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Adventure Guide

(Read this in lieu of the story text on Adventure and Scenario cards.)

Rise of the Runelords Written By Byron Campbell


The Perils of the Lost Coast Written by Neil Edmonds

Cover illustrations by Wayne Reynolds

Version 1.7
Page 1

Adventure Path: Perils of the Lost Coast Prologue

Civilized lands are no place for an adventurer like you. The rough and tumble frontier, dotted with abandoned ruins, is where
you ply your trade. Youve heard tales of Varisia and decide to make your name and fortune there, but long-distance travel isnt
free, so you hire yourself out as a guard on whatever caravan is headed in the direction you want to go.

Scenario 0-1: Brigandoom! Prologue

It was supposed to be an easy assignment: escort a group of ranchers to Sandpoint and defend them from wolves, marauding
goblins, and the occasional ogre. You didnt count on an organized band of Sczarni, notorious thieving wanderers, to ambush
the herd while you patrolled the perimeter. Your patrol is interrupted by loud explosions coming from the main camp. Racing
back, you encounter a cloud of thick green smoke. The noxious vapors leave you gasping for breath as your knees buckle and
the world goes black.
Fortunately, you were at the edge of the cloud, so you recover quickly. You lie still for a few moments and assess the situation.
Even Jubrayl Vhiski will like this livestock, grunts a rough-looking man with heavy stubble as he stoops to slit the throat of an
unconscious rancher. They aint lean like the last batch.
Rising slowly to your feet, you notice your fellow guards stirring. Adventurers like yourself, theyre upright in a few moments.
Exchanging glances with each other, you nod in silent agreement about what needs to be done. Together, you put an end to the
cowardly brigands life.
Now you find yourself tracking the surviving bandits back to their hideout, the headquarters of their leader, Jubrayl Vhiski.
Together with your fellow adventurers, youre united in your quest for vengeance.

Scenario 0-1: Brigandoom! Epilogue

Jubrayl Vhiski crumples under the combined might of you and your companions. Among his personal effects is a receipt for
herbs and alchemical ingredients from one Aliver Podiker in Sandpoint. You suspect Podiker is the source of the bandits smoke
bombs and pledge to pay him a visit.

Illustration by Jon Hodgson


Page 2

Scenario 0-2: The Poison Pill Prologue

It seems youre not the only one looking for Aliver Podiker. Pillbug, as the locals call him, went missing after a series of rat
traps he placed ended up killing a few villagers. Now the town guard is combing the streets looking for him. Youll have to find
Podiker yourself if you want answers.

Scenario 0-2: The Poison Pill Epilogue

I wont let Judge Ironbriar pass a death sentence on me, sneers Pillbug. He dashes a glass bottle on the ground and is
immediately enveloped in a billowing yellow cloud. You dive forward and tackle Podiker, driving both of you clear of the
cloud.
Its not my fault, Pillbug coughs. The Mother She is coming! Must be prepared for her children. Pillbug starts to
convulse, and you try your best to steady him. White foam flecks the corners of Podikers mouth as the thrashing intensifies.
He gives one final heave and falls still. You wont be learning anything else from Aliver Pillbug Podiker.

Illustration by Christopher Burdett


Page 3

Scenario 0-3: Black Fangs Dungeon Prologue

You attributed the disappearance of local livestock to theft by Jubrayl Vhiskis men, but the farmers insist theyre still losing
their animals. They spin tales of black death on shadowy wings and beg you to help them. Theyve tracked the beast to its lair
but lack the skill at arms to destroy it. The farmers have little to offer, but suggest that the ancient ruins attached to the beasts
lair hold treasures of interest to stalwart adventurers like you. You consult with your newfound companions and agree to
investigate.

Scenario 0-3: Black Fangs Dungeon Epilogue

The farmers were troubled by an adolescent dragon named Black Fang. The young dragons threats couldnt intimidate your
experienced party of adventurers, but you are disturbed by Black Fangs comments that he was safeguarding his lair to protect it
from someone whose avarice is much greater than your own. When you demanded answers, the dragon chuckled and told you
to enjoy the festival.

Adventure Path: Perils of the Lost Coast Epilogue

Your short time in Varisia suggests theres more going on than meets the eye. If you want further answers, youll need to head
to Sandpoint its famous Swallowtail Festival must be what the dragon Black Fang was referring to. You set out alongside
your new companions, forged in the fire of battle and confident you can handle whatever presents itself if you work together.

Illustration by Carlos Gomez


Page 4

Adventure Path: Rise of the Runelords Prologue

Welcome to Varisia. Its a realm dotted with the monolithic relics of an empire long since crumbled, a rough but majestic land
of mist forests and rolling plains bordered by sharp peaks and bountiful seas. Its people are hardy pioneers and newly minted
nobles, all eager to carve names for themselves from the stern landscape. Beyond the settled lands, beasts and giants unused to
civilizations encroachment stalk the hills and woods, making short work of the unwary and legends of the bold. Yet none can
claim to know all of Varisias secrets, and in its darkest shadows an ages-old evil stirs once more.

Adventure 1: Burnt Offerings Prologue

Youve arrived in Sandpoint, a small town on the Varisian Lost Coast, to witness the inauguration of its new cathedral, where
worshippers of Varisias six primary deities Desna, goddess of travelers and luck; Abadar, Master of the First Vault;
Sarenrae, the Healing Light; Shelyn, goddess of beauty, love and art; Gozreh, the nature deity; and Erastil, known as Old
Deadeye among his followers may gather in harmony. The old chapel burned down five years ago during a tragic period in
Sandpoint known as the Late Unpleasantness, taking with it the lives of its priest, Father Tobyn, and his adopted daughter
Nualia, still revered throughout Sandpoint for her beauty and purity.
As soon as you arrive in town, you buy lodgings at The Rusty Dragon, Sandpoints most popular inn, known for the storytelling
prowess of its proprietress, Ameiko Kaijitsu, who is a former adventurer herself. Pressing Ameiko for juicy details about the
mostly quiet town, she tells you about the Old Light, a genuine Thassilonian ruin of unknown purpose. She goes on to describe
Sandpoints four aristocratic families, each responsible for a major aspect of Sandpoints economy: the Scarnettis, who have a
monopoly on the logging and milling business; the Valdemars, shipbuilders and carpenters; the Deverins, farmers and brewers;
and the Kaijitsus, who run the local glassworks and of whom Ameiko is the sole heir, her half-brother Tsuto having been driven
from the family due to his obviously mixed heritage, the result of her mothers tryst with an elvish man her mother refused to
identify, the evidence of which was clear in Tsutos half-elf features. The current mayor of Sandpoint is a Deverin.

Continued

Illustration by Wayne Reynolds


Page 5

Finally, as the darkness creeps in, Ameiko tells you about the Late Unpleasantness. It began with the death of Ameikos mother,
who was found battered at the bottom of a cliff, and ended with the burning of the old Sandpoint Chapel in which Father Tobyn
and Nualia perished. However, the star of the Late Unpleasantness was a serial murderer named Chopper, who was revealed, to
the shock of all, to be the mild-mannered Jervis Stoot. Chopper claimed twenty-five victims before he was captured, all of them
horribly disfigured. Even five years later, Choppers memory still darkens the town. It seemed to be a month of bad luck for all
of Sandpoint; even the beautiful Nualia, who had recently fallen pregnant (quite the scandal for an unwed priests daughter),
suffered a miscarriage shortly before the chapel fire that claimed her life. Nobody except Nualias father and the attending
midwife witnessed the lifeless fetus, but rumors quickly spread that it was grotesquely deformed, so unlike its aasimar mother.
As this tale winds down, you glance at the other faces around the table and notice that all are as tired as you suddenly feel. You
retire to your rooms, eager to banish the recent tragedy from your mind and join in the revels surrounding the Sandpoint
Cathedrals inauguration, timed to coincide with Sandpoints famous Swallowtail Festival in celebration of the goddess
Desna an important deity for all adventurers, for she watches over dreamers and wanderers.

Illustrations by Alex Aparin and Jason Rainville


Page 6

Scenario 1-1: Attack on Sandpoint Prologue

The inauguration of Sandpoint Cathedral is a solemn affair. Its clear that most of the assembled townsfolk are attending out of
duty, eager to return to the revels of the Swallowtail Festival. A small platform has been erected in front of the building, at
which important figures from the town take turns addressing the crowd.
First, Mayor Kendra Deverin makes a brief speech celebrating Father Zantus, founder of the new cathedral, and his decision to
maintain the multi-denominational function of the old chapel. Then, Sheriff Hemlock takes the podium and makes a humorless
speech urging the festival-goers to celebrate responsibly. One by one, members from each of the towns aristocratic families
take the stage and utter words of praise for the new cathedral. However, as Lonjiku Kaijitsu, Ameikos father, takes the stage,
the crowd becomes aware of another sound: shrill voices chanting an off-key, maniacal song.

Goblins chew and goblins bite.


Goblins cut and goblins fight.
Stab the dog and cut the horse,
Goblins eat and take by force!

Goblins race and goblins jump.


Goblins slash and goblins bump.
Burn the skin and mash the head,
Goblins here and you be dead!

Chase the baby, catch the pup.


Bonk the head to shut it up.
Bones be cracked, flesh be stewed,
We be goblins! You be food!

Suddenly, goblins erupt from the crowd, sending the assembled villagers into a panic. Some of the goblins are astride their
rat-like mounts, ugly creatures called goblin dogs, while others are on foot; some wield dogslicers and horsechoppers,
traditional goblin weaponry, while others carry blazing torches, touching them to whatever they find that looks like it might
burn. With horror, you realize that Sandpoint Cathedral is already ablaze!
The goblins are everywhere, slicing and singing merrily. At the center of the chaos is a particularly bloodthirsty goblin who
appears to be commanding the others from the back of a giant gecko. Out of the corner of your eye, you also notice a
dark-haired half-elf who stands amidst the teeming goblin horde, looking unexpectedly calm.

Illustration by Wayne Reynolds


Page 7

Scenario 1-1: Attack on Sandpoint Epilogue

After you manage to kill the gecko-mounted goblin warlord, the rest of the goblin raiders disperse, their sense of purpose dying
with their leader. About an hour later, Sheriff Hemlock declares it safe for the citizens of Sandpoint to come out of hiding,
although for obvious reasons, the Swallowtail Festival wont be proceeding forward as scheduled.
Youre called to a meeting with Sheriff Hemlock and Kendra Deverin. Shalelu Andosana, an elvish ranger who is familiar with
the wilds around Sandpoint, is there as well. She identifies the gecko-riding goblin as Ripnugget, the leader of the Thistletop
goblins, the strongest tribe in Sandpoints vicinity. Whats unusual, however, is that goblins from all four of the other local
tribes the Birdcrunchers, the Mosswoods, the Licktoads and the Seven Tooth tribe were spotted among the goblin
invaders. Goblin tribes are notoriously territorial and spend more time fighting each other, thank Desna, than they do bothering
nearby humans. What could possibly have persuaded them to act in concert?
Sheriff Hemlock identifies the black-haired half-elf as Tsuto Kaijitsu, Ameikos half-brother. You were able to capture him
alive, but so far, he isnt cooperating with the sheriffs interrogations. All you can confirm is that Tsuto was responsible for
sneaking the goblins into Sandpoint, although he wont say how. He appears to have been motivated by an intense hatred for his
father, Lonjiku Kaijitsu, who Tsuto claims was responsible for his mothers death. However, the half-elf insists that he was not
the mastermind behind the goblin attack. When asked who was responsible, Tsuto merely smiles, a dreamy look in his eyes.
Although the village of Sandpoint is safe for now, you cant help feeling this is only the first chapter of a much darker and more
dangerous story.

Illustration by Tim Kings-Lynne


Page 8

Scenario 1-2: Local Heroes Prologue

Although youve driven off the main attack force, a few goblins still linger in Sandpoint, hiding in closets or dressers, preying on
pets, children and the elderly. Sheriff Hemlock, impressed by your exploits during the attack, enlists your help in clearing out
the remaining goblins and patrolling the nearby wilderness for signs of further danger.
Meanwhile, the residents of Sandpoint are falling over themselves to express their gratitude for your heroic deeds. Cyrdak
Drokkus, proprietor of the Sandpoint Theater, wants to pen a play in your honor; Aldern Foxglove, a minor noble whose estate
sits between Sandpoint and nearby Magnimar, invites you to his manor for a private luncheon; and Shayliss, beautiful daughter
of Ven Vinder, who owns of the General Store, says that she wants to thank you personally. Noticing the burly shopkeeper
glaring at you as Shayliss says this, you pray to Sarenrae for the wisdom to resist temptation.
Scenario 1-2: Local Heroes Epilogue

Splitting your time between cleaning up Sandpoint and carousing with its residents, youve learned more about the local
situation. Brodert Quink, a scholar who has spent his life studying the Old Light and other Thassilonian ruins, fills you in, in
excruciating detail, on the folkways and customs of the local goblin tribes, but he is unable to explain what could have caused
the warring tribes to band together under Ripnugget, leader of the Thistletop goblins. The Thistletops are the strongest tribe in
the region, as most of the other goblin tribes lack a strong leader, such as Ripnugget was. Koruvus, a goblin champion, used to
belong to the Seven Tooth tribe that raids Sandpoints junk heaps, but he went missing some time ago. The strongest remaining
goblin known to Quink, Bruthazmus the bugbear ranger, is not aligned with any tribe. Now that Ripnugget is dead, Quink
supposes that leadership of the Thistletop tribe has fallen to Gogmurt, Ripnuggets chief advisor and a powerful goblin shaman.
You made the acquaintance of Ilsoari Gandethus, the headmaster of the Turandarok Academy and an ex-adventurer with many
trophies from his former life in the basement of the academy all quite safe, despite rumors among his pupils that he keeps the
legendary Sandpoint Devil and other child-snatching horrors down there.
Finally, you met with Father Zantus, who luckily survived the attack on the cathedral, and learned a disturbing fact: some
graves behind the cathedral had been disturbed during the goblin raid. In particular, Father Tobyns grave was dug up and
emptied. Nualias headstone was also disturbed.
You arrive back at the Rusty Dragon nearly bursting from all the gifts of wine and baked goods you received. Just as you are
about to fall into your bed, however, Ameiko Kaijitsu informs you that youve received a message from Sheriff Hemlock.
Its about my brother, she says sadly.

The death of Tsutos mother was considered an accident, but Tsuto accuses
his step-father Lonjiku Kaijitsu of intentionally murdering his unfaithful wife.
Illustration by Maichol Quinto
Page 9

Scenario 1-3: Trouble in Sandpoint Prologue

It seems that the sheriffs reached a breakthrough in his interrogations of Tsuto


Kaijitsu, and has forced the half-elf to reveal how he managed to sneak the goblin
army into the heart of Sandpoint. Theres a hidden network of tunnels beneath the
glassworks, previously used to smuggle goods in and out of Sandpoint. The sheriff
sent a few of his men to investigate, and they came back with reports of horrific
abominations unlike any monster theyd encountered before. There was also a
shrine to Lamashtu, the demon-goddess known as the Mother of Monsters, and a
mysterious chamber decorated with a large seven-pointed star. They also heard an
evil tittering, but were unable to identify its source.
Sheriff Hemlock offers you a small stipend for investigating the tunnels. He wants
you to find any information suggesting a second goblin raid and eliminate the
strange abominations that threaten to spread to the surface now that Tsuto
reopened the passages.

Scenario 1-3: Trouble in Sandpoint Epilogue

After hours of searching the subterranean chambers, you locate the source of the horrific abominations, which indeed are unlike
anything you have seen or heard of before. They seem to be emerging from a small pool in a rune-covered chamber near a
shrine to the demon goddess Lamashtu; you notice that the seven-pointed star design is common here, as well. At first, you
cant figure out how to stop the abominations from spawning, but you soon notice a tiny, tittering demon hovering about the
pool, occasionally spilling a few drops of her own blood into the liquid. Her small size and powerful magic make her a
formidable foe, but you eventually corner the demon and eliminate the threat.
Brodert Quink, the scholar, expresses an interest in studying the pool from which the unknown creatures emerged. He believes
that it may be a previously undiscovered Thassilonian artifact. However, its still too dangerous for anybody other than seasoned
adventurers to journey into these tunnels for now. The abominations may return, and who can say what other horrors lurk in
the smugglers tunnels. During your exploration, you tangled with a large, deformed goblin wielding a magic sword in one of
the many arms that sprouted from his torso. You brought the sword to the surface, and Quink identifies it as the one wielded by
the goblin champion Koruvus, previously thought dead. If the many-armed creature was indeed Koruvus, Quink is at a loss to
explain the creatures hideous appearance, since the missing goblin champion had the normal distribution of limbs.
And speaking of goblins, you discovered some papers in the tunnels that tell of another, larger invasion force massing on the
island fortress known as Thistletop. They also hint at a far more chilling revelation: that the commander of the goblin armies,
the mastermind behind this entire scheme, is none other than Nualia, the beautiful priests daughter thought to have perished in
the Sandpoint Chapel blaze five years ago.

