A booming voice calls out from the wood-paneled office’s open doorway. “Welcome! Welcome my friends! Please. Have a seat.” The speaker, Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin, points to a number of chairs around his desk. He sounds friendly, but his smile seems forced.
“I’m not one for beating around the bush, so let me lay it out for you. Three weeks ago, we lost contact with an expedition of Pathfinders sent into Geb, led by a researcher from Absalom named Joktan Heth. He and the other members of his group were magically disguised as undead creatures and tasked with recovering an ancient tome known as the Testament of Geb, purported to be a scholarly treatise on the creation of new types of undead—intended specifically for use on the battlefield. Joktan’s mission was to sneak into the country, locate the Testament, and bring it back to the Vaults. He’s overdue and we fear the worst. We need you to undergo the same process of disguise, infiltrate Geb, and learn the whereabouts of Joktan, his team, and most of all, the Testament. Pathfinders, time is of the essence. If that book falls into the wrong hands, it could destabilize the entire Inner Sea region. We need that book and we have the utmost faith that you’ll do what’s necessary to make sure we get it.
“Any questions?”
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You can count on me to find and - I hope - save our comrade Captain ! Said the massive Ulfen with terrible scars, tressed black hair and a strange golden skin and white glowing eyes dressed in a fullplate armor with a mighty symbol of Gorum on it and two greatsword on his back.
We can't let a Pathfinder in trouble.
Remembering some strange things about Geb and his undead rulers he asked
Yes, what type of diguise are we speaking ? How could we pass for undead people ?
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One of the attendees is a well-dressed, clean elf with blond hair and timeless blue eyes. By his looks, you can tell that he likes everything to be neat and spotless, just like his enamelled mithral breastplate bearing the open palm of Irori. His gestures are precise and never made in vain. Yet one thing contrasts with the elf's shiny appearance: his hands, up to the elbows, are severely burnt, to the point that it'll probably never heal. Those burn marks are in the open, a reminder of the vicissitudes of his past.
Addressing his companions, the elf seems to have instantly regained his former no-nonsense attitude, even adding a touch of humilty as he bows to the other attendees. He's obviously an experienced socialite, adapting to his environment rapidly. I am Kynrac Chronarion, librarian of the Scrolls and apprentice of Master Shaine. Well met. Good to see you again, Ragnar! Your fierce prowess at arms will indeed be a precious ally.
Surprised at first at the gist of this mission, Kynrac quickly regains his composure and recitates for his companions. "Geb indeed. The land of the living dead, where so few living beings do not fear to tread, doing so at their own risk of ending up the meal of a voracious wight or vampire... only some manage to be successfully incorporated into the army as conscripts. Even Lady Pharasma is wroth with them, as she often launches raids on the Gebbite settlements."
"Despite the very high danger this mission respresents, we have to face the odds to save this Pathfinder. The Decemvirate can count on us, Venture-Captain Valsin." he adds with a polite bow.
"As for questions, I do have some. First of all, what do we know about this Testament of Geb? How is it linked to that country's ruler? Secondly, what kind of magic is used in those "disguises". Undead creatures smell life like a ripe fruit, so I have a hard time imagining a mundane disguise for this one. Lastly, do we have a description of Jokran's team? Meaning their disguises and real appearances."
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Sitting in a chair is a strangely long-nosed Dwarf - you think.
"Yes. Good questions. I may be able to assist with disguises. Grugni Hasstul, Dwarven scout at your service." he says with a nod. "But if the Society is providing them, all the better." he adds. He is scrawny for a Dwarf, but his long brown beard is impressively braided. "I dabble in magic, and have learned a trick or two in Illusion and Transmutation."
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A tall blond human wearing a holy symbol of a beer mug looks a bit better at Jakarno and smiles knowingly.
"I am Brachus a cleric of Cayden Cailean. Disguises are not something I'm very good at so I could use all the help I can get, provided by the Society or otherwise. But I'm willing to risk it if it means we get to rescue some fellow pathfinder from some undead."
Yes, what type of diguise are we speaking ? How could we pass for undead people ?
“The Society has in its possession an item known at the Chalice of Undeath. When used, it gives a creature the semblance of undeath, while the creature remains alive and maintains full control of its soul. Our experiments here show that until the process is reversed—by drinking from the chalice again—you will have the semblance and aura of an undead, and be affected by magic that also affects undead. Be warned that healing magic that affects living creatures will hurt you while you are in this state, just as it would any true undead.”
"As for questions, I do have some. First of all, what do we know about this Testament of Geb? How is it linked to that country's ruler?
[b]“As far as we can determine, the Testament is a book or scroll written by the infamous wizard-king Geb before he joined the ranks of the undead who served him. Not only does it discuss in depth a number of different types of undead, their creation, and their weaknesses, but it also includes formulae for constructing devastating undead weapons of war."
