power I can use, though it is the reason I was banished from my home village in Nagajor. Now I think perhaps it is my destiny to help this nation of many devils maintain order, and prevent the evil devils from taking over." "Would Cheliax welcome a cursed warrior into your service? I believe you would call me an oracle in your language. Or should I stay with my original plan to prove my worth to my homeland by working for the Lantern Lodge?" |