Illustrations by Eric Belisle and the Community Use Package


Page 10

Scenario 1-4: Approach to Thistletop Prologue

If the second goblin invasion is allowed to happen, then there will be no way to defend Sandpoint; the only hope is to go to
Thistletop and eliminate the threat at its source. To reach the island fortress, youll need to pass through the Nettlewood, a
thick forest of briars and bramble that can only be traversed comfortably by creatures of goblin size.
Shalelu Andosana, the elvish ranger, warns you to be especially wary of Gogmurt, the druidic shaman of the Thistletop tribe,
who makes the Nettlewood his home. Now that Ripnugget is dead, its likely that Gogmurt has succeeded him as the new
warchief of the tribe. A powerful foe by himself, Gogmurt is even more dangerous when accompanied by Tangletooth, the
tamed firepelt cougar that is always to be found by his side. Shalelu also warns you to keep an eye out for Bruthazmus, the
brutish bugbear ranger, who stages frequent raids in the area.

Illustration by Eric Belisle


Page 11

Scenario 1-4: Approach to Thistletop Epilogue

You emerge from the Nettlewood bruised, cramped, your skin and armor torn to ribbons by the ever-present brambles.
Somewhere in that tangled thicket lies the corpse of Gogmurt, who you vanquished along the way. As you make your final
approach, you take measure of Thistletops defenses and reflect on the battle to come. You know that a greater struggle lies
ahead, but you are relieved to have dispatched the powerful shaman and left the goblins leaderless.
Unless you wonder for the hundredth time if what you discovered in the tunnels beneath Sandpoint could really be true, if
beautiful, pure Nualia could be responsible for the goblin raids? You shake your head. It raises too many questions. If Nualia
lives, how did she survive the chapel fire? And what could possibly be her endgame?

Illustration by Tyler Walpole


Page 12

Scenario 1-5: Thistletop Delve Prologue

You hear human voices raised in argument as you stealthily approach the Thistletop fortress. Through a narrow casement
window, you catch a glimpse of a beautiful, white-haired woman who can only be Nualia. There is something odd about her
as she moves about the room, you get an occasional sight of a twisted, monstrous red arm and, on her bare stomach, a scar in
the shape of the mark of Lamashtu, demon goddess of monsters.
Nualia eventually storms from the room, revealing the subjects of her ire: a white-hooded female mage and a well-armed male
fighter, presumably some sort of mercenaries or bodyguards. They quarrel briefly in low voices, as though they dont see
eye-to-eye about the orders theyve received from their half-celestial mistress, but eventually, they reach a consensus and
depart.
As you ponder the implications of this scene, your reverie is interrupted by the shrill cry of a goblin from the ramparts. Youve
been spotted! Whatever Nualias motivations, killing her is the only way to end the threat to Sandpoint, and youll have to act
quickly, before she has the chance to flee.

Illustration by Eva Widermann


Page 13

Scenario 1-5: Thistletop Delve Epilogue

Even as you fought, you could not believe that this was the same Nualia of whom Sandpoints villagers spoke with such
reverence and awe. She fought with a barely contained fury, more like a beast than a human, let alone a celestial being
(Nualia is was an aasimar, the product of a union between humans and beings of the celestial sphere). As you battled, she
spewed foul curses and invocations of Lamashtu. There seemed to be no end to her brutal attacks, and the monstrous red claw
growing from her arm fought with a mind of its own. Blows rained down on you from both sides. However, Nualia eventually
fell, and now her corpse lies crumpled at your feet.
Several times during the fight, when you were certain you landed a killing blow, a medallion hanging from Nualias neck
glowed faintly and appeared to absorb the attack. Sensing a powerful magical artifact, you liberate it from her corpse. The
medallion takes the form of a seven-pointed star, similar to the runes you found in Sandpoints underground tunnels. Youre
sure it will come in handy should you encounter any further unforeseen danger.
You secure Nualias belongings and explore the rest of the Thistletop fortress, slaying any remaining goblins you find as a
message to any would-be raiders of Sandpoint. You subdue the human mercenaries that Nualia had hired, Orik Vancaskerkin
and Lyrie Akenja, and take them into custody to answer for any crimes they may have committed against the people of
Sandpoint. Finally, in what appears to be Nualias sleeping quarters, you discover a small shrine to Lamashtu, as well as a
journal going back at least six years. You stow the journal away, to peruse later. Hopefully, it contains the answer to the
seemingly random acts of violence perpetrated over the past week.

Illustration by Alex Aparin


Page 14

Adventure 1: Burnt Offerings Epilogue

You spend the following week recovering from your adventures and receiving the hearty commendations of Mayor Deverin,
Sheriff Hemlock, and the other luminaries of the town. The two mercenaries, as well as Tsuto Kaijitsu, Ameikos half-brother,
are transported to the nearby city of Magnimar to stand trial for their crimes. You smile when you hear that the infamously
ruthless Justice Ironbriar is presiding.
Perusing Nualias journal, you finally understand the impetus behind the atrocities committed during the Swallowtail Festival.
Although the people of Sandpoint remembered Nualia with awe, her journal tells a different story. As a child, Nualias unique
appearance invited mockery and torment from the other children, and as she grew into a beautiful woman, the fearful reverence
shown by the villagers seemed to the self-conscious girl to cement her reputation as an outcast. She fell in love with one of the
only villagers who dared approach her like a human being, and soon they were meeting nightly in the smugglers tunnels
beneath the glassworks. This was where Nualia conceived her child. Unbeknownst to her, only a single wall of stone separated
the lovers from the grim shrine to Lamashtu. It was no wonder that their spawn turned out to be a monster.
One night after her miscarriage, Nualias rage came to a head, and she locked her foster father inside the chapel before burning
it to the ground and fleeing to nearby Magnimar. Sandpoints residents, thinking Nualias remains destroyed in the blaze,
erected a headstone as a simple place marker. In Magnimar, Nualia began working to rid herself of what she called her celestial
taint. She devoted her life to the worship of Lamashtu and revenge upon the people of Sandpoint. The hateful aasimar
eventually crossed paths with a philanthropic organization she refers to as the Skinsaw Men, who gave her the mysterious
medallion and pointed her toward a secret chamber in the tunnels beneath Sandpoint, containing the shrine to Lamashtu and the
strange pool of Thassilonian origin. There, she met the tiny demon known as Erylium and learned the ways of Lamashtu-
worship. Eventually, Nualia leveraged her unearthly beauty to unite the greedy goblin tribes and hatched the scheme that you
have now thwarted.
The journal also mentions a demon called Malfeshnekor, which
Nualia was in the process of freeing the defilement of her fathers
grave was part of this scheme. Her eventual goal was to unleash the
demon upon a defenseless Sandpoint, wiping it utterly off the map.
Thankfully, you stopped Nualia before she could enact this plan.
The scholar Brodert Quink, who specializes in Thassilonian history,
informs you that the seven-pointed star on Nualias medallion is
known as the Sihedron Rune, a powerful symbol in ancient
Thassilonian society. The seven points of the star represent the seven
great virtues revered by the Thassilonians: wealth, fertility, honest
pride, abundance, eager striving, righteous anger, and well-deserved
rest. How the so-called Skinsaw Men came by a Thassilonian
artifact is unknown. You also show the medallion to Headmaster
Gandethus at the Academy, who confirms that it contains powerful
warding magic. It can protect the wearer from harm, and even
preserve dead bodies for an indefinite period of time.

Illustration by Bryan Sola


Page 15

Adventure 2: The Skinsaw Murders Prologue

The rumors spread throughout Sandpoint like wildfire: Chopper has returned.
You sip your ale in the common room at The Rusty Dragon, watching the haggard, frightened faces of the locals as they
exchange tales about Choppers reign of terror. Their stories remind you of your first evening in The Rusty Dragon, when the
proprietress, Ameiko Kaijitsu, chilled you with stories of the Late Unpleasantness. The fire that consumed the Sandpoint Chapel
and started beautiful Nualia on the path to revenge was only one incident in a month of tragedy. Due to recent events, its taken
precedence in your mind, but you now remember that it was but a footnote compared to the horrific string of murders
committed by the man known as Chopper.
Known for hideously mutilating his victims, Chopper turned out to be the mild-mannered, if eccentric, Jervis Stoot. In what
appeared to be a sacrifice to the demon lord Pazuzu, Stoot claimed his own life just minutes before local constables cornered
him in his remote cabin.
All of which begs the question: who, or what, is behind the recent string of murders plaguing Sandpoint and nearby Magnimar?
Bodies are appearing once more, from local bankers and merchants to miserly farmers. Like the murders five years ago, the
bodies are terribly mutilated. All over Sandpoint, gravesites have been desecrated, their earth freshly disturbed. What is most
frightening to Sandpoints villagers, however, is the smell that lingers around the victims bodies. It is the unmistakable, putrid
stench of decay. Could Chopper have risen from the grave to continue his killings?
One additional detail of the murders has caught your eye: according to the reports from Sheriff Hemlocks men, each of the
victims was mutilated in a very particular way. Unlike the murders five years ago, the recent victims have each had a
seven-pointed star carved deep into their flesh.

You overhear many conflicting stories from the Rusty Dragons frightened
patrons about the eccentric Jervis Stoot, the infamous murderer Chopper,
who slew 25 people before taking his own life.
Illustrations by Kate Maximovich and Lane Brown
Page 16

Scenario 2-1: Undead Uprising Prologue

A local constable pounds on the door to your rooms, rousing you from your slumber. He bears an urgent message from Sheriff
Hemlock: theyve apprehended a suspect in the recent murders.
A few days ago, Grayst Sevilla was discovered fleeing from the site of a murder. The three victims, former business partners of
Sevilla, were found dead with the Sihedron Rune carved into their chests. Sevilla bore several deep lacerations of his own, as
though a struggle had taken place. By the time the town guard found him, Sevilla was ranting and foaming at the mouth.
Behaving with extreme aggression toward anybody near him, Grayst Sevilla was deemed not in his right mind and sent to the
local sanatorium to recover his wits.
This sanatorium, known formally as the Saintly Haven of Respite, is run by one Dr. Erin Habe. The constable warns you to
watch your words around Dr. Habe, whose methods are unusual, bordering on cruel. Hes been accused of having more
interest in studying his inmates than trying to help them. For instance, a were-rat named Pidget Tergelson has been in Dr.
Habes care for many years, during which time Dr. Habe has published several papers on the nature of therianthropy, but has
made no progress in curing Pidget of his dangerous obsession with sharp objects.
Thats not all, though. An hour ago, another victim was discovered, the foreman of the Scarnetti lumbermill. You recall that
the Scarnettis are one of the four noble families of Sandpoint. Their tight control over the local milling industry has bred
accusations that they have intentionally sabotaged competing mills and resorted to other dishonest practices. This new victim,
also marked with the Sihedron Rune and surrounded by a foul stench, bore a note addressed to you personally. The message
was a collection of indecipherable ramblings, signed, simply, Your Lordship.
This note, along with Grayst Sevillas deteriorating mental state, prompted Sheriff Hemlock to request your immediate
assistance. You agree without hesitation. Now that the killer is leaving personalized messages for you and employing the
Sihedron Rune, you cant in good conscience watch this case unfold from a distance. Your instructions are to head to Sandpoint
Sanatorium and interview Grayst Sevilla. It seems likely that Sevilla is not a suspect after all, but a witness. If Sevilla did in fact
commit the murders prior to his commitment, he is not acting alone.
As you head out into the moonless night to investigate these matters, you hear a low moan and the shuffling of feet as dozens of
half-rotten corpses emerge from the darkness. As if murderers and madmen werent enough, you now appear to have a plague
of zombies on your hands. Could there be any connection?

Illustrations by Maichol Quinto and Florian Stitz


Page 17

Scenario 2-1: Undead Uprising Epilogue

Youve discovered the source of Sandpoints zombie infestation, but are no closer to reaching the identity of Your Lordship or
the cause of the recent murders.
When you arrived to interview Grayst Sevilla, you found the straitjacketed suspect in an advanced state of the disease known as
ghoul fever, which is contracted from the bite of a ghoul or ghast. Dr. Habes study was filled with volume upon volume of
research on the subject of ghouls and their ilk, intelligent undead who feast upon the rotten remains of their fellow humans.
Anybody who perishes from ghoul fever will rise the next night as a ghoul themselves. Graysts illness, together with the foul
stench associated with the murders, implies that a ghoul or ghast is behind the attacks. Unfortunately, Sevilla was beyond
questioning by the time you found him. He could only repeat the nonsensical message that his master had given him:
He said that if you came to his Misgivings, that if you joined his Pack, he would end his harvest in your honor.
As for the zombie outbreak, it appears to have been the work of a necromancer by the name of Caizarlu Zerren. Living in the
basement of Habes Sanatorium, Zerren had secretly financed Dr. Habes studies for years, in addition to conducting foul
experiments of his own. The latest of these experiments was an attempt to trace the lineage of a ghoul through several
generations of ghoul fever. It was Zerrens theory that Sandpoint is the site of a powerful ghoulish source. Once youd had
enough of his ravings, you slew the foul necromancer and put down his zombie minions. You are now on your way back to
town to report your findings to Sheriff Hemlock.

Illustration by Carmen Cianelli


Page 18

Scenario 2-2: Crow Bait Prologue

You arrive at the watch station brimming with news about ghouls, ghasts and necromancy, only to find another crisis awaiting
you. The station is filled with the sound of sobbing coming from a half-dozen near-hysterical farmers or their wives or children.
The duty of consoling the grieving farmers has the sheriffs men completely occupied.
Maester Grump, an elderly farmer from Sandpoints hinterlands, is seated in a corner cradling a tankard of mead, a
shell-shocked expression on his face. He shakes his head slowly to and fro, muttering a sentence to himself over and over:
They even ate the dogs.
When he notices your presence, Maester Grumps eyes focus. He shoots out of his seat, making his way unsteadily toward you.
You you have to help, he quavers. Grump proceeds to tell you what would sound like a tall tale were it not for the horrors
youve already witnessed tonight. He describes strange noises emanating from a neighbors farm at night a frantic farmers
daughter arriving at his doorstep, unable to find her parents Grump, searching for the childs kin, running into more and
more confused souls who had been separated from their loved ones the feral, human-like creatures that emerged from his
neighbors barn, slaughtering several farmers, and even Maester Grumps best hunting dogs. More ghouls, you have no doubt,
turned by the mysterious killer. If the ghoulish murderer is at large among Sandpoints farmlands tonight, this may be your best
chance to capture it.
Before you go, Maester Grump warns you in a half-crazed voice, Watch out for the scarecrows some of them, theyre
real. Puzzling over these ominous words, you head back out into the night.

Illustration by Erik Jones


Page 19

Scenario 2-2: Crow Bait Epilogue

Watch out for the scarecrows is right. It was only through Maester Grumps advice that you managed to avoid the infectious
bites of these dangerous creatures, which turned out to be ghouls or farmers in the throes of ghoul fever, dressed as scarecrows
and chained to posts in the middle of overgrown fields of wheat and corn. Rescuing those you could and slaying the rest, you
found yourself wondering what sort of warped and fiendish mind could conceive such a trap. There was also, to your great
shock, one particularly rugged scarecrow that appeared to be a golem stitched together from human flesh. How that ties in to
the ghoul outbreak is anybodys guess.
You didnt have to wonder long about the twisted mind behind the scarecrow traps. Investigating Grumps neighbors
farmhouse, you soon ran into a gaunt ghoul wielding a bloodied knife. To no-ones great surprise, the ghoul stood beside the
Sihedron-scarred corpse of the farms owner. Sheriff Hemlock arrived just as you cut down the creature. He identified the foul
creature as Rogors Craesby, caretaker to Aldern Foxgloves ancestral home on the outskirts of Sandpoint. In its death throes,
the ghoul croaked out an invitation to visit my Lord at his Misgivings.
Hemlocks face lit up in recognition as suddenly it all made sense. Foxglove Manor,
he explained, is locally referred to as the Misgivings because of terrible crimes
rumored to have occurred there when Aldern was just a boy. Travelers who pass by
the place swear that they can see ghostly lights and half-transparent figures haunting
its upper windows.
Is Aldern Foxglove the one responsible for these hideous murders? He seemed so
harmless when you met him earlier. And why mark his victims with an ancient
Thassilonian rune? Sheriff Hemlock is as perplexed as you are, but there is only one
way to get the answers you seek. You must push onward through the darkness toward
the looming shadow of Foxglove Manor.

