In the ruins of a fallen empire built on the power of sin lies the key to awakening a great evil from a time long gone. The Pathfinder Society isn't the only organization seeking this potent artifact, however, and the result of failure could mean disaster for the whole of Varisia and beyond.
A short two weeks after your return from Kaer Maga, The City of Strangers, you receive letters at your doorstep bearing Venture-Captain Heidmarch's seal of the bungalows on Lady Heidmarch's estate.
Agents,
Your presence is desired today in the main house for Lunch at 12:00 PM.
Pack your necessities for 1 weeks travel. Please be prompt.
In anticipation,
Lady Heidmarch
At noon your are greeted warmly by the butler and escorted to the dining room where you find Lady Sheila who is looking over some papers.
She smiles and you are seated to a fine lunch as is normal in the lodge. After lunch the plates are cleared some drinks served and Lady Heidmarch gets down to business.
"Greetings, Pathfinders! I have new information for you about our agents' discoveries regarding the cult of Lissala. When the Ten learned of the cult's active existence, they sent you to infiltrate a cell in the industrial town of Palin's Cove. During that mission we learned that the cult intends to bring back the ancient Thassilonian Runelord Krune to rule Varisia.
In the last two weeks since your return and the defeat of Kesoulla, another team of Pathfinder agents investigated the Lissans in the City of Strangers and discovered that the cultists aim to return the runelord by using refuge tokens that he created for his followers to reach his hidden location. Our Pathfinders also uncovered the location of an ancient Lissalan shrine, documented to hold a cache of these refuge tokens.“
She hands you a piece of parchment.
”This map shows the location where the shrine is said to be. The fastest way there is from Kaer Maga west into the Wyvern Mountains.”
"Teleport back to Kaer Maga, find the shrine and recover the refuge tokens so that we may use them to access Krune's lair, thus preventing the Lissalans from raising their runelord. Don't attempt to use the tokens yet - we also need to uncover the proper command words. And hurry, please! A group bearing the Sihedron, Lissala's holy rune, was seen leaving the city two days ago. They must seek the shrine as well. "Should you have additional questions about your mission, seek out a trusted informant in the Downmarket District, a textile merchant named Allira Vandane. She will aid you as much as she can. May Desna smile upon you, Pathfinders."
With only 14 days of rest the only item Sekkimm was able to craft was Rolande's Boots of Speed. There are two days of crafting invested into the 2nd pair of boots (10 left).
OK just let me know when ready - Buchart your sheet will be ready soon. Rolande and Anaba done!!
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You arrive quickly back in Kaer Maga, the City of Strangers.
Without difficulty you locate Alliria Vandane in the Downmarket where you meet to discuss your mission in a back storage room out of sight.
Questions?
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Do we have any clue as to the whereabouts of the shrine?
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"They were seen leaving two days ago, on foot. Perhaps they will arrive ahead of you. Perhaps they have been mired with obstacles. Who knows?"
How far is it to the shrine? "According to our sources, the shrine lies about ioo miles west of Kaer Maga in the Wyvern Mountains, through the Ash-Blown lands. Lady Heidmarch should have provided a map I sent to her."
Everyone can make KN local or diplomacy checks.
Trained KN History or Religion
No penalty for failure except party ridicule
Kyra
Asking around for a few hours after your meeting You discover
15+ The Wyvern Mountains are home to fearsome aerial predators, such as wyverns and giants. Few expeditions travel there, so any site could have gone undiscovered.
20+ A fellow Acadamae graduate recognized his former classmate Naroth Balam as the head Lissalan cultist leaving Kaer Maga 2 days ago. Back in Korvosa, Naroth focused so narrowly on conjuration magic that he completely forsook evocation and illusion spells-he was incapable of even
using a wand or scroll of one of those schools.
Can anyone scry this party out?
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Kn local or Diplomacy
25+ The Lissalans abducted several travelers outside the city, including a dwarven merchant from Janderhoff and a Taldan noble.
Knowledge( religion)
15+ Lissala is not a deity commonly worshiped among today's faithful.
20+ She was a lawful evil Thassilonian deity of runes, fate, obedience, and the reward of service.
Kn History
15+ Covering much of modern-day Varisia, Thassilon was an ancient empire that enslaved giants as warriors and laborers to build enormous monuments.
