Pathfinder For Savage Worlds Rise of The Runelords Book 1 Burnt Offerings by Michael Barbeau
August 3, 2022 | Author: Anonymous | Category: N/A
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CREDITS Original Paizo Team Development Lead: James Jacobs Designers: Wolfgang Baur, Stephen S. Greer, James Jacobs, Nicolas Logue, Richard Pe, and Greg A. Vaughan Vaughan Additional Design: Brian Cortijo, Tim Hitchcock, Michael Kortes, F. Wesley Schneider, Owen K.C. Stephens, and James L. Suer Additional Development: Lisa Stevens Cover Artist: Wayne Reynolds Interior Artists: Dave Allsop, Rayph Beisner, Eric Belisle, Concept Art House, Vincent Dutrait, W Wayne ayne England, John Gravato, Andrew Hou, Imaginary Friends, Tyler Jacobson, Warren Mahy, Roberto Piurru, Maichol Quinto, Wayne Reynolds, Florian Sti, Eva Widermann, Ben Wooen, Kevin Yan, and Kieran Yanner Cartography: Robert Lazzarei Additional Cartography: 99 Lives Design and Jason Engle Creative Director: James Jacobs Senior Art Director: Sarah E. Robinson
Pathnder for Savage Worlds Rise of the Runelords Conversi Conversion: on: Michael Barbeau Pathnder for Savage Worlds Development Te Team: am: Chris Warner, Karl Keesler, Michael Barbeau, Donald Schepis, Shane Hensley, Jessica Rogers Graphic Designer: Karl Keesler Logistics, Marketing & Customer Service: Jodi Black, Chris Landauer, Christine Lapp, Chelsea Kramer Pathnder for Savage Savage Worlds Production Manager: Simon Lucas
Paizo Licensing Team President, Paizo Inc. : Je Alvarez Chief Creative Ocer, Publisher: Erik Mona Vice President of Marketing & Licensing: Jim Butler Director of Licensing: John Feil Director of Brand Strategy: Mark Moreland Director of Visual Design: Sarah Robinson Creative Director: James Jacobs Creative Director: Robert G. McCreary Marketing and Media Manager: Aaron Shanks Marketing Coordinator: Leah Beckelman
T S W O G L . F S W SW SWAG AG ACE L, ../. Product Identity: The following items are hereby identied as Product Identity, as dened in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: The Savage Worlds game system, all trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content are not included in this declaration.) Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), content of this Pinnacle Entertainment game product are Open Game Content, as dened in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form f orm without wrien permission.
CONTENTS BACKGROUND
Te Missing Bartender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Additional E En ncounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6
Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Advancement rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Nualia’s SSttor y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
PART ONE: FESTIVAL AND FIRE 10 Te Swallowtail Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Goblins in the Streets! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Victor y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
PARTT TWO: LOCAL HEROES PAR
18
Te Desecrated Vault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Te SSh hopkeep’s D Daaughter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Te Boar Hunt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rouble at the Rusty Dragon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monster in in tth he C Clloset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grim News from Mosswood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
18 19 21 22 23 25
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version .a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved. 1. Definitions: (a) “Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b) “Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d) “Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts, creatures, characters, stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; pla places, ces, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f ) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open O pen Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”,“Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, D istribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You”or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement. 2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License. 3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License. 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this LLicense, icense, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content. 5. 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PAR PARTT THREE: GLASS AND WRATH
30
Investigating tth he G Gllassworks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Catacombs of Wrath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Foreshadowing the Sinkhole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
PAR PARTT FOUR: THIST THISTLETOP LETOP
46
Tistletop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tistletop D Du ungeon: Le Level O On ne . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tistletop Dungeon: Level wo . . . . . . . . . . . . . Concluding the Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
52 60 70 78
APPENDIX 80 New Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Magic IIttems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so. 12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected. 13. Termination: Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License. 1. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable. 15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v .a © .a © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Monte System Reference Document © Document © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors: Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Advanced Bestiary © , Green Ronin Publishing, LLC; Author: Matthew Sernett. The Book Book of Fiends Fiends © , Green Ronin Publishing, LLC; Authors: Aaron Loeb, Erik Mona, Chris Pramas, and Robert J. Schwalb. Armies of the Abyss © , Green Ronin Publishing; Authors: Erik Mona and Chris Pramas. The Av Avata atar’ r’s H Hand andboo book k © © , Green Ronin Publishing; Authors: A uthors: Jesse Decker and Chris Thomasson. Book of the Righteous © , Aaron Loeb. Legions of Hell © , Green Ronin Publishing; Authors: Chris Pramas. The Unholy Unholy Warrior’ Warrior’s Handbook Handbook © , Green Ronin Publishing; Author: Robert J. Schwalb. Plot & Poison Poison © , Green Ronin Publishing, LLC; Author: Matthew Sernett. Tome of Horrors Horrors Complete Complete © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and Bunyip from the Tome distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Dermot Jackson. Tome of Horrors Horrors Comple Complete te © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and Decapus from the Tome distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Jean Wells. Tome me of Horrors Horrors Complet Complete e © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published Demon, Alu- from the To and distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax. Tome me of Horror Horrorss Complete Complete © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published Jelly, Jelly, Mustar Mustard d from the To and distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax. Tome of Horrors Complet Complete e © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and Jubilex Jubilex from the Tome distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax. Tome me of Horro Horrors rs Complet Complete e © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and Mite from the To distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Ian Livingstone and Mark Barnes. Tome me of Horrors Horrors Complete Complete © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and Nereid from the To distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax. Tome e of Horrors Complete Complete © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and Orcus from the Tom distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax. Tome of Horrors Horrors Complete Complete © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and Pazuzu from the Tome distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax. Tome me of Horrors Complete Complete © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and Skulk from the To distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Simon Muth. Tome e of Horro Horrors rs Complet Complete e © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and Tentamort from the Tom distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Mike Roberts. Tome e of Horrors Horrors Complet Complete e © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published Undead Lord from the Tom and distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene. Tome of Horr Horrors ors Complet Complete e © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., Wolf-In-Sheep’s-Clothing from the Tome published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax. Tome of Horrors Horrors Complete © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and Yeti Yeti from the Tome
distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax. Tome me of Horrors Horrors Complet Complete e © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published Zombie, Juju from the To and distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax. Pathfinder Adventure Path: Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Wolfgang Baur, Stephen S. Greer, James Jacobs, Nicolas Logue, Richard Pett, and Greg A. Vaughan. Pathfinder for Savage Worlds: Rise of the Runelords © 2021, Pinnacle Entertainment Group Authors: Mike Barbeau and Shane Henlsey
RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
BACKGROUND San dpoint Sandpoin t has fa faced ced few trials and da danger ngerss over its fortyforty-twotwo-year year history history,, but that is all about to change. Unknown to the town’s founders, they built their community over the ruins of an ancient stronghold once used as a labora laborator tory y and prison, a pla place ce where horrific e experiments xperiments took place place.. These are the Cat Cata acombs of Wra Wrath, th, a pla place ce wher where e arcanists explored a and nd perfected the stolen arts of lifeshaping and fleshwarping, one of several such sites used by Runelord Alaznist’s apprentices during Thassilon’s height. When Thassilon fell, these ca cata tacombs combs went d dormant ormant,, but the one buried under Sandp Sa ndpoin oint t was not fa fated ted to sta stay y tha that t wa way y.
F
ive years ago and hundreds of miles from the Varisian Varisian coast, a wicked and ambitious stone giant named Mokmurian awakened
a slumbering tyrant—Runelord Karzoug. Thousands of years ago, at the height of Thassilon’s rule, Karzoug drew his magic from traditions closely tied to the seven primal sins. After many centuries of magical slumber, Karzoug wasted no time beginning his triumphant return by activating an ancient Thassilonian artifact called a runewell, a device capable of extracting magical essence from the souls of certain creatures who, in life, exemplied specic spiritual traits—in this case, greed. These souls were useful to Karzoug in completing to life,back so into he sent Mokmurian, his nowreturn his puppet, the world to make ready the harvest. Karzoug uses a scrying device called a soul lens to focus on sacrifices prepared with the proper rituals and marked with the Sihedron Rune—the ancient symbol of all seven schools of Thassilonian magic. As the sacrice dies, the soul lens draws his soul across any distance to empower the runewell. Karzoug’s growing need for greedy souls spurred Mokmurian and his kin to further violence, and in time, the heroes must stand befo before re these giant giants. s. Yet for now, the activ activation ation of the ancient runewell has had another, unanticipated, eect.
4
Other runelords kept similar receptacles of magical sin, and when Karzoug activated his runewell, these others also flared to dangerous life. In most cases, the other runewells were buried far under undergroun ground d or lost in remote regions, and this sudden flare of ancient magic had lile noticeable eect. Yet in the Catacombs of Wrath below the town of Sandpoint, where Runelord Alaznist kept a runewell keyed to the sin of wrath, these eects were not so isolated. The runewell sent a shock wave of magical energy up through the town above. This manifested in violent nightmares. Many folks woke in a terrible rage that vanished in the span of a heartbeat, but in a few unfortunates, wrath found fertile soil. Lonjiku Kaijitsu, a bier noble who still seethed with rage at being cuckolded years before, befor e, woke in the middle of the night, called his wife to the back porch of their cliside manor, and threw her over the edge to die on the jagged rocks below. Jerva Je rvass Stoo St oot, t, an ecce ec cent ntri ricc arti ar tist st wh who o channeled his rage from years of abuse into the creation of hauntingly beautiful woodcarvings of birds, began to lay his plans for the murder of nearly two dozen folk whom he felt had wronged him. Nualia Tobyn, left pregnant and abandoned by a loca locall cur and sham shamed ed in her fos foster ter father’s eyes, nally succumbed to her anger.
BACKGROUND
She forsook the goddess of dreams and stars for the goddess of monsters and madness, promising herself that she would burn her father and his church to the ground. These three unfortunates became consumed by their wrath, and their actions over the next several months came to be known as the Late Unpleasantness. Those days are over now, fresh in memory but thankfully past. The pe people ople of S Sandpoint andpoint now prepare to consecrate a new cathedral to replace the old one that recently burnt to the ground and are eager to put all reminders of the Late Unpleasantness behind them. Lonjiku’s murderous act has gone all but unnoticed, and Stoot is long dead, yet Nualia was not idle over the past several years. She Sh e is ready to nish what she started with the rst re. This time, all of Sandpoint shall burn in oering to her insane goddess.
SYNOPSIS The characters aend the th e Swallowtail Festival
ADVANCEMENT TRACK The Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path
(a ritual to consecrate Sandpoint’s new alerts a GM when players Advance. The cathedral) and end up defending the town Advancement bar is displayed prominently at from a goblin raid. several intervals within each book. Whenever In the days to follow, the heroes come to one of these points are reached, allow the terms with their growing local fame while players to choose an Advance at the next they make friends and contacts among convenient moment, usually some sort of rest after a dicult encounter. Sandpoint’s citizens. As rumors of massing goblin armies build, the disappearance of a local tavern owner leads the heroes to uncover treachery within the Sandpoint Glassworks and the existence If the players reach an Advancement but have of ancient catacombs below the town. bypassed previous sections in the book, book, you An investigation of these discoveries should still allow them to Adva Advance. nce. reveals two things: monsters dwell below the city, and the goblin raid on the town was but the rst of many the monsters have planned. In order to save Sandpoint, they must travel to Thistletop, the lair of the most powerful In addition to Advancements, players may goblin tribe in the region. It’s here they can take actions that grant them additional confront the woman whose madness and rewards, such as Bennies, Conviction, wrath presents such a menace, yet who is connections, or other benets. The Game herself the tip of a much larger conspiracy Master can grant these rewards to all the that will soon threaten all of Varisia. characters, she thinks actively contributedor tojust the those particular story element
ADVANCEMENT AWARDED! ADVANCEMENT AWARDED
STORY AWARD STORY AWARD
as she sees t.
5
RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
NUALIA’S STORY
6
BACKGROUND
T
he primary villain of this chapter is a shock of losing a child and the realization bier aasim aasimar ar woman named Nuali Nualia. a. She she had carried a end in her belly for seven was a foundling raised by Sandpoint’s months was too much. Nualia fell into a coma. previous religious leader, a man named As Nualia slept, she dreamed unhealthy Ezakien Tobyn, and her childhood was dreams. Fueled by the wrath from below and lonely and sad. the taint of Lamashtu, Nualia became further Her unearthly beauty made the other obsessed with the cruel demon goddess and children either jealous or shy, and many of the conviction that her wretched life was inicted on her by those around her. them took to playing cruel jokes on her. She came to see her angelic heritage as a The adults weren’t much beer—many of the superstitious Varisians viewed Nualia as curse, and the nightmares showed her how blessed by Desna. Rumors that her touch or to expunge this taint from her body and soul, proximity could cure warts and rashes, that replacing it with chaos and cruelty. locks of her hair brewed into tea could increase When she finally woke, Nualia was fertility led to a succession of awkward and someone new, someone who didn’t inch at humiliating requests over the years. what Lamashtu asked of her. She jammed her ch urch on Poor Nualia felt more like a freak than a father’s door shut as he slept, lit the church young girl by the time she came of age, so re, and ed Sandpoint. Everyone assumed when Delek Viskanta, a local Varisian youth, Nualia died in the re along with Father began to court her, she practicall practically y fell into his Tobyn. Yet Nualia lived. arms in gratitude. Fleeing to Magnimar, she enlisted the aid of a group of killers known as the Skinsaw Cult. Knowing her father wouldn’t of With their aid, she tracked down Delek and their relationship (he wanted herapprove to remain Yet his death only quickened pure so she could join a prestigious convent), murdered him. Yet they kept the aair secret. The couple met her need for more vengeance, for Sandpoint many times in hidden places, a favorite being and its hated citizens still lived. an abandoned smuggler’s tunnel under town Seeing a kindred spirit in Nualia, the that Delek discovered as a child. mysterious leader of the Skinsaw Cult gave Before long, Nualia realized she was her a medallion bearing a seven-pointed pregnant. When she told Delek, he revealed star called a “Sihedron medallion.” Nualia learned she had a larger role to play and that his true colors and ed Sandpoint. her dreams were a map to her destiny. Nualia’s shock quickly turned to rage, yet Nualia returned to Sandpoint and found she had nowhere to vent her anger. When Wh en her father discovered her delicate condition, his herself drawn to the smuggler’s tunnels where she and Delek had conceived her child. reaction toand her anger. indiscretions only furthered Nualia bashed down a suspicious brick wall, her shame and in so doing discovered the Catacombs Catacombs of He forbade her to leave the church, lectured Wrath and the quasit Erylium. her nightly, and made her pray to Desna for For many months, Nualia studied under forgiveness. In so doing, he unknowingly Erylium’s tutelage. During this time, she nurtured her growing hate. received another vision from Lamashtu—a When the minor runewell below Sandpoint vision of a barghest named Malfeshnekor ared to life, Nualia’s anger was a magnet to imprisoned in an underground room. its magic. The wrathful energies suused her If she could free him, he would not only mind and she ew into a frenzy. help her achieve her vengeance against the Seven months pregnant, she miscarried her town of Sandpoint, he would be the key in child later that night, a child whose deformed cleansing her body of her “celestial taint.” shape she only glimpsed before blanching midwives stole it away. As the child was conceived in close proximity to a hidden shrine to Lamashtu, the child was deformed and horric. The double
Nualianow. wants be to one of Lamashtu’s children She to wants become a monster. mons ter.
7
RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
PART ONE: FESTIVAL AND FIRE For five years, the faithful of Sandpoint have attended church in temporary structures erected fireful, destroyed temple. While their new reli religious gious lleader eaderafter was help helpful, kind kind,, andthe wise,previous chur church ch w wasn’t asn’t the same. Now, the new c ca athedral is f finally inally done. All that that r remains emains is f for or the Sw S wallowt allowtail ail Festival to renew the site’s blessings from the gods, and it will be as if the Sand Sandpoint point Fire had never occurred occurred..
S
ome heroes may already be in Sandpoint when the adventure begins. Perhaps the town is their home, or they are simply
The turnout for the opening speeches is quite
stoppingnot, by you’ll for theneed Swallowtail Festival. If they’re to arrange for their arrival before starting. The Swallowtail Festival is held on the Autumnal Equinox—generally on the 22nd or 23rd of the month of Rova. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the town of Sandpoint, detailed in the The Guide to the Hinterlands , before you begin this adventure. Much of the first half of Burnt Oerings Oerings is left for the characters to experience in an organic order. Encourage them to explore Sandpoint before the
respectable. The four keynote speakers each deliver short but well-received well-received welcomes to the festival. Mayor Deverin’s friendly attitude and excitement prove contagious as she welcomes visitors to town. She jokes about how even Larz Rovanky, the local tanner (and notorious workaholic), managed to tear himself away from the tannery to aend, much to everyone’s everyone ’s amusement (except Larz’s). Sheri Belor Hemlock brings the crowd down a bit with his dour mood. He gives a reminder to be safe around the evening’s
WELCOMING SPEECHES
adventure begin. bonre and requests a moment of silence to Note too that the party will be returning remember those who lost their lives in the to Sandpoint several times during Rise of the re that claimed the town’s previous church Runelords. Some familiar connections in the several years ago. town will help make these visits easier for the The next speaker is scheduled to be local Game Master to run and more interesting for nobleman Lonjiku Kaijitsu, but a sudden the players. illness has prevented him from aending the ceremony. This isn’t something that surprises the locals, given Lonjiku’s well-known dislike of frivolity and festivals. Sandpoint’s own showman Cyrdak The Swallowtail Festival begins promptly, as Drokkus is more than up to the challenge scheduled, on the Autumnal Equinox. The of bringing the crowd’s mood back up square before the church quickly becomes crowded as locals and travelers arrive, and with his rousing anecdotes. He delivers a not-completely-irreverent recap of the long several merchant tents featuring food, process the town went through to nance and an d clothes, local crafts, and souvenirs are there construct the new cathedral. to meet them.
THE SWA SWALLO LLOWT WTAIL AIL FEST FESTIVA IVALL
8
PART P ART AR T ONE: ONE: FESTIV FEST FESTIVAL IVAL AL AND A AND ND FIR FFIRE IRE E
He throws in a bit of self-promotion at the end, as is his wont, inviting everyone to stop by the Sandpoint Theater the following evening. Cyrdak entices people to check out his new production of “The Harpy’s Curse,” revealing that the lead role of Avisera the harpy queen will be played by none other than the famous Magnimarian diva Allishanda! Finally, Father Zantus steps up to give a short speech thanking everyone for coming before declaring the Swallowtail Festival underway.
FESTIVAL FUN AND GAMES Numerous games and contests take place during the day, including sack races, hideand-seek, weight-lifting challenges, balance beam contes contests, ts, tug-of tug-of-wa -warr events, events, and the like. The heroes can take part in as many or as few of these games as they th ey wish. You can use the events to introduce them to each other or to key citizens in the town. Resolve games with simple, narrative aribute or skill rolls. Winners generally win nothing more than bragging rights for the rest of the day, but for those who live here, this is a ne prize indeed!
SWALLO SWALLOWT WTAIL AIL RELEASE R ELEASE At noon, Father Zantus and his acolytes wheel a large covered wagon into the square. They recount the short parable of how Desna fell to earth and was nursed back to health by a blind child. Then asan a reward, transformed the child into immortalDesna buery. The acolytes pull aside the wagon’s cover, releasing the thousand children of Desna: a furious storm of swallowtail swallowtail bueries. They swarm into the air in a spiraling riot of color to a great cheer from the crowd. Throughout the rest of the day, children futilely chase bueries, never quite quick enough to catch them.
LUNCH Lunch for the festival is provided free, at the expense of Sandpoint’s taverns. Each brings its best dishes dishes — as much a market marketing ing push by
SOWING THE SEEDS Along with introducing the reoccurring townsfolk, you can use this opportunity to introduce introdu ce a family of farmers that appear in Book Two. The Hamblys don’t play much of a role in Rise of the Runelords but introducing Crade, his wife Lis, and their three sons during the Swallowtail Festival helps the players feel more invested later in The Skinsaw Murders. They're a friendly bunch, and aside from engaging in the evening activities and bonding with the heroes, the Hamblys should return to their farmstead before things get too dangerous.
the local taverns to win new over customers as to feed a hungry crowd. It soon becomes apparent that the darling of the lunch is, once again, Ameiko Kaijitsu. Her remarkable curry-spiced salmon and early winterdrop mead easily overshadow the other oerings, such as the Hagsh’s lobster chowder or the White Deer’s peppercorn venison.
CONSECRATION Finally, as the sun begins to set, Father Zantus takes the central podium, uses a thunderstone thun derstone to aract everyone’s aention, and clears his throat as he prepares to recite the Prayer of First Dreaming. Unfortunately, the thunderstone’s detonation is also the prearranged trigger for the goblins, who've slowly inltrated the town while its citizens are merrily distracted.
GOBLINS IN THE STREETS! Goblins are sneaky lile monsters, but even so, their of Sandpoint the aid ofinltration a few key assistants. Mostrequired notable among these is local noble and businessman Lonjiku Kaijitsu.
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RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
Though Lonjiku’s involvement in the assault is far from willing, it’s crucial to the goblins’ plans. Lonjiku’s been blackmailed, and by his own son Tsuto, no less! Tsuto threatened to reveal his father’s ties to one of Sandpoint’s most notorious Sczarni families (a loosely affiliated network of Varisian criminals), promising to keep quiet if his father would simply comply with a few “innocent” requests.
These include making sure someone leaves the north town gate open, a ladder is left against the wall in the cemetery, and on the night before the big festival, no one would be at the Sandpoint Glassworks. Shamed by his own lack of courage to stand up to his ospring, and ignorant of Tsuto’s part in the plan to raid Sandpoint, Lonjiku set things into motion and then feigned illness. He remains in his home during the Swallowtail Festival.
SWALLOWTAIL FESTIVAL TO DIE, DOG, DIE! DIE
INITIAL INIT IAL ASSA ASS AULT INITIAL ASSAUL T
GOBLIN PYROS
N
1 SQUARE = 6 FEET
10
GOBLIN PYROS
PART P ART AR T ONE: ONE: FESTIV FEST FESTIVAL IVAL AL AND A AND ND FIR FFIRE IRE E
buzz of two dozen conversations quickly When Father Zantus uses a thunderstone hushes as all heads turn toward the central to signal the start of the cathedral’s podium,, where a beamin podium beamingg Fathe Fatherr Zantu Zantuss has consecration, three different groups of taken the stage. goblins quickly mobilize. He clears his throat, takes a breath to One group (smuggled in by Tsuto in speak, and suddenly a woman’s scream a covered wagon and left behind some slices through the air. A few moments later, build bu ildin ings gs sout so uth h of the th e fes festi tival val squa sq uare) re) another scream rises, then another. emerges and races north into the festival Beyond them, a sudden surge of strange grounds. Another band invades via the open new voices rises—high-pitched, tittering northern gate. shrieks that sound not quite human. Both of these groups are timed to throw The crowd parts and something low to the the town into panic and distract the town ground races by by,, gigg giggling ling with ddisturbing isturbing guards from realizing a third band of goblins glee as the st stray ray do dogg give givess a pained yelp and is inltrating the city’s cemetery to steal the runs barking into the crowd. remains of the town’s previous religious The raucous sound of a strange song leader, Ezakien Tobyn. begins from several small gures, chanted Thirty goblins in total take part in the raid from shrill, scratchy voices. on Sandpoint. Members of five different tribes scaered throughout the Sandpoint A Notice roll makes the characters aware the hinterlands have been organized into this shape that raced by and scared the dog now strike by the most powerful local goblin tribe hides at the wagon’s edge. A menacing goblin of them all—the Thistletop goblins. licks a drop of blood from its dogslicer as it When the goblins aack, they shriek and looks excitedly at the crowd, seeking out a leap and race and cackle, taking great joy in new target. the panic and fear they spread among the The song is a nameless goblin rhyme, humans (whom most goblins insultingly call performed by several goblin warchanters and “longshanks”). Some goblins wave torches intended to give the raiders a boost of bardic and light tents on re, while others chase music to spur them on. children and pets with ill intent. (3): See page 12. 12. • Goblins (3): See The entire time, goblin warchanters sing a horrically catchy and nerve-wrack n erve-wracking ing goblin song at the top of their lungs, further spurring their kin into a frenzy. Everywhere the heroes look, goblins tear through merchant stalls, menace locals with their dogslicers, throw rocks through windows, and otherwise make terrors of themselves. , e s h r o t e h h t t u c u d c n a d g a do o t e d h b t a t S
T h e G o b l i S n o n g
INITIAL ASSAULT ASSAULT As Father Zantus takes the stage to begin his speech, the party should be nearby. The point poin t of this encounter is to force the adventurers, who might or might not yet know each other, to work together. Read or paraphrase the following to start the encounter.
Goblins Goblins chew cut and and gobli goblins ns fibite. ght. Goblins Gob lins eat and an d tak e by by for force! ce!
G o b l n i s r r a c e e a n a d g g o b l n i s u j m u p Gobll ins slash Gob sl ash and an d goblins bump. bump. B u r n t h t e s k s in a n a d m m a s h t h t e h e h a d , G o b l n i s h e h r e a n a d y o y u b b e d e d a d !
A sha sharp rp ret retort ort,, like li ke the cra crack ck of dista di stant nt
p. p p u . u t e p h h t c h t a c a , c , y b a b t e b h e t s a h C
thunder, the excited crowd as the sun’s slices seingthrough rays paint the western sky. A stray str ay dog tha thatt has cra crawle wledd und under er a nearby wagon to sleep starts awake, and the
Bonkk the Bon t he he h e a d to shut sh ut iti t up. up. Bone s be cr ac Bones ackk e d, fle fl e sh be sts t ew ewee d, We be gobl go bliins! You You be food! 11
RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
Each time a goblin takes an action, he should GOBLIN interact in some way with the environment, even if doing so wastes an opportunity to Type: Evil Humanoid (Goblin) Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, hurt a character. The point of this bale isn’t Aributes: Agility Aributes: to test group's resources but to set the scene Strength d4, Vigor d6 Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d6, and avor for the insanity that is the goblin. Skills: Athletics Skills: The raiders are convinced the plan to raid Fighting d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Shoot Shoot-Sandpoint can’t fail and are far too excited to ing d6, Stealth d10, Taunt d6 consider the possibility of losing the bale. As Pace: 5; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5; Toughness: 4 4 such, they ght to the death. Edges: Formation Edges: Formation Fighter Gear: Dogslicer (Str+d4), goblin bow (Range 8/16/32, Damage 2d6). Special Abilities: Ancestry (Goblin): (Goblin): Darkvision, Size –1, After the Pathnders defeat the initial three goblins, give them a few rounds to recover Greedy (Major). and assess the situation. As they do, impress Languages: Common, Languages: Common, Goblin. upon them the chaos that has engulfed Sandpoint. TACTICS Goblins race everywhere, running amok Present these goblins’ tactics in battle as scatterbrained at best. One might try to and singing and slashing indiscriminately. clamber up onto a nearby table of food so When they seem ready to take action, a sudden bloom m of fire from a near nearby by unat unatten tended ded he can gain higher ground against a hero. bloo Another might get distracted by a plate of wagon or cart grabs their aention. salmon and waste his action stuffing his A group of goblins found the cart full of fuel pockets with food for later. A third could grab for the sunset bonre just south so uth of the festival up a big carving knife if his dogslicer breaks. grounds and lit it on re. Even if the heroes don’t rush to investigate the burning wagon,
GOBLIN PYROS
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PART P ART AR T ONE: ONE: FESTIV FEST FESTIVAL IVAL AL AND A AND ND FIR FFIRE IRE E
they're soon confronted with several cackling and shrieking goblins armed with dogslicers and torches. As soon as the goblins see the party, they shriek in delight and aack. These raiders are armed themselves with burning torches (weapons they wield with maniacal delight) and have the support of their warchanters— goblin bards with great skill at whipping fellow goblins into furious, shrieking frenzies.
