Name: The Pathfinder
Habitat: The Warrens, typically around Kalzasi controlled areas
Rarity: Extremely rare unless someone is lost
Threat: Low or Legendary depending on PC choices
Description: The Pathfinder is a one of a kind being in the Warrens, not a species. It has a body that is vaguely humanoid in appearance, with a head and arms being visible. It carries on its back a large, pot like container that emits a black, scentless smoke. It appears to be wearing tattered, grey robes, but those are actually a part of it as well. One arm is an everburning torch, the other appears to be a walking stick or cane.
Biome Role: It does not serve a role in the natural biome.
Diet: N/A
Aging & Reproduction: N/A
Size: If a six foot tall person were hunched over, is the size.
Abilities and Features:
Perfect Navigation: The Pathfinder always has a tendency to find people who are lost in the Warrens around Kalzasi. It will always show up coming from a route that leads it to facing the person, walking slowly as it typically does, with the soft glow of its torch preceding it. It does not speak, but it will approach the lost individual exactly three times. If a person turns their back on it, that will count as a single denial. Three denials and the Pathfinder will leave the person in peace.
However, should the person allow the Pathfinder to approach, it will stop when it is within reaching distance. The Pathfinder does not communicate directly, but it does emit an aura that tends to cause a person to feel that a choice is before them. Something must be given in order to receive the Pathfinder's help.
Once this has been felt, the torch of the Pathfinder will slowly begin to dim. The person has to offer something to the Pathfinder in exchange to being led safely out of the Warrens. The person can offer up literally anything that comes to mind, so long as it is something that is inherently theirs. This could be physical items or things much less typical or tangible. People have offered up memories, character traits/attributes, years of their life, body parts, etc. Anything that is theirs can be given, aided by the Pathfinder's inherent abilities.
However, the Pathfinder doesn't accept just anything. The further one is from an exit, the higher the cost the Pathfinder expects. If the person offers something that isn't enough of a payment (or isn't inherently theirs to give), the torch will continue to dim. If they offer up something the Pathfinder finds acceptable, the torch will return to its normal brightness. The Pathfinder will then lead the person on a slow, but safe journey out of the Warrens to the nearest exit. The black smoke it emits causes all creatures in the Warrens to avoid it and whoever it is leading. It should be noted that if it is a group, all members must give payment.
If a person doesn't give enough payment before the torch dims out completely, they will find the entire area around them delving into perfect darkness, regardless of whether or not they have their own light sources or night vision. The perfect darkness will last an entire minute, and then the Pathfinder's torch will return light to the area, and the person who didn't pay will be gone, unable to be contacted or communicated with. It is unclear if the person is dead or alive or where they are. None have come back and none have figured it out. It should be noted that anything given will not cause a person to stop living. If one were to give their heart to the Pathfinder, they would have a hole in their chest where the heart used to be located, but otherwise would continue to live normally.
Attacking the Pathfinder directly causes nothing to happen, as it appears to be completely incorporeal, and attacks simply pass right through. It doesn't anger or bother the Pathfinder to be attacked, and it seems as if it doesn't notice or care.
Cultural Significance (If applicable):
The Pathfinder is a somewhat newer phenomenon in Kalzasian culture. It began to appear around the time the Cursed Map was created, and that has led some to believe it has some connection to the mapmaker. Some think that when he attempted to map the Haunted Reaches, it fractured his soul, and one piece was was taken as a cost of his attempt to map the area, and warped into the Pathfinder.
Reasons to interact: If you get lost, it will help you leave the Warrens.
Recommended Stats: None needed.