She is not aware of any particular purchases. I was tasked with keeping an eye on them after your last mission here. I picked up their trail from the Lethe House. Unfortunately I didn't gather much information before they suddenly left. That's when I sent word to Lady Heidmarch.
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I wish I had more for you. Get the tokens, we learned they need them to raise Krune. Desna knows what powers a runelord would wield. There should be 25 or so.
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Ash Blown lands, huh? I'm glad I brought my scarf! So, should we try to head them off or catch up? They might be half way there by now if they force marched. How close is the the dam from there? We could teleport somewhere closer we are familiar with. Getting there first would definitely give us an edge! We have a few options! We can fly part way each day then use mount.
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I can keep us on Phantom Steeds for three hours a day right now. They travel a good clip faster than your average saddle horse, and have less trouble with rough ground, to boot.
I'm on the threshold of being able to support them for 5 hours a day, but I can't quite work out all of the attunements yet. The rate of speed would be mind-boggling, though. In those five hours we should be able to cover what would take a man two days on foot.
Buchart may have something as we have been to the dam by Ka! Teleport then use the steeds. If someone can scout from the sky with a fly spell we might set eyes on them.
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Unfortunately, Turtleback Ferry while geographically closer requires travel through mountains making the journey longer.
Ready to hit the road ?
Phantom Steed will travel at 20mph at Sekkims level.
About 5 hours to get to the general area, then need to find it, which can take a bit longer. They have two days head start on you.
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Five hours after leaving Kaer Maga you arrive in the general vicinity of Lady Heidmarch's map without incident. Your Phantom Steeds dissipate and you search for several hours on foot. Anaba has been unable to find any tracks of your quarry along the way since your party left Kaer Maga. Sekkimm and Buchart suspect they used some form of magical transport (such as Phantom Steed). Just before dark, you come across a small creek. Runoff has carried a lot of sediment making the creek a deep reddish-brown (somewhere between Crayola's Fuzzy Wuzzy and Burnt Umber). Following the creek upstream you discover a recent excavation which has spilled into a nearby stream.
In the mountain valley, sparse trees sprout from cracks in the steep cliffs, bending in the direction of the constant howling wind. Piles of scree (a slope covered with small loose stones) litter the ground at the base of the cliffs. In a hollow with a muddied brook, a hole in the mountainside opens up. It was clearly excavated recently, piles of soil and rock flank the opening. A perfectly square tunnel the height of an ogre cuts through worked stone, leading to a chamber beyond. Light from within reveals muddy tracks in the dust that coats the floor of the tunnel.
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As Buchart begins to approach (before he can peer inside) with Anaba close by, you hear a booming voice ahead.
"Halt, tomb robbers! You shall not enter this sacred site. One more step and you will be destroyed."
A being suddenly appears flying 20' above the ground. He has smooth skin, a muscular body, large golden wings, and wields a large mace.
KN Planes checks if you are trained please
Kyra recognizes the being as a Monadic Deva Angel
NG Medium outsider (angel, aquatic, extraplanar, good)
Spell-Like Abilities
Monadic devas are stoic watchers of the Ethereal Plane and the Elemental Planes. They search those planes for fiendish enclaves, battle evil planar monsters such as xills, and act as celestial liaisons to the genies and elementals. They have been known to broker temporary peace between warring elemental factions, often using their inherent magic to end hostilities long enough for negotiations to take place. In the armies of the good planes, they are leaders and officers, and after centuries of service to a deity, they may be transformed into astral devas.
Monadic devas like giving their maces names and proudly announcing them in battle with evil foes. Many of these weapons have seen battle for thousands of years and are quite battered. Younger devas may lend their weapons to good churches on the Material Plane so they can be used by great mortal heroes, though the angels eventually reclaim them after no more than a year and a day.
A monadic deva is 7 feet tall and weighs 220 pounds.
Anyone else can roll for more info.
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Ahh I see.
"They are none of your concern. Looters and robbers are not permitted entry!"
Actions?
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Kyra pleads with the angel. "By Senrae, We are not tomb robbers or thieves. We are here to prevent an evil from spreading through the lands."
+2 to Sekkimm anyone else?
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