ENEMIES WITH CLASS Many Wild Card enemies encountered in Rise of the Runelords have at least one Class Edge. All abilities associated with the class are listed under the Special Abilities section and can be referenced in Pathnder for Savage Worlds. Worlds.
P Goblin Warchanters (2): See (2): See below. 12. • Goblins (3+1 per hero): hero): See page 12.
These goblins have torches (Str+d4, (re)).
P GOBLIN WARCHANTER
The warchanters ght to the death. Once all of them are defeated, the remaining goblins panic and ee.
Type: Evil Humanoid (Goblin Bard) AFTERMATH Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, After tangling with the rst two groups of Strength d4, Vigor d6 Skills: Athletics Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d6, goblins, the heroes might be injured. Keep Fighting d6, Notice d6, Performance d8, them on their toes by describing goblin antics
Persuasion Persuasi on d4, Stealth d10 Pace: 5; Parry: 5 orShooting 4 (Whip); Toughness: (Whip);d6, Toughness: 5 5 (1) Edges: Bard, Edges: Bard, Bolster, Formation Fighter Gear: Dogslicer (Str+d4), whip (Str+d4, Parry –1, Reach 2), goblin bow (Range 8/16/32, Damage 2d6), light leather jacket (+1), potion of minor healing , 10gp. Powers: Dispel, healing, lower Trait, sound. Powers: sound. Power Points: 10 Points: 10 Special Abilities: Ancestry (Goblin): (Goblin): Darkvision, Size –1, Greedy (Major). Class Abilities (Bard): Arcane (Bard): Arcane Background (Bard), Armor Interference (Light), Sharp Tongued. Languages: Common, Languages: Common, Goblin.
TACTICS On the rst round, the goblins gleefully try to burn heroes with torches, but as soon as one of them is slain, the surviving goblins realize the ght is for real and switch to their dogslicers. The warchanters use Bolster to help Distracted or Vulnerable goblins while using their whips to ght at a distance. They cast lower Trait on any character who seems to be parti particula cularly rly dang dangerou erouss and healing healing on themselves after they're Wounded.
aroundoff them (a goblin Taunts another leaps a roof to attack butthem, misses and breaks his neck, and so on), but allow them a few rounds to catch their breath. If they’re particularly wounded, Father Zantus rushes to their side. He thanks them healing three for their help and can cast healing three times to heal Sandpoint's newest defenders. As soon as they've mostly recovered, it’s time to spring the big ght on them.
DIE, DOG, DIE! This nal event during the goblin raid occurs after things at the festival have calmed somewhat. Here and there, the sounds of bale, clanging swords, calls of support by the town guard, and shrieking and singing goblins echo through the streets. At the festival, most of the citizens have ed. One or two goblins remain behind to scavenge food, and many more lie dead. It should be obvious the ght has moved on, especially when the sound of a scream and frantic barking come from the north. Just east of the White Deer Deer,, near Sandpoint’ Sandpoint’ss north gate, a goblin commando mounted on a goblin dog has bravely aacked a noble and his hunting hound. The man in question is named Aldern Foxglove, a noble destined to
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RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
play an important role in Book Two, but who for now is merely another frightened citizen. Aldern cowers behind a rain barrel, calling for help while his dog ghts against the commando. When the heroes arrive on the scene, they’re just in time to see the goblin commando wound the dog with his horsechopper. The dog crashes to the ground as the commando’s goblin kin (who were themselves cowering nearby) throw up a cheer and emerge from hiding. The raiders turn their aention to Foxglove, giving the characters a chance to surprise them. P Goblin Commando: See below. P Goblin Warchanter: See page 13. 13. • Goblin Dog: See below. 12. • Goblins (3 + 1 per hero): See hero): See page 12.
P GOBLIN COMMANDO Type: Evil Humanoid (Goblin Ranger Ranger ) Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Aributes: Agility Strength d8, Vigor d6 Skills: Athletics d6, Common KnowlSkills: Knowl edge d6, Fighting d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Riding d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d10, Taunt d6 Pace: 5; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6; Toughness: 6 6 (2) Edges: Beast Edges: Beast Bond, Formation Fighter, Lucky, Ranger, Steady Hands Gear: Horsechopper (Str+d6), bow (Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d6), thick leather jacket healing.. and pants (+2), 2x potion of minor healing
Special Abilities: Ancestry (Goblin): Darkvision, Size –1, (Goblin): Greedy (Major). Class Abilities (Ranger): Armor (Ranger): Armor Restriction (Medium), Favored Enemy (Animal), Favored Terrain (forest), Wilderness Stride. Languages: Common, Languages: Common, Goblin.
GOBLIN DOG Type: Neutral Animal (Goblin Dog) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6 Skills: Athletics Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d6, Notice d10,
Stealth d8 Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5; Toughness: 5 5 (1) Alertness Edges: Alertness Edges: Special Abilities:
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Armor +1: Itchy, +1: Itchy, leathery hide.
Allergic Reaction: Any Reaction: Any non-goblin Shaken
or Wounded by a goblin dog’s bite must make a Vigor roll (at –2 with a raise on the aack) or suer Fatigue as a rash spreads out from the injury. The rash lasts 24 hours, and doesn't stack with itself. Bite: Bite: Str+d4. Str+d4. Low Light Vision: Vision: These dogs ignore
penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination.
Size –1: The –1: The heads of these canines come to
an average human’s waist, and they weigh about 60 pounds. Speed: Speed: d10 d10 running die.
TACTICS The goblin commando makes sure to use his Bennies to keep his mount standing. He takes advantage advanta ge of his superior mobility, allowing him to shoot at the heroes with his bow from dogback. If all of his goblin warriors are defeated, the commando drops his bow and races in to ght the adventurers in melee. He ghts to the death— more by acci accident dent and fooli foolishness shness than bravery.
AFTERMATH Once the goblins are dealt with, Aldern thanks the heroes profusely. If one of them is an aractive female human, elf, or half-elf, he focuses his aentions on her, complimenting her on her impressive impressive skill skillss — and her beauty beauty.. Otherwise, Aldern focuses his aention on the character who seemed to do the most damage in the ght, complimenting him on his skill at arms and bravery. As the noble glances about nervously looking for more goblins, he informs the heroes that he’ll be in town for a few more days. He’s staying at the Rusty Dragon to the south, and when they get a chance, he’d love to talk with them more and perhaps reward them properly for saving his life.
PART P ART AR T ONE: ONE: FESTIV FEST FESTIVAL IVAL AL AND A AND ND FIR FFIRE IRE E
VICTORY
In a dark ritual, Nualia oered the remains of the man who raised her to Lamashtu.In reward, she was given the rst stage of her By the time the party defeats the goblin transformation into a demon. commando and saves Aldern Foxglove from In the shadow of the goblin attack, his fate, Sandpoint’s bale against the goblins Sandpoint is hardly interested in nishing is decided. Surviving goblins ee north in up the Swallowtail Festival. Citizens retreat droves, in some cases preferring to leap to to their homes to hide and recover from the their certain deaths o the cli at Junker’s day’s horrors. Yet, as they go, they take the Edge rather than be captured. time to thank the heroes for saving s aving them. Several of the lile menaces are caught alive, Finally, at some point before the end of but they prove useles uselesss when interrog interrogated; ated; the day, the party is approached by Ameiko none of them know much more than that Kaijitsu. innkeeper quiteoffers impressed some human told them to kill everyone in with the The heroes’ actionsis and them town and burn down the place. None of the free rooms at the Rusty Dragon for a week captured goblins can even remember the as a way to thank them for helping defeat human's name apart from the fact that he was the goblins. one of “you longshanks.” If pressed, one of them remembers the human was on a secret mission to the town’s graveyard but none of them know why. It was secret, after all! After turning away the tide of goblins and Pathnderss have In fact, the human was Tsuto Kaijitsu. He rescuing the townsfolk, the Pathnder and some Thistletop goblins made it into the some time to rest. They are known throughout cemetery and stole Ezakien Tobyn’s remains. the town as the Heroes of Sandpoint and He then returned to Thistletop, and his receive their rst Advance! lover, Nualia.
ADVANCEMENT AWARDED! ADVANCEMENT AWARDED
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PART TWO: LOCAL HEROES As Sandpoint recovers from the attack and buries its (thankfully few) dead,, the ci dead citizens tizens their t to o get on with their lives.ceremony, The ca cathedral thedral is consecrated the do next daybest during a subdued and indoor but by the end of the week week,, the gobl goblin in a atta ttack ck is remembered mostly with chuckles. Now tha that t the terror of the ra raid id is over, ima images ges of goblins accidentally lighting themselves on fire, getting kicked by horses, or almost drowning drowning in half-full rain barrels colo color r me memor mories ies of the raid in a com comical ical light light.. one thing the locals ha h aven’t f for orgotten gotten is their new heroes.
U
nless a hero takes extra care to hide it, their names soon become household knowledge among the denizens
of Sandpoint. Locals welcome them everywhere they go. A simple walk down Main Street might result in local baker Alma Avertin charging out to press a fresh-baked loaf of bread into the arms of the skinniest character with worried comments that he must be starving. A visit to the Hagsh brings an immediate round of cheers, applause, and a round of drinks on the house (and likely a challenge to drink from Norah’s tank). A trip to the Sandpoint Theater might have Cyrdak Drokkus trying to talk the Pathfinder with highest Performance or Persuasion intothe auditioning for his new play. A stop at Savah’s Armory is greeted with an instantaneous offer of 20% off anything in stock. Certainly not everyone in Sandpoint wants to be the heroes’ new best friend, but the group should feel more than welcome. The events detailed in this part can happen in any order— feel free to mix things up as you wish or to t logically with the heroes’ actions action s in town. These events can even continue to occur after they have turned their aention to the Catacombs of adventure. Wrath, Thistletop, or even well into the next
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THE DES DESECR ECRAATED VAU VAULLT In the aftermath of the raid, Father Zantus doesn’t immediately notice the desecration of Ezakien Tobyn’s vault. Soon after though, he realizes the stone door to the burial vault hangs ajar. Fearing the worst, Zantus quickly seeks out Sheriff Hemlock, who in turn contacts the adventurers and asks them to accompany him to the Sandpoint Boneyard. Belor Hemlock doesn’t expect much—in a worst-case scenario, maybe a goblin got trapped in the vault—but he wants the heroes along so he can appraise them. During the walk up to the Boneyard, Hemlock thanks the party again for their aid during the assault ass ault and asks many additional questions. He wants to find out more about the strangers, especially about their plans for the future. Having an allied group of Pathnders is a signicant resource, and Hemlock hopes to foster such an alliance with them. Sheri Hemlock asks Zantus to wait in the Cathedral once they reach the Boneyard and asks them to aid him in investigating the scene. The vault in question is a small, square stone structure that stands near the wall. Used to house the remains previous caretakers, priests, and acolytesofwho served at the Cathedral, the stone door does indeed hang ajar.
PART P ART TWO: LOCAL HEROES
The ground around the place is churned up as well. A Notice roll at –2 or Survival (tracking) roll reveals many of the footprints are goblin prints, but some of them appear to be from a larger humanoid. A raise on a Survival roll conrms six goblins and one human-sized creature wearing shoes climbed the wall, then approached and entered the vault. It’s an easy enough task to open the vault door, but Tsuto’s left a frightening surprise behind behin d to further furt her the camp campaign aign of terror terro r against Sandpoint. After he stole Tobyn’s body, he used a robe of bones to place six human skeletons in the vault as he left. The skeletons have remained within ever since. They immediately lurch out to aack anyone who opens the vault door and ght until they are destroyed. (6): See below. • Human Skeletons (6): See
HUMAN SKELETON Type: Evil Undead (Skeleton) Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Aributes: Agility Aributes: Strength d6, Vigor d6 Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d6, IntimidaSkills: Intimidation d6, Notice d4, Shooting d6 Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5; Toughness: 7 7 Edges: — Edges: — Special Abilities: Claws: Claws: Str+d4. Str+d4. Fearless: Fearless: Skeletons Skeletons are immune to Fear and Intimidation. Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from being Shaken; no additional damage from Called Shots; doesn’t breathe; immune to disease and poison; ignore penalties for Illumination up to 10”.
AFTERMATH A search of the vault’s interior turns up two things of interest. First, the discarded robe of bones lies in a corner (no patches remain). Second, and more disturbing, is the fact that the sarcophagus that contained Ezakien’s body has been opened and his remains stolen. Sheri Hemlock has lile insight into why the bones have been taken, but if the heroes don’t come to the conclusion themselves, he muses that perhaps the goblin raid was a
distraction, allowing this unknown thief to steal the remains of the town’s previous priest. The sheri recommends the heroes keep this information to themselves, themselves, in any event event— — the townsfolk have had enough distress this week, after all.
THE SHO SHOPKE PKEEP’ EP’SS DAUG DAUGHTE HTER R Pick a character, preferably one who fancies himself a ladies’ man or a popular fellow (or the opposite— the encounte encounterr works equally well for a female). The combination of the adventure adventurer’s r’s good looks, fame, and heroic qualities sends ripples through town. Now and then, the party overhears rumors and whispers about the charmer’s “availability.” The lucky character catches local women giggling or blushing as he walks past. He might also receive a few anonymous love leers or other minor trinkets left as gifts at wherever he’s been staying the night. At some point before these idle fanc fancies ies have a chance to develop into real relationships, one of Sandpoint’s most brazen citizens makes her move. Daughter of the owner of the Sandpoint General Store, Shayliss Vinder is certainly an attractive young woman, but it’s her older siste sisterr who’ who’ss been in the gossip lately. Rumor holds that Katrine Vinder’s been “shacking up” with one of the workers at the lumber mill, and her overly protective father’s been up u p in arms about it. So when Shayliss bashfully approaches one of the ""defenders defenders of Sandpoint," her claim that her father has been too distracted wit with h her sister’s private life to keep up with the store’s pest problem seems plausible. Shayliss explains the store has rats. Why, just yester yesterday, day, she’s sure she saw one the size of a dog hiding behind a barrel at the far end of the basement. Her father doesn’t believe her, but she knows he’s just focused on what Katrine might or might not be up to at the lumber mill. And since there’s this handy new hero in town, well, Shayliss Shayliss just thought maybe said person could come back with her to eliminate a few of the dangerous vermin.
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RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
Shaylinn stresses that there’s certainly not enough rats to warrant having more than one hero take care of them. If others insist on coming along, she throws her hands up in the air and walks o in a hu, hoping her chosen comes with her alone anyway. If he doesn’t, she simply approaches him again when he’s alone and repeats her request. Of course, there are no rats in the basement. Shayliss is, if anything, even more of a trouble-seeker than her sister. Asking around and making a Common Knowledge roll at –2 revealss this fact. reveal Any refusal to accompany flirtatious Shayliss back to the store must be handled delicately. Without a Persuasion roll (against her Smarts d6) her infatuation with the character might quickly turn into bier hate. Shayliss reveals reveals her true intentions as soon as she's alone with the hero in the basement of her father’s store. That's when she begins more openly amorous advances.
Being a well-liked man in town, Ven’s displeasure imposes a –1 penalty on all Persuasion Persuasio n rolls made in town until the party nds some way to make things right with him. A character who tries to talk his way out of the situation can do so with a Persuasion roll at –2. This allows the hero to extricate himself in a way that leaves no hard feelings with Shayliss, who might try to seduce the poor fool again at a later date. Ven might be a commoner, but he knows his way around a stght. If the character retaliates with lethal force, Ven tries to ee with his daughter to call the sheri, at which point the suitor’s reputation in town immediately immediatel y falls under scrutiny. If either Ven or Shayliss is killed, the killer faces a murder charge, spends up to three days in the local jail, and is then sent to Magnimar for trial.
A FATHER’S RAGE
P VEN VINDER
Vinder: r: See below. P Ven Vinde
Whatever develops from this awkward Type: Neutral Humanoid (Human) interlude, Shayliss’ father Ven Vinder is Aributes: Aributes: Agility Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, destined to head down into the basement not Strength d8, Vigor d6 long after Shayliss makes her move. Allow Skills: Skills: Athletics Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d8, the character a Notice roll to hear Ven coming Fighting d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, down the stairs at the far end of the basement. Persuasion Persuasio n d8, Stealth d4 If the hero fails to notice Ven’s approach, Pace: 6; Parry: 5; 5; Toughness: Toughness: 6 6 he certainly will when the shopkeep nds Hindrances: Vengeful ful (Minor (Minor)) Hindrances: Venge the miscreant and his daughter, roars in Edges: Edges: Aristocrat, Aristocrat, Brawler rage, and threatens the paramour with his Gear: — large and meaty sts. If the hero ees, Ven doesn't follow, but neither will he allow the scoundrel or his friends back in his store.
MOTIVE This encounter is not meant to be physically ruinous to the adventurer and it should be obvious that despite his rage, Ven does non–lethal damage against the character. Even if the hero makes things right with Ven, this encounter willVen feedand the ames of mistrust between the party during The Skinsaw Murders.
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Languages: Common. Languages: Common.
TACTICS
Ven always Wild Aacks when pummeling foes, though he still does nonlethal damage since he isn’t a killer. While he’s enraged to nd his beloved daughter in the arms of a “thug,” he won’t continue beating on a foe once his target is unconscious. Ven is enraged, but if reduced to one Wound, he drops to his knees and begs for mercy. Of course, if granted mercy, mercy , V Ven’s en’s anger remains, and he’ll nurse a grudge against the hero once he’s had a chance to recover and foster fresh anger.
PART TWO: LOCAL HEROES PART
STORY AWARD STORY AWARD
He’s more interested in the heroes, though, and you can use Aldern’s interest in them to help the players further establish small If a hero manages to navigate this delicate details about their characters. encounter without hurting anyone and In particular, Aldern should be interested without disrupting the Vinder family, award in the character he was taken with in their him a Benny. previous encounter. Preferably, this should be an aract aractive ive female, in whic which h case his aention should seem like friendly irting. If instead his aentions are on a hero who This event occurs whenever the heroes seemed especially good at ghting goblins, visit the Rusty Dragon to take up Aldern his conversation should almost seem like a Foxglove’s invitation. If they don’t visit, he desperate aempt to “learn how to be a hero.” Play up his questions and comments as seeks them out a few days after the goblin raid. Before the noble returns to his townhouse friendly at rst, but by the time the characters in Magnimar in a few days, he hopes to go on nish the hunt, they should feel a lile bit a boar hunt in nearby Tickwood Forest and annoyed or disturbed at Aldern’s seemingly would like to invite along the heroes. If they growing obsession. Feel free to make as much or as lile of the decline the oer, he seems disappointed but actual boar hunt as you wish. The boars of covers it quickly with a shrug. True to his word, he gives his new friends Tickwood are typical specimens of their ilk— ill-tempered and quick a reward of 50 gp for saving his life, then to attack anyone invites them to stop by his home in Magnimar who intrudes upon the next time they’re in town. their territory. Whether they agree to the hunt while at the Rusty Dragon or after Aldern seeks them out on his own, the hunt takes place in nearby Tickwood. Aldern gladly buys each character his own mount from Goblin Squash Stables, then eagerly leads them and his three menservants west over Tanner’s Bridge and along the southern banks of the Turandarok River. It’s a mile-and-a-half ride to Tickwood Forest, just north of the upthrust limestone escarpment known as the Devil’s Platter. Despite its ominous name, Tickwood is actually a relatively safe woodland, one well known to be the home of wild boars, deer, large cats, and the rare giant ticks for which the wood is named—but no goblin tribes dwell within its boundaries. The ride to Tickwood takes about half an hour, and you can take advantage of this time to build up Aldern’s character. He’s a charming conversationalist, well read, and with a seemingly endless cache of stories
THE BOA BOARR HUNT HUNT
about the high life in Magnimar.
ALDERN FOXGLOVE
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RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
After the hunt, Aldern invites his new friends back to the Rusty Dragon that evening. He hands the boar over to Ameiko to cook for a big dinner (see “Trouble at the Rusty Dragon,” below).
The other patrons of the bar, recognizing him and knowing of his reputation for wrathful outbursts, grow very quiet and interested in their meals. If the adventurers don’t intervene, Lonjiku stalks farther into the tavern, his eyes scanning the room for • Tickwood Boars (1 per hero): See hero): See below. his daughter only to alight on Sandpoint’s newest heroes. Lonjiku is a middle-aged Tian man, though TICKWOOD TI CKWOOD BOAR he looks much older than his age due to lack Type: Neutral Animal (Boar) of sleep caused by recent ev events ents— — namely, his Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, incidental role in the goblin raid. Increasingly Strength d10, Vigor d8 paranoid and wracked with shame, Lonjiku Skills: Athletics Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d6, Notice d6 has decided it’s time to move back to Pace: 7; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5; Toughness: 7 7 (1) Magnimar for a while, and he’s planning on Edges: — Edges: taking his daughter with him. Special Abilities: Accordingly, he’s come to the Rusty Dragon Armor +1: Thick +1: Thick hide. Ameiko— — come with Low Light Vision: Boars Vision: Boars ignore penalties to issue an ultimatum to Ameiko him or be cut out of his will. Secretly, Lonjiku for Dim and Dark Illumination. hopes she opts for the laer, as her becoming Hardy: A second Shaken result doesn't an adventurer and then an innkeeper has all cause a Wound. but shamed him into disowning his daughter Tusks: Tusks: Str+d4 Str+d4 (treat as horns). already. When he notices the heroes, though, he gets distracted. Here are the defenders who saved Sandpoint from the raid he played a small part in orchestrating. In a t of jealousy and misguided anger, Lonjiku approaches the strangers and starts accusing them of endangering the townsfolk with their There are only two inns in Sandpoint, so ill-advised “antics,” implying they should unless all of the characters are local, they have left the defense to the city guard and must visit either the White Deer or the Rusty other “trained professionals.” Dragon whenever they need to rest. If the heroes claim to be mercenaries or Since the owner of the Rusty Dragon some similar profession, Lonjiku barks a oered the party free rooms for a week, and derisive laugh, rolls his eyes, and says, “Just
TR TROUB OUBLE LE AT THE THE RUSTY DRAGON
since Aldern Foxglove is staying here and what we need—a lthy band of vagrants to might invite the newcomers to share a meal, aract even more trouble to town.” chances are good the party soon becomes Play Lonjiku as an arrogant, insulting old regulars there. man, but just before you push the party too Ameiko runs a very adventurer-friendly far, Ameiko rushes into the front room, a establishment, and the locals who frequent ladle dripping with soup in her hand, to nd the tavern enjoy hearing stories from the out what all the ruckus is about. visitors. At At some point during the their ir time here, The primary goal of this encounter isn’t to a surly visitor slams the tavern’s door open start a ght—it’s to introduce Lonjiku and and bellows out a sharp-tongued command Ameiko so when later events see these two in a strange language. pop up again in more tragic circumstances, This is local aristocrat Lonjiku Kaijitsu, an the heroes have some sort of reference to them. th em. elderly Tian man and one of Sandpoint’s If the characters do nothing but watch, the most well-known nobles. what Thoseit who Minkaian can understand is he speak barks out as he enters the tavern: “Where the hell is my daughter?”
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two argue in Minkaian. Lonjiku eventually issues an ultimatum and Ameiko tells him to leave her inn (albeit with a string of creative and shocking profanity).
PART P ART TWO: LOCAL HEROES
MONSTER IN THE CLOSET
Enraged, Lonjiku tries to grab Ameiko by the hair to drag her from the tavern, but she dodges and brains him with her soupy ladle, spaering sh stock and potatoes all over his Alergast and Amele Barett are a typical hair and outt. Sandpoint family, with two children (lile This act of public defiance wounds Aeren and baby Verah) and a loyal family Lonjiku’s pride more than anything else, dog named Petal. They were present at the and after he spuers for a moment, he nds Swallowtail Festival, where Aeren saw a his voice and uers, “You’re as dead to me goblin light a cat on fire and then caper as your mother.” Then he turns and leaves around the screaming feline: the poor boy really hasn’t been the same since. the tavern. Every night, Aeren's howls of terror send Allow the heroes to intervene at any moment. Any aempt to subdue, grapple, or Petal into a barking t, and when his parents forcibly eject Lonjiku from the tavern should investigate, Aeren claims a goblin came out automatically succeed. Any actual violence of his closet. Alergast checked the closet against Lonjiku brings his cowardice to the dutifully but found nothing, and ever since, the kid’s complaints about the “closet fore. He shrieks and ees the tavern. goblin” have grown more and more If the group instead aempts to tiresome to his parents. help Lonjiku subdue his daughter, Yesterday, A Alergast lergast he shrieks at the interlopers, “I nally threatened to don’t need the help of a band make Aeren sleep of curs!” before abandoning his in the woodshed if aempt and leaving the tavern. he couldn’t learn to “be a Regardless of how Lonjiku man” and sleep through an leaves, he can’t resist the entire night without crying and parting shot to his daughter telling stories. about her mother—the All of this is told to the heroes cruel comment almost by a tearful Amele Bare several brings Ameiko to tears. evenings after the goblin raid; Yet, as her father she approaches them in a leaves, she bravely panic, clutching baby Verah picks up her ladle, to her chest with one hand and inspects it, pulls a clinging to the back of Aeren’s hair out of the mess, shirt with the other. and says, “I’ll need a well-cleaned ladle now, since jackass stew isn't on the menu.” The resulting cheers and laughter from the tavern’s patrons help her attitude immensely. If the adventurers came to her aid, she thanks them, extends their free rooms another week, and tells them their dinner’s on the house.
AMEIKO KAIJITSU
She goes on to say that last night Alergast didn’t go to soothe Aeren when he had his night terrors. But then, a few moments later, they heard poor Petal cry out in pain and Aeren’s screams turn shrill. This time Aeren wasn’t just having nightmares. Amele pauses, takes a breath, and then shows the heroes Aeren’s arms. They’re covered with fresh goblin bites. When Alergast bursts into the room, he found a gobli goblin n crouched on his son’s chest. Petal was dead and the goblin was frantically trying to chew o Aeren’s arm.
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RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
Alergast aacked the goblin and chased it back into the closet, where it clambered into a hole it had cleverly hidden under an old fur. Alergast ew into a rage, and as he started tearing apart the closet in an aempt to get at the goblin, Amel Amelee panicked and ed the house with her children to seek out the heroes for aid.
GRESGURT’S LAST STAND The goblin in the Bare house is a commando named Gresgurt who sneaked into the building after the raid turned sour. He found a loose oorboard in the closet, frantically hacked an opening large enough for him to t into the enclosed crawl space under the house, and pulled a fur over the hole to t o hide it. He only intended to stay there for a few hours until things died down outside, then planned on sneaking out of town. Unfortunately, the exhaustion of the raid caught up with him and he fell asleep. When he woke the next night and tried to sneak out, he woke Petal and Aeren.
every time Gresgurt peeked out, that dog was there, ready to bark. Unable to escapeg, Gresgurt subsisted on spiders and worms plucked from the dirt oor of the small crawl space for days, and over those days, his fear turned to anger. His driving desire shifted from escape to a burning need to kill the dog. And yet, he had no real weapons; he’d broken his horsechopper in his eorts to get into the crawl space below the house. Allofhewhich had left the blade, one he were used fragments to build a of crude knife. Tonight, he emerged, killed Petal, and in his nearly starved state tried to eat Aeren alive. When the heroes arrive at the Barett house, they nd it disturbingly silent. Upon reaching Aeren’s room, they nd Alergast Bare sprawled out on his belly as if he had crawled into the closet. In truth, he did just that. In an aempt to kill the goblin, Alergast underestimated the creature. When he reached down into the hole to try to grab Gresgurt, the commando jumped up
As frightened by the dog as the kid was of and cut his throat. Ravenous, the commando him, Gresgurt ed back into the crawl space, tried to haul Alergast’s body into the crawl visions of the hateful and frightening canine space to eat it, but the body got stuck once he lling his lile goblin mind. It seemed like got the upper torso through the hole.
