Mister Vergee's Curse of the Crimson Throne


Campaign Journals

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20 Arodus 4708

The next morning the companions gather for breakfast. Thousand Bones greets them and asks if they are ready for the journey. Off to the side, an older Shoanti woman is cooking up something hearty in a large pot. Suddenly a screech tears through the air. The sound seems to be coming from the north and ends close to the breakfast circle. The elderly cook buckles and tumbles to the ground, a bolt sticking from her neck. Out of thin air two red mantis assassins appear and attack the unwary party. Wicked-Claws, the wingless dragonne that protects the tribe, rears its scaly head when it sees a big leopard charging from behind one of the tents.

In no time the Shoanti camp is in complete chaos. Puk tries to get the people to hide in the tents, but panic has taken a hold of them, which makes some of them run around wildly instead of hide. The scarlet-clothed assassins are both joined by giant-sized red mantis insects and a few seconds later two other large monsters burst from the sand: these abominations have the upper body of a human, while their lower half is that of a humongous scorpion. Their deadly claws and poisonous stingers flash left and right, damaging Balian, but also making some casualties among the Shoanti commoners. Sjo tries to pinpoint the source of the ranged attack and finds it when three screaming bolts plant themselves in his chest, causing grievous wounds: a hitman is hiding behind a big rock off to the north. The pin-cushioned healer already has to resort to his magical cures. Thousand Bones’ venerable age has made him a fragile man, but he still possesses some powerful magic, and attempts to dispel one of the summoned mantises. The insect pops away as suddenly as it appeared. Quint takes up his support role and casts haste. Meanwhile Balian, Spyder and Puk launch their melee attacks and dish out serious damage. Puk already manages to slay one of the assassins and sees him poof away in red smoke as he falls. Saamesh, the rescued spy, also joins the fray, but his defenses are far inferior to the party’s, so he suffers greatly. Balian confronts a scorpionman, bearing down on him again and again with his greatsword. The creature loses three limbs in the attack, but still has enough legs left to stand and return the attack. It is aided by the sudden appearance out of nowhere of yet another Red Mantis assassin, a killer whose armor’s shape suggests that she is female. She delivers a vicious blow to the ranger. The surviving giant mantis turns on Saamesh, who bears the beating stoically, but falls to the ground when a bolt from the mysterious archer hit him hard. Another shot takes down Balian.

With two fighters out of the game, it is time for some battlefield control: Sjo freezes the female assassin in place with hold person, but the archer resists a similar spell and a cacophonous call from Quint. Next the bard makes the campfire explode in a bright flash, which blinds the male assassin, a scorpionman and the leopard, who is locked in combat with Wicked-Claws behind the main tent. Spyder suffers the same fate, but uses his instinct to continue his attacks anyway with surprising ease; naturally the blinded opponents try to do the same. Thousand Bones moves closer to the source of the deadly bolts and recognizes the Cinderlander hiding behind a rocky outcropping. The old medicine man finally manages to neutralize the danger by casting another hold person on him, which finally succeeds. Meanwhile Puk takes out a first scorpion creature and deals heavy damage to the frozen female assassin. The wingless dragonne leaves the sight-robbed leopard groping in the dark and turns on the second giant mantis. Gushing blood from one of his wounds, unconscious Balian is in danger of bleeding out, so Sjo helps his friend with a cure critical wounds. Quint and Thousand Bones provide further healing for the ranger, who tries to regain his feet. Despite his blindness Spyder manages to kill the female assassin next, who disappears in a puff of red smoke as well. Puk presses the final Red Mantis murderer, who takes down Sjo in turn. Fortunately Thousand Bones is close to lend assistance, one healer to another. Spyder continues his streak of good luck and finishes off the final assassin. Apparently the outdoor environment of the Cinderlands agree with the city dog. As the assassin pops away in red clouds, the giant mantis he summoned disappears as well. The only immediate threat left is the second scorpionman; the Cinderlander is still frozen in place and his blinded leopard pet is trying to find its way back to its master. Puk and Balian turn on the foul scorpion critter, drawing blood from many wounds, but still the creature persists and snaps and stings at the ranger with success as well. Fortunately Balian possesses enough fortitude to resist the poison. Puk is no big fan of the almost spiderlike way in which the giant scorpion creeps about, but with Balian providing flanking, he can duck between the creature’s many legs and deliver the final blow.

Wasting no time, Balian charges over to the Cinderlander before the man manages to regain control of his movements. Wicked-Claws is close behind, chasing the leopard back to the archer, who finally breaks out of the hold person, but is laid low by another of Thousand Bones’s spells. The old Shoanti commands the Cinderlander to ‘grovel’, making the enemy fall prone in the dirt. A storm of attacks from all sides ends his life. By the time Sjo arrives it is already over, the Cinderlander is dead. So this deadly opponent was his biological father, was he? The healer cannot muster any pity for the man, but still sends him off with a short prayer to Pharasma. That is all the mercy this killer deserves.

Quint turns to Thousand Bones and says he is very sorry. This attack was aimed at his party, and it cost five innocent Shoanti bystanders their lives. Thousand Bones accepts his apology and says that at least one good thing came of it: the Cinderlander, who has been plaguing the Shoanti for almost two decades, is finally defeated. It is a sad day for the tribe, but a good day or all the clans in general. The victims will be honored as heroes and their names will live on in song and legend.


An hour after the Red Mantis ambush the companions leave the Skull Clan camp, joined by both Thousand Bones and Saamesh. After about half a day of traveling the party comes across another group of Skoan-Quah warriors, who are making their way to the shadow of the Great Flame as well. Like the members of Thousand Bones’ tribe, they are following the call of the Sklar-Quah. The Burn riders who recruited them are still with them and do not seem overly pleased with the presence of Korvosan tshamek, but they accept the company of the strangers when Thousand Bones and Saamesh vouch for them.

22 Arodus 4708

Over the next two days the group traveling with the heroes grows even more, to about 250 men and women. By the end of the afternoon on the third day they finally reach their destination: an imposing pinnacle of red rock that rises from the earth to a height of more than 200 feet. Millennia of erosion have shaped the stone like a big flame. In normal times this landmark would be an eye-catcher, but now Balian finds his gaze being drawn to the enormous encampment at its foot. Hundreds of tents and campfires cover the landscape.

Upon approaching the camp the companions see a delegation of Burn Riders moving in to welcome the newcomers. Puk immediately recognizes the giant that leads them: Krojun Eats-What-He-Kills. When he spots the companions, the barbarian gives them a small frown, but as soon as he picks out Saamesh in the crowd, the towering Shoanti jumps off his horse. With big strides he closes the distance between himself and the former spy. Grinning widely, he pulls his much smaller friend in a bear hug: “Brother, have you come to join us in battle? My heart rejoices, you are more than welcome!” he smiles. “Although I see you have not brought the best of companions”, he continues, nodding at the Korvosans.

Saamesh returns the heartiness of the hug, but when he frees himself from the giant’s grip, he replies: “On the contrary, brother, my business in Urgir did not end well. These men saved me from the deadly clutches of the orcs. With the exception of you, perhaps, I cannot imagine being in finer company.”

Krojun grins at the party: “Then I welcome you as well, welcome to the brave warriors who will crush Korvosa and see justice done.”

Krojun leads Thousand Bones, Saamesh and their Korvosan guests to a huge tent, bordering the foot of the Great Flame. While they make their way through the camp, the companions feel the hostile gaze of hundreds of Shoanti. The forces that have gathered here are truly impressive: there must be over two thousand warriors here, if not three; hundreds of horses and Puk even spots a number of mastodons, immense eliphants. The halfling stares at the titans in awe: “Look, oliphaunts, no one at home will believe this!”

The war-yurt is the biggest tent the companions have ever seen, fully covered in animal skins and leather hides. In front of the entrance there are two rows of totems, decorated with different animals and symbols. A plume of smoke rises from a hole in the center of the tent. Quint quickly cleans up everyone’s attire with prestidigitation, casts glibness upon himself and tongues on Puk and Balian, who do not speak Shoanti. Krojun motions for the newcomers to enter. Inside a few dozen men and women are gathered around a bonfire. Most of them look like experienced warriors, but others bear the symbols and ornaments of mystics. Upon entering Krojun’s loud voice booms out: “Honored jothka’s and wise fathers and mothers, we have welcomed many guests in our midst of late, but these visitors will surely draw your attention!”

Everyone inside eyes the Korvosan heroes with a mixture of surprise and contempt. A broad-shouldered warrior with gray hair and a proud beard seems to share these feelings, but when Saamesh steps into the tent behind Balian, his face lights up. He walks up to the young man, places his hands on the spy’s shoulders and calmly speak in a very low voice: “So, son, you have finally turned your back on that stinking orc pit. Your father’s heart leaps at your return.”

“Jothka”, Saamesh answers with the same calm, “the orcs of the Hold of Belkzen are strong and many, but their eyes are not aimed at the Quahs right now. I was less lucky, however, and personally got to experience their false gazes and sharp claws. If it wasn’t for these men, you’d be short one son.”

The bearded man turns to the companions, looking each of them in the eye: “I offer you my thanks, tshamek. My name is Valkur Burns-In-His-Veins, the Quahjothka of the Sklar-Quah. I am the one who has called together the Shoanti to drive your people back into the sea. I take it that is why you are here. Speak, and we will listen.” Quint recognizes the word Quahjothka as the ‘chief’, not just of a single tribe, but the ‘chief of chiefs’ of a complete clan or Quah. This man is the head of all the Sun Clan people.

Valkur points to an empty place next to the fire where his guests can sit down. He squats on the ground a few yards further, between four other important-looking Shoanti: Laaron Strongbow, Quahjothka of the Lyrune-Quah (the Moon Clan), Fidru Glides-On-The-Wind, daughter of the Quahjothka of the Shriikiri-Quah (the Hawk-Clan), Akbat Whose-Tongue-Gives-Life, Quahjothka of the Shundar-Quah (the Spire Clan) and Durbeth Lifebreath, Quahjothka of the Skoan-Quah (the Skull Clan). The other Shoanti inside the war-yurt sit down as well, curious to witness this intriguing encounter. Krojun, Thousand Bones and Saamesh are among them, as is One-life, the chief of Thousand Bones’ tribe.

The companions also introduce themselves and Quint explains why they are here. After the death of King Eodred, the ‘Quahjothka’ of Korvosa, his wife Ileosa took control and has been showing ever more apparent signs of evil and madness. The party has tried to counter this malevolence, but they found themselves insufficiently equipped or skilled to succeed, especially after Ileosa displayed virtual immortality when she was shot in the head by an accomplished warrior who had discovered her evil as well. The arrow to her temple should have felled an auroch bull, but instead it hardly phased her, as she simply plucked the bolt from her head and attacked the warrior with it. The ‘feeble’ Korvosan woman grabbed the seasoned warrior by the throat and lifted the 200 pound man off the ground as if he were a twig, killing him with one single blow. The companions now suspect that the queen is under the influence of the ancient ‘evil’ that was supposedly buried under the mastaba. If she is not stopped, queen Ileosa will destroy both of their people, Quint continues, referring to Thousand Bones’ spirit quest and the vision of the shadow dragon swallowing the Shoanti horses and Korvosan wolves alike, leaving no one alive. “That is why we have come: to learn more about this evil and find out how they can fight it.”

Quint also knows that the Shoanti are wary of outsiders and only truly accept their own: other (full-blood) Shoanti or – on very rare occasions – non-Shoanti who have proven themselves worthy. That entails that the companions will have to try and acquire enough of the Shoanti’s respect through their past deeds. So the bard spins a story of who the party is and what they have achieved. Sometimes he finds it hard to explain, because many urban concepts are foreign to his audience. The Shoanti do have a word for children who’ve lost their parents, but the words lacks the undertone of being abandoned as the term ‘orphan’ does, because the tribes always take care of such children. His listeners also frown when Quint describes the many excesses of ‘corruption’ he and his friends have fought over the last couple of months in Korvosa, probably reinforcing the wildlings’ prejudice that so-called civilized society is actually anything but civilized and definitely not honorable. Throughout his tale Quint makes sure to point out that his party does not seek to cause conflict, but they do not avoid it when it slaps them in the face. Although they prefer a peaceful solution, they will resort to violence if necessary.

Sjo supports Quint’s story by singling out the deeds he and his friends have accomplished that involved Shoanti. He shows the token of friendship they received from Thousand Bones when they provided aid in dire circumstances in the city of Korvosa, he recounts the time they freed an ancient Shoanti tumulus of vile bugbear intruders and offers the medallion they retrieved from that tomb to Akbat Whose-Tongue-Gives-Life, the Quahjothka of the Shundar-Quah, whose ancestors were buried there. He also points out that he and his friends took the shape of natural animals in their journey to the spirit world, which indicated that their hearts were in the right place, and connects that vision quest to the rescue of Saamesh from the orc city of Urgir. He ends his intervention with the defeat of the Cinderlander and hands the Shoanti killer’s vicious weapon, his repeating crossbow, to the Quah’s leaders as a sign of closure. Balian also adds an argument by reminding the council that the companions recently accepted Krojun’s tests and – even though they did not beat the Sklar-Quah champion in these challenges – they did prove themselves capable. The broad-shouldered warrior confirms this claim with a smile of respect on his face.

When they have finished their plea, Valkur asks the companions to leave, so the council can deliberate what to do. He offers them the camp’s hospitality until the council comes up with an answer. Saamesh leads the companions out and takes them to one of the many campfires. There he is greeted heartily and the tribesmen around the fire immediately offer him and his guests a place by the fire and food. A sassy young girl with bright red hair and white paint around her eyes hugs Saamesh for a long time. When he introduces his rescuers to her, she is very grateful that they saved her brother. “My name is D’ari Firehair”, she says, as she turns to the fire and tears off a chunk of meat from the roast. She offers it to Balian: “Here, put some meat on those bones, you look like you enjoy a good piece of chow.” The ranger gratefully accepts and sinks his teeth into the savory flesh. “Seems like it has been a long time since you had yourself some fine meat. Don’t they like flesh in Korvosa?” she smiles, bowing forward and offering Balian a clear view into her cleavage. Then she reaches for the ranger’s shoulder, letting her hand glide to the hilt of his greatsword and pulling it out of its sheath. She weighs the heavy weapon, lets her eyes glide over the blade and then wields it in grand archers with apparent ease. Her final swing ends just under Balian’s chin. She pushes the tip against his skin: “Sklar-Quah women are as hot as fire, Korvosan, and as deadly as the rays of the sun.” With the gentlest of pushes she draws a single drop of blood from the ranger’s throat. Then she flicks the sword around and hands it back to its owner, hilt first. “Still, for my brother’s savior, I’m willing to make an exception”, she smiles. As Balian reaches for his greatsword, she pulls him closer and presses a fiery kiss on his lips. “Don’t ever say that D’ari Firehair knows no gratitude”, she teases, and gives the ranger a light slap in his behind. The other Shoanti laugh. Apparently this little show has served perfectly to break the ice.

During the meal Saamesh expands on his time in Urgir and explains how the party saved him from certain death. By the time the meal is done, the Korvosan heroes feel right at home. None of the Shoanti around this fire show any hostility, on the contrary, they seem to welcome the strangers in their camaraderie. D’ari remains at Balian’s side and continues to tease him the whole time. When the final rays of the sun almost sink behind the horizon, the camp bursts out in commotion. Three dark shapes in the sky close in fast against the dying of the light. Each of the giant eagle-like birds carries a rider on its back. These are the mighty rocs of the Tammir-Quah, the Wind Clan. Some enthusiastic young boys cry out in rapture: “The rocs are coming, the rocs are coming!” D’ari explains that they are expecting at least four thousand warriors and healers. Everyone should be here in two weeks’ time. That is when the army will leave for Korvosa.


A messenger arrives at the campfire, saying that the council has its answer. The party is guided back to the war-yurt, which is now almost empty, except for the leaders of the Quahs and Thousand Bones, who are still seated by the bonfire. Valkur has good news; the companions have convinced the council of their good intentions and are tshamek no more, they are now nalharest, brothers of the Shoanti who will be treated as friends for as long as they do not choose to oppose the tribes. The great chief goes on that he cannot reveal the Sklar-Quah’s biggest secret to the party, because even he does not know what it is. Only the mightiest shamans of his tribe share in this privilege. However, with all that is going on in Korvosa, the Shoanti have agreed to make an exception for the heroes and inform them. At that the Quahjothka points at the bonfire in the center of the war-yurt. “If you want to learn what is truly plaguing your city, you will have to step into the fire”, he states. Sjo is the first to step up. Staring in the flames he picks up the outlines of a humanoid shape, that beckons him closer. The healer does not hesitate and walks into the blazing fire, followed by his friends. The heat burns them hard, but then the pain resides and they feel only warmth.

The burning figure appears before them: “My name is Arunan Lives-Of-Fire, Sun shaman of the Sklar-Quah. Your tales of the jothka-woman in the stone yurt-camp Korvosa confirm our suspicions that she has unearthed the ancient ‘evil’ from Mashka-saht-puyuhoke, the great mastaba, an evil that was interred there by my predecessors many generations ago. The knowledge of what lies hidden in the mastaba has been handed down over the ages, from one Sun shaman to the other. Now I will reveal the secret to ‘others’ for the first time in history, for the need is great and you offer one of the best chances to stop the threat.

Hundreds of years ago, when my people still walked the lush meadows of the lowlands and lived on the shores of the great water, Sun shaman Coja Eyes-Aflame left his tribe to fight at the side of a legendary hero from the distant lands of Lastwall against a formidable ruler who was known for his unparalleled cruelty and thirst for conquest. When armies failed to halt his advance, the hero from Lastwall assembled a small and secret cabal of warriors, magic-users and mystics, Coja Eyes-Aflame among them. Using power and stealth the heroes infiltrated the tyrant’s stronghold. The atrocities they found there tested them to their limits, and when they reached the enemy’s throne room, a terrific battle took place. It was during this battle that they stripped away the tyrant’s human disguise, revealing a powerful blue dragon who had been empowered by the blessings of his dark god. Assuming his true form, the monster attacked the cabal, and a long and bloody battle ensued. His scales deflected most of their attacks and his claws and lightning breath made short work of many of their best and bravest warriors. In the end it was the hero from Lastwall himself who was able to slip through the dragon’s guard and deliver the fatal blow.

Yet even in death, the tyrant’s body shuddered and grasped. Fire and acid destroyed much of the dragon’s corpse, yet seven fragments proved impossible to destroy. These grisly relics were so suffused with evil and malignancy that they refused to burn or melt – and even as the heroes watched, the bones twitched and writhed as they tried to return to life. The cabal’s leader ordered his surviving brothers and sisters to each take one of these seven relics out into the world and go into hiding. None would know where the other members went, least of all their leader, who would remain in the tyrant’s stronghold to guard it against ever being used for evil again.

And so it is that my predecessor returned to his people, carrying the burden of the Fangs of Midnight, the blue dragon’s teeth. Coja was a changed man, his hands shook and his eyes bore an ever-terrified gaze. At night he often screamed out in horror. He shared his story with his fellow shamans and together they opted to hide the Fangs in the ancient Thassilonian monument on the shore of his people’s ancestral lands. They spent the rest of their lives guarding the monument, seeking to ensure that nothing dared enter the hidden chambers within, and when they died, they passed the task down to their successors. And so, for hundreds of years, the descendants of this now forgotten Shoanti mystic guarded and protected the Fangs of Midnight from discovery, teaching their people that it was their sacred duty to stand watch over the mastaba. During these centuries the Sun shamans learned much about the power of the artifact. Part of the dragon’s soul endured and tried to force its will on those around it. But the Sun shamans were aurochheaded and well-trained, and their strong minds resisted the dragon’s temptations. As long as no one actually handled the teeth, they lacked the strength to truly dominate anyone and cause further harm. But now I fear that, for the first time since they were entombed in the holy site of Mashka-saht-puyuhoke, the Fangs of Midnight have been touched by human hands, with unspeakable consequences.

The fragment of the dragon’s soul is like a plant: it seeks to take root in fertile soil, where it can blossom and grow to become a potent tree. Hearing your stories, I believe that this has happened to the Jothka-woman who you call Ileosa-Queen. If I understand you correctly I’d even say that she is wearing the Fangs of Midnight on her head. Her own cruelty and strength have been multiplied thousand fold by the evil artefact. On top of that the teeth will have given her supernatural powers. But the worst thing is that she now carries two souls in herself, which gives her tremendous control over her own vulnerability and mortality.

Knowledge of how Coja’s cabal defeated the dragon will be key to fighting her as well. But what my foregoers handed down to me is vague and fragmentary at best. I cannot give you the weapons to combat this evil, because I do not know them. Still, the fire of my predecessors burn within mel, just like it burned in the chest of Coja Eyes Aflame. Find his bones and rekindle his fire, then he will give you the insight you need to defeat his old nemesis.

I am unsure of where the Sun shamans from the days of yore lie buried. The ancient shores have been lost to us for so long that I cannot even begin to imagine what they looked like. I do know that they were not entombed in Mashka-saht-puyuhoke out of fear that the unnatural tendrils of evil would disturb their voyage to the eternal hunting grounds. Lore says that they were laid to rest in burial mounds within sight of the great mastaba, so they could guard over it even in death. Coja Eyes Aflame’s bones must lie there as well, somewhere, but if I understand correctly, your people have filled the shores with stone yurts, so it will be hard to locate the Sun shaman’s remains. I also fear that I cannot guide you any more than I have done just now. Still, my inner flame tells me that Coja’s bones have passed the test of time. Finding them will be your task.”

Then the burning shaman reaches into his own chest and pulls out a white glowing flame. He motions for Sjo to open his mouth and then places the ball of searing fire on his tongue. “Breath this flame into the glorious mystic’s remains and he will help you”, Arunan assures. “I’m sorry I cannot be of more help and that I cannot send the great spirits of my ancestors with you, they would only get lost in the maze that the mastaba shores have become. Only a spirit that knows the place as it exist today would be able to guide you.”

Upon hearing this, Sjo pulls out the deck of Harrow cards and summons Zellara’s spirit. “Maybe she can help?” he offers. Arunan looks pleased as Zellara’s ghost appears. “I find myself in strange lands,” she says, “far from the streets and alleyways I call home. But I feel you are among allies. Though no bonds of friendship have formed yet, mutual respect hangs around your shoulders like a warm blanket. How can I be of help?”

Sjo explains that they will need Zellera’s help in recovering the whereabouts of a buried Shoanti shaman, somewhere in the city of Korvosa. Arunan fills in as many details as he can. The Varisian fortune-teller is happy to oblige, but recommends patience: “The secrets of the Shoanti lie buried under three centuries of Korvosan history and hatred. Locating the remains of a long-gone mystic will be like finding a needle in a haystack. But I will do my best to help you, although I should warn you not to expect a speedy result. The search will be hard and might prove long. I can only hope that I can provide an answer in time. When we get back home, place my deck of cards on Korvosan soil, so I can begin my search.” The next moment Zellara’s spirit fades.

Arunan looks positively surprised. “You are truly blessed by those who have left us. You walk with the spirits, who honor us still with their presence and friendship. Go now with the strength of the spirits and the friendship of the tribes.” After these words Arunan disappears as well, his burning body melting into the bonfire. The companions step from the flames and face Valkur and the council again. The big chief regards Sjo carefully, nodding his head in respect when he catches a fiery glimpse in the healer’s milky eyes. “Now the might of the Sklar-Quah is truly with you. I wish you a speedy journey back and good fortune at the end of your path. We will follow in two weeks, to pick up the fight if you fail. But if you succeed, you should contact us, so we can discuss our people’s future together.”

