Pathfinder: Gate of Sorrow – Pilot Episode

Having the characters and the last thing they remember, the open scene is:

Each character comes to instantaneous, complete consciousness, and finds themself dressed in loose clothing of fine cloth at a table piled high with food of all varieties.  Across from them, against the wall is all of their gear in neat piles and a tall woman with black hair, that flashes gold in the light and golden eyes with diamond shaped pupils.  She introduces herself as Mariassa Sorrow, Satrap of the Gate City of Caracossa and invites them to partake of the feast, construct servants serve them all (except the elf is not given wine and must be content with water).

After dinner there is some questioning, Sorrow explains that the characters are better off here than they would have been had her people not picked them up and in exchange, she expects them to use their talents for her.  In return, they will be equipped and rewarded.  But, they must also agree to act as her agent and wear their choice of a necklace or bracelet of polished black stone, which flashed with her mark as it was donned, which would allow her to locate them as needed.  Sorrow is seeking the location of the Eighth Gate, for only seven of the eight gates have been discovered, and the prize for finding the Eighth, well, it would be astronomical.

Sorrow’s Servant

They were given their things back and run of the house, which seemed to be staffed entirely by constructs, and a chance to rest.  The next morning, after another lavish meal, funds were provided for our heroes to acquire what they needed for their journey.  Aisha buys a variety of goods including things for her healing kit, Falla orders two fine dresses, Palin bought a used scabbard for his sword and Esarian spent all of his on books.  Returning back to Sorrow’s palace, Aisha browbeat Palin into demonstrating his combat skills (“I am just a simple swordsman,” he kept insisting) and he inadvertently revealed that he could summon the black steel sword to his hand.

The next day, they are each given tokens that will allow them transit through the gate (representing payment, not magical) and  travel out through the Caracossa gate, through the Capital to Varitaten.   Where they are met by one of Sorrow’s agents who arranges transport by starship to the slightly warmer island of Paitari.  There they acquire horses, and in Falla’s case a horse and trap, and head off into the sparsely populated wilderness.

We ended with the howls of  wolves approaching and a pack of two-headed wolves breaking out of the woods towards our heroes.

Note: Image by Skye Sken from deviantART