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PART P ART TWO: LOCAL HEROES
value If the heroes pull Alergast’s body back, they town again. Both Hemlock and Deverin value nd him to be quite dead, the esh of his face Shalelu’s reports since they provide unbiased and upper torso eaten away (time for a Fear insight into how the local farmlands are check at –2!). An instant later, the insane faring and keep the town council abreast of goblin commando shrieks in rage at its stolen burgeoning dangers in the region. dinner and leaps up out of the hole to aack. Shalelu pays a visit to Sandpoint during Gresgurt’s long captivity captivit y in the crawl space the days after the goblin raid—you should has left him almost feral with hunger and fear, time her visit at a point after the defenders and he’s come to view the entire house as his. have had a chance to get to know folks in Sandpoint and played through a few of the P Gresgurt: Gresgurt: Use the Goblin Commando encounters on the preceding pages. prole on page 14 , though thoug h this one is Her visit to to Sandpoint is unexpected unexpected— — she armed only with a rusty dagger. last passed through town only a month ago and wasn’t expected until the last week of autumn. She dispenses with her visit to the AFTERMATH Sandpoint Market and the Rusty Dragon, If the party kills Gresgurt, Amele Amele is thankful instead requesting an immediate meeting until she learns of her husband’s fate, with Sheri Hemlock and Mayor Deverin. whereupon she has a complete breakdown. The unusual meeting and Shalelu’s ragged The rescuers might be at a loss as to what look combine to make an already jumpy to do with the situation, but fortunately populace suspect the woman brings news of the commotion quickly summons Sheriff a new goblin threat. Hemlock, who takes in the scene with his Sheri Hemlock seeks out his new friends customary grim expression. and asks them to join himself, Mayor Deverin, He thanks the heroes for helping and and Shalelu at the town hall, explaining he’s arranges to have the Bare family stay at the got some news that might interest them. The cathedral for a few days. Amele’s sister from meeting takes place in a comfortable oce on Magnimar soon arrives in Sandpoint to take the second oor of the town hall. the distraught family south to live with her. If they haven’t met Mayor Kendra Deverin If the characters are present when she yet, Hemlock introduces her to Sandpoint's collects her sister’s broken family, she shoots newest champions. She gratefully and them a cold glare and muers, “Too bad you graciously thanks each of them for the help heroes weren’t a bit more thorough in your they provided Sandpoint during the raid. ‘heroing’, isnt it?” Hemlock then introduces Shalelu to the
Shalelu Andosana isn’t quite a bounty hunter, a survivalist, or a mercenary, but rather a mix of all three. The elven woman passes through town once or twice a season to buy supplies and never remains more than a few days. She always stays in the same room at the Rusty Dragon, free of charge thanks to her long friendship with Ameiko.
party an “unocial member of Sandpoint’s town as guard” (an introduction that causes her to smirk) and the heroes to Shalelu as “Sandpoint’s newest crop of goblinslayers.” Hemlock explains that Shalelu has been a thorn in the side of the local goblin tribes for several years, and few in the region know more about them than she does. He goes on to recap her report that Sandpoint hasn’t been the only place in the region that’s had goblin troubles. In short, there’s been an increase in goblin-related raids along the Lost Coast,
Near the end of each visit, she meets with Sheri Hemlock and Mayor Deverin for a few hours at the garrison to give a report on the state of the hinterlands before she leaves
particularly in the dale between and Mosswood. Only a day ago, aNelewood farm south of Mosswood was burnt to the ground by a group of goblins.
GRIM NEWS FR FROM OM MOSSWOOD
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at keeping each other in line with intertribal squabbles and the like. Yet from what I’ve been able to piece together, members of all ve tribes were involved in the raid on Sandpoint. A fair f air number of the Mosswo Mosswood od goblin goblinss I dealt with yesterday were already prey beat up, and there was a lot of chaer about the ‘longshanks’ who killed kill ed so many of them. Now that I’ve met you, it seems obvious who they were talking about. Seems like you’ve made an impression. “In any event, the fact that the ve tribes are working together is disturbing. Goblin tribes don’t get along unless they’ve got something big planned, and big plans require big bosses. I’m afraid someone’s moved in on the goblins and organized them. And judg ju dgin ingg by thes th esee re rece cent nt raid ra ids, s, wh what at they’re organizing seems like bad news for all of us.” us.”
SHALELU ANDOSANA
After Shalelu’s speech, Sheri Hemlock announces he’s taking a few of his guards south to Magnimar to see about securing additional soldiers to station in Sandpoint for a few weeks, at least until the extent of the goblin threat can be determined. While he’s out of town, he’s asked Shalelu to sniff around Shank’s Wood, Brinestump, Mosswood, Devil’s Platter, and other places where goblins live to see if she can discover anything else about what’s going on.
He would also like the heroesover to maintain Shalelu was thankfully nearby, and while a public presence in Sandpoint the next the farm couldn’t be saved, she did rescue the few days, if they don’t mind. “The locals seem family and drive o the goblins. The family to have taken to you,” he says, “And seeing is staying at a nearby farm for now, but the you around town will do a lot for keeping goblin problem is obviously not going away. worries down over the next few days.” At this point, Hemlock cedes the oor to Once the meeting is over, Shalelu asks to Shalelu, asking her to tell the heroes what join the party for di dinner nner at the Rusty Dragon she told him. (or wherever else they may be staying). She’d like to hear more from them about the “Belor’s told me of your work against the Sandpoint raid and in return she’s got a fair goblins—well done. I’ I’ve ve dedic dedicated ated the last amount of goblin lore she can impart. several years of my life to keeping them from causing too much trouble around these parts. But they’re tenacious and fecund lile runts. Like weeds that bite. “There are ve major goblin tribes in the region, and, traditionally they’re prey good
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GOBLIN TRIBES
As she mentioned earlier, there are ve major goblin tribes in the region. The closest to Sandpoint are the Birdcruncher goblins, who
PART P ART TWO: LOCAL HEROES
live in caves along the western edge of the Devil’s Plaer. Traditionally, these goblins are the least aggressive of the ve. To the south are the Licktoad goblins of the Brinestump Marsh, pests who are excellent swimmers. East are the Seven Tooth goblins of Shank’s Wood, goblins who’ve secured a place for themselves by raiding Sandpoint’s junkyard and rebuilding the stolen refuse into armor and weapons. Farther east are the Mosswood goblins, likely the largest tribe but one traditionally held back by feuding families within their own ranks. And nally, there are the Thistletop goblins, who live on the Nelewood coast atop a small island that some say holds a passing resemblance to a decapitated head.
GOBLIN HEROES
to trade things he’s stolen from caravans for alcohol, news, or magic arrows. Shalelu notes that Bruthazmus has a particular hatred of elves and they have fought on several occasions. To date, neither have managed to get the upper hand on the other, but Shalelu bierly vows she won’t be the rst to fall in their private war. It’s likely the adventurers will want to start scouring the region for goblins and reasons for their increased aggression, but you should use Hemlock’s request for them to stay in town as an anchor for now. P Shalelu Andosana: See Andosana: See below.
P SHALELU ANDOSANA Type: Good Humanoid (Elven Ranger) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d6 Skills: Athletics d8, Common KnowlSkills: Knowl -
Shalelu notes that goblins generally live short, violent lives. It’s unusual for a single edge d6, Fighting d6, Notice d6, Shooting d8, individual to achieve any real measure of Stealth d8, Survival d8 notoriety, but when one does it’s well earned. (bow); Toughness: 8 8 (3) Currently, six goblins in the region enjoy the Pace: 6; Parry: 5 or 6 (bow); Toughness: Hindrances: Code Hindrances: Code of Honor, Loyal status of “hero.” Edges: Extraction, Ranger, Spell Training Edges: Big Gugmut is an unusually muscular and (Ranger), Trademark Weapon (Bow), tall goblin from Mosswood who, it is said, Woodsman had a hobgoblin for a mother and a wild boar Gear: Composite bow (Range 12/24/48, for a father. Damage Str+d6, AP 2, Accurate) with 20 Koruvus was a champion of the Seven Tooth arrows, short sword (Str+d6), studded tribe, known for his short temper and a magic leather armor (+3, Aegis), adventurer’s longsword the goblin stubbornly keeps as his own despite the fact that it's too large for him to wield properly. Koruvus vanished several months ago after he supposedly discovered disc overed a Shalelu continues to have a presence “secret hideout” in a cave along the clis, but throughout Rise of the Runelords ; as the Seven Tooth goblins remain convinced with Sheri Hemlock, Ameiko Kaijitsu, he’s out there still, a ghost or worse. and Father Zantus. You should use her Vorka is a notorious goblin cannibal who as a recurring presence to keep the lives in the Brinestump marsh, a “hero” party invested in the region. mostly to goblins other than the Licktoad tribe. She can become an ally of the group, Rendwale Gutwad Gutwad is the obese ch chieftain ieftain of even joining them in their efforts the Brinestump goblins, a corpulent monster against the goblins for a time if they who, it is said, never leaves his throne. need a lile extra help. She might even Ripnugget is the leader of the Thistletop develop a romantic relationship with goblins and controls what the five tribes one of the characters, especially if one
ONGOING PRESENCE
agree is the best lair. And then there’s Bruthazmus, an infamous bugb bu gbear ear ran range gerr wh who o li lives ves in no nort rthe hern rn Nelewood and often visits the ve tribes
of them shares her love of the natural world and hatred of the goblins who squat in its tangled places.
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RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
pack, 2x potion of Neutralize Poison or Disease, 2x potion of minor boost Strength , healing (12 wand of healing (12 charges; Faith), manamana cles, sunrod (3), 8 pp, 2 gp. Special Abilities: Ancestry (Elf): Agile, Elven Magic, (Elf): Intelligence, Low Light Vision, Keen Senses, Slender. Class Abilities (Ranger): Armor (Ranger): Armor Restriction
message on the opposite side—this note is reproduced as Handout 1–1. Bethana explains that tha t T Tsuto suto was something of a scandal when he was born back in 4688 (a year before Ameiko) since he’s a half-elf. Bethana sagely notes, with big eyes, that neither of Ameiko’s parents are elves. It was obvious old Lonjiku wasn’t the
(Medium), Favored Enemy (Humanoid), boy’s his rage at thethe discovery of his father, wife’s and indiscretion was talk of Favored Terrain (forest), Wilderness Stride. the town for months. Lonjiku’s wife, Atsuii, Languages: Common Languages: Common Elven, and Goblin. never revealed revealed who the father was, and it’s a testament to Lonjiku’s stubbornness that they TACTICS remained married. Shalelu prefers to fight with her bow, Tsuto was handed over to the Turandarok resorting to melee only when truly desperate or when an ally seems in dire need of healing. Academy to be raised outside of the Kaijitsu family, ignored by his father and forbidden Shalelu is loyal to her friends and as long visits from his mother. as even one of them remains in danger, she Ameiko started visiting him in secret once won’t abandon them. That said, if she feels she can escape, get help, and return in time to she learned about his existence at the age of save anyone captured, she might try to do so. 10. She visited him a few times a month to keep him company, bring him somewould food, and promise him that someday things get all sorted out. That all changed in 4705 when they had Run this event in the morning at some point a terrible argument in which Tsuto struck after Sheri Hemlock leaves town to request Ameiko. Bethana doesn’t know what the more soldiers from Magnimar. Soon after, argument was about, but whatever it was fo r a year, the heroes are approached by a timid elderly sent Ameiko away from Sandpoint for haling woman named Bethana Corwin, a during which time she made a living as an adventurer.. She returned to Sandpoint a year maid who works for Ameiko Kaijitsu at the adventurer Rusty Dragon. She’s obviously upset and asks later to aend her mother’s funeral. to speak to the group somewhere in private private.. Tsuto was quite public in his opinions that Bethana's employer has gone missing. She his father had pushed Atsuii o a cli to her
THE MIS MISSIN SINGG BART BARTEND ENDER ER
and, during the nearly funeral, thereTsuto’s was a woke morning to nd confrontation. Lonjiku broke hadn’tearlier alreadythis started breakfast for Ameiko the rst death, w ith his cane, after which Tsuto ccursed ursed time Bethana could remember. remember. Worried, she jaw with knocked on Ameiko’s door but didn’t get him and left Sandpoint. a response. Ameiko has tried to reestablish contact Against her better judgment, Bethana with him ever since but was never able to entered Ameiko’s room to find it empty track him down. and the bed unslept in. Worse, she found a Bethana’s worried that Tsuto’s up to no crumpled piece of parchment near the bed bed— — a good. Since Sheri Hemlock’s out of town, note from Ameiko’s older brother Tsuto. the heroes are the only ones she can turn to. At this point, Bethana hands them the note. She begs them to head over to the Glassworks Though it was wrien in Minkaian (likely to and nd out what happened to Ameiko as keep prying eyes from reading it, Bethana soon as possible. muses), Ameiko beenyears. teaching her the language over thehad last few The haling has helpfully already translated the note’s
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PART P ART TWO: LOCAL HEROES
1–1 HANDOUT 1–1
ADDITIONAL ENCOUNTERS
CONVICTION AWARD CONVICTION AWARD
You can design additional encounters in Sandpoint after this part of the adventure is over. Information Information on the town and its people in the Guide to the Hinterlands provides numerous people the heroes can encounter and interact with.
If the Pathnders manage to complete ve events (from the seven presented plus any additional events of your own creation), they earn Conviction for their heroic eorts to make Sandpoint and its environs safer. At least for now. As everyone is abo about ut to see,
Perhaps the champions are approached by Daviren Hosk of Goblin Squash Stables and oered a bounty of 5 gp for every pair of goblin ears they bring him, or maybe the Pathnders are invited by Cyrdak Drokkus of the Sandpoint Theater to reenact their ghts against the goblins (accompanied, of course, by ne illusion-work from C Cyrdak). yrdak). They could even be invited to Niska Mvashti’s house for a harrow deck reading to reveal the secrets of their future, foreshadowing events to come!
the Hinterlands are in dire peril.
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RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
PART THREE: GLASS AND WRATH The process of glassmaking is as much an art as it is a craft and one that the Kaijitsu family has held pride in for several generations. After the family was exiled from Tian Xia and made the perilous journey over the crown of the world, their skill at glassmaking played a key role in securing a role among the ar aristocra istocracy cy.. When the Sa Sandpoint ndpoint Mercantile League Lea gue was established to fou found nd the to town, wn, the Kai Kaijitsus jitsus were there. Not long after Sandpoint was founded, they began construction of what would become one of the town’s most unique and profitable businesses— the Sandpoint Glassworks.
T
he main components of glass are all found in abundance nearby: sand, seaweed, salt-resistant plants (the ashes of which
the goddess of monsters (Tsuto doesn’t have much interest in religion) but at the chance to get revenge on the town he blamed for his
and joyl joyless ess childhood. form an important reagent the process), and lime extracted from stoneinquarried from bier Tsuto’s primary responsibility to Nualia the clis of Devil’s Plaer. All that remained was to serve as the link between Sandpoint was the technical prociency to work these and Thistletop. Not only did he know the components into glass. town the best, but he also had links to one The fact that the building’s basement once of its most important citizens—his father. doubled as a smuggler’s base is one of the After blackmailing Lonjiku into aiding in Kaijitsu family’s secrets. Lonjiku’s more the preparation of Sandpoint for the goblin scrupulous father, Rokuro, put a stop to the raid, Tsuto had his father right where he smuggling operation once he realized some wanted him. of his employees were involved and bricked A few days after the raid, he sent his father up the oending chambers in the basement. a note demanding a payment of 2,000 gp or Despite his efforts, knowledge that the Tsuto would reveal Lonjiku’s role in the raid.
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Glassworks was once part of an early smuggling operation has persisted in the town’s not-so-hidden lore. Now the Glassworks is lile more than a front for the machinations of a bier, vengeful son. When Tsuto Kaijitsu joined Nualia’s group of malcontents in Magnimar a year ago, he was already in love with her. He’ He’d d seen her on the streets of Sandpoint many times but had never had the courage to approach the mysterious beauty. So when she approached him with a job oer, he felt as if fate had nally dealt him a good hand.
Infuriated, it was time to takeLonjiku care of privately his wife’sdecided son, once and for all. He agreed to the payment, and when he arrived at the Glassworks late one night several days after the raid, he aempted to murder Tsuto. Unfortunately for Lonjiku, Tsuto had come up with the same plan. Before Lonjiku arrived, arrive d, the goblins killed all of the workers who lived on site. Tsuto and a half-dozen goblins ambushed Lonjiku as he entered the Glassworks, murdered him, and put his body on display in area A17.
When he learned her plans involved burning his hometown as an oering to her goddess, Lamashtu, Tsuto was even more thrilled—not at the opportunity to serve
Lonjiku dealt the with, Tsuto sentina note to his sister Ameiko; one person Sandpoint he didn’t hate. He asked her to meet him at the Glassworks the night after he murdered
PAR ART T THR THREE: EE: GLASS EE: GL ASS AND AN D WR ATH
Lonjiku, hoping to convince Ameiko to join Nualia’s band. Unfortunately, he miscalculated his sister’s loyalty to Sandpoint, and when she refused to join with him, he had his goblins beat her unconscious, bound her, and locked her in area A21 below the Glassworks. Tsuto isn't quite sure what to do with Ameiko and plans back to Thistletop with heron to heading ask Nualia fornorth advice. He intends to leave the Glassworks an abaoir to further throw fear into the hearts of Sandpoint’s citizens.
INV INVEST ESTIGA IGATIN TINGG THE THE GLASSWORKS When the heroes arrive at the Glassworks, they find the building curiously silent. Neighbors have noticed the lack of trac into and out of the building, but since the furnace chimney still plumes with smoke, most assume the building is simply closed to
allow Lonjiku and his workers some privacy while they work on a big project. A quick investigation of the building perimeter reveals the curtains have been drawn over the windows and all the doors are locked. The skylights that look into areas A1 and A17 are unobscured, and an adventurer adventurer who makes an Athletics (climbing) roll to get on the roof can look through them (which, in the case of A17, reveals a gruesome sight indeed). The rumble of the Glassworks’ furnace is plainly audible from within, but a character who listens at any of the curtained windows along area A17 and makes a Notice roll can hear what sounds like high-pitched giggles, shrieks, and breaking glass as well. All of the external doors can be picked with a Thievery roll. Baering them down takes a bit more work since they are heavy doors (see Breaking Things Things in Pathnder® for Savage Worlds). Worlds). In either case, such acts are quick to draw gawkers eager to nd out what Sandpoint’s new heroes are doing trying to break into the Glassworks.
SANDPOINT GLASSWORKS
SANDPOINT GLASSWORKS BASEMENT
A18
A19 A20
1
A22
A21 A23 A1
A2 A17
A3
N
A4
A5 A6 A7 A8
1
A9
A16
A10
1 SQUARE = 6 FEET STAIRS
UP
DOWN
A11 A13
A12
A15 A14
29
RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
POINTS OF INTEREST Information on each room in the Glassworks is listed below, though the heroes will likely move unerringly towards the action. The main interest points are A17, A21, A22, and A23. These locations are key to defeating Tsuto, rescuing Ameiko, and discovering The Catacombs of Wrath.
entertainment after they murdered the sleeping workers the night before.
A6 DINING ROOM: The sta used this room to relax, eat, and play cards in their o hours. The room is a wreck—when the goblins came through here, they made a mess of it. A7 WASHROOM: This room contains several washtubs for bathing and laundry; the small room adjacent is a toilet. A8 KITCHEN: This is where the sta preprepared their meals. The goblins tore this place apart looking for food, and the room is in disarray as a result.
A Persuasion or Intimidation roll is more than enough to calm and disperse the A9 PANTRY: This room is a mess; barrels, locals, especially given the odd fact that the sacks of grain, and crates of dried sh and Glassworks should be open for business. venison have been completely demolished, Several locals suggest the heroes head up and most of the contents are missing. A to Kaijitsu Manor to talk to Lonjiku or his broken dogslicer lies discarded by a goblin who ruined it trying to get at the food. servants rather than breaking into the place. Unfortunately, a trip up Schooner Gulch Road to the manor reveals that none of the A10 This for room severalSTOREROOM: mounds of rewood thecontains kitchen servants there have seen Lonjiku since stove. yesterday evening. evening. They assume he’s working down in the Glassworks and point to the A11 MEETING ROOM: The sta meets here to discuss work schedules or large projects. smoke pouring out of its chimney as proof. In fact, the Glassworks are now under the A12 RECEPTION: Customers seeking control of Lonjiku’s treacherous son and his custom glass jobs or looking for business goblin allies. opportunities to export glass meet with a representativee here to arrange business. A1 DISPLAY ROOM: This showroom con- representativ
tains a shop where customers can browse A13 OFFICE: A smaller oce for more priprithe various glassware produced here. Boles, vate meetings with important customers. windowpanes, and glasswork art are the pri A14 FILES: Several cabinets with and shelves mary contents . containing les and contracts dozens A2 STOREROOM: This room stores nn- of exporters and businesses from Magnimar, ished products. Korvosa, and other local towns ll this room.
A3 CLEANING CLOSET: This closet stores cleaning supplies and tools such as brooms. A4 STOREROOM: Tools, clothing for servants, rewood, and other miscellaneous supplies are kept here. A A55 SERVANT’S QUARTERS: Lonjiku’s sta of skilled laborers lived on site; the eight workers slept here. The beds are all in various states of disarray and blood is spaered over the walls and sheets. No bodies are apparent—they’ve been taken by the goblin goblinss to area A17 for
30
A15 PREPARATION: The primary agents for glassmaking (sand, soda ash, and lime) are prepared here. A16 LOADING ROOM: A wheelbarrow sits against a wall here, and shelves on the walls contain additional reagents to create dierdierent colors of glass (manganese for clear glass, cobalt for blue, and tin for white; untreated glass is green, while a high quantity of any reagent makes black glass). A safe on the oor hangs open after Tsuto used his father’s key to open it and stole the gold and silver used to make red and yellow
PAR ART T THR THREE: EE: GLASS EE: GL ASS AND AN D WR ATH glass. Through a doorway, stairs lead down to area A19.
This is one of two walls Rokuro Kaijitsu bricked over after he learned that several of his employees were using the basement as a A17 GLASSWORKING ROOM: A furnace staging ground for their smuggling operation. burns along the southeast wall of this room. Tsuto’s goblins removed this wall and the on onee Marble tables sit in the chamber, used to work north of area A22 the night before the raid. raw glass into usable shapes, with nearby There are four goblins wandering around wooden tables cluered with various tools of at all times. If no eort is made to hide the the trade. investigators' advance, they notice and The building’s furnace rumbles loudly, alert Tsuto. penalizing Notice rolls with a –4. The main furnace burns at the northeast end, a large A20 STORAGE: This room is used to chamber utilizes alchemically treated wood store glassware, windows, and other nished that burns with a hot blue light. goods. The workers use this room to melt glass, A21 STORAGE: The door to this room is but Lonjik Lonjiku u also periodic periodically ally “rented” the locked. Though it's used for storage, Tsuto furnace to Sczarni thugs for the disposal of has recently turned it into an impromptu evidence. The res are hot enough to burn holding cell. bones and and teeth. His sister, Ameiko, lies on her side on the A creature forced into the furnace takes oor in here, bound at the wrists and ankles 4d6 re damage per round. The opening is with rope and blindfolded and gagged with narrow enough to prevent a Size 0 or larger strips of leather. For more information about creature from being pushed inside easily. her reaction to being rescued, see Rescuing As the furnace’s stone pipes run southwest, Ameiko on Ameiko on page 34. 34. they reach smaller and progressively cooler furnaces used to keep glassworking projects A22 SECRET OFFICE: Once used by at the proper temperature—glass shaers if smugglers to track their illicit businesses, this room served Tsuto Kaijitsu for the past few it’s allowed to cool too quickly. When the adventurers arrive, this room days as a place to orchestrate his actions in is a gruesome display of goblin boredom. Sandpoint. After murdering his father and imprisoning The bodies of the eight murdered staff lie in various stages of dismemberment; his sister, Tsuto drank himself to sleep in this the goblins have been burning legs and room. He likely wakes when a goblin eeing arms in the furnace with glee and pouring from the intruders race down here to warn Goblins). ). melted glass on the remains in an aempt to him of trouble (see Against the Goblins
A23 SMUGGLER’S ENTRANCE: The long tunnel leading from this area winds for some distance through the bedrock below SandSand point. Built decades ago by smugglers, the tunnel remains stable and serviceable as it winds lazily northeast for just over 1,750 feet before reaching a dead end. A Notice roll reveals a secret door that A18 STAIRS: These stairs lead down to the opens into a 12-yard-diameter cave on the beach below. below. side of the cli overlooking the Varisian Gulf. A19 UNDERGROUND STORAGE: This The cave mouth slopes down to a narrow room is used to store sand and other raw beach; no Sur Survival vival roll is rrequired equired to no note te the materials. Two Two wheelbarrows sit against the crude collection of goblin beds or remnants of wall. Just thedismantled stairs up to to area A16,ana their meals strewn about the cave. brick walleast has of been reveal Two side tunnels branch off from the older passageway leading south. tunnel’s southern half. One leads east to a collapse after 400 feet (it once led all the
duplicate Tsuto’s Tsuto’s body, propped upmasterpiece— in a chair in his the father’s central alcove and encased in thick, runny sheets of hardened glass. This is where the heroes are most likely to encounter Tsuto’s goblins—see Against the Goblins for Goblins for details on this ght.