Quint suggests they use magic to stay in touch during their mission. Thousand Bones will be happy to serve as a medium. Depending on the heroes’ progress or failure, the Shoanti might have to expedite or postpone their war movements. The companions certainly feel that now there is some room for flexibility on this front. The Quahs are placing a lot of trust in their hands, they hope they can live up to the challenges ahead.

23 Arodus 4708

Balian spends the night in the arms of D’ari Firehair, Saamesh’s sister, learning how hot Sklar-Quah women can actually be. The next morning the companions leave for Kaer Maga in horseback. They reach the cliff-top city by the afternoon, which gives them some time to sell off the loot they gathered over the last couple of days and invest in some scrolls and new equipment.


Using a newly acquired teleport scroll the companions magically travel to the gates of Janderhoff, the dwarven city. The guards recognize them and show them in, leading them to a beautiful manor house, where Neolandus Kalepopolis is now staying. The former seneschal is overjoyed to see the heroes again and offers them the hospitality of his dinner table. He is interested in every little detail of what has happened to them since they last met. Quint spins an enthralling tale, leaving out nothing. Kalepopolis delights at the party’s success, but the impending war with the Cinderland Shoanti causes him distress.

Kalepopolis has news as well. Although the Gray Maidens in Korvosa have been thorough in their efforts to root out the Sable Company, twenty-eight of the marines have escaped persecution and have been granted sanctuary in the city of Janderhoff. Some of them are even staying in the very manor where the young friends are now. The situation in Korvosa has greatly deteriorated over the last couple of weeks. The queen has tightened her iron grip on the city. Her maidens are ever-present and enforce the law without any measure of leniency. Anyone who even dares to utter a word of doubt concerning the new government is suspected of rebellion and immediately arrested. Most arrests quickly end in execution, often without a proper trial. Cadavers of these so-called traitors hang all over the city as warning signs. The common man is scared out of his wits and hardly comes out of his house, fearing the cruelty of the Gray Maidens. The queen’s guard terrorizes everyone without discrimination, whether they be low-born or of noble blood. Apart from the merciless manhunt for surviving Sable Company marines, the Maidens invade every house to demand taxes, look for young girls to bolster their own ranks and – a consequence of the Janderhoff dwarves’ decision to cease trade with Korvosa – to confiscate any and all objects made of iron, to have them reforged into ever more gray maiden suits of armor. The churches of Asmodeus and Abadar have openly proclaimed their support for the queen, while the temples of Sarenrae and Pharasma remain neutral. Vencarlo Orisini has returned to the city and stays in contact with Kalepopolis via carrier pigeons, sending him short messages in code. These updates are sparse and concise. Apparently Vencarlo has joined some kind of rebellion movement, but cannot provide details out of fear that his notes might fall into the wrong hands.

24 Arodus 4708

The next morning the companions are summoned to the palace of clan lord Ragnar Ironfist. Quint explains that an ancient evil has taken hold of queen Ileosa, and that he and his friends will try to fight this malevolence before the Shoanti come down from the Storval Heights to invade the Korvosan lowlands. He also reveals that his party has been to the great city of Koldukar, or rather Urgir as it is known now. Ironfist is excited to hear about the formidable dwarven sky citadel, but cannot hide his sadness at learning about the place’s decline. The dwarven lord offers his guests the chance to stock up once more in the temple of Torag, leaving them in the capable hands of its high priest, Bardin Bronzebeard. The companions buy some scrolls of heal and breath of life, and invest in some extra wands of cure light wounds. This might be their last chance in a while to do so. Their biggest buy, however, is an adamantine holy greatsword for Balian.

Another teleport scroll takes the companions straight to Zellara’s little parlor in Korvosa. Sjo immediately pulls out the Varisian fortune-teller’s Harrow cards and summons her spirit. Zellara claims that it is getting ever harder for her to manifest in the city. It is as if a dark veil hangs over the city, clouding and smothering her mind. She offers to read the cards again for the companions before starting her search for the remains of sun shaman Coja Eyes-Aflame. This time the reading is centered around the star cards. During the choosing, Balian’s hand falls upon the Winged Serpent, who cautions him to use more tact. The queen-mother tells Puk to aid the helpless and hopeless, while the carnival card warns Quint to plan ahead. The owl ushers Sjo to combat the unnatural state of things that has taken hold of the city.

The reading tells Balian to be careful of sinister and dark pacts that he will come across. Puk is told that he has been making the right decisions so far, though he is warned not to doubt too much and just act. The empty throne in Sjo’s cards is a hint that fighting the ‘powers that be’ should not lead to a vacuum at the top, but the courtesan clearly tells him that masks will have to fall. Finally Quint is shown that what once seemed beautiful, might be rotten at its core. The peacock teaches him that he should do well to stand aside when this thing of apparent beauty passes by, lest he be petrified by it.

After the Harrow reading, Zellara opens her mind to try and find a mental trace of the sun shaman. She spreads her arms and closes her eyes to expand her mind. Although spirits do not breath, she starts gasping and shaking uncontrollably. When she opens her eyes again, they have turned white. “Oh, no!” she heaves, “they have found me!” The next moment the Varisian spirit is sucked into the deck of cards, which falls lifeless on the floor. Using detect magic Sjo notices that the cards do not radiate magic anymore. When he picks up the deck, he doesn’t even feel a trace of the Varisian spirit. It seems as if she has disappeared completely. This turn of events is a huge set-back for the party, since Zellara was to be their guide to Coja Eyes-Aflame. How will they find his remains now?

Sjo is eager to see how his fiancé is doing and heads to the shrine of Shelyn. Walking up to Five Corners in North Point the party gets to experience the ominous atmosphere of Korvosa’s streets for themselves. Very few people are out and about, and those who are, hurry along with their heads hanging low. A patrol of Gray Maidens is making ‘house calls’ forcing their ways into people’s homes to collect taxes and confiscate iron goods. Since the queen’s guards have drafted so many new members lately, one would expect at least some of these female soldiers to look inexperienced, but Balian feels they all seem more than comfortable in their full plate armor. Perhaps the new recruits are still in training somewhere, leaving their more seasoned colleagues to patrol the city.

Larella is very happy to see her future husband alive. She can update him and his friends on the current situation in Korvosa. Fortunately the plague has been cured, even in Old Korvosa. The quarantine of the island has been lifted as a result, but that does not mean that things are going well in Korvosa’s oldest district. Big parts of Endrin Island have always housed some of the city’s poorest inhabitants, and the recent plague and quarantine have worsened their plight considerably. Moreover, current circumstances of fear and oppression offer little hope of improvement.

Balian wonders about the state of the noble families. Larella says that the Arkona’s have been even more withdrawn from society lately than the normally are. After commander Marcus Endrin’s failed attempt on the queen’s life, his family has been outlawed. His wife was executed. Larella has no idea what became of his three children. House Bromathan has paid dearly for its support to Endrin and the Sable Company. Lord Valdur IV rots away in the city’s dungeons, while his wife Lady Merisse and son Valdur V have been placed under house arrest. His daughters were both drafted for the queen’s forces. Like all recruits they have not been heard of since. Jeggare is still in place, but being one of the richest families in the city, they’ve had to pay huge amounts of taxes to the treasury. Members of House Leroung have also lost the queen’s favor. They showed quite a lot of criticism for the new government in the latest issue of the Korvosa Herald and have been placed under house arrest as well. Their university has been closed until further notice. Sjo wonders if they would still be able to consult the school’s extensive library, hoping he might come across more information that might lead to the discovery of the Sun Shaman’s grave.

House Zenderholm is still around, but Larella suspects that the extremely lawful nature of its head, Hanging Judge Zenobia Zenderholm, will not mesh well with the queen’s policy of playing judge and jury at the same time. House Ornelos is the only family openly supporting queen Ileosa. As a result none of the Ornelos girls have been forced to join the Gray Maiden army.

Explaining to the priestess of Shelyn how an ancient evil from the bowels of the mastaba under Castle Korvosa has taken control of the queen, it suddenly dawns on Quint that the ‘Teeth of Midnight’ might also have been the mysterious ‘muse’ that inspired several Korvosan artists in the past. These open, creative minds would probably have been quite susceptible to the dragon’s feeble influence, which would explain why the Korvosan art scene has always been so morbidly and sinisterly inspired. When queen Ileosa discovered the evil artefact, it must have shifted focus to her completely, suddenly leaving the artists without a muse. Quint fears that Ileosa might be beyond saving: if the ‘abandoned’ artists already felt so desperate that they took their own lives, how could the queen ever survive a hundredfold stronger hold on her mind being broken? This new insight does not bode well for Ileosa, leaving her virtually no chance of a future.


The companions consider what to do. Should they dive into the library and look for more information on Shoanti graves? Is there a way they can bring Zellara back? Should they try and contact the resistance? Are the many young girls who are being recruited for the Maidens in need of rescue? And what should they use for an excuse if they need a good cover story? Mixing truth with fiction, they decide upon a tale that they have to return the ancient bones of a mythic shaman to the Shoanti to keep them from invading Korvosa with a huge army.

Maybe it is best to start with something easy first: suspecting that Vencarlo is hiding in Old Korvosa, the party heads for the island in the north of the city. When they cross Jeggare Circle, they happen upon the construction of a gigantic statue of the queen from black stones. The laborers seem little motivated, as do the members of the Korvosan Guard who have been tasked to watch over the site. The stone reaches twenty feet already, and it looks like it only goes up to Ileosa’s knees so far.

The only bridge over the Narrows of Saint Alika has a guard detail of Gray Maidens and all who want to cross are given a thorough inspection. The party goes west, wanting to get over the water at the westernmost point of the Narrows with the Dimension Door from Puk’s cloak. When they get there, they find out where the big black stones for Ileosa’s statue come from: the Great Tower is being torn down. A magic jump brings the companions to the other side of the water, to some of the poorest quarters of Old Korvosa. The upside of this poverty-stricken neighborhood is that it is almost free of Gray Maidens, making it easy for the party to get to House Arkona.

Glorio Arkona welcomes the heroes with open arms, once again offering to aid them in their quest to fight the evil in Castle Korvosa and inviting them to stay in his house, since their villa has been compromised. Sjo thanks him for his kindness, but says they have their own place to lay low. Lord Arkona denies being involved with the resistance, claiming the rebels are hiding somewhere in the south of the city. He hasn’t seen Vencarlo since he left the city and didn’t even know the fencing master had returned. When Quint tells him about the Red Mantis attacks, Glorio is worried. The assassins are not known for giving up, once the mantis are on your tail, they do not relent. The heroes confront Glorio with their own dilemma: they need to recover the bones of an old Shoanti shaman who was buried somewhere in the city long ago. What would be the best way to find his grave: magic or research in the library? Lord Arkona is not sure, but reckons that magic would definitely be easier. Still, Quint cannot think of an effective spell that would lead him to his goal in due time.

Finally the companions decide to check out the library. Quint tries to come up with a plan to infiltrate the occupied building, perhaps in the guise of some official who is on a royal mission. That might suffice to fool the Gray Maidens. The best course of action would be to stake out the place first. When darkness has fallen, Lord Arkona has the party taken back to the mainland in a small boat, but not after hosting an exotic dinner party and extending a helping hand once more for the future. By the light of the moon the party walks past the Acadamae; nothing can be seen beyond its great walls, except for the imps who flutter in the air above.

House Leroung is situated in the heart of Korvosa, on the university grounds. The splendid manor in gothic style houses the city’s biggest library on one side, and the family’s living quarters on the other. Since the nobles are under house arrest, they might have ample time to do research for the companions, so Balian wonders if they would be able to contact one of them and enlist their aid, like Aisha, the star from The Passion of Saint Alika, or professor Sirtane, the alchemist who cured the plague.

Puk circles the building, picking up noise and laughter from the corner room. Balian activates his flying boots and peeks inside, but the room is unlit, so the ranger cannot see a thing. Sjo remembers that Sirtane Leroung’s laboratory led out into a small patio area. This might be the perfect way inside. Balian flies everyone over and Puk tries to pick the lock, but finds it too hard to open. Quint pulls out the Key-Lock Killer’s bell and manages to get the way in unlocked. The heroes sneak inside and reach the central library, where books on history are stored. Quint wonders whether they should look through the books themselves rather than bother the family, but the party’s conversation alerts the two Gray Maidens who are guarding the public entrance. Apparently our friends forgot that you always have to keep quiet in the library. The female soldiers are not pleased at finding the nightly intruders, but Quint uses his bardic power of persuasion to convince them that he and his friends are on an important mission. They need to talk to one of the Leroungs urgently. His deception works and the guards lead the party to the other side of the building, where the Leroungs live. Unfortunately there are even more Gray Maidens in this part of the house, who do not succumb to Quint's mind games. They draw steel, threatening to drown the room, a private shrine to Irori, in blood.


The new Gray Maidens in the shrine to Irori do not only prove highly resistant to Quint’s mind-affecting tricks, they also possess superior fighting skills. One of them challenges Balian and hits him extra hard, while her colleague makes her sword burn with black flames which bite at the ranger. Moreover, the two women fight in perfect unison, putting up a shield wall when the get attacked. Balian also finds that his special sense to fight ‘humans’ does not kick in when he faces these guards; his new sword’s holy damage on the other hand flares up when his swings connect. With Spyder blocking off the third of these special maidens, Sjo and Quint are left with the two guards they encountered initially. These girls are definitely of a different kind than the three new Maidens, more within the limits of what you’d expect a Gray Maiden to be: human soldiers who possess some skill at battle, but who are by no means superwomen. This gives our friends the chance to cast some spells first: Sjo mumbles a prayer, while Quint enhances the party with haste and starts up a satire performance to debuff the enemy. Puk tumbles behind one of the super maidens, but sees his first stab deflected by her neighbor’s shield. When he manages to get a cut in, he also finds that his tiny blades are partially resisted. Balian exchanges more blows with the supermaidens and is happy to learn that Sjo’s magic of shield other gives him much more staying power. He delivers a tremendous critical blow to the maiden on his left, just as Puk’s many vicious slices take down the woman on his right. When the halfling delivers the final blow, the creature inside the elegant full plate splashes out in one huge burst of blood. The various pieces of her armor drop on the floor, soaked in red fluid … but no body remains.

This brings back memories. The party recalls Dame Nesia, the naked girl they found in the streets, who had lost any and all recollection of who she was or where she came from. As it turned out, the girl was some kind of blood simulacrum or blood clone. Balian suspects that these women are the same, albeit of a perfected nature. Sjo, who is badly hurt from taking half of Balian’s damage, heals himself as Quint tries out his new rapier’s powers on one of the ordinary maidens. The weapon’s inspire ability allows him to use his bardic performance to enhance his swings with his charisma rather than his strength, making the bard a more formidable fighter in melee. Just when the companions seem to be getting the upper hand, the door ahead swings open and three more maidens join the fray, two of which fight like twins again. The third acts as somewhat of a tactician: she can guide her fellow soldiers in battle. Sjo recognizes a good opportunity when he sees one: the new and old opponents are all on the far side of the room, with only Puk in their midst. A perfect chance for a fireball! The explosion tears through the enemy, while the little halfling rogue manages to evade all the flames, laughing as another clone bursts out in a splash of blood. His joy is quickly suppressed, however, when a red skinned devil appears behind the fresh forces, in the next hall, with Lady Eliasia Leroung in his clutches. “There they are, milady, your rebel friend! I knew they would show up! I knew it”, the creature cackles, just before slicing his knife across Lady Leroung’s throat. Her dead body drops to the floor. Quint is furious and shouts out threats to the murderer: “You filthy leprechaun, you’re gonna wish you’d never left Hell!”

In the meantime Puk and Balian take out another blood clone, Sjo continues healing and Quint cuts down one of the ‘normal’ Maidens. The devil zaps behind Sjo, but cannot do much damage before falling to Quint’s wild attacks. The bard even makes sure the creature is truly defeated, by stabbing the corpse through the neck once more. Balian and Puk’s efficiency takes care of the rest: two more blood clones and two human Gray Maidens bite the dust. One of these real maidens is still bleeding and Sjo makes sure she survives by stabilizing her. The victory does not grant joy, however, since Lady Eliasia lies truly dead and her children now run down the stairs to mourn her loss. Christina Leroung, her eldest daughter, is enraged at the companions. She lashes out at Quint for invading her home and getting her mother killed. When Balian mutters something about a possible resurrection she starts hitting him. This was an assassin devil, its victims cannot be brought back! She is also desperate about her family’s future. Where should they go now? They will certainly be punished for this! The noblewoman keeps slapping Balian frantically, until he grabs her in a big bear hug to calm her down. Her sisters, Siri and Aisha (the opera star) and her aunt Sirtane (the alchemy professor) kneel down by Eliasia’s body. Aisha and Siri are crying with great despair over their dead mother, while Sirtane does her best to whisper words of comfort. Cyril Fordyce, Eliasia’s husband, the history professor and editor of the Herald, is staring with blind apathy.

Quint whisper some apologies, but Sirtane take shim to the next room to talk to him, as she is the only one who is in control of her emotions at the moment. Quint explains why they were here, they need to locate an ancient Shoanti grave somewhere under Korvosa. The tomb holds the corpse of a shaman who fought the evil that has now taken hold of Queen Ileosa. If they want to face her, they will need the shaman’s aid. They were hoping to find clues in the library as to where the tomb might be situated. Sirtane understands and takes Quint to the ‘history’ room in the library, selecting a good number of books that the bard tucks away in his bag of holding. She also reveals that the library section on the ‘planes’ has been overrun by devils, imps, who are destroying a lot of the books. Still the companions deem it unwise to attack the critters; if one escapes it could warn the enemy of the party’s involvement and bring down hell on them, both in a figurative and literal sense. Quint and Balian also take a peek in the printing room, where Ileosa’s new seneschal Togomor has already been preparing the next issue of the Korvosan Herald, an edition that lauds the queen’s efforts to save the city and serves as royal propaganda.

The companions decide to hide the Leroung family in the abandoned fishery that used to be to Gaedran Lamm’s hideout. It is nearby and safe. They travel there under the cloak of invisibility, taking the corpse of Lady Eliasia with them. Afterwards they return to the Leroung residence to interrogate the surviving Gray Maiden. She seems to be one of the soldiers who came from Cheliax a few months ago. She sees no evil in working with devils, as these creatures are summoned to serve, not to command. When Quint gets mad at her for being blind to her malevolent acts, she returns the argument by calling him a rebel who refuses to accept the rightful ruler and as such being the cause of all this unpleasantness. Quint’s anger gets the best of him: he draws his rapier and runs the woman through. His hope for finding redeemable Gray Maidens diminishes again, although he realizes that there must still be several women in their numbers who started out as good, normal Korvosans and who might only be misguided. Still, the uniforms and masks make it almost impossible to distinguish between the soldiers. How will he be able to tell who can still be saved and who deserves to die?


25 Arodus 4708

The companions spend the night with the distraught Leroung family in the old fishery. The next morning they deliberate with the nobles on how to proceed. It is clear that the government will hunt down the Leroungs, so they’ll need a place to hide. Getting them out of the city to a safe haven like Magnimar would take too much precious time, so while that option would probably be best, it is not viable at the moment. Quint suggests taking them to Glorio Arkona, but Christine Leroung does not trust the man in the least and blocks off that idea. The best alternative seems to be the rebellion. If they can locate the rebel hideout, the Leroungs could take shelter there. Christine Leroung is still fuming at the young heroes for getting her mother killed and walks out of the meeting. Only Sirtane Leroung, the late lady Eliasia’s sister, retains enough clarity to talk to the party. Quint leaves the books they took from the library with her and makes for the city to try and find out where the rebels are hiding. He takes Balian with him for added security. Sjo remains in the fishery to guard the Leroung family and Puk returns to the library to see if their nightly exploits have been discovered yet. It turns out they have: numerous Gray Maidens are walking in and out of the building, obviously upset by the murder of so many of their sisters. The atmosphere crackles with nervous energy and anger.

Quint and Balian scout the harbor, only to come across a town crier, who announces a big parade to be held in the streets - including the palace square - around noon. He invites all citizens to attend. This parade will apparently take off in the harbor, where an enormous festive wagon is being prepared. The front of this float holds a podium and the back sports an impressive loading area with some kind of dragon-headed crane. Our friends notice the heavy-bodied new seneschal of Korvosa, the Acadamae master of Transmutation, Togomor, floating above the deck of a ship. He uses his magic to lift a humongous box out of the hold and attaches it to the dragon crane on the wagon. It is unclear what the box contains exactly, but it most certainly holds some kind of ferocious animal that growls and struggles inside the iron walls. Next a half-orc with a vicious whip leads out six large white-furred and four-armed gorillas and harnesses them up one by one to pull the vehicle. By noon a group of entertainers arrives, most of whom Quint knows as rather mediocre artists. They will form the music band that will lead the march through the city. Next several warrior-like types get off the boat: a fierce-looking ettin and ogre, a broad-shouldered human carrying two blades at his belt who moves with a grace that belies his muscular build. There are also a tall and proud Shoanti barbarian, two bugbears in armor who look like twins and an orc with a heavy halberd. The two-headed giant takes up position behind the box, the ogre follows the band and precedes the girallon train. The other humanoids climb on the podium or crane, ready to wave at the audience as they pass.

When the parade finally gets moving, a fair number of people have come out of their houses to watch. Young boys runs about handing out flyers, announcing the reopening of the old Kendall Arena. Queen Ileosa offers her subjects the wonderful opportunity to see the greatest gladiators in Golarion fight monstrous beasts and even each other to the death. Chief among these champions of the arena is the mighty Maxor from Cheliax, the handsome human with the two blades.

Balian and Quint follow the parade all the way to the palace. Along the way they hook up with Puk, who has come down to see the show as well. A mild feeling of wonder and enthusiasm has taken hold of the crowd, which increases when the parade reaches the palace, where the troupe halts to greet the queen. Ileosa is standing on the palace terrace overlooking the spectacle. The band burst out in a song that turns out to be the new Korvosan hymn, honoring the city and its queen. Quint takes mental notes on the composition, so he can replay it if a future occasion calls for it. When the anthem is over, the crowd cheers wildly. Ileosa’s charm offensive seems to be working, though her display of power still has to reach its climax. From behind the castle loud screeches ring out as one, then two and finally three mighty dragons rise up. The crowd falls silent when it sees the awe-inspiring red, blue and black winged serpents land next to the queen. Then the buzz takes up again, leading to an overwhelming applause and cries of ‘the mother of dragons’.

Ileosa takes in the reverence for a few moments, waves once more and then takes her leave, joined by the three scaly cbehemoths. Her majesty definitely has a flare for the dramatic, giving the people just enough to be dumb-struck before disappearing. The parade gets moving again, continuing down Ramp Boulevard to Kendall Plaza. Puk follows to see how the wagon sinks into the catacombs below the arena. Meanwhile Quint and Balian head to the market to grab a bite and feel the pulse of the city after Ileosa’s latest stunt. Quint fires up a discussion about the rebellion and quickly finds out that the citizens stand divided. Some long for a return to law and order, and they are convinced Ileosa can provide this. Others claim that this so-called order comes at too high a price: daughters are being torn from their families and taxes bleed everyone dry. Balian immediately agrees, taking part in the conversation like never before. The ranger is such a heartfelt tax-hater that he cannot keep quiet. Quint suspects some people of sympathy for the rebellion, but he does not get the feeling there are actual rebels among them. The two companions spend the rest of the afternoon gathering more information. While it becomes clear that the rebels must indeed have a secret hideout somewhere, no one seems to know where: rumors seem to point to every corner of the city.