Illustrations by Andrew Hou and Maichol Quinto


Page 20

Scenario 2-3: Foul Misgivings Prologue

As you make your way toward the dilapidated manor, Sheriff Hemlock fills you in on the colorful history of the place. It was
constructed almost 100 years ago by Vorel Foxglove, Alderns great-great-uncle. Vorel was a strange man, obsessed with the
study of exotic, and, some would say, unholy rituals. Twenty years after construction on the sprawling manor was completed,
Vorel and his entire family were suddenly wiped out by an unknown illness. The mansion lay uninhabited after that until Traver
Foxglove, Vorels great-nephew and Alderns father, moved in with the intent of restoring Foxglove Manor to its former
opulence. Instead of happiness, however, the manor brought Traver only misery. He became increasingly reclusive and
depressed, eventually murdering his wife Cyralie and taking his own life, leaving Aldern an orphan.
Why Lord Foxglove chose to return to this place after what happened to him here is beyond me, Sheriff Hemlock confesses as
you near the buildings warped and rusted gates. Aldern had tried to renovate and occupy the manor previously, but he
abandoned the task after the sudden disappearance of his beautiful wife Iesha, to whom he had been married for only five
months. Come to think about it, Hemlock continues, that was about the time of old Choppers murders too. You dont think
we caught the wrong man, do you?
Red-eyed crows hunch in the bare branches of what trees remain on the estate. These are likely to be carrionstorm, undead
birds whove feasted on those infected by ghoul fever. Sheriff Hemlock mentions that the corpses of bloated, tumor-covered
rats have shown up in the area. Farmers and hunters give them a wide berth for fear of plague. Be on your guard, the sheriff
warns you. If the rumors of hauntings be true well, this place has seen no shortage of death.

Illustration by Wayne Reynolds


Page 21

Scenario 2-3: Foul Misgivings Epilogue

Your mind still reels at the horrors you witnessed within Foxglove Manor, horrors far greater than even the darkest whisperings
of the locals.
The manor was indeed haunted, an eternal prison for three generations of the once-noble Foxglove family. Within its walls, you
felt your will constantly under assault as your defenseless mind was confronted by the memories of the dead. You learned the
truth behind Vorels death, how he had sought immortality by enacting a foul ritual to transform himself into a lich, lord of the
undead, and was interrupted at a crucial moment by his wife, who had discovered Vorels secret alchemical laboratory in the
dungeons underneath the manor. The ritual failed. Vorels skin was instantly covered with disgusting pustules and tumors, a
disease that spread rapidly throughout the house, claiming his entire family.
You learned how Traver, Alderns father, had his mind affected by the same disease and by Vorels spirit, which still lingers on
the grounds. The supernatural influence drove Traver to murder his beloved wife and take his own life.
And finally, you discovered the truth of Iesha Foxgloves death from the restless spirit of Iesha herself. She and Aldern were
deeply in love, but he was jealous, his mind warped by the curse of Foxglove Manor. One day Aldern returned home to find
Iesha in the library with one of the carpenters Aldern hired to fix up the manor. In a jealous rage, Aldern killed them both. You
note that Alderns bloodlust coincided exactly with the time of Nualias disappearance, Choppers murders, and Lonjiku
Kaijitsus supposed murder of his own wife.
You finally confront Aldern himself in the ruins of what once was Vorels laboratory. He has been transformed into a hideous
ghoul, perhaps as a corruption of Vorels necromantic magic, almost certainly the source of the ghoul outbreak in Sandpoint.
Aldern wields a war razor, the same tool used to carve the Sihedron Rune into his victims bodies. When you ask him why he
committed the murders, Aldern becomes confused. It wasnt me, he protests. It was the Skinsaw Man who killed them.
Those are Aldern Foxgloves final words. You take his head, to ensure that he will not rise again.

Scenario 2-4: The Cult Exposed Prologue

Going through the papers in Vorels laboratory, you find that both Vorel and Aldern had ties with an organization in Magnimar
called The Brothers of the Seven. Vorel describes them as a secret society for wealthy and influential Magnimarian men. It
appears that they funded most of the construction, and later the renovation, of Foxglove Manor. They also financed Vorels
construction of the Scarecrow Golem you faced earlier and helped Aldern cover up the murder of his wife Iesha.
However, at some points, a second group is mentioned, somehow wrapped up with the Brothers of the Seven. Theyre called
the Skinsaw Men. From the elusive notes, you conclude that the Skinsaw Men are a religious cult worshipping a god called
Father Skinsaw. Its not a name you recognize, but most of Golarions gods go by various names to their different followers.
Whats most interesting is that, after the event five years ago, Aldern Foxglove started receiving orders directly from the
Skinsaw Men, who used his wifes death as blackmail. If it was the Skinsaw Men who instructed Aldern to carry out the foul
murders and to carve the Sihedron Rune into his victims, then its almost certain that the same cult is responsible for the similar
murders that have been occurring in Magnimar.
While details on the Skinsaw Men are thin, you pick up two useful facts: their leader is a white-haired elf who holds some
position of authority in Magnimars infamously corrupt justice system, and they convene at a location referred to as the
Sevens Sawmill. Armed with this knowledge, you set out for the city of Magnimar, determined to unmask this vile cult and
put an end to their bloody murders.

Illustration by Ben Wootten


Page 22

Scenario 2-4: The Cult Exposed Epilogue

The Skinsaw cultists influence is more far-reaching than you


could have guessed. You faced countless of their numbers,
clad in peaked, patchwork hooded robes and faceless one-eyed
masks, before confronting their leader. He was none other
than Justice Ironbriar, who presided at the trial of Tsuto
Kaijitsu one month ago. He fought bravely at first, calling
more and more allies to his aid, but when it became clear that
he had run out of backup, he reverted to the fearful coward he
has always been and fell to his knees, begging for mercy.
Taking advantage of his desperation, you interrogate Justice
Ironbriar about the nature and acts of the Skinsaw cult. He
tells you everything you want to know. The cult is a radical
sect that worships Norgorber, patron deity of thievery,
assassination and secrets, in his guise as Father Skinsaw. They
carry out assassinations and ritual murder in service to Father
Skinsaw, eliminating those who they cant convict in
Magnimars courts.
As for the Sihedron Rune, Ironbriar claims it is a holy symbol
of Father Skinsaw, and becomes confused when you tell him
that the symbol appears frequently in ancient Thassilonian
artifacts that precede the widespread worship of Norgorber.
Ironbriar says that, for the past few months, he has been
receiving his orders directly from an angel of Norgorber who
dwells in an abandoned clock tower in Magnimar called the
Shadow Clock. He confesses that the angel commanded the
Skinsaw Men to seek out and punish those who have shown
greed in excess of their station. You recall that the men and
women killed in Sandpoint were mostly merchants or
bankers, and all of them had a reputation for greed or
miserliness.
You leave Justice Ironbriars fate in the hands of his fellow judges. Magnimars prisons, known colloquially as The Hells, are
infamous across Varisia. Once you have him in the custody of the court, you set out for the Shadow Clock. It seems that, even
with Ironbriar and the cult vanquished, the murders wont end until youve confronted this angel.

Illustration by Concept Art House


Page 23

Scenario 2-5: Angel in the Tower Prologue

When you enter the base of the Shadow Clock, in the shade of Magnimars great Irespan bridge, you are ambushed by
Aldern and Iesha Foxglove? Your confusion at facing the apparently alive and intact nobles makes the fight chaotic, but once
youve defeated them, you see the truth of the matter at once. They revert to their true form: reddish-brown humanoids that
appear as though they were sculpted from soft clay, with mushy, shapeless lumps where their heads should be. They are
ugothol, or faceless stalkers, an ancient slave race. Tales abound of the faceless stalkers quietly infiltrating human society, since
they can take on any appearance they desire. This must be how the Brothers of the Seven kept Ieshas murder and Alderns
ghoulish transformation a secret.
As the last stalker dies, it turns its featureless head toward the old clock tower and sputters a threat. You stand no chance
against Mistress Xanesha. She will utterly destroy you. Now you know the name of Justice Ironbriars angel, but what is her
motive?

Scenario 2-5: Angel in the Tower Epilogue

You confront the angel Xanesha in the belfry of the old clock tower. She is no angel at all her appearance is, if anything,
more demonic. From the torso up, Xanesha is a sultry human female, but from the waist down, her body ends in a gigantic,
scale-covered snakes tail as thick around as a tree trunk. Xanesha has fully embraced her serpentine nature: she wears a golden
mask with a crown of snake-like figures, a tight-fitting snakeskin tunic, and wields a terrible longspear that emits animal-like
shrieks and saps you of your will to fight. She also wears, around her neck, another Sihedron medallion, identical to the one you
found on Nualia.
Bolstered by these magical artifacts, Xanesha is cocky in combat. She gloats that my masters rise to power is inevitable and
that you cannot stop the harvest of souls. Eventually she falls, and you strip her of the powerful magical items and the
protective Sihedron medallion. Youve stopped this wave of killings, but Xaneshas venomous words paralyze you with
uncertainty. The presence of the medallion suggests that she was somehow connected with Nualia and the goblin raid on
Sandpoint. If thats true, you have stumbled on a conspiracy that threatened both Sandpoint and Magnimar. How many more
conspirators are out there, and what could they be planning?

Illustration by Concept Art House


Page 24

Adventure 2: The Skinsaw Murders Epilogue

Having put down the ghoulish taint threatening Sandpoint, stopped the Skinsaw murders and brought Ironbriar to justice, you
return to Sandpoint to try to piece together the connection between these events and the recent goblin raid. What did Xanesha
mean by her masters rise to power, and what could possibly explain the prevalence of the Sihedron Rune, a symbol of the
long-dead Thassilonian Empire?
Brodert Quink, the scholar specializing in studies of ancient Thassilon, has some ideas. There are theories that, before the fall of
Thassilon, its society became corrupt. The seven-pointed Sihedron Rune which stood for the seven Thassilonian virtues
wealth, fertility, honest pride, abundance, eager striving, righteous anger, and well-deserved rest became a symbol of their
new, corrupted form, what we now know as the seven great sins of the soul: greed, lust, boastful pride, gluttony, envy, wrath,
and sloth. The seven arcanist governors of Thassilon, known as Runelords, each came to embody one of those sins; bolstering
their magic with the dark reservoir of power contained in these negative emotions.
If this is true, the men and women killed in the Skinsaw murders and carved with the Sihedron symbol might be sacrifices in
honor of the long-dead Runelords. You recall that each of the victims was known for exceptional greed or stinginess. This
suggests that whoever is responsible for these crimes is somehow aligned with the Runelord of Greed. Based on your
description of Xanesha, Quink identifies her as a lamia matriarch and mentions that the historical records suggest that the lamia
race long ago lived as servants to the Runelords of Thassilon. Could the lamia have rediscovered some of the fallen empires
ancient rune magic?
Quink, an irrepressible scholar, seems thrilled at the possibility, but it strikes you as ominous. What started as an assault on a
small town on the Lost Coast could, in fact, threaten all of Varisia.

Illustration by Noah Bradley


Page 25

Adventure 3: The Hook Mountain Massacre Prologue

After stopping Xanesha and the Skinsaw Men, you keep your ears perked for any further Thassilon-related happenings across
Varisia. All is quiet for a while until the day that Shalelu Andosana, the elvish ranger, approaches you, her eyes red from
crying. She silently hands you a note bearing three words and a signature:
Rannick is fallen.
-Jakardros
When she has composed herself, Shalelu explains how, many years ago, she had a falling-out with her stepfather, a human
ranger named Jakardros Sovark. In the years since she has last seen him, Jakardros has risen to a position of command among the
Black Arrow Rangers, a secretive group tasked with manning Fort Rannick in the harsh, frozen Varisian frontier, at the foot of
Hook Mountain in the forbidding Iron Peaks. Hook Mountain is teeming with ogres belonging to the vicious Kreeg clan, and
Turtleback Ferry, a frontier town on the Skull River, would be under constant threat of attack were it not for the existence of
Fort Rannick between them and the mountains.
While scouting the woods around Sandpoint for any evidence of goblin activity, Shalelu spotted a messenger hawk bearing the
note you now hold in your hands. If its true if Fort Rannick has fallen it could spell doom for the frontiersman of central
Varisia. Shalelu is also worried about Jakardros, with whom she never had the chance to make amends. She is leaving tonight to
investigate the situation at the fort, and begs you to accompany her.
You readily agree to her request. Youve saved two cities now why not a third?

Illustration by Wayne Reynolds


Page 26

Scenario 3-1: Them Ogres Aint Right Prologue

Turtleback Ferry is a shock compared to the multi-district city of Magnimar. It is even smaller than Sandpoint and its inhabitants
are as rough as the lands they claim hold of. They are a simple, hardy folk: miners, hunters, trappers, and loggers who spend
most of their earnings at Paradise, a floating barge devoted to gambling, carousing, and other vices. Paradise is run by a
beautiful, fiery-haired woman named Lucrecia. Everyone in town seems smitten with her, and you vow to make Lucrecias
acquaintance as soon as youve sorted out the present danger.
First, you must determine how the fort fell and whether there were any survivors. Rumors around Turtleback Ferry confirm
your suspicions that it was indeed an attack by the Kreeg ogre clan, giant brutes who make their home in Hook Mountain.
According to some trappers who caught a glimpse of the attack, it was a force of ogres far greater than the skirmishing groups
normally faced by Fort Rannick. The ogres crushed the Black Arrow Rangers completely and now occupy the fort, though they
have not yet marched on Turtleback Ferry, for reasons unknown. The possibility of anyone surviving such an attack is slim.
Except a hunter tells you that he heard human cries of pain in the woods between Turtleback Ferry and Fort Rannick.
Known as Kreegwood, the forest is filled with dangerous beasts and crude but deadly traps, impassable to all but the most
seasoned hunters. Though nobody has seen them, there are rumors that the woods are occupied by a degenerate clan of inbred,
deformed half-ogres, the spawn of human prisoners claimed by Kreeg ogre skirmishers. If any Black Arrow Rangers managed to
escape the attack on Fort Rannick, they may have been captured by these dull-witted ogrekin.
You can tell by the look in Shalelus eyes that, despite the long odds that these rumors are even true, you will have to search
these fearsome woods for survivors. Steeling yourself for anything, you venture into the shadows of Kreegwood.

Illustration by Andrew Hou


Page 27

Scenario 3-1: Them Ogres Aint Right Epilogue

You were right to trust Shalelus hunch; in the ramshackle houses thrown up by the large, disgusting half-ogres calling
themselves the Graul clan, you find a woefully small contingent of Black Arrow Rangers chained like livestock to the barn
walls.
Whether as a result of the intermingling of human and ogre blood or of their rumored incestuous relationships, the Grauls are a
study in deformity that would fascinate any scholar of anatomy or the grotesque. Each of the wee-brained half-ogres you killed
today exhibited a different deformity. You found their village by following Ruckus Graul, a relatively humanoid hunter with an
enormous potbelly and mushroom-like tumors sprouting from his skin in various places.
The compound was guarded by an ogrekin who called himself Crowfood, apparently because of the disgusting mass of tumors
that dominated half of his head and made it look like an overripe pumpkin, giving him the overall appearance of a scarecrow.
Indeed, his primary role in the Graul clan seemed to be patrolling the Grauls pathetic patch of weeds and scaring off any
animals dumb enough to try to eat them.
Aside from the ogrekin, the Graul homestead was home to a host of equally disgusting creatures, such as massive donkey rats
and a tentacled, carnivorous plant that the Grauls called brother Muck. The most disgusting creature of all, however, was
Mammy Graul, a stinking, morbidly obese woman who was clearly the leader (and mother, grandmother, aunt and sister) of
the rest of the Graul clan. A powerful necromancer, Mammy was barely held aloft by an enormous bed, surrounded by the
revenants of her undead sons, who tended to her every whim. This accounted for some of the stink, but most of the stench
emanated from Mammy herself, who had apparently lost the ability to wash between the folds of her flabby, bloated flesh.
Firing upon you with a variety of wands and surrounded by shimmering mirror images that deflected damage to her, Mammy
Graul was frustratingly hard to kill, but you succeeded eventually, taking a bronze key off of her whale-sized corpse.
You used this key to unlock a shed near the Grauls garden, revealing the few surviving prisoners of the ogrekin who had not
been tortured and eaten by the Grauls. Jakardros is among them. Shalelu runs to embrace him, weeping openly again, this time
with joy.