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RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
way to the Turandarok River), but the one nevertheless—especially if the character to the west seems to have once been bricked being fed fed into the furnace is unconscious! over at the point where it diverges from the Hot Glass Tongs: Some Tongs: Some goblins use tongs main tunnel. dripping with molten glass as improvised This westerly passageway winds for 20 weapons to burn the heroes. This causes yards before turning north for another 35 Str+d4 and Fatigue from burns if Shaken yards. The tunnel was an aempt to break or Wounded. into what the smugglers assumed would be Thrown Glass: Goblins Glass: Goblins who can’t reach a the garrison basement, so they could smuggle prisoners out for great prot. character melee bolesranged or slingaacks. panes of glass atin them as throw improvised Yet what they discovered were the Kaijitsu: See below. P Tsuto Kaijitsu: See Catacombs of Wrath and what the smugglers • Goblin Cuhroats (12): (12): Use Use the Goblin found there convinced them to brick up prole on page 12. 12. This nasty band is the tunnel and never speak of it again. The Resilient. brick bri ck wal walll was torn to rn do down wn recen rec entl tly y on Nualia’s return to the area, after which she established contact with the quasit queen of P TSUTO KAIJITSU the catacombs. Type: Evil Humanoid (Half Elf Monk/Rogue) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d6, In all, there are 12 goblins in the Glassworks. Skills: Intimidation d4, Fighting d8, Notice d8, If the investigators follow the sound of Persuasion Persuasio n d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d6 breaking breakin g glass and evil lile shriek shrieks, s, they 6; Toughness: Toughness: 10 10 (4) nd eight of the goblins capering and deling Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Hindrances: Outsider Outsider (Minor) the bodies of the murdered workers in area Hindrances: Edges: Extraction, Frenzy, Monk, Mystic A17. The remaining four are downstairs with Edges: Powers (Monk), Rogue, Quick Tsuto n near ear area A21. Unless the heroes are particularly noisy, Gear: Composite longbow (Range 12/24/48, Damage Str+d6, AP 1) with 20 arrows, they should be able to reach area A17 without potion of major protection , potion of minor alerting the goblins. Give the adventurers a healing , thieves’ tools, ute, silver silver earrings surprise round against the lile monsters, (12 gp each), journal, 6 pouches of gold dust becausee once the bale begins becaus begins,, thing thingss get worth 50 gp each, 8 pouches of silver dust ugly quickly. worth 5 gp each, 10 pp. Keep in mind this bale takes place in a glassworking factory. Goblins are masters of Special Abilities: Ancestry (Half-Elf): Adaptability, (Half-Elf): Adaptability, Elven improvisational ghting and are quick to use Magic, Low Light Vision, Keen Senses, the environs of the room to their advantage Outsider (Minor). in the following ways. Class Abilities (Monk): Armor (Monk): Armor Restriction Broken Glass: Glass: As the bale progresses, (Any), Stunning Fist, Unarmed Strike. have the heroes make Athletics rolls to avoid Class Abilities (Rogue): Armor (Rogue): Armor Restriction large shards of broken glass. Failure reduces (Light), Sneak Aack. their Pace by 2 until they receive healing. Common, Elven, and Goblin. Languages: Common, Languages: Feeding the Furnace: Furnace: A goblin might aempt to trip a character (A Fighting Test TACTICS against the individual's Agility). If the target The goblins are still riding the high from falls prone, three goblins pile onto him and killing the sta and react to the intruders’ arrival with excitement. Most of them ght aempt to carry him into the furnace. Chances of this succeeding are nil as with dogslicers, but one or two aack the long as the individual isn’t Unconscious heroes using tongs dripping with molten glass. Once at least five of the eight goblins or Incapacitated, but it should give the champions a bit of a hair-raising time upstairs are dead, one of the surviving
AGAINST THE GOBLINS
32
PAR ART T THR THREE: EE: GLASS EE: GL ASS AND AN D WR ATH goblins recognizes the party as the defenders goblins. The heroes should recognize it as the of Sandpoint. He drops his weapon, and aack the goblins made on Sandpoint at the shrieks out (in Goblin), “Wait! It’s those start of the adventure. longshanks what stopped the raid! Run Of more pressing for your lives!” concern are the next several The remaining goblins panic and ee pages, which illustrate an for the basement, seeking to regroup assault on Sandpoint by below belo w with Tsuto and his four a force of what appears goblin guards. Once at his side, to be 200 goblins. None the goblins fight until he is of these are circled, and defeated, at which point any while many are scratched surviving goblins ee down out as if they’ve been rejected, the the smuggler’s implications should be ominous tunnel or cower nonetheless. and beg for mercy. Most of the drawings of Tsuto’s main Nualia do not depict her advantage in battle with her demonic hand, is his mobility. If he though one on the last pages of anticipates combat, he the book does; it portrays her with takes his potion of major not only a single demonic hand but protection. also bat wings, horns, a forked tail, and fangs. If reduced to one Wound, or if all of his goblins are slain, Tsuto ees down Three short passages in Tsuto’s the smuggler’s tunnel, abandoning all j jou ourn rn al co n ta in in fo rm at io n o f thought of returning to Nualia particular interest to the TSUTO with his sister in tow and eeing heroes— heroes — these are reproduced as KAIJITSU back to Thistletop. Handout 1–2. If they secure Tsuto’s cooperation via magic, he can be a font of information, informati on, revealing While the goblins know close to the entirety of Nualia’s plans, nothing, if captured and interrogated, her current location, and even Tsuto is a dierent story. His loyalty to information on Thistletop’s layout Nualia is unwavering. Unless the heroes and defenses. If asked about his journal, use magical means to secure his cooperation, he conrms Nualia plans to oer Sandpoint he remains silent in the face of any aempt to as a burning sacrice to Lamashtu in return get him to talk. for a transformation from the angelic to the He aempts to escape at the rst opportunity. demonic, a ritual she’s already begun by Father Tob Tobyn’s yn’s remains. If faced with no other option, he tries to take burning Father his own life, trusting (erroneously) that when He doesn’t know much about the creature she grows powerful enough, Nualia will she calls “Malfeshnekor,” only that it’s bring him him back from the dead. some monster she believes is imprisoned Tsuto’s journal (see Handout 1–2) likely somewhere below Thistletop and releasing proves a beer source of information. This it will make her coming raid on Sandpoint a small, leather-bound booklet contains two guaranteed success. dozen pages, most of which Tsuto has lled with maps of Sandpoint or erotic drawings of Nualia (who can be recognized as the
INTERR INTERROGA OGATING TING TSUTO
presumed-dead adopted daughter of Father Tobyn with a Common Knowledge roll at –2). The maps depict different attack plans. The rst set shows the plan for a group of 30
33
RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
about ut as went nt abo raid we Thee raid Th op w T histlet histletop ed. Fe Few plann pla nned. and we rished hed,, and lins pe peris goblins gob obyn’s securee T obyn’s to secur weree abl wer ablee to the while ile the ease wh et wit withh ease cask asket ed by istract acted ere e d distr ubess wer w rube until il wait unt an’tt wait rest. t. I c I can’ the res townn This tow raid.. This reall raid thee rea th t’s g, tha that’s burnin ning, ves a a bur deser de serves for fo r sure sure..
HANDOUT 1–2 1–2
he avoor the eem ms to fav gett see ipnu nuggge Rip achh, prooac apppr laand a ingg l helm lmin oveerwhe ov thhe it’s’s t inkk it thin on’t ’t th butt I don bu get et uld ul d sho sh o plaan. We besst pl be heer endd h Sen aid. d. S it’s ai uassit’s the qua ia ow via bellow om be upp from akss u freeak fr el in my unnnel ingg tun ggllin smuugg the sm nd rkss, and swoork lasssw er’’s Gla athher fat er iver he riv the froom t de fr nvaade inv the henn i k assw swoor s thee Glas froom th nd fr and
ng oing bennt on goi seeems be lovve se My lo ingg I can thin —nooth ughh witithh itit—n throug heer of her es h incces nvin coonv sayy c sa ed ssed sess obbse inss o main Shhe rema y. S autty. beau ls callls he ca she hatt s ingg wha emoovin witithh rem intt" and tain iall ta stia eleest herr "cel he r’ss theer’ er Moth her witithh h ingg itit w laccin reppla re herr’s fatthe er fa ingg her urnnin acee. Bur grac etoop tlet Thisistl he Th inss at the emaain rem
in rsm in sma all lle rhebut ut mo mor fopotcu f cuse sedd cep est t erxece res es. . eT ikes ik st str ’m nd I’m ee,, and utha hazzmus agree Brut ustt jus earr’s’s j ugbbea thhe bug uree t sur ttyy s preett pr annnoy me. to an ry to onttrary bein be ingg con ith tedd with straccte oo distra ovee’s too My lov k e ma m a to t o ers er s ambb chham low wer c he lo the ce thaat once isionn. Says th deccisio a de ekoor’s fesh shnnek Malfe annd sedd a leaase rele er ndeer her und wee nd,, w com co mmand eedd on’’t nee won orrry to wor to ingg o ut b ut ab beein opee I hop le.. I subttle sub t. righ ght. e’s ri she’s
sh shr r ine ne ase see morm s mtoa h ha ve sta a I rte ed rt ut I ut , bst titiooanve sfor nesf tra tr he the iss andd i ew han heer new sayy h ’t sa an’t can llyy full opeefu ingg to me. Hop asin pleeas pl erss ffer shee off wheen sh wh intt to poin anddpo San htu’u’s asht Lamas er s, her fires, dy boody w b new ne won’t be s. eouus. as hideo as ’lll be I’l Maybe t. out. ck ou luck lu re ccuubi are Succ Su o, tooo, ns t emoons dem y? hey? ’t the renn’t are
don’t tell her he's dead, she learns soon enough, taking the news stoically. Ameiko has no further ocial role to play If for some reason the Pathnders wait until after sunset to investigate the Glassworks, in Rise of the Runelords , but this can certainly Tsuto and his goblins have returned to change in your game. After the heroes rescue Thistletop. Ameiko is placed in a cell there her, she rewards them with free room and (in area D9). If they don’t rescue her in a few board at the Rusty Dragon for the rest of their days, she is eventually sacriced to Lamashtu lives. With her father’s death, she becomes the in area D12, yet another burnt oering to sole inheritor of the Kaijitsu family, whether she likes it or not, and becomes Sandpoint’s appease Nualia’s wrath.
RESCUING AMEIKO
Ameiko is conscious but Incapacitated and in no shape to aid her rescuers unless they can heal her. Even then she remains distraught at her brother’s treachery. Tsuto revealed to Ameiko that he and several other mercenaries were led by Nualia and hinted that she’s got big plans for Sandpoint’s future. Tsuto warned Ameiko that she didn’t want to be in town when those thos e plans came through and oered her a chance to join his group at Thistletop. Ameiko recoiled at the suggestion and slapped her brother in shock. He responded by unleashing unleashing his goblins on her. She’s grateful for the heroes’ rescue but is eager to leave and warn her father. If they
34
newest noble.
CATACOMBS OF WRATH This site was originally a laboratory and prison run by a cruel man named Xaliasa, who had given his soul to the demon Lamashtu in return for eldritch and dark powers. He was a cleric of Lamashtu in the service of Runelord Alaznist, but unknown to her, Xaliasa was also a secret assassin pledged to Karzoug. Working as a double agent eventually drove Xaliasa and he cameHe to be known to his minionsmad, as the Scribbler. was thought to have perished in the currently inaccessible lower levels of the catacombs when Thassilon fell and Alaznist’s empire sank under the sea.
PAR ART T THR THREE: EE: GLASS EE: GL ASS AND AN D WR ATH Yet not all of his allies perished—his quasit minion Erylium survived. After spending centuries alone and trapped in the dark catacombs, Erylium went somewhat insane. Originally obsessed with escaping, she eventually came to see the complex as her own private empire. The zombies imprisoned in area B9
had done the trick and broken the quasit out of her madness. Over the next forty years, she listened for countless hours at the top of the ruined stairs (at area B5). She was eager to learn more of those whom she soon came to think of as the Enemy Above. Every week, Erylium used her ability to commune with her master to learn more and more about Sandpoint from her became the vargo vargouille guardianErylium's of area B4subjects her pet. and She pored overuille the demonic patron. Or she sent her black wren crumbling texts and notes left behind by her familiar out to spy. As the years wore on, Lamashtu’s cryptic master. She eventually became a spellcaster, selecting Lamashtu as her demonic patron as responses and her wren’s reports led Erylium had her master so long ago. For thousands of to believe something was coming. Something years, Erylium ruled her tiny realm with pey p ey that would provide her with a real army, and her general was even now being groomed by cruelty and glee. When smugglers broke into the catacombs Lamashtu for her glory. Five years ago, the minor runewell located only four decades ago, they caught Erylium o guard. Rather than aempting to trick the in area B13 mysteriously reactivated. Erylium intruders into serving her, she aacked and saw this as a sign and used it to call forth several sinspawn to aid her in the times to scared them o. come. Soon thereafter, Lamashtu revealed By the time she’d recovered her that Erylium’s general was nearly ready but triumphant celebrations, they’dfrom already bricked up her escape route. Yet the event it fell to the quasit to recruit her.
B9
B7
B6
B8 B5
B10
B4 B3
B11
N
B12
B2
B13
1 SQUARE = 6 FEET STAIRS UP DOWN
B1
CATACO COM MBS OF WRA WRATH 35
RISE R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS
She would know her by her silver hair and violet eyes, a rarity in the world above. When Nualia arrived not long thereafter, a fresh convert to Lamashtu’s side, Erylium took to the role of mentor with pride. The quasit knows that soon her empire shall grow.
B1 GUARD CAVE Five sinspawn dwell in this cave, charged by Eryliu Erylium m to guard the appro approach ach to her realm. The creatures do their job admirably, standing at their post for hours at a time until they are relieved by another group. • Sinspawn (4): See (4): See below. One of them is a Wild Card alpha.
SINSPAWN This hairless humanoid lurches on back-bent dog-like legs. Its hideous mouth anked by tiny arms with three-ngere three-ngered d hands. Type: Evil Aberration (Sinspawn) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d8, IntimidaSkills: Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Survival d4 Pace: 4; Parry: 6 or 7 (Ranseur); Toughness: (Ranseur); Toughness: 7 (1) Edges: First Edges: First Strike Gear: Ranseur (Str+d6, Reach 1, Parry +1 if used two-handed) Special Abilities: Armor +1: Aberrant +1: Aberrant hide. Bite/Claws: Bite/Claws: Str+d4. Str+d4.
Darkvision: Sinspawn ignore penalties for Darkvision: Sinspawn
Illumination up to 10”. Sinful Bite: Anyone Bite: Anyone Shaken or Wounded by a sinspaw sinspawn’s n’s bite becom becomes es ove overwhel rwhelmed med by sinful thoughts and is Distra Distracted cted for the next d6 minutes. Languages: Aklo. Languages: Aklo.
B2 OLD STOREROOM The original purpose of this chamber is unclear, but large mounds of rubble lie strewn on its oor. The wall to the west has been torn down to reveal a tunnel leading to the west.
An investigation of the rubble reveals most of it consists of broken urns and other poery containers that once held food stores, long since crumbled to dust.
B3 WELCOMING CHAMBER A red marble marble st statue atue of a strikin strikingly gly beaut beautiful iful but, at the samestands time, monstrously human woman in the middleenraged of this room, her stony expression twisted in fury. The woman wears owing robes, and her long hair is held back from her face by an intricate headdress of hooks and blades. In her left hand she carries a large book, the face of which is inscribed with a seven-pointed seven-pointed star. Her right hand holds a gliering metaland-ivory ranseur. The statue depicts Runelord Alaznist, identiable as such with an Academics roll.
TREASURE
The masterwork ranseur clutched by the statue can be removed with a lile tugging. As a replica of Runelord Alaz Alaznist’s nist’s signature weapon, the ranseur is a work of art as much as a weapon. It’s worth 400 gp.
B4 WASHING POOL Water ripples quietly in this circular stone pool, the the rim of which which is lined with skulls. skulls. This pool was once used as a place to wash the grime of the world above from the feet of visitors to the Catacombs of Wrath. Once per hour, the waters of the pool magically replenish and are puried. This approach to the Catacombs of Wrath is still guarded by a pair of ancient creatures. The hideous vargouille generally rest in the shadows near the wall. The monsters were placed here by the Scribbler. Over the centuries they've remained, patiently waiting for a release from their duties. They are eager to aack anything that enters the room save sinspawn, Koruvus, Erylium, or anyone who openly displays a symbol of Lamashtu. P Vargouille (2): (2): See See below.
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PAR ART T THR THREE: EE: GLASS EE: GL ASS AND AN D WR ATH
P VARGOUILLE Type: Evil Outsider (Vargouille) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8 Athletics d10, Fighting d6, IntimidaIntimidaSkills: Athletics Skills: tion d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Survival d6 Pace: —; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5; Toughness: 6 6 (2)
Edges: Edges: — Special — Abilities: Armor +2: Leathery +2: Leathery hide. Bite: Bite: Str+d4. Str+d4. Darkvision: Darkvision: Vargouilles ignore penalties for Illumination up to 10”. Flight: Flight: Pace Pace 12. Kiss: Kiss: A vargouille can kiss a Stunned, unconscious, or otherwise helpless target. Anyone kissed must make a Vigor roll at –2. If failed, the victim goes bald over the next 24 hours, her skin becomes leathery, and she sprouts tentacles on her face (she has the Ugly (Major) (Major ) Hindrance). After the second day, the transformation becomes lethal—she dies and her head pops off and ies away! Every six hours during the transformation process, she can make another Vigor roll. A successful roll pauses the transformation for a day, or two with healing with a raise. It can be cured using healing with Greater Healing at a –2 on the casting roll. Shriek: Shriek: Once per turn, a vargouille can shriek as an action. Anyone within 10" (20 yards) must make a Vigor roll or be Stunned. Size –2 (Small): (Small): A vargouille is a ying
SIZE MATTERS Creatures in dierent Size categories, such as a Vargouille, Vargouille, have adjust adjustments ments on aacks from and against them. Due to its Size, a vargouille gains +2 to hit a medium sized creatures, while medium sized creatures a –2be to hit the vargouille. A Sizesuer table can found in Pathnder for Savage Worlds. Worlds.
Narrow ssures remain in the stone, helping to keep (relatively) fresh air in the catacombs and providing a route for Erylium’s familiar to come and go.
B6 ANCIENT PRISON This large chamber was once a prison, as testified by theri twenty cells thatpl line its pe peri rime mete ter. r. A rick cket etyy wo wood oden en plat atfo form rm overlooks the room, with two ights of stairs descending to the prison oor ten feet below. A two-yard-wide tw o-yard-wide wooden walkway runs from the northern edge of the platform to a passageway passagew ay to the ea east. st.
As its appearance suggests, this room was indeed used to keep prisoners, mostly agents of Shalast who ventured too close to Bakrakhani holdings. Skeletons lie in most of the cells—prisoners who starved to death ages ago. head. Though the walkway above the room looks Languages: Infernal. Languages: Infernal. rickety, it’s actually quite quit e stable, for the wood (as with many ancient Thassilonian ruins) still retains its ancient magical preservative aura. This helps the architecture withstand A ight of spi spiral ral stairs winds up around a the passage of time. circular pillar into darkness above. These same preservative magics have kept the bones in the cells from crumbling to dust, These stairs once led up to a small vault on though they remain quite dry and brile. the surface, but when Thassilon fell, that Two sinspawn wait here. If an alarm has structure collapsed. If the explorers somehow raised, ed, they hide them themselve selvess in the manage to dig their way up through the 30 been rais feet of rock between the top of the stairs and rafters just under the platform, waiting to reach up and aack anyone who comes too the surface, theycluster nd themselves emerging in close to the edge. an alley in the of buildings between If the alarm hasn’t been raised, the sinspawn Tower Street and Junker’s Way. are bickering in the eastern part of the room
B5 STAIRS
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over some crumbling skulls stolen from the remains in the surrounding cells. • Sinspawn (2+1 per hero): See hero): See page 36. 36.
B7 INTERR INTERROGA OGATION TION CHAMBER This room contains several ancient torture implements, though their function functio n and style seem strange and archaic. In one corner sits a spherical cage with spikes protruding inward from its iron bars. In another stands what appears to be a starshaped wooden frame, its surface studded with hooks. A long table covered with leather straps and a number of cranks designed to rotate and swivel sits at the center of the room.
All of the torture devices here saw plenty of use back in Thassilon’s day, but are far too decayed or rusted to be of any use today.
B8 ANCIENT STUDY
TREASURE A Notice roll while looking at the torn-up pages reveals a scroll of blast (aming sphere, Selectve) under a broken chair.
B9 PRISONER PITS The ceiling of this strangely cold chamber arches to a vaulted height of twenty feet. The oor contains eleven wooden lids strewn haphazardly over eleven ve-foot-wide pits in the ground. From the darkness within, these pits echo up strange shuing sounds and, every so often, a low moan. Each of the pits is twenty feet deep. The wooden covers over the top of each are quite fragile, and collapse if anyone walks on them. An Athletics roll at –2 allows a character to leap to safety. Each of these traps contains a single human
This room once served as a study, but time (and Erylium’s centuries of frustration) have taken their toll. A search of the rubble uncovers the fragments of countless books and scrolls with bits of spiky writing in a
zombie, a pitiful creature left over from an age thousands of years in the past, its esh maintained by necromantic magic. These zombie pits once served as yet another way the Bakrakhani tormented their prisoners; now, they serve only as Erylium’s playthings. After Nualia opened the Catacombs of Wrath, very few creatures wandered into the dungeon from the hidden smuggler’s tunnel entrance. One of them, though, was a goblin hero of the Seven Tooth tribe named Koruvus. When he discovered the secret tunnel, he declared to the other goblins that he was
strange language all over them. These were once part of the Scribbler’s library. The information held within taught Erylium much of what she knows today as a spellcaster and follower of Lamashtu. Unfortunately, the books are now useless. The three solid doors to the south were once prison cells. Within each is a single skeleton of a badly deformed humanoid; one has three brile arms, another has an enormous misshapen skull, and the third has a rib cage that goes all the way down to its pelvis—a pelvis with stunted leg bones strewn below
going to explore it, loot the treasure hidden within, and come back to take over the Seven Tooth tribe. He never returned, but the Seven Tooth goblins expect him to do so any day. In fact, Koruvus stumbled into the Catacombs of Wrath and drank from the waters atop the altar at B12. These cursed waters twisted him into a monstrous, insane mockery by the ckle cruelty of Lamashtu’s whims. He’s come to see Erylium as his new queen, and follows her orders slavishly. The quasit was initially amused by this development, but it didn’t take her long to
its strangely at girth.
grow tired of Koruvus’s loud nature and she ordered him to guard her ock in area B9. Koruvus does so obsessively, leaving only to drink from the fountain at B4 or to scavenge
The crumbling remnants of several chairs and a long table cluer the oor of this room. To the south stand three stone doors, each bearing a strange symbol that resembles a seven-pointed star.
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rats in the smuggler’s tunnels for food when he can’t stand the hunger pangs any longer. P Koruvus: Koruvus: See See below. • Human Zombies (11): See (11): See below.
P KORUVUS Type: Evil Humanoid (Goblin) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Riding d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Ta Taunt unt d6 Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6; Toughness: 8 8 (2) Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Greedy (Major), Hindrances: Mean Edges: Ambidextrous Edges: Ambidextrous Gear: Longsword (Str+d8 AP 1, Elemental (re)), silver dagger (Range 3/6/12, Damage Str+d4 AP 1), masterwork handaxe (Str+d6 AP 1).
KORUVUS
Fearless: Fearless: Zombies Zombies are immune to Fear and
Intimidation. Special Abilities: Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from Armor +2: Mutated +2: Mutated esh. being Shaken; no additional damage from Corrosive Spew: Koruvus Spew: Koruvus can spew a foulCalled Shots; doesn’t breathe; immune to smelling and acidic blood from his mouth disease and poison; ignores penalties for twice per day, dealing 2d6 acid damage in Illumination up to 10". a Cone Template. See Breath Weapons i Weapons in n (Head): Called Shots to a Savage Pathnder Savage Pathnder.. Anyone hit by the acid Weakness (Head): zombie’s head do the usual +4 damage. takes 2d4 damage on Koruvus' next turn. Extra Arm: Koruvus’s Arm: Koruvus’s horrible mutations TACTICS allow him some benet. He may ignore 2 Koruvus takes his duty as guardian of this points of Multi-Action penalties each turn. chamber seriously, and immediately aacks Fearless: Fearless: Koruvus Koruvus is immune to Fear and anyone who enters the room. He uses his Intimidation. breath weapon on the rst round of combat, Hardy: Koruvus does not suer a Wound then moves in to engage the largest, most from being Shaken twice. dangerous-looking foe with his weapons. Darkvision: Darkvision: Goblins Goblins ignore penalties for He knows about the zombies under the Illumination up to 10". floorboards, so he attempts to maneuver Languages: Goblin. Languages: Goblin. so the heroes risk falling into the pits. He aempts to push weaker-looking intruders HUMAN ZOMBIE to their doom in the pits if able. Koruvus ghts to the death and pursues Type: Evil Undead (Zombie) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, foes all the way to the Glassworks or the catacombs’ exit if necessary. Strength d6, Vigor d6 Skills: Athletics d4, Fighting d6, IntimidaSkills: Intimidation d6, Notice d4, Shooting d6 Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5; Toughness: 7 7
B10 BLOCKED ST STAIRS AIRS
Edges: — Edges: — Special Abilities: Bite/Claws: Bite/Claws: Str+d4. Str+d4.
This twisting ight of spiral stairs once led down to even deeper complexes below Sandpoint, but like the ight of stairs leading
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up from area B5, the route was closed by the ancient cataclysm. In time, this rubble will be cleared, in which case these stairs lead to the Scribbler’s realm in Lamashtu’s Shrine (see Book Five for Five for more details).
B11 MED MEDIT ITAATION CHAM CHAMBER BER This strange room is a ve-yard-diameter sphere. Several objects float in the room, spinning lazily in space—a ragged book, a scroll, a bottle of wine, a dead raven surrounded by a halo of floating and writhing maggots, and a twisted iron wand with a forked tip. Yet perhaps the most unnerving aspect of the room is the walls. They're plated in sheets of strange red metal that ripple every once in a while with silent black electricity that seems to coalesce into strange runes or even words far too often for the eect eec t to be chance. This unusual room still bears a magical eect placed here long ago. Any creature or object that enters the room immediately begins to levitate o the ground. The Scribbler found levitation to be an excellent way to relax, but was unable unable to cast the spell and so hired one of Alaznist’s apprentices to create this room for him. Erylium spends a few hours each day here, drinking and snacking on maggots while she reads her favorite book, but she is currently located in area B13. This room was important to the Scribbler in life, and echoes of his madness and personality still manifest as the crackling lighting. Someone who can read Thassilonian may recognize snatches of words here and there in these shapes, words having to do with anger, wrath, and a need for revenge, but never never anythi anything ng close to a full thought. More information about the Scribbler can be found in Book Five. For now, the lightning should seem like nothing more than a strange feature of these peculiar chambers.
TREASURE
The bole of wine was brought to Erylium Eryliu m by Tsuto several hours ago as a gift. The scroll is a scroll of burst (burning hands).
The book is a magically preserved preserved but still ancient prayer book dedicated to the worship of Lamashtu, the Mother of Monsters. Wrien in Abyssal, this well-read tome is Erylium’s pride and joy, the most important of her belongings. The book reads as much like a bestiary of the world’s most horric and cruel monsters (along with numerous woodcut illustrations of how they kill) as it does a religious text. It's worth 100 gp. The iron wand is a wand of bolt ( ; 14 charges; Touch Limitation; Spellcasting) that Erylium has no interest in using—she plans on someday using it to bargain for a wand she's more interested in.
B12 SHRINE TO LAMASHTU The tunnel widens here into what appears to have once been a small shrine, for to the
northeast, steps lead to a platform of gray stone. Siing atop theupplatform is an ancient altar, lile more than a jagged block of black marble with a shallow concavity on top of it. The basin is lled with lthy water. Unlike the other Runelords, Alaznist was a woman of faith—faith in ruin, devastation, and wrath. While she had an alliance with the nascent demon lord Yamasoth, she drew inspiration from all demon lords. She encouraged her minions to venerate demons as well—she cared not whom they revered, as long as they were destructive. The demon queen Lamashtu was a favorite choice, and the Mother of Monsters was the Scribbler’s patron. The Scribbler used this altar to commune with Lamashtu. Erylium uses the altar for the same purpose, and it was here she baptized Nualia and began to teach her.
TREASURE The basin on the altar constantly generates four doses of the waters of Lamashtu. Unless a devout follower of Lamashtu, anyone who drinks from it must make a Vigor –2 roll or lose one die type in Agility and Smarts for 24 hours. Those who follow Lamashtu can develop monstrous deformities from long term exposure. It was by drinking this vile
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uid that the goblin Koruvus became the mutant he is today. If harvested from the altar, the waters degrade to normal unholy water after one hour— hour — the altar repl replenishes enishes at the rate of one vial’s worth per day.