Late in the afternoon the two friends return to the fishery. Across from the building is a small bakery: a couple women walk out just as the heroes arrive. From a nearby ally a group of thugs appears and assaults the unwary customers. They pull the fresh loaves from the women’s hands and grab at their skirts. “This is bread for the rebellion!” they shout. “Or don’t you support the freedom fighters? Fans of that wh*re on the throne, are you? What do you say, guys, shall we teach these little sluts a lesson?”

Before Quint and Balian can react, a shadow appears on the roof above the scene. His cape flutters in the wind. He’s wearing Blackjack’s outfit! “Well, well, buffoons! How about leaving these good citizens alone? Is this the great cause you are fighting for? Robbing and harassing people in the streets? Why don’t you try and take on someone your own size?” At that the caped man leaps down to the street, landing lightly on his feet. He whips out his rapier and swirls through the thugs with gusto. Quint studies the savior’s movements and immediately determines it is not Vencarlo. Although the rapier-wielding hero moves with incredible grace and speed, his style definitely differs from Vencarlo’s. Not only that, Quint seriously doubt the man is a human altogether. Despite his obvious prevalence in battle, the caped savior does not really hurt any of the thugs. He knocks the daggers from their hands and hits them with the pommel of his sword or beats and kicks them with his free hand and feet. Before long the thugs slinks back into the ally, leaving ‘Blackjack’ laughing in the street. Balian can’t help but feel that this combat was completely staged. He runs into the ally after the fleeing bandits. Puk, who heard the fight from the old fishery, joins him. From around the corner they hear the hooligans talking amongst each other. “Damn, that Blackjack dude hits harder every time, that’s not what we signed on for.”

In the main street Quint walks up to the ‘caped crusader’, who is just helping the robbed women to their feet and hands them some money to replace their lost bread: “Blackjack, what an honor to finally meet you! I have always been a fan!” Quint greets.

“Thanks, I do what I can to restore order and squash these rabble-rousers in the bud!” Blackjack replies. His accent betrays that he is not native to Korvosa.

“You did very well indeed,” Quint continues, “but didn’t you fight against her majesty until recently? I remember you saving that girl from being executed by Ileosa just a few months ago!”

“A man is allowed to change his mind when he realizes he was wrong”, Blackjack states. “I’d give you some coin as well, my friend, but you don’t look like you need it, not like these good people.” At that Blackjack whips out a piece of rope to a support beam along the edge of the roof and climbs up the wall of the bakery. “I’ve got more citizens to save from these stupid rebels!” he cheers as he disappears from view.

In the ally Balian and Puk are still eavesdropping on the thugs – who were clearly pretending to be rebels - when suddenly, they hear someone whistle ever so gently behind them. Sitting in the shadows of a chimney on one of the lower houses in the street is a figure that beckons them closer. Balian activates his boots of flying and Puk quickly scales to wall with his slippers of spider climbing. It is Vencarlo Orisini, the former fighter to breathe life into the Blackjack persona: “Is there anywhere we can talk in private?” he asks.

The company retreats to the old fishery and expresses its joy at seeing Vencarlo again. The sword master is equally pleased at seeing his friends safe. He confirms that a false Blackjack is running loose in the city. He’s been trying to follow the imposter, but the man seems to appear and disappear out of thin air. He always uses the same thugs to assault innocent citizens in an attempt to tarnish the rebels’ reputation and promote the queen’s order. Quint gives Vencarlo a full run-down of their latest adventures and discoveries, explaining how Ileosa’s crown is made from an ancient evil artifact. To fight her, the companions need the know-how and help of a long-forgotten Shoanti sun shaman, or at least, they need to find his bones, preferable before the Shoanti army arrives from the Cinderlands. Quint also tells Vencarlo that the party infiltrated the Leroung library, hoping to find books on old Shoanti burial sites. Things did not go as planned, however, and the heroes were forced to fight some Gray Maidens, most of whom turned out to be very accomplished blood clones.

If the ‘good guys’ want to succeed at stopping Ileosa, they’ll have the best chance of success when they simply cut off the serpent’s head, but seeing how well the queen has surrounded herself with powerful allies, and knowing how much she’s strengthened her mental powers as well, won’t make that an easy task. Vencarlo proposes to go to the rebels’ secret base first. Illrem Bromathan, brother to the imprisoned Lord Valdur IV and normally next in line to become the Sable Company’s commander, leads the underground resistance. He will be happy to see mighty allies like the companions join the good cause.


Vencarlo talks to the distraught Leroung family and convinces them to join the heroes to the rebel base. They place Lady Eliasia’s body on a hand drawn cart and make their way to the graveyard in the Gray District as a funeral procession. Puk scouts ahead and Vencarlo follows behind; both of them are on the look-out for possible sources of trouble, ready to interfere when necessary. Still, since the streets are a lot more crowded today than they have been in weeks, it is rather easy to get south undisturbed. The Leroung family take their dead mother to bishop Keppira d’Bear, to make arrangements for her burial. In the meantime Vencarlo leads the party to the rebel hideout, underneath a crypt in the graveyard. He tells them the church of Pharasma is in on the conspiracy, supporting the rebels as best they can without compromising their own safety.

The hideout is cramped with people who have fled prosecution, a fair number of young girls who were drafted for the Gray Maiden forces among them. Vencarlo introduces the party members to Illrem Bromathan, the leader of the resistance, a former Sable Company officer. Illrem is brother to Lord Valdur IV, who has been arrested for being allied to House Endrin and being a staunch supporter of the Sable Company. No one has heard of him since his arrest, and Illrem can only hope that Valdur’s position as a priest of Sarenrae has kept him alive so far. Valdur’s wife and son have been placed under house arrest and are still residing in the family home under Gray Maiden guard, much like the Leroung family was. Illrem’s second-in-command is a young man whom the companions already know: Aaron Endrin, the son of the former commander of the Sable Company, Marcus Endrin, who was killed at the hands of the Queen herself. Sjo tells the rebels about the blood clone Maidens, which gets Illrem quite worried. The girls who have been recruited have all been brought to the temple of Asmodeus. Quint remembers from their earlier meeting with Archbishop Ornher Reebs of Asmodeus that the high priest seemed to know more about the cloning process, when they took Dame Nesia to the temple. The party and their rebel friends now fear that the recruits are being sacrificed in the temple to create the blood clone army. If this is the case, they will have to put an end to this vile practice as soon as possible.

Balian questions this approach, though. He wonders if it is worth it exposing themselves, when most recruits are probably dead already. This practice must have been going on for weeks already. How many girls can be left to save? Quint argues that getting revenge for such an enormous evil in itself is worth it, even if there is no one left to save. Balian agrees, but asks for ‘carte blanche’ when they invade the temple to kill anyone he wants. He fears that capturing someone like Reebs is dangerous, only killing him will prevent him from escaping. Although Quint feels it is very likely that Reebs will lose his life in the raid, he finds it wise to try and question enemies first. If Reebs is one of Ileosa’s most powerful allies, he could be a valuable source of information. ‘Kill first, ask questions later’ does not work, so the bard suggests to ask the questions first. Killing the man afterwards is a very viable option!

Suddenly Sjo looks like he’s slipping into a mini-trance. He hears Thousand Bones’ voice in his head. The Shoanti shaman tells him preparations in the Cinderlands are still on schedule and asks if they should proceed according to the agreed-upon timing. Sjo answers that there is no trace of the ancient shaman’s grave yet and that things are chaotic, but the timing is still okay.

After Thousand Bones’ sending, the companions decide to stake out the temple of Asmodeus. They head to the other side of the city during the evening hours. There are six Gray Maidens in front of the temple doors. Their military stance and synchronous movements suggest they are blood clones. In the next half hour, no one enters the temple, but seven Gray Maidens come out and head into the city. Quint wants to try and get inside, preferably under cover. The Old Courthouse, where the companions spent one night of horror a couple of months ago, is the only safe place nearby he can think of to change into a disguise. Quint finds an old barrister’s robe in the building, cleans it up with prestidigitation and puts it on over his clothes. He also puts on make-up to change his appearance. Now he looks like a lawyer, a perfect disguise to gain entry to the temple of the god of contracts. Quint approaches the Gray Maidens at the gate and convinces them to let him through.

The temple itself looks empty inside. Quint sits down on one of the pews and starts praying. A few minutes later a woman exits from the side chapel and walks up to the late guest. She questions him about his identity. The bard claims to be a lawyer who has recently arrived from Cheliax. He is looking for clients and wouldn’t mind defending people who are not goody two-shoes … after all, everybody has the right to a good defense. You’d be amazed at what the law allows, even in bureaucratic places like Cheliax and Korvosa. The priestess smiles, but she strongly recommends that he read up on the many Korvosan laws and charters, for they are ‘many’ indeed! When Quint asks about the guards at the door, the priestess explains that things in the city have been quite hectic of late. The church of Asmodeus has openly joined the queen’s side and is possibly in danger from the queen’s enemies now, so they have been granted a number of royal guards.

When Quint enquires about the church’s leader, Ornher Reebs, he notices some malcontent in the woman’s eyes. She tell him the archbishop is not available at the moment. Quint presses the matter and tries to find out more about the high priest, especially from the priestess’s perspective. The woman, whose name is Tyresha, does admit that she might see herself following in Reeb’s footsteps one day, but for now the man has things tightly under control in the temple. Quint suggests that there are other ways to help fate along, but Tyresha shies away from the idea of killing her leader. “It is not killing I refer to,” Quint quickly clarifies, “but using the law.” He links back to one of Reebs’ earliest deeds here in the city: the sacrifice of thirteen virgins. True, Asmodeus does consent with the occasional sacrifice, but he also has the sense to follow the laws of the land first. Such a sacrifice is indeed possible in Cheliax, but not in Korvosa. The city’s reaction to his imprudent offer almost got Asmodeus kicked out when he had just managed to get his foot in the door. If it hadn’t been for Queen Domina’s interference and the resurrection of most of the girls at her expense, Asmodeus would have been ousted from here before his temple was completed.

“I just hope Reebs isn’t repeating the same stupidity before Korvosa –and especially its laws – are ready for it”, Quint goes on. Again he detects a hint of doubt in the priestess’s eyes. “In the eyes of the father church, such deeds would be considered ‘wrong’, not necessarily for being against church policy as such, but for discrediting the name of Asmodeus in a place where his worship is – let’s be honest – barely allowed. If this leads to the church being abolished from these lands, Asmodeus loses. And our Lord does not like to lose. Those responsible would have to be brought to church justice, which is actually the real reason why I am here.”

“You are an inquisitor, then?” Tyresha gasps.

“Indeed, I am”, Quint bluffs, seeing that the priestess totally buys his bluff.

“Well, suppose I could give you information about the archbishop, could you make sure it serves my purposes as well?” she asks.

“I do not have the power to name a new archbishop, but I would make sure that the father church knows about your loyalty. As you know, the Prince of contracts is a big fan of loyalty, I have no doubt it … you would be rewarded”, Quint tells her. “If the wrong-doings of the past were to repeat themselves, it would not bode well for Reebs, I can assure you.”

“I suggest we move to the chapel”, Tyresha whispers. “It has been protected from eaves-dropping, if we want to negotiate contracts with potential ‘clients’, you see. It will be safer to talk there.”

The priestess leads Quint to the side chapel to continue the conversation: “So, to make sure I understand you correctly, if I could confirm ill tidings about Reebs, you could help me rise to power in Korosa’s temple?”

“I will definitely use all my influence in the church to see that happen”, Quint confirms.

Tyresha smiles. “Well then, there is much I can tell you. The archbishop has been executing very extreme rituals in the basement, even for Asmodean standards. He’s been sacrificing numerous young girls, bleeding them completely dry to use their life’s blood to create an army of clones. He infuses these creatures further with devil blood and uses a special construct, called an ‘akaruzug’, to draw upon the talents of an accomplished ‘original’ and turn his creations into very skillful fighters.

He has four Erinyes and one hamatula - or barbed devil - aiding him in this process. These servants have not been provided by Reebs himself, though, but rather by the queen, who has secured the servitude of a fair number of devils through an infernal contract. Judging by the number and strength of these devils alone, this contract must be one of the most powerful ones I have ever heard about. And her majesty did not sign it here, either, but at the Acadamae. Our school of wizards is known for its intimate dealings with devils, as I’m sure you know.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have seen a copy of said contract?” Quint wonders.

“The queen would be stupid to show this precious document to anyone. She probably keeps her copy hidden away in the castle, in a place no one can get to. The other copy is, obviously, still in the hands of the contract devil who made the agreement. I can’t even guess who he is, though someone in the Acadamae must know.”

“Naturally”, Quint nods.

“We all know Asmodeus works in mysterious ways. His contract dealers might indeed sign papers that allow an individual to control devils and command them to act in whichever way he or she desires, even if this would not be Asmodeus’s chosen path. On the other hand, in such cases Asmodeus would support efforts to see the contract fail its owner. After all, isn’t that why he likes to include loopholes in his contracts? Fooling mortals into thinking they gain great power, only to have the contract bite them in the ass and reap their souls prematurely?”

“You understand our Lord’s teachings well. You would make a great successor for Reebs, indeed”, Quint acknowledges. “You will understand that I did not come to this city alone. I have a number of bodyguards waiting outside. I’m afraid I will have to return to bring Reebs’s wrong-doing to justice. Is there any way you can facilitate our entry?”

“Of course there is, master inquisitor. I will leave the front doors unlocked and I will tell the guards at the door to let you through. You will find Ornher Reebs in the basement. I suspect he will be there all night”

“Excellent, you should make sure you are nowhere about when we come in. It would be best if your role in this mess remains unnoticed. It is enough that I know of your loyalty so I can relay it to our leaders in Cheliax when the time is right”, Quint finishes.

Confident she has struck a great deal, Tyresha shows the disguised bard out and informs the guards at the door that they should let the inquisitor in whenever he wants. After that Quint disappears into the night and reunites with his friends afew moments later. He feels quite happy to prove Balian wrong: words often are more powerful than the blade! Now at least the companions can prepare for the challenges ahead.


It was truly a great achievement in roleplay. How Quint solely entered the lion's cage, used the priestess' ambitions against her, implied things never spoken aloud and quoted the dogmas of the church as if the 'inquisitor' was there himself when the Dark Prince wrote them on the backs of his most devout followers...

This session will not lightly be forgotten. Thanks Quint!


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The sun has just set over the horizon when Quint and his friends return to the Gray district to prepare for the raid on the temple of Asmodeus. They decide to keep up the ruse of being Asmodean agents from Cheliax, sent here to put an end to the excesses of Archbisshop Ornher Reebs. As they make their way south, they encounter a Gray Maiden patrol. The officer asks them what they are still doing out, so they pretend to have been celebrating the queen’s announcements. They lost track of time, but now they are on their way home. The soldiers buy their story and let them pass.

The party heads straight for the rebel base and informs the rebel leaders of what they have learned. They plan on invading the temple of Asmodeus tonight, but they have come here to get ready. Vencarlo offers to join the young men and Illrem offers them the use of his arsenal, from which they can get some helmets to cover their faces. Next the heroes pay a visit to Keppira d’Bear in the temple of Pharasma. The high priestess has a number of spells prepared that can help the companions in their quest against Reebs and his devils, but she does not dare enter the temple of Asmodeus with them out of fear of blowing her cover: although Pharasma supports the rebellion in secret, the church is trying to uphold a neutral position in public. She prepares a heroes’ feast and sends one of her men to the Marble Dome opera house, to get a number of Asmodean theater outfits. Cloaked in tabards, capes and holy symbols of the Lord of Hell, the party returns to the old courthouse, just outside of the star-shaped temple of Asmodeus. This is as far as Keppira d’Bear will go. She casts other buffs on the party: greater magic weapon on Balian’s holy greatsword, magic vestment, protection from evil and true seeing on Quint, air walk and align weapon on Puk and magic circle versus evil on Sjo.

In the dead of night the party makes for the temple doors again. The Gray Maidens at the door let the ‘inquisitor’ and his bodyguards pass, as they were ordered to do by Tyresha. The church itself is abandoned, but Tyresha has put up a torch next to the door to the basement, showing the ‘inquisitor’ the way down. As they descend the stairs, the heroes pick up a sacrificial chant. Peeping around the corner, Puk sees a horrible scene. A girl is being bled dry on a stone slab. Her blood flows into an enormous pool, in which several amorphous shapes with half-formed limbs and dripping tumorous faces mill about, mixing the sanguine fluid with their own blood. These hideous lemure devils are the lowliest of the low in the ranks of hell, but even their inferior life energy contains the taint of the infernal. Two Asmodean acolytes are actually performing the ritual under the supervision of four Erinyes devils. Two Gray Maidens complete the picture. Quint sweeps into the room, taking up his role as inquisitor once again. He forbids the ritual, as it goes against the rules of this city. He wants to single out Ornher Reebs, but he notices the archbishop of Asmodeus is not here.

The acolytes and even the Gray Maidens are taken aback by this sudden incursion, but the Erinyes are not fazed and open the fight. One of them casts fear on Balian, but the buffs on the ranger aid him in shaking off the spell. A second Erinyes throws unholy blight on the party, while a third wraps her entangling rope around Sjo. The fourth charges Quint from the left with her longsword. The bard ducks under the blade and mumbles the words of good hope to further strengthen his friends. He also starts a satire to throw his enemies off balance. Vencarlo, Puk and Spyder jump to Quint’s aid and engage the Erinyes, Balian wards off the Gray Maidens on the other side. One of them challenges him, but her swing misses him by an inch. Sjo tries to maintain his position in the center and boosts his companions with blessing of fervor. Through his shield other he also takes half of Balian’s damage. The Gray Maidens, obviously blood clones, still prove tough opponents, but they fall short against the well-prepared and thoroughly buffed ranger. They manage to give him some nasty cuts, but a fireball and a critical sword swing later, one of them explodes in a spray of blood. Without her ally, the second maiden is severely at a disadvantage.

In the meantime Quint has cast haste and feinted one of the Erinyes, giving his friends there the opportunity to cut her down. From across the pool two Erinyes are still hurting the party with arrows and unholy blights. One moment later a door to their right opens and the barbed devil joins the fray from what looks to be a prison block filled with young girls. Another powerful opponent is not exactly good news, but Quint is happy to see that there is still a fair number of ‘recruits’ alive, making this rescue mission even more valuable. The barbed devil hurts the party with an alternative spell, that does not target ‘good’ characters, but rather ‘chaotic’ ones: order’s wrath. Balian takes another hit before he can take out the second Gray Maiden and turns to face the barbed jailor. Sjo is hurting from his own wounds as well as from half of Balian’s, and gives himself some much required healing. Another unholy blight on Vencarlo and Puk in the left flank takes down the halfling and leaves the sword master barely on his feet. With his flashing rapier Vencarlo kills a second Erinyes and stumbles back to Sjo’ side.

The two Asmodean acolytes have not contributed anything to the fight so far, clearly being outmatched. One of them desperately prays to his god for aid as he stabs the sacrifice on the stone slab one more time, but the girl was already gone. The other one opens the left door, freeing the two wild otyughs who are there to dispose of the cadavers. One of the aberrations rewards the stupid priest by eating him alive, while the other monster turns on Sjo, who has is trying to patch up Vencarlo and Puk. The otuygh’s tentacle grabs hold of the healer, but now the monster opens itself up to sneak attacks by Puk and Vencarlo, cutting its life short.

On the other side of the room Balian withstand a hold person from the barbed devil and seriously hurts the infernal creature with three heavy blows. This being has probably lived a thousand lifetimes and knows when it is time to retreat, so it steps back and teleports away. The two remaining Erinyes, who are now facing Puk and Balian, see how their more powerful ally has chosen to flee the scene and do the same. Quint walks up to the one acolyte who is still left and shouts at him: “Where is Reebs?” Totally intimidated the priest stumbles back: “Below us, in the cellar!” Then Spyder jumps at him and ends his miserable life. Puk and Balian take care of the second otuygh, while Quint decides to close the door to the cell block. He desperately wants to tell the caged girls they are free, but cannot spare the time as he wants his buffs to remain intact to confront Reebs. The party heals up and prepares to descend the stairs to deliver justice to Reebs.

Level up: level 10


The stairs lead to the bowels of the crypts below the temple of Asmodeus. A strange construct floats in the center of a burning five-pointed star. The grim statue quietly hovers, its slow, seemingly weightless bobbing belying its obvious bulk. Sculpted in the shape of a grim, horned angel, gigantic wings and terrible, long clawed arms jut from a legless body that tapers into a blunt, blade-like trunk. Crucified upon the ominous form's breast hangs the drained body of Cressida Kroft, Korvosa’s field marshal. Five large vats stand in the points of the star; blood drips from the ceiling into these container. The crimson fluid churns and bubbles as it is slowly molded into human shape. The sanguine women are in different stages of development, with the most advanced specimen trying to tear loose from the scarlet goo. Off to the right is archbishop Ornher Reebs, the temple’s high priest, and his bodyguard Mallas.

Quint still poses as an inquisitor of Asmodeus and forcefully orders Reebs to cease these bestialities immediately, as they go against Korvosan rule. Reebs is not fazed in the least by this display of jurisdiction, he is not opposing the law, as a matter of fact, he’s acting on behalf of the city’s highest authority, the queen herself. On top of that his practice, albeit somewhat unusual, fits perfectly in Asmodean doctrine: sacrifices for the greater good and promotion of Asmodeus’ devil kingdom. In vain Quint tries to contest Reebs’s claims, but the high priest simply calls out to his god: “Asmodeus, show us who is right here!” His bodyguard takes this as a clue to draw his sword, but the real response to the archbishop’s calling is given within the burning star: with a sudden jut the humongous statue snaps to life and two of the vats burst out into horrible humanoid shapes that ooze and weep blood from every part of their body; their hands end in sharpened claws.

These fresh blood wights are the first to act, charging Balian and Quint. Vencarlo tries to counter, but finds that his rapier has difficulty piercing the creatures’ viscous skin. Reebs calls a wall of swirling blades into existence on top of Vencarlo, Balian and Quint, cleverly cutting off Spyder, Puk and Sjo from the rest of the room. Fortunately the three heroes in the blade barrier manage to jump out of harm’s way. Puk tumbles forward through the wall, relying on his roguish skills to avoid the hacking swords, and focuses his attacks on the same blood wight that Balian is targeting. Next the akaruzug flies closer, wipping its bladed underbody at Quint. The bard makes a converse movement and steps back to look for cover on the other side of the blade barrier. He suffers some cuts, but now finds himself in a relatively safe position to cast spells and try to influence the battle. He boosts his friends with haste and starts his satire to debuff his enemies, using the infernal language to do so. It looks like his effort fails on the construct and on Mallas as well, who is probably too stupid to know the tongue of his patron deity. Sjo attempts to hold the broad-shouldered bodyguard in place, but the temple warrior withstands the magic. Spyder joins the fight on the other side of the barrier, but suffers the full strength of the blades while jumping through. The poor dog is badly hurt and its bad luck continues as both the akaruzug and Mallas bear down on it in full force. Mangled and bleeding from many wounds the canine drops to the floor. Ornher Reebs calls down a large pillar of fire on the center of combat, catching most heroes and the two blood wights in the flames. One of the latter does not survive the fire. The heroes now press the attack on its sibling, but the akaruzug claws and slashes its way through them without mercy, taking Puk down as well. Sjo heals his friends with a mass cure light wounds and calls down his own flame strike on Mallas and Reebs. At the same time Quint casts good hope and drops his satire in favor of inspire greatness for Balian and Puk. The halfling’s luck picks up as he slips under Mallas’s fierce swing and Balian shares in the good fortune when his armor protects him from the blood wight’s claws. Vencarlo finally manages to finish the wight off, but still finds himself and his allies cornered by the hovering akaruzug. Puk uses his cloak’s dimension door power to teleport himself, Balian and Vencarlo to the other side of the room, next to Reebs. The high priest has just enough time to summon a look of surprise and panic on his face, before the halfing’s daggers and Balian’s greatsword end his miserable existence. Sjo now manages to freeze Mallas in place with a hold person, but just for a few seconds. Vencarlo darts around the floating construct, taking an attack of opportunity ‘for the team’, so he can provide flanking to Puk on Mallas. The fencing master gets hit even more by the akaruzug, but the seasoned warrior is tough and makes his stand. Mallas is not so lucky; when Puk and Balian charge him, he does not survive.

