Sheila Heidmarch, PFS: Magnimar's page

"Sir Canayven and I are off to Citadel Volshyenek -- seat of Korvosa's Field Marshal, Cressida Kroft, and the Korvosan Guard -- where we are to meet with her and Lord Vencarlo Orisini. Proper introductions and all. But I understand we will be staying as a guest at Orisini Academy. It is a combat academy for elite warriors on the highest point of Endrin Isle (The Styes). During your hunt, please make the climb up Garrison Hill to report when you can. It sounds a convenient coincidence that Mister Refrum's Alchemical Healing shop is on Garrison Hill and that below is The Styes where you'll be tracking down this Jarme Loveage.

After wishing everyone good wishes and the luck of Cayden Cailean, Sheila Heidmarch and Sir Canayven begin to make their exit.

"We should go; there is still just over an hour before dusk and soon after that we will lose the light." Sheila Heidmarch (using a Rod to increase the power of her spell in order to accommodate such a large group of Pathfinders) Teleports everyone about 400 feet from the outskirts of Korvosa. Ahead you can see the mouth of the quiet Jeggare River languidly bending around the peninsula of Korvosa and, on the other side of the river bank, Korvosa herself. An old city, more than a century older than Magnimar, and founded by The Empire of Devils, Cheliax -- Korvosa is Magnimar’s rival.

About 100 feet away from you, between you and the banks of The Jeggare River, squats a shantytown of hovels made for visitors and other short-term Korvosans. But as you look at them, you see that they are mostly Sczarni — native Varisians who forsook the nomadic, bohemian-gypsy lifestyle of their people in order to change to a life of city dwellers. Sheila Heidmarch ignores the people of ‘Thief Camp’ – so it is nicknamed – and marches determinedly toward a walled area on this side of The Jeggare River.

You can see that within the walled district on this ‘East Shore’ of the Jeggare River is a massive stone bridge that connects to Korvosa proper. Apparently, you are entering the walled ‘East Shore’ district in order to cross the bridge into Korvosa.

approaching Korvosa

As you approach, it is Sir Canayven who lowers his head in sympathy for the Sczarni of Thief Camp. ”They, or their parents or grandparents, were intrigued by us colonists and our building of cities. We were to them as exotic and interesting as they were to us. They didn’t know how prejudiced so many of us would be, how radically different our city-life is from that of a wandering gypsy, or how truly difficult it would be to make a life for oneself economically and socially, among us and our cut-throat ambition and greed. Unfortunate. And now they can’t go back to their old way of life. They just exist on the fringe of our society, forced to desperation and thievery. …. Ah, rubbish -- ignore me. Not even Aroden could bring everyone to civilization!” And he continues to walk forward to a main gate in the East Shore wall with his wife and you Pathfinders.

Gaining entry inside the wall of East Shore district is quick; Sheila Heidmarch pays a large amount of Silver in the way of an entry-tariff, higher considering the look of wealth among the group, and answers honestly a few simple questions – 'We’re not here to cause trouble; we’re meeting with someone specific; we’re not going to be here long.' And within a few easy minutes you are walking among the Korvosans of East Shore. Wall guards recognize when persons of power, well above their pay-grade, arrive. And know to only ask the basics, politely, and then to report every minute detail to their superiors. Let the ‘Big Whigs’ handle it.

"This is a painting facing the west -- it is several years old and based on a map even older -- and I know much upheaval has occurred in Korvosa in the past decade or so."

Korvosa

"The islet to the immediate right, the northern stretch of the city, is the District known as 'The Styes.' Originally it was called Endrin Isle, named after an original founder or military hero, as I understand it. Then it was simply called "Old Korvosa" for over a century, until the past decade or so when it degraded from poor slums to poverty-stricken filth.

"The painting shows The Jeggare River bending into Conqueror's Bay and the sunset. If one were to sail west out of Conqueror's Bay into The Arcadian Ocean, one could follow the northern shore over 400 miles until it turns north and reaches the port of Magnimar.

"I've only been to Korvosa twice before, more than ten years ago, and never to The Styes."

Sheila Heidmarch nods to Par Joakimson. "I was dismayed to hear that our friend Ollysta Zadrian is dealing with an urgent situation in Kaer Maga involving a Cult of RuneLord Krune. Yet I am glad she has vouched for you, and allow me to say that you are most welcome here. Zadrian has told me you are a mighty warrior who loves fighting Demons in The WorldWound as much as she does!

"I am Sheila Heidmarch, Venture Captain for The Pathfinder Society here in Magnimar. This is my husband, Sir Canayven. Feel free to ask me or these other Pathfinders about our ventures. Mostly, our organization is dedicated to the following: 'Explore leads to lost knowledge, objects, phenomena and history. Cooperate with each other despite individual differences during the pursuit of these explorations. Report comprehensively on the outcomes of all such ventures.'

"The Pathfinder Society catalogues all the information & histories, as well as the antiquities and valuables. And the Pathfinders who have discovered these things etch their own names into a personal legacy.