B13 CATHEDRAL OF WRATH This huge room looks like nothing more than an immense underground cathedral. Stone doors stand to either side of the main entrance, but beyond this, the walls are carved with strange, spiky runes. In the center of the room is a large pool with a ring of polished human skulls balanced on stone spikes arranged in a circle around the deeper midsection. A Att the far end of the room, a pair of stone stairways leads up to a pulpit on which sits a second pool, this one triangular and lled with churning, churni ng, bubbli bubbling ng water that looks almost like translucent lava. Yet while wisps of what look like heat and steam rise from the strange orange liquid, the room is
in the purity of wrath. At each of her most important holdings, she made sure to place a “shrine” to her favored sin in the form of a minor runewell. Less potent than those used by the other runelords, but more numerous, the runewells of wrath allowed communication between those stationed at distant locations. They were also empowered with the capacity to harvest wrath from the souls of the dead so as to create her favored shock troops—sinspawn.
The minor runewell in this room ared back to life when Karzoug activ activated ated his much more powerful runewell several years ago. Erylium has taken care to nurture it ever since. Its magic had waned, but the recent slaughter of so many goblins above has done wonders to recharge the pool’s wrath. Now it glows and bubbles nearly as much as when it was rst reactivated years ago. Erylium hopes when Nualia leads the second, “real” assault on Sandpoint, the number of goblins slaughtered will give her enough sinspawn to expand her own army into the world above and to begin harvesting deathly cold. more victims to transform into new sinspawn. Runelord Alaznist encouraged the Rules for minor runewells can be found veneration of demons, but her true faith lay on page 78 of 78 of this book. This one currently
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As she does, the minor runewell’s glow diminishes noticeably. A Notice roll at –2 allows a character to note the sudden look of worry Erylium gets when she sees this. She does not create any more sinspawn. P Erylium: See below. • Sinspawn (4): See (4): See page 36. 36.
P ERYLIUM Type: Evil Outsider (Quasit Wizard) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d12, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4–2, Vigor d8 Skills: A Skills: Athletics thletics d10, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d8, Persuasion Persuasio n d6, Occult d6, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d12 Pace: 4; Parry: 5; 5; Toughness: Toughness: 7 7 (4) Hindrances: Delusional Hindrances: Delusional (Major), Loyal Edges: Dodge, Edges: Dodge, Extraction, Wizard Gear: Cold iron dagger (Range 3/6/12,
ERYLIUM
stores 20 sin points, and is the one Erylium used to create the sinspawn that haunt the catacombs. The two small rooms to the northeast and southwest of the cathedral entrance were once storage and robing chambers—both rooms are empty, and their doors hang ajar. The ceiling of this room is twenty feet high. The Catacombs of Wrath are now open and Erylium is free to leave her prison. However, her thousands of years spent as the catacombs’ queen have left her with a bit of agoraphobia and the worry that if she s he leaves her catacombs, someone could move in and steal her crown. As a result, she spends nearly all of her time here. When the heroes enter the room, the quasit ies into a rage. She shrieks, accuses them of “daring to intrude upon the Mother’s sanctum,” her own with her dagger.and Theslashes blood ows intowrist the minor runewell and forms four sinspawn.
Damage Str+d4 AP 1, gown Returning), tiara worth 50 gp, black silk worth 25 gp, obsidian symbol of Lamashtu worth 10 gp. Powers: Boost/lower Trait ,, dispel ,, stun , summon Powers: ally. Power Points: 20. ally. Points: 20. Special Abilities: Armor +4: Demonic +4: Demonic hide. Bite/Claws: Bite/Claws: Str. Str. Class Abilities (Wizard): (Wizard): Arcane Background (Wizard), Arcane Bond (Familiar—wren), Armor Interference (Any), School (Universa (Universalist), list), Spellbooks. Demon: Immune to electricity and poison; +4 damage from cold iron; –4 damage from acid, cold, re; minor detect arcana. Fast Regeneration: Quasits Regeneration: Quasits may aempt a natural healing roll every round until Incapacitated. Flight: Flight: Pace Pace 12. Innate Abilities: Minor invisibility.. Abilities: Minor invisibility Night Vision: Quasits Vision: Quasits ignore Illumination Penalties. Poison (–1): The (–1): The quasit’s claws contain a Mild poison. Size –3 (Very Small): Quasits Small): Quasits stand around a foot and a half tall, and weigh 8 pounds. Languages: Abyssal, Languages: Abyssal, Thassilonian.
TACTICS Erylium becomes invisible and uses summon ally as ally as soon as she hears enemies approaching. The quasit is tough to hit and capable of
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healing Wounds quickly, but remains something of a coward in a ght. She stays behind her summo summoned ned sins sinspawn pawn to avoid close combat. Erylium keeps to the air to maintain ranged superiority over foes, using spells such as stun or lower Trait (aimed at the best-armored of her foes) in the rst few rounds of combat. If cornered, ghts her claws bite, hoping to she poison herwith opponents and and run. If reduced to one Wound, Erylium becomes invisible and flees, waiting for her fast regeneration regenerati on to x her up before returning to aack the heroes.
TREASURE The dagger used by Erylium is a unique item of some value. Creatures larger than Size –2 can't use it, however however..
CONVICTION AWARD CONVICTION AWARD If the adventurers use the minor runewell to create and then kill enough sinspawn, they remove the menace it poses to the Sandpoint region. Grant the group Conviction for accomplishing this. See page 78 for 78 for information on the minor runewell and how to destroy the ancient and terrible thing.
ADVANCEMENT AWARDED! ADVANCEMENT AWARDED When the Pathnders reach this point they earn their second Advance. They'll need it, because the situati situation on in the Hinterlan Hinterlands ds is about to get even more dire.
THE SMALLER THEY ARE... Erylium may not be able to take much of a punch, but landing one will prove dicult. As a very small creature, most heroes will be at a –3 to aack her and that's not taking her invisibility into account.
FORESHADOWING THE SIN SINKHO KHOLE LE The Catacombs of Wrath constitute only the rst of two dungeon levels that exist under northern Sandpoint. A deeper level (Lamashtu’s Shrine) exists below, accessible via the stairwell found at area B10. Though the stairs are currently clogged with rubble, a portion of the Catacombs of Wrath collapses in Book Five, forming a large sinkhole and drawing aention to the stairs. The currently inaccessible stairwell can function as a hint that there are deeper dungeon levels, but if you wish to place a bit more fore foresha shadow dowing ing int into o you yourr game, game , feel free to have strange manifestations of the evil growing in the chambers below the catacombs. The heroes could hear the distant, muted howl of strange dogs, indicating the howling comes from somewhere below the ground of this level. Or short scribbled threats wrien in Thassilonian or Abyssal might appear on walls here and there, only to vanish before another player can conrm the presence of the eerie scribblings. As long as the explorers suspect there’s something more going on in or below the Catacombs of Wrath, you’re doing your job— job — just take care not to intrigue them too much! At this time, they’re far from ready to deal with the horrors that wait in Lamashtu’s Shrine far below!
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PART FOUR: THISTLETOP THISTLETOP The ancient site known as Thistletop has long ser served ved as a den for goblins. Today Toda y it ser serves ves as the lair of Nual Nualia ia and her band o of f outla outlaws, ws, who ha have ve recruited goblins as their instruments of destruction. In order to save Sandpoint,, a jour Sandpoint journey ney to Thistletop must eventually be undertaken undertaken — But the Lost Coast’s new heroes should take care to ensure they are prepared for the many dangers lurking in and below – for the site was one of many used by Runelord Karzoug in his ancient war against his enemies to the west west..
T
he map in the Guide to the Hinterlands shows the location of Thistletop. If the party follows the Lost Coast Road east,
The island had an an unusual genesis genesis— — it was once the head of one of Karzoug’s sentinel statues. It stood upon the ridge of land called
they can reach the Thistle River crossing relatively quickly—it’s only a six-mile journey (two (two hours by foot foot). ). Unless you want to spring an aack on the travelers by roving bands of goblin warriors, they shouldn’t run into much trouble. Thistletop is located on the Varisian Varisian coast coast— — approaching by land is dicult since the tangles of Nelewood are in the way.
the Rasp theGulf. nation of Bakrakhan became thebefore Varisian The statue has long since crumbled and become overgrown by the Nelewood, but the head escaped such obscurement by landing in the surf. The magical nature of the statue’s construction drastically slowed the process of erosion on the head’s features, and when the sun hits the western cli of the isle just right, one can make out the ancient features of the statue’s face. The statue once contained a small complex, but today only a few of the original rooms
FINDING THISTLETOP Navigating the forest is a Multi-Person Dramatic Task that requires seven Task Tokens (see Dramatic Tasks in Savage Pathnder). Pathnder ). Each “round” is four hours of travel and exploration through the woods, attempting to avoid various pitfalls and poisonous plants like stinging neles and goblinberries. At the end of each round the Pathnders haven’t succeeded, everyone must make a Vigor roll to avoid Fatigue. This Fatigue does not go away until the adventurer has rested eight hours. Once they nally accumulate all
within the head remain accessible.barghest One of these rooms contains an imprisoned named Malfeshnekor. An ancient agent of Alaznist, the monster was captured by Karzoug’s minions and imprisoned here for interrogation. Yet the end came too quickly, and when the statue’s head tumbled into the sea, Malfeshnekor found himself one of the few surviving creatures, trapped forever in this prison. For the next several thousand years he waited. For a time, a group of Lamashtu
seven Task theyismanage to stumble into area C1.Tokens, Thistletop a curiously round island 60 feet o shore, connected to the mainland by a rope bridge.
cultists in the rooms above. Asquickly a loyal minion seled of Lamashtu, Malfeshnekor discovered he was able to communicate empathically with any priest who stood before the alta altar. r.
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PART FOUR: THISTLETOP PART FOUR F OUR:: THISTL TH ISTLETO ETOP P In so doing, he was able to lead the cultists to discover the small complex in which he waited, but the cultists were slaughtered by a hellcat guardian before they reached him. Well over a century later, Malfeshnekor sensed new creatures settling nearby— goblins. As with the Lamashtan cultists, the barghest barg hest had a crude empat empathic hic link with them. Malfeshnekor couldn’t quite communicate with the goblins as he had with the clerics of Lamashtu, but the chaotic humanoids could still sense him. They felt drawn to Thistletop for reasons they didn’t quite comprehend, and it quickly became the most coveted tribal land among their kind. Traditionally, the Thistletop goblins were led by clerics who sensed the barghest’s empathic urgings during their rituals. These urgings encouraged the goblins to explore the lower levels of their lair, yet most goblins are fragile and stupid creatures. None ever found the secret door that led to Malfeshnekor’s level, and now that the current leader of Thistletop is too unwise to receive Malfeshnekor’s empathic sendings, the barghest had begun to despair. Then, with Nualia’s arrival and the reconsecration of the temple, Malfeshnekor realized his time of freedom was close. Nualia is his salvation, and he her path to becoming a true demon.
C1 HIDDEN ENTRANCE The briars and thistles that grow so rampantly in Nettlewood are even more dense and tangled here, close to the shore. Although Althou gh not quite dense enough to block the sound of waves crashing on the unseen beaches to the west, the undergrowth is certainly thick enough to block sight and access to the coast. Few trees grow this close to the edge of the sea, but the briars often reach heights to rival them. Here, the patch is nearly twenty feet high. high. The thorns comprising the “walls” are quite damp; moistened by fog every morning and evening. As As a result, the brambles don’t burn well. An aempt to smoke out the goblins or burn down their thistle maze only results
WHO NEEDS A PLAN? Due to the nature of the briar tunnels, enemies in different areas might hear combat going on around them (a stealthy approach can prove most benecial here). At the consider end of theadding first round of combat, backup from another area to the existing ght. C4: Goblin Refugees (10) C5: Goblin Dogs (6) C6: Tangletooth C7: Gogmurt
in a slow-burning, smoky re that alerts the goblins to the intruders’ precise location. While the adventurers can certainly aempt to reach Thistletop by the sea or traveling along the beaches, they still need to navigate the treacherous sea clis to get to the stockade built atop atop the island. The clis are 75 feet high, and since the damp sea air makes the stone slick, it’s an Athletics roll at –2 to navigate them—not an easy task for most! As a result, the goblins created this small network of tunnels and chambers in the briars to make it easier for them to come and go. If the explorers discover the tunnels, they can certainly use them as well. A cleverly constructed rigid mat of thistles and neles hides the entrance. A Notice roll is enough to see the briars can be lifted aside to reveal a four-foot-high tunnel leading into the interior. Similar “thistle doors” are within the tunnels beyond—they can be discovered with a Notice roll as well. Opening a thistle door is an action, though a character can try to open one quickly without taking an action. Doing so requires an Athletics roll to avoid being scratched and jabbed by thorns and taking Fatigue from Bumps & Bruises. Anyone wearing gauntlets or a full suit of heavy armor automatically succeeds at this roll.
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THISTLETOP C21 B10
C23 B10
C22 B10 B1 0
1
S
C20 B10 C18 B10
C19 B10
C17 B10 C15 B10
C13 B10 B1 0 2
C14 B10
C11 B10 C12 B10 B1 0
C10 B10 B1 0
N
C16 B10
C9
C25 C8 C4
C5
C8
C8 C27
C3
C26
C6
C7
C2
C1
1 SQUARE = 6 FEET STAIRS UP DOWN
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PART FOUR PART F FOUR: OUR:: THISTL TH THISTLETOP ISTLETO ETOP P
C2 THISTLE TUNNELS A four-foot-high tunnel winds through the dense briars and neles. The oor is hard packedd earth, with patches packe patch es of wiry plants growing stubborn stubbornly ly here and tthere. here. Creatures larger than Size 1 nd it nearly impossible to navigate these tunnels. Size 1 and Size 0 creatures can wiggle through by st stoop oopin ing g over and hu hunke nkerin ring g dow down, n, eectively eective ly squeezing to move. They treat the area as Dicult Ground and subtract 1 from their Parry and any rolls that require the use of their arms or body (GM's call). Size –1 and smaller creatures can move about normally, as can most quadrupedal Size 0 creatures. The larger chambers within all have higher ceilings, where the penalties don't apply to Size 0 creatures. Though the ceilings and walls of the tunnels consist of tangled, thorny vines, a character who brushes against them need not worry about damage. A traveler pushed into a wall, however, takes 2d4 damage (anyone in heavy armor automatically make this save). A creature of Size 1 or less with the Woodland Stride ability can move through the tunnels without penalty. They can even pass through the tangled briars with ease, effectively walking through the walls of this area. Gogmurt the goblin druid uses this ability to great eect when defending the area, but certainly doesn’t expect to ever face enemy druids who can do the same. It’s possible to hack a new path through the briars with any slashing weapon. A twoyard-square yard-squa re section of briars has hardness 12. Hacking at briars counts as being pushed into a wall for chances of taking damage from the neles and thorns. A hero who searches for tracks in the thistle thist le tunnels automatically sees the countless goblin and goblin dog prints in the soft earth. A Survival (tracking) roll, however, allows a character to notice a large object was recently dragged through the tunnels. Following the drag marks leads a character from the entrance at area C1 directly to the exit at area C9 C9 — these signs are ev evidence idence left
from the goblins’ recent transportation of the unconscious horse Shadowmist through the tunnels to the fort—the horse is currently imprisoned in area C17 (see page 53 53 for more information).
C3 THE HOWLING HOLE Three thistle tunnels a large cavelike chamber. Above,open theinto thorny canopy grows thin enough that tiny slivers of tthe he sky can be seen through it, while below, the ground consis consists ts of trample trampledd dirt. To the west west,, the distant sound of sloshing waves echoes up from a hole. The Thistletop goblins use this chamber as a staging room for raids, gathering here to receive nal pep-talks from the commandos. The hole drops down into area C27 below, a sea cave inhabited by a dangerous tidal predator known as a bunyip. It’s an Athletics Athletics (climbing) roll at –2 to navigate the 75-foot long shaft, which opens into the sea cave 15 feet above sea level. The height is great enough that the spelunkers must play it safe unless they want to take some serious damage. Let them negotiate this obstacle however they feel is best. The goblins know something monstrous lives down below—the bunyip’s howls drive them into a panic on a daily basis— but none of them have actuall actually y seen it up close. At best, they’ve had brief glimpses of something big and gray swimming in the water now and then. Depending on the goblin interrogated, the shape is that of a sh, an octopus, a ghost, or an enormous crab. The goblins have taken to dropping prisoners (and unruly goblins) into the hole, since the “Howling Hole,” as they call it, usually remains quiet for a few days after such a sacrice.
C4 REFUGEE NEST This 30offoot-diameter, low-ceilinged chamber stinks smoke. A shallow re pit smolders in the center of the oor, while nine tangled reed-and-leaf nests line the walls.
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R ISE OF THE RUNELORDS RUNELORDS RISE After the assault on Sandpoint, the Birdcruncher goblins were left leaderless. Many of them ed into the wilderness, but nearly two dozen of them ed north to throw themselves upon Chief Ripnugget’s mercy. The Thistletop chieftain is a hard goblin to please, and he’s forced the Birdcruncher refugees to live here for the past several days while he decides what to do with them. So far, half of their number have been tossed down the Howling Hole or handed over to Nualia for living sacrices. The remaining goblin refugees huddle in fear that one of them may be next. If presented with intruders, the refugees launch into a frenzy of shrieks and fury in an aempt to gain Ripnugget’s favor by killing the intruders. (10): Use the Goblin • Goblin Refugees (10): prole on page 12. 12. The leader and his right-hand troublemaker is a Wild Card.
C5 GOBLIN DOG KENNEL The oor and walls of this musty-smelling chamber are covered with maed, wiry fur. Well-gnawed bones lie scaered about the oor, and a dozen wooden stakes have have been driven into the ground near the walls. The goblins kennel their 16 goblin dogs here, keeping them tied to the stakes via leashes of hairy, fraying rope. Currently, only six goblin dogs are here; the other 10 can be found in the entry to Thistletop and in area C15.
P T TANGLETOOTH ANGLETOOTH Type: Neutral Animal (Firepelt Cougar) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigor d8 IntimidaSkills: Athletics d8, Fighting d8, IntimidaSkills: tion d6, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Survival d6 Pace: 8; Parry: 6; 6; Toughness: Toughness: 6 6
(Imp) Edges: Edges: Frenzy Special Frenzy Abilities: Bite/Claw: Bite/Claw: Str+d6. Str+d6. Low Light Vision: A Vision: A repelt cougar ignores penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination. Pounce: A repelt cougar adds +4 to its Wild Aack damage instead of +2.
C7 GOGMURT’S LAIR A tan tangl glee of vin vines es han hangg fro from m the tho thorny rny ceiling of this chamber, each suspending a claering collection of bird skulls, rib bones, teeth, and other bits of gruesome decor. In a few places the vines droop all the way to the oor. A large l arge nest of neles and thorny vines sits to the south, a halo of half-eaten dead birds and rats indicating that whatever sleeps there eats in its bed. Gogmurt has served Warchief Ripnugget as an advisor, and the Thistletop goblins as a spiritual leader for many years. However, over the last few months, the presence of “the longshanks” (Nualia and her allies) has been an an unwe unwelcome lcome tthorn horn in Gogmurt’s side.
Tangletooth, Gogmurt’s firepelt animal companion, spends the majority of her time sleeping in this nest, periodically snarling at goblins who wander by the tunnel to
He argued against the aack on Sandpoint, reasoning it would only rile up the humans and trigger eventual retaliation in the form of hunting dogs, horse-mounted soldiers, and enthusiastic adventurers looking to make names for themselves. But Nualia’s words made more sense to Ripnugget, who chose to ignore Gogmurt’s advice. Gogmurt has been brooding here for days, expecting errant adventurers to strike at Thistletop any moment. While he doesn’t agree with Ripnugget’s current tactics, he
the northwest. A repelt is a cougar native to the region, its silky fur a mix of red and black stripes. stripes.
remains loyal to the idea of the Thistletop goblin tribe and reacts swiftly to defend this area once he hears intruders.
14. • Goblin Dogs (6): See (6): See page 14.
C6 T TANGLETOOTH’S ANGLETOOTH’S DEN A cloyin clo yingg musk muskyy sce scent nt lies lie s hea heavy vy in the air. A maed nest of red and black hair sits to the east.
P Tangletooth: See below.
P Gogmurt: See below.
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PART FOUR: THISTLETOP PART FOUR F OUR:: THISTL TH ISTLETO ETOP P in and out of the thorny walls so they can't P GOGMURT follow or target him. As soon as he suers a Wound, he retreats Type: Evil Humanoid (Goblin Druid) fleein eing g int into o th thee bra brambl mbles, es, Gogmur Gog murtt Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, by fle heals himself as best he can, then returns to Strength d4, Vigor d6 Athletics thletics d6, Common Knowled Knowledge ge d6, ambush the intruders from behind by using Skills: A Skills: Faith d8, Fighting d8, Notice d6, Occult d10, summon ally. Shooting d8, Stealth d10, Survival d8 If he is ever reduced to one Wound and Pace: 5; Parry: Secret 6 or 7 (Minor) (Spear); Toughness: 6 (Spear); Toughness: 6 (2) Hindrances: Hindrances: Secret Edges: Druid, Edges: Druid, Beast Master (2), Formation Fighter Gear: Spear (Str+d6. Reach 1), sling (Range 4/8/16, Damage Str+d4), leather coat (+3, Aegis), 2x potion of minor healing , wand wand of bolt (; 15 charges; Faith). friend , bolt ,, entangle , protection , Powers: Beast friend Powers: ally. Power Points: 20 smite , summon ally. Points: 20 Special Abilities: Ancestry (Goblin): (Goblin): Darkvision, Size –1, Greedy (Major). Class Abilities (Druid): (Druid): Arcane Background (Druid)), Armor Interference (Light), Nature Bond (Beast Master), Sins, Wilderness Wilderne ss Stride. Languages: Common, Languages: Common, Druidic, and Goblin.
TACTICS Gogmurt casts smite (flame blade) and prot pr otec ecti tion on (bark skin), then readies his wand of bolt (re) before investigating the heroes’ arrival. If he thinks there’s time, he sends a thrush out to the island to deliver a bloodstained goblin tooth to Warchief Ripnugget—a
has no Power Points fortohealing druid attempts to flee north warn , the Warchief Ripnugget about the invaders. If surrounded or captured, his resolve breaks and he sobs for mercy.
AFTERMATH If the heroes capture Gogmurt alive, he responds to interrogation attempts with cursing and spitting unless he’s made friendly with a Persuasion roll or cowed with an Intimidation roll. Then the craven druid sobs for mercy. He knows the heroes are here for what the goblins did to Sandpoint, and tries to justify the assault by saying it was all the longshank’s fault. Realizing he probably just insulted his captors, he claps a hand over his mouth. Gogmurt knows Warchief Ripnugget has become enthralled enthralled with several tal taller ler folk of late. Particularly a “very angry woman with white hair, weird eyes, and a torn-up belly”
prearranged code to warn that adventurers have nally arrived to murder them all. Gogmurt calls Tangletooth to his side and directs her in combat using beast friend, ally to create additional then casts summon ally to combatants. Once combat begins, Gogmurt casts entangle on entangle on whoever looks to be the most dangerous melee combatant. If the heroes have animal minions, he casts beast friend on one of them. On following rounds, he ghts with his ame blade in one hand, throwing re with his wand in the other when he needs to make ranged aacks. He uses Wilderness Stride to step
GOGMURT AND TANGLETOOTH
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whom he suspects Ripnugget has become infatuated with. He knows the woman has four dangerous allies of her own: a brutish bugbear mercenary named Bruthazmus who lived for many years in a hut on the northeastern side of Nelewood, a quiet human man who wears lots of metal armor, a dark-skinned violent human woman who’s used re to scorch several goblins who got too close to her, and a male half-elf who seems too happy all the time and sometimes plays the ute. Gogmurt suspects the half-elf and the angry woman with the torn-up belly are lovers because he’s seen them “going at it like donkey rats” in the woods at times. He woefully muers that this news only made Chief Ripnugget angrier when the druid tried to use it in an aempt to win back his chieftain’s favor. “Worse than a harpy, that one!” Gogmurt spits.woman. Then heNot quickly his accusation: “The Chiefclaries Ripnugget. Don’t tell him I called her a harpy!” Gogmurt begs the heroes not to hurt any more goblins, pointing out that the angry lady and her friends are the real troublemakers. If they can get into Ripnugget’s fort to the north and get rid of them, Gogmurt promises no goblin will ever bother Sandpoint again—a promise he can’t possibly honor, but he’s desperate enough to say anything. He refuses to accompany the party north. If he’s forced to come with them, his piteous sobbing and sniing should make stealth close to impossible.
C8 WATCHPOSTS Three of these passageways, closed o at either end by a thistle door, allow goblins to keep an eye on the sea surrounding their main lair to the north. The assault on Sandpoint Sandpo int left the goblins a lile underpopulated, though, and currently no one mans these posts.
C9 ROPE BRIDGE A rope bridge spans the gulf betwee between n the cli and a roundish, flat-topped island sixtysome feet to the north. Thick patches of neles and briars grow here and there atop
the island, but its most impressive feature is a wooden one-story stockade. Two, thirty-foot-tall watchtowers guard the stockade’s southern facade. The rope bridge is made of hairy rope and thick wooden planks; the whole thing creaks and sways in the wind above the churning surf seventy ve feet below.
RIGGED ROPE RIGGED ROPE BRIDGE. BRIDGE. Type: Mechanical; Mechanical; Notice Notice Check: Yes, Check: Yes, at –2; Thievery Check: Y Check: Yes es Trigger: This rope bridge might seem treacherous, and it is. The goblins have rigged it so that if more than three Size 0 creatures (with Size –1 creatures counting as a third of a Size 0 and a Size 2 creature as three Size Size 00— — or a total of about 600 lbs in weight) aempt to cross, the western supports tear free, dropping the planks down to hang vertically from the eastern rope and dumping anyone on the bridge into the waters below. An Athletics roll allows a creature on the bridge to gra grab b at the remaining remaining rropes opes or leap to safety if within two yards of either shore. Failure means the character plummets to the water wat er 75 ffeet eet belo below w (6 (6d6 d6 + 1 dama damage). ge). A series of knoed ropes at the base of the northern posts allow one to tie o the trap so it can support many times this weight. (This is how the goblins haul prisoners, such as the unconscious horse, Shadowmist, over the bridge.)
THISTLE TOP THISTLETOP The stockade is made of thick wood. Closer inspection reveals most of it has been scavenged from ships. Nameplates remain affixed to some of the beams, while other timbers look like they might have once been masts.
The front doors leading into area C10 are barred from the inside if the alarm has been raised; otherwise they hang ajar. The walls of the stockade can be scaled with an Athletics (climbing) roll at –2.
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While the stockade is made of wood, the damp sea air and thick layers of soggy moss and lichen that grow here and there make it The sounds of combat within dicult to burn burn without signica signicant nt work work— —a Thistletop can bring reinforcements fortunate feature indeed, for most goblin from the various areas. dens made of wood don’t last much longer than it takes for the rst goblin to light a re. Thistletop: Thistletop Goblins (4), Goblin Dogs (4) Four goblins mounted on goblin dogs patrol the grounds surrounding the stockade, C12: Goblins (2) but being being goblins, they ar aree easily distracted. C13: Thistletop Goblins (6) Unless the alarm has been raised, the four C14: Thistletop Commandos (2) guards are gathered to the northwest of C15: Goblin Dogs (6) the stockade, enraptured by a cruel game Have reinforcements arrive from of “killgull.” The goblin whose stone kills one of the nearby rooms at the end of an unfortunate gull tied to the end of a long the rst round of combat. piece of twine with a thrown rock wins and gets to eat the seagull. While the goblins play, they let their dogs wander around as they will, though the TREASURE creatures generally run around their masters One of the daggers used to display Bristanch’s and shriek and yap at the gulls. wings once belonged belonged to the harpy harpy herself— it
THISTLETOP DEFENSES
Use the Goblin (4): Use • Thistletop Goblins (4): prole on page 12. 12. These elite goblin guards have the Resilient ability. • Goblin Dogs (4): See (4): See page 14. 14.