Now the companions can at last focus on the flying statue. Quint uses his new dimension door spell to zap Sjo and himself to the other side of the blade barrier, where the healer can finally restore Puk’s faltering health. When the heroes deliver their first blows to the akaruzug, they notice that Cressida Kroft’s crucified body seems to share in the agony of the wounds. Balian activates his boots of flying to take to the air and cleaves through the chain that binds the field marshal to the construct’s chest. His attempt succeeds and has an unexpected bonus. As the commander of the Korvosan Guard tumbles to the floor, the floating monstrosity suddenly freezes to a halt, giving the champions of Korvosa the opportunity to finish it off. Sjo heals the ailing field marshal and nurses her back to consciousness, although she still feels weak and hollow.

The companions take a few moments to recover from the fight, gather some loot and brief Kroft. Then they head back to the floor with the cell block and free the imprisoned girls. After they reveal their true identity, some of the girls recognize them and realize they have indeed been saved. One of the prisoners is Aurelia Bromathan, niece to the leader of the rebellion, Illrem Bromathan. She is in a separate cell with eight other girls who look like they have been in here longer than the others. It turns out that they were considered ‘impure sacrifices’, as they have all given birth. (This confirms older rumors that Aurelia Bromathan, who disappeared from the city for a year, was indeed pregnant and shipped off to give birth the her ‘bastard’ in secret.) Quint convinces the girls to put on Gray Maiden armors, which are readily available in a well-stocked armory, so they can move through the city in disguise. He has no problem leading them past the guards at the front temple gate and after a quick stop at the old courthouse to pick up Keppira d’Bear, they make their way back to the Gray District. Using Puk, Balian and Vencarlo as scouts, the troop manages to avoid real Gray Maiden patrols and makes it to the other side of the city safely. When the finally reach the halls of the resistance, the companions get some much needed rest.

26 Arodus 4708

By the time the party gets up it is already past noon. Illrem calls the heroes into his makeshift office to thank them for rescuing his niece and get a full report on their rescue mission. When he learns about the infernal contract that Ileosa supposedly closed in the Acadamae, he is very worried. It seems that the queen has garnered even more superpower than the crown gives her. The leader of the resistance feels that this intel certainly deserves more attention. He summons Keppira d’Bear from the temple of Pharasma to shed some light on these diabolical dealings. The archbishop’s knowledge is limited, though. She knows that such deals are usually forged by contract devil, also known as Phistophili. Apart from taking care of hell’s bureaucracy, these devils seduce desperate, arrogant or foolish mortals to make a deal with Hell itself. Infernal contracts can provide several boons, but to gain those the mortal has to sign over his soul, dooming himself to eternal damnation after his death.

While numerous types of infernal contracts exist, the following three are those most often offered to mortals:

  • Evil Wishes: Upon signing this contract, a mortal is granted three wishes. While the mortal chooses the intention of the wishes, the contract devil decides upon the specifics, allowing for its own diabolical interpretation of the results should the mortal imprecisely phrase a wish.
  • Hellbound heart: The mortal ties the essence of a willing devil to his own, granting him diabolical powers to wield until the day that the mortal dies.
  • Infernal Slave: A mortal can negotiate with a contract devil for the lifelong service of a devil. Upon signing the contract, the mortal's infernal slave appears and is bound to do the mortal no harm and follow its orders for as long as it lives. Although the devil must obey its master's commands, many devils delight in corrupting the intentions of these orders in all manner of cruel or mischievous ways.


Great update as always, MrVergee. I wonder where this stuff with the blood clones comes from. It isn't part of the actual AP, is it? So did you make it up on your own or was it proposed somewhere as a possible side trek? Blends in quite perfectly with the rest of the plot.


Monrail wrote:
Great update as always, MrVergee. I wonder where this stuff with the blood clones comes from. It isn't part of the actual AP, is it? So did you make it up on your own or was it proposed somewhere as a possible side trek? Blends in quite perfectly with the rest of the plot.

I can't claim credit for the blood clone idea; I stole it from Moonbeam's excellent Curse of the Crimson Throne's journal, which was a great inspiration for my campaign. Moonbeam is the one who introduced the early blood clone experiment Dame Nesia, as well as the full blown Gray Maiden versions.

I ran with his idea because it provided several great opportunities:

  • It allowed me to build a much bigger Gray Maiden army.
  • It also allowed me to make the Gray Maidens more powerful (infusing them with Cressida Kroft's fighting abilities was my own idea), which gave me Gray Maidens who are strong enough to be a challenge to my PCs at their current level.
  • It also underlines the scrupulous lengths Ileosa is willing to go through to build out her power.
  • It gave me the chance to involve the church of Asmodeus.
  • It served as an excellent element in my alternative adventures for Skeletons of Scarwall.

I think Moonbeam got his idea from the AP's last installment: the Everdawn Pool in the Sunken Queen. As I won't be using that chapter in my own campaign, the blood clone Gray Maiden alternative sounded perfect. I guess Star Wars might have had an influence as well ...


After having found out the basics on infernal contracts from Keppira d’Bear, the companions realize that they need to learn more about these devilish dealings if they want to stand a chance against Ileosa. The temple of Asmodeus is their best bet, but the place will be in state of alert after last night’s raid, so getting more information from someone like priestess Tyresha will prove very tricky right now. The Acadamae probably houses a fair number of scholars who have a keen interest in the planes, but as the place is off limits to the public and closely guarded, it will prove even trickier than the temple of the Dark Prince. The Leroung library used to have a chamber dedicated to planar studies, but when the party was there two nights ago, they were told that imps had overrun the room and destroyed all tomes referring to Hell. So this is not a viable option either.

They call in professor Sirtane Leroung to ask her who in the city were regular users of the library’s planar section. Unfortunately, she states that only Asmodeans and residents from the Acadamae frequented this particular reading room. So who else in Korvosa might know more about infernal contracts? The various devils themselves perhaps, but how would you go about getting them to talk? No, it feels like Korvosa will not offer this information freely. Balian suggests using the teleport scroll to go to another city to gather this knowledge: Janderhoff, Kaer Maga or even somewhere in Cheliax itself. Quint rejects Balian’s idea, at least for the moment. The bard proposes to stake out the temple of Asmodeus to find out how things evolve there. He still sees the temple as his best option and feels it would be unwise to simply dismiss this possibility without making sure it truly is impossible.

The bard also remembers Illrem Bromathan’s plea for help to free his sister-in-law and nephew from their home, where they have been placed under house arrest. Since the party’s first ‘rescue mission’ at the Leroung house didn’t end so well, it seems like a good idea to stake out the Bromathan villa as well, before actually moving in to free the prisoners. Illrem provides the heroes with a sketch of the house and looks pleased that the party will heed his personal request, as the truly fears for the safety of his kin.

The companions decide to use the rest of the day for scouting. Sjo and Quint will watch the temple of Asmodeus, while Puk and Balian will keep their eyes on the Bromathan villa. Traveling to these two destinations will take them to the northwest and northeast of the city respectively. This means they have to part ways at the Gold Market, so they might as well have dinner there first in one of the restaurants. After all, it is no fun staking out a place on an empty stomach.

The Gold Market is unexpectedly booming with activity. A large crowd has gathered in front of a podium. Asking around, the companions find out that there will be a free theatrical performance, with free food and drink to boot. It looks like Ileosa is working hard on her public relations with another offering of bread and games. Deciding that they don’t mind paying for a good meal, the companions find a great spot on the terrace of the exclusive King’s Table restaurant, from where they have a good, albeit somewhat distant view on the stage. Only moments later the play begins.

---

Korvosa always rises

Act 1

Scene 1

The opening scene shows Eodred’s harem: beautiful girls who keep the king occupied. After an exotic dance a smart-dressed man with a haughty attitude walks in and sends the girls away. It is the seneschal. The kings asks how his people are doing. Kalepopolis assures him that all is well and that his subjects are happy. The king does not need to worry, his seneschal has everything under control.

Balian recognizes the actor who plays Kalepopolis. It is Marco Ebhart, who was part of the Passion of Saint Alika cast, in which he played the Shoanti assassin who gave Alika her first vision.

Scene 2

Kalepopolis retreats to his chambers where he meets up with the Chelish ambassador Amprei. Amprei offers the seneschal a painting of a nude young woman, which Kalepopolis likes very much. He is especially fond of her boyish looks. Amprei claims it is a self-portrait of an up-and-coming new artist, named Trinia Sabor. Knowing the seneschal’s love of the arts, he is willing to introduce the two in exchange for his help. He wants to have the king sign a new decree, forcing poor people who can’t pay their taxes into slavery, as is the custom for halflings in Cheliax. Slavery will offer great business opportunities, as will the property market: slaves will be forced out of their homes and these empty houses will be up for grabs.

Kalepopolis likes the deviousness of Amprei’s plans, but he seriously doubts Eodred will sign such a decree: the kind-hearted king loves his people too much. Amprei says he has already thought of that. He calls in a woman whom he introduces as Lady Andaisin, high priestess of Urgathoa. She can brew a potion that will make the king do anything they want. They will simply have one of his harem girls slip the potion to him. Kalepopolis is easily convinced, but says they will have to wait until after the Founding Festival tomorrow, for the can hardly send a drugged king into the city to greet its citizens.

Scene 3

During his ride through the city on Founding Day, the king sees how a young noblewoman from Cheliax gets thrown off her horse and he saves her from being trampled. He learns her name, Ileosa, and offers to take her to his castle to have her rest. A mother with a small ginger-haired child watches as the king and the noblewoman ride off. “She is beautiful, isn’t she, mother?” the boy says. “She is, Tommy, she truly is”, the mother replies.

There is something strangely familiar about Ileosa’s voice and countenance. Studying her closer Puk sees that she looks and sounds exactly like Dame Nesia, the blood clone experiment who lived with the companions for a time before she exploded in a pool of blood. This woman must be Nesia’s original!

Scene 4

Kalepopolis is talking to Amprei and Andaisin. The seneschal is furious: Eodred has sent his harem away because he is infatuated with this new girl. The king has also decided to take a more active interest in ruling the city to impress his new conquest. Without the harem the conspirators won’t be able to slip the king the potion. Amprei admits this is a great setback. Now they will have to find another way to force the poor out of their houses, so he can buy big building blocks cheaply. But Kalepopolis needn’t worry, Andaisin has more tricks up her sleeve. After all, the best weapon against a woman with a gentle soul, is a woman with an evil one.

Scene 5

Eodred and Ileosa get married. The king promises to be a good husband to her and an even better king to his people. Naturally, he is concerned for his wife’s safety and he gives her a personal bodyguard, Sabina Merrin and a handful of queen’s guards, called the Gray Maidens.

Act 2

Scene 1

Kalepopolis has another meeting with Amprei and Andaisin. The seneschal is malcontent because he has lost a lot of influence over the last five years, since Eodred and Ileosa got married. The queen has made Eodred a better man and king, thwarting the conspirators’ plans. Amprei whole-heartedly agrees, although he has the funds to buy up land in Korvosa’s poorer quarters, prices are still too high. Andaisin says Urgathoa has the answer: the king will have to be killed. She takes out a potion bottle with a big white skull painted on it. But who will give it to the king? Kalepopolis smiles, he knows just the person. After all, it is high time the king adds his portrait to the gallery of monarchs.

Scene 2

Eodred and Ileosa are in their chambers, joking about what pose the king should assume on his portrait. Eodred wants Ileosa to be on the portrait with him, but she kindly refuses, saying tradition demands a state portrait of the monarch by himself. Then Kalepopolis interrupts, walking in with the artist, Trinia Sabor. Ileosa kindly greets her, but Trinia scoffs at her and demands to be alone with his majesty: there can be no distractions.

The woman playing Trinia looks familiar as well. Quint recognizes her as one of the Exemplary Execrables’ former actresses. He even recalls her name, Greta. She was the young girl who portrayed the vessel for Donodarr’s seed in Lucian Lycan’s (Lick’s) play The Hell Mother. Several of the other cast members belong to Greta’s gang of drug-using friends, whom the companions met as well.

Scene 3

Ileosa is talking to Kalepopolis. She is concerned for the king. Trinia has kept him locked up in his room for weeks now. Ileosa feels her husband should come out for some fresh air, the current situation is not healthy for him and it has also kept him from doing his royal duties. Kalepopolis wipes the queen’s worries under the rug. Eodred is just getting older, he claims, and Korvosa does not need him to exert himself; Kalepopolis is perfectly capable of taking those heavy duties off the king’s hands. Ileosa disagrees, she wants to take Eodred out for a walk on the terrace, but Kalepopolis blocks her way. “Not yet,” he grunts, “be patient, my queen, Trinia will finish her business soon enough!”

After Ileosa leaves, Andaisin crawls out from behind the curtain. She asks Kalepopolis why the king still isn’t dead. The seneschal says he might have misjudged Eodred’s charm, he fears the silly painter has fallen in love with the king.

Scene 4

Trinia puts the final touches on Eodred’s portrait. She walks up to the king and gives him a hug. Then she tries to kiss him, but he wards her off, saying those frivolous days are long behind him. He is happily married now. Trinia is obviously disappointed and asks the king if they can at least toast to the finished portrait. Eodred accepts. Trinia secretly pulls out the poison and pours it in Eodred’s drink. Then they empty their glasses and Eodred drops to the floor. The king is dead.

Scene 5

Ileosa runs into the throne room and falls to her knees, crying because her husband is dead. Kalepopolis follows a few moments later, saying “so it goes”. People grow old and then they die. Then he sits down on the throne, shouting: “The king is dead, long live the king!” As Ileosa looks up in despair, he smirks at her. If she is a good girl, he might find some room in his bed for her. “Never”, Ileosa screams in reply. The seneschal jumps to his feet again and draws his weapon. He claims that in ancient civilizations, wives joined deceased kings in the grave. Maybe it is time to revive these customs. He walks up to Ileosa threateningly, but Sabina Merrin shows up just in time to parry his blade. She wounds Kalepopolis badly and the man flees, swearing this is not over yet.

Act 3

Scene 1

Amprei and Andaisin are toasting the king’s death, when a wounded Kalepopolis stumbles in on them. He tells them his plans to usurp the throne have failed: they underestimated Ileosa and her protector Merrin. Lady Andaisin calls this only a minor setback. All the conspirators have to do is prove to the people of Korvosa that Ileosa can’t rule. Urgathoa will help them, she claims. She just needs some time to prepare a very devious plan, nothing short of a ‘masterpiece’. Meanwhile she wants her allies to undermine the queen’s authority. Kalepopolis cries he can’t do anything for now, he’s badly wounded! He will seek refuge with his Sable Company brothers to get well first. So it’s up to Amprei, who promises to do what he can to incite the people to rebel against Ileosa.

Scene 2

Amprei is talking to Trinia, who is angry with Ileosa for being the true cause of the king’s death. She calls Ileosa a Chelish wh*re. Amprei chuckles at this insult and tells Trinia to teach it to the filth in the streets.

Scene 3

Little Tommy, the kid with the ginger hair (now five years older) is walking with his mother, talking about how sad they are about the king dying. Suddenly they come across a group of people who are protesting against Ileosa (or the “Chelish wh*re”, as the call her); Amprei and Trinia are in the first ranks, shouting the hardest. Korvosan guards try to calm the demonstrators down, but Trinia draws a knife and skewers a guard. Sabina Merrin arrives on the scene, cradles the stabbed guard in her arms as he dies and then tells the protestors to return home. Amprei tries to stab her in the back while she is trying to defuse the situation. She manages to sidestep his vicious attack, knocks him out and then she draws her sword and holds it to Trinia’s throat. She arrests the painter while she sends the rest of the rabble home. When everyone has left the scene, Little Tommy and his mother remain behind. Tommy asks his mother what a “wh*re” is. She claims it is hard to explain, but whatever it is, she is sure Ileosa isn’t one. “What is she, then?” the boy wonders. “She is the one who is going to take care of all of us, as queens do”, his mother assures him.

Scene 4

Merrin brings Amprei and Trinia before the queen. Although she is still in mourning, Ileosa makes the right decision: she sends Amprei back to Cheliax, telling him that his title of Chelish ambassador is all that is keeping the axe from his neck. She tries to show some sympathy for Trinia, but the painter blames Ileosa for everything and refuses to show any remorse. With a heavy heart Ileosa condemns her to death.

Scene 5

As Trinia is being lead to the chopping block, Ileosa gives her another opportunity to confess her sins and repent, but again the girl refuses. Suddenly Blackjack appears and rescues Trinia. Merrin is frustrated, but Ileosa seems relieved: she is happy the gods helped her not to sink to Trinia’s level and take a life. She is sure the gods will see justice done.

Act 4

Scene 1

Lady Andaisin is working in a dark laboratory, injecting a rat with a green fluid inside a large syringe. Suddenly Blackjack and Trinia walk in. Blackjack removes his mask. It is Kalepopolis. Andaisin wonders why he bothered saving Trinia, she is a failure! The priestess claims to be holding the key to their success in her hand, showing the rat to her visitors. Trinia mocks the priestess: “You’re going to take down the queen with rats? How will you do that?” “Like this”, Andaisin replies, as she lets go of the rat, who runs over to Trinia and bites the girl. Trinia is shocked and runs for the door. Kalepopolis intends to stop her, but Andaisin orders him to let her go. If the people don’t kill her, the rat bite certainly will, she smirks.

Balian notices that the rat is not actually a real animal, but rather an illusion. He also briefly picks up a flash of the person casting the magical rat image: it is Rimando Lumenos, the gnome prankster who used to work in the Marble Dome for The Passion of Saint Alika.

Scene 2

Little Tommy comes home to find his mother chase off three rats. He tells her he found something outside. He leads his mother out to a haystack where Trinia Sabor is in her death throes. Tommy’s mother goes over to comfort Trina. With her dying breath the painter finally confesses: “It was never Ileosa’s fault, it was always mine.” Then she dies. Tommy’s mother closes the dead woman’s eyes and gets up with a cough.

Scene 3

Ileosa receives a number of plague doctors in her throne room. The physicians claim to have been sent by the Chelish government to help. Ileosa is grateful for their assistance, but after the doctors have left, Merrin tells the queen she does not trust them. The queen orders her personal bodyguard to keep a close eye on them.

Scene 4

Tommy brings his sick mother to the doctors’ hospital. The beak-masked healers put her in a bed and give her medicine. They order Tommy to leave, as he will only get in the way. When the boy is gone, they laugh: no one knows their medicine will only make people worse. Sabina Merrin is standing behind a pillar, eaves-dropping. When one doctor leaves and only one remains behind, she knocks him out.

Scene 5

Sabina Merrin takes the doctor she captured to the queen. She forces the man to confess, but his acknowledgement does not contain a grain of remorse. He is happy to die for Urgathoa as his work in the city is done. Merrin gives him his wish and cuts him down. Ileosa is in shock. She feels guilty for allowing the physicians into the city and orders Merrin to put an end to their vile practices immediately.

Act 5

Scene 1

Sabina Merrin and her Gray Maidens invade the Hospital of the Blessed Maiden. They kill the doctors in the sick room and save the patients, including Tommy’s mother, who is burning up with fever. She asks Merrin where her son is. The Gray Maiden commander tells her she will see him soon enough. She’ll be safe now. Tommy’s mother thanks Merrin, but feels that she will not survive. She is too sick. Then another Gray Maiden interrupts the conversation, saying she has found a way down to the underground temple of Urgathoa.

Scene 2

Kalepopolis and Lady Andaisin are in a state of panic, the Gray Maidens have discovered their hideout. Their sanctuary is under attack! Kalepopolis waves around papers which hold the recipe to the cure. He also has crates full of the medicine, which the doctors have been using to keep from getting infected themselves. Andaisin orders him to destroy the potions and papers, as she retreats deeper into the sanctuary, to the shrine of Urgathoa. There she will make her final stand.

After Andaisin leaves, Kalepopolis wants to burn the documents and smash the potion bottles, but Sabina Merrin arrives in time to stop him. Kalepopolis refuses to yield, shouting the throne should have been his. Merrin finishes him off by plunging her sword in his chest.

Scene 3

Lady Andaisin is praying to a golden statue of Urgathoa. Sabina Merrin walks in and the two of them engage in combat. During the fight, the golden statue animates and joins Andaisin in the fight. Merrin is hard pressed, but she wins out in the end.

Scene 4

Tommy runs to his mother’s sickbed. She is really happy to see her son one more time and tells him to be strong, for her time is up. Then the queen herself walks in. She ignores her guards’ words of caution and joins Tommy at his mother’s side. She takes the woman’s hand in hers and promises her she will save her. Merrin gets back and gives one of the potions to the queen, who immediately administers it to Tommy’s mum. The woman suddenly regains her breath and feels better. Tommy is overjoyed. Ileosa asks Tommy if there is anything else she can do for him. He tells her to take care of everyone in the city, as queens do. “I will”, Ileosa promises.

Scene 5

Ileosa accepts the crown of Korvosa out of Little Tommy’s hands, finding it only fitting to receive the royal headband from her own people. The boy is now perfectly dressed and Ileosa hails him for being everything a true Korvosan should be: brave, never-relenting and loyal to the city. In the rest of her speech she praises the citizens for surviving. The cure has turned the plague into a dark memory and brighter days are ahead. Ileosa swears to protect the people and serve the land of Korvosa. When the people on stage burst into cheers of “Long live the queen!”, their cries are taken up by the spectators. The play ends with Korvosa’s new anthem: ‘Gods save Korvosa, Gods save the Queen’.

---

After the play Quint makes his way backstage. He casts glibness and innocence on himself and weasels his way past the guards by calling out to his ‘friend’ Marco Ebhart, who is hanging around behind the podium. Marco does not know who wrote the play, explaining that the piece was provided by the magistrate of Expenditures, Syl Gar, who also hired the cast. He can tell Quint the name of the woman who played Ileosa, however, Elvira Campert, a student from the Acadamae. She is in the building behind him, which has been confiscated to act as the dressing rooms for the cast. Quint makes his way inside the house and finds Elvira in an upstairs bedroom, where she is removing her make-up. She has taken off her red Ileosa wig, revealing her lush blond hair. Now there is no denying it anymore, she is the spitting image of Dame Nesia! Quint introduces himself as a fellow actor and Elvira recognizes him from The Passion of Saint Alika, which she claims to have seen. This is actually her first time on stage, she explains, and Quint showers her with compliments on her performance. She confirms that she is a student at the Acadamae, the Hall of Charm to be exact. As an arcanist specialized in enchantment, she has always felt a great affinity for the theatre, even though she never actively pursued this profession. She claims that she was asked to play the part of Ileosa by ‘the castle’. When Quint pushes her to expound, she tells him that she has no real connections in the castle, apart from the new seneschal, Togomor, who is also the head of the transmutation department in the Acadamae. Although she did not study under him, the professor had a soft spot for her and tried to woo her in the past, without success. The man is powerful, which some girls might find attractive, but not Elvira. She is even repulsed by his appearance, which makes Quint smile. Togomor is not a good-looking man by any standards: old, balding and fat with a greasy skin. Not the type a pretty girl would fall for. Quint on the other hand is a handsome devil, and he feels that there is a spark between him and Elvira. He asks her if he can see her again. She says she would like that, but it is hard to get out of the Acadamae. She’s not sure if there are going to be other performances of the play, none have been planned so far. So she asks Quint where she can find him, if she manages to get out. Since the bard can hardly tell Elvira he is staying at the resistance hide-out, he has to resort to quick thinking, claiming he is staying at Tenna’s, a luxurious bed and breakfast establishment in Citadel Crest.

