|
The invitation delivered last night was remarkably simple, especially given the importance of the occasion: “Start where it all began. Meet us at the Pig’s Paunch one hour before dawn.”
The Pig’s Paunch is a run-down building with a faded sign of a large pig standing on its hind legs, arms folded above a corpulent belly. Inside, the air is thick with the scents of human sweat, stale tobacco, and leftover food. In the center of the room, surrounded by inebriates sleeping off their revelries, a familiar elven man stands high upon top of a large round table.
“Welcome! Welcome, my students! Please, have a seat!” With that, Kreighton Shaine, the Pathfinder Society’s Master of Scrolls, nimbly drops down to sit cross-legged on the table before looking about the tavern with a sense of reverent wonder. “Can you believe it? It all started here years ago—well, over four hundred of them at least. Under this very roof the Pathfinder Society was born.
“But today! Today you will begin your Confirmation! Master Farabellus, Master Zey, and I all agree you each have shown your worth and dedication to the Society, so there’s no better time to see if you can handle becoming full field operatives. Allow me to introduce you to Janira Gavix,” he says as he motions for an excitable halfling woman to approach. She wears a large backpack and carries all manner of tools, pouches, and scroll cases around her waist. Shaine continues, saying, “Janira here will be going with you on your Confirmation. She was one of my brightest pupils and will no doubt be an invaluable resource on your journey, for she discovered the caves you are about to explore during her own Confirmation.”
Janira speaks up in an enthusiastic and cheerful voice, “Greetings, aspiring Pathfinders! Six months ago, while I was mapping cave entrances in the foothills of the Kortos Mounts, I witnessed a lone gillman entering a concealed cave. I thought little of it at the time, but I saw another one enter the cave again a month later as my Confirmation stretched on. A few days later, after I completed my assigned task, I entered the cave system, but was unable to find the gillmen.”
Master Shaine hops to his feet. “Initiates, for your Confirmation, you will travel to these caves to explore and document its many passages. Additionally, and most importantly, you are to learn what the gillmen are up to in there. Oh, and you need to come back alive as well.” With these parting words, the Master of Scrolls jumps off the table and strolls out of the building while humming to himself.
|
"I'd recommend getting some chalk as well," a young woman says. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ears as she stands up. "I have some on me, but I'd suggest we all buy some. If we're going to a cave, it might be a good idea to mark the walls."
The young woman seems to think for a second and her face brightens. "You suppose people died there before, while exploring?", she asks with a cheerful tone of voice.
Glad I brought my spade with me!
|
A dwarf in the back corner, spends most of his time, sniffling and occasionally coughing, causing most of those nearby to keep a wide berth, as it almost seems like he is coming down with something.
"Don't need chalk to mark a wall," He says quietly, the words a little muffled as if he's congested. "Any strong piece of metal will do." One hand pats the miner's pick hanging off his belt with a bevy of other weapons, some new, some well used.
|
|
Clair eyes the sniffling and coughing dwarf. She has mixed feelings, like she always has when someone's ill. She'd rather have other people stay alive and well, but her part time job as gravekeeper requires dead people.
Hmm... small size coffin will do, if he were to die. Oh my! I shouldn't be thinking such things!
|
|
"Gratus Leogil, Warrior of Asmodeous." Gratus introduces himself gravely.
Turning around and addressing the room at large, Gratus begins to speak, his voice low and the cadence steady.
"What are Gillmen and what's their relation with the caves? Does anyone else know anything about the caves? Do we all have the necessary equipment or do we need to purchase some? Could I trouble the society for writing materials though my writngs is pretty much atrocious."
|
|
Why would gillmen be going to these caves? “That’s exactly what you
are being asked to find out. The only known permanent surface settlement of the gillmen is in Escadar. Why they’re venturing into the foothills of the Kortos Mounts is a mystery.”
What’s a gillman? “The gillmen are a humanoid race much like humans save for the three piscine gills on both sides of their necks. They’re a little secretive but not outright hostile. Most live in or near the water.”
[url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4qPEWzKmNtvdUNEeThBR2RNZVk/edit?usp=sharing]Janira[url] pulls out a large leather-bound journal and opens it on the table. “Before we set out, we should all get to know each other and review our plan. After all, the most important factors that determine whether an expedition will be a success are cooperation and preparation! I’ll go first!”