C10 TR TROPHY OPHY HALL The oor of this room is hard-packed soil, as if the builders either ran out of lumber after building the walls and roof, or as if they simply never thought about building a oor. A number of po poorly orly ppreserved reserved ho horse rse and dog heads are mounted along the eastern wall, while along the southern wall hangs a pair of larg largee bla black-feathere ck-featheredd wings tacked to the wall with daggers. The wall hangings represent Warchief Ripnugget’s greatest trophies. The horses and dogs are farm animals Thistletop’s commandos have caught over the years and brought back back for Ripnugget to kill. The feathered wings once belonged to a harpy named Bristanch that dwelt a halfmile down the coast. Ripnugget’s triumph over the harpy is perhaps the single greatest victory the goblin can boast of, since Bristanch murdered nearly half the Thistletop tribe (including two of the previous chieftains) before Ripnugget killed he her. r.
has a six pearl handleare and is worth 100 gp. The other daggers mundane.
AFTERMATH If the alarm has been raised, the six goblins from area C13 are found here, ready to defend the room from any intruders.
C11 FOOD STORES This door has been nailed shut; it can be opened with a Strength roll at –2, or by a Thievery roll that takes several minutes of work. This storeroom is half-filled with crates, barrels, and large sacks of grain. A hole has been chopped into the lower side of one of the barrels, allowing pickles and brine to drain out and giving the room a stink of vinegar. Like all goblins, the Thistletop goblins enjoy eating. The broken pickle barrel is something of a recent scandal. None of the goblins have confessed to the crime, and Warchief Ripnugget is flustered enough by the vandal vandalism ism that he’ he’ss threaten thre atened ed to lock whoever’s responsible in with the “monster” in area C17 once he nds out who’s responsible. Until then, Ripnugget has had the door nailed shut to prevent future crimes.
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C12 PICKLE THIEVES An open ight of wooden sstairs tairs win winds ds up ttoo a trap door in the ceiling, thirty feet above. Two goblins were on guard duty atop this tower, but they’ve both fallen asleep. They are responsible for raiding the pickle barrel in area C11, as a search of a bag hidden in the northeast corner of the watchtow watchtower er conrms. If wakened by the sound of bale or a raised alarm, these two goblins assume they’ve been caught, and in a panic, hurl their remaining purloined pickles out the tower into the thistle patch to the west. Only then do they move to support any ghts below with hurled javelins. (2): See page 12. 12. • Goblins (2): See
C13 BARRACKS
Habitual card-players, card-players, these two play with a deck of 43 cards cobbled together from three dierent sets of cards, making up the rules as they go along. Their games are generally more argument than anything else, but if they hear bale or other signs of intrusion, they abandon their game at once to join the ght. (2): Use the P Thistletop Commandos (2): Goblin Commando prole on page 14. 14.
C15 EXERCISE YARD This large courtyard is open to the sky. Tenacious clumps of partially trampled grass grow gro w fit fitful fully ly here her e and the there re in the har hardd packed earth, in places places stained with blood or scratched with furrows. To the north, what appear to be two dead goblins lie slumped at the entrance to an outbuilding.
This yard serves the goblins as a place to Six poorly constructed bunk beds, little exercise, train their dogs, and serve as an more than hammocks slung from rickety impromptu arena. Warchief Ripnugget often frames, stand al along ong the walls of this ro room. om. challenges creatures and prisoners brought Each is heaped with a vermin-infested back by raiders . blanket and a lump of straw that serves as a Six goblin dogs have been left to run free in frustratingg pillow. frustratin the yard. The slavering creatures often scratch at the walls around area C17 to torment the Each of these bunk beds sleeps three goblins— goblins — creature within, but otherwise have fun the Thistletop tribe numbers 18 in all (not chasing each other and ghting over bones. counting Warchief Ripnugget, his wives, or • Goblin Dogs (6): See (6): See page 14. 14. Gogmurt), though 12 of them are on duty elsewhere. As long as the alarm hasn’t been raised,
C16 STORAGE SHED
the remaining six goblins are sleeping. If the alarm has been raised, these six goblins move into area C10 to help guard the trophy hall. • Thistletop Goblins (6): Use (6): Use the Goblin
profile on page 12. 12 . They have the Resilient ability.
C14 EASTERN GUARD TOWER An open ight of wooden sstairs tairs win winds ds up ttoo a trap door in the ceiling, thirty feet above. This open-air tower gives a great view of the surrounding area. The goblins guarding it aren’t quite as irresponsible as the pickle thieves in the other tower, but neither are they paragons of observation.
Shelves lined with crude tools, nets, and tack for goblin dogs line the walls. To the northeast stands a large, L-shaped wooden cage that contains dozens of rabbits.
The rabbits are used to feed the goblin dogs, while the other tools are used to train the creatures. In emergencies, the rabbits can serve the goblins as backup food supplies, but those who snack on rabbi rabbits ts before before the rest of the food runs out are generally thrown into the Howling Hole.
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C17 CAGED HORSE The door to this outbuilding has been nailed shut, and additional boards have been nailed over these nails. The door is cracked and splintered in places. Two dead goblins, their heads crushed in by something heavy, lie in the dirt by the door, their ripening bodies covered with ies. The door to this outbuilding can be opened with a Strength roll at –2, or by a Thievery roll and 2d4 minutes of work. A Healing roll can establish that both goblins were slain when a large hoofed animal, likely a horse, stepped on their heads. Locked inside this room is a terrible mistake—a heavy warhorse named Shadowmist, stolen several days ago from traveling merchants. The goblins murdered the two caravan guards and one of the two remaining horses (the merchants escaped on horseback to Sandpoint), but Shadowmist proved to be more than a match for the goblins. Through a mixture of luck and false bravado, the goblins managed to knock Shadowmist unconscious while only losing four of their own. They bound up the horse’s legs, loaded it into the merchants’ wagon, and hauled it back here here as a prize for Chi Chief ef Ripnugg Ripnugget. et. Though the methods by which they managed to drag the unconscious horse through the thistle maze and across the rope bridge were as ingen ingenious ious as they were illadvised, the goblins managed to do it. Tragedy struck when the excited goblins dumped the horse in the exercise yard, cut its bonds, and poured a po potion tion o off healing healing into into its mouth so their chief could show o his horsekilling skills on a live horse. Shadowmist leapt up and began racing in circles in the yard. The goblins panicked and ed, shrieking for Chief Ripnugget to kill the creature, but when he tried to do so, the horse proved even tougher than Ripnugget was expecting. The chief took a crushing blow to the arm, breaking it and forcing forcin g him to ee.
Mortied, the goblins managed to lure Shadowmist into the shed (losing three of their number in the process—two outside, one inside), but in the end managed to nail the door shut while the horse stomped and raged inside. Ripnugget asked Gogmurt to come “take care of the monster horse,” but the druid has refused to help as long as Ripnugget allows Nualia to stay in Thistletop. Enraged at the druid’s answer, the goblin chief has decided to let Shadowmist reach the verge of starvation before aempting to kill him again. Shadowmist's days in captivity have begun to take their toll. Slowly starving, the wildeyed beast can be a great asset for the party if they can calm him down with a Survival roll at –2. If they oer Shadowmist food, they add +1 to the roll. Shadowmist: See See below. • Shadowmist:
SHADOWMIST Type: Neutral Animal (Horse) Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Aributes: Agility Aributes: Strength d12, Vigor d8 Skills: A Skills: Athletics thletics d8, Fighting d6, Notice d6 Pace: 8; Parry: 5; 5; Toughness: Toughness: 8 8 Edges: Fleet-Footed. Edges: Fleet-Footed. Special Abilities: Kick: Kick: Str+d4, Str+d4, to the front or rear as desired. Size 2: Shadowmist 2: Shadowmist is a large horse, bred for power and stature.
STORY AWARD STORY AWARD If the heroes manage to rescue Shadowmist they can either return him to his proper owners back in Sandpoint for a reward or claim him as their own. If they claim Shadowmist, he becomes a strong and loyal companion to the party.
C18 THR THRONE ONE ROOM ROOM
If the alarm has been raised, all of the doors into this room are closed tight and locked. Enraged, he accused the goblins who had Ripnugget carries the keys, but the doors can picked with a Thiev Thievery ery ro roll ll at –2. caught the animal of trying to assassinate assassin ate him, be picked then told them to trap the monster in the shed sh ed while he gured out what to do with it.
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This large throne room is decorated with hanging furs along its walls, mostly blackand-red striped large cat skins, various dog pelts, and in some cases, what look like horse hides. Four square timbers support the ceiling, their faces studded with dozens of iron spikes. Along the lower reaches are dozens of impaled and severed hands in various stages of decay. To the northeast, a wooden platform supports a throne heaped with dog pelts and horse hides. Dog skulls adorn the armrests and a horse skull leers over the throne’s throne’ s back. The hands are all that remain of the last several dozen human victims of the Thistletop goblins. The rest of these victims have long since been eaten or smoked and put into storage in area C19. The spikes make it relatively easy to climb the pillars with an Athletics (climbing) roll.
goblins into a new age of triumph. Certainly, her plan to assault Sandpoint seemed like a good idea at the time, even though it didn’t quite go like she promised. The fact that Nualia has managed to consecrate the shrine (area D12), establish a link with Malfeshnekor, and slowly but surely opened up the ancient chambers deep below (and in holdings) so doing increased the size of the Thistletop has been more than enough proof to Ripnugget that Nualia is the best hope for his tribe’s futur future. e. Even if the alarm has been raised, r aised, Warchief Ripnugget can be found here. If caught by surprise he’s in the middle of watching his goblins reenact the raid on Sandpoint as they ght against an illusion provided by the warchanter. If the alarm is raised, his goblins clamber up the three pillars closest to the throne and hide, while the warchanter ducks behind the
Warchief Ripnugget, lord of the Thistletop goblins, has been spending an increasing amount of time in his throne hall. His favorite pastimes include watching his commandos stage mock bales, being entertained by warchanters, or plotting additional raids on Sandpoint to present to his new obsession—Nualia. His interest in his wives has all but vanished, so enthralled has he become by the exotic aasimar. In truth, Ripnugget’s obsession with Nualia has nothing to do with sexual sexual araction araction— — her skin is too smooth, her ears are too small, and
throne. In either case, his pet gecko Stickfoot waits loyally at his side. Assuming the heroes don’t immediately aack when they enter the room, Warchief Ripnugget is willing to parley in the same way he spoke to Nualia several months ago. This time, though, he doesn’t have any intentions of allying with his visitors; he merely wants time to size them up before he orders them slain. He certainly recognizes them from their heroic stand at Sandpoint. While he wasn’t present at the assault, he’s heard plenty of
she’s just too tall to interest the goblin in that way, but it makes a convenient cover to hide his real interest—he believes she may well be the key to unraveling the my mystery stery of what Malfeshnekor really is. When she arrived with her entourage and an oer of alliance, Ripnugget (in a rare display of common sense) realized they were more than a match for him and his goblins, and instead of ghting, chose to listen to what she had to say. When she revealed her holy symbol and spoke of Malfeshnekor, Ripnugget was shocked but recovered his
stories about the longshanks who proved so key to the town’s defense. He knows the intruders are formidable foes, especially since they’ve reached his throne room alive. In any case, he refuses to let the intruders step more than 10 feet into his throne room, informing them they have not yet earned the right to approach his greatness. If the heroes agree to talk, he picks the least-armored character, compliments the individual on being someone who looks like she understands the value of the spoken word over bale, and allows her to approach.
wits quickly enough. He came to believe this strange woman was in fact Malfeshnekor’s mouthpiece, and she had been sent to Thistletop to usher the
Of course, Ripnugget doesn’t really have any intention of talking. As soon as the individual is within ve feet of the northeast pillar, he gives the order to aack.
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PART FOUR PART F FOUR: OUR:: THISTL TH THISTLETOP ISTLETO ETOP P P Warchief Ripnugget: See Ripnugget: See below. Warchanter: Use the Goblin P Thistletop Warchanter: Use
Warchanter prole on page 13. 13. He has a wand of illusion (2 charges). • Goblins (8): See (8): See page 12. 12. Stickfoot: See See below. • Stickfoot:
P WARCHIEF RIPNUGGET Type: Evil Humanoid (Goblin Fighter) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8 Knowl Skills: Athletics d8, Common KnowlSkills: edge d8, Fighting d10, Notice d6, Ride d8, Stealth d10, Survival d8 Pace: 5; Parry: 7 or 8 (shortsword); Toughness: 11 ness: 11 (6) Hindrances: Bloodthirsty Hindrances: Bloodthirsty Edges: Beast Bond, Brave, Fighter, FormaEdges: Forma tion Fighter, Frenzy, Lucky, Trademark Weapon (short sword) Gear: Short sword (Str+d6 AP 1, Accurate), breastplate (+4), (+4), potion of m minor inor protection , 2x potion of minor healing , dented den ted crown worth 20 gp, key ring for all locks in areas C10–C23 and areas D1–D3. Special Abilities: Ancestry (Goblin): (Goblin): Darkvision, Size –1, Greedy (Major). Class Abilities (Fighter): (Fighter): Martial Flexibility. Languages: Common, Languages: Common, Goblin.
about to enter his throne hall, if the alarm has been raised raised (incl (included uded in his prole prole). ). Ripnugget mounts up on Stickfoot the first chance he gets. He prefers to use a combination of Frenzy and Counteraack. The warchanter casts lower trait on the weakest looking character, then uses sound to make it seem like more goblins are approaching from one of the southern doors to trick the heroes into wasting time reacting to that illusory threat. She may also use her wand of illusion to create a curtain dropping down between her and the rest of the room, providing cover she can use to shoot arrows at anyone who fails to see through the trick. She runs to Ripnugget’s aid with healing healing (spell (spell or potion) if she sees him seriously injured. Ripnugget ghts to the death.
AFTERMATH If Warchief Ripnugget is somehow alive, he tries to persuade the heroestaken into thinking he was responsible for the raid on Sandpoint, and he should be brought back to town for a trial, because “isn’t that what you longshanks do?”
STICKFOOT Type: Neutral Animal (Giant d4 Gecko) Aributes: Aributes: Agility Agility d8, Smarts (A (A), ), Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6 Skills: Athletics Skills: Athletics d10, Fighting d6, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Survival d6 Pace: 7; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5; Toughness: 7 7 (2) Special Abilities: Armor +2: Rubbery +2: Rubbery hide. Bite: Str+d4. Bite: Str+d4. Low Light Vision: Vision: Giant geckos ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination. Wall Walker: Giant Walker: Giant Geckos can walk on vertical or inverted surfaces at its full Pace, and may run.
TACTICS Ripnugget drinks his potion of minor protection as soon as he hears anyone
WARCHIEF RIPNUGGET
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This is, of course, a stalling tactic; he hopes to escape at the rst opportunity to seek aid from Nualia, or if he’s really desperate, from Gogmurt the druid. Only if he’s magically compelled can Rippnugget be made helpful, in which case he knows the layout of all of the rooms on level one below (but not level two), and
C21 MEETING ROOM
can tellher theallies, heroes much about Nualia, her plans, and Malfeshnekor (whom he suspects is a goblin god imprisoned somewhere below).
Warchief Ripnugget uses this area to meet with his commandos, issuing orders or receiving reports from the eld.
C19 FOOD STORAGE
this lone weapon, the gear stored here is of poor quality.
A round rou nd table tab le and a few chairs cha irs are this thi s room’s only furnishings.
C22 CHIEFTAIN’S ROOM
This foul-smelling butchery is a horrifying aront to all the senses. Haunches of poorly
Several rugs made from dog or horse hide lie strewn over the dirt oor of this room. Agains Aga instt the nor north th wall is an imp impres ressiv sivee collection of horseshoes, each nailed to the wall. To the east sits a ragged padded chair next to a rickety desk that may have once been an expensive antique.
smoked meat hang from hooks along the ceiling or lie heaped in and atop crates. In some cases, the meat seems to be dog do g or horse, but in many other cases, the meat has all-too-recognizable all-too-recogni zable features, like feet, hands, or grimacing faces.
In the northwest corner is a canopied bed covered with silk sheets and sporting an elaborately carved headboard that features nymphs and satyrs cavorting in a forest. The bed’s sheets are stained with dirt, while the headboard is bashed and baered.
The door to this room is locked; the key is carried by Chief Ripnugget. The lock can be picked with a Thievery roll at –2. The door has Harness 10.
This food store contains the goblins’ Warchief Ripnugget lives in style—even if favorite sustenance—the meat of their his furniture has been mostly scavenged from vanquished enemies. The fate of several shipwrecks or Junk Beach in Sandpoint, it’s travelers and merchants is revealed here, the best junk a goblin can nd. The horseshoe though no single body is intact enough to be collection is currently 122 shoes strong, easily recognizable recognizable.. though none of them are intrinsically valuable valuable..
C20 ARMORY This is a small armory of crudely made weapons, mostly dogslicers and shortbows, and several goblin-sized suits of studded leather armor and dented shields. To the south stand a pair of workbenches. The workbenches are where the goblins cobble together weapons for their tribe. All of the weapons and suits of armor here are small. In all, there are 23 dogslicers, 11 shortbows, 80 arrows, 11 suits of studded leather, six wooden shields, and two coiled whips. On the north wall hangs a single masterwork dogslicer. With the exception of
TREASURE
Though Ripnugget keeps most of the tribe’s treasure in area C23, he keeps one item to himself—a silver holy symbol of Lamashtu with tiny garnets for eyes, given to him by Nualia and worth 40 gp. Ripnugget keeps this symbol under his pillow, where a Notice roll can uncover it. A Notice roll at –2 on the chair to the east nds a large iron key wedged under the seat. The key opens the treasure chest in area C23.
C23 TREASURY
This is lile more than a reeking hole in the ground, groun d, its rim stain stained ed with refu refuse se and was waste. te.
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Though goblins are prone to relieving themselves in the wild or o the edge of the cli outside, some of them sometimes remember they’re supposed to keep this latrine looking used. In fact, the west wall of this nasty-smelling room hides a secret door that can be discovered with a Notice roll at –2. Beyond is another small room, this one much less foul-smelling a single extra-large sea chestwhich with a contains heavy iron padlock. The key to the lock is hidden in Chief Ripnugget’s room (area C22). The sea chest is trapped, courtesy of one of Chief Ripnugget’s predecessors who had a great talent for such devices.
60 gp, and a ne blue silk gown with silver trim worth 150 gp.
C24 SUBMERGED SEA CAVE The entrance to the sea caves under the thistle maze is underwater, but can be noticed from above with a Notice roll. Navigating the waters is tough, requiring an Athletics (swimming) roll at –2 due to the surf’s strong undertow. The clis leading up from the beaches are 75 high, and can be scaled with an Athletics (climbing) roll.
C25 SECONDARY SEA CAVE ENTRANCE
Unlike the entrance at C24, this entrance remains above water even at high tide, though there are no ledges leading into the cave beyond. It’s an A Athletics thletics (swimming) roll Type: Mechanical; Mechanical; Notice Check: Check: Yes, –2; to navigate the churning surf leading south. Thievery Check: Yes, Check: Yes, at –4
FILTHY SLASHER FILTHY SLASHER
Trigger: The trap triggers if the chest is aacked, if the lock is aempted with a pick, or even if the lock is tried with the proper key and turned left instead of right. When triggered, a rusty blade of jagged metal springs out of the chest’s lid. While the poison has long since decayed, the blade still has a great chance of giving victims tetanus. The hero who triggered the trap must make an Evasion roll or be caught by the rusted scything blades and suer Tetanus. Tetanus: This Tetanus: This disease, also called “lockjaw,” reduces the victim's Agility one die type. They also gain the Mute Hindrance as their jaw muscles mu scles sstien, tien, preventing speech. The character gets a Vigor roll every 24 hours to recover.
C26 BUNYIP LAIR This glittering grotto sparkles, its walls dripping with moisture and alive with sea urchins, anemones, and other tidal life. The cave’s roof rises to a natural dome ten feet above th thee water where a si six-foot-wi x-foot-wide de chimney rises through the roof in a shaft. The waters are less choppy, but they are far from still. A six-foot-wide, fteen-foot-long ledge sits just above the water level to the south. s outh. Navigating the sheltered waters here is
somewhat easier than at the entrances to the sea cave—it’s an Athletics (swimming) roll to move around inside. The western entrance remains underwater even at low tide; the water in the cave is 20 feet deep at its deepest deepe st point directly under the shaft, but never gets TREASURE Inside the chest lies the accumulated wealth shallower than 10 feet. This cave is the lair of a dangerous coastal of the Thistletop tribe, culled from junkyards, shipwrecks, ambushed merchants, and predator called a bunyip. A sleek aquatic unfortunate rival goblin tribes over the past hunter that looks something like a seal with ns and a mouth full of several rows of sharkdecade or so. The collection consists of an unorganized like teeth, the bunyip has learned food often pile of 7,432 cp, 2,490 sp, 89 gp, 3 pp, a leather falls down from the hole above, especially pouch of 34 badly awed malachites worth 1 when it roars. It’s grown somewhat lazy in its hunting as gp each, a chain shirt, a masterwork scimitar, a pair of manacles, a gold holy symbol of a result, and rarely leaves this cave anymore, Sarenrae worth 100 gp, a jade necklace worth
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spending much of its time sleeping on the southern ledge. P Bunyip: Bunyip: See See below.
P THE BUNYIP
following treasures is uncovered: 3d6 gp (to a maximum of 100 gp), a deep green spinel worth 100 gp, a rusted kukri with an intact violet garnet in its hilt worth 500 gp, a roed quiver containing three magical arrows (Damaging), and a bone wand of protection (9 charges; Faith).
Type: Neutral Magical Beast (Bunyip) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6 Skills: Athletics Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6; Toughness: 6 6 (1) It was 200 years ago that a Varisian cult of Edges: — Edges: — Lamashtu ed here from the east to avoid Special Abilities: being slaughtered by the advancing Chelish Armor +1: Tough +1: Tough hide. army. Taken with the unique shape of this Aquatic: Aquatic: Pace Pace 6. small island, the cultists established a church Bite: Str+d6, AP 2. Bite: Str+d6, Night Vision: Bunyips Vision: Bunyips ignore all penalties of Lamashtu atop it, expanding into the ground below and excavating the chambers for Illumination. Rage: Rage: Per the Barbarian Class Edge in on this level. Savage Pathnder. Near the end of the excavation, they
THI THISTLE STLETOP TOP ONE DUNGEO DUN GEON: N: LEVEL
Rending: Anyone Rending: Anyone
Shaken or Wounded by a bite aack begins to bleed profusely and must make a Vigor roll at the start of their next turn. Failure causes the victim to take a Wound. Success prevents the Wound but the roll must be made again on the victim's next turn. A raise or successful healing stops the bleeding. Roar: Roar: A bunyip can roar as an action, causing anyone who can hear it to make a Spirit roll or become Shaken.
TACTICS The bunyip roars when it sees intruders, then dives into the water to attack the closest foe. Once it selects a target, it only switches to another when its prey is dead or another harms it. Though it's territorial, it still ees into the open sea if reduced to one Wound. It returns several hours later to try to reclaim its lair.
TREASURE
discovered the intact second level below, but in opening it, they also unwiingly released a hellcat that had been trapped in area E2 for thousands of years. The cultists were quickly slaughtered by the outsider, which had gone insane after its long imprisonment. The monster has long since ed into the world, leaving the complex roughly in its current condition when the Thistletop goblins rst came to dwell here. Though goblins can see in the dark, several several of Nualia’s followers cannot, and so hooded lanterns hang in each hallway and in most rooms throughout the complex; these lanterns are generally left lit only during daylight hours. Ceiling height averages 8 feet in most rooms, and doors are generally rickety wooden aairs rigged by the goblins.
D1 ABANDONED FEAST HALL
A search of the cave pool’s bed quickly turns up an incredible tangle of bones, all that remains of the bunyip’s meals. Many of the bones are from goblins, but a fair amount are
A single sing le la lantern ntern ha hangs ngs fro from m a hook on the wall next to where the stairs enter this room from the north. Several rickety doors op open en into it, and a few discarded dog pelt rugs lie forgoen in tthe he northeast northeast corner.
human-sized. Several items of value lie scaered about. Each search of the mess takes ve minutes, and with a successful Notice roll, one of the
Before Nualia arrived, the goblins used this area as a feast hall. Ripnugget let Nualia move the table and chairs that once stood
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THISTLET THISTLE TOP DUNGEON: DUNGEON: LEVEL ONE ON E D14
D15
1
3
D13
S
D8
D7
D12
D11
D10
2
D6
D9
D1
D3
D2 D5
N
D4b D4a D4c
1 SQUARE = 6 FEET STAIRS
UP
DOWN
D4d
in here up north to area D14, and since then the goblins have taken to having their meals wherever they want.
D2 CHIEFT CHIEFTAIN’S AIN’S HAREM Dozens of ratty cushions, lumpy pillows, and rumpled dogskin furs lie heaped in the south half of this chamber, which smells of a nauseating mixture of vinegar and roen owers. The stink in the air is, horrifyingly enough, perfume worn by the eight hideous goblin women who lounge about in this chamber. These four are Warchief Ripnugget’s wives, though he hasn’t had time to visit them in weeks. Starved for attention, the goblins have taken to one of Nualia’s allies with an obscene and disturbing glee. This is Bruthazmus the bugbear, and unless he suspects intruders have reached this level, he’s most likely to be encountered here (he’s
Coast Road for merchants and couriers to ambush. The day he met Nualia, he thought the exotic-looking woman was some sort of nature spirit. He tried to catch her to sell her to pirates from Riddleport, but she handily defeated him without taking a scratch. When she oered him a job as her bodyguard rather than executing him, the bugbear seized the chance. He’s long coveted the prime location claimed by the Thistletop tribe, and now that he’s here, he knows he has Nualia to thank for his turn in fortunes. He remains cruel and abusive to most others he meets (including Nualia’s other allies, whom he does not enjoy the company of, excluding these delightful goblin wives), but has taken take n to tre treati ating ng Nualia Nual ia alm almost ost as a mother. Bruthazmus hasn’t quite goen over the fact that he hasn’t been given permission to go down to Sandpoint and cause problems. He’s bierly jealous of Tsuto as a result, whom he
otherwise to be found in his lair at area D4d). suspects has been razing Sandpoint all the For many years, Bruthazmus lived a lonely time Bruthazmus has been caged up here. His hatred of elves doesn’t help the life as a trapper in the northern reaches of bugb ear’s atti attitud tudee towar toward d Tsuto, and he Nelewood, periodically stalking the Lost bugbear’s
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often fantasizes about adding Tsuto’s ears to his elf-ear necklace, even though the half-elf’s ears aren’t nearly as pointed as the bugbear would like. P Bruthazmus: Bruthazmus: See See below. (8): Use the • Thistletop Goblin Wives (8):
Goblin prole on page 12. 12.