Next Greta - Trinia in the play - knocks on the door, asking Elvira if she is ready. Quint greets her and tells her he actually met her after Lick’s (or rather Lucian Lycan’s) play The Hell Mother, but she does not remember him. The bard is not surprised, recalling that Greta was ‘high’ when they met. Before he slips out, Quint manages to grab one of the cotton pads Elvira used to remove her make-up. This might be useful to scry on her in the future.

Before he joins up with Sjo in the old courthouse, Quint swings by Tenna’s to book a room in his name for several days. He leaves instructions at the desk to take a message for him if people come by when he is absent, which might happen often, he says.


As Puk and Balian walk through the North Point District, they notice Ileosa’s blue dragon on top of the Longacre Building. Questioning one of the workers on Jeggare Circle, they learn that this creature has been here since it was revealed to the city yesterday, and is now apparently guarding the courthouse/prison. Balian rewards the worker with one gold sail. Afterwards they complete their trip to Third Street, where the Bromathan residence is situated. The house is surrounded by a stone wall, leaving only the iron wrought gate to peek inside. Walking past, Puk and Balian see two Gray Maidens standing guard on the balcony above the front doors. Since hanging around the gate would quickly arouse suspicion, the two scouts decide there is nothing much to do for them around here anymore. They do remember, however, that Lady Zenobia Zenderholm, the Hanging Judge, lived in Fourth Street, and establish that the garden of her house actually partially adjoins House Bromathan’s backyard. Maybe they can gain more information from the Zenderholm family. As they head over there, they are surprised to see two Gray Maidens guarding the judge’s residence as well. They don’t recall having heard that this family has been placed under house arrest, so they assume that these guards simply act as ‘security’. Balian informs about judge and learns that she is at work in the courthouse. She won’t be home for a couple of hours. The two companions take their leave, glad to have gleaned from the guards’ behavior and accent that they were not blood clones, but real humans and real Korvosans to boot. Then the two young heroes rejoin their friends.

After his refreshing conversation with Dame Nesia’s double (or rather original), Elvira Campert, Quint joins Sjo at the old courthouse, close to the temple of Asmodeus. Sjo hasn’t done any scouting yet, since his limited vision of 60 feet makes that difficult. While Quint informs him how his meeting with the actress went, Balian and Puk arrive and report on their findings as well. Spying on the temple seems quite pointless too: the building is obviously closed to any visitors. A young man is denied entry by the Gray Maidens at the doors and when the companions intercept him, he claims that he couldn’t get in because the star-shaped building was shut for ‘temple business’. The youngster looks like a student from the Acadamae and his accent clearly betrays his Chelaxian background.

With their scouting mission over, Quint takes his friends to Tenna’s B&B, where he booked a room earlier. The owner is a great cook and conjures up a delicious supper for the party. Puk and Balian rent a room as well, and order a scented bath and massage session for tomorrow morning. Sjo is the only one who won’t be staying here, preferring to sleep with his fiancée at the temple of Shelyn. He is envious of the fact this his friends will have a personal valet here, named Bertol.

Around nine in the evening the party returns to House Zenderholm, hoping the find the judge at home now. The streets, which have more or less reclaimed their normal liveliness during daytime hours, are still very quiet at night. They companions make sure not to encounter any patrols and quickly find their way to Fourth Street. Two new Gray Maidens stand watch at the front doors now, but they do not keep our friends from knocking. Zenobia’s husband, Anaster Fordyce, answers and heartily invites the party inside. The complete family is gathered in the grand salon, judge Zenobia, her daughter Belinda, and her two sisters, Valesca and Almira, both spinsters who are in charge of the household. Quint accepts the offer of a cup of tea and asks to speak to Lady Zenderholm in private, while Puk and Balian agree to something stronger and entertain the rest of the family with funny anecdotes and jokes.

Zenobia takes Quint to her study. The bard quickly deduces that the judge still has her heart in the right place: she regrets that the queen has taken justice into her own hands, but does her best to stay on as head judge, to ensure that the law is still upheld as much as possible. Quint is quite open about his own recent findings, explaining what he discovered in the Temple of Asmodeus and revealing the Shoanti’s plans to wage war on Korvosa. He also confesses to freeing the Leroung family from house arrest, admitting that this endeavor did not go quite as planned and resulted in the assassination of Lady Leroung. Now he would like to extract Lady Bromathan and her son as well, but he wants to avoid bloodshed. Lady Zenderholm agrees: the Bromathans are the perfect example of the Queen’s self-righteous conduct. Although no real charges have been brought up to accuse the core family, they have been detained for being allied to House Endrin and the Sable Company. Lord Valdur IV, the head of the house, pines away in a cell beneath the Longacre Building, while his wife and son have been confined to their villa. And all of this without a fair trial! Lady Zenderholm supports Quint’s plans to free her neighbors, especially when she learns that Illrem Bromathan himself requested this. She would even let the companions use her house to do this extraction, as long as they do not betray her involvement to the Gray Maidens. The two guards at the front door saw four men come in and they are expecting four men to come out again! Still, the Zenderholm house can provide an advantage. Since Zenobia’s study is situated at the back of the house on the first floor, the window offers a great view over the dividing wall to the Bromathan residence. Lord Valdur’s and Lady Merisse’s bedroom is at the back of the Bromathan house, so Quint can clearly see their window from here. When Lady Merisse appears to draw the curtains, the bard casts message to magically whisper to the woman in the adjacent house. After her initial surprise, she confirms that she is eager to get out. The fact that her brother-in-law Illrem requested her rescue sets her at ease even more and she is overjoyed to hear that her husband (even though he is imprisoned in Longacre) and her daughter Aurelia (whom the party saved from the temple of Asmodeus) are still alive. She says that her son is in his own bedroom at the front of the house. There are eight Gray Maiden guarding the residence, but no devils. Quint tells the woman to sit tight; he will try to smuggle her and her son out without the guards even finding out!

Quint gathers his friends and leaves the Zenderholm house. He casts two invisibility spheres, one on himself and Puk, and another one on Balian and Sjo. The party now makes for Third Street, where they can stand in front of the iron gate without being seen. The son’s room is next to the balcony where two Gray Maidens are standing watch, so the heroes will have to proceed with caution. Using ghost sound inside the boy’s room, Quint lures the lad to the window, so he can cast another message. The bard whispers to young Valdur that he will be rescued at the behest of his uncle Illrem. While Sjo and Balian remain in the street in front of the house, ready to come to their friends’ aid if anything should go wrong, Puk and Quint use dimension door, one of Quint’s new fourth level spells, to teleport into young Valdur’s room. A second dimension door takes them to Lady Merisse. Quint renews his invisibility sphere, to include Valdur and his mother, and with Puk’s cloak of the pixie king, they can dimension door back to Balian and Sjo. From there they retreat to the temple of Shelyn, which is the closest safe place they know. Sjo’s fiancée Larella is happy to provide the saved nobles with a bed for the night. Sjo will remain there as well to watch over them, while his friends go back to Tenna’s B&B, to spend the night in a soft featherbed.


27 Arodus 4708

That morning Balian, Puk and Quint enjoy the finer things in life. After an elaborate hearty breakfast they have their tired muscles and aching backs rubbed by an experienced masseuse and take a long, scented bath. They feel totally relaxed when they join Sjo at the small temple of Shelyn and accompany Lady Merisse Bromathan and her son to the rebel base in the Gray District. Illrem Bromathan is very happy to see his family safe and is relieved to learn that his brother is still alive, even though he is locked up in Longacre’s deepest dungeons.

The companions can use Illrem’s improvised study as their own conference room. They amass all the facts they know about the Acadamae, where according to the information they gathered, Ileosa’s infernal contract was forged.

Prestigious and highly esteemed, the famed Acadamae trains some of the finest wizards in all of Golarion. Isolated from the rest of the city and the world, the faculty opens its doors but once a year to outsiders, during the notorious Breaching Festival. The school attracts students from all over the world, as far away as distant Geb, and even - to the annoyance of the far-more ancient colleges there - Cheliax. The ten-year education is said to cost hands full of money, so only the privileged few make it to its classrooms. The Acadamae trains specialists in all eight schools of magic, but its primary focus lies in conjuration. Regardless of an apprentice’s focus every student at the college must pass a grueling exam in conjuration in order to graduate. Thus, the college does not allow its students to forsake learning of conjuration. Despite its towering tuition only seven out of ten students actually survive their decade of instruction. Rumors speak of those attempting to quit the school becoming test subjects for students of necromancy, but to date no one has verified these stories.

Nearly a town unto itself, the Acadamae provides its students and faculty with everything they need to live. The only people normally allowed within the Acadamae either teach at or attend the college. Instructors live in apartment suites within the walls for free, while the rent for students’ tenement flats and studios are included in their already expensive tuition. Students rarely venture outside the Acadamae’s imposing walls. Those who go out do so in groups as part of their studies, to shop at the Golden Orery, consult the Leroung library or attend service at the temple of Asmodeus. On rare occasions, students slink into one of the many taverns in the city to relieve stress, although it is far more common for them to sneak alcohol or drugs back onto campus. Since the state of emergency was declared in Korvosa following Eodred’s passing, even fewer people have left the school grounds. While most of the schools work together in relative harmony, an increasing animosity between students of conjuration and necromancy has led to several duels over the last couple of years. Since they are strictly against school policy, these magical combats also take place outside of the faculty walls. Students who attend the Acadamae usually have no interest in doing good works. Generally, they seek power at almost any cost. Many become swayed by the honeyed words of the devils they summon, and most of these lose any morality they had and slip inexorably into evil.

Shrouded in secrecy, the campus’s 30-foot-high walls only barely conceal the grand Hall of Summoning. This imposing building is one of the largest structures in all of Korvosa. Rebuilt only a quarter-century ago, the Hall of Summoning has only recently returned to full use as the primary locus of instruction. All students receive at least some tutoring at the Hall of Summoning, and it is in the massive, central summoning chamber that students must face their graduation exam. Surrounding this grandiose edifice are a number of ‘smaller’ buildings, including a hall for every school of magic. Each of them houses classrooms specially designed to facilitate their area of study. For the most part, these buildings architecturally reflect the nuances of the schools they house.

As the companions have already witnessed on several occasions a great number of imps make their homes on the Acadamae’s campus. These imps frequently take to the air, flitting about above the campus and across Korvosa. They tend to travel in groups, as the city’s pseudodragon population views them as foul representations of evil and petty sadism.

Each year, as spring turns to summer, the Acadamae of Korvosa holds the Breaching Festival: a day on which a dozen hopefuls try to enter the famed magical university’s Hall of Wards by whatever means they can, and in doing so earn extravagant wealth and the praise and admiration of an entire city. Yet no one has emerged victorious from the Breaching in over a century and a half, and a great many contestants have gone missing entirely after trying to bypass the school’s defenses. The dean of abjuration at the Acadamae sends out the invitations to the contestants. The top students from each of the seven other schools receive one, as do the leaders of the thieves’ guild and four other worthy candidates chosen at random. In addition to the invited participants, the annual event draws hundreds of onlookers, who fill the Acadamae’s grounds and stare in wonder at the secretive college’s otherwise closed campus. Students manning the gates prevent beggars and riffraff from entering the grounds, and as a rule no human child shorter than a dwarf may enter. These visitors are only allowed into the yard, where they witness the introduction of the participants to the festival and attend the start of the competition. The onlookers are not permitted to loiter about freely.

Since the first festival in 4544 only one competitor has ever succeeded in passing the test. Only 7 years into the contest, Dyson Fordyce (the fourth son of the lord at that time) managed to step half a shoe beyond the building’s threshold, granting him a small fortune. Dyson donated half his winnings to his father, allowing House Fordyce to rise to the status of Great House (a title it only held for a century), and used the other half to ensure for himself a life of quiet luxury in the hills outside Veldraine. The next 157 never saw a new victor. Every year in which no one succeeds in breaching the Hall of Wards, the prize grows by a thousand gold sails, filling the current purse with over 150,000 gold sails.

The school of abjuration’s building looks relatively mundane when compared to the others, but its plain exterior hides the best-guarded building in Korvosa. Even the Mint of Abadar’s myriad defenses pale in comparison to those in place around and within the Hall of Wards. As such it is believed that the Acadamae’s biggest secrets are hidden in this building.

Armed with this information the companions realize that there are two more avenues to gather more intel: the Fordyce family and the thieves’ guild. Contacting the first source won’t be a problem, since the companions spent just last night in the company of one of the Fordyce nobles. Getting in touch with the Cerulean Society will prove harder, though. The companions have never dealt with this secret organization in person and have to rely on the rumors they know. The Cerulean Society is the only ‘legally recognized guild’ in this otherwise guildless city. They pay a hefty vice tax which allows them to conduct activities that border on the edge of the law. In exchange for this significant stream of tax income the city provides the guild immunity from prosecution as long as none of the crimes committed turn violent. Guild activities include a strong protection racket as well as drug trade. They also deal in sensitive information.

The thieves’ guild is not always the most powerful underworld group in the city. On occasion, a larger or more powerful group rises up and challenges the reigning thieves’ guild. The resulting gang wars pit the entrenched guild and its allies against the potential usurper and its supporters. This actually benefits the city, as it keeps both the Cerulean Society and its potential rivals from becoming too powerful.

The guild as it exists today is rumored to be in somewhat of a downward spiral. The current guild master, a man known as Boule, struggles to keep the organization from collapsing. More brute than brain Boule is respected by few, but feared by many. The man is noted for his bad temper and iron fist discipline. He’s a bad drunk with a strong desire for the mild stimulant from the Storval Plateau, Qat. His rule in the guild leans heavily upon his sense for sadism and cruelty. Never one to shy away from a fight, Boule can crush a man’s skull with his bare hands.

Some believe that Boule’s incompetence to lead is a clear sign that there is another power behind his throne. The name that is sometimes whispered is that of Glorio Arkona, whom the companions have dealt and allied with before. In their earlier transactions with the illusive noble from Old Korvosa he has alluded to underworld contacts himself, so the thought of him being the true ‘godfather’ of Korvosa’s Cerulean Society might not even be so farfetched.

The party decides to approach Glorio Arkona once more, but first they swing by House Zenderholm again, hoping to gain an audience with Lord Anaster Fordyce. Unfortunately the man is out for business, but his daughter Belinda kindly receives the heroes and turns out to be well versed in her father’s ancestral history, a trait not uncommon among nobles. Belinda confirms that ‘uncle Dyson’, as her ancestor’s younger brother is still called in the family, won the Breaching Festival 157 years ago, in 4551, when the competition was only seven years old. Dyson Fordyce was an Acadamae graduate who had specialized in illusion magic. He set a foot over the Hall of Wards’ threshold, thus technically fulfilling the stipulations of the contest rules, even though he never actually entered the guarded hall itself. Since his victory the rules for the Breaching Festival were tightened: they now require someone to actually enter the Hall through the front door and exit at the back. These stricter conditions have ensured that no one has won again.

Quint senses that Belinda is not revealing everything she knows and prods her to continue. It takes some subtle help from Sjo to get her to talk. Belinda admits there is more, but she swears the companions to secrecy. Uncle Dyson never actually won. Being a cum laude graduate in illusions, he somehow managed to use his guile to make it seem like he went over the threshold, but he never really did. His trickery worked and that is how he won. So, Belinda concludes, in the 163 years since the competition started, no one has ever managed to triumph, not even Dyson Fordyce.

The party’s next stop is House Arkona. The companions use a dimension door to get into Old Korvosa, so they can avoid the Gray Maiden patrol on the bridge. Lord Glorio is as hospitable as ever. He has heard rumors, he smiles, of remarkable things that happened in the city during the last few days and compliments his guests on these achievements. Sjo returns the compliment by expressing his admiration for how well Lord Arkona is always informed.

“In fact”, the healer states, “we have come to take you up on your kind offer of help and possibly use this intelligence network of yours. You see, we’d like to learn more about the Acadamae and ways to get into this secluded bastion of magic. Survivors of the Breaching Festival would be a great source of information and if we understand correctly, the thieves’ guild sends a competitor every year. No doubt their century and a half of experience must have amounted to a great pool of knowledge. Is there any way in which we could benefit from this know-how? Could you get us in touch with someone within the guild?”

Glorio smiles confidently. He will contact his sources and arrange a meeting, he states. He will let the companions know when it is set up. Balian says he can leave a message at Tenna’s B&B. Quint almost spoils the party’s good relations with Lord Arkona by indirectly suggesting that he is the thieves’ guild real kingpin, earning his party members’ angry glares in exchange. The bard’s diplomacy was definitely off today, maybe the perfumes of this morning’s bath got to his head. Fortunately Arkona ignores this remark and merrily sends his guests off.

Another dimension door gets the party back to the mainland, where they reconsider their options for finding out more about infernal contracts. The temple of Asmodeus is still under lock-down and our friends seriously doubt whether priestess Tyresha will still be in place. Although she did not take part in their raid two nights ago, she was partly involved by instructing the Gray Maidens at the door to let the mysterious ‘inquisitor’ and his bodyguards pass. Since the queen will be most displeased by the destruction of her blood clone operation, she might very well direct her rage at Tyresha, lacking the real ‘culprits’. They finally decide to go with Balian’s earlier suggestion to seek advice outside the city and head to Kaer Maga instead. This way they won’t risk more exposure inside Korvosa.

28 Arodus 4708

The next morning Quint uses his last scroll of teleportation to zap the party to Kaer Maga. They make for The Flame that Binds, the magic shop where they conducted some business before. Its owner Carthagos is a powerful magician of his own right. Being a bloatmage he is definitely not an Acadamae graduate, but he might still know more about infernal contracts in general or be able to refer the companions to someone else in Kaer Maga he does. They are lucky, because the obese man is actually quite knowledgeable in planar matters. If the visitors promise him more business, he freely offers them what he knows about deals with devils.

An agreement with a contract devil can only be broken in two ways. When a contract is signed, a second copy manifests; one copy is retained by the devil and the other is given to the mortal. Mortals are free to do whatever they please with the lengthy, obviously evil documents, while contract devils typically keep active contracts with them at all times. Should both copies of a contract be reunited, they can be destroyed. Any effects caused by the contract are canceled or reversed and the mortal's soul goes to its normal place of rest after death and can be resurrected as normal. Merely absconding with both copies of the contract is not enough to break it - as long as the copies exist, the signer's soul remains forever damned.

Alternatively, a second mortal might be allowed to adopt the terms of a contract - with its soul replacing that of the original contract signer after death. The mortal who seeks to pay the debt of another must contact the contract devil who holds the relevant contract. The contract devil has a choice of whether or not to allow one mortal to pay another's debt, but values religious and good-aligned souls over others. Shrewd manipulators, contract devils often only agree to allow one mortal to pay another's debt in return for some service or proof of worth. If a contract devil agrees to accept another soul in payment, the original contract signer retains all of the benefits of the contract, but is released from damnation and may be resurrected as normal. The new signer, however, receives no benefits, cannot be returned to life upon dying, and spends an eternity in Hell after death.

Carthagos also reveals more on contract devils, also known as phistophili. They are immune to fire and poison and possess a high resistance to magic and weapons that are not enchanted with ‘holy’ magic. When confronting one of them, the opponent had better prepare!


It's been quiet for a while, but here is something to look forward to:
- mysterious girl,
- same girl and her secret admirer.


Due to tensions in the group we’ve had to say goodbye to Quint’s player, which was a hard decision because I’ve been playing with him for two decades now. B., if you’re reading this, I wish you well. On the other hand we were able to reconnect with an excellent player from earlier campaigns who has agreed to join our group and who has graciously offered his house as a place to play. Or as he phrased it last night: Just when I thought I was out … they pull me back in. D., welcome back to the fold. He’ll be playing Elvira Campert, the beautiful Acadamae student who portrayed the queen in the mock theatre play Korvosa always rises. Yesterday we played a solo session to set his character up. Next time she’ll be introduced to the rest of the party.


Two days ago

Exhilarating is probably the best word to describe Elvira’s feelings right now. Having just portrayed the queen in a well-received play was an overwhelming experience, an eye-opener as well. This was the first time she really got to experience the outside world in almost ten years. Yes, life in the Acadame of Korvosa often feels like prison or even worse. And now she was suddenly offered the chance to leave the bleak campus walls and have a taste of real life. It was daunting, for sure, but fantastic as well.

Being the only daughter to a wealthy merchant from Taldor, Elvira lost her mother at the young age of nine. Her father possessed a sharp mind for business, but had no clue how to raise a child on his own. When he learned from her tutors that she displayed a knack for the fine arts of magic, he sent her to distant Korvosa to start an education at the famed wizard school, the Acadamae, and easily put down the hefty enrollment fee. Elvira has been there since she was thirteen and successfully steered her way through nine years of hard training.

Possessing a fair amount of natural charm, Elvira chose the school that fitted her personality best – enchantment – to specialize in. She also showed a keen interest in illusion and transmutation, but shrunk back at anything that had to do with necromancy. Having survived the first three dreaded years in the Acadamae, in which students mostly perform slave labor for other students and the staff, she regained some independence when she finally started her actual studies. She spent a lot of time with her nose in books and scrolls, eagerly devouring every morsel of knowledge she could gather. She was especially intrigued with the workings of perception and memory and delved into fundamental philosophical questions about reality.

Her research skills did not go unnoticed and when Lady Eliasia Leroung asked to employ her in the university library – which did not belong to the Acadamae but was often used by its students - the request was granted. For over three years now Elvira has been combining her studies with a part-time job in the city’s center of bookish knowledge, which she absolutely loved, for it granted her a measure of freedom she had not felt since arriving in Korvosa. When King Eodred II died and all kinds of trouble assailed the city, however, the Acadamae closed its doors to the outside world, cutting off Elvira’s ‘escape route’ to the library.

Three years ago the pretty girl also caught the eye master Togomor, Dean of Transmutation. The old, corpulent and – honestly – plain ugly wizard launched a number of clumsy attempts at courting Elvira, who, due to her inability at reading people took some time to figure out his true intentions. She was obviously troubled by his interest: the feelings she had for him came closer to repulsion. Still she was smart enough to realize the importance of not upsetting such an important dean and used her diplomatic talent to ward off his wooing, which actually didn’t prove too hard. Dean Togomor was extremely confident when it came down to his mastery over magic, but he was equally unsure in his aptitude for the game of love. So Elvira allowed him to pay her compliments and treated him kindly in return, while keeping him from truly acting on his feelings. Their relationship never grew past a clumsy game of flirtation and Togomor seemed happy with that. Elvira also learned to use her ‘quick eyes’ to spot him from a distance and avoid him when possible.