"Let me ask you, Par Joakimson, how do you like the sound of other heroes, 100 years after you're gone, relying on your words and discoveries of this Devilish Relic in order to, who knows, save the world?"

Sheila Heidmarch exhales mildly in uncertainty at Mishanter's question. "Honestly, it has to be up to you. I don't know hardly anything about this Relic. You guys are experienced enough to know that you have to unapologetically defend yourselves when things get ugly. Yet if this guy really Is just some poor old man who got possessed by a vile thing his net dragged out of the sea-floor, yeah, try to save him. ....I'm confident in your judgement."

"Thanks for answering my summons, Val. We could use a Paladin of Shelyn on this one.

"Unfortunately, it has been just over two years since The Pathfinders have had any presence in Korvosa. The last expedition there was a near catastrophe in The Green Market, a small park there. The Darklight Sisterhood has the support of the city, at the expense of both the Pathfinder Society and the Aspis Consortium.

"Nonetheless, we still have an ally there, the Paladin and former Pathfinder, Atoka. He has recently started a Temple to Lissala in Korvosa and can answer any questions about the current goings-on in Korvosa."

Having answered an urgent call to Magnimar from Pathfinder Society Venture Captain, Sheila Heidmarch, you have courteously rushed to Heidmarch Manor in Magnimar's Alabaster District.

Upon arriving, you were immediately ushered from the Pathfinder's "Meeting House" (where one usually prepares expeditions for the Pathfinder Society), straight to Sheila Heidmarch's personal office suite -- encircled by a Mage's Private Sanctum. You see Sheila Heidmarch, her husband Sir Canayven, and a few other Pathfinders you recognize as equal to your prestige within The Society. Apparently you were not the first to arrive to this request.

"Thank you for coming so hurriedly -- though I know your experience has taught you that when The Pathfinder Society needs some urgent quest, you are among the elite we must call to get it done right." You can tell Sheila Heidmarch has already briefed the other visitors one by one, not waiting for everyone to arrive, in order to expedite this quest.

"Two nights ago I received a magical Dream. Apparently a certain Mister Refrum in Korvosa was terribly concerned about a man accused of being a serial killer. Mister Refrum believes this man is innocent of committing a series of grisly murders, and as such went to his friend, a Paladin and former Pathfinder, in the hopes of proving the man's innocence.

"The Paladin, with his friend Mister Refrum, learned some disturbing news. It worried them such enough to pay a third person in Korvosa to contact me via a Dream spell -- two nights ago -- in the hope that the Pathfinder Society would get involved. Thus, yesterday morning when I awoke I began some research. I used the resources here, a Scroll of Contact other Plane, several Sending spells to The Grand Lodge in Absalom, plus Auguries and Divinations by a Pathfinder Priest of Zohls here in Magnimar. This is what I've learned, and why I contacted you to come posthaste.

"The 'innocent' man is a simple Korvosan fisherman named Jarme Loveage. Fishing in Conqueror's Bay his net inadvertently dragged up a Devilish Relic from the sea floor. That Relic has possessed poor Jarme Loveage and is forcing him to all manner of depravity. The wretched fisherman is hiding out in the poorest slums of Korvosa, the islet nicknamed ‘The Styes’ by local Korvosans. There he is fully under the domination of the Devilish Relic. The Paladin friend of Mister Refrum, a former Pathfinder named Atoka, has not been able to locate him.

"For the Pathfinder Society, we would like that Relic. More importantly, were that Relic to fall into the wrong hands -- the hands of any one of a hundred devil-worshipping villains in Korvosa,… or The Darklight Sisterhood, or The Aspis Consortium, or the Temple of Asmodeus, or The Academae, (You get the idea) it could be used for Evil ends.

"If you aren't aware, a Relic is a powerful magical curio that gets more powerful the longer it stays with one person, with its own personality, almost, and is somewhat like a cross between an Artifact and an Intelligent Item.

"Certainly if this were any other magical item, even a powerful one, perhaps The Pathfinder Society could just get into Korvosa, find it, and get out. But in the case of an Artifact or Relic, many powerful factions will be getting involved, and it Will get political. Nonetheless, whoever finds it first is going to have the biggest bargaining chip, you know, 'possession is 9/10 of the law.'

"That is Your job on behalf of the Pathfinder Society. Go to Korvosa and talk to this Mister Refrum; find the fisherman Jarme Loveage and hopefully prove his innocence. But most importantly, retrieve that Relic. I am going with you. As is Sir Canayven. But we will not be available to help your mission. We will be staying with a local Lord named Vencarlo Orisini. He is a good man, honest and trustworthy, though his loyalties are to the Good people of Korvosa rather than The Pathfinder Society. We will be negotiating with him and likely Korvosa's Lord Magistrate, a reputedly good man named Neolandus Kalepopolis, for permanent ownership of the Relic. Keep us informed, and find that Item first.

"Do you have any questions while we wait for the last Pathfinder to arrive before we all Teleport to Korvosa?"