The invitation delivered last night was remarkably simple from the plain envelope with only your name to the simple message in a basic cursive script, surprising given the importance of the occasion.
“Start where it all began. Meet us at the Pig’s Paunch one hour before dawn.”
Kreighton Shane, Master of Scrolls
It doesn’t take much time or effort to find the Pig’s Paunch. The run-down building of the tavern is marked with a faded sign of a large pig standing on its hind legs, arms folded above a corpulent belly. Next door swings the sign for a white ball of light slowly dripping blood from a wound. Both signs claim that their respective tavern was ‘Where the Pathfinder Society was Born’
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. He flourishes a long stemmed rose around and gestures to the seats around the 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. And pay no mind to the place next door. The Wisp is NOT where the Society started!”
“But today! Today you will begin your Confirmation! Master Farabellus, Master Westyr, 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 with the flower for an excitable halfling woman to approach.
The woman lugs a large backpack and carries all manner of tools, pouches, and scroll cases around her waist. With a small jingling she comes to a stop near the table before 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. Now darling a few words if you wouldn’t mind.”
Janira gives a nod and then gushes out in a 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 wasn’t able to find the gillmen.”[/b]
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 should come back alive as well.” With these parting words, the Master of Scrolls jumps off the table, tosses his rose to Janira and strolls out of the building while humming to himself.
At the center of the Isle of Kortos stand the Kortos Mounts, the points on the island.
Janira grabs an empty chair from nearby and drags it over to the table. She sets her bag on the ground before digging out a giant leather bound tome. She plops it onto the table and opens to a blank page, before pulling out a peice of charcoal. “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! As Master Shane just said, my name is Janira Gavix. I joined up with the Society almost four years ago as soon as I came of age. I wanted to explore the world and try all the delicious foods, but I found I loved working for the Scrolls just as much. The drive to learn as much as we can and protect that knowledge is something that really resonated with me.”
“I might be bragging here some, but I do believe I can do a very good rousing history lecture, and might be an even better cook. So I’ll cover the food and entertainment, and can provide some back up in combat. Though I do have a good weakness for food.” She takes a sharp breath in and adds, “Ah right, I almost forgot! I prepared breakfast!”
Digging into the bottomless pack, she pulls out a large bundle, that when unwrapped, proves to be a giant loaf of warm bread, some sharp cheeses, walnuts, a couple of small jars of fruit preserves, and fresh fruits, berries, and vegetables. ”Alright, well we’re eating why don’t you introduce yourselves and give us a talent or two, and maybe a weakness?”
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Sitting in one of the chairs is a young halfling woman. She's dressed in an ornate light red dress that seems a little out of date, like it was in the style of about 10 years ago with some pieces of leather mixed in for protection. She has been sitting perfectly still, not even seeming to breathe and looks a little unusual with porcelain-like skin and glassy unblinking eyes. One might wonder if it was even a living being unless they had seen her arrive or noticed that her eyes tracked Janira as she addressed the group.
As soon as the food was in place, she blinked and jumped into activity, a cheerful childlike grin of excitement on her face as she grabbed some cheese. "Hi Janira! I'm Dolora. I love exploring, and gillmen sound fun! Last time I went exploring I got to meet a man stuck in stone and a big frog queen thing that chased us around playing tag and a punchy lady who knocked me right out and...well...exploring is fun! I hope there's no punchy ladies in the caves I don't really want to run into another one." She chatters cheerfully as she squirms excitedly in her seat. "Um let's see. Talents? I'm pretty good at whacking things and reading people and can be kinda sneaky sometimes and stuff. Um...I've gotta be careful sometimes though. People tell me that I get weird sometimes when things get scary or sad or I get startled or something. I've been working with some people at the lodge on that though and I think I'm doing a lot better now." She grins and hops out of her chair, bouncing from person to person checking them out.
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The young noble enters into the room with his clothes, though worn, are in good repair. He looks around and says This must be the place. . He goes to the bar and asks for a cup of warm tea with lemon Gotta take care of these vocal cords he says.
Looking around he takes a seat as if people should know who he is.