When the Acadamae closed itself off from the rest of the city after king Eodred’s death, Elvira was confined to campus once more. The school’s focus also drifted from teaching, as many professors seemed preoccupied with the tenuous situation in Korvosa and started cancelling classes or kept forgetting to drown their trainees in homework. Most students enjoyed this chance at laziness for once, but not Elvira. She took this time to experiment with a spell she had been working on for quite a while. Her path of trial and error ended in the latter, as things went wrong, badly! Elvira drifted between life and death for a few weeks and does not remember much of this period, except for the fact that she was cared for in the temple of Asmodeus, not exactly her first choice of deity. When she finally returned to the Acadamae a couple of weeks ago, she was still in need of recovery, so she got a pass which allowed her to skip classes. This time she allowed herself to enjoy the spare time as well, dreading to jump back into her research after her failed experiment.

And then, ten days ago, another opportunity presented itself: the castle wanted to launch a theatre play that would recount the events that had plagued Korvosa in the last four months and Elvira was explicitly requested to portray the queen in this production. She knows that Dean Togomor has recently made it to court mage and seneschal in the castle, so she realizes that this request must have come from him. Since Elvira had always felt an affinity for theatre, she jumped at the chance to perform on stage for the first time in her life and she turned out to be really good at it. For ten days she was allowed out of the Acadamae for rehearsals, and even though she did not form a close bond with any of her fellow actors, she enjoyed this freedom tremendously. Today she was treated to the applause of hundreds of spectators and it was an absolute kick! She had even made a new admirer, who was a lot more attractive than Dean Togomor. His name was Quint, an actor who had starred in the recent hit The Passion of Saint Alika, and he wanted to see her again. If only he understood how strict Acadamae rule was: you can’t just walk in and out whenever you feel like it. Even today, while the rest of the cast will go into the city to celebrate, Elvira will have to return to campus. Her tieflings guards have already arrived to accompany her home.

When Elvira steps into her room at the Acadamae she finds the chamber filled with flowers. Seated in her chair is Dean Togomor, who claps his hands: “Congratulations”, he smiles midly, “you were wonderful.”

“Ow,” Elvira mumbles as she picks out a flower, “you overwhelm me, I am flattered, but I don’t deserve this.”

“Don’t be shy,” Togomor counters, “You were the star of the show. The queen thought so as well. We watched the show from the castle with the aid of magic. Live screening, I’m sure there is money in it. Anyhow, how do you feel about all of this?”

“Well, I have to admit, it was great.”

“That it was, sweet Elvira. And having spent so much time in the castle lately, away from the Acadamae grounds, I have rediscovered how nice it feels to have a change of scenery for once. I can only imagine that you feel the same, the enclosure of campus life gets to you after so many years, doesn’t it?”

“It does, it was nice to get out, even if my tiefling ‘bodyguards’ were always there to escort me back as soon as rehearsals were over.”

“Well, as you know, I have been watching you for a while and to be honest, I believe that you have learned everything you can in here. I’ve consulted with your Dean, mistress Tarlan, and headmaster Ornelos, and we all came to the same conclusion: you are an excellent student, you’ve made superb progression and you are ready to graduate.”

“By the gods,” Elvira gulps, “graduate? I still have over half a year to go before I finish my ten years.”

“You do, but it is not uncommon for students to take their exam during their tenth year, rather than at the end of it. Let’s say that having to complete the ride is usually a sign of mediocrity, a category that doesn’t fit you in the slightest.”

“And when would I have to do the tests?”

“Tomorrow, there is no reason to postpone the inevitable.”

Elvira’s mouth drops. “Tomorrow? Tomorrow? But I have to prepare, study. I have to get ready.”

Togomor chuckles. “You’ve been preparing and studying for almost ten years, child, you are ready. Just bring your gear and study whatever spells you deem wise.”

Elvira slinks over to Togomor, laying her hand on his. “And is there something you can tell me? To prepare? What challenges will I face?”

Togomor awkwardly puts his own hand on Elvira’s. “I cannot tell you, my dear. The test has to remain a secret, you know that. Moreover, it’s your dean who sets the challenges. Each exam is tailored specifically to the talents of the student taking it, although summoning a creature from Hell is always part of it.”

“But summoning is not exactly my strong suit. I only know a second level summoning spell that can call forth a measly lemure devil. I doubt that will suffice to impress the jury.”

“Don’t worry about your summoning spells,” Togomor reassures Elvira, “you’ll have to perform a summoning ritual, that’s true, but it won’t require one of your summoning spells.” Then the Dean of Transmutation gets up. “You’ll have to excuse me now, duty calls. I have to get back to her majesty. I’ll tell her you appreciated the flowers.”

“Please do, and Dean Togomor, thank you for believing in me.”

The seneschal gives Elvira a sheepish smiles before whispering the words of a teleportation spell and disappearing into thin air. Elvira takes some time to gather het bearings and then starts flipping through her spellbook, wondering which spells she will prepare tomorrow.


One day ago

After breakfast Elvira heads to the great Hall of Summoning, where she is greeted by Heresta Tarlan, the Dean of Enchantment. The homely woman smiles confidently when Elvira walks in and guides her to the left wing of the building, where students don’t normally come. She leads her into a small chamber and points to seven busts on display in front of her. “Tell me, Elvira”, she says, “what do you know about these seven people?”

The young mage immediately recognizes the stone heads as the seven Runelords from ancient Thassilon and goes on to explain. This fabled empire occupied most of Western Astivan for over a millennium, including the lands of Korvosa. Ruined remains are still scattered throughout the landscape of Varisia today, like the great mastaba, the Pillar Wall or the Gatefoot in Korvosa. Thassillon’s power was based on rune magic, said by some to be the written language of Creation. 11,000 years ago the First King Xin mastered this magic and used it to craft a vast kingdom. He arranged his ever-growing lands into seven domains, where he installed seven servants to help him rule, the so-called Runelords.

Each Runelord mastered one school of magic, becoming the most powerful specialist wizards in history. Thassilon recognized only seven schools of magic, regarding divination as a universal school. Each school was originally associated with one of the seven virtues of rule, wealth, fertility, honest pride, abundance, eager striving, righteous anger and rest. After Xin’s passing the Runelords took over power in their respective domains and their constant ambition for dominance over their peers led to much strife and death in the empire, quickly turning the virtues into vices: greed, lust, pride, gluttony, envy, wrath and sloth.

Thassilon was destroyed some 10,000 years ago by a cataclysmic event, called Earthfall, when a swarm of meteoroids impacted Golarion and wiped away civilization. The world was consumed by earthquakes and massive tidal waves, which swallowed great landmasses and led to the creation of the Inner Sea. A cloud of dust blotted out the sun for centuries, throwing the lands in darkness.

Next Elvira puts her hand on the busts, while explaining over which domain each runelord ruled:

  • Bakrakhan, the realm of wrath, which today forms the western coast of Varisia (although most of the domain sunk beneath the sea and now lies at the bottom of the Varisian Gulf), was ruled by Runelord Alaznist, the evoker. The Irespan in Magnimar is a ruin that dates back to this realm.
  • Cyrusian, the realm of Pride, lay in what is now north-central Varisia and part of the lands of the Linnorm Kings. It was considered the most powerful of all the domains, forming the de facto capital of the entire empire. Its ruler was satrap Xanderghul, a master in diplomacy and illusion magic.
  • Edasseril, the realm of envy, was the westernmost nation in Thassilon and suffered greatly from the tidal waves that destroyed the empire. Today a number of islands in northwest Varisia are all that remain of this domain. Edasseril was known for its backstabbing bureaucracy and its last ruler, Belimarius, was a heavy-set woman who came from humble beginnings and rose through the ranks through intrigue, blackmail and murder to finally claim the throne as a potent abjurer.
  • Eurythnia, the realm of lust, was ruled from the great mastaba in present-day Korvosa. Its runelord Sorshen was a beautiful enchanter, who based much of her power on slavery.
  • Gastash, the reams of gluttony, was located in the east, including today’s Willspin Mountains and the Hold of Belkzen. It was the most peaceful land, with fertile soil and plenty of food left after every harvest. Runelord Zutha was a master in necromancy, being an undead creature himself, who somehow managed to renew his body constantly to retain his human taste, touch and feel.
  • Haruka, the realm of sloth, was the smallest domain in Thassilon, located in the southeast. Its people were by nature extremely lazy and many worked as slavers to save themselves from the toil of manual labor. Runelord Krune relied on his mastery over conjuration to summon servants to do his bidding and to create what he needed.
  • Shalast, the realm of greed, comprised the central lands of Thassilon, including the present-day Cinderlands and the fertile lands to its south. Runelord Karzoug, master of transmutation, lived in an opulent palace on top of a mountain and constantly sought to expand his power, mostly to the west.

Mistress Tarlan congratulates Elvira on her knowledge. Then she proceeds to take the small busts and put them in a bag. “For your graduation, you will have to collect these seven statues before facing your final test. You are allowed to use your spells and other skills as you see fit, but remember that you will face your biggest challenge in the end, so you might want to save something for then. Use your wit first, then your magic! And don’t forget that in enchanting, sometimes less is more. When the bell rings, you can go through this door and start your exam. Good luck, girl. I hope to see you on the other side.” Heresta Tarlan exits through the same door that Elvira will have to take. Silence fills the room for what feels like an eternity, although in reality it might have been only fifteen minutes. Then the jingling of tiny bells resounds.

The tests Elvira has to pass, have been based on Challenge of the Champions, a series of fun scenarios in Dungeon magazine. I plundered five of the six ‘Challenge’ adventures for ideas, issues number 69, 80,91,108,138.

Elvira pushes the door open to start the exam. The first room is small; there is a table with a game of chess and there are two bags on the floor, a white one and a black one. A note on the table reads: “The first bust is in one of these bags. Choose wisely or face the consequences. The game of chess is not meant to be played, but it is of strategic importance to your decision.” Elvira’s permanent detect magic reveals that both bags radiate magic. They look like bags of holding.

There are seven white and six black pieces on the board. Since black is threatened, Elvira figures it has to be black’s turn, so she goes with the black bag. Her choice proves to be correct; inside the bag of holding she finds the first bust, the head of Belimarius, the runelord of envy.

Game of Chess:
Elvira got lucky choosing the correct bag, since she did not figure out the true hint. A chessboard has eight lines (numbered 1 to 8) and eight columns (numbered a to h). Following the white pieces on the board from line 1 upwards by reading the corresponding letter of each piece, would have yielded this result: 1-b, 2-a, 3-d and 5-b, 6-a, 7-g, spelling out that white is the ‘bad bag’. Doing the same for black would has resulted in ‘head bag’, indicating that the stone bust was in this bag. The white sack was actually a bag of devouring.

Elvira waits a while for the bell to ring again, but when it still hasn’t rung in five minutes, she just continues through the next door. The second room contains a 10 foot by ten foot pit of greenish fluid, above which a golden cage with vertical bars hangs from a metal chain on a pulley system that is connected to a crank next to the door. Turning the crank raises of lowers the cage, but there is no door or lid to the cage. On the ground are two 12 foot long poles. The small cage contains a slender pedestal on top of which the bust of Karzoug, runelord of greed, rests.

Delving into her knowledge of nature, Elvira can figure out that the fluid is acid, which will eat through the gold, but not through stone. By sliding the poles through the bars across the pit, Elvira can construct a bridge that will support the bust when she lowers the cage into the acid. The acid eats away the bottom of the cage, after which it can be pulled up over the bust. With mage hand Elvira picks it up without any problems. Then she proceeds to the exit.

The third room is an elongated room with a 90 foot long pool of water between the stone landings at both ends. In the middle of the 30’ wide channel are two stone islands, leaving only 10’ of water in between. Both islands hold a ferocious looking smoking dog with ebony fur and burning red eyes, chained to the wall. The chains give them full range of their islands plus five feet above the water. There is a small rowing boat with two oars at the start of the channel, which fits neatly into sloop-sized compartment. The far landing holds a similar niche. The rowing boat is made wood, but plated with metal on the outside. The far landing also sports a marble pedestal with one of the busts. Even from 85 feet away Elvira recognizes the bust of Alaznist, the runelord of wrath. She also identifies the dogs on the islands as Nessian warhounds, powerful canines from Hell who can spew fire and who have a weakness for cold.

When Elvira moves the rowing boat, she hears several clicks, which are followed by a louder click in the door behind her, locking it shut. She discovers five pressure buttons in the niche’s wall next to the rowing boat, which were pressed when the boat was in place. Peering across the water she spots five similar pressure buttons in the niche on the other side. The boat will have to be fitted in that niche to activate the opening mechanism of the far door, so Elvira will have to take it with her. A simple dimension door will get Elvira across, but not the boat, so the mage needs another solution.

Since she hasn’t used her magic yet, apart from a free mage hand, Elvira decides to access her spell arsenal. These hounds look particularly nasty and she’d hate to get caught between their teeth or in their fire breaths. She successfully casts a charm monster on the right dog and puts the left one to sleep with deep slumber. Then she boards the sloop and paddles to the other side, petting the charmed warhound on the head as she passes. She picks up the third bust and adds it to her bag.

The fourth room is small and contains a comfortable sofa across from a fireplace, which is decorated with the stuffed head of a bull. To the left of the sofa stands a sidetable, upon which rest a small mirror, a slender wand and two strips of paper, one covered with peculiar runes, the other with various letters. There is no sign of a bust. Detect magic shows the wand to radiate light magic. Elvira knows that wands often need a command word to work.

By reflecting the rune-covered strip of paper on the mirror, Elvira can see that they form into the words “AIM IT AT OX MOUTH”. To use the wand, she needs to find the command word. She remember reading about secret war correspondence, where messages were disguised in a similar fashion. By winding the strip of paper around the wand, the letters line up to read “command word is sihedron”. The sihedron rune in Thassilonian times was a seven-pointed star that represented the seven school of rune magic. Elvira aims the wand at the stuffed bull’s mouth and utters the command word ‘sihedron’, which activates a beam of light that strikes the ox’s mouth, causing a secret panel in the back of the hearth to open. The bust of Krune, the runelord of sloth, is inside.

The fifth room is small again and stands empty, safe for a flask’s stopper on the ground and an open doorway at the other side of the room, which leads into a corridor with walls made of mirrors. This seems to be the entry to a mirror maze.

El’s detect magic shows that there is a map of the maze engraved in the stone floor of the entry room, hidden with an illusion. The young mage makes a copy and uses it to navigate through the maze. The mirror wall are somewhat confusing, so Elvira keeps one hand in contact with the wall to remain oriented.

The center of the maze is clouded in a thick mist that assails Elvira with feelings of doubt, but she resists the effect and makes it through as fast as she can, reducing her contact time with the fog to a minimum. In the center of the maze Elvira finds a smoking bottle on a stand. She places the stopper on the flask, making the mist dissipate in a few seconds. Next to the smoking flask is the bust of Xanderghul, the runelord of pride. A door in the center room leads to a flight of stairs that goes down to another door.

The sixth room looks a bit like a laboratory. Three tables are positioned against the walls, one of them holds three sealed glass containers filled with different colored muck (blue, yellow and golden brown), another one holds two containers (bright green, drab green). Each of the glass containers is labeled with strange runes. On the third table Elvira finds a notebook, a glass spoon and an adamantine box, big enough to house a bust. There is a small peeping hole in the front. Peeping through with her permanent darkvision, Elvira can see that it contains the ugly head of Zutha, the runelord of gluttony. The notebook is empty, except for the first page, which contains a string of runes:

Elvira quickly figures out that these are made-up runes, but since there are 26 of them, she deduces they each represent one letter of our normal alphabet. With some imagination the letters even look like their normal counterparts. Using the alphabet Elvira is able to decipher the labels: azure fungus, yellow mold, russet mold, green slime, olive slime. She knows each of these substances from reading about them:

  • Azure Fungus: This strange blue fungus tends to grow on walls or other surfaces and typically has wispy strands that stretch out into the air from whatever surface the fungus covers like roots dangling in the air, twitching and swaying in an unseen breeze. Azure fungus is a rather dangerous hazard that as a byproduct of its growth builds up a charge of electricity that it releases in bursts into its surroundings.

    The azure fungus is sensitive to touch and discharges its electricity if contacted. The fungus discharges randomly. Azure fungus is immune to electricity and fire, but any amount of cold damage causes it to become inert for about an hour.

  • Yellow mold: If disturbed, a patch of this mold bursts forth with a cloud of poisonous spores, which weakens creatures. Fire destroys yellow mold, and sunlight renders it dormant.

  • Russet mold: This hazardous fungus can be found in dark, wet areas, and often grows in great abundance at the heart of a vegepygmy lair. When a creature approaches of a patch of russet mold, the fungus releases a cloud of spores. The spores weaken creatures to the point of death, after which he begins to vegetate. A day later, one of more fully grown vegepygmies burst from the cadaver.

    Exposure to sunlight halts the spores' growth. A patch of russet mold is unharmed by all effects save for acid, alcohol, or remove disease (or a similar magical effect, such as heal), all of which can kill a single patch of russet mold on contact. Sunlight doesn't kill the mold, but does render it dormant and harmless as long as the sunlight persists.

  • Green slime: This dungeon peril is a dangerous variety of normal slime. Green slime devours flesh and organic materials on contact and is even capable of dissolving metal. Bright green, wet, and sticky, it clings to walls, floors, and ceilings in patches, reproducing as it consumes organic matter. It drops from walls and ceilings when it detects movement (and possible food) below.

    Green slime devours flesh. On the first round of contact, the slime can be scraped off a creature (destroying the scraping device), but after that it is harder to remove. To remove festering green slime, it must be frozen, burned, or cut away (dealing damage to the victim as well). Anything that deals cold or fire damage, sunlight, or a remove disease spell destroys a patch of green slime. Wood or metal are also affected by green slime. It does not harm stone or glass.

  • Olive slime: Olive slime is a plantlike growth found in dark, damp underground areas. It is sticky, wet, and drab green in color. It clings to ceilings, floors and walls and consumes any organic matter it contacts. Olive slime can detect prey by vibration to a range of 30’ and drops from ceilings when it detects movement beneath it.

    When a patch of olive slime drops and attaches to a host, it secretes a numbing poison that makes its presence go almost unnoticed. An olive slime that has attached itself affects the thinking patterns of its victim, making the host’s main concern the feeding and protecting the olive slime (including keeping the creature hidden from any adventuring companions). This effect is similar to a charm monster spell. If a creature attempts to remove the olive slime from the host, the host either attacks that creature or attempts to flee. The only way to successfully break the link is to destroy the olive slime, destroy the host, or remove the olive slime from the host. A single patch of olive slime weakens a creature a bit more every day as it devours flesh, replacing skin and muscle tissue. Additionally, the host must double its normal food intake each day. When the host’s dies, its body transforms into a slime zombie.

    Olive slime can be burned, cut away (dealing an equal amount of damage to the host as well), or frozen. Anything that deals acid, cold, or fire damage, or a remove disease spell destroys a patch of olive slime.

With the glass spoon Elvira can apply green slime tot the adamantine box, which slowly eats away the metal. In about ten minutes the metal is sufficiently broken to take out the bust of Zutha, the runelord of gluttony. One more head remains.

The seventh room consists of a small antechamber and a larger room. A small table in the antechamber holds a piece of parchment, within a ring of letters “Come, human, die by sword or charm” is written. The room beyond is guarded by a large iron statue of a beautiful woman, holding a sword. Behind the statue is a display with the bust of Sorshen, runelord of lust.

Elvira identifies the statue as an iron golem, a construct that is beyond her skill to fight. This creature is highly resistant to weapon damage and immune to almost all magic. As long as Elvira remains in the antechamber, the statue does not move.

When trying to decipher the message on the parchment, Elvira is reminded of the lesson mistress Tarlan gave her when she came in: sometimes less is more. She has to read the message in the center of the note, using only the letters that are written in het ring. This excludes the letters B, E, H, I, S, U and Y. Dropping these from the sentence; it now reads: Com-man-d word or-c-arm. By speaking the command word orcarm, Elvira orders the iron golem to stand down. Now she can simply walk into the room and take the last bust.

Elvira enter the final room, a big chamber with a special summoning circle in the center, shaped like the sihedron, the seven-pointed star that represents the seven schools of (rune) magic. Dean Tarlan is waiting for Elvira in here in the company of headmaster Toff Ornelos and the deans of the other schools (Dean of Abjuration Julaei Cangi, Dean of Conjuration Messida Vost, Dean of Divination Norva Allesain, Dean of Evocation Salgar Irevotnin, Dean of Illusion Rombastle Falgeringer, Dean of Necromancy Orianna Delmore and Dean of Transmutation Elgin Togomor). The dean of enchantment congratulates her student on her success so far, but she confirms that the hardest test is still ahead: “By placing the busts of the seven runelords on the circle”, she says, “you will be able to activate its magic. Stand by whatever bust you choose and focus your energy to call forth a creature from another dimension. Next you will have to prove that you can master the creature.” Master Togomor also shoots Elvira a look of pride and satisfaction.

Elvira has no trouble reading the different runes. She places each bust on its corresponding rune. Next the circle starts humming with energy. Elvira has to concentrate to control the energy. After a few minutes the force of the energy suddenly increases. Still Elvira succeeds in keeping the waves of magic in check. When the energy builds to a climax, it gets harder to master the force, but Elvira keeps on top of things and with a few drops of sweat dripping down her head, she sees a winged shape appear before her in the middle of the circle. It is an Erinyes, a devil that looks like an angel with black wings. But in Elvira’s case, it is a male Erinyes. The young mage realizes how rare a male version of this creature is. The appearance of this Erinyes also elicits cries of admiration from the different deans behind her.

“Now, master what you summoned!” dean Tarlan repeats.

Elvira sees that the Erinyes looks anything but happy to be here. He draws his sword and flicks out his hand, throwing an unholy blight on the enchanter who summoned him. His wings flap as he lifts off the floor, preparing to engage. Elvira suffers the cold, cloying miasma of greasy darkness that tugs at her life force and leaves her sickened. Then she retorts with a spell of her own: hold monster. Devils like Erinyes possess a natural resistance against magic, but Elvira pushes through and her magic takes hold, freezing the dark angel in place an dropping him on the floor. Elvira immediately steps up and kicks his blade from his grasp. With her hand outstretched Elvira tries to make her spell last, when headmaster Toff Ornelos suddenly closes in. With a wave of his hand he dismisses the Erinyes and reaches his hand to Elvira: “I’ve seldom seen anyone pass an exam with so much ease, miss Campert, congratualions, you are now a graduate of the Acadamae.” The other deans follow to congratulate the girl and express their admiration at her success.

The last two to wish her luck are mistress Tarlan and master Togomor. They look especially pleased. Heresta Tarlan tells Elvira that she can keep her bag of holding and that she is always welcome in the Acadamae. She even asks the girl to consider becoming a teacher here in the future. Togomor replies that she is always welcome indeed, but if she wants to find him, she’ll have better luck in the castle than here.

Tonight Elvira will spend her last night in her room. Tomorrow she is free to go where she pleases. Maybe she’ll check in on that bard she met yesterday. Tenna’s B&B, that is where she can find him.


Sorry to read about Quint no longer being part of this story but looking forward to seeing it continued at least. Good luck to your new player!


It's a real shame losing a player, for any reason, but doubly so due to group tension.


28 Arodus 4708

The companions complete their short trip to Kaer Maga by selling off the loot they gained from the fight in the temple of Asmodeus. They pick up another pair of teleport scrolls and return to Quint’s room at Tenna’s B&B in Korvosa.