Pathfinder Battles Ogrekin miniature repainted, photographed, and edited by Neil Edmonds. Crow illustrations by Neil Edmonds.
Page 28

Scenario 3-2: The Fort in Peril Prologue

Also present among the Grauls prisoners is Vale Temros, a hulking Shoanti man who, according to Jakardros, is equally
endowed in strategic insight and brute strength. Vale has already hatched a plan to retake Fort Rannick from the Kreeg ogres
and desires that you and Shalelu assist the Black Arrows on this dangerous mission. Seeing the sad state of the imprisoned
rangers, you find it impossible to refuse.
Aside from the rangers you see before you, there are two that Jakardros hopes survived the massacre. One is Lamatar Bayden,
the commander of the Black Arrow Rangers and the man in charge of Fort Rannick. During the attack, Jakardros saw Lamatar
being painfully detained by two gigantic ogres. He hopes that the brutes were smart enough to take the Black Arrow
commander as a hostage to discourage a counterattack from Magnimars forces. The other is Kaven Windstrike, who was with
Jakardros and Vale on a scouting mission away from the fort when the attack occurred (this is the only reason the rangers you
see before you escaped the mayhem). In fact, Kaven was the ranger in charge of the expedition hed spotted some ogres
massed in a nearby cave but he disappeared during the chaos that ensued when the surviving rangers drew close to the
ogre-occupied fort.
Vales plan is to assault the fort from below, using a secret passage that only Lamatar, Jakardros, and a few other high-ranking
rangers know about. Theres a secret stash of equipment directly beneath the bunkers, including several barrels of gunpowder.
Vale plans to use the gunpowder to reduce the ogres numbers and cause confusion during the assault.
However, even if this plan goes off without a hitch, there are a few BIG threats youll likely have to deal with. The biggest will
be Jaagrath, leader of the Kreeg clan, whos large even for an ogre. Jaagrath has two sons, Silas and Hookmaw. The latter is
especially dangerous he had the lower half of his face torn off in a skirmish with the Black Arrow Rangers, but hes grown
even more vicious since then, replacing his entire lower jaw with a razor-sharp bear trap. The Kreeg clan is also host to a
powerful ogre shaman, Dorella. And who is to say what other forces youll encounter within the walls of Fort Rannick?
After Vale Temros checks, double-checks, and triple-checks your battle plan, you head out immediately to assault the
ogre-infested fortress.

Illustrations by Wayne Reynolds and Roberto Pitturru


Page 29

Scenario 3-2: The Fort in Peril Epilogue

Jakardros shakes his head. Kaven was always jealous of my leadership, but I never expected.
Nobody did, Vale breaks in, consoling his friend. Nobody could have.
The swipes from Jaagraths ogre hook were painful, but your wounds dont sting as badly as Kavens betrayal. You discovered
him in one of Fort Rannicks rooms. At first, you thought that he was a prisoner, but Vale sensed that something was not right
and restrained you before you could enter the room. Soon, another human figure came into view, a shockingly beautiful woman
with fiery red hair: Lucrecia, mistress of the pleasure barge known as Paradise. She seemed to be trying to convince Kaven of
something, and he was nodding his head dumbly, as if under some sort of spell. Neither person was tied up or otherwise
restrained. When you could no longer contain your suspense, you stormed into the room, demanding an explanation.
Immediately, Lucrecia lost the appearance of a normal woman and transformed into a half-serpentine monster: another lamia
matriarch! Seeing this transformation left Kaven in a state of shock, and he did nothing to prevent or assist you in ending the
monsters life. Once she was gone, Kaven seemed to come to his senses, and he turned toward Jakardros, weapon drawn.
However, the young ranger was easily bested. Once Kaven had been incapacitated, you again demanded an explanation, and
discovered the following facts:
The scouting mission that Kaven had led, which lured some of Fort Rannicks best defenders away from its walls during the
ogre attack, was a diversion carried out at the request of Lucrecia, who apparently had Kaven entirely under her thrall lamia
are known for their ability to charm humans and monsters alike. Kaven had no suspicion of her true identity and no clear sense
of the details of the ogre attack, only that he would be rewarded for his cooperation. He did overhear some of the Kreeg ogres
talking about another army massing in their clanhold up in Hook Mountain, something about a weapon-forging operation, and
talk about their new leader, the big-big (ogres judge all living things primarily by their size, the bigger the better). Kaven
offered to accompany you when you attack the ogre clanhold, but Jakardros shook his head sadly. Although Kaven was not a
prisoner while the ogres held the fort, he is now, until such time as he can stand before a court marshal for his crimes against
the Black Arrows.
Before leaving, you notice a small tattoo on Kavens ankle in the shape of a seven-pointed star. You ask him what he knows
about the Runelords, the Skinsaw Men and the Sihedron. The young ranger becomes perplexed and tells you that the tattoo is a
kind of ticket given only to Lucrecias favorites, granting entrance to the best parts of the pleasure-barge Paradise. You are
convinced, after further interrogation, that Kaven is truly oblivious to the runes true meaning, but now you know something
that strikes dread into your heart: that the ogre attack, too, is tied into the mysteries of the Sihedron and ancient Thassilon.

Lucrecias illusory appearance varied a bit depending upon the beholder.


Illustration by Kieran Yanner
Page 30

Scenario 3-3: Here Comes the Flood Prologue

Every town in Varisia has its local legends of horrible monsters, whose primary purpose seems to be giving bards something to
talk about on chilled, moonless nights and providing overtaxed parents a way to scare some morality into their children. In
Sandpoint, it was the Sandpoint Devil, a demonic winged horse that walks upright like a man. In the western Storval Plateau
near Lake Stormunder, the Shoanti swap tales of Freezemaw, a terrible white dragon that dwells in the skull-carved
mountainside known as Rimeskull. In Turtleback Ferry, people tell of Black Magga, a gigantic snake-headed, tentacled lake
monster that haunts the Storval Deep, a man-made lake dating to Thassilonian times. Storval Deeps waters are contained by an
enormous dam called Skulls Crossing, from which the Skull River takes its name. Its said that Black Magga is impervious even
to the power of gods, and that whoever manages to kill her will attain near-immortality.
Rain pelts you as you return to Turtleback Ferry to regroup and recover. Before you assault the ogre clanhold, Jakardros wants
to send a message to Magnimar to request reinforcements to defend the now unoccupied Fort Rannick. As you approach the
village, you notice that the water level of the Skull River has increased considerably since you were last there, lapping at the
foundations of houses and flooding the streets. You also notice that the pleasure-barge Paradise is absent from Turtleback
Ferrys shores.
The mayor notices your arrival and hurries to your side. Heroes! he exclaims. You have arrived just in time! The Paradise has
been capsized by the storm, and our village is next! He takes you to the local church, where countless drowned bodies are
arrayed in quiet rows. With a sinking feeling, you observe that each of the drowned men bears a Sihedron Rune tattooed on his
forearm or ankle, identical to the one that Kaven wears. Could the deaths of these men be a part of whatever forgotten rune
magic the lamias are trying to wield? Something tells you that the sinking of the Paradise was not an accident at all, that these
men signed their own death sentence as soon as they allowed Lucrecia to mark their flesh.
You have to do something! the mayor continues. The Skull River never floods like this; something must be wrong at the
dam. And. He pauses, unconsciously repeating a gesture of devotion to Gozreh, god of storm and sky, whose favor is
especially important to those braving Varisias frontiers. Some of the villagers reported seeing dark shapes in the waters. If
there is a flaw in the dam, then that could mean Black Magga. He turns pale, unable to continue.
Just then, you hear an enormous roaring sound as the water level surges upward. You are now up to your waist in floodwater,
and you can hear the cries of villagers whose pets and children were caught in the sudden wave. And, in the distance, you see
what looks like a black knot of tentacles writhing beneath the surface.

Scenario 3-3: Here Comes the Flood Epilogue

You fight valiantly against the rising tide and the writhing, serpentine monsters beneath it. After what seems like an hours-long
war of attrition, the water finally starts to recede. Black Magga, totally unfazed by your attacks, dives beneath the surface and
vanishes into the watery depths, seeming to retreat to some other plane of existence. The threat has ended, for now. You saved
as many villagers as you could, but the danger was too all-encompassing, and there were many, far too many, that slipped from
your grasp. Its very much like the situation with the Sihedron Rune: you do what you can to minimize the damage, but still,
the rising tide of evil claims its victims.
When the river has receded to somewhat normal levels, you converse with Jakardros, Shalelu, and Turtleback Ferrys mayor
about what could have caused the sudden flooding. It can only be the result of some structural damage to the Thassilonian dam
known as Skulls Crossing, which created the artificial lake of Storval Deep. Even a small leak in the dam could have caused the
flood conditions you witnessed today. If the entire structure were to fall, Turtleback Ferry and most other towns on the
Varisian frontier would be swallowed utterly.
The timing of the flood, just after the ogre raid and the sinking of the Paradise, is too perfect to be a coincidence. Could the
damage to Skulls Crossing have been deliberate? If so, its imperative that you stop whoever or whatever is behind it before
they can unleash an even greater flood of destruction.
Page 31

Scenario 3-4: Battle at the Dam Prologue

As you make your way through the forest to the


dam, a rustling bush catches your attention. Before
you can react, the space around you explodes in a
storm of iridescent wings attached to tiny human
forms. The creatures giggle as they tug on hair,
beards, and belt pouches; moving too swiftly for you
to swat them out of the way. Enough! shouts a
small, blue-skinned man in outlandish clothes and
hovering on beautiful gossamer wings. I must
apologize for my companions, the pixie says,
wrinkling his nose in disapproval. I was considering
the best way to approach you when my companions
decided to act on their own; sprites can be very
impetuous, he explains, settling lightly to the
ground. Ive been told that there are great heroes
present in Turtleback Ferry
You and everybody else, Shalelu mutters.
You must help us, the fey creature continues, pretending not to have heard. My name is Yap. My mistress, Myriana, is
deathly ill. Worse than ill; her soul has been corrupted by sorrow! You see, her lover was taken from her, and.
You begin to reply, but Jakardros cuts you off. Myriana I recognize that name, he says. Commander Bayden would
compose love sonnets to a woman named Myriana. We teased him mercilessly about that.
You already know my mistress lover, then! Yap the Pixie exclaims, astonished. For they are one and the same. But she is not
a woman, sir! A nymph! And not just any nymph, but ruler of all the fey here in Whitewood! You see, we fey have a powerful
connection to the land, and since Myrianas lover was taken, all of the Shimmerglens has been affected by her sorrow! The
plants are dying, and the spirits and fey creatures are being slowly corrupted. If you dont reunite Myriana and Bayden soon, the
corruption will spread beyond the Shimmerglens and affect even the land we stand on right now.
Understood, Jakardros says. We are on an urgent errand at the moment, but we will look for your mistress lover as soon as
we possibly can. Do you have any idea where Lamatar I mean, your mistress lover might be found?
Yes! He was taken prisoner by those nasty ogres and brought back to their clanhold on Hook Mountain. My mistress can sense
that he still lives, but she says that terrible tortures are being wrought on his soul! I can show you the way!
You, Jakardros, and Shalelu exchange glances. Once you have secured the dam, it seems youll be bringing the fight to the
Kreegs. Its comforting to know that Lamatar Bayden, commander of the Black Arrow Rangers, is alive, but the pixies
intimations of torture make you uneasy.
You arrange to meet back with Yap later and head toward Skulls Crossing. As you get close, you see that there is indeed a
massive fault running down the middle of the dam. The waters of Storval Deep spring forth from the deep gash. The fault is
edged with scars from numerous pickaxes, and you can hear ogres barking orders. Jakardros identifies the ogre doing most of
the shouting as Malugus Kreeg, brother to Jaagrath Kreeg and presumably next in line to lead the Kreeg clan. You prepare
yourself for battle.

Illustration by Emily Fiegenschuh


Page 32

Scenario 3-4: Battle at the Dam


Epilogue

The dam, as expected, was swarming with


ogres. The ogres were already locked in battle
with a gang of trolls that lived in the shadow of
the dam. The trolls were led by a dangerous
water troll they reverently referred to as
Wet Papa Grazuul. You exterminated both
threats including the Kreegs leader, Malugus.
The brute taunted you, even as you had him
cornered, shouting, You never beat the Kreeg
clan. We have big-big on our side now!
Barl Breakbones will crush you punies!
Malugus was silenced moments later when a
sword sliced through his thick neck.
Barl Breakbones doesnt sound like an ogre
name. From the way the ogres talked its as
though this big-big might be a giant. There are
many races of giants in the Iron Peaks, but they
seldom associate with one another, let alone
ogres, who are both smaller and less intelligent
than giant folk. Why now? Youre sure its
somehow connected to the Sihedron and the
lamias but you cant say how.

Illustrations by JZConcepts and Jim Pavelec


Page 33

Scenario 3-5: Into the Mountains Prologue

Yap the Pixie leads your march up Hook Mountain to assault the clanhold of the Kreeg ogres, now apparently led by some
variety of giant going by the name of Barl Breakbones. As terrifying as you find the prospect of doing battle with a giant, his
presence has inspired a dangerous overconfidence in the ogres, and youre certain that no matter how many of their number
you kill, they wont admit defeat until youve dealt with Barl Breakbones himself. Youre also on a mission to rescue Lamatar
Bayden, the commander of the Black Arrow Rangers, who has been kidnapped and subjected to terrible forms of torture.
Yap the pixie stops short as you near the clan stronghold. I sense evil magic at work, he warns you. A covey of black hags. Its
very likely theyre responsible for the recent storm. They probably share the caves here with the ogres. I can sense I can
sense that theyre responsible for Sir Lamatars torture. Theyve made him into.
The little pixies eyes go wide with fear. Oh, no! He is lost to us now. The hags have twisted him into a frost wight, a terrible
undead blight with icicle-like claws. You must put him to rest, or my mistress Myriana will never know peace! He looks at you
with pleading eyes.
Well do our best, you respond, silently wondering how you always get roped into these things.

Scenario 3-5: Into the Mountains Epilogue

The fight against Bayden and the hags was taxing, both mentally and physically,
particularly for the Black Arrow Rangers who had served under him for many years.
By the time you arrived, Bayden was no longer the just, kind man he had been in life.
He was an undead monster, driven by a bestial hunger for the one thing he lacked: life.
His merest touch nearly chilled your heart to death.
Barl Breakbones, the stone giant leader of the Kreeg clan, was an even tougher
adversary. He sat on an enormous throne, apparently carved from the mountain itself
to accommodate his presence. The throne room was decorated with giant faces carved
in rock; these ogres must have served under giants such as Barl before, in days long
past. When the stone giant saw you, instead of betraying anger or rage, he merely
sneered, as though you and the Black Arrows were worthless insects. You have won
back the fort from my ogres, but it is no matter, he laughed, surprisingly articulate
for a being his size. By the time you arrived, my work here was nearly complete.
Even killing me will do nothing to disrupt Lord Mokmurians plans.
Who is this Lord Mokmurian you speak of? you shouted. Tell us where he is, so that
we may have his head!
Barl Breakbones rumbled a deep laugh. Your people are as weak-minded as they are
small. How can it be true that you were once our masters? Are you truly ignorant of
Lord Mokmurian, the ruler of all giantfolk? Well, you shall not be for long. And with
that, the giant rose from his throne and floated into the air, wielding powerful magic
forces and pelting you with boulder-sized fireballs. It was, without a doubt, the most
difficult battle you have ever faced, and yet somehow, you have triumphed. The Kreeg
ogres will bother the people of Turtleback Ferry no more.

