Loge de la Route Ouverte
Lodge Overview
Name Open Road Lodge
Lodge Location Northern Mwangi Expanse, 50 miles north-northeast of Nagis
aVenture-Captain Sigvard Tornkvist
Key Members Gregaro Voth
Allies Ihuoma Eze, Morgork and Mr. Bunbun, Magaambya
Enemies none
Assets and Services fey herbs and medicinal plants, transportation
The newest lodge in the Society, the Open Road Lodge formed in 4720 AR after the defeat of an evil fey, the Thorned Monarch Qxal. The conflict between the fey and the Society culminated a year of research and expeditions by field agents aimed at uncovering the Society’s history.
In the Society’s early years, agents embarked on an exploration of the Mwangi Expanse, led by Selmius Foster, Kerinha Napsunar, Durvin Gest, and Gregaro Voth. The four founders, along with a small support team, followed rumors of wondrous treasures lost in the Mwangi Expanse. During their adventures, they came upon a gate of vines and leaves covered in locks and surrounded by keys of various shapes and sizes—a gate they called the Door of Seasons. Intrigued, Durvin began trying keys in the locks to no avail. Selmius, Gregaro, and Kerinha joined in the effort. After some time, a mocking voice announced that any of the keys would work, but as the group had discovered the door together, it wouldn’t work until only one of those trying the locks remained.
Durvin, Kerinha, Gregaro, and Selmius, demonstrating the Pathfinder spirit of cooperation, swore a pact to leave the site and postpone the discovery of treasure until nature decreed only one of them remained. The promise made in the middle of the Mwangi Expanse became known as the Open Road Pact and further strengthened the ethos of cooperation established during the founding of the Society. Concerned their continued travels would incite the voice to further mischief, the companions scattered throughout Golarion. They vowed to hide their keys and never to travel together again.
In 4719 AR, field agents conducting a census and inspection of Nexus House in Quantium learned of the existence of the Open Road Pact through chronicles that were filed by Kerinha Napsunar but never published in official volumes. Following this information, the Society learned that the tormenting voice encountered by Selmius and the others belonged to Qxal, the Thorned Monarch. Agents retrieved a magical artifact, the Perennial Crown, which functioned as the true key needed to gain the treasure beyond the Door of Seasons, from the island of Bhopan. Here, they began to untangle Qxal’s web of schemes, misdeeds, and deceptions. Meanwhile, the Society mobilized other agents to search through the archives for clues to what happened to the other members of the Open Road Pact. Digging further, researchers identified three potential locations for the gate at the heart of the Open Road Pact. Field agents quickly headed to the Mwangi Expanse to explore the locations, and gathered enough information to determine the gate was in the northeastern portion of the Mwangi Expanse. The Decemvirate then authorized a major expedition, sending out the call to all available field agents.
During their journey to the gate, these Pathfinders faced hordes of the Thorned Monarch’s cunning allies and hazards. They used the Perennial Crown to open the door and revealed the true treasure beyond—the Thorned Monarch’s demiplane. They also found a half-orc dressed in traveling gear from a bygone age, bound by vines and plant growth to the wall of the demiplane, who revealed himself as Gregaro Voth. The door sealed behind the agents, and the Pathfinders found themselves facing Qxal in the fight for their lives. With great effort, the Pathfinders defeated the Thorned Monarch and freed Voth from the vines. In the following days, Venture-Captains Oraiah Tolal (page 110) and Sigvard Tornkvist, along with the planar specialist and ally of the Society Ashasar (page 56), renewed the Open Road Pact with Gregaro, establishing their control over the demiplane but committing one of them to always remain inside its boundaries.
Knowing he could not leave the extraplanar complex without crumbling under the weight of his years, Gregaro agreed to remain inside. He set about forming a location for Pathfinders to use as a base of operations. Unfamiliar with the structure of the present-day Society, Gregaro requested help managing the lodge. As a result, the Decemvirate appointed Venture-Captain Sigvard Tornkvist as leader. The Decemvirate also authorized a link between the lodge and the Maze of the Open Road, allowing for speedy travel between the Open Road Lodge, the Grand Lodge in Absalom, and other terminus lodges such as Woodsedge Lodge in Galt.
Using his experiences as a druid, Gregaro melded the natural wild fey fabric of the demiplane into structures fit for habitation, a holistic blend of stone and greenery. A three-storied tower of natural stacked stone, covered in ivy, stands in the center of a sprawling complex of soaring trees, vibrant flowers, and verdant ground cover, a focal point in the lushness of the expansive grounds. Smaller stone outbuildings dot the landscape, each dedicated to a different pursuit. Kitchens, laundry, classrooms, workshops, and quarters spread out among ferns and flowers. A pond teems with many types of fish, a staple of residents’ diets. Trout, pollan, and char swim calmly through the crystal-clear water, while water lilies and lobelia float on the top, providing shade for the fish. Fresh green shoots peek through the brown earth of garden beds, their tender leaves reaching upward to the sky. While no sun appears in the sky, the ambient light suggests a sun traveling just out of sight. Leaves rustle in the breeze, a gentle zephyr blowing through the complex, filling the air with the scent of flowers and earth. Gregaro’s control over all aspects of the demiplane allows for a pleasant spring-day environment.
