Pathfinder,
I hope this letter finds you well. I’ve been working on possibilities on expanding the Pathfinder presence in Minkai, and I believe I have found an excellent location for a brand-new Pathfinder lodge. I have recently learned that a small island just off the coast of Sakakabe Province called Kayajima is potentially located on a favorable convergence of dormant ley lines. We have reason to believe that if we could restore the island’s power, it would be of great use in protecting any lodge we would establish. Not only that, but the island’s diplomatic location in relation to Minkai, Xidao, and the Forest of Spirits would be a great boon to expanding Society presence in the region. I’ve secured approval from Sakakabe’s provincial government for this mission, so you should encounter no difficulties in that regard.
I have spoken to my protege, Kukuha Mukai, and have requested her to meet you in Sakakabe proper to travel to Kayajima to see whether it would be a fitting location for a lodge. She’s somewhat an expert in the field of ley lines, so she’s the perfect person to oversee this endeavor. Kukuha will be your point of contact for this mission.
I’ve chartered a voyage from a former Pathfinder, Masuhei Okonase, who retired from the Pathfinder Society to become an oyster fisher. He still helps out the Society from time to time, and he’s a great asset to have in Sakakabe. He knows the waters around Sakakabe well and will be ready to transport you to Kayajima when you arrive.
Best of luck to you,
—Venture-Captain Fola Barun
Sakakabe, Minkai
Sakakabe bustles on this clear, humid summer morning. The constant buzz of conversation and commerce echoes over the concentric terraces leading up the hillside from the town’s port. Wagons clatter their way across cobbled streets, their wares bound for export on waiting cargo ships. Oyster boats are returning to port from the north, their nets filled with the morning’s catch. The air smells of brine and seaweed.
Fishers and merchants alike clatter across the pier, with shouted orders and affirmations traded from vessel to cart to street. Farther down, a beaming, older Minkaian man waves his burly, tanned arms from beside a rickety boat. “Ahoy there! Always good to see fellow Pathfinders in these parts. Name’s
Masuhei Okonase, former Pathfinder agent and current oyster fisher extraordinaire! Good old Fola reached out and asked me to lend a hand, and I’m always happy to help out where I can.
“So, Fola tells me that you’re headed out to Kayajima to scout some ground for a new Pathfinder lodge? That’s quite exciting! We don’t get much Pathfinder activity in the area, and I’d love to see the Society have a more permanent presence here. Might even inspire me to pick up the old wayfinder again, ha!
“I’m ready to take you to Kayajima when you’re ready. If you need to pick up anything before we head out, the markets should have everything you could need. Just let me know when you’re ready to set sail.”
Where’s Kukuha?
“Oh right, you were supposed to meet up with her here. I ferried her out to Kayajima a couple days ago. She decided that she wanted to head out early to spend some time getting familiar with the island’s geography.”
Where exactly are we going on the island?
Masuhei scratches his head. “Hmm, I believe you’re headed to the fortress, which isn’t too far inland from where I’ll drop you off. At least that’s what Kukuha said when I dropped her off. Should be a pretty straight shot, if I’m not mistaken. I can point out the path when we arrive, it's just a bit further inland from the rock pier where we'll dock.”
What do you know about the island?
Masuhei ponders for a moment, then answers. “Well, from what I learned back in my school days, the island used to host Sakakabe’s military forces. At some point in our history, the island was abandoned. It wasn’t worth the effort holding an island off the coast, so provincial leadership decided to consolidate forces on the mainland. Not many people make their way out there nowadays. Don’t think there’s much of value, and the silver and fishing industries are booming, so there’s no need to overextend ourselves.”
What do we need to bring to the island?
“My understanding was that it’ll take you a day to do what you need to do, according to Kukuha. From my experience, pretty much any piece of adventuring gear can be useful with a little cleverness, but you can never go wrong with a potion or elixir to patch up scrapes, and some food and water for the road. The island’s got a mountain, so some climbing gear wouldn’t hurt.”
Know anything about the convergence of ley lines?
“I’ve heard of their power in Minkai’s ancient past, but they must have gone out long ago, if they even existed at all. Hope this trip will be worth your while!”