Eando Kline, faction leader of the Vigilant Seal, looks up at the orange-streaked faces of two of his junior Pathfinders. “Explain.”
One gestures to a bucket of clay spheres at her feet. “Well, sir, we found these artifacts in dig site 23B-2, and Jaci here opened one to survey its contents. They’re inkwells! It turns out that some pressure had built up and—”
“In the field.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Without checking it for hazards.”
“Well…”
“We’re in a Cyclopean ruin, surrounded by explosive trees, a Pathfinder’s just gone missing, and you didn’t think to assess them for risk?!” Eando’s voice raises slightly, before he rubs the scar over his eye and turns back to the Pathfinders with a warmer voice. “I’m just glad that this time, all you got was a face-full of old ink, not mind-controlling spores. Seen it before. Now, get going—leave those here and I’ll see that they get to their proper place.”
There’s a shuffle at the door as the junior Pathfinders scurry out and are replaced by a team of Vigilant Seal agents carrying a small chest. “Correspondence from the Glorious Payoff, sir.”
Eando waits with anticipation to hear word from his colleague as his agents pass several magical and alchemical tools over the crate, each reacting in turn.
“Curses: negative.”
“Toxins: negative.”
“Volatiles: negative.”
“Auras: negative.”
Only once proper procedure has been observed does Eando open the chest, revealing maps, journals, and a sealed letter. Also revealed is the inscription of a mouth on the underside of the chest’s lid, which immediately animates, letting out an extremely loud and extremely off-key rendition of Ulfen drinking song “Set Sail with Me to Valenhall” in Calisro Benarry’s voice. Eando flicks a hidden blade into his wrist and scratches out the inscription before Calisro’s recording can get to the high part. “I thought you said no auras.”
“Apologies, sir, but all Captain Benarry’s correspondence is considered pre-cleared for level-two scanning protocols only.”
“Please move her to level three in the future, her singing warrants at least that level of hazard.” Eando unfurls a map from the chest and strokes his beard. “It sounds like she and Bjersig should be landing in Arcadia shortly. To think, a lodge on the other side of the sea! What I’d give to see this legendary Ulfen settlement on the far shores…” Looking around the Cyclopean ruins as Pathfinders excavate artifacts and mark dig sites, Eando sighs and shakes his head. He’s right where he’s needed—best leave the exploring to the young.
“Start reloading the chest for a return voyage and include a full report on what’s happened here so far. The faction leaders need to know that something’s brewing in Iobaria.” Eando looks at the scratched-out magical inscription on the chest, pauses, and picks up one of the clay inkpots left behind, a rare smile flickering across his face. “Put one of these in for the captain, as well.”
Some of the enemies and allies you’ll meet this month!; Art by Josef Kucera
This month, we have Pathfinder Society Scenario 2-03: Catastrophe’s Spark where the Pathfinder Society explores a facility in the cyclopes ruins of Min-Khadaim uncovered in last month’s adventure, seeking to get to the bottom of a mysterious disappearance. This dungeon delve by Tineke Bolleman is designed for characters of level 1–4. Next, Luis Loza takes us over the horizon with a level 3–6 adventure, Pathfinder Society Scenario 2-04: Path of Kings, as the Society follows the legendary route of the Linnorm Kings to scout a site for a new Pathfinder lodge in northern Arcadia.
Adventure!
James Case
Pathfinder Society Developer
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