While a haven of idyllic buildings and serene surroundings, the lodge boasts few luxuries. Each visitor must spend time helping with chores. Basic fare and plain rooms lay the foundations for an ascetic lifestyle, while still leaving time for relaxation and self-reflection. Unplugging from the hustle of the main Society does have benefits, and most adventurers in the lodge seek to refresh and renew themselves before new expeditions.
Venture-Captain
Sigvard Tornkvist, or Siggy to those who know her, speaks little about her early years. The few conversations she’s had about her origins point to roots in Rahadoum and a traumatic childhood. Upon reaching her maturity, Sigvard presented herself at the gates of the Grand Lodge and applied for membership in the Pathfinder Society. Her 3 years of training focused on the School of Spells with little regard to other instructional paths. Upon completing her confirmation and graduating to field agent, she quickly found work clearing the Blakros Museum of a miasmic fog. From there, she kept up active work as an agent of the Pathfinder Society.
While her assignments took her throughout Golarion and beyond, Sigvard remains most passionate about ancient Osirian archaeological sites. She spent many years as part of a four-member team. When one adventure resulted in her death, the Ruby Prince assisted in raising her from the dead and gave her the moniker “the Risen” as thanks for her dedication to Osirion. A half-decade ago, her group thwarted threats against the Society and corruption at the highest level and collectively earned recognition as venture-captains for their efforts.
Afterwards, she split with her group instead of settling down, choosing to maintain a mobile lodge at her current dig site. When Osirion canceled almost all foreign exploration, she entered semi-retirement, only leaving to aid particularly dangerous missions or those needing her expertise. She was thus available when the call for a leader for the Open Road Lodge came, and answered it eagerly. She views members of the Open Road Pact as kindred spirits and looks forward to learning Society history from a founder.
Sigvard’s orc ancestry is evident from her small lower tusks and green skin, set off by her gold-rimmed glasses. Those who encounter her find a keen intellect behind her quiet demeanor. Her voice, while firm and decisive, never dominates a conversation. She prefers to leave discussion and debate to others, interjecting when her experiences provide relevant data. Of middling age, she dresses in functional adventuring garb, preferring substance over style. A diviner by calling and an academic by trade, Sigvard always carries her spellbook, a massive tome covered in brown leather and embossed with the Osirian scarab. Knowing she loses herself in her work, she has sought out magical means of sustenance so that she doesn’t have to break from her studies of ancient tomes and artifacts to take care of her basic needs.
Vermin Repellent Agent
Adapted from a recipe received from the Ekujae elves of the Mwangi Expanse, this cream of lavender, lemon, and a few other alchemically treated ingredients is now a must-have for travelers to and from the Open Road Lodge. Anyone visiting the lodge can stock up on more vials of cream.
VERMIN REPELLENT AGENT ITEM 3+
UNCOMMON; ALCHEMICAL; CONSUMABLE
Usage held in 2 hands; Bulk L
Activate [three-actions] Interact
This specialized cream serves as a repellent to stave off insects. The repellent also binds with a number of common insect venoms, dulling the potency and giving the wearer’s immune system a boost to resist venoms. Once applied to your skin, the repellent grants you an item bonus to Fortitude saving throws against poisons for 4 hours. In addition, any arthropods (insects, spiders, scorpions, crabs, and similar invertebrate animals) must attempt a Will save when attempting to attack you with a melee Strike, or with a swarm attack such as the spider swarm’s swarming bites. The arthropod then becomes temporarily immune for 1 minute.
Critical Success The creature can act normally.
Success The creature is frightened 1.
Failure The creature is frightened 2.
Critical Failure The creature is frightened 2 and fleeing.
Type lesser; Level 3; Price 8 gp
You gain a +1 item bonus and the save DC is 17.
Type moderate; Level 8; Price 75 gp
You gain a +2 item bonus and the save DC is 24.
Type greater; Level 12; Price 315 gp
You gain a +3 item bonus and the save DC is 29.
Type major; Level 16; Price 1,350 gp
You gain a +4 item bonus and the save DC is 35.
Pathfinder Operations
No current established travel routes exist to the Door of the Seasons, with the Society having established only rough foot tracks to the remote lodge. Visitors must thus spend days in overland travel to reach the Door of the Seasons and the lodge within. Most travelers pass through the cities of Kibwe or Jaha, but to even reach those takes time, as they are situated well inland in the Mwangi Expanse. Travelers encounter many different communities on their way to the lodge, and each holds different ideals and goals. To ease travel and prevent social mishaps, Venture-Captain Sigvard wishes to negotiate safe passage through the lands, recognizing the delicateness of the situation.