"Lastly, do we have a description of Jokran's team? Meaning their disguises and real appearances."
“Joktan Heth is a student a history, specializing in the war between Geb and Nex and the history of necromancy and undeath. He joined the Pathfinder Society early in his career and worked in the Vault helping catalog various artifacts and magical items. He discovered the Chalice of Undeath in the Repository and petitioned the Decemvirate to allow him to use its powers to travel into Geb in order to find the legendary Testament of Geb."
"Joktan was a young man. . . " he goes off on a full description of the man, "but he was disguised as an undead just as you will be. He had a handful of acolytes disguised in the same manner."
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Ragnar tried to make a mental image of the young man from his description in hopes to find him "alive" and well.
At Valsin response to his question others came in his mind. Strange but exciting !
OK, so we need to use negative energy once transformed to be healed if I understand well and positive energy will hurt us as if we are undead... Do the society will provide us of negative healing for this particuliar mission ? Or do we have with us a cleric channeling negative energy ?
For my part, Gorum provide me only with positive.
ODo the society will provide us of negative healing for this particuliar mission ? Or do we have with us a cleric channeling negative energy ?
Valsin laughs a bit. [b]"I'm afraid not. Though I would encourage you to go out and spend a bit of your own coin on that sort of stuff before you head out. It might help."
To quickly apply the undead anatomy template to your PC, simply add the following to the character:
1. You gain a bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage if you are Medium or 1d4 points of damage if you are Small.
2. You gain two claw attacks that each deal 1d6 points of damage if you are Medium or 1d4 points of damage if you are Small.
3. You gain darkvision 60 feet and scent.
4. If you are Small, you gain a +1 natural armor bonus. If you are Medium or larger, you gain a +2 natural armor bonus.
Note that in this form, you will detect as an undead creature (such as with detect undead, but not with magic that reveals your true form, such as true seeing) and are treated as undead for the purposes of channeled energy, cure spells, and inflict spells, but not for other effects that specifically target or react differently to undead (such as disrupt undead, hide from undead, and searing light).
Valsin explains, "Yes, we have tested the reversal process already and we are sure that it is foolproof. Now, the Society will teleport you to an isolated position in northcentral Geb, near the city of Graydirge but not near enough that anyone should see you suddenly arrive. From there you will need to head toward Corpselight, a small farming town to the east of the city. Joktan was convinced the Testament of Geb was there and that’s where any clues as to his fate will be found. Once your mission is completed, send word via this magic token and we will have you teleported back to Skyreach."
Once the ritual is completed, Valsin gives the party eight potions of inflict moderate wounds.
The party drinks from the chalice and takes on a pallor of undeath before being teleported away.
The world materializes into a hazy swamp, the few plants within as dry and colorless as one would expect in a nation ruled and inhabited by the undead. Ghostly pale moonlight provides illumination and a mournful wind blows slowly from the south, carrying with it the unmistakable sickly sweet scent of long-dead flesh mixed with newly spilt blood. Only the sound of rustling brush breaks the tomblike silence.
The party begins to shamble towards the sound. After a moment, the party meets a troop of marching undead face-to-face. A mummy in the front clearly acts as the leader, followed by three skeleton warriors. "Halt!" the mummy calls out to his soldiers.
"This is Lieutenant Corvalos. What is a group of your size doing wandering the countryside?"
Corvalos eyes the party down and responds, "Aye, very well. We're on our way to Corpselight. If you are heading that way feel free to join us. We're moving double-speed though so keep up."
"Why do you think we're heading to Corpselight? Reinforcements are needed; we're going to need everything we can get."
It is less than a two mile march to Corpselight. When you arrive, the town is virtually devoid of activity, its inhabitants mostly indoors going about their daily lives. In the various pens and corrals around town, however, shackled humans in tattered rags stand or sit in their own filth like poorly tended livestock. Their eyes are glazed over and they make no sound or movement toward you; they long ago accepted their fate and now act and think like the cattle their owners treat them as.
One woman, however, calls out to you, "Mercy! Please! Food and water! Mercy!"
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Grugni drinks from the chalice and observes the effects on his body. "Huh." is his only comment.
In the town, he watches around himself. He looks away from the woman asking for food and water, but looks back when Ragnar moves to aid her. He hisses in concern, and keeps a look out to see if his act will draw any unwanted attention to them.
The woman looks genuinely surprised to see such kindness. It was probably one of the kindest acts she has ever received. In fact, she responds to Ragnar, "Wow! Thank you! You are so kind!" ;)
When she sees Hawkwren looking at the cages, she notes, "Oh, they're not hard to open. That's not what keeps us in, after all. But please, if you are truly the kindest folks I've ever met, my father is ill. He needs food desperately. He won't be nearly as nourishing if he's sick before he's eaten, after all."
You could easily enter her pen if you so wished. No one seems to be paying you much attention.