The Moldspeaker
The semi-sentient mold in the monastery’s basement has taken on an imprint of Vardishal’s personality, and the infection in one PC’s wounds has spread that imprint to the PC. This character immediately gets the impression that he or she should dig in a certain spot under the thicket in the cloister courtyard at area 8. This turns up an old weapon that coincidentally matches the PC’s favorite weapon type, and it scales in power throughout the Adventure Path to become more effective against Jhavhul and his favored minions.
When the PC wields this weapon, a patchy, uneven growth of mold appears on his weapon hand up to his elbow, and the PC sometimes has flashes of Vardishal’s memories. This effectively grants the character a +1 bonus on all Intelligence-based skill checks. The power of the weapon and the physical effect of the manifestation increase in potency as the PCs goes up in level, and future events might trigger hints of memories from Vardishal’s life. The character does not become Vardishal, but some element of the genie’s conscience exists within him, particularly when the weapon is wielded. The overwhelming desire of the character, the moldspeaker, is to wield this weapon in battle against the hated efreet Jhavhul. Not all of this backstory will be evident at fist, but rather develops as play goes through the six Legacy of Fire adventures.
The moldspeaker’s influence is a chaotic and good effect, despite the sinister nature of the mold. It has no impact on the PC’s alignment and shouldn’t harm him in any other way—the moldspeaker is meant to be a story element that will be carried throughout the Legacy of Fire Adventure Path. If the PC absolutely doesn’t want this role, the effect can be removed with a dispel chaos or dispel evil spell, but doing so robs the PCs of what could be an important resource.
Moldspeaker: The PC who has become infused with the moldspeaker is free to choose any focus for the yearlong sabbatical, but if he or she chooses to explore her moldspeaker powers, the character learns how to manifest Tempest out of mold-dust, even though the weapon is not otherwise present. This effect lasts for 3 hours per day, and does not work if the actual weapon is within 30 feet. If the weapon is later brought within 30 feet, the mold replica disintegrates and cannot be summoned until the following day.
Tempest leveling:
1st to 4th +1 weapon
5th to 7th +1 frost weapon
8th to 9th +2 frost weapon
10th to 11th +2 fire outsider bane frost weapon
12th+ +2 fire outsider bane icy burst weapon
Tempest powers:
1st to 4th Level: +1 weapon, fog cloud (3rd level, 1/day)
5th to 7th Level: +1 frost weapon, fog cloud (5th level, 1/day), gust of wind (5th level, 1/day)
8th to 9th Level: +2 frost weapon, fog cloud (5th level, 1/day), gust of wind (5th level, 1/day), wind wall (7th level, 1/day)
10th to 11th Level: +2 fire outsider bane frost weapon, fog cloud (5th level, 1/day), gust of wind (5th level, 1/day), wind wall (7th level, 1/day), ice storm (9th Level, 1/day), sleet storm (11th Level, 1/day)
Genies and similar creatures immediately recognize Tempest as having been forged in the Elemental Planes of the raw stuff of creation. Characters who wield the weapon may garner unique responses from Templars of the Five Winds to be encountered later in the Legacy of Fire Adventure Path. These characters recognize the weapon as having once belonged to a lost comrade, and may treat the wielder differently than just any mortal.