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[9 Pharast 4708 continued]
In Magnimar, the Heroes of Varisia continue their preparations for the final stage of their epic quest. As Ava makes contact with local cultists of Sinashakti, the others reunite at their inn. Erik and Jinkatsyu present the philtre of love they purchased as an ingredient to make another dominant weapon using the other materials smuggled out of Runeforge, but Kang tells them it would be useless. Only a powerful magical item strongly imbued with the essence of enchantment could be combined with the mirror shards from the wing of illusion to create a weapon opposed to Karzoug’s speciality, transmutation. Jinkatsyu urges the group to return to Runeforge to cleanse the place, but Kang notes the adventurers barely escaped alive last time. Meanwhile, Morgiana watches the proceedings, completely unaware of what’s going on.
[10 Pharast 4708]
In the morning, the adventurers spend several thousand gold pieces on a rod sufficiently imbued with magical energies to serve as the catalyst for a Runeforged weapon. Using a common washbasin, Kang uses a vial of the prismatic liquid from the central Runeforge pool, drops in a sprinkling of mirror shards, and then carefully immerses the rod. Instantly, golden glowing tendrils of energy arise, and Erik holds out his Alkenstar-made firearm for immersion in the liquid. When it is withdrawn, eldritch runes cover the barrel, and everything else in the basin is gone.
The adventurers decide their tasks in Magnimar have come to an end. Once Ava returns, she teleports the group to Sandpoint. A few more errands are completed in town. With Morgiana still in the form of a little girl, there’s much confusion to be had in the shops and inns (and among the populace generally) as to why adventurers engaged on such a dangerous task “have taken in an orphan.” Morgiana’s refusal to act or speak like a child causes further confusion, as does the lack of coordination among the group on what to call her in public (as Morgiana doesn’t want anyone to connect her childlike persona to the hobgoblin known to live on an outlying farm). The authorities are nearly called in to intervene on multiple occasions, but some fast talking and the trust the group has earned are enough to avoid formal inquiries.
During their day in Sandpoint, the group hears that Brodert Quink and Veznutt Parooh have been looking for them. The adventurers find the pair in Parooh’s map shop. Brodert explains that ever since returning from Jorgenfist he’s been continuing his research, as promised, on Xin-Shalast. He says he’s been corresponding with sages and scholars all across Varisia, and has finally struck gold during an exchange with the author of a noted cyclopedia on the foreboding Kodar Mountains, the so-called “Roof of the World” (where the legendary peak of Mhar Massif and its crown, Xin-Shalast, were said to lie during the time of Thassilon). The author, Cevil “Redwing” Charm, sent Brodert a letter:
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Saluations, Mr. Quink!
Thank you again for the kind words. It’s always a pleasure to speak with readers of my work, especially those well read and civilized enough to know of my writing beyond Eidolon. Alas, I was unable to procure a copy of the early draft from my personal files. It would seem that it has gone the way of so much of my early work, lost forever to the gulfs of time and narrow-minded publishers unable to grasp the import of a young Pathfinder’s work.
Fortunately, my mind is as quick now as it was in those early days of my explorations of your fantastic homeland. I recall the evening I first heard the story of Xin-Shalast, while seated on a log in a Varisian camp, sharing ruby mead with an enchanting young woman. Ah, but that’s a story for other times.
I was intrigued by the tale, though. All peoples have tales of “cities of gold”, yet with Xin-Shalast, the Varisians had no tradition of explorers seeking it. They viewed the place as one of evil, a place to be feared and forsaken. As far as I could tell, none of your indigenous people ever sought out the ruins before the advent of Chelish rule. But there was mention, come to think of it, of two dwarven brothers. Vekker, I think their names were. Claimed to have found the route to Xin-Shalast and convinced several tradesmen in Janderhoff to support and supply their plan to establish a base of operations in the low Kodar Mountains along the Kazaron. Their vanishing into the Kodars bankrupted all but one of their investors, I hear, and even today, the Vekker name is generally accompanied by a litany of rousing dwarven profanity when it comes up in ‘Hoffian taverns.
In the stead of enclosing a copy of the early, complete draft of my work, though, please find a signed copy of Eidolon with this missive. I trust it will look quite handsome on your shelf.
In good health,
Redwing
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Brodert says his own research confirms that Silas and Karivek Vedder did indeed abscond with a fair amount of investors’ money into the mountains and never returned; the common theory is that their “discovery of Xin-Shalast” was simply a clever con, but those who knew the Vekkers personally held them in high esteem. He says that if they did indeed discover Xin-Shalast, it would make sense for them to keep its location a secret until they could return with proof. He speculates that if there are any clues as to the whereabouts of the fabled city, they might just lie within the Vekkers’ base of operations—their mining camp on the banks of the Kazaron. As Brodert finishes speaking, Veznutt Parooh pulls out a well-worn map of northern Varisia and shows the adventurers how the Kazaron River flows down from an unknown source in the northeast Kodar Mountain range until it reaches the northern border of the Cinderlands and begins flowing west. Both Brodert and Veznutt make separate appeals to be included on the adventurers’ journey to the Kodars, but both are politely rebuffed. Erik gives Brodert the remaining mirror fragments from Runeforge as a gesture of goodwill, and the sage is quite interested in studying them.
It’s near sunset when the meeting with Brodert and Veznutt draws to a close. Morgiana leads the others into Sandpoint’s southern hinterlands. There, on a small farm, she introduces everyone to her adopted mother, Derriandra. Derriandra is friendly and invites everyone to stay the night, but privately she expresses her concern to Morgiana that the youth has fallen in with a bad crowd! But teenage rebellion has struck Morgiana deeply, and she insists she can’t stay on the farm her whole life. Later that night, the others ask Morgiana to reconsider as well, asking why she would leave a good home and a good family. Their words fall on deaf ears.
[11 Pharast 4708]
The adventurers pass the day in errands, helping out around the farm, and discussing what the next step of their journey should be.
Overnight, Kang’s alchemical experiments in the barn somehow attract several swarms of rats. He dispatches them in seconds with his hurled explosives and gets back to work, paying little attention that he’s woken up everyone nearby and cracked the walls of the barn!
[12 Pharast 4708]
Morgiana’s father, Calast, tells the teenager that her friends need to leave. The man is angrily chopping firewood with an axe, and glares at Kang when the tiefling appears to make peace. Later, Derriandra explains that her husband isn’t really so angry about the barn, which is rarely used, but that the adventurers “are taking his little girl away with them.” Once again, the adventurers speak with Morgiana and encourage her to stay, but the surly teen says she told her parents she was leaving months ago and doesn’t care what they think. Indeed, Morgiana says, their lives may be better with her gone. But Kang is having none of it—he says he said the same thing to his father before leaving home, and regretted it. He insists that Morgiana and least say good-bye to her parents, and she reluctantly does so, receiving warm embraces in return.
The adventurers settle on their next destination: the deceased dragon Longtooth’s cave near Jorgenfist!
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