During an elaborate brunch they discuss what to do next. To break Ileosa’s contract, they will have to destroy both copies of the document, one of which is with the devil who brokered the deal, while Ileosa holds the other one. Quint suggests falling back on his alter ego of ‘Marcus’, the stable hand who worked for Master Jacob in the Queen’s stables and try to work his way into the castle from there to do some recon. Undercover he might be able to find out more without raising suspicion, because infiltrating the castle in full party force will probably not go unnoticed for long. In the meantime his friends can follow up on the Acadamae and the contract devil who can somehow be reached from there. The bard wastes no time, dresses up as ‘Marcus’ and takes his leave, promising to get word to his friends about his progress in the palace when he can.

At the Acadamae Elvira wakes up to a whole new day. She packs her bags, feeling a bit strange that her harsh, but secluded life between the walls of this magic institution have suddenly come to a close. She says goodbye to a handful of fellow students, who are surprised to learn that she has graduated. The tiefling guards at the gate seem to be informed of her departure and let her pass, but no one else is there to see her off. As she steps into the streets of the city, she can’t help but feel a bit lost. Although she has lived in Korvosa for almost a decade, she does not know the place. The students’ time outside the Acadamae walls has always been extremely restricted. The young mage goes over the places and people she knows here in her head. There is The Gilded Orrery, the magic shop which caters almost exclusively to students from her school, the Leroung library where she used to work, but which was supposedly closed for business, and then there are the other members of the cast of Korvosa always rises, the play she recently participated in. She quickly discards the idea of the shop and the actors, the former holds no interest to her at the moment and the latter was nothing more than a gang of drug-using misfits with very loose sexual morals. Not wanting to wander too far from her former ‘home’, Elvira books a bed in The Frisky Unicorn, a bed and breakfast establishment in the Heights district and one of the few places in the area where people can actually get a room for the night, since the law forbids inns in this ward. Despite its appealing name, the structure looks drab and cheap, but El figures it will do for now. Afterwards she roams about aimlessly in the neighborhood, realizing that her feet have unknowingly taken her to her favorite destination, the Leroung library. The place is locked tight and the maidens who stand guard at the doors inform the girl that the Leroung family has disappeared after its head, Lady Eliasia, was brutally murdered by rebels. Elvira is shocked and ponders what to do next. She really wants to see a friendly face and decides she has only one place left to go to, Tenna’s B&B, where the nice bard she met a few days ago said he was staying.

Tenna’s definitely looks a lot nicer than the sorry excuse for a bed and breakfast Elvira just booked and its owner is a warm and welcoming woman. When Elvira enquires about Quint, Tenna tells her the young man has just left, but his friends are still here. She introduces the girl to Sjo, Balian and Puk, who immediately recognize her and invite her to join them at their table. They seem like a friendly lot: Balian explains that they are adventurers. The ranger certainly fits the picture with his broad shoulders and somewhat rough demeanor, although his eyes are friendly and his face is ruggedly handsome. He also has a big, black dog, called Spyder, who seems to take an immediate liking to Elvira and rests his head on her thigh as if he already knows her. The halfling is a weird little fellow who sneaks around the table and ‘accidentally’ pricks his fork in her arm, praying her to forgive his clumsiness. When he returns to his seat, he whispers something to his friends about her ‘not exploding’. Elvira is puzzled, but then Sjo, the big man in full plate armor asks her if she has a twin sister. He claims that they knew someone who looked like her, not just bearing a resemblance, but the exact spitting image of her. Madam Nesia, he calls her, and she even used to live with them. Elvira says she is an only child, but she is intrigued and prods the healer to tell her more.

Sjo asks her if she ever stayed in the temple of Asmodeus, and if she did, if she remembers all that transpired there. Elvira is surprised, because that is exactly what happened to her. A little over two months ago, she had an ‘accident’ while experimenting on a new spell which backfired and was taken to the temple for care. She was in bad shape and had to stay there for over a month to recover. She admits that large parts of this period are a blank to her and wonders how Sjo would know about that. Sjo, Balian and Puk look at each other, asking themselves if they can entrust this girl with the truth, but she seems so kind and innocent. Moreover, the fact that she looks exactly like Madam Nesia instills an immediate sense of trust in them, so the healer goes ahead and tells her. Madam Nesia was a clone, Elvira’s clone, and she was part of a grand conspiracy that is connected to the queen. Glancing about where Tenna is, Balian decides it might be safer to continue the conversation in the privacy of their room and invites everyone up.

The ranger explains that real queen Ileosa is not the do-gooder that Elvira portrayed in the theatre play. While it is unclear whether Ileosa herself is evil to the core or something malicious is controlling her, she is responsible for many heinous deeds, one of which are the so-called ‘blood clones’. Ileosa has been bleeding hundreds of young Korvosan girls dry – literally, meaning they died – to create devilishly empowered blood clone super fighters for her army. She was aided in this horrible endeavor by the church of Asmodeus and possibly Dean Togomor. When Elvira asks how the companions know about this, they tell her that they stopped this foul blood clone production in the catacombs of the Dark Prince’s temple only a few days ago. Elvira was an early experiment in this story, who was not bled to death and whose clone proved to be unstable. The companions found El’s experimental double, Madam Nesia, naked in the streets, suffering from memory loss. They took her in until she suddenly got sick. Since she was plagued by nightmares of blood, they went to the temple of Asmodeus for help. Highpriest Ornher Reebs acted quite weird when confronted with this case and finally suggested that Puk prick her with his dagger. When he did, she exploded in blood, leaving nothing but her clothes and red fluid everywhere. The current newest recruits to the ranks of the Gray Maidens, the blood clones, are perfected versions of this magic, but they still explode in blood when killed, linking them undeniably to whatever Madam Nesia was. Sjo cannot tell whether Dean Togomor was involved and asks Elvira if she can shed some light on his character. The girl admits that the transmuter has always treated her kindly – as he was infatuated with her – but he can be hard to others, cruel even, and like all Academics in Korvosa’s school of magic, he will possibly be up to his thick neck in all kinds of devilish dealings. The companions fill Elvira in on all the details of their raid in the temple, including the devils and the strange construct that was used to sap field marshal Cressida Kroft of her powers. El feels violated by this news and Balian asks her what she wants to do about it. Her reaction is somewhat philosophical, she was abused, but she didn’t really know about it until now, so it is hard to take a stand.

The heroes decide to disclose even more dark secrets. They tell Elvira how Lady Eliasia Leroung was assassinated by a salikotal devil, meaning that her soul is irrevocably lost. Next they reveal what has happened to the queen: she has claimed a mighty malevolent artefact, the teeth of a long lost dragon, which were hidden by the Shoanti in the mastaba centuries ago. Now she proudly bears the teeth on her head as her new crown and they have instilled her with tremendous power and overwhelming evil. To top that she closed an infernal deal with a devil in the Acadamae, which empowered and corrupted her even more. The queen was also the one who ordered the plague to be released on the city, making her responsible for thousands of deaths and proving her current evilness beyond any doubt. Taking the young friends at their word, Elvira can no longer deny Ileosa’s wicked character and, realizing that she was unknowingly personally involved in the queen’s vile practices, she offers to help.

Sjo welcomes the opening and tells Elvira that they could certainly use her aid to find out where they can locate the contract devil in the Acadamae. He even wonders if it is the same fiend who signed Rolth’s contract, a creature named ‘Chyvrom’ or something. El has never heard of him, but she could definitely ask around on campus. She suspects that the Dean of conjuration or headmaster Toff Ornelos will probably know the truth. Lord Ornelos might be hard to approach, but Dean Messida Vost might not.

Elvira returns to the Acadamae and gains an audience with Dean Vost. She claims to feel lost after graduation, not knowing what to do with her life next. Maybe a contract with Hell will aid this situation. The mistress of conjuration says that such a deal is indeed possible, but she advises against closing it without good cause. The price for such a contract is steep and it should only be made with the proper motivation and goals. Elvira has already proven herself quite powerful for her age, she does not really need extra power to make something of her life. Her talents will suffice for that. Of course, if she ever finds a goal that justifies the price of an infernal contract, she can always return here, as the Acadamae does indeed have an excellent ‘contact’ in Hell. In theory any devil, even the lowliest one, can close an infernal deal with mortals, but the more powerful both parties are, the better the benefits will be. The Acadamae holds a path to one particularly accomplished phistophilus who will be able to offer a lot more than his less skilled ilk. Elvira wonders if the ‘path’ to this individual is hidden in the Hall of Abjuration and Dean Vost compliments the young girl on her insights.

On her way out Elvira quickly stops by her former Dean, Heresta Tarlan. The mistress of enchantment understands that Elvira feels lost, but strongly advises against closing an infernal contract. Elvira also gets the feeling that Tarlan has never entered into such a deal herself. The Dean also claims ignorance when El tells her that she has picked up rumors about queen Ileosa recently signing an agreement with a devil in the Acadamae. Tarlan sees no reason for the queen to do so, since she already has all the powers she could ever want. She might have benefitted from such a contract when she was trying to seduce the king five years ago, but now she doesn’t need it anymore as the throne is already hers. El agrees and promises not to be stupid. She will find her own luck in the world. Dean Tarlan is happy to hear that and is confident that El’s charm and skill will suffice to make it ‘out there’.

In the meantime Sjo has left to spend some time with his fiancée, Larella Semyr, and Puk and Balian indulge in the pleasures of life by getting a massage and taking a relaxing scented bath. When they return to their room, the halfling finds a small note on his bed. Balian immediately realizes that someone infiltrated their room and indeed finds clues that the window was tempered with, but there is no sign of the mysterious messenger. The paper reads: “Come to the Avenue of Arms at midnight. Your contact.” So it looks like this is a note from Glorio Arkona who has made good on his promise and arranged for the party to meet someone from the thieves’ guild. Nice!


At midnight the companions travel quietly through the city to the Avenue of Arms. This bizarre street that extends from the Great Tower along the riverfront to Burnt Bridge Boulevard, holds one of Korvosa’s eerier landmarks. All along the wide thoroughfare rise silent and unsettling sentinels that predate the Chelish settlers who came here three centuries ago: exactly 127 stone arms reach up from the rock soil along the road at an even distance. No two arms look the same – some stick up straight, while others bend at the elbow. Roughly a third of them hold a variety of rusting weapons, while another third grasp stone representations of weapons. They all look like the arms of human adults; about a quarters of them are feminine, the rest appear masculine. Together they comprise more than a dozen kinds of stone. Despite these variations, all of them have a few things in common: they face the same direction, pointing toward the road. While the metal weapons are all rusted beyond repair, not an inch of the stone looks damaged or even weathered. Elvira picks up some kind of preserving magic on them.

The somewhat spooky atmosphere of the Avenue keeps most nightly visitors away, but spread out on top of the Mainshore wall beyond the Avenue are a number of Gray Maiden guards; so the party moves stealthily to keep from being seen. From behind a dark building a robust man with a square head and a sour countenance tears away from the shadows. Although Balian has never met the man before, he can match his appearance to that of the leader of the Cerulean Society, guildmaster Boule. The brute throws his gaze over the party slowly and nods, beckoning them to come closer: “Hmm, somehow I pictured you more impressive,” he sighs, “anyway, I heard you wanted to talk to me, so … talk.”

Balian explains that they need to get into the Hall of Abjuration in the Acadamae and require the thieves’ guild’s expertise from the Breaching Festival to achieve this goal. Master Boule seems a bit surprised that the party needs his insight in this matter, since they travel with a graduate from the Acadamae, but says he is willing to share what he knows. Still, this information comes at a price; after all, dealing in knowledge is one of the guild’s major sources of income. He demands a flat fee of 5,000 gold sails, which Sjo coughs up from the party funds.

To gain access to the Hall of Wards, the party will have to gather three magical key-lights from the other halls. Each hall has one of those: flying spheres of light, weighing no more than a feather. They hang about at random places, reappearing at a different spot every hour, so locating them is part of the challenge. Each key-light is also protected with powerful and often deadly magic, linked to the arts of the respective hall. Once retrieved, it stays with that person for exactly one hour before zapping back to its hall of origin. The key-lights are always present, not only during the Breaching Festival, but all year around. Some veteran students even like tricking novice pupils into trying to take one, which never ends well for the naïve newcomer.

There are three ways to overcome a key-light’s protection. The first is to undergo its magical effects, a dangerous choice, certainly for an individual in the Breaching Festival, since the competitors always have to face the test on their own. The second is to use the skills of a thief to get past the magic trap. The third is to study the defenses with arcane insight, identify the spell that protects the key and counter it with dispel magic.

The last competitor from the Cerulean society was an accomplished halfling rogue, who went by the name of Illia Ean. Boule admits that he was sad to learn that she never made it out alive, despite her careful preparations. Using the know-how of former guild competitors, she had analyzed the information thoroughly and made a shortlist of the three keys that would be easiest for her to retrieve. Such a breakdown was never air-tight, since the key-lights’ protections change all the time, but she still came to these conclusions:

  • The Hall of Summoning, home to the school of conjuration, is gigantic in size. The first and perhaps greatest difficulty lies in locating the key in this huge structure, which might take up too much precious time. The key-light’s defenses usually summon a number of devils, which can also prove tricky for a small rogue on her own, so Illia decided against this hall.
  • The Hall of Shaping, where transmutation is taught, has been altered time and again by hundreds of would-be graduates over the years, whose goal it was to change the shape of the stone as drastically as possible without causing the building to collapse. These numerous instances of magical tampering have left the structure a hodge-podge of forms and colors with scores of hidden nooks and crannies. This means that the key-light can be very hard to locate. Moreover, Illia feared this key’s protections, which often involve turning failed competitors into some kind of animal, so she wanted to skip this building as well.
  • The Hall of Charms, home to enchantment, is the prettiest building on campus, but its protections are rightfully dreaded by many. Even students from other specializations dislike coming here out of fear of being mentally manipulated. Being a rogue, Illia lacked the proper willpower to withstand such mind-affecting magic and prudently decided against entering this wonderful edifice.
  • The Hall of Whispers, the dread base of necromancy, is rumored to be haunted. Challenges inside often involve undead creatures or withering effects that suck away your life energy, both things that a lone rogue has trouble with. Going here would have been a great risk to someone like Illia. Moreover, Boule figures, if the party wants to sneak into the Hall of Wards unnoticed, they will have to do so at night, when most of the Acadamae sleeps. The Hall of Whispers would not be a wise destination for them either, since this is the only building that sees regular nighttime activity. As a matter of fact, the school of necromancy might even be more populated at night than during the daytime hours.
  • So what did Illia opt for? Her first choice was the Hall of Lies, where students attempt to master the art of illusion. This building seems to change shape constantly, both from the outside and within. This makes it hard to predict where the key-light will be, so locating it might take some time. That is why Illia put it on her list first. The protections surrounding the key are always of an illusory nature. If you manage to see through them, you can just take the key. On the other hand, if you can’t figure them out, the key will stay beyond your reach.
  • The Hall of Induction was second on Illia’s list. This building, also known as the cube, consists of five open-floored levels, which are connected by a central spiral staircase. Metal plating reinforces the stone walls, allowing evocation students to throw their worse spells without harming the building too much. The open architecture of the floors makes to key-light easy to spot. Most of the time its defenses involve some kind of major explosion, but rogues are usually quite adept at evading such magic, so Illia deemed it wise to come here as well.
  • Her last stop was to be the Hall of Seeing, center of divination magic. Here the key-light seems to hover in the same place all the time, a round chamber under the building’s dome. This makes finding it a no-brainer. Challenges are mostly at a spiritual level, making them less lethal than most of the other protections in the Acadamae.

Boule also gives extra advice on staging a nightly raid. Between two and five o’clock at night, the halls are mostly deserted, with the exception of the Hall of Whispers. This would be the best time to infiltrate. Of course the Acadamae is always secured. The tiefling guards keep watch day and night and can call a number of ‘garipans’, a vicious species of gargoyles, to their aid with a simple word. Still, the most effective alarm system protecting the school grounds are its many imps. These infernal pests never sleep and are ever watchful, alerting the Acadamae’s other guardians at the first sign of intrusion. Possessing the permanent power to detect magic and good turns them into very competent watchdogs, certainly against kind-hearted creatures. This makes sneaking around campus unnoticed almost impossible, unless you can find a way to distract the little devils. Boule has given this a lot of thought over the years. Although he has never attempted it himself, he has come up with a plan that might just work. The imps have one ‘natural enemy’ in the city of Korvosa, the pseudodragons. These tiny draconic creatures have even developed the ability to cut through the imps’ natural resistance for mundane damage with their stings and bites. A swarm of pseudodragons would definitely be the best way to draw away the imps’ attention. Boule even knows where the party can find a flock of those tiny dragons: the dock trade.

This market of questionable legality operates in New Dock, at the heart of the North Point district. Many of the goods sold within these three connected warehouses appear freshly delivered, although most have some amount of damage to them. For years the Hellknights have attempted to link these wares with cargo reported missing from ship manifests. Their constant vigil has prevented the Dock Trade from growing too much, keeping it a rather contained market. Only in the last two months, when the Hellknights were distracted with other worries and even temporarily banned from the city, has the Dock Trade flourished. Scarcity of common foods on the normal market made this place perfect to sell off provisions that were smuggled into the city.

A colony of pseudodragons makes its home in the rafters of the these warehouses. For the most part these creatures ignore the activity that occurs below them, hunting rats and other vermin. Every so often, though, a particularly succulent smell or shiny object attracts the interest of one of the small dragons. Once it notices such an item, the creature inevitably draws its comrades’ attention and an entire swarm swoops down into the teeming human masses. While they never mean harm, their sudden appearance disrupts transactions and sends a number of shoppers running, causing something of a stir. Order is usually restored quickly and trade life resumes within minutes. Boule recommends that the heroes head to Dock Trade and convince the pseudodragons to aid them. After this last bit of advice guildmaster Boule takes his leave and sinks back into the shadows.


The companions return the Tenna’s B&B and deliberate how to proceed. Elvira draws upon her extended book knowledge to explain about pseudodragons. These creatures are tiny cousins of true dragons, and are playful but shy by nature. They often only vocalize in chirps, hisses, growls, and purrs, but can communicate telepathically with any intelligent creature. If approached peacefully and offered food, they are usually willing to share information about what they've seen in their territory, but threats or violence make them flee. Pseudodragons are carnivores, devouring insects, rodents, small birds and snakes, though they sometimes eat eggs and most also enjoy butter, cheese and fish. They either hunt on the ground like lizards or look for prey from the sky like a (somewhat clumsy) hawk. As smart as a typical humanoid, they do not enjoy being treated as pets and prefer being treated as friends. They are wary of evil folk, but can bond with sorcerers and wizards as familiars, and some have befriended druids and rangers or partnered with good dragons as scouts. Pseudodragons will serve as familiars if they approve of a spellcaster's personality, but often also bond with those whose company they enjoy or who have proven themselves true friends. A pseudodragon might follow another character in this manner for days, weeks, years, or even a lifetime if the creature is treated well, provided with food, and generally well-loved. Upon reaching adulthood, a pseudodragon's body is about 1 foot long with a 2-foot tail, and weighs about 7 pounds. A pseudodragon egg is the size of a large chicken egg, but leathery and spotted brown, and a mating female lays 2–5 eggs every spring. A clutch of pseudodragons (the collective noun—not to be confused with pseudodragons from the same brood of eggs) usually consists of a mated pair and several near-adult offspring.

So how will the party get the pseudodragon colony to assist them? Balian states that they should at least get a fair supply of butter, cheese and fish. Sjo feels that they might also appeal to the tiny dragons’ intelligence and sense of good. There is no need to disclose the whole plot that threatens Korvosa right now, but the healer has no qualms about revealing a small part of the truth that might convince the flying lizards. An evil devil in the Acadamae threatens the future of Korvosa and the companions need to get inside to take care of the problem. Elvira agrees, but thinks that a fresh head in the morning might be better to make plans. Sjo returns to Larella for the night, while Elvira sleeps in Quint’s empty room and Balian and Puk retire to the room next-door.

29 Arodus 4708

After a hearty (and late) breakfast at Tenna’s the companions buy butter, cheese and fresh fish and go to the Dock Trade. The market is already in full swing, but not only the ground is crowded. Up in the rafters Balian easily spots at least a dozen pseudodragons. He picks out what looks like the father of a family and flies up with his boots, approaching the being with caution. Offering it some fish, he beckons it to come down, where his friends have more tasty goodies. As the father flutters down, his family in tow, Elvira holds up another fish. She is startled by a second swarm that dives in from behind her. Moving to a quiet corner, she spreads out more food on the ground and allows the hungry critters to feed. One of the tiny dragons seems to demand the respect of the others, as they move back and allow it to eat first. It is slightly larger than the rest, and when Elvira greets it kindly in Draconic, it replies telepathically that its name is Maya, the alpha of this colony. Elvira says that they need the pseudodragons’ help to draw away the imps from the Acadamae and lure them into a trap. Maya’s interest is piqued – her dislike for the pesky little devils is obvious – and she inquires into the nature of the trap. Elvira manages to convince her that her friends can set up an ambush in the Old Courthouse, which will allow them to ‘fry’ the imps out of this plane of existence and send them back to Hell. Maya relishes this thought and agrees to cooperate, at least if the companions supply her flock with more food. Elvira gladly accepts this proposal and tells Maya she will return tonight to set the plan in motion.

Next the heroes move over to the Old Courthouse and plan a trap in the corridor that leads to the cellblock. They will prepare a net to capture the imps in the hallway and kill them off with magic. Sjo offers his fireballs, but Elvira tells him that imps are immune to fire and poison and also highly resistant to acid and cold. They do not possess any special defenses against electricity, though, so Elvira suggests buying a number of lightning bolt scrolls in the Gilded Orrery, the magic shop that supplies the Acadamae. Being a graduate, Elvira has no trouble making a purchase from Gasta Weagra, the small, greying woman who runs the shop and who is said to be Headmaster Toff Ornelos’s niece. Scrolls can be bought here by the dozens, so Elvira can easily get her hands on three scrolls of lightning bolt, cast at the highest level. Gasta also mentions a number of other items she has for sale, but most of these are already underpowered for the party. She does have one interesting item that might make a good buy: a deep red sphere ioun stone, which makes its wearer more agile. Unfortunately, paying off guildmaster Boule has drained the party’s coffers, so there are no funds to make the purchase at present.