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A rather dark skin halfling sits astride a giant mantis crouching in one corner of the inn. The halfling looks uncomfortable to be here, staring up at the unnatural building around him. He looks uncomfortable in his shiny new metal armor. He is uncomfortable amongst these folk who wear so much. Basically, he looks uncomfortable. He only seems to get some comfort from unconsciously fondling a rather primitive looking necklace around his neck made from rough fibre, from which hang some feathers, animal teeth and a symbol carved into bone which from certain angles look like that for Gozreh.
He clears his throat before speaking. "I am Kardas Ruknaarr. My tribe lives in the jungle of the place that you would call the Mwangi Expanse. This is Mantis," he says as he pats the head of the giant vermin. "We fight together as one," is all he adds before going quiet again.
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Newly arrived in Absalom, Nonalwe shows no recognition of the names of any of the places Kreighton Shane and Janira speak about.
You wonder if she even has heard of gillmen, from the stoic look on her face.
Nonalwe listens as others introduce themselves. In crisp Taldane that still carries the jagged edges of recent practice, she introduces herself. "I am Nonalwe. I, too, hail from the Mwangi Expanse." She nods at Kardas, and allows her eyes to linger on his bony holy symbol with an unexpected smile; she seems to show no concern over his peculiar companion. "I come from a tribe of elves that you would call Ekujae, from a village that I will not yet name."
She herself is dressed in recently-purchased clothing, stylish enough, but only of natural colors like what she must have worn in her jungle home. A very long curved blade hangs at her side; when she moves, she appears to carry it with ease; it never bumps a table leg or trips another patron, even though it tails behind her for quite some length. "You would call me a wizard, though perhaps different from those of your stories and traditions. I seek to merge magic with this steel, to one day become master of this blade as was done of old."
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Dolora scampers over to Kardas "Oooh! Mwangi! That's where the punchy lady was! I liked being there except for her. Can ... can ... can I pet your mantis???" Not waiting for a response she heads over towards Nonalwe while running her hand down Mantis's carapace. "And you're from Mwangi too? And you know magic? You guys are much more fun than that guy over there who thinks he's special. Too good to even introduce himself..." She looks over at the noble with hesitation.
There's something about him I don't like. That accent and that style of dress seem vaguely familiar. I really hope he isn't...
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As the mantis clacks at her, Dolora glances towards it but doesn't react. Not getting any reassurance about the noble, and now having the comfort she was trying to obtain being by close to another halfling taken away, Dolora backs up into a corner, still staring at Giacommo. The swirling, now in front of her, intensifies.
The swirling in front of Dolora expands and consolidates, as a slow growl comes forth..."Singer? Chelish singer? Slaves don't get to see the singers. How else do Chelish see halflings but slaves?"
A human sized transparent figure resembling Dolora stares angrily at Giacommo, rage in its eyes and tears streaming down its face.
The figure continues to solidify until it has more mass, as it puts itself between Giacommo and the halfling. It places its hands on his chest in a non-threatening manner but applies enough force to keep him from moving forward.
"Too close. We need time to hear your words. Your song helps, but give her space."
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As Dolora calms down, the phantom begins to fade. By the time it has disappeared she has started to become more like her original self, although it takes a visible effort to put the cheerful smile back on.
"I shouldn't have assumed. You're right, there are good people everywhere, even in Cheliax. She heads back to the table to take more cheese. "Your song was quite nice, and you're right you do have nice buttocks." At that she lets out a giggle and the issue seems to be resolved.
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Belmir taps his lip pondering then speaks up, I can tell you little about the area we are traveling to however, rumor has it:During Earthfall, the Starstone struck Golarion and destroyed the human empires of Thassilon and Azlant. It is said that gillmen’s ancestors survived the cataclysmic event because they received the blessing of an aquatic entity that allowed them to breath underwater.
Janira gives a smile at Dolora as the halfling introduces herself, the young woman envoking an immediate sisterly instict to help protect her. She pats her hand. "Dearie, we'll make sure you don't run into anymore punchy ladies. Or at least don't get knocked out by them!"
As teh others file in, Janira moves over to Kardas, extending a hand and some food. "Ah don't worry! You can join us around the table. Nobody here bites, or at least will bite you! Here, I brought some berries and nuts that I think you have in the Mwangi expanse."