Pathfinder Battles Stone Giant Champion miniature repainted, photographed, and edited by Neil Edmonds
Page 34

Adventure 3: The Hook Mountain Massacre Epilogue

Youve saved the frontiersmen of Varisia from the threat of Barl Breakbones and his ogre minions, yet the things you saw within
the Kreeg clanhold, and the words the stone giant spoke to you, leave you chilled. Ogres are known for their laziness, when not
feasting or fighting, but the stone giant appears to have converted the ogre stronghold into some sort of factory. In enormous
forges warmed by blistering flames, ogres worked, harnessed to their stations like slaves. The largest ogres patrolled their
ranks, carrying cats o nine tails, all too eager for a chance to mete out punishment to their fellows clansmen such is the
brutal nature of ogres. At these stations, the indentured Kreegs melted huge vats of iron and steel from various sources, with
much of the metal coming from the arsenals of Fort Rannick. Other ogres could be seen hammering away at giant-sized
weapons and armor. The operation was enormous, and could only mean one thing: Barl Breakbones was supplying weapons for
an army; an army of giants.
Youve put an end to his operations, but who can say how many weapons he has already produced and sent back to this Lord
Mokmurian? You barely survived the fight against one giant; how will you possibly handle a dozen? A hundred?
Its curious, Headmaster Gandethus says when you, Shalelu, Jakardros, and Vale share the tales of your adventures with a rapt
crowd at the Rusty Dragon back in Sandpoint. Mokmurian sounds like a giant name, but the first part, this Lord no giant
society that Im aware of is structured like that. Giants are a democratic race led by a council of elders. If this Mokmurian really
does wield autocratic power over all species of giants, then he must be incredibly powerful. Virtually unstoppable, Id wager.
Gandethus looks up and notices the dark shroud that has fallen over the room. Im sorry, he asks, was it something I said?

Illustrations by Wayne Reynolds


Page 35

Adventure 4: Fortress of the Stone Giants Prologue

In the months that follow the ogre attack on Fort Rannick and your confrontation with the giant sorcerer Barl Breakbones, you
hear scattered rumors of forces of giants spotted across Varisia. Their numbers are small at first, groups of four or five at a time,
and they keep their distance, seeming to disappear behind hills and mountains when they realize that theyve been spotted.
Then, things get worse. Squadrons of stone giants, accompanied by dire bears, mammoths, and dull-witted ogres, begin
attacking the human settlements of Varisia. A few survivors even claim that the giants fought alongside a great red dragon. The
squadrons fight without mercy, stamping out any humans they find, whether or not their victims try to resist. Those who avoid
being trampled are thrown into the giants sacks, probably to be eaten later. The only humans who survive to tell of these
attacks are those small or quick enough to hide where the giants cant find them.
At first, the attacks appear random, but after a while, a pattern emerges. The engagements always occur on settlements built
near known Thassilonian ruins. And, after decimating the human population, the giants always leave with a trophy, a stone
pried loose from the ancient Thassilonian structures.
You recall that the Old Light, a Thassilonian ruin, stands near Sandpoint. Its only a matter of time before the giants attack.
Resolute but inwardly terrified, you begin preparations for the towns defense. This time, you wont be caught unawares.

Illustration by Ekaterina Burmak


Page 36

Scenario 4-1: Sandpoint Under Siege Prologue

You have one advantage over the stone giant army: you know theyre coming. Youve had months to study the reports from the
other attacks and prepare Sandpoints defenses, whereas you killed Barl Breakbones before he could inform his Lord of your
existence. The giants expect to face a few militiamen, maybe an adventurer or two. Theyll be getting heroes.
At least, it comforts you to tell yourself that. Any comfort you had in this knowledge melts away when you see the stone giant
army on the horizon. There are at least a dozen giants, colossal dire bears, and a crimson-colored shape among the clouds that
can only be a red dragon. The giants drag large, empty sacks behind them, to be filled with loot and prisoners, and some hoist
massive boulders for throwing and crushing. While most of the giants head toward the center of the village, one of them breaks
off from the pack and makes a beeline for the Old Light, exactly as you had expected. This must be the raid leader. If you can
capture the lone giant, you might be able to obtain valuable information regarding the whereabouts and goals of Lord
Mokmurian.

Illustration by Lucio Parillo


Page 37

Scenario 4-1: Sandpoint Under Siege Epilogue

Where is Lord Mokmurian? you demand for the twelfth time. Youve cast a Charm spell on Teraktinus, the leader of the raid
on Sandpoint, to encourage him to be more cooperative in your interrogation, but its still like pulling teeth.
In Jorgenfist, the giant replies, in the Valley of the Black Tower. But Teraktinus cant or wont tell you where to find either
location.
Eventually, you give up and ask him what the giants are doing with the stones theyre gathering. Lord Mokmurian wants to ask
them something, Teraktinus replies. I dont know what. But he was very specific about which stones to get.
You can tell that youre getting nowhere, and you leave the captive stone giant to the sheriffs men. Even though most of
Sandpoints buildings are still standing, today was a disaster. You kept the red dragon from setting Sandpoint Cathedral alight
yet again, but you were only able to wound it before it flew beyond the range of your attacks. And while you captured the stone
giant leader and killed several of the invaders, at least a half dozen giants left Sandpoint dragging bulging sacks filled with
prisoners and valuables they looted from the manor-houses of Sandpoints noble families. Titus Scarnetti is outraged,
demanding that you hunt down the giants and bring back his fortunes at once, but you have more pressing concerns: Mayor
Kendra Deverin is among those captured. Titus Scarnetti seems less than upset about her abduction; after all, he will be interim
mayor in her absence.
Since it is clear that you will be getting nothing more out of Teraktinus, you have only one option: you must track the retreating
stone giants back to Jorgenfist, wherever that is. This means that you cannot bring an army from Magnimar. The tracking party
has to be small to avoid detection: you, your companions, and the few allies you can muster.

Illustration by Maichol Quinto


Page 38

Scenario 4-2: Jorgenfist Prologue

You track the giant raiding party for days, deep into the Iron Peaks. Youre worried about their human prisoners, but you cant
risk staging a rescue operation yet this may be your only chance to discover the location of Jorgenfist and Lord Mokmurians
army. Eventually, you come upon a gigantic set of stairs carved into the landscape. You struggle up the giant-sized stairs, and
then a valley opens up before you: the Valley of the Black Tower. In the middle of this valley sits an immense fortress that can
only be Jorgenfist.
It is dominated, as the name suggests, by a large black tower rising sharply from the middle of the stone giant fortress. Large
birds circle its sharp spire. Even from this distance, you can discern that the architectural style differs from the rest of
Jorgenfist. The tower seems to predate the stone giant fortress construction.
The Black Tower is but a distraction, however, compared to the immense force of giants massing in and around Jorgenfist.
Bivouacs and tent cities ring the massive fortress, each filled with battalions of giants from every race imaginable: stone giants,
frost giants, cloud giants, storm giants and fire giants. Some of the encampments even house ogres.
You hide out in a nearby cave to observe the giants movements and pick up any clues that might help your rescue operation.
You notice that only the ogres and some of the stone giants enter the fortress proper. The entrance is guarded by a red-haired
taiga giant, easily 22 feet tall. If you can bypass the encampments outside Jorgenfists walls, you might stand a chance at
wresting control of the fort from the inside.
As time passes, you pick up more information about the fortress operations. Lord Mokmurian is often found in the secret
tunnels below the fortress, where none of the other giants dare venture. His lieutenant is a stone giant named Galenmir, famed
for his cruelty. You eventually learn the approximate location where the human prisoners are being held. Finally, you discover a
back entrance to the fortress used by Mokmurians raid leaders to deliver the pillaged Thassilonian stones. This entrance is
poorly guarded and well out of the way of the giant encampments. The odds still seem stacked against you, but now you have
enough information to plan your assault.

Illustrations by Ian Llanas and Eric Belisle, Pathfinder Battles Stone Giant Champion miniature repainted, photographed, and edited by Neil Edmonds
Page 39

Scenario 4-2: Jorgenfist Epilogue

Utilizing the rear entrance, youre able to assault the fortress without encountering the giant armies encamped at its perimeter.
You were still forced to battle the giants inside the fort including Galenmir, Mokmurians lieutenant; Cinderma, the
red-haired taiga giant you spotted earlier; and the red dragon you faced during the attack on Sandpoint. Curiously, none of the
encamped giants made an effort to defend Jorgenfist, even though they were aware of the battle taking place within its walls. A
few giants hurled boulders at you from afar, but they seem unwilling or unable to enter the fortress itself. Youll have a difficult
time of it when you make your escape, however. You doubt the rear entrance will remain so poorly guarded.
You search the fortress high and low, but there is no sign of Lord Mokmurian. Eventually, you find the room where the
prisoners are being held. They are held in stocks, shirtless, and show signs of torture. On each prisoners chest, a Sihedron
Rune was burned into their flesh by a hot iron like branding livestock. The thought makes you ill, especially when you see
that Mayor Deverin and the other Sandpoint villagers have not escaped this torture. Many prisoners have been killed, their
throats slashed and the blood allowed to flow freely from the wound, like a ritual sacrifice; their bloody corpses hang limply
from their restraints, feet away from the surviving prisoners. Mercifully, Mayor Deverin is among the living. You unshackle the
mayor and help her to her feet.
After freeing the other prisoners, you continue exploring the fort in search of a tucked-away room to use as your base of
operations. At the end of one hallway near where you discovered the prisoners, you come across some kind of giant shrine. A
female stone giant kneels in front of it, eyes closed in meditation. You are about to attack when she speaks. Know that I am not
your enemy, small ones. I am Conna, the last elder of my people.
You arent loyal to Lord Mokmurian? you ask, incredulous.
I am not, she replies gently. And he is no lord. That is a human word,
used by those who were once our oppressors. To lord over another
being it is not our way.
Then why does he call himself that? And why do the other giants follow
him?
The giantess proceeds to relate the tale of how she became imprisoned in
Jorgenfist. Mokmurian was born of her tribe, called the Kavarvatti.
Occasionally, giants are born with innate magical ability; these giants
often grow to become elders, like Conna. As a young giant, Mokmurian
showed such promise, until it was revealed that all his power was obtained
through trickery, by reading scrolls and books this also is not the way
of the stone giants. Mokmurian was cast out from the tribe and left to
fend for himself. Nothing was heard of him for many years, until word
reached the Kavarvatti that an immensely powerful stone giant calling
himself Lord Mokmurian was going from tribe to tribe, demanding that
their elders pledge obedience to him. If any disobeyed, Mokmurian
destroyed them with magic the likes of which had not been seen since the
days of the Thassilonian oppressors. At that point, Conna knew what
Mokmurian had done. Hed entered the Valley of the Black Tower, a
cursed land forbidden to their people, and stolen the knowledge of the
ancient Runelords.
Now, Mokmurian is using this occult power to unite the giants under a
banner of hatred for humanity, the race that had enslaved the giantfolk
during the reign of the Thassilonian Runelords. Mokmurians stated goal
is to wipe humanity from the face of Golarion, but Conna fears that he
will not stop there. Shes looked into Mokmurians eyes and seen his
greed for power a hunger she never thought him capable of, even as an
impetuous child.

Pathfinder Battles Conna the Wise miniature repainted, photographed, and edited by Neil Edmonds
Page 40

Scenario 4-3: The Black Tower Prologue

Mokmurian is now hiding in the ruins beneath Jorgenfist, Conna explains. The fortress was built over a Thassilonian monastery,
which contains a great library filled with the lost knowledge of the Runelords. Mokmurian is obsessed with this library and
spends all his time searching the ancient texts for some elusive secret, emerging for only a few minutes each day to relay orders
to his lieutenant Galenmir. Mokmurian is attended by two servants, vile Lamia who worship the goddess Lamashtu. He has also
hired or charmed the other creatures he discovered in the ruins to guard his chambers, drawing on a seemingly endless source
of wealth. Mokmurians private security force consists of a platoon of kobolds, small, red-scaled lizard-people who are
unusually strong fighters; a band of dull-witted trolls that Mokmurian has trained to stand motionless for hours at a time to
ambush unsuspecting intruders; and Lokansir, a hill giant fond of burying himself deep in the earth until its vibrations alert him
of approaching footfalls.
Before you can pass through Mokmurians gauntlet, however, you must gain access to the ruins themselves. They are protected
by a powerful runelock, which can only be broken if you know the correct incantation. Mokmurian guards this secret jealously
not even Galenmir was granted access to his Lordships secret lair but Conna knows where the incantation can be found.
The Black Tower from which the valley gets its name was part of the original monastery, servicing a Thassilonian deity known
as the Peacock Spirit. This tower contains a collection of scrolls known as the Emerald Codex of the Therassic Order. Among
the rituals contained in the codex is the one that Mokmurian used to access the Ancient Library.
The Black Tower is not without its protectors, however. A flock of harpies which you mistook for birds on your approach to
the fortress has nested in the tower and taken up the traditions of the monastic order, guarding its treasures from would-be
tomb raiders. The Emerald Codex itself is entombed with one of the heads of the Therassic Order in a chamber near the top of
the tower, around which the harpies flock especially tightly. Youll have to fight through the harpies, avoiding their beguiling
song, and break the spells preserving the monks final resting place before you can lay claim to the Emerald Codex and the key
to Lord Mokmurians lair.

Illustrations by Alex Aparin


Page 41

Scenario 4-3: The Black Tower Epilogue

The harpies nearly did you in with their songs, trying to lead you off ledges or treacherous stairwells, and in the end, you had to
battle the reanimated, mummified monk clutching the puissant, green lacquered scroll case in his bandaged fists, but the ordeal
was worth it: you now possess the Emerald Codex of the Therassic Order. Not only will it grant you access to Jorgenfists
lower reaches, its also the key to all of the secrets of Thassilon. With this crucial work in hand, once you have driven Lord
Mokmurian from the Ancient Library, you can spend many weeks translating the long-buried secrets of the Thassilonian
Empire, if you so desire.

Scenario 4-4: Under Jorgenfist Prologue

Although you now possess the Emerald Codex and the incantation necessary to enter the Ancient Library, you must first survive
the gauntlet of protectors that Mokmurian has stationed in the tunnels beneath Jorgenfist. You must be prepared for anything
you know, courtesy of Mokmurians boastful visits to Connas shrine, that the stone giants lair will be guarded by kobolds,
trolls, and lamias, but even the wise elder is not aware of the dangers that lurk within the Ancient Library itself. Shes witnessed
Mokmurian wield the power to resurrect the dead, and she suspects that the arcane artifact responsible for these ungodly acts is
secreted within those hidden chambers. When you returned from the Black Tower, the bodies of the giants you slew in your
initial attack on Jorgenfist were nowhere to be seen, and you fear that you will be facing them again before the day is through.

Scenario 4-4: Under Jorgenfist Epilogue

The lamia sisters are annoyingly resilient, but they eventually fall, alongside all the other monsters guarding the Ancient
Librarys great runelocked doors. Using the incantation you learned from the Emerald Codex, you temporarily disable the
runelock and pass cautiously into the repository of ten-thousand-year-old wisdom.