"My name is Janira Ganix, and I joined the Society 4 years ago, when I came of age..."
Read as much, or as little as you would like. She tells her story in an excited, happy, maybe even eccentric way. You can tell that she is kind, exitable, and has a love of adventure.
The oldest of seven children, Janira Gavix stands a full 2 feet, 10 inches tall. At 24 year old, she is the only one of her siblings to have come of age so far. She grew up in Eastgate, where her father still works as a porter who employs a dog cart to transport purchased goods from ships and shops to the homes of customers. She and her family revere Desna, but Janira respects most other religions and believes that faith is important to everyone. Within weeks after turning 20 years old, she enlisted with the Pathfinder Society, and although she initially joined to see the world and sample all of the fine food it had to offer, she quickly took to the Scrolls and its focus on learning and preserving knowledge. She now aspires to have her work published in one of the Pathfinder Chronicles, suspecting that would qualify her to train as a
Pathfinder Chronicler. Janira has a life-long love of learning, and she offers sincere praise to those who demonstrate a head for knowledge,
facts, and figures. Although she trained most with Kreighton Shaine,
she also learned the arts of the whip, blade, and crossbow from Marcos
Farabellus and a few spellcasting tricks from Aram Zey, and she looks up to each one as role model. In fact, she fancies herself an educator and loves inspiring others through motivational lectures and speeches, always taking care that her instincts as an older sister don’t come across as condescendingly protective. She has been on several missions since her Confirmation, but this is the first time that she’s been in charge of leading an expedition.
Janira finishes her story with a deep breath. "Who wants to go next?"
|
|
Clair, who was ready to leave for the caves, sits herself down again.
What do I want to share with these strangers?
"So... like I said before, I'm Clair. Clair Vavassour. My father is a gravekeeper, and I've been helping him manage the graves and bury or cremate people since I was 14 years of age."
As she starts about the gravekeeping, Clair starts telling her story with more excitement. "I have to say I like burying people more than cremating them. It gives you the opportunity to look back at what you've done, and enjoy the feeling it gives you. It's gives a warm and fuzzy feeling inside, like when eating something sweet. Also, as it's my part time job, my father pays me for my help."
Clair points at the spade attached to her backpack. "I bought this with my latest salary. It's a new model that allows me to dig faster! Can you believe that? It's amazing, really!"
Oh oh, I think I'm getting a bit too excited again... Okay, back to my story.
"Anyhow... When I was younger I often felt very gloomy. So I went to Pharasma's church, and a priestess there told me I had a lot of negative energy within me. Apparently I developed the ability to build up this energy while working at the cemetery. The priestess taught me how to control the energy, and after a few years I had finished my basic training as a cleric. I was then in control of the energy within me, and that's why I decided to return home. I'm usually a happy person now, though sometimes I still get a bit gloomy. But we all have that from time to time, don't we?"
With a shrug, Clair tells the last bit of her story. "A year later I was contacted by the society. They said they could use some more clerics. At first I didn't want to go, but my father and the priestess that helped me convinced me to sign up. They said it would be good for me to see more of the world. That's how I eventually ended up here."
Oh! I forgot!
"I'm 21 now!", Clair nearly shouts. "Uhm... I forgot to mention that... so now I did."
|
|
The dwarf in the corner seems to bristle with weapons. A large polearm seems to be the main one, but you can also glimpse daggers, hammers, axes, clubs, a mining pick, and a pair of mismatched spiked gauntlets. You're not sure if its a factor of indecisiveness or an attempt to look intimidating. But if the later, it fails miserably, and the effect is marred by the runny nose, cough, and pallid complexion.
The dwarf's face seems to have taken up a slight sheen since he first entered, though whether from fever or just perspiration is hard to tell. When he finally talks the words come out quietly, quickly, and in a slight mumble, which combined with the apparent conjestion make him a little hard to understand.
"Name's Sickly." He offers, seemingly uncomfortable meeting anyones' eyes. "'Til recent, been working a coal mine in the World's Edge, up near Kravenkus." A small coughing fit interupts his
narrative for a moment. "Hard on the lungs, that." He adds after a moment, his breath coming in wheezes.