P BRUTHAZMUS Type: Evil Humanoid (Bugbear Ranger) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d10 Skills: A Skills: Athletics thletics d8, Common Knowled Knowledge ge d6, Fighting d10, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Occult d4, Shooting d8, Stealth d10 Pace: 6; Parry: 7 or 6 (ail); Toughness: (ail); Toughness: 11 11 (4) Hindrances: Illiterate, Hindrances: Illiterate, Loyal, Mean Edges: Calculating, Frenzy, No Mercy, Edges: Ranger, Rapid Shot Gear: Great ail (Str+d8, AP2 vs. rigid armor,
–1 Parry, 2 hands, ignores Shield/Weapon Parry or Cover bonus), composite bow (Range 12/24/48, Damage Str+d6, RoF 2, AP 1) with 20 arrows, 4x arrows (Bane (elf)), studded leather (+2), potion of minor deection , 2x potion of major healing , 4 pp. Special Abilities: Armor+2: Armor+2: Thick Thick hide.
BRUTHAZMUS
Class Abilities (Ranger): Armor (Ranger): Armor Restriction
(Medium), Favored Enemy (Humanoid), Favored Terrain (Forrest), Wilderness Stride. Darkvision: Darkvision: Bugbears Bugbears ignore penalties for Illumination up to 10" (60 feet). Languages: Common, Languages: Common, Goblin.
TACTICS Bruthazmus reacts to intrusions on his personal time with roars and curses. There’s a 50% chance he’s not wearing his armor if encountered in area D2. In any event, he takes his potion of minor deection deection then then ies into combat with his heavy ail with murderous glee. He aacks elves in preference to any other target. If reduced to one Wound, Bruthazmus attempts to flee to area D15, where he barr ba rric ic ad ades es th thee do door or an and d th en race ra cess downstairs to area E4 to join Nualia, hoping to get some healing and then remaining at her side as a bodyguard until the intruders are no longer a threat.
D3 GOBLIN NURSERY The walls of this room are lined with small wooden cages. Inside each is a dirty mound of straw.
This is the Thistletop nursery. Most goblin tribes have reprehensible methods of raising children— very few actually coddle and protect their young, since the theory is such activity only results in adult goblins who can’t defend themselves. Goblin wisdom instead supports methods like these cages, where fastgrowing goblin babies and children are raised like animals on daily regimens of raw meat and abuse so they grow up properly mean and strong. There are no babies babies here currently currently— — the Thistletop goblins have had other things (such as planning the raid on Sandpoint) on their minds lately. Game Masters seeking to confront their players with awkward social situations might want to put a few sharptoothed feral goblin children
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and babies in these cages for the unsuspecting adventurers to discover.
D4A TSUTO’S CHAMBERS This room is clean and well organized. organized . A low dresser to the southwest has a stack of papers pa pers sitting atop it, weighted down by a large chunk of obsidian, while to the northwest sits a well-made bed.
TEAM TA CTICS CS TACTI Room D4B lists a group of 8 goblins along with Orik. They're lying in wait across the various D4 rooms. If the heroes don't notice the goblins in time, they surprise the heroes. If the goblins are discovered. They cry out in alarm causing Orik and the other goblins come funneling out to ght.
If Tsuto escaped from death earlier in this adventure, there’s a 30% chance he’s here, sleeping. Otherwise, he’s encountered at area D15. If he’s here, the half-elf does everything fact that lile good ever came of living there, in his power to escape to area D15. and has several half-formed plans to return The notes on the nightstand are mostly there some day. rough drafts of Tsuto’s plans to blackmail his But doing something like that requires father and use the Sandpoint Glassworks as a staging ground for the coming investigation allies and money, and when a strange but beau tifull woma woman n appr approach oached ed him in the of the Catacombs of Wrath—it’s unlikely beautifu seedy Magnimar bar he’d taken up in, he there’s anything here that’sif news to the accepted her oer to serve as her bodyguard heroes by this point, though they haven’t discovered the Catacombs of Wrath yet, these without question. Since then, and since helping plan the notes should point them in that direction. assault on Sandpoint, Orik has come to think his allegiance to Nualia may be just the latest in a long string of bad choices. Still, she pays regularly in platinum, and to This one-person bedroom shows many signs date he hasn’t really had to do much actual of having been lived in. The bed is rumpled bodyguarding since she’s remained here at and unmade, and a half-eaten meal of bread Thistletop for some time. and smoked salmon sits on the nightstand. Orik has developed something of an A few articles of dirt dirtyy clothin clothingg sit at tthe he foot infatuation with one of Nualia’s minions, the of the bed.
D4B ORIK’S CHAMBERS
This is the current c urrent home of Orik Vancaskerkin, a down-on-his-luck mercenary from the lawless city of Riddleport. After a scam involving a tiefling prostitute, a shifty alchemist, and an elixir of love, Orik was forced to ee town. He’s prey sure Clegg Zincher, the nowdead alchemist’s powerful brother, still carries a grudge for what Orik did to the alchemist when he discovered, to his horror, that the elixir of love was actually just cheap ale laced with lavender.
foul-tempered (charmingly so, to Orik) more Lyrie Akenja. Unfortunately, Lyrie seems obsessed with Tsuto than anything else. Orik has considered murdering Tsuto to remove him from the picture, but since the half-elf is currently Nualia’s lover, he’s avoided such drastic moves to this point. Things have become so unbearably complicated for Orik that he’s considering giving up on the whole thing and heading east to Korvosa to try his luck there. Orik is ruggedly handsome with a visage and demeanor that doesn’t mesh well with
While Orik bears no regrets the alchemist, he does regretfor themurdering fact that Clegg Zincher eectively made it impossible for him to continue living in Riddleport. He misses his hometown greatly, despite the
smiles and laughter. late, he’s spent most of his time waiting forOf something—anything— to develop down in the chambers below or with the Sandpoint situation so he can collect his nal payment from Nualia.
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The raid on Sandpoint has left him somewhat conicted, since on his one visit to the town on his way south to Magnimar several months ago, he found the place friendly and charming. Vancaskerkin: See below. P Orik Vancaskerkin: See • Thistletop Goblins (8): Use (8): Use the Goblin prole on page 12. 12.
12/24/48, Damage Str+d6, AP 1) with 20 arrows, banded mail tunic, helmet and leggings (+3), large shield (+3), 2x potion of minor healing healing (2), (2), everburning torch, 2 pp, 95 gp. Special Abilities: Class Abilities (Fighter): (Fighter): Martial Flexibility. Languages: Common, Goblin. Languages: Common,
P ORIK VANCASKERKIN Type: Neutral Humanoid (Human Fighter) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d10 Athletics thletics d8, Common Knowled Knowledge ge d6, Skills: A Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d4 Pace: 6; Parry: 6 or 9 (Bastard sword and shield); Toughness: shield); Toughness: 10 10 (3) Hindrances: Driven Hindrances: Driven (Minor), Wanted (Major) Edges: Fighter, Edges: Fighter, First Strike, Nerves of Steel,
Trademark Weapon (Bastard Sword) Gear: Masterwork bastard sword (Damage Str+d8 AP 2, Parry –1, +1 Damaged if used in two hands), composite bow (Range
TACTICS
Orik relies on his strength in bale, focusing his aacks on taking down one target at a time and preferring to ght with his back to a wall or an ally. He generally uses the Wild Aack, relying on his shield and armor to protect him. If reduced to one Wound, Orik throws down his weapons and begs for mercy. He promises to help the heroes however he can if given his life—this promise is mostly legitimate, as detailed in Aftermath below.
AFTERMATH If Orik surrenders, he does what he can to ensure his continued well-being. If that includes giving his wealth to the newcomers or even aiding them against Nualia and her other allies, so be it. Unfortunately, Orik hasn’t explored much of the dungeon, and can say nothing about areas D7–D8 (except there’s some kind of wriggly monster in there), areas D9–D10, or any of the chambers on level two. He’s only been in the temple of Lamashtu (area D12) once, enough to know he doesn’t want to go back if he can help it; that religion kind of gives him the chills. He knows the temple is guarded by a pair of “monster dogs,” but beyond knowing their howls are horrifying, he isn’t sure what they are.
D4C LYRIE’S CHAMBERS
ORIK VANCASKERKIN
While this bedroom is clean and brightly lit by an everburning torch lying on the nightstand, its spartan decor makes it unclear whether it’s actually lived in. In fact, this chamber does belong to another of Nualia’s minions, but since Lyrie spends
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most of her time in area D15 researching the various artifacts and relics recovered from the dungeons below, she’s only encountered here during the night as she sleeps.
TREASURE The everburning torch belongs to Lyrie, a spare in case the one she carries is lost.
While the raw materials can be turned into furniture, dogslicers, or even armor, at this point only a goblin is likely to see se e value in the mounds of refuse.
D7 TENT TENTAMORT AMORT HUNTING GROUNDS GROUNDS The floor of this cavern seems strangely poli shed and smoot polished smooth. h. To the east, a thick curtain of vines and neles hangs down over a wide opening overlooking the V Varisian arisian Gulf.
D4D BRUTHAZMUS’S CHAMBERS This bedroom has a faint musty odor. The bed is covered with maed gray and black hair, and bloodstains mar the stone oor, while a morbid stack of birds’ feet lies heaped on the oor by the side of the be bed. d. Bruthazmus the bugbear has taken to sleeping in area D2 of late, and hasn’t been back to this room in days. The bloodstain bloodstainss are all that remain of his last meal taken here— here — the bugbear pre prefers fers his food still al alive ive and wriggling as he eats, and has taken a liking to seagull (he gobbles the whole bird, but detests the texture of the feet and won’t eat them).
D5 NUALIA’S CHAMBERS This large chamber seems to serve a dual purpose. To To the north is a ne bed wit withh silk sheets, while to the south, a desk and chair under a hanging lantern make a comfortablelooking study. This large room serves Nualia as a bedchamber, though she’s not spent much time here recently. She had the ne bed in the north side of the room brought in piece by piec piecee from Magni Magnimar, mar, one of her few concessions toward luxury.
D6 STORAGE ROOM Crates, barrels, and mounds of miscellaneous refuse lie heaped against the walls. To the north comes the sound of crashing surf.
The cavern has been the hunting grounds for a pair of tentamorts for many years. The monsters look something like a leathery, eyeless squid with a squat body the size of a rain barrel. Its lower body splits into a tangle of tentacles the creature uses to move slowly, while two longer tentacles, one thick and muscular and the other lithe and tipped with a bone stinger, emerge from either side. Exceptionally the birds nearly mindless predatorslong-lived, have fed on sea for years and are quite adept at snatching them out of the sky from their perch overlooking the sea to the east. When the goblins moved in, they lost several to the tentamort’s tentacles (including one of their best ghters) before they decided to leave the monsters alone. Lyrie spent several days studying the monster after she arrived, going so far as to lure several goblins in here so she could watch the monsters eat them, but she’s learned all she can of the creatures and grew bored with them a few days ago. • Tentamorts (2) (2):: See below.
TENTAMORT TENT AMORT Type: Neutral Aberration (Tentamort) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8 Skills: A Skills: Athletics thletics d6, Fighting d8, Notice d8 Pace: 4; Parry: 6; 6; Toughness: Toughness: 9 9 (3) Edges: Quick Edges: Quick Special Abilities: Armor +3: Aberrant +3: Aberrant hide.
Most of the junk scavenged from Junk Beach by the Seven Tooth goblin goblinss ends up here, tribute sent north to the Thistletop goblins to keep them on the greater tribe’s good side.
All-Around Vision: Tentamorts Vision: Tentamorts have many
eyes across their cone-like bodies. They ignore 1 point of Gang Up bonuses. Blindsense: Blindsense: Tentamorts Tentamorts ignore invisibility, illusion , and all Illumination Illumination p penalties. enalties.
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Poison (–2): Mild (–2): Mild poison.
Resilient: Resilient: Tentamorts Tentamorts can take
one Wound
before they’ they’re re Incapa Incapacitated. citated. Sting: Sting: Str+d6, Str+d6, Reach 1. Tentacle (2): Str+d4, (2): Str+d4, Reach 2, the target is Entangled, Bound on a raise.
D8 TENT TENTAMORT AMORT LAIR Dozens of strange dead bodies lie scaered about this room. Most are sea birds and ospreys, but there are six dead goblins here as well. Each body is literally skin and bones, as if all of the interior organs and muscles have somehow been drained away, leaving behind skeletons draped with leathery, slowly roing skin.
TREASURE The bodies of the goblins who fell victim to the tentamort were never recovered, and their armor and weapons lie in roing, rusty heaps. heaps . One of the bodies belongs to the ex-goblin warrior warri or Tiovunk; his carcass still wears a suit of hide armor with Aegis and bears a ruined (but once masterwork) horsechopper and a masterwork short bow.
D9 PRISON The southern wall of this room is a bank of cells with iron doors, six in all. The rest of the room is obviously a torture chamber; a rack sits against the far wall, an iron maiden stands to the north, and a re pit smolders below a spiky cage dangling from a chain in the ceiling to the east.
Each of the iron doors enclosing the cells can be broken and have a hardness of 14, or the locks picked with a Thievery roll at –2. Keys for the cells can be found in area D10.
D10 BRUNKEL’S LAIR A dusty nest of rags, do dogg hid hides, es, and straw sits in the northeast corner of this room. To the south, a long workbench cluered with pliers, hooks, tongs, saws, and knives runs along the wall.
Brunkel, once the second-toughest goblin in the tribe, lived here and served as a torturer and jailer. The Thistletop goblins assumed if anyone could survive the raid on Sandpoint, it would be him. They were were wrong wrong— — Brunkel died on the sheri’s sword within minutes of the raid’s start. Keys to the cells in area D9 can be found scaered among the torture implements on the southern workbench.
D11 CHAPEL ENTRANCE Two large stone doo doors rs sit in the western wall, their faces carved with images of horrific, deformed monsters clawing their way out of pregnant women of all races. These two stone doors are well maintained, and open easily. An Occult roll identies the scene depicted on the doors as one common to churches of Lamashtu.
D12 CHAPEL TO LAMASHTU
If the goblins have captured any prisoners during the adventure, they’re kept here. Since their jailer and torturer, Brunkel, went missing during the raid on Sandpoint, this area has been neglected by the goblins, who often forgot to come down to check on prisoners for several days anyway, leaving the prisoners to ration their already meager food and water to avoid thirst and hunger.
Stone fonts containing frothy dark water sit to the north and south of the eastern entrance to the room, and twin banks of stone pillars run the length of the long chamber. At the western end, shallow stairs rise to a platform about two feet o the ground. The walls surrounding the platform are lit by hanging braziers that emit glowing red smoke, giving the place an unnerving
If she’s been brought to Thistletop, Ameiko Kaijitsu (or any other key people who’ve been captured by the goblins) can be found languishing here.
crimson lighting that throws the bas-relief carvings of countless monsters feasting on eeing humans into lurid display. A black marble altar stone, its surface heaped with
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ashes and bone fragments, squats before a ten-foot-tall statue. The sculpture depicts depic ts a very pregnant but otherwise shapely naked woman who wields a kukri in each taloned hand and has a long reptilian tail, birdlike taloned feet, and the snarling head of a three-eyed jackal with a forked tongue. The left kukri ickers with ery orange light light while the right one one glows with a cold blue radiance.
When she performs sacrices to Lamashtu, Nualia does so with her bastard sword, beheading the victim and then inviting the yeth hounds to feast on the body while she holds the decapitated head over the altar so it can watch its body being consumed during the last few moments of its consciousness. When no one else is here, the yeth hounds
hover near ceiling the sense north and south sides of thethe room. If in they intruders, they quickly race down through the air Recently reconsecrated reconsecrated by Nualia, this shrine to aack, their howls quickly puing the to Lamashtu had lain dormant for many years, complex on alert. ever since the previous chieftain succumbed During rituals, all of the goblins in the to rabies and left Ripnugget in charge. complex, as well as Tsuto, Lyrie, and Ripnugget has always viewed his inability to Bruthazmus, gather to watch and pray. Orik receive Malfeshnekor’s empathic sendings as aended the rst service, but has since bowed a aw, but after he threw several goblins who out, claiming someone needs to guard the dared question this aw into the Howling complex during the ceremony. To his relief, Hole, no one at Thistletop talks about it. Nualia agreed. Ripnugget has come to view Nualia’s In any event, taking on a room of goblins and arrival as Lamashtu’ Lamashtu’ss blessing, and aending is not a good plan for budding heroes, her weekly sermons has become mandatory cultists as a bale against Nualia, four yeth hounds, for the tribe, despite the fact that one or two 22 goblins (including a warchanter and ve of them end up sacriced on the altar if they commandos), and the other three members of can’t oer up other goblins or prisoners in Nualia’s band is a terrifying encounter! (Note their place. there’s actually not enough room for all of the A successful Occult roll identifies the goblins to observe in this room during such temple and statue as sacred to Lamashtu. ceremonies—any overow spills into area The glowing eects on the statue’s kukris are D11 and the adjoining hallways.) permanent light light spells. spells. While Nualia is immune to a yeth hound’s If the Pathfinders wish to time their fear-inducing howl (since she’s an outsider), inltration of Thistletop to coincide with one the goblins and other inhabitants of Thistletop of her ceremonies, they nd the upper reaches are not. Depending on which doors in the of the fortress empty and easy to inltrate. If dungeon remain open, the howls of these they come upon this room ro om rst they may well monsters could well aect many of the other encounter more than they can handle. denizens as well. An examination of the altar reveals smears Goblins aected by the howls shriek and of ash and bits of bone—all that’s left of panic and run in circles, while others hide Nualia’s foster father after his remains were under beds or in corners. A yeth hound’s bay sacriced to Lamashtu as burnt oerings. can be heard around corners but can’t pass When Nualia arrived here, drawn by her solid barriers (such as closed doors). dreams, she quickly rededicated the chapel to Nonetheless, the baying is quite loud, Lamashtu in much the same way Sandpoint and should suce to alert every denizen would rededicate their own chapel several of Thistletop that intruders have entered months later. In reward, Lamashtu sent the chapel. Nualia six of her minions, lean creatures that • Yeth Hounds (4): (4): See See page 66. 66. look like jackals with smoking red eyes and black fangs fangs— — yeth hounds! Four lurk in the shadows of the chamber while the others remains at Nualia’s side. All four are completely loyal to her.
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EXPOSED If the party has somehow managed to make it to this point without seing o any alarms, the bay of the yeth hounds are certainly enough to do so. On hearing the bay, remaining enemies likely to bandous together or move to aare more advantageous advantage position, such as Lyrie retreating below.
a crown. A cave has been drawn into the center of the image, and looming inside is what appears to be an immense, muscular goblin with snakelike eyes and a dogs dogslicer licer in each taloned hand. If the scale compared to the rest of the drawing is to be believed, this goblin must must be at least thirty feet tall.
Fortunately for the heroes, the depiction of Malfeshnekor is based on nothing more than the goblins’ hopes and dreams.
D14 WAR ROOM YETH HOUND
A large table surrou surrounded nded by chairs lls much of this room. A slate board to the north is covered with scribblings in chalk, but the map of Sandpoint carefully inscribed on it leaves no doubt as to the purpose of the room—this is doubtless where the recent raid was planned.
Type: Evil Outsider (Yeth Hound) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d6 Pace: 7; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6; Toughness: 9 9 (3) Alertness Edges: Alertness Edges: An investigation of the slate and notes Special Abilities: conrms this and more. Namely, once “the Armor +3: Outsider +3: Outsider hide. whispering beast is tamed,” the architects Bay: Bay: Once per turn as an action, a yeth of the plan intend to mount a second raid hound can let out a terrible howl. All on the town, one that incorporates not only creatures except evil outsiders within 100 additional goblin tribes culled from as far yards must make a Spirit roll or become as the Fogscar Mountains to the north, but Panicked. creatures referred to as “sinspawn” who will Bite: Bite: Str+d4. Str+d4. invade Sandpoint from below. Darkvision: Yeth hounds ignore penalties Darkvision: Yeth If the adventurers have fought sinspawn for Illumination up to 10”. already, they recognize these dangerous Environmental Weakness: Silver. Weakness: Silver. monsters as the ones mentioned here. No Flight: Flight: Pace Pace 12. exact timetable is given for when this second Sinister Bite: Bite: Any non-outsider Shaken raid is to happen, but close examination or Wounded by a yeth hound's bite must revealss the nal assault is scheduled for only reveal make a Spirit roll or become Distracted. a few weeks in the future. Languages: Abyssal Languages: Abyssal or Infernal (can’t speak)
D13 GOBLIN ART GALLERY The lower four feet of the walls in this empty emp ty room are covered with crude drawings in mud, blood, and paint. Most of the drawings show goblins engaged in some sort of violence against humans, horses, or dogs. One picture on the north wall is at least three times the size and complexity of the other scrawlings. This image shows Thistletop from the side, the goblin stockade perched atop it like
D15 RESEARCH ROOM A large wooden wor worktable ktable ssits its in the middle of this room, its surface cluered with scrolls, books, stone tablets covered with dense, spiky runes, and fragments of carvings that appear to have been chipped o of statues or bas-reliefs. To the north, a oor-to-ceiling set of wooden shelves sags with picks, shovels, brushes, lanterns, and other equipment one might expect to see at an archaeological site.
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The chamber has been claimed by Nualia and her minions as a place to study and research the artifacts they’ve recovered from the chambers below, and from other ancient Thassilonian sites they’ve raided. The secret door to the east was built by the cult of Lamashtu that once dwelt here after their excavations uncovered a sealed stairway s tairway leading to the below. They installeddown this door tochambers prevent the discovery of the chambers by their enemies. The door’s been used often and recently, and if the alarm hasn’t been raised, it actually hangs ajar. If it’s closed, it’s only a Notice roll to nd it due to the heavy trac that’s been passing through it over the past few weeks. While all ve of the bandits have spent time in the room, only Lyrie Akenja and Nualia have the obsessive interest in these ruins to spend much time here. And since Nualia’s been spending spending more and more of her time in the observation deck in below (area E4), Lyrie’s been able to study peace and quiet quiet; ; a luxury she’s quite enjoyed. Nualia hired Lyrie primarily for her knowledge of arcana and architecture, her ability to read Thassilonian, and her arcane magic. Lyrie was in a desperate place when Nualia encountere encountered d her in Magni Magnimar mar— — she had recently been informed she was no longer under consideration to join the Pathnders as an initiate. She suspects they kept copies of her notes and applicant thesis, and their
P LYRIE AKENJA Type: Evil Humanoid (Human Wizard) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6 d8, AthletSkills: Academics ics d8, Common Knowledge d8, Fighting d6, Notice d4, Occult d8, Science d8, Spellcast Spellcast--
ing d8, Stealth d6 Pace: 6; Parry: 5; 5; Toughness: Toughness: 9 9 (4) Hindrances: Driven Hindrances: Driven (Minor), Fearful Edges: Dodge, Edges: Dodge, Extraction, Wizard Powers: Blast , bolt , boost/lower Trait , detect/ Powers: conceal arcana , illusion , invisibility , protection , slumber , wall walker. Power Points: 25. Points: 25. Gear: Dagger (Str+d4), potion of minor healing , scroll of minor speak language , wand of bolt ( ; 18 charges; Shooting), silver comb (25 gp), ne silk gown (60 gp), everburning everburni ng torch, small pouch of artifacts (hair, ngernail clipping, used handkerhandkerchiefs, and a pearl earring worth 50 gp) stolen from Tsuto Kaijitsu, 3 pp, 278 gp.
rejection had more to do with rumors that she murdered two of the competing initiates. That's actually true, but that doesn’t maer to Lyrie. When Nualia oered to pay her in platinum to study Thassilonian relics, she gratefully accepted. Lyrie is in her early twenties, with dark skin and long hair braided tightly into cornrows. She’s always had a poor selfimage, a quality that has left her bier, cruel, and quick to assume insult in innocent comments. She looks at things in the bleakest possible manner. Her only true friend is her cat familiar, Skivver, even though he has a bad habit of scratching and marking his territory. P Lyrie Akenia: See Akenia: See below.
LYRIE AKENIA
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THISTLETOP THISTLE TOP DUN DUNGEO GEON: N: LEVEL TWO
Special Abilities: Class Abilities (Wizard): (Wizard): Arcane Background (Wizard), Arcane Bond (Familiar—Cat), Armor Interference (Any), School (Universa (Universalist), list), Spellbooks Languages: Common, Languages: Common, Elven, Goblin, Osiriani, Cracks line the walls here and there, and while the rst few rooms are fairly clean, dust and Thassilonian. and rubble cluer areas E6–E10. Spiderwebs TACTICS ll the corners of the rooms. Areas E1–E4 are protection tion lit by lanterns left on the oor by Nualia and Before combat starts, Lyrie casts protec invisibility.. She knows she’s outclassed her minions, but areas E5–E10 are unlit unless and invisibility and in most ghts, so she prefers to avoid combat otherwise indicated. when alone. She runs and joins Nualia in the This level is part of the original complex nal conict if possible. that was hidden in the head of Karzoug’s If cornered, she rst casts illusion, creating sentinel statue. When the statue collapsed, a false mirror image of herself, then focuses the head came to rest at an angle; as a result, most of her spells on heavily armored this entire level is sloped downward toward characters, casting lower Trait in an aempt the west. to make them suer Min Strength penalties While the canted oor doesn’t appreciably from their armor. impact movement, it does grant creatures a Lyrie is a coward at heart, and as soon as +1 bonus on Fighting rolls made against foes she suers a Wound, aempts to ee to the who stand west of a foe. closest ally for help. Air quality in these chambers is surprisingly good, despite the fact that many of the rooms have been sealed shut for a long, long AFTERMATH time. The temperature never varies from a If Tsuto escaped from the heroes earlier and comfortable 60º F. the alarm has been raised, he’s encountered Both of these conditions are remnants of here. He and Lyrie have pushed the table up what once were several magical concessions against the eastern door, making it a Strength toward comfort from long ago. Most of the roll at –2 to get the door open. Failure gives other eects (such as lighting) have long additional time for the people inside to since failed, but the replenishment of air and prepare for combat. temperature maintenance remain functional. If Bruthazmus escaped them as well, he Detect arcana reveals this as a faint passes through this room on his way to alert and defend Nualia, alerting Lyrie to the transmutation aura. invaders’ invader s’ approach as he passes by.
E1 ANCIENT DOOR
ADVANCEMENT AWARDED! ADVANCEMENT AWARDED The Pathnders realize they are reaching the source of the evil. Steeling themselve themselvess for the nal act, they earn their third Advance Advance..
A stone door just around the corne cornerr from the steps hangs slightly ajar, the detailed carvings that once covered its surface defaced by chisel marks and hammer blows to the extent that only a few remnants of images (mostly of gemstones and crowns) remain. The floor is slanted downward toward the west. This door was damaged years ago when the cultists of hundreds Lamashtu of tried to baer it open, only to relea release se the monster that once lurked in the room beyond.
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THISTLETOP THIS TLETOP DUNGEON: DUNGEON: LEVEL LEVEL TWO E4 E3 3
E1
E2
E8
T
E9
E5
E7
E10 S S
E6
S
N
1 SQUARE = 6 FEET STAIRS
UP UP
DOWN
E2 THE HELLCAT’S HELLCAT’S HALL Two pillars support the ceiling. In many places pla ces the ston stonee wall walls, s, floor, flo or, and cei ceilin lingg are caked with ancient grime and soot. Alcoves in the north and south walls contain partially damaged st statues atues of a m man an in robes clutching a book and a glaive. The entire room is canted toward the west, and whatever ancient upheaval caused the complex to tilt knocked the statues from their bases so now they lean against the western walls of their alcoves.
stern men wielding glaives stand in alcoves north and south of this section of the hallway. At the t he easte eastern rn end are two ston stonee doors, door s, their faces carved with strange runes. Just beyond is a third alcove in which a partially collapsed statue sits. The top half of the statue is missing, leaving behind a ragged stump of a torso. The eastern statue broke long ago, tumbling down the hallway to come to rest against the western door, which made it dicult to open for Nualia and her minions on their rst visit. They’ve cleared away the rubble since then.