Gregaro Voth’s inability to leave the demiplane leaves his ability to catch up with current events severely limited. Since he can’t travel, he asks agents to bring news to him. While he’s primarily focused on catching up to the Society, his training as a druid means he’s interested in flora and fauna as well. To generate interest in bringing him new information, he has announced a contest, promising a reward for the rarest specimen, and another for the group that brings in the greatest variety of specimens. The contest is scheduled to begin on the first of the next month and run for 6 months to enable groups to wrap up their current adventures before starting their searches. He also decreed that participating Pathfinders must source their specimens responsibly, not stripping anything bare or causing harm to surroundings in pursuit of an item. To keep contestants appraised of the current standings, he posts a list of all delivered specimens in the Lodge of the Open Road.
On their way from Kibwe to the Door of the Seasons, Pathfinders stumbled upon ancient ruins in the territory of the Alijae elves, a subgroup of the Mualijae elves of the Mwangi jungles. Seeing the site as a trove of undiscovered information, the Pathfinders attempted to negotiate with the Alijae for continued access to the site, permission to explore, and authorization to publish their findings. Upon meeting with the local elder Abeo Okafor (N male elf shaman), the Pathfinders gained conditional approval, provided they could prove their intentions as an archaeological mission of discovery. The Alijae have secretly set several tests for the Pathfinders during their exploration, however. Their intention is to observe how the Pathfinders handle themselves during the trials and whether they remain true to their position of archaeological explorers. If they do, the Alijae intend to grant them full access to the ruins and establish a positive relationship with the on-site teams and the Lodge of the Open Road. If they don’t conduct themselves well, the Alijae plan to shut the site down and evict any Pathfinders by force, no doubt souring the relationship between the elves and the Pathfinder Society.
Additionally, a band of monkeys has settled in the territory between Jaha and the Door of the Seasons, terrorizing any who pass through their area. The Pathfinder Society plans to dispatch a team to remove the threat by relocating the animals elsewhere. Initial evaluations of the situation suggest the monkeys moved northward, fleeing a larger predator. The agents might have to head deeper into the jungle and remove the disturbance to resolve the situation.
LOCAL ALLIES
Morgork (CN male goblin forager): Morgork spends his time patrolling the Mwangi Expanse, accompanied by his faithful giant rabbit steed, Mr. Bunbun. The pair gather information for the Lodge in exchange for room and board. Morgork loves collecting baubles, and his outfit teems with pockets waiting to be filled or holding snacks to eat on the trail.
Morgork acts as Gregaro’s eyes, and is dedicated to maintaining the safety of the lodge.
Ihuoma Eze (NG female Mwangi linguist): Born in Osibu, Ihuoma spent numerous years traveling the globe, working to expand on her innate skill with languages. Her fluency with many tongues, including numerous Mwangi dialects, makes her an invaluable asset in inter-group communications. Ihuoma works closely with Sigvard, establishing positive relationships with local residents and creating a network of Pathfinder allies throughout the Mwangi Expanse.
Magaambyan Scholars: While Magaambyan and Pathfinder Society organizational goals do not always align, both groups respect each other and work to find points of intersection. Two such outlets involve cosponsoring symposia about wizarding and exchanging of resident scholars as visiting instructors.
LODGE HISTORY
4312 ar Gregaro Voth, Selmius Foster, Kerinha Napsunar, and Durvin Gest form an expedition to the Mwangi Expanse in search of wondrous treasures. Their search results in the formation of the Open Road Pact.
4314 ar Kerinha Napsunar establishes a lodge in the River Kingdoms.
4330 ar Selmius Foster’s expedition to Bhopan, which was inspired by Qxal’s temptations, ends with his death. His assistant, Adolphus, flees the island with the Princess Ganjay and part of the Bhopanese treasury. Adolphus and Ganjay use the funds to found Nexus House (page 94).
4352 ar Kerinha Napsunar dies in her bed in Quantium, surrounded by friends from the Pathfinder Society. In her will, she arranges publication of her adventures in the Pathfinder Chronicles 10 years after her death.
4360 ar Durvin Gest disappears while on an adventure on the Garundi continent.
4364 ar Believing himself the last living member of the Open Road Pact, Gregaro Voth sets out for the Mwangi Expanse to open the fey door at the heart of the Open Road Pact. According to the official records, Voth died on this expedition.
4719 ar Field agents discover the existence of the Open Road Pact while visiting Nexus House in Quantium, Nex. Agents spend the next year uncovering information about the Pact, leading to a climatic fight with the Thorned Monarch and the formation of the Open Road Lodge.