The halfling then turns to Nonalwe. "Wow so many people from the Expanse today! You're using a blade and magic together? That sounds interesting. How does it work?" After a second to listen to the explanation she turns to Kardas and asks "You two must have come from different parts of the Expanse. Do you mind if I ask what life there was like? That sounds fascinating!"
Engrossed in discovering how different and similar the two places that Kardas and Nonalwe came from are, Janira completely misses the breing of a Chelaxian conflict until it's almost too late. She watches the spirit with mouth agape, before decidedly imposing herself inbetween the spirit and Giacommo. "I'm not entirely sure what's happening here but this will have to end." She goes over to Dolora first and pats the woman on the back. "Don't worry, we don't mind that your ... spirit is it? that she came out. Nothing bad happened so that's okay. Giacommo certainly seems like a nice fellow. failing that his ass is certainly not bad to look at Do you think you can cooperate with him enough to see the mission through. I won't abide you fighting."
She next goes over to the singer, her glance lingering on his assets for a second longer than normal, but ultimately tries to stay business with him. "That was a phenomenal song. You have an asolutley amazing voice! And I've certainly heard the name Giacommo someplace before... But I won't have you bothering Dolora if she doesn't want the attention. Do you think you can work with her without causing problems?"
She goes over to the table again and picks up a slice of bread with preserves and cheese, chomping into it, with a slightly far off worried look on her face. She gives a small sigh of relief as Belmiir pops in with some of the history of the hills. Clearly on much more stable ground, the halfling bubbles up again. "Why that's certainly right, Belmiir! The history of the gillmen are deeply tied to the history of the starfall! Though it still leaves us stumped as to why they are visiting the caves this far inland."
Calmed down she looks at the assembled group and gives a small frown. "Hmm there was supposed to be one more of you. I guess he's just running late. Oh, well, I guess we can fill him in later. Now on to the details of the mission at hand.”
Janira breaks out into 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."
She reaches into a pack and pulls out a map of the island and then a detailed sketch of the cave entrances pointing out the important areas as she mentions them. “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.”
"Now do you have any questions?"
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Dolora, perfectly calm now, watches Janira work the group. When the incident is brought up, she smiles sweetly. "We'll be fine. I have some ... bad memories ... involving Cheliax and my family. After I calmed down and thought on his words and his song I realize he's not the same type of person I remember." She smiles at Giacommo as well.
"Gillmen are new to me. I have dealt a lot with Boggards. Are they similar creatures? The Boggards were definitely not very friendly."
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"Ah don't worry! You can join us around the table. Nobody here bites, or at least will bite you!"
Kardas glares at the back of the overly cheery halfling, then mutters under his breath, "I would rather Mantis not bite anyone too eager to pat."
"What monsters inhabit the region from here to the mountains?"
Janira starts slightly at Arnie's clapping, she looks back at his chair and reddens slightly. "Ooop, Sorry I completely over-looked you! You must be Arnie right? Shane did give me a list of names... That I put in my pack... somewhere."
Janira gives Kardas an encouraging smile. "Ah right that would be good for you to know. On the island of Kartos, centaurs control the lowlands and surrounding wilderness of the Kortos Mounts. The areas farther up the Mounts are controlled by minotaurs, and the icy peaks are home to tribes of harpies. They’re always vying for territory, but with any luck, we should be able to avoid them and reach the caves without conflict! But there’s always the chance we may run into bandits along the way, and there are dozens of kinds of predators in that forest. That’s why we should always be as prepared as possible!"
The little woman then gives a big clap and jumps up, reaching into her pack. "Right we should take a moment to go through your gear and make sure we have everything we'll need for the trip ahead. I made sure to pack enough food for everyone for a few days, but extra rations for worst case scenarios aren't a bad idea. You have the adventuring basics, right? Rope, light sources, and some sort of healing? Oh and be careful I hear the forests here can occasionally have swarms of bugs looking for food at this time of year."