The statues once depicted Runelord Karzoug, though time and the hellcat’s endless anger have left them too damaged to be recognizable beyond their basic shapes. The he hellcat llcat is lo long ng Magical; Notice Check: Check: Yes at –4; gone, having been released hundreds of years Type: Magical; Thievery Check: Yes Check: Yes –2 ago by the clerics of Lamashtu. Trigger: Two hidden iron portcullises are recessed into the ceiling around the polished section of oor, as indicated on the map. When a creature steps between them, a This short hallway rises in a slope to the east. pressure plate causes both gates to drop with Six feet from the western door, the oor is a heavy clang. Anyone within can make an polished polish ed and shiny, unlike the dusty oor Athletics roll at –4 to escape before they drop. elsewhere. A pair of stone statues depicting The next round, the statues slash at the space between. Anyone in must make an A Athletics thletics
SLASHING CAGE SLASHING CAGE TRAP TRAP
E3 TRAPPED HALL
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roll at –4 to detect the paern each round and dodge, or a Fighting roll at –4 to parry the blows. Failure Failure rresults esults in d12 + d 6 dama damage. ge. The glaives can be destroyed (Parry 4 while in motion, Hardness 10). The statues and portcullises are Hardness 16. Deal initiative to everyone during these rounds so they have a chance to help anyone
perpetually full container of drinking water. The burning skulls bear continual ames. The objects on the shelves are various holy texts, scrolls, relics, and objects sacred to the worship of Lamashtu, identiable as such with an Occult roll. The primary villain of this adventure is likely encountered here. Nualia’s recent
trapped between the bars. Remind them there are other statues in the previous room as well—they don't animate, but the explorers won't know that! Two rounds after the trap activates, the whole thing resets. If there's still weight on the pressure plate, the cycle starts all over again. A lever that raises and lowers the portcullises and switches the trap on and o can be found in area E4. When Nualia rst explored this area with her allies, one of her bodyguards (a stoic Shoanti barbarian named Jagen) triggered the trap and was killed by it. Since then, she s he and her remaining allies have explored these chambers very slowly, with Tsuto checking for traps extensively before they move on to new areas. While she’s working in area E4, Nualia keeps the trap activated. When her allies wish to visit her, they call out from the doorway to area E2 to have her turn the trap o. If the heroes trigger the trap, Nualia hears the noise and prepares for trouble.
success with the ritual to oer her foster father’s corporeal remains to Lamashtu saw her rewarded with a promise of things to come—her left hand has been transformed into a red demonic talon. With the exception of her demonic hand and her scarred belly, the rest of her body is incongruously beautiful. Yet Yet in her madness, Nualia has come to view her silver hair, violet eyes, and shapely gure as a curse, a scar visited upon her by her angelic heritage. She wants to shed this part of her, to become fully monstrous to beer serve her
E4 OBSERVA OBSERVATION TION DECK Wide stone ledges of red marble line the curving walls of this room, which is well lit by four burning skulls that sit in each corner. Three chairs rest within, and both stone ledges are covered with old books, scrolls, teeth, bones, scrimshaw artwork, jars of deformed creatures soaking in brine, taxidermied animals and limbs, and other strange objects. To the north, a large round fountain fount ain lled with froth frothyy blue water water lls the air with the gentle sound of bubbling. The bubbling font of water used to allow those who drank from it the ability to view the surrounding terrain from the sentinel statue’s eyes. Now the fountain merely functions as a
new mistress. She wears the mark of her devotion to Lamashtu proudly, keeping her midri bare to expose the ugly scars and wounds across her belly. An Occult roll at –2 is enough to recognize this as the Mark of Lamashtu, denoting the carrier not only as one devoted to the Mother of Monsters, but one capable of birthing monsters from her own body. The transformation of her hand into a talon is not the only reward Lamashtu has sent Nualia. Her last two yeth hounds are constant companions, loyal and eager to please her. P Nualia: See below. Houndss (4): (4): See See page 66. 66. • Yeth Hound
P NUALIA TOBYN Type: Evil Outsider (Aasimar Cleric) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d6, Faith d8, Fighting d10, Notice d6, Occult d6, Persuasion d6, Shooting d6, Taunt d6 Pace: 6; Parry: 7; 7; Toughness: Toughness: 13 13 (7)
Bloodthirsty, Vengeful (Major) Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Hindrances: Edges: Edges: Cleric, Cleric, Extraction, Frenzy, Quick Powers: Boost/lower Trait ,, damage Powers: damage eld eld , healing , smite , wall walker. Power Points: 25 Points: 25
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Gear: Bastard sword (Damage Str+d8 AP 2, escape and eventual revenge is beer than Parry –1, +1 damage if used in two hands, death at the hands of the intruders. Accurate), composite bow (Range 12/24/48, In this event, Nualia uses wall walker and Damage Str+d6, AP 1) with 20 arrows, does her best to ee Thistletop, ordering any breastplate and grea greaves ves ((+4, +4, Aegis), po potion tion surviving minions she encounters to guard of major healing , Sihedron medallion (see her retreat. If she escapes, she makes her way page 79), 79), gold holy symbol of Lamashtu to Magnimar to reunite with the Skinsaw Cult. (100 gp), 7 pp, 5 gp. TREASURE Special Abilities: Armor +1: Infernal +1: Infernal plating. Nualia’s notes and several journals lie on Class Abilities (Cleric): (Cleric): Arcane Background the tables. Sorting through these notes (Cleric, Lamashtu), Channel Energy takes several hours, but reveals the whole Claw: Str+d6. of Nualia’s story, as detailed on page 6. Darkvision: Darkvision: Nualia Nualia ignores penalties for The notes also outline her plans to send an Illumination up to 10". army of goblins against Sandpoint and burn Ferocious Strike: Strike: If Nualia gets a raise the town to the ground, not only to oer it all on an aack, she gets a free reroll on her as a burnt oering to Lamashtu in hopes of damage roll. being made a half-end, but also to fuel the Fury of the Abyss: Nualia's Abyss: Nualia's infernal power runewell in the catacombs below. grants her a +2 to aack and damage rolls. The notes go on to detail how to cause Lamashtu’s Mark: Mark: Once per day, Nualia sinspawn to manifest from the runewell, and may invoke Lamashtu’s name as she claim that if someone were to overextend the strikes a foe with a Fighting aack. Anyone runewell’s stores, it would be deactivated. Shaken or Wounded by the aack must Nualia isn’t sure how to reactivate it, and make a Vigor roll or become Vulnerable several times stresses that the runewell and temporarily deformed with mutation. Common mutations include horns, hooves, forked tongues, useless vestigial limbs, or extra (useless) eyes. These mutations fade after 1d3 days. Unstoppable: Unstoppable: Nualia Nualia cannot suer more than one Wound from a single aack. Languages: Celestial, Languages: Celestial, Common, and Goblin.
TACTICS If Nualia suspects combat is imminent, she protection ction casts boost Trait (Fighting), smite , and prote on herself (all included in her stat block). Nualia activates her Sihedron medallion as a free action at the start of combat to gain a eld. Benny (see page 79) 79) and casts damage eld. She prefers to ght with her bastard sword, her face an impassive mask save for her eyes, which blaze with anger. She uses Fury of the Abyss and Wild Aack in conjunction with Ferocious Strike. If possible, she moves into the hall to the south to make it harder to surround her, and give her an escape route if she needs it. Nualia is loath to abandon her hard work, but if redu reduced ced to one Woun Wound d and out of healing, she does just that, reasoning that
NUALIA TOBYN
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shouldn’t be used much until after Sandpoint is razed and the deaths of hundreds of angry citizens and goblins have relled the well.
E5 PORTAL OF GREED The southern wing of this L-shaped hallway ends at a pair of stone doors carved with the depictions of two skeletons reaching out to clutch a skull between them. To the east, the hallway narrows down to frame a circular carving of an immense stack of tens of thousands of gold coins that rises from oor to ceiling. The edges of these coins are carved with tiny, spiky runes. The stack of oversized coins is actually a cleverly carved stone pillar that can be triggered to sink into the oor to provide access to the rooms beyond. Nualia and her allies have not yet discovered the method to trigger the pillar—hidden in the wall to the left and right are tiny, coin-sized slots. A Notice roll at –3 reveals the coin slots and a hollow space beyond the pillar. Inserting at least one gold piece into each slot causes the pillar to grind noisily down into the oor. The coins then vanish, transported to Karzoug’s treasury hundreds of miles away in legendary Xin-Shalast. The pillar bears a permanent illusion to make it look as if it were were made of gold— it is in fact made of stone.
E6 CRYPT Four pillars support the domed ceiling of this room. Several dark alcoves containing standing sarcophagi grace the walls, and a statue of a stern man wielding a glaive and holding a book stands in the southern part of the chamber. This small crypt was used to inter the bodies of the complex’s architects, as was tradition in Karzoug’s time. The architects, in this case, were interred alive, but now only bones remain inside. An Academics roll identies the carvings on the walls as Runelord Karzoug.
A secret door to the west can be found with a Notice –2 roll. Though the architects willingly allowed themselves to be buried alive, three of the six were not able to maintain their devotion for long. They died in horror, and now their shadows haunt the chamber. These three shadows emerge to aack any intruders a few rounds foes afterout theof room entered (they do not pursue this is room, though). Nualia and her allies haven’t discovered the secret door here yet, and have largely left the room alone for now. (3): See below. • Shadows (3): See
SHADOW Type: Evil Undead (Shadow) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigor d6 Skills: Athletics Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d12 Pace: —; Parry: 6; 6; Toughness: Toughness: 7 7 Special Abilities: Claw: A hit with this aack causes Energy Drain (Strength). A Vigor roll (at –2 with a raise on the aack) resists this eect. Infection: Infection: Those Those slain by a shadow's Energy Drain rise as a shadow one round later. Fearless: Fearless: Shadows Shadows are immune to Fear and Intimidation. Flight: Flight: Pace Pace 8. Incorporeal: Shadows can become invisible and immaterial at will and can only be
harmed by magical weapons or aacks. damage from non-magical aacks. Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from being Shaken; no additional damage from Called Shots; ignores 1 point of Wound penalties; doesn’t breathe; immune to disease and poison; ignore penalties for Illumination up to 10”.
Invulnerability: Shadows take no Invulnerability: Shadows
E7 COLLAPSED TREASURY The sound of sloshing water lls this room, which entirely into a largehas tidealmost pool. What fewcollapsed walls remain intact bear detailed and impressive carvings of incredible treasuries lled to overowing
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with coins, gems, jewelry, and other items of value. To the east, the walls depict a carving of a towering mountain, its peak carved in the shape of a stern face just above a great palace. palac e. Below, the side of the mountain’s valley cradles an immense city of spires. The remains of what must have once been an incredible treasury lie in the sloshing waters of the pool. Shaered urns, crumbled stone chests, rusted bits of once-beautiful armor and weapons, and other long-ruined treasures from an ancient past lie below. Most impressive of them all is a large, coral-encrusted helmet sized for a giant. It measures nearly 5 feet across, is made of gold, and its full-face guard bears an expression of twisted rage and fangs. A Common Knowledge roll at –2 identies the city depicted as legendary Xin-Shalast, a lost city rumored to be hidden somewhere in the Kodar Mountains. Tales speak of the city having streets of gold and buildings carved from immense gems, but though countless explorers have sought it (and many have died or vanished), none have ever managed to locate the fabled city. Most scholars agree it never existed at all, that it was a ctitious location invented by the ancients. The pool is connected to the sea via a 10-foot-wide underwater underwater tunnel. The tunnel is 20 feet long in all, and the powerful riptide within makes navigating it possible only with an Athletics (swimming) roll at –2. It emerges at the base of the island, about 30 feet underwater, an entrance hidden by coral growth and seaweed that can be discovered from outside by a Notice roll at –2. Only a couple rounds after the heroes enter, enter , the gold helmet below suddenly shifts and moves, as if it were rotating to look at them. While paranoid characters might suspect the helmet is haunted or animated, it is in fact nothing more than a discarded rune giant helmet. The helm has become the home of a 450pound hermit crab, and it reacts poorly to any aempt to enter what it’s come to think of as its pool. When it aacks, the helm suddenly rises up to release a pair of immense claws and spindly legs.
• Giant Hermit Crab: See below.
GIANT HERMIT CRAB Type: Neutral Animal (Giant Crab) Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d12, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d10, Notice d6 Pace: 6; Parry: 7; 7; Toughness: 10 (3) Toughness: 10 Hindrances: Hindrances: — — Edges: Counteraack Edges: Counteraack (Imp), First Strike Special Abilities: Armor +3: Hardened +3: Hardened shell. Aquatic: Aquatic: Giant Giant crabs can swim at Pace 5. Claw: Str+d6, AP 2, Reach 1. Darkvision: Darkvision: Giant Giant crabs ignore penalties for Illumination up to 10" (60 feet). Very Resilient: Resilient: This giant hermit crab can take two Wounds before they’re Incapacitated.
TACTICS The crab pursues foes who ee no farther than the top of the stairs or the underwater exit to the sea bed. The crab ghts to the death.
TREASURE The loot gathered here normally didn’t stay long before it was transported to Xin-Shalast. A search of the pool takes 10 minutes but uncovers 3,500 sp, 630 gp, 40 precious stones worth 10 gp each, and a jade amulet that growth (once grants growth grants (once per day as an action, the wearer gains +1 Size for four rounds). The greatest treasure in the room is the ancient helm. It isn’t solid gold (some of it is bronze) but it’s still worth 3,000 gp if the heroes can haul its 300-pound weight up out of the hole it’s been resting in for hundreds of years.
E8 COMMUNICATION ROOM This barren room contains an upraised dais on which sits a marble throne. To either side stand statues of a man clutching a book and a glaive.
A ghos ghostly tly gure sits on the thron throne, e, the same man who appears in the statues. He addresses an audience as he moves his hands about, his fingers decorated with
hooked rings, but the words issuing from his
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phantom mouth are dicult to make out and phantom in a strange language. This room once allowed the agents stationed here to communicate with a projected image of Karzoug. When the statue collapsed, the magic was damaged, and now a short loop of Karzoug’s last message plays endlessly. Over the ages, the illusion has slowly faded so all that remains is this ghostly echo. His spoken words are in Thassilonian, and repeat the following short message over and over: “…is upon us, but I command you remain. Witness my power, how Alaznist’s pey wrath is but a ash compared to my strength. strength . Take Take my nal work to your graves, and let its memory be the last thing you…”. you…”. The image is harmless.
E9 TRANSMUT TRANSMUTAATION ROOM ROOM
closer examination, isn’t a tool at all—it's a silver-and-gold seven-pointed star. One surface is studded with nodules and blades, and the other features a thin, curved handle. This is the only remaining key to area E10.
E10 MALFESHNEKOR’S PRISON The doors to this room are made of stone but bear no handles. An indented outline of a seven-pointed star, its shape covered by hollows and slits, graces the spot where handles should be.
This door is magically sealed and requires a special key to open. The key in area E9 can be used to open it. The room is lit primarily by a ten-foot long pit of ickering re that lls the air with a strange humid heat, and the smell of burning hair. In th thee northern corners of the
This room contains three low tables, their tops covered with a strange and chilling selection of tools, saws, long-bladed knives, and objects whose purpose is not readily apparent. A strange collection collection of bo bones nes lies ne near ar the southern table—too many to be one skeleton, but too few to be two.
room, wooden several dozen golden candlesrisers that each burnhold without melting, while to the south the wall bears an immense carving of a seven-pointed star. The fire pit is only a few inches deep. Stepping into and out of it doesn’t impact movement, but each time a character passes through the pit, she takes 2d6 re damage. The ames are magically sustained, and can forever without going out. The working of transmutation magic went burn forever beyond the classic transf transformati ormation on of lead into Two alcoves to the south are hidden by gold for the wizards of Shalast Shalast— — they worked secret doors. A Notice roll at –2 reveals the the magic of change upon every matrix they doors (one roll per door). The alcoves were could shape. The room was used to change and modify living esh; the tools remaining on the tables being bein g use used d for quic quick k adju adjustm stments ents wher wheree magic wasn’t necessary, or to cut away extraneous tissue. The skeleton seems to have belonged to a two-headed man with an additional partial skeleton of a smaller man growing from the small of his back—all that remains of the last poor soul worked on here before the end came. The ancient skeleton crumbles to dust if touched.
once used to store valuable supplies for the conjuration and entrapment of magical creatures, but when the end came to Thassilon, one of the wizards stationed here raided the chambers and ed with most of the contents. Each alcove contains little more than dusty shelves today, though a bit of treasure still remains in the western one (see Treasure, below). Treasure, below). The powerful barghest Malfeshnekor, once one of Alaznist’s lieutenants and the commander of a legion of sinspawn, has spent several thousand years imprisoned in
TREASURE
this room. Karzoug’s agents captured the barghest and transported him here, using a powerful binding incantation to imprison him so he could be interrogated at a leisurely pace.
The surgical tools on the tables are exquisitely made, and are worth 100 gp in all. Siing on the easternmost table is an object that, upon
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Yet when the end of Thassilon came, it happened faster than expected. Malfeshnekor was forgoen, survived the sentinel statue’s collapse, and has now gone nearly insane with rage. Despite the fact he need not eat, his supernatural hunger has not abated. Though the binding keeps him from physically leaving the room, nothing prevents him from assaulting any who enter. P Malfeshnekor: Malfeshnekor: See See below.
P MALFESHNEKOR
Environmental Weakness: Magic Weakness: Magic weapons. Hardy: A second Shaken result doesn't
cause a Wound to a greater barghest. Innate Powers: Powers: Minor y (levitate up or down only), minor invisibility , minor shape change (goblin or wolf). Size 1: 1: Greater Barghests are massive creatures that average 400 lbs. Unstoppable: Unstoppable: Malfeshnekor Malfeshnekor cannot suer more than one Wound from a single aack (after soak rolls are made). Languages: Common, Languages: Common, Goblin, and Infernal.
TACTICS
If Malfeshnekor hears activity, he casts Type: Evil Outsider (Greater Barghest) invisibility on on himself. In following rounds, Aributes: Agility Aributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, invisibility growth th and boost Trait (Strength) he casts grow Strength d12+1, Vigor d10 Skills: A Skills: Athletics thletics d10, Common Knowledge d8, on himself, then waits for the intruders. He Fighting d10, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, engages foes inside his prison in melee. He Persuasion d8, Spellcasting d8, Stealth d6, uses puppet against those who aack him with ranged aacks beyond the limits of this room. Survival d8 Malfeshnekor ghts to the death. Pace: 7; Parry: 7; Toughness: 7; Toughness: 12 12 (4) Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), First Edges: TREASURE Strike, Frenzy Powers: Boost Trait , , deection, growth, puppet, Each of the racks in the northern corners Powers: contain 30 eternal candles (60 in all), minor teleport. Power Points: 15 Points: 15. magic candles that burn eternally without Special Abilities: Armor +4: Fiendish heat and shed dim light in a Small Blast +4: Fiendish hide. Template. Each eternal candle is worth 25 gp. Bite/Claws: Bite/Claws: Str+d8, Str+d8, AP 2. Darkvision: Darkvision: Greater barghests ignore A single silver coer sits on its side on one penalties for Illumination up to 10". of the shelves in the western alcove. The
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coer is worth 100 gp, but inside, buried in a bed of ne white sand is a ring of minor protection. When worn, the shieldlike pane of force generated manifests as a seven-pointe seven-pointed d star— the Sihed Sihedron ron rune.
CONCLUDING THE BOOK Relatively lile involving the metaplot of Rise of the Runelords occurs during the course of Burnt Oerings. Though the book’s events are closely tied to Karzoug’s awakening, awakening, and certain individuals individ uals in the adventure have ties to people whom the heroes are destined to meet later in the campaign, the adventure’s primary purpose is to introduce them to their new home of Sandpoint and instill in them a desire to protect its citizens. In the short term, the goblin menace is dealt with by defeating Nualia. With her out of the picture, her surviving minions quickly fall to bickering. Of them all, only Tsuto might harbor enough need for revenge that he might become a recurring problem. Defeating Malfeshnekor is purely optional. Doing so causes the Thistletop goblins to fall apart over the course of a few months. Without Nualia to lead all ve tribes, they return to being only a minor menace at the fringes of the wild lands. The second danger facing Sandpoint is, of course, Erylium and the minor runewell in the Catacombs of Wrath. If the party fails to defeat the quasit, she makes sure additional sinspawn periodically emerge from the minor runewell to cause problems for the town. Without a major source of wrathful souls, they never become a signicant threat, but the place remains a peril. The heroes return to the catacombs in Book Five, but for now, let them think deactivating the minor runewell closes the book on this particular dungeon. In any event, once the party has stopped Nualia’s plans for good, they deserve a rest and a chance to relax in Sandpoint. Give them some time to craft magic items, bolster relationships or romances, and perhaps meet new characters in town. They might even have a few additional encounters with local creatures. A lost goblin snake that ends up in the harbor can rile
things up prey good, and the appearance of an aic whisperer in a local home might give the defenders of Sandpoint a creepy bit of foreshadowing for the inevitable Skinsaw Murders in the next chapter.
ENEMIES FOR LIFE It’s possible Nualia escapes death in this adventure. If so, she makes her way to Magnimar as soon as she can to rejoin her allies there. When the heroes confront the Skinsaw Cult in Chapter Two, they should nd evidence that Nualia visited recently, but her exact role in the rest of the campaign is left to you. She could end up aiding Lucrecia’s eorts against Turtleback Ferry, become one of Mokmurian’s allies, join forces with the Scribbler, or even make the pilgrimage to XinShalast to pledge her service to Karzoug (all explained further in later books). You can also give Nualia new Edges Edges,, magic items, or skills to reflect her continued growth— growth — perhaps para paralleling lleling the party's own advancement. She could even complete her transformation into a demon! Nualia as a halfend or succubus would make an even more dangerous foe than a mere wayward aasimar!
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APPENDIX The appendix for Burnt Offerings presents a new optional rules a game master can use. Sin and virtue points allow a GM to track how sinful or virtuous a character is throughout the ca campaign. mpaign. As the h heroes eroes get closer to the end of Rise of the Runelords , their sins may come back to haunt ha unt them. Additionally Additionally,, rules for the r rare are ma magic gic items found in this book are presented below.
NEW RULES
If a hero commits a sin but already has marks in that sin’s corresponding virtue box, simply erase one of the marks in the virtue
n Book ve, Sins of the Saviors , the heroes visit the ancient complex of Runeforge— an arcane laboratory infused with more than 10,000 years of sin. So much so that the powerful magic within Runeforge has become infused with the personali personalities ties and obsessions of those who have been trapped within for so long. As a result, the very structures of Runeforge react differently to characters who are themselves paragons of specic sins. These eects are explored in detail in that tale —but how can you determine whether whethe r a Pathnder
box (and vice versa). At any one time, only one of the two boxes should have marks in it. A character who manages to balance her sins and virtues out (or who never exhibits either) may well have no marks at all. You should only make marks for signicant events in your game—don’t bother marking minor events. If someone loots a dead goblin, she shouldn’t get a point of Greed. If on the other hand, she gleefully steals the life savings of a innocent bystander, that should certainly earn a point of Greed. A character is considered sinful whenever
I
is sinful in the rst place?
she has ve or more marks in a particular sin. The same thing goes for virtue, making the hero virtuous. In Runeforge, only a character’s most sinful When you begin your Rise of the Runelords aspect maers (ve or more points in a sin). campaign, take a moment to write down the In the case of a tie, you should make the names of all the characters on a large grid set judgment on which one applies most. with up to 14 dierent boxes per hero—one Specic examples of acts that can earn sin box for each sin and a corresponding virtue. points and virtue points are listed below. A sample chart is presented on the Envy: Complaining Envy: Complaining loudly or frequently following page. about another party member’s good fortune, As your campaign progresses, keep an skill, or luck. Charity: Spending signicant eye on the choices the heroes make. Each time tending to the wounded, free of charge, time anyone acts in a way that strikes you as after the goblin aack on Sandpoint. particularly sinful or virtuous, place a mark Gluony: Geing drunk multiple times Gluony: on the appropriate box on that character’s line. during the game session. Temperance: Spending a game session without drinking
SIN AND VIRTUE POINTS
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SIN AND VIRTUE POINTS Y V N E PLAYER PLA YER CHARACTER
Y T I R A H C
Y N O T T U L G
E C N A R E P M E T
at a tavern when at least two other heroes engage in such an act during the session. Greed: Robbing another hero, or hiding a signicant amount of treasure for one's self. Generosity: Turning Hambley’s life savings over to Mayor Deverin. Lust: Eagerly accepting Shayliss’s Lust: solicitations under the pressure of hunting rats in the shop basement. Love: Love: Giving someone a romantic gift. Pride: Bragging about how nothing in
D E E R G
Y T I S O R E N E G
E E T S V D I U O L L R P
Y T I L I M U H
H T O L S
L A E Z
H T A R W
S S E N D N I K
MAGIC ITEMS MINOR RUNEWELL Every time a creature with a wrathful soul (including most goblins and quite a few of the victims murdered years ago by Jervas Stoot) dies within a mile of a minor runewell, it gains one "Wrath Point." There’s no limit to the number of Wrath Points the minor runewell can store, but it currently contains only 20.
Each time the well’s waters are drawn upon Foxglove Manor was scary. Humility: Refusing to accept a reward for a mission, or (as detailed below), a number of Wrath Points are expended. If enough points are expended giving all credit to others. Sloth: Encouraging Sloth: Encouraging the party to stop and to put its total at 0 or negative Wrath Points, fad e away. rest after having only one or two signicant the well deactivates and its waters fade encounters in a day. Reactivating the runewell requires longZeal: Encouraging the party to press on lost rituals—or the reactivation of a major when the situation seems urgent, or after runewell somewhere else in the world. Such an event restores a minor runewell of wrath prolonged adventuring adventuring without a rest. to a starting level of three Wrath Points. Wrath: Eagerly torturing a prisoner. A minor runewell is only three feet deep, Kindness: Releasing an enemy who has Kindness: yet any living creature that enters its freezing surrendered, and/or healing its wounds so it orange waters immediately takes 2d6 cold has a beer chance at survival.
damage and must make a Spirit roll or be overcome with wrath. Failure indicates the creature becomes enraged and immediately aacks the nearest living creature.
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APPENDIX
If no living creatures are in sight, the enraged creature is compelled to seek out a victim as fast as it can. Its rage persists for 10 minutes, after which point the creature become bec omess Fat Fatigu igued. ed. Eac Each h act activat ivation ion of a minor runewell in this manner costs three Wrath Points. A minor runewell can also be commanded to disgorge manifest the hateful thing,aasinspawn. summonerTo need only allow a few drops of his blood to fall into the pool. One round later, a sinspawn emerges from the well and immediately aacks the closest creature in which it cannot scent wrath. Each use of a minor runewell in this manner costs six Wrath Points. Once a minor runewell of wrath is deactivated, it can be destroyed forever by lling it with holy water and performing a ritual that sets the well to boil for 24 hours.
SIHEDRON MEDALLION This medallion hangs on a leather cord, a silver disc inscribed with the Sihedron. They were given to favored agents of the runelords; granting minor benets to the wearers, but also allowing the runelords to use the wearer as proxies. By concentrating on a scrying device (such as a runewell), a runelord can sense the world through the Sihedron medallion wearer wearer’s ’s senses and speak through her voice—provided the runelord knows of the existence of the medallion and the fact that it's being worn. Thus, Karzoug cannot use the medallion while it’s worn by Nualia in this book, as she is unknown to him, but once the heroes come to his aention later in the campaign, that may well change. While worn, a Sihedron medallion grants the wearer a Benny once per session.
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INDEX IND EX
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