Scenario 4-5: The Ancient Library Prologue

The great Thassilonian library is unlike anything you have seen before, shelf upon shelf of ancient scrolls reaching high toward
its vaulted ceiling. Massive suits of armor decorate the walls, clutching greataxes only suitable for a giant although, eerily,
one of them is missing its helmet, like the headless equestrian revenant from the old folktale. A gargantuan black iron cauldron
bubbles in the center of the room, no doubt priming some foul necromantic brew. At the far end of the library, obscured by a
fine haze of distance, Lord Mokmurian sits at a large desk, wholly absorbed in an ancient Thassilonian scroll. He wears a long
silk robe covered with Thassilonian runes of power, and a large, spike-covered club rests by his feet. Even at this distance, you
can sense that the club radiates powerful transmutation magic.
A sudden movement in the periphery of your vision startles you, and you quickly draw your weapon. A massive, potbellied
creature emerges from the stone wall of the tunnel. Intense heat radiates from its belly, which resembles a cross between a
blazing forge and a jagged-toothed maw. A few seconds later, the creature is gone, passing unhindered through the opposite
wall of the stone-carved tunnel. You recognize the creature as a Scanderig, or Forgefiend, natives of the Plane of Earth that
devour raw ore and sometimes inhabit subterranean tunnels, preying on any interlopers they find. Given their natural habitat,
they are particularly feared by dwarves. You thank Torag that the creature didnt spot you the terrible heat of the
Forgefiends ever-burning core makes them dangerous to face in close quarters, and the last thing you need right now is another
random monster to worry about.
As you turn back around, you notice that the desk at which Lord Mokmurian sat has been abandoned. The stone giant wizard
must have spotted you! You step forward into the library, trying to locate him between the towering shelves. Suddenly, one of
the massive suits of armor decorating the walls emits an ear-splitting creak as it flexes its arm, raising the greataxe over its
helmet to strike. You realize that the armors are for more than decoration they each contain the undead corpse of a
long-deceased giant!
Continued
Page 42

As you prepare to face off against the armored undead giants, the bubbling cauldron emits a loud hissing noise, and a hill giant
sloshes up out of the ancient iron bowl. Its body is covered with Thassilonian runes, and it wears a vacant expression, as though
its will is not its own. You can tell from the deep slash across the giants throat that it was, until recently, dead. You surmise
that Mokmurian has been slaughtering any giants who opposed him, then used this contraption to reanimate them as his
mindless servants!
A few more runeslaves emerge from the shelves as the headless suit of armor, clearly the leader of the undead giants, closes in
on you. This is not going to be an easy fight to win.

Scenario 4-5: The Ancient Library Epilogue

Finally, it is over. Though massive, the Ancient Library felt oppressively claustrophobic as you were beset on all sides by
Mokmurians runeslaves and the planeswalking Scanderig. Mokmurian himself fought viciously, powered by a cruel intellect
unlike anything youve seen even among magically attuned giants like Conna. It soon became clear that Mokmurians
rune-covered robe, most likely of Thassilonian origin, was augmenting the power of his magical attacks. Furthermore, his great
club seemed to have some vampiric enchantment, prolonging the battle with every true blow. Several times, Mokmurian
conjured beings from outside time and space to serve as his protectors, using spells far beyond your imagining.
Eventually, the so-called ruler of the giants fell only to rise again, moments later. This time, however, something was
different. Mokmurians movements were jerky and uncoordinated, like a marionette controlled by invisible strings.
So these are the heroes of the age, a strangely accented human voice intones through the dead giants unmoving mouth. More like
gasping worms to me, soon to be crushed back into the earth when I awaken the armies of Xin-Shalast, when the name Karzoug is again spoken
with fear and awe. Know that the deaths of those marked by the Sihedron the giants you have so conveniently slain for me hasten my
return, just as yours soon will. Fools, all of you. Is this all you could manage in ten thousand years? After intoning this speech,
Mokmurians body collapses to the ground once more, this time for good.
With dawning dread, you comprehend that Lord Mokmurian
was never the real threat he was merely a puppet
controlled by a still-living Thassilonian Runelord. Every death
of those branded by the Sihedron Rune the murders
committed by the Skinsaw Men, the frontiersmen who
drowned when the pleasure barge Paradise sank in Turtleback
Ferry, the human prisoners of Jorgenfist, and even the
rune-marked giants whose lives you have just taken have
contributed to a ritual meant to bring the corrupt Thassilonian
arcanist back into this world. The Runelord must have found a
way to communicate with the shunned Mokmurian, tantalizing
him with tales of unlimited power and blackest revenge, all the
while directing the stone giants actions to carry out this
continent-spanning ritual from the shadows.
And, if the Thassilonian rulers words are to be believed, you
arrived too late to make any difference. Though you have
slaughtered his living host, you will soon face this ancient
menace in the flesh, and if you cannot defeat him all of
Varisia will answer for your failure.

Pathfinder Battles Mokmurian miniature repainted, photographed, and edited by Neil Edmonds
Page 43

Adventure 4: Fortress of the Stone Giants Epilogue

You spend the next few weeks ensconced in the Ancient Library,
poring through its texts in the vain hope that youll discover some
way any way to stop the ritual. The robes you scavenged from
Mokmurians body aid you in this task, imbuing their wearer with an
inhumanly quick intellect. You also take Mokmurians vampiric
club, although you have less scholarly uses planned for that. You
share a lively debate with your companions regarding the merits of
using the cauldron to build an army of runeslave giants to aid in the
fight against the Runelord, until Conna intercedes, scolding you for
this line of thinking, and you realize that Mokmurians ire toward
humanity was at least partially deserved. Vowing never to commit
the same sins as the enemy youre destined to face, you destroy the
necromantic cauldron.
With Connas aid, you convince the assembled giant tribes that
Mokmurian has been vanquished and that their war against
humanity is over. A few of them, particularly the stone and frost
giants, want to march on the humans anyway, but Conna calls upon
her authority as an elder and convinces the giants that theyre better
off maintaining the tenuous peace thats reigned for millennia. The
current human settlers of Varisia are not their real enemy; in truth,
you are the giants only ally against their true oppressor, the
awakened Runelord.
You learn much of the ancient Runelords, of their seemingly endless
power, but every scroll you translate only sends you deeper into
despair. It appears that the only way to damage a Runelord at full
strength is with weapons forged by the Runelords themselves, the
secrets to which were buried along with the rest of the Thassilonian
Empire. Even in the depths of your misery, you continue to read,
and translate, and pray for a breakthrough. The Ancient Library
holds thousands of scrolls, and theres a slim chance that one of them
contains the key to defeating your Thassilonian enemy. You only
hope that this time, you are not too late.

Illustrations by Paolo Puggioini and KyuShik Shin


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Adventure 5: Sins of the Saviors Prologue

Through long weeks of study in the ancient Thassilonian library beneath Jorgenfist, you gain
a wealth of knowledge about the fallen empire of Thassilon. The historical revelations you
unearthed would earn you immortality among scholars if the circumstances were not so dire.
Based on the evidence at hand, you are dreadfully certain that Karzoug the Claimer, one of
the seven Runelords who ruled ancient Thassilon, has awakened, and soon all of Varisia will
be within his avaricious grasp, unless you can find some way to return the deathless rune
mage to his eternal slumber.
The Ancient Library itself was part of a monastery dedicated to the enigmatic Peacock Spirit.
You learn that this deity was widely worshipped in the Thassilonian Empire. The Emerald
Codex possessed by the Therassic Order is one of two legendary artifacts associated with the
Peacock Spirit, the other being the Revelation Quill, which has the power to answer any
question posed to it. The Revelation Quills current whereabouts are unknown.
A genderless deity of revelation, the Peacock Spirits followers were only surpassed in size and devotion by those of Lissala,
who bestowed knowledge of rune magic upon the Thassilonian emperor Xin. Her precepts, which included the seven virtues of
rule, formed the basis for nearly all aspects of Thassilonian society. Lissala was often depicted as a woman with the lower half of
a snake, six angelic wings, and a Sihedron Wheel in place of a face. The Sihedron was her holy symbol.
Emperor Xin divided his empire into seven nations, each governed by a Runelord associated with one of the seven Thassilonian
virtues. The arcanists were an ambitious lot, and upon Xins death, they soon corrupted Lissalas seven virtues into a corrupted
version of themselves. Wielding soul-blackening sin magic, the Runelords power grew ever greater, and centuries of misery
and depravity followed, until a sudden calamity so sudden that no records of it exist in the Ancient Library wiped
Thassilon off the map.
Karzoug, Runelord of Greed and your present enemy, oversaw the nation of Shalast, situated in the Iron Peaks. He was at
near-constant war with Alaznist, the Runelord of Wrath, whose domain Bakrakhan included the lands now associated with
Sandpoint and Magnimar. Sandpoints Old Light was one of her constructions, a war machine capable of spewing devastating
flame at would-be invaders.
Putting the pieces together, you realize that the strange pool beneath Sandpoint, which spawned the foul, misshapen creatures
that nobody recognized, was also one of Alaznists creations, and that the creatures were most likely Sinspawn, creatures of
pure wrath engineered by the Thassilonians. The pool, called a Runewell, gathers the souls of wrathful humans who died in its
vicinity, forming them into Sinspawn whenever a blood sacrifice is offered to it. An active Runewell also has the ability to sense
and magnify wrath in others, and you now understand that the events of the Late Unpleasantness Nualia burning down
Sandpoint Chapel; Lonjiku Kaijitsu pushing his unfaithful wife from a cliff; and the brutal murders committed by Jervis Stoot,
the infamous Chopper, were the result of Sandpoints Runewell becoming active. You dont understand yet what activated the
Runewell, but it must have had something to do with Karzoug taking possession of the shunned stone giant Mokmurian.

The Runelords of Sloth, Pride, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, and Wrath.

Continued

Illustrations by Miguel Regodn


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The other five Thassilonian nations were Haruka, the realm of Sloth, ruled by the Runelord Krune; Cyrusian, realm of Pride,
ruled by the Runelord Xanderghul; Eurythnia, realm of Lust, ruled by the Runelord Sorshen; Edasseril, realm of Envy, ruled by
the Runelord Belimarius; and Gastash, realm of Gluttony, ruled by the Runelord Zutha. Each of the Runelords was associated
with a different school of magic: transmutation for Greed, evocation for Wrath, enchantment for Lust, illusion for Pride,
abjuration for Envy, conjuration for Sloth, and necromancy for Gluttony. Several generations of Runelords reigned after
Emperor Xins passing, each more degenerate than the last, until a sudden, cataclysmic event wiped Thassilon off the map. This
event is not described in detail anywhere in the Ancient Library it must have been so sudden and destructive that no record
could be made of it. However, the Runelords at the time of the cataclysm saw it coming, and each made separate preparations
to preserve their own life in ageless slumber. They left instructions for their minions to awaken them after the event, but
something went wrong, and the last Runelords slept undisturbed for ten thousand years until now.
As fascinating as this history is, it doesnt get you any closer to defeating Karzoug. You decide to return to Sandpoint to
re-explore its Thassilonian ruins armed with your newfound knowledge. Perhaps they contain some clues you had previously
missed.

Scenario 5-1: Underneath Sandpoint Prologue

Sandpoint continues to suffer from the after-effects of Karzougs machinations. Although


things have mostly quieted down in the weeks since the stone giant attack, and Mayor
Deverin is slowly recovering from the torture she endured at the hands of Mokmurian, the
populace remain on edge, constantly wondering when the next attack will come. Given the
towns recent history, they were understandably suspicious when, about a week ago, a
portion of Sandpoints streets collapsed, opening up a subterranean passage to a previously
unexplored portion of the system of tunnels beneath Sandpoint, which you now recognize as
part of Runelord Alaznists Catacombs of Wrath. Sheriff Hemlock sent a few men down into
the tunnels to investigate, but they never returned. Mayor Deverin has since ordered the area
cordoned off until your return the town cannot afford to lose any more of its protectors.
Realizing that these new tunnels might contain just the secrets you are looking for, you
venture cautiously into the subterranean passage. You immediately notice that theres
something different about these tunnels: the walls, floors, and ceiling are totally covered in
Thassilonian writing. Youve gained some proficiency in the language, and you identify some
of the writing as verse, some as history, mostly chronicling the war between Karzoug and
Alaznist. The rest, as far as you can tell, is unintelligible babble.
In one chamber, you are shocked to discover an unfamiliar man kneeling beside two corpses. He appears to be engaged in
prayer. The dead mens flesh is, like the tunnels, completely covered in Thassilonian scrawls. You recognize them as Sheriff
Hemlocks men, most likely the ones he sent to explore these tunnels a week ago. As you are readying your weapons, the
strange man looks up at you and speaks in perfect Thassilonian: Do not attack. I just discovered these men and was merely
praying for their safe deliverance to the afterlife.
The man goes on to explain that he is a servant of Alaznist, Runelord of Wrath. He was
awakened when the Runewell was activated five years ago, but a cave-in left him trapped in
these passages until now. When he hears that you are looking for a way to defeat Karzoug,
Alaznists ancient enemy, the stranger seems eager to help. He leads you through the tunnels
to an out-of-the-way chamber that he claims contains a weapon capable of damaging Karzoug.
You look around the chamber, seeing nothing but a large jackal-headed statue of the goddess
Lamashtu. The Thassilonian man emits a disturbing laugh. Fools! Both Alaznist and Karzoug
can rot for all I care. I will sacrifice you in devotion to Lamashtu, Mistress of Insanity!
With these words, he draws a fanged blade and speaks an incantation, conjuring monstrous
creatures from the ether, including an enormous, crab-clawed Glabrezu, or treachery
demon. Youve fallen for his trap!

Reaper Miniatures The Scribbler painted by Derek Schubert; used with permission. Illustration by Andrew Hou
Page 46

Positive Runes

Virtue
Runes
kindness courage hospitality skill / fidelity discipline / truth honor self-reliance /
industriousness humility diligence
Neutral Runes

Negative Runes

Sin Runes

sloth gluttony wrath


lust envy
greed vanity

Numeric Runes

zero one two three four five six seven eight nine ten twenty thirty

Runes for Runelords - revised concepts by Jeff Carlisle

You surmise this Jeff Carlisle must have been a prominent scholar in Thassilonian times.

Illustration by Jeff Carlisle from the Community Use Package. The fonts were replaced for visual clarity with Paizos permission.
Page 47

Scenario 5-1: Underneath Sandpoint Epilogue

After you have defeated the Thassilonian cleric of Lamashtu and his summoned monsters, you notice with interest that the quill
with which he has scribbled over the walls and ceiling of these tunnels and the bodies of his victims was formed from a
colorful peacock feather. Could it possibly be the Revelation Quill, the lost relic of the Peacock Spirit? Using the knowledge
you gained from the monks of the Therassic Order, you use the quill to pen a question: Can the Runelord of Greed be
defeated?
Surely enough, within seconds, your words transform into another passage, a riddle in verse, written in the Thassilonian
alphabet:

If magic bright is your desire,


To old Runeforge must you retire!
For only there does wizards art
Receive its due and proper start.

On eastern shores of steaming mirror,


At end of day when dusk is nearer,
Where seven faces silent wait;
Encircled guards at Runeforge gate.

Each stone the grace of seven lords,


One part of key each ruler hoards;
If offered spells and proper prayer;
Take seven keys and climb the stair.

On frozen mountain Xin awaits,


His regal voice the yawning gates.
Keys turn twice in Sihedron
Occulted Runeforge waits within.

And now youve come and joined the forge.


Upon rare lore your mind can gorge
And when you slough the mortal way
In Runeforge long your work shall stay.

Illustrations by Jorge Fares


Page 48

Scenario 5-2: Rimeskull Prologue

You recognize the name Runeforge; it was mentioned several times in the texts contained in the Ancient Library beneath
Jorgenfist. You know it as a sort of pocket plane created by the Thassilonians to house their most eminent scholars. It was a
neutral location where students and masters of all seven schools of rune magic, usually in a state of constant war, could share
knowledge and further their mutual understanding. The demi-plane was constructed to tend to all its inhabitants needs,
manufacturing its own air and preventing the need to eat or even sleep, so that those who dwelt in Runeforge could devote
themselves completely to the pursuit of knowledge. However, until now, you had no idea of its location.
Following the clues in the riddle, you believe youve pinpointed the entrance to Runeforge in a mountain known as Rimeskull,
named for the massive skull-like face carved into its mountainside On frozen mountain Xin awaits, his regal face the
yawning gates. There are several face-like carvings in Varisias mountains, but only one of them is near eastern shores of
steaming mirror, which you interpret as a reference to Lake Stormunder, a constantly bubbling lake disturbed by numerous
underwater geysers.
Sure enough, after youve traveled to the area, it doesnt take long to locate a circle of stone heads, surely the seven faces
mentioned in the poem. Waiting until dusk, you must claim a key from each of the stone heads by offering spells and proper
prayer, then assemble the Sihedron key and turn it twice at the entrance to Runeforge, presumably somewhere within the
skull-like carving on the mountainside.
Theres just one little problem: the caverns making up this carving are home to Arkhryst, a notorious white dragon who has
conducted numerous raids in the region. In fact, its likely that the entrance to Runeforge and the infamous dragons lair are
one and the same.