She gives a glance through the packs that people are willing to show her offering advice such as alchemist fires or acids or antitoxins for those who can afford it, before perking up and grabbing a folder from her pack. From the folder she pulls out a sheef of papers and hands one out to everyone with a writing implement if they don't have one already. "Here, take these. Remember a major part of our mission is to report what we find and taking good notes can help make your reports much more detailed and precise. If you run out of paper ever I've got tons of extras!"
Janira wrinkles her eyebrows together, "Well it's probably not going to be completely safe, if that's what you're wondering. There is a good chance you might get hurt or worse. I'll try protecting you as best I can though."
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Belmir looks at Janira for a moment then bolts out the door announcing, I’ll be right back! Down the street Belmir finds himself in the alchemist shop looking at the shelves behind the proprietor’s counter. He sees a well stocked supply of various oils and urgents reluctly he takes out his purse and counts out 7 platinum pieces . give me one anti toxin and.... Hesitating for a moment Belmir considers do I really need to alchemist fires?
A short time latter Belmir returns to the group. sorry, just wanted to pick up an anti-toxin and another alchemist fire before we left.... are we ready then?
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Nonalwe has precious little extra money to spend, but she also has precious little in the way of gear! She accepts pencil and paper from Janira gratefully, then stops off at an alchemist's shop at her first opportunity to pick up a simple vial of acid.
"It's not much, but it should help a little bit if we encounter a swarm."
Janira gives Giacommo an understanding nod. "Ah I see... I'd warn you taht most missions will have a potiental for danger, but I'm sure you know. If it truly does violate your contract then we can work with you for your own confirmation, though I would ask you find someone else to replace you on this mission."
As the group moves out, with many of the people hitting up the nearest alchemist shop and buying a good deal of his stocks. The rest of the trip through the city proves uneventful and the trek through the outskirts of the city as well. On the way out, Janira points out the seige towers that recently just fought off an invasion of undead, demons and minotaurs. Moving onto the low rolling plains where most of the food is grown she gives refresher lectures on the history of Absalom. Just on the outskirts of the forest she calls for a halt an making camp. "Hmm, It's getting dark for the night, and we probably don't want to be travelling in the forest when it's dark. Why don't we stop for the night?"
She helps you pitch camp and get a fire going.
The next morning Janira prepares a scrumptious breakfast of warm bread and cooked sausages with some crisp apples and cheese. She does get you back on the road quickly though, pressing on to make sure you make the caves by the full moon.
On the trail again, Janira spearheads the dark woods, and her lectures and reviews take a more natural bent, picking out important plants and herbs, explaining their uses and importance as well as verifying that you remember any lessons you'd had while in training.
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.”
Most of the trees in this section of the forest have. Sporadic patches of light undergrowth provide areas for creatures to hide while restricting movement for those passing through. A large rock outcropping to the east rises nearly 20 feet above the forest floor, and a small sinkhole to the northwest drops off sharply, descending to the ground 10 feet below.
Janira starts to put away her wayfinder, turning to point out a particularly rare flower to Arnie, when a tree a little further in comes crashing down, startling man of the local animals, and in particular a giant mating ball of nearly 300 snakes that had been hiding out in the hollow of a giant dead tree. They slither out and start to reform into a group again, headed away from the sound and right for you!
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Dolora has been cheerfully striding next to her new halfling friend, listening to everything that Janira had to say during the trip, occasionally asking questions about topics that interested her.
At the crash of the tree, she jumps but immediately becomes excited. "Snakes! So cute! They do look a little irritable though..."
Luckily facing the right way Janira is the first to spot the giant on ushing horde of snakes and gives a cry of alarm. “Look lively Pathfinders! We’ve got snakes. Hope no one has a phobia!”
She immediately straightens out into a planted standing pose and starts to continue a lesson that she’d started yesterday. "Remember it was Selmius Foster’s race against a marid and efreeti on the isle of Jalmeray, which taught us that nothing is truly impossible and every situation can end in victory....”
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Current Map
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As the group is ready to depart they are approached by a man in darker clothing. Half of his face looks like he been burned on one half which has a strange mark on it and the other looks normal. His hair is short, white and spikey.
Giacommo sent me to help. He has a contract that will take a day or two to fulfill in terms of having a concert for an orphange. He sent me to take his place. I am Januus by the way