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This is a custom campaign I'm running out of the Baltimore area. My first go into Pathfinder. First parts are prologue, and I'm writing it short-story style as we go along. So far, we have had three game sessions. The first part is based in the same area as Plague of Shadows (Pathfinder Tales novel), to take advantage of the first-hand novel descriptions the book offered. I don't mind comments of criticisms, but I have taken certain liberties on description based upon lack of information or having not found that information myself.
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Prologue Part 1
11th of Sarenith, 4711 AR, Absalom
The Pathfinder Grand Lodge, Foreign Quarter
Shevala Iorae flexed her fingers around a tightly bound scroll of vellum, find an outlet of release for her anxiety in the least obvious way possible. As one of the newer Venture Captains working from the Grand Lodge of the Pathfinder Organization itself, Iorae had until recently felt a childlike excitement and awe when called to meet with the masked Decemvirate. Recently, however, Iorae had been indirectly scandalized by the behavior of former Pathfinder Eando Kline, and that excitement of participating in a grand and wonderful adventure had morphed into the uncomfortable sense of being scrutinized by her fellow Venture Captains and the unreadable Decemvirate council themselves.
Iorae was determined to force a reevaluation of her character from her peers, and she realized to prove her standing as a gifted archaeologist, she would need to bring something to the Lodges' attention that would make the action of Kline yesterdays news. The message in her hands might be that something, and she knew the Decemvirate would be paying attention to the subject of the scroll.
The parchment had arrived earlier that day by messenger-eagle from Yanmass in Taldor, and Iorae had called to meet with the Decemvirate as soon as she finished digesting the implications of the information. Needless to say, hearing about the possibility of a map located and possibly a connection to the lost Pathfinder who had rumored to have originally found that ancient relic had provoked the Decemvirate into calling her to the Lodge Hall that very same day, an unusual move for the traditionally bureaucratic and sluggish council.
Iorae was escorted through the massive relief-carved wooden doors to the Decemvirates' Chamber, and though Iorae had come to them on countless previous occasions, the gold-and-silver laced pillars that formed a star-like shape amid the checkerboard floor of the chamber still awed her with their renditions of terrible and awesome history, heroes and deities. Iorae sucked in her breath, and relaxed.
Iorae stepped before the great and curved silverwood table and felt relieved to find only two of the 10 governing Decemvirate council-members waiting for her respectful address of "Your Most Honored Captains, Shevala Iorae wishes to address the Council of the Decemvirate."
A magically-clouded but obviously female voice erupted from behind one of the stylized silver masks that adorned both of the hooded and robed council-heads; it sounded as if the woman (if a woman it indeed was) was gargling sandpaper.
"Captain Iorae, we have been given copies of your message by Valsin as forwarded by you and we appreciate your haste in bringing this to the councils attention. The Decemvirate agrees that the information is worthy of further investigation, and we have granted you the right to proceed accordingly. Send Pathfinder Eilson in Andrast a mission briefing and a stipend of Taldan crowns for her use."
Iorae blanched. She hadn't expected this to go over so smoothly, without her arguing the validity of the admittedly vague lead about the location of an artifact long thought lost along with the Pathfinder whom had been searching for it. This was...refreshing. Perhaps the Decemvirate were finally considering her worthy of respect again. She smiled ever so slightly, a sense of good-feeling returning to her heart. As if on cue, to remind her of that unsettling rumor that the council could pick the thoughts from someones skull on a whim, the other masked figure stood up from its chair and continued where the former had left off.
"We of the Council have not forgotten your prodigal nature, Captain Iorae, and we realize that you punish yourself over the complications surrounding the former Pathfinder Klines resignation from the Lodge. While it is verily true that your judgement and choices of action begat that Mission, we do not rest blame upon you for the actions of Eando Kline, whose experience in the depths of the Darklands undoubtedly produced his own irrationality and paranoia. This being said, we of the council wish to give you the opportunity to redeem yourself for yourself and to your peers. This information is of particular interest to our organization, a fact that is clear you understand.", the deep voice trailed off into the darkness of the chamber.
Iorae reclaimed her businesslike manner and bowed her head, "Yes, Most Revered Council, allow my appreciation for this opportunity to undertake further good works for the Lodge be demonstrated in pursuing this information to all possible ends, and to take proper course in continuing the legacy of Pathfinder Orem, if this rumored map proves to be one and the same as the reported Azlanti manuscript Orem spoke about several years ago before his disappearance in Galt."
The raspy female voice finished the conversation with a final bit of instruction, "Good. You have permission to recruit a team of skilled men and women for use in exploring these leads locally, meet with Eilson and if necessary, continue where Pathfinder Orem left off. We recommend to this group an individual of particular skill native to region your team will be working within. She has newly interned with us here in Absalom, a Kyonin Elf by the name of Tesla Zolarion. We have sent word to her and she will meet with you in the Statue Garden at the hour of midday. From there, seek out a team of recruits in the Grand Bazaar. You have your assignment, and the Decemvirate trusts in your adept capabilities to return to us a full report at first opportunity. You are dismissed, Captain."
Iorae bowed her head a final time, slipped the unused scroll into one of the many pockets of her coat, and walked from the Decemvirates chamber with a head slightly higher.
She would not fail, and she would make sure that her name was spoken of in reverence on the lips of scholars and explorers for centuries to come - that is, if this information even proved true, and if it did, the implications raised by long lost Orem also proved true. A map, said to lead to a treasure far greater then mere gold or information, something merely hinted at in old stories about the Shori, and vast hidden storehouses of Azlanti artifacts nestled beneath unwholesome temples in the darkest depths of untamed Garund. To find the beginning of this mystery, she would need a team of adventurers cut above the average, and Iorae knew that only in Absalom could that sort of character be found.