"My cousin Smarmy said the Pathfinders'd be a good place to make a name for our clan, so we should all join." He stands up a little straighter for a moment. "Not sure where the rest of 'em got off to though." He laughs nervously, shrugging. "Am always loosing track of those guys."
One gets the impression its not so much losing track of, as being avoided by.
"Its kinda hot in here." He mutters, after a moment as his story seems to have petered out. "Is anyone else hot?"
|
|
Gratus blinks. Taking a position, he begins in a monotone voice.
"Eh? What? I'm Gratus Leogil. Orphan from the Great Temple of Asmodeous, Future Hellknight Signifier and Trainee for now. I have trained extensively with the halberd in the training ground of the Order of The Claw, taught my letters and numbers and am trained in the naunces of contracts."
Having said his piece, Gratus stands as stiff as ever.
|
|
Borax has himself planted firmly in a luxurious fauteuil. In one hand he holds a formulae list that he seems to be reading over and over. The other hand seems to be working the knob of his cane. Without taking the eyes off his list, the fairly young human male answers,
"Yes, yes, Borax Bulan. Investigator and all that. No real story to tell. Needed a chance to ply my craft and the Society is the perfect opportunity. "
Borax's bandolier is filled with ampules and vials. His leather attache seems to be bulging at the seams with all manners of alchemical items.
|
|
Sickly glances at Borax with sudden interest, looking hopefully at the man's bag.
"You got any salves or ointments in there?" He asks hopefully. "I noticed this rash forming this morning I should probably get on top of it." He scratches absently at his belly.
"Or perhaps a tincture of some sort for a cough?" As if to make his point, he suddenly breaks out coughing.
|
|
The thin figure in a many-pocketed robe looks up, snapping shut the lid of a wooden scroll case through which he had been leafing.
"Keep scratching, it'll come right off," he nods to the dwarf. "Scritch scratch scritchy scritch--right off." A small brown owl perched on the half-elf's shoulder blinks once, its gaze fixed on a point somewhere it the distance.
"Goody agrees. Get to it, then."
|
|
“On to the details of the mission at hand,” Janira says with an eager grin. “After reviewing my mission reports personally, Master Shaine believes it is no coincidence that each time they entered the caves it was during a full moon, so it is also no coincidence that you have been called here now, just a day before the moon is full again. We both believe that tomorrow night is our best chance to find out why these caves are important and what exactly the gillmen are doing in there.
“The caves we’ll be travelling to lie under the base of the Kortos Mounts. We’ll need to spend every minute of daylight possible to reach the caves by foot, crossing over the Cairnlands, taking the paths to Diobel, and finally making our way through the wilderness. With any luck we won’t run into any of the local inhabitants. Once in the caves, we’ll need to work together to explore and determine whether any gillman are present or have been recently. Keep an eye out for any other clues that might hint at the caves’ significance, too.”
|
|
Borax tucks away his list of formulae and stands, using his cane for support. A hand crossbow hangs from his waist and the investigator pulls the leather strap securing the attache over his shoulder. The light from the room seemed to reflect off of Borax's pronounced forehead, making it hard to look directly at him.
"Yes, let's depart."
|
|
"I do recommend alchemist's fire, it comes in handy more often than you think!"
The first phase of your Confirmation takes you through Absalom, leads across the Cairnlands, along a well-worn path that leads toward Diobel, and into the wilderness. The journey through the City at the Center of the World is swift and without incident, and the long trek across the Cairnlands provides a great opportunity to discuss Master Shane’s class on the history of Absalom. Most of the journey is uneventful, but Janira
might points landmarks such as siege towers, distant mountains, and distinct flora and fauna along the journey.
You arrive in at the edge of a dense forest, and rest for the night, with nothing out of the ordinary happening as you sleep. [ooc]But you can change your spells if you wish!
As the party progresses deeper into the forest, the trees towering overhead begin to shield most of what remains of the day’s sun and the vegetation beneath grows denser.
Janira pauses a moment and pulls out an intricate silver compass emblazoned with the Pathfinder Society logo: the Glyph of the Open Road. “I received this wayfinder when I successfully completed my Confirmation. Should we be successful on our journey, you will get your own as well.”
She flips open the device and holds it in front of her; the initials J. L. are engraved into the inside of the device’s lid. After studying the compass inside for a moment, she remarks, “We’re on the right path. We need to keep heading northwest past those large rocks up ahead.”