Illustration by Ben Wootten


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Scenario 5-2: Rimeskull Epilogue

After obtaining the seven keys by offering spells associated with each Runelords favored school of magic, defeating Arkhryst,
and helping yourself to the white dragons now unguarded treasure, youre finally ready to turn the Sihedron key and enter
Runeforge.
As soon as the key clicks the second time, you find yourself standing near a bubbling pool of multicolored liquid that emanates a
strong magical aura in all seven schools favored by the Runelords. Seven immense statues surround the pool, presumably of the
seven Runelords who constructed Runeforge. They are each impressive, from the seductive and stark naked form of Sorshen to
the smugly handsome face of Xanderghul, but you pay particular attention to the statue depicting Karzoug, your newly
awakened nemesis. The Runelord of Greed is sculpted wearing flowing, rune-covered robes and wielding a gem-studded
burning glaive. His imperious face is adorned with gemstones embedded into the flesh of his forehead, and similar jewels mark
his knuckles. You feel a deep hatred for the enemy you are destined to face.

Scenario 5-3: The Halls of Seduction Prologue

Runeforge is separated into seven wings, each dedicated to a different school of rune magic. You know from your studies that
each of these wings is dominated by a champion of the associated Runelord. The Vault of Greed is guarded by Ordikon, a
master of transmutation magic who has transformed his own skin into mithral, a rare metal that is both strong and beautiful. Its
halls are devoted to the same art, filled with pools of pure elemental power, mountains of transmuted gold, and other
decadences. The Halls of Wrath are defended by Highlady Athroxis, a powerful warrior who wields a flaming ranseur and
commands endless legions of twisted Sinspawn. The Iron Cages of Lust are home to Delvahine, an insatiable succubus, and her
alu-demon offspring, the half-human children of the men she keeps imprisoned for her pleasure. Vraxeris, an extremely
intelligent mage obsessed with immortality, guards the Shimmering Veils of Pride. Azaven, a lich necromancer, protects the
Ravenous Halls of Gluttony, which are a decaying nest of undead, much like the realm of the Runelord who created them.
Jordimandus is the name of the guardian of the Festering Maze of Sloth, a pit of noxious fumes resulting from the extreme
laziness of its creators. Finally, the Abjurant Halls of Envy lie unprotected; their guardian apparently failed in his task.
According to the Revelation Quill, the key to defeating Karzoug can be found somewhere within Runeforge. You decide to
begin your search in the wing devoted to Sorshen, Runelord of Lust, which seems like a pleasant enough place from what
youve read. The guardian here is essentially a glorified courtesan. How dangerous could she possibly be?

Illustration by Wayne Reynolds


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Scenario 5-3: The Halls of Seduction Epilogue

You have learned not to underestimate Runeforges guardians; although physically weak, the succubus Mistress Delvahines
powers of seduction were a weapon in and of themselves. With a heavy-lidded glance, she was able to turn you and your allies
against each other, and she also commanded a small army of giants and hot-blooded barbarians all willing to lay down their lives
for one touch of her perfect skin. Adding to your troubles, you could ill-afford to ignore Delvahines alu-demon children,
half-succubus devils who were every bit as seductive and dangerous as their mistress.
Eventually, you vanquish all of this wings guardians and search for any weapons that might help you in the fight against
Karzoug. Mostly, all you find are incomprehensible erotic tools, but you do discover a small tome belonging to Vraxeris,
guardian of the Veils of Pride, who probably considered himself a worthy match for Delvahines beauty. It details his proposal
to form an alliance with Mistress Delvahine against Karzoug, whose awakening threatens the dominion of the still-slumbering
Runelords, and outlines steps that might be taken to create powerful runeforged weapons capable of defeating the Runelord of
Greed. Vraxeris intended to supply these weapons to outsiders, since the inhabitants of this plane are bound to it and cannot
leave, and he believed that Delvahine, as a succubus, might be capable of luring some powerful but easily manipulated warriors
into Runeforge. Isnt it ironic that, when heroes from the outside did discover Runeforge (without Mistress Delvahines help),
their first act was to end her life!

Illustrations by Tim Kings-Lynne and Tyler Walpole


Page 51

Scenario 5-4: Thassilonian Sins Prologue

Like points on a star, each school of Thassilonian magic stands in opposition to two others. Vraxeris journal tells you that any
school of rune magic can be countered by uniting its two oppositional forces. For Karzoug, who represents Greed, this means
uniting the forces of Lust and Pride. That doesnt mean that the artifacts wielded by the other Runeforge guardians wont come
in handy; indeed, after seeing one of its seven wings, you now realize that Runeforge is a treasure trove of powerful weapons
and items. You might as well visit every branch and claim its spoils; youll need all the help you can get when you face off
against Karzoug.
You decide to save the Halls of Wrath, arguably the deadliest wing of Runeforge, for last. Having already conquered the Iron
Cages of Lust, you now seek to lay claim to the domains of Gluttony, Sloth, Greed, Pride, and Envy. Of these, the Veils of
Pride are particularly important to your plan to create the runeforged weapons needed to defeat Karzoug.

Illustration by Paolo Puggioini


Page 52

Scenario 5-4: Thassilonian Sins Epilogue

The halls of Runeforge, you realize, are not the same as they were ten thousand years ago, when they were chronicled in the
scrolls found in the Ancient Library. The passage of time and the single-minded sinfulness of their guardians led most of them
into decadence, and the Abjurant Halls of Envy have been utterly destroyed. Based on Vraxeris journal, when the colorful pool
at the center of Runeforge awakened five years ago, the inhabitants of the Halls of Envy strove to claim its power for their sole
use. This power play was ill-judged, for the other schools united to completely decimate the Halls of Envy and its occupants.
Vraxeris, guardian of Pride, died not long after that. It seems that his domain was unaffected by the magic that keeps the other
guardians eternally youthful, a problem that the sharp-witted mage solved by creating clones of himself every few years.
Hundreds of identical skeletons, in testament to his vanity, fill an enormous pit within the Veils of Pride. Distracted by his
conspiracy against Karzoug, however, Vraxeris forgot to finish his most recent clone, and now all that remain are his illusory
doubles. The domain of Gluttony was stalked from within by a ravenous undead, a former noble of the cannibalistic House
Xerriock.
From the surviving guardians, you claim their most powerful weapons: from Jordimandus, guardian of Sloth, a powerful scroll
of conjuration, through which you can summon a monstrous servant to fight your battles for you; from Azaven, guardian of
Gluttony, a necromantic staff charged with spells of enfeeblement and vampiric touch; and from Ordikon, guardian of Greed,
an ornate staff that can imbue its wielder with the guardians own mithral might. Now, only one step remains: to conquer the
warlike Halls of Wrath and unite the powers of the guardians in the bubbling, puissant pool at Runeforges hub.

Illustration by Bryan Sola


Page 53

Scenario 5-5: Into the Runeforge Prologue

A deep, imperious voice startles you as you pass through Runeforges central hub on your way to the final wing of the
Thassilonian demi-plane, the Halls of Wrath: Who dares intrude upon the domain of the mighty Runelords?
Searching for the location of the voice, you notice that one of the seven statues surrounding the bubbling pool the statue
representing Karzoug has come to life! It stares down at you with a malevolent sneer on its face. Suddenly, the Runelords
stone eyes widen in recognition.
You! Dispatching my pawn was not enough, then? It seems that you truly think yourselves capable of defeating me. Pathetic worms!
The voice is the same as the one you heard emanating from Mokmurians corpse; it appears that the awakened Runelord has
claimed this statue as his avatar within Runeforge and is intent on preventing you from creating the runeforged weapons that
could destroy him! The gigantic stone likeness of Karzoug hefts his heavy glaive, a look of pure disgust warping his bejeweled
features.
Your spells and weapons bounce harmlessly off of the statues stone flesh, which seems to be protected by the same warding
magic that guards Karzoug himself. Fearing for your life, you quickly drop the necessary ingredients into the multicolored pool
and flee into the Halls of Wrath. Hopefully, by the time you have defeated Highlady Athroxis and her Sinspawn army, the
occult process will have concluded. If all goes well, you can enchant your weapons with Runeforges power just in time to
defend yourself against Karzoug the Claimers deadly avatar.

Reaper Miniatures Iconic Heroes painted by Michael Genet and Derek Schubert; used with permission. Pathfinder Battles Karzoug Statue miniature repainted, photographed, and edited by Neil Edmonds
Page 54

Scenario 5-5: Into the Runeforge Epilogue

The Karzoug statue crumbles under the mighty blows of your runeforged weapons. You have conquered Runeforge, destroyed
the last living vestiges of Thassilonian magic, and claimed its powerful artifacts for your own. Youve enchanted your own
weapons so that you now stand a chance against the awakened Runelord Karzoug, who even now builds his power in the
forgotten capital of Xin-Shalast. Youve also gained the loyalty of Zuvuzeg, a pig-like nalfeshnee demon magically bound into
servitude of whosoever lords over the Vault of Greed with the Vaults former guardian Ordikon defeated, that title now
passes to you. You glow with pride at your accomplishments.

Adventure 5: Sins of the Saviors Epilogue

Armed with the runeforged weapons and all the other loot you gathered in Runeforge and Arkhrysts lair, you can now
march on Karzougs forgotten capital of Xin-Shalast, the legendary city of pure gold, and vanquish this newly awakened evil
once and for all. Vraxeris journals state that Xin-Shalast can be found atop the mountain peak of Mhar Massif, protected from
discovery by powerful occlusion spells. However, Mhar Massif is no small mountain, and the journal also states that the path to
Xin-Shalast is well hidden. Its yet another obstacle in your path, another riddle to solve before you can march on the
Thassilonian stronghold.
As you march back to Sandpoint for your final days of rest and preparation, you and your allies feel the power of the runeforged
weapons tugging at your souls. As you sleep, they whisper enticements to the nearest living being, goading them into excesses
of pride and lust. A few of your allies are too weak to resist these urges. They abandon your cause in search of women of loose
morals or silver-tongued bards who will sing anybodys praises for the right price.
You do your best to focus your will on the task ahead. Aside from the tempting whispers of Runeforges enchantment, you can
sense that your weapons now radiate powerful anti-transmutation magic, useful both as protection from and damage against
Karzougs favored school of magic. Rewards of the flesh can come later, after youve ensured the safety of Varisia. This is
heroes work, and heroes are not easily led into temptation.

Illustrations from Eric Belisle and the Paizo blog (artists uncredited)
Page 55

Adventure 6: Spires of Xin-Shalast Prologue

Wielding runeforged weapons infused with the sins of Lust and Pride, you are now ready to march against Karzoug, Runelord
of Greed, in his lost capital of Xin-Shalast. You know that Xin-Shalast can be found near the peak of Mhar Massif in the Kodar
mountain range, but the ancient city is protected from discovery by a strong field of occlusion, and Mhar Massif itself is nearly
unscaleable. Indeed, although you now know where Xin-Shalast is, you still need to figure out how to get there.
You hold a meeting with two of Sandpoints preeminent scholars, Brodert Quink and Ilsoari Gandethis. After a few hours of
false starts and dead ends, Gandethus recalls a mountaineering expedition of dwarves, led by brothers Silas and Karivek Vekker,
who claimed to have discovered the lost road to Xin-Shalast several years back. Quink recalls the story as well: apparently,
there had been quite the scandal when the dwarven party departed for the mountain and never returned. It seems that several
historical societies had offered a generous commission to fund the expedition, and many sources now dismiss the dwarven
explorers as frauds, surmising that the secret path to Xin-Shalast never existed the Vekker brothers had always intended to
take the money and run. However, if theres even a chance that the dwarves have discovered safe passage to Xin-Shalast, you
must take it.
You depart immediately for their last known whereabouts, an abandoned base camp at the snow-covered foot of the Kodar
mountain range.

Illustrations by Kevin Yan


Page 56

Scenario 6-1: Cabin in the Snow Prologue

The Kodar Mountains, also known as the Worlds Roof, are forbidding but impressive. Their massive peaks seem to nearly
touch the stars, and their snow-covered surface is a constant maelstrom of blizzards and avalanches. Even if you can find the
path to Xin-Shalast, scaling them will not be easy.

After days of searching, you locate the abandoned cabin that served as base camp for the dwarven expedition to find Xin-Shalast,
the legendary city of gold and capital of the once-illustrious nation of Shalast, seat of Karzoug the Claimer. The front door of
the Vekkers cabin hangs off of its hinges, and the interior of the cabin is a wreck; its clear that a large wild animal has gone
through it. As you step inside, you are hit by an insistent twinge of hunger. Even for heroes, the trek through the frigid wastes
was long and exhausting. All else being equal, given the state of the cabin, you decide to begin your investigation with the
larder.
As youre forcing open the larders massive door, youre startled by a terrifying, ravenous howl from outside. It may be a trick
of acoustics, but it sounded close. Soon, however, your attention is brought back to the inside of the cabin as your mind
registers the contents of the larder, which is empty except for a neat pile of squat, thick bones in the corner. It doesnt take an
anatomical expert to identify them as dwarven bones. Most bizarrely, your inexplicable hunger increases at the sight.
Suddenly, the cabins door swings inward, and a balding dwarf staggers in from the cold. You recognize him from a portrait as
Silas Vekker, one of this expeditions leaders. Run for your life! he shouts. Theyre going to eat you, too! As he speaks,
bite-sized chunks of flesh tear away from his body and disappear; within a few moments, he is gone completely. He must be a
haunt, like the spirits you encountered inside Foxglove Manor. Another ravenous howl echoes from outside, closer this time.

Illustrations by Filip Burburan


Page 57

Scenario 6-1: Cabin in the Snow Epilogue

During your exploration of the Vekkers cabin, one thing became immediately clear: the dwarves had not taken the expedition
money and run, as many scholars had accused them of doing. Several times during your search, you and your companions found
yourselves overcome by irrational hunger or by terrifying hallucinations, and these visions told you everything you needed to
know of the Vekker expedition. The entire expedition party had died in these mountains, and theyd perished at each others
hands or more accurately, their teeth. Overcome by an insatiable hunger, the dwarves had devoured one another alive.
Several more times, you encountered the revenant spirit of Silas Vekker, who seemed the most lucid of the dwarven haunts.
His shade promised to tell you the way to Xin-Shalast if you destroyed the bones of his brother, Karivek Vekker, who had been
at the center of the cannibalistic curse and whose ravenous ghost still haunted the mines near the cabin. Destroying the bones
would free Karivek from the curse, and both brothers could finally rest in peace.
You soon found Kariveks bones, guarded by his twisted spirit. He fought you like an animal, displaying none of the traces of
humanity that Silas had, and curiously, both his spirits legs and those of his skeleton ended in charred stumps. The reason for
this became clear when, on your return to the cabin, you were attacked by a tall, gaunt creature with the head of an elk, which
unleashed a familiar, ravenous howl upon seeing you. It walked upright, like a man, and its legs, too, ended in burned and
blackened stumps. As soon as you destroyed it, your own twinges of hunger ceased, and you understood that the strange beast
was somehow infecting the minds of its victims with its own insatiable greed for sustenance.
Silas Vekkers shade, grateful that you have laid his cursed brother to rest, tells you everything you need to know about the
hidden path to Xin-Shalast, ancient city of riches. But he also begs you not to follow the path: the Kodar Mountains are cursed,
he explains, especially that forgotten Thassilonian capital. Only misery awaits you there.

Illustrations by Tyler Walpole


Page 58

Scenario 6-2: The Road Through Xin-Shalast Prologue

Heedless of the spirits warnings, you follow Silas Vekkers instructions to reveal the secret path to Xin-Shalast, which is only
visible if you stand at an icemelt rivers source on a night when the moon is full. Luckily, its only two days from the full moon;
you take advantage of the wait to scout out the path and set up a camp near the rivers source.
The night before the full moon, as you sleep in your tent, you are visited by a diaphanous blue nymph. She bears a striking
resemblance to Myriana, the swamp nymph you assisted while defending Fort Rannick from the Kreeg ogres. Indeed, the
nymph introduces herself as Svevenka, one of Myrianas many cousins. To repay your kindness to the fey, she has come to
prepare you for what you will find in Xin-Shalast. Svevenka knows these mountains well, and her fairy sight penetrates even
Karzougs magic.
The Thassilonian city is not completely abandoned, Svevenka explains. Although its human inhabitants are gone and its
magnificent buildings are in ruins, it is infested with lamias, notoriously greedy creatures who were quite content to inherit the
opulent, gilded buildings after their human masters were wiped out. These include more snake-tailed lamia matriarchs, like you
encountered before, as well as standard lion-bodied lamias and massive lamia harridans. After Karzougs awakening, these
creatures have once again pledged themselves to the Runelord of Greed, and they are currently at war with a blue dragon
named Ghlorofaex who has taken up residence in one of Xin-Shalasts ruined towers.
Xin-Shalast is also defended by an army of Rune Giants, creations of the Runelords that have the power to control other giants
in their vicinity. It is primarily through the use of Rune Giants that the Thassilonians once enslaved the giant races, and now
Karzoug has set them to work again, enthralling nearby cloud and frost giants as wardens of Xin-Shalast. Finally, in the ruins
beneath Xin-Shalast, you will find a society of strange, reclusive creatures once humans like you, these former Thassilonian
slaves somehow survived the tragedy that wiped out their empire and have evolved into doughy, white-skinned, black-eyed
creatures with a preternatural ability to hide in the shadows. Should you encounter them, they may prove to be unlikely allies.
You thank the ice nymph for this information and await the light of the full moon and your chance to finally enter Xin-Shalast,
the home of your greatest enemy.

The city of Xin-Shalast lies under the avaricious gaze of Karzougs fortress atop Mhar Massif,
carved to resemble his greedy countenance.

Illustration by Ben Wootten


Page 59

Scenario 6-2: The Road Through Xin-Shalast Epilogue

When you passed through the occlusion field surrounding Xin-Shalast which doubles as a security system, according to
Svevenka, releasing sporadic jolts of destructive energy at any living creatures in its vicinity not protected by the Sihedron
you were momentarily struck dumb by the sight of Karzougs fallen capital. Even in ruins, it is greater and richer than any city
you have encountered, a glittering expanse of vast coliseums and cloud-capped spires glittering with gold, diamonds, rubies and
other precious minerals.
Then, your eyes settled on the massive Rune Giants and treacherous lamias teeming in Xin-Shalasts opulent courtyards and
keeping watch from its glistening towers, and you knew that you had no time to marvel at this monument to greed. You began
your assault, facing a near-constant onslaught of the toughest foes youve yet encountered. As you fought, you sometimes
caught a flap of blue wings out of the corner of your eye and had the feeling that something was watching you from the ruins.
Strangely, in certain locations in the city, you felt your strength ebb, and spells that should have slain your opponents fizzled
into nothing. You quickly learned to avoid those areas; the threat of death can be a strong motivator.
As the last Rune Giant fell, the blue dragon Ghlorofaex appeared, thanking you for taking care of his opponents. Its too bad I
cant keep you around, he mused. Those lamias will be along any minute. But Im starving its been ages since Ive eaten
anything but crunchy giants and stringy lamias. The lightning-breathing blue dragon proved to be more powerful than the red
or white dragons you have fought so far, but he eventually fell and a small, doughy shape emerged from the shadows.
Youve slain Ghlorofaex! the creature marvels in a hoarse whisper, as if unused to speaking aloud. You must be the ones
spoken of in the prophecies! Ones such as we once were, who would emerge from the outer world to free us again!
Just then, you hear the scrabbling claws of approaching lamias. Melting into the shadows again, the doughy creature hisses at
you to follow him into the ruins beneath Xin-Shalast, where he will explain more.

Illustration by Ben Wootten


Page 60

Scenario 6-3: Scaling Mhar Massif Prologue

The pale, black-eyed creature introduces himself as Morgiv. He takes you deep into the shadows beneath Xin-Shalast. Along the
way, he shows you stone wall-carvings depicting the history of his people, who he calls the Spared: how they were once the
slaves of the Runelord Karzoug; how a priestess of Lissala, goddess of runes, freed them and led them beneath Xin-Shalast,
where they survived the tragedy that wiped out Thassilon; how before her death, the Lissalan priestess prophesied that one day,
the Spared would be enslaved again, and great heroes would come from the outside world to free them, this time for good.
The Spared lived in peace for many centuries, learning to be quiet and inconspicuous in everything they did, until one day, a
new master appeared in the Spareds home and enslaved them yet again. Known as the Hidden Beast, nobody has actually seen
it and lived, but it still has the Spared in its thrall, whispering its orders from the darkness. Morgiv seems convinced that you
have come to rescue the Spared from this creature. When you explain that you are here to slay Karzoug, Morgiv hisses in fear.
The Runelord lives? he whispers.
You explain that you will do what you can to take care of the Hidden Beast, but you ask the Spared for assistance finding and
killing Karzoug. If the Runelord still lives, Morgiv explains, he will be within the tallest spire at the peak of Mhar Massif; this
was where the Runelord ruled when he lived. However, to reach this spire, youll have to pass through an area the Spared call
the Death Zone. They say that several years ago, a new range of black mountains appeared among the Kodar Mountains,
radiating a strange energy. Bizarre creatures, which Morgiv believes to be beings from another plane of existence, a place called
the Plateau of Leng, emerged from these mountains. The Spared propose that the denizens of Leng are attempting to merge
their world with Golarion. In places close to this dimensional incursion, the rules of the universe do not function in the same
way, which is why magic becomes unreliable near the black mountain range.

Illustration by Wayne Reynolds


Page 61

Scenario 6-3: Scaling Mhar Massif Epilogue

Scaling the treacherous Mhar Massif, you recall the words of caution written by Ronagard Two-Toes Roteshield, Pathfinder
mountaineer, directed to any adventurers foolish enough to think they could survive the massive mountains of the Worlds
Roof:
The colds not your enemy. No, when you get it in your fool head to go gallivanting up to the top of the world, theres plenty else to be worried
of. Up there, theres mountains that roar and try to eat you alive. Theres air that quits caring and does you about as much good as trying to
breathe a lake. Theres rock thats solid as a fortress wall til its the only thing holding you over a gap a mile deep. And then theres the
things. The snowy, hungry things that dont let anything made of meat just pass on by.
The cold, though, itll kill you slow and quiet. Itll be there when youre fallen and broken, half-eaten at the bottom of some ravine. Itll make
the hurting stop, wrap you up in that dull, soft numbness, and make your forget any thought of climbing back down.
No, the colds not your enemy. Up there, its the best friend youve got.

Of course, even Roteshield could not have anticipated the bizarre planar incursion by the world of Leng and its skittering,
spider-like inhabitants. Passing through this other plane of existence, you witness things and undergo trials that would drive a
lesser person insane. Eventually, you emerge in the cold, thin air of Mhar Massifs peak. Above you, Karzougs spire stretches
like a greedy arm toward the diamonds of the stars.

Illustration by Concept Art House


Page 62

Scenario 6-4: Assault on the Pinnacle Prologue

This is it: the final assault against Karzoug the Claimer, Runelord of Greed, in his spire overlooking the ruins of Xin-Shalast.
This close to the Runelords lair, you feel the runeforged weapons pulse with power. Forged from Pride and Lust, they are bane
against Karzougs transmutation magic and will both protect you and enhance your attacks; without them, your blows would be
useless against the powerful transmuter.
First, though, you have to find him. As you search the spire, you encounter rooms filled with swirling transmutational fog;
every once in a while, Karzougs familiar, gem-encrusted face forms out of this fog, watching you pass. But it is not the
Runelord himself. You suspect that his true form is somewhere at the pinnacle of the spire, guarded by his most loyal servants:
the lamia harridan Most High Ceoptra and Karzougs two human protgs. You learn a little about these guardians from the
Spared, who observe everybody who passes through Xin-Shalast from the shadows. One is Khalib, a mage with a lust for power
who appears to have come here of his own free will. The other is a powerful female warrior in golden armor named Viorian
Dekanti. Morgiv does not think she serves Karzoug willingly; she seems to be controlled by the cursed scimitar she wields.
As you climb toward the spires pinnacle, you come upon a room dominated by a strange portal emitting flashing lights and
unusual sounds. Denizens of Leng skitter back and forth, manipulating otherworldly machinery. This must be part of their plan
to infiltrate your plane. Although stopping Karzoug has to be your top priority, you now have another task: destroying this
portal before it opens and unleashes something terrible upon your world.

Reaper Miniatures Viorian Dekanti and Khalib painted by Martin Jones and Patrick Keith; used with permission.
Page 63

Scenario 6-4: Assault on the Pinnacle Epilogue


Once youve fought through the Rune Giants, the vicious lamia harridan, and Karzougs two human protgs, you storm the
Runelords throne room, blades and spells at the ready, only to find an empty chamber.
Almost empty, that is. An empty sarcophagus rests in the middle of the room, surrounded by golden statues depicting the
Runelord of Greed. In front of the sarcophagus, the largest statue clasps an emerald-green disc in its hands. Squinting into the
disc, you realize that it is a crystalline lens reflecting somewhere else; a separate plane of existence, like Runeforge. It is a
fairly small arena surrounded by a maelstrom of transmutational fog. Every so often, a tormented face emerges from the fog.
You recognize a few of these faces, and realize that they are the souls of those sacrificed with the Sihedron mark carved into
their flesh. In the center of the arena, a Runewell glows, similar to the Runewell of Wrath you found below Sandpoint, except
that this is surely the Runewell of Greed, the core of Karzougs power.

Illustration by Wayne Reynolds


Page 64

Scenario 6-5: Into the Eye Prologue


You understand that if you are to find Karzoug anywhere, it will be near the Runewell reflected in this crystalline lens, where
he can drink in the power of greedy souls. But how to access this pocket plane?
As if in answer, the runeforged weapons stir in your hands. With whispering voices, they coax you to strike the emerald-green
lens. Tentatively, you raise the charmed weapons overhead before bringing them down with all the force you have. The lens
shatters, and in the same moment, the throne room melts away, replaced by a maelstrom of swirling fog. In front of you stands
Karzoug, Runelord of Greed and the greatest threat Golarion has ever known. If you do not end his life now, once and for all, it
will be over for not just you, but the entire civilized world.

Scenario 6-5: Into the Eye Epilogue


It is finished. You have ended the life of Karzoug the Claimer, Runelord of Greed. Powered by his Runewell, overflowing with
avaricious souls, he blasted you with withering magic that nearly killed you on the spot, while your most powerful attacks
barely seemed to affect him. Yet somehow, you succeeded. You claim his powerful artifacts for your own: his burning glaive,
his occult robes, and his book of spells, containing the most powerful transmutation magic known to Varisia. Just as you do, the
last of the Runewells power dies away, and you find yourself back in Karzougs throne room. You breathe a sigh of relief.
The last Thassilonian is dead.
Except that isnt true, is it? According to what you learned in the Ancient Library, each of the Runelords found some way to
preserve their life during the cataclysm that ended their empire. Youve killed one of them; there are six more out there
somewhere, biding their time, growing in power. If this was what Greed looked like, you shudder to imagine facing off against
the necromantic Runelord of Gluttony or the destructive Runelord of Wrath.
Continued

Illustration by Wayne Reynolds


Page 65

You push the worries from your mind. Karzoug slumbered for ten thousand years. Maybe it will be ten thousand more before
the next Runelord awakens, or maybe they will not awaken at all. In any case, now is not the time for such dark thoughts. Now
is the time for celebrating! You begin a teleportation ritual, eager to share the good news with the people of Sandpoint, who
youve grown to love like your own family.

Adventure 6: Spires of Xin-Shalast Epilogue


Mayor Deverin declares a month of feasting and festivities in honor of the heroes who saved Golarion from disaster. You think
that might be a bit excessive, but you cant say you havent earned it.
In the coming days, you lose yourself in wine and song, sharing your stories of adventure with eager listeners who come from
miles around to meet the heroes of Varisia. Ameiko Kaijitsu fills in whenever your voice gets hoarse, and Cyrdrak Drokkus
even pens an opera in your honor. Headmaster Gandethus insists that you give a lecture to his students on all youve learned
about Thassilonian history, and if you ever get tired of the adventuring life, the powerful artifacts you earned along your way
are enough to make you wealthy beyond your wildest imaginings.
With Karzoug dead, you have little use for the runeforged weapons, especially given their corrupting influence, but you cant
bring yourself to destroy them. Eventually, you decide to lock them away in the basement of Sandpoints Academy, among
Ilsoari Gandethus other dangerous artifacts. A small, scared voice in your head reminds you that there are still six more
Runelords out there. You pray that you will never need to wield such profane weapons again, but you want to keep them close
at hand just in case.

Illustration by Kevin Yan


Page 66

Adventure Path: Rise of the Runelords Epilogue


Every once in a while, you take a moment to reflect on all you have accomplished since first coming to Sandpoint. You fought
off a band of goblins and their Lamashtu-worshipping aasimar leader. You stopped an undead murderer and the cult who
commanded him. You rescued a fort from peril and invaded an ogre clanhold. You laid siege on a fortress of stone giants,
conquered a ten-thousand-year-old pocket dimension, and defeated a Runelord himself. After all that, its hard to get excited
about guarding a few shepherds flocks.

The life of a celebrated hero is good, but a part of you still yearns for new adventures, new frontiers. From your contacts in the
Pathfinder Society, you hear that the real action these days is on the high seas, where the Free Captains of the Shackles engage in
piracy and debauchery from the eye of an eternal hurricane. You hear that at the disreputable Port Peril, strong-looking civilians
are being press-ganged into service aboard such pirate vessels. Perhaps youll check it out, one of these days, or maybe youll let
a new group of heroes rise to the challenge.

Illustration by Daryl Mandryk


Page 67

Rise of the Runelords Adventure Guide Credits

Concept By Byron Kittenhoarder Campbell


Based on a Campaign Journal By Moonbeam aka Denek
Rise of the Runelords Prologues & Epilogues Written By* Byron Kittenhoarder Campbell
Perils of the Lost Coast Prologues & Epilogues Written By Neil Autoduelist Edmonds
* Sections in italics are quoted directly (more or less) from the original source material. Apologies to the authors if something was missed.
Edited By Byron Kittenhoarder Campbell and Neil Autoduelist Edmonds
Art Direction and Layout By Neil Autoduelist Edmonds
Artwork By Alex Aparin, Eric Belisle, Noah Bradley, Lane Brown, Filip Burburan, Christopher Burdett, Ekaterina Burmak, Jeff Carlisle, Carmen Cianelli,
Concept Art House, Jorge Fares, Emily Fiegenschuh, Carlos Gomez, Jon Hodgson, Andrew Hou, Erik Jones, JZConcepts, Tim Kings-Lynne, Ian Llanas,
Daryl Mandryk, Kate Maximovich, Lucio Parillo, Jim Pavelec, Roberto Pitturru, Paolo Puggioini, Maichol Quinto, Jason Rainville, Miguel Regodn,
Wayne Reynolds, KyuShik Shin, Bryan Sola, Florian Stitz, Tyler Walpole, Eva Widermann, Ben Wootten, Kevin Yan, Kieran Yanner, and the Paizo
Community Use Package
Miniature Painting and Photography By Neil Autoduelist Edmonds, Michael Genet, Martin Jones, Patrick Keith, and Derek Schubert

This document was created with Microsoft Office 2007 and Paint.NET. The font used was Perpetua.

Pathfinder Adventure Card Game Rise of the Runelords Credits

Game Design By Mike Selinker


Based on a Game Concept By Rian Sand
Game Development By Chad Brown, Tanis OConnor, Paul Peterson, and Gaby Weidling
Based on Rise of the Runelords By Wolfgang Baur, Stephen S. Greer, James Jacobs, Nicolas Logue, Richard Pett, and Greg A. Vaughan

This Pathfinder Adventure Card Game Rise of the Runelords Adventure Guide uses trademarks and/or copyrights owned by Paizo Inc., which are used under
Paizos Community Use Policy. We are expressly prohibited from charging you to use or access this content. This Pathfinder Adventure Card Game Rise of the
Runelords Adventure Guide is not published, endorsed, or specifically approved by Paizo Inc. For more information about Paizos Community Use Policy,
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Paizo, Paizo Publishing, LLC, the Paizo golem logo, and Pathfinder are registered trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC. Pathfinder Adventure Card Game,
Pathfinder Beginner Box, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Tales, and Rise of the Runelords are trademarks of Paizo
Publishing, LLC. 2014 Paizo Publishing, LLC.
None of the artwork featured in Pathfinder Adventure Card Game Rise of the Runelords Adventure Guide was altered except for size and orientation to fit the
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Byron Campbell and Neil Edmonds would like to thank Paizo Publishing, LLC, the authors of Rise of the Runelords, Ed Pugh and Reaper Miniatures, and the
many talented artists whose work made this document possible. Please respect their rights and ours when using or distributing this document.
Byron Campbell and Neil Edmonds will return in Skull & Shackles.

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