ELVIRA 'EL' CAMPERT, NG Female Human (Taldan) enchanter 10
Init +5; Senses Darkvision (60 ft.), Perception +20
AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 14
hp 67 (10HD)
Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +13
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee masterwork dagger +4 (1d4-2/19-20)
Ranged masterwork crossbow (light) +7 (1d8/19-20)
Ranged masterwork dagger (thrown) +7 (1d4-2/19-20)
Base Atk +5; CMB +3; CMD 16
Wizard Spells known (CL 10th):
0th (4/day) (DC 18) – Detect Magic, Resistance, Acid Splash, Spark, Ray of Frost, Mage Hand, Light, Ghost Sound, Message, Haunted Fey Aspect, Daze, Mending, Flare, Dancing Lights, Arcane Mark, Open/Close, Prestidigitation
1st (6+1/day) (DC 19) – Charm Person, Comprehend Languages, Disguise Self, Hypnotism, Mage Armor, Memory Lapse, Shield, Touch of Gracelessness, Vanish
2nd (6+1/day) (DC 20) – Alter Self, Blur, Darkvision, Daze Monster, Glitterdust, Hideous Laughter, Hypnotic Pattern, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Summon Monster II, Touch of Idiocy, Whispering Wind
3rd (5+1/day) (DC 21) – Blink, Deep Slumber, Dispel Magic, Displacement, Enter Image, Haste, Heroism, Hold Person, Invisibility Sphere, Suggestion
4th (4+1/day) (DC 22) – Charm Monster, Confusion, Crushing Despair, Dimension Door, Geas (Lesser), Invisibility (Greater), Moonstruck, Phantasmal Killer, Rainbow Pattern, Stoneskin
5th (3+1/day) (DC 23) – Dominate Person, Feeblemind, Hold Monster, Mind Fog, Permanency, Seeming, Telekinesis, Teleport
Abilities Str 7, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 24, Wis 12, Cha 14
Permanent spells Darkvision, Detect Magic, Read Magic, See Invisibility
Feats Bouncing Spell, Disruptive Spell, Greater Spell Focus (Enchantment), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Persistent Spell, Spell Focus (Enchantment), Spell Penetration
Skills Acrobatics +1, Appraise +11, Bluff +6, Climb -2, Craft (Glass) +13, Diplomacy +20, Escape Artist +1, Fly +14, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (Arcana) +20, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +14, Knowledge (Engineering) +14, Knowledge (Geography) +17, Knowledge (History) +17, Knowledge (Nature) +15, Knowledge (Nobility) +15, Knowledge (Planes) +20, Knowledge (Religion) +14, Linguistics +20, Perception +20, Perform (Act) +7, Ride +1, Sense Motive +1, Spellcraft +20, Stealth +1, Survival +1, Swim -2
Languages Celestial, Chelaxian, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Infernal, Shoanti, Thassilonian, Vudrani
Possessions amulet of natural armor +2; eyes of the eagle; headband of vast intelligence +2 (bluff skill bonus); ring of protection +2; belt of mighty constitution +2; cloak of resistance +3; pearl of power (1st level); pearl of power (2nd level); 2 spellbooks; masterwork dagger; masterwork crossbow (Light)
Arcane Bond (Su) You have selected to establish a powerful arcane bond with an object, a mirror that is part of your amulet of natural armor +2. When attempting to cast a spell without your bonded object worn or in hand, you must make a concentration check or lose the spell (DC 20 + the spell's level).
Aura of Despair (Su) As a standard action, you can emit a 30-foot aura of despair for 10 rounds per day. Enemies within this aura take a -2 penalty on ability checks, attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Dazing Touch (Sp) You can cause a living creature to become dazed for 1 round as a melee touch attack. Creatures with more than 10 hit dice are unaffected. You may use this ability 10 times per day.
Enchantment School You have chosen to specialize in enchantment spells.
Divination and Necromancy Opposition School You have chosen divination and necromancy spells as an opposition school. Preparing an divination or necromancy spell takes up two spell slots of the same level. You take a -4 penalty on any skill checks made when crafting a magic item that has an divination or necromancy spell as a prerequisite.
Enchanting Smile (Su) You gain a +4 enhancement bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate and Perform (act) skill checks.

Student of perception You have studied the art of perception in depth. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perception checks and Perception is always a class skill for you.
Natural born actress You have a natural knack for acting. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perform (Act) skill checks and the skill is always considered a class skill for you. You also gain a free skill point in this skill.
Natural charm You possess a natural charm that makes it easy to talk to others. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Diplomacy and it is always a class skill for you.


BALIAN, CG Male Human ranger 10 (urban ranger)
Init +5; Senses Perception +16
AC 26, touch 16, flat-footed 23
hp 116 (10 HD)
Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +10
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee holy adamantine greatsword +1 (two handed) +17/+12 ((two handed) 2d6+10/19-20)
Melee dagger+2 +18/+13 (1d4+8/19-20)
Ranged masterwork longbow (composite/strength rating+4) +14/+9 (1d8+4/x3)
Base Atk +10/+5; CMB +16; CMD 31
Ranger Spells (CL 7th):
1st (3/day) (DC 12) - lead blades, longstrider, resist energy
2nd (1/day) (DC 13) - perceive cues, protection from energy
Abilities Str 22, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 7, Wis 17, Cha 7
Special Qualities Favored Community Korvosa +4, Track +4, Trapfinding +4
Feats Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Favored Defense (human +3 AC and CMD), Following Step, Furious Focus, Iron Will, Power Attack (-2 atk, +4 dmg / +6 dmg on 2-handed), Step Up, Step Up and Strike
Skills Acrobatics +12, Climb +9, Diplomacy +0, Disable Device +15 (+20 traps), Heal +7, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (Geography) +2, Knowledge (Local) +11, Perception +16, Perform (Act) +3, Ride +6, Sense Motive +3, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +15, Survival +7, Survival (Follow or identify tracks) +12, Swim +9
Possessions holy adamantine greatsword +1; ring of protection +2; mithral breastplate +2; amulet of natural armor +2; belt of physical might (+2 str/con); cloak of resistance +2; wand of cure light wounds; dusty rose prism ioun stone dagger +2; masterwork longbow (Composite/Strength Rating+4); winged boots, headband of inspired wisdom +4
Favored Community Korvosa (Ex) You gain a +4 bonus on initiative checks and Knowledge (local), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks. An urban ranger traveling through his favored community leaves no trail and cannot be tracked (although he may leave a trail if he so desires).
Favored Community Kaer Maga (Ex) You gain a +2 bonus on initiative checks and Knowledge (local), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks. An urban ranger traveling through his favored community leaves no trail and cannot be tracked (although he may leave a trail if he so desires).
Favored Enemy (Human +6, Undead +2, Evil outsider +2) (Ex) You gain a +6/+2/+2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks when using these skills against humans/undead/evil outsiders. Likewise, you get a +6/+2/+2 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against such creatures.
Favored defense (human+3) You add half your favored enemy bonus to your CMD and as a dodge bonus to AC when attacked by favored enemy (human).
Push Through (Ex) An urban ranger is never slowed by difficult terrain in his favored communities. In addition, he can move through the space occupied by local citizens as if they were allies. This does not apply to creatures intent on harming the ranger. Areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion, however, still affect him.
Track (Ex) Add half your level (+5) to Survival skill checks made to follow tracks.
Trapfinding (Ex) At 3rd level, an urban ranger can find and disable traps, as the rogue class feature of the same name: +5 to perception to find traps.

Trained actor You trained as a child to be an actor. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perform (act) and Perform (act) is always a class skill for you. You also gain a free skill point in Perform (act).
Child of the Streets You grew up on the streets of a large city, and as a result you have developed a knack for picking pockets and hiding small objects on your person. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Sleight of Hand checks, and Sleight of Hand is always a class skill for you.
Reactionary You were bullied often as a child, but never quite developed an offensive response. Instead, you became adept at anticipating sudden attacks and reacting to danger quickly. You gain a +2 trait bonus on Initiative checks.


SHAOBAN (SJO), LN Male Human oracle 10
Init +0; Senses Darkvision (60 ft.), Blindsense (30 ft.)Perception +2, Clouded Vision
AC 27, touch 12, flat-footed 27
hp 82 (10 HD)
Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +12
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee cold iron mace +2 (heavy) +13/+8 (1d8+5)
Base Atk +7/+2; CMB +10/+5 CMD 22
Known Oracle Spells (CL 8th):
5th (4/day) (DC 22) – breath of life, cure light wounds (mass), flame strike
4th (6/day) (DC 21) - blessing of fervor, cure critical wounds, dimensional anchor, restoration, wall of fire
3rd (8/day) (DC 20) - cure serious wounds, dispel magic, fireball, invisibility purge, prayer, remove blindness/deafness
2nd (8/day) (DC 19) - cure moderate wounds, hold person, remove paralysis, resist energy, restoration (lesser), shield other, silence
1st (8/day) (DC 18) - burning hands, comprehend languages, cure light wounds, divine favor, hide from undead, magic weapon, protection from chaos, remove fear, shield of faith
0th (at will) (DC 17) - create water, detect magic, purify food and drink, read magic, spark, stabilize
Abilities Str 16, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 24
Feats Armor Proficiency, Heavy, Combat Casting, Dazzling Display; Lightning Reflexes, Toughness, Weapon Focus (Heavy Mace)
Skills Acrobatics -5, Bluff +14, Climb -2, Diplomacy +20, Heal +10, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (History) +3, Knowledge (Local) +0, Knowledge (Religion) +12, Linguistics +0, Perception +2, Perform (Act) +11, Perform (sing) +13, Ride -5, Sense Motive +12, Sleight of Hand +0, Spellcraft +3, Swim -2
Possessions headband of alluring charisma +4; cold iron mace +2 (heavy); ring of protection +2; full plate +2; amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +3, buckler +2; belt of giant strength +2, wand of cure light wounds, wand of remove disease, scroll of Breath of Life, Scroll of Heal, Tome of Leadership and Influence +1;

Clouded Vision Your eyes are obscured, making it difficult for you to see.
Flame Mysteries You draw upon the divine mystery of Flame to grant your spells and powers.
Touch of Flame (Su) As a standard action, you can perform a melee touch attack that deals 1d6 points of fire damage + 1 per two oracle levels (1d6+5). Alternatively you can use this power to ignite your weapon as a free action, adding the same amount of fire damage to each of your weapon attacks during that round. You can use this ability a number of times or rounds per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier (10).
At 11th level, any weapon that you wield is treated as a flaming weapon, adding 1d6 points of fire damage + 1 per two oracle levels.
Molten Skin (Ex) You gain resist fire 10.
Wings of Fire (Su) As a swift action, you can manifest a pair of fiery wings that grant you a fly speed of 60 feet with average maneuverability. You can use these wings for 1 minute per day per oracle level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1 minute increments.

Trained actor You trained as a child to be an actor. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perform (act) and Perform (act) is always a class skill for you. You also gain a free skill point in Perform (act).
Child of the Streets You grew up on the streets of a large city, and as a result you have developed a knack for picking pockets and hiding small objects on your person. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Sleight of Hand checks, and Sleight of Hand is always a class skill for you.
Ease of Faith Your mentor, the person who invested your faith in you from an early age, took steps to ensure that you understood that what powers your divine magic is no different than that which powers the magic of other religions. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Diplomacy checks, and Diplomacy is always a class skill for you.


PUK, CG Male Halfling rogue 10 (swashbuckler)
Init +7; Senses Perception +12
AC 26, touch 19, flat-footed 26, uncanny dodge, improved uncanny dodge
hp 92 (10 HD)
Fort +10, Ref +17 (evasion), Will +6, +2 morale bonus vs. fear, +2 racial bonus vs. fear
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee main hand silver short sword +2 (small) +16/+11 (1d4+2/19-20) and off-hand short sword +1 of shock (small) +15/+10 (1d4+1+1d6/19-20)
Base Atk +7/+2; CMB +6; CMD 23
Atk Options Sneak Attack +5d6
Abilities Str 10, Dex 24, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 10
Feats Acrobatic Steps, Dodge, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Martial Weapon Proficiency (Halfling Sling Staff), Nimble Moves, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (short sword)
Skills Acrobatics +22, Acrobatics (Jump) +18, Appraise +9, Bluff +7, Climb +10, Diplomacy +7, Disable Device +15, Disguise +9, Escape Artist +18, Intimidate +4 (+0 vs. medium-sized), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +4, Knowledge (Local) +6, Linguistics +4, Perception +12, Perform (Percussion Instruments) +7, Ride +7, Sense Motive +7, Sleight of Hand +15, Stealth +21, Use Magic Device +4
Possessions small short sword +1 of shock; small silver short sword +2; studded leather +2 (small); shortbow (Small); halfling sling staff (halfling); small masterwork sap, amulet of natural armor +2, ring of protection +2, ring of featherfall; cloak of the Pixie King (+2 on saves, Dimension Door 1/day), belt of physical might (+2 dex/con), slippers od spider climbing

Sneak Attack (Ex) If you can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from your attack, you can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Your attack deals 4d6 points of extra damage.
Bleeding Attack (Ex) A rogue with this ability can cause living opponents to bleed by hitting them with a sneak attack. This attack causes the target to take 1 additional point of damage each round for each die of the rogue's sneak attack. Bleeding creatures take that amount of damage every round at the start of each of their turns. The bleeding can be stopped by a DC 15 Heal check or the application of any effect that heals hit point damage. Bleeding damage bypasses any damage reduction the creature might possess.
Resiliency (Ex) Once per day, a rogue with this ability can gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the rogue's level. Activating this ability is an immediate action that can only be performed when she is brought to below 0 hit points. This ability can be used to prevent her from dying. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute. If the rogue's hit points drop below 0 due to the loss of these temporary hit points, she falls unconscious and is dying as normal.
Opportunist (Ex) The rogue can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as an attack of opportunity for that round and can't be used more than once per round.

Fast-Talker You had a knack at getting yourself into trouble as a child, and as a result developed a silver tongue at an early age. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Bluff checks, and Bluff is always a class skill for you.
Personal Addiction You were the addict. You blame Gaedren for your brush with death and hate how his drugs are causing similar problems among other youths. Fortunately, your body recovers quickly from toxins, and you have a +1 bonus on Fortitude saving throws.


The companions spend a few hours preparing the net trap in the old courthouse. They want to lure the imps into the hallway that leads to the cell block and lock them in. The net will serve to cut off their advance, while Puk will hide behind the entrance door and close it behind the critters once they’ve flown in. During their work our friends also discuss which halls in the Acadamae they want to tackle tonight. They finally decide on the Hall of Lies (illusion), the House of Charm (enchantment) and the Hall of Seeing (divination), keeping the Hall of Induction (Evocation) as a back-up.

In the evening Sjo receives another sending from Thousand Bones. The old Shoanti shaman transmits that preparations are going as planned and the army will leave in one week. Sjo replies that they have made no progress, the chances of finding the grave look slim, but they are taking different measures.

30 Arodus 4708

At about 1.30 a.m. the party leaves for the Dock Trade. Puk and Balian have grown quite skilled at avoiding Gray Maiden patrols and guide their friends through the streets without any hindrance. The warehouse doors to the Dock Trade have been secured with a heavy chain and lock, giving Balian a shot at trying out his newly purchased masterwork thieves’ tools. A few moments later the chain drops on the ground and the companions slip into the dark building. Elvira summons some dancing lights to help the others see and to herald their arrival to the pseudodragon colony. Maya, the alpha female, flies up and Elvira carefully explains what the plans are and how the trap works. She also assures the tiny winged creature that there will be a reward waiting for her kind at the end of the trail: a veritable feast of butter, cheese and fish.

The party hurries to the old courthouse and gets into position. Puk hides behind the door leading into the trapped hallway, while his friends wait at the other end. Ten minutes later he hears the fluttering of many wings, announcing the flock’s arrival. A swarm of pseudodragons swoops in, headed by Maya, and flies straight into the cell block corridor. Over thirty imps are hot on their heels, but Balian judges the moment perfectly and drops the net exactly behind the last pseudodragon. The surprised imps hit the net hard and the force of their impact threatens to tear through the rope. Balian sets his back-up plan in motion and casts a wind wall right behind the failing net to halt the small devils’ approach. In the meantime Puk springs into action and shuts the door behind the swarm. He sees that three of the evil critters have not entered the corridor yet and draws his weapons to take them out swiftly. He gets stung twice, but resists the stingers' poison, and deftly finishes the stragglers off. On the other end of the hallway Elvira pulls out her first scroll of lightning bolt and fires it down the corridor. One bright flash of whitish blue light suffices to take every single imp out. Their blackened bodies litter the floor and give off an awful smell of burned flesh. Balian laughs away Elvira’s suggestion of clearing the cadavers out of the hallway and heads to the old torture room, where the pseudodragons’ reward is scattered over the floor. The tiny dragons are ecstatic at their eternal rivals’ demise and ravenously attack the food, eating it all in mere minutes.

Elvira asks Maya if she knows how many of the imps they managed to lure away. The alpha thinks they got most, but some will definitely have stayed behind. When Elvira implores the pseudodragons to finish the job, they happily oblige and return to the Acadamae to attack the last few imps, who are now totally overwhelmed by their nemeses’s numbers. While this aerial combat is in full swing, distracting the other guards, Elvira teleports the party inside the Acadamae walls, to a dark corner at the back of the Hall of Charm, the building that she knows best. Puk sneaks away to check if the way to the Hall of Lies is clear, but his swirling cloak catches some of the light beyond the shadows and draws the attention of a lone tiefling guard on the nearby wall. The horned man draws an arrow and shouts out: “Who goes there, show yourself!” Elvira reacts by casting hypnotic pattern on the archer, temporarily fascinating him with some shifting colors weaving through the air. Balian shoots two arrows in the guard, breaking his fascination, but before he can acquire a target for his arrow, Sjo pins him into place with a hold person. Puk appears on the wall (using his slippers of spider climbing) and shreds the man to pieces, kicking him over the wall when he is done.

The party cane now move to the back of the Hall of Lies undetected. Each day this edifice changes its appearance, shifting from the most regal of halls to the most dilapidated of sheds. Today it looks like a bleak prison. Peeking around the corner, they wait for the tieflings patrolling the central building to pass, and sneak to the front door. Elvira explains that these doors are protected with an arcane lock, making them hard to bypass and she already starts counting the seconds. She figures that it will take the security detail a good three minutes to clear the massive Hall of Summoning, giving her friends perhaps to the count of 200 to try and open the door. By the time she gets to 12 a smug Balian and Puk announce that they have ‘unraveled’ the lock.

The main entrance is a dreary room with cold, gray stone walls and chains hanging from the ceiling. Water drips down, filling the place with a musty smell. Elvira explains that the hall's outer illusion continues on the inside. She falls back on her knowledge of this building’s lay-out. Despite its evershifting appearance, the position of the rooms remains roughly the same. She leads her new friends through the offices and auditoria, peeking behind every door to pick up a sign of the key-light. After about four minutes they find a classroom with mirrored walls: the endless reflections make the room seem to go on forever. There is no key-light in the room itself, but its first reflection on the left holds a floating ball of purple light. Bingo!

The companions move inside and close the door behind them. Using her velvet glove, Elvira starts feeling along the mirrors, starting on the right. Meanwhile Puk moves over to the middle of the empty room, seeing himself mirrored on the left-hand side, just below the key-light. Elvira prompts the little rogue to watch his reflection and grab for the dancing ball of purple magic above his head. As he does so, the halfling stretches into emptiness. At the same time all the mirrors shatter. Elvira braces for the impact of the shards, but is relieved to learn that the sharp pieces of glass are mere illusions that disappear into smoke. The walls that are now exposed are pitch black and almost seem to pulse with life. From the center of each of the four walls a shadow tears free, three medium-sized figures and one smaller one, that seems to be wielding two blades. The other three looks like a slender woman, a bulky brute with a large sword and a tall, armored fellow with a club-like weapon. These are shadowy doubles of the adventurers!

The armored shadow attempts a spell on Sjo, but the healer withstands his magic. Elvira’s insight in language and sorcery aids her in recognizing the spell: hold person, but the wording is backwards. As the other dark assailants move into position, the enchantress activates her aura of despair. Spyder, the only one who is not duplicated, flanks the small shadow, giving Puk the chance to sneak attack, but the halfling finds his opponent too nimble to deliver extra damage. Of course! His double shares his uncanny dodge ability! Balian also gets hit by his counterpart and suffers a hard blow, but thanks to Sjo’s shield other, he splits his damage with the healer. Next shadow Balian moves up to Elvira and provides the dark halfling with an effective flanking opportunity. The misty rogue has no trouble hitting the shocked wizardess, bringing her close to death with three vicious cuts. Sjo’s double follows up with a dark version of fireball, which takes Elvira down. Sjo now casts his own hold person on Balian’s copy, but sees his magic resisted. With a breath of life he returns Elvira to consciousness. Seeing how easily the real Elvira got hit, Balian figures that her duplicate is equally vulnerable to melee attacks and mercilessly hacks into her dark form, but she survives the onslaught, at least for now. Elvira, who finds herself on the floor, bathing in her own blood and surrounded by two shadows, decides to cast her magic defensively and manages to win over the dark rogue to her side with a successful charm monster. Puk starts slashing at shadowy Balian and guided by Elvira’s enchantment, his double joins him in the fray. Together they bring the black ranger down.

Dark Elvira finds herself cornered by Balian and also attempts to use a spell defensively, but her magic fizzles. The greatest threat continues to come from Sjo’s dark lookalike, who is still moving unmolested along the far wall. He throws a black flame strike in the center of the room, bringing Elvira down again. The real Sjo reacts with a mass cure light wounds, while Balian now changes targets and attacks the shadowy Shoanti. As his greatsword bears down, the shadow raises his left arm to ward off the blow. The fluid motion seems to draw dark tendrils from his buckler, making it temporarily appears are a larger shield, that effectively blocks the ranger’s weapon. Elvira, who has just woken up from her second near-death experience, tries hideous laughter on shadow Sjo, but his will proves too strong. Meanwhile she directs her dark rogue puppet to finish off her own double. Sjo’s copy is the only remaining threat in the room by now - Balian and Puk hit him hard, but he continues his blackfire magic and summons another fireball, which sends Elvira into the clutches of death. Fortunately, the dark caster included himself in the explosion for maximum effect on his opponents and ends his own short existence with his own spell. Sjo musters all his strength in another breath of life and narrowly manages to pull Elvira back from the dead.

The walls of the room are still dark as Elvira gets to her feet and beckons the dominated dark rogue closer. She asks him: “Tile-eek uth teg oohy nack?”, figuring out that she has to phrase her question (Can you get the key-light?) in reverse. The shadowy halfling says: “Own.” So ‘no’, he can’t. Next she commands the shifty rogue to step out of the room. His form dissipates as he crosses the threshold. Suddenly the dark walls melts away, revealing a normal room, which is twice the size of the chamber the companions entered originally. The first reflection to the left in the former illusion’s mirror is now included in the space, and the key-light softly floats there in the same position it first appeared in in the mirror. Elvira steps up and claims the light. One down, two to go! Looking at her burned and tattered robes, the young graduate prays that the next encounters won’t be as lethal.


Killing that tiefling guard doesn't sit well with me. I mean, he didn't do anything wrong, nor was he working for an "evil" organization or anything. Unless there is some justification I don't know about, beyond discovery, they just murdered him.

Did this point come up at all in the group? Unlike many of the groups they've gone against, these guys haven't done anything wrong.


Tels wrote:

Killing that tiefling guard doesn't sit well with me. I mean, he didn't do anything wrong, nor was he working for an "evil" organization or anything. Unless there is some justification I don't know about, beyond discovery, they just murdered him.

Did this point come up at all in the group? Unlike many of the groups they've gone against, these guys haven't done anything wrong.

The current line of quests has steered the party towards a Machivellian mindset of 'the goal justifies the means'. Secrecy is of the essence and it is not an option to be discovered in the Acadamae, so the PCs killed the guard without hesitation. I can certainly understand that such an act does not sit well with you, but under the circumtances, the players didn't give it much thought.

You should know that the party undertook quite a few efforts previously to 'save' innocent lives who were just working for the 'wrong side'. This has backfired more than done them well, so now the characters feel forced by circumstances to do what seems necessary. They are facing an enormous challenge which does not forgive failure. Their attitude towards kindness and good has evolved with these challenges.

PS: The players are well aware that the Acadamae has a strong inclination towards evil. The fact that it openly supports the queen is a clear sign of this evil(headmaster Toff Ornelos has openly sided with the queen, Dean Togomor acts as her advisor (an possibly even manipulator), the Acadamae has given Ileosa the opportunity to expand her evil powers and given her access to devils who were heavily involved in the massacre of young girls to create bloodclones). The tiefling guards are not necessarily involved in this evil, but they haven't been selected for their kinds hearts either, so they definitely do not fall in the category of innocent bystanders.


After having completed the challenge in the Hall of Lies, the party gets ready to tackle a second trial in the Hall of Charms. Elvira peeks outside and waits for the central patrol to pass, before leading her friends to the place of study where she spent most of the last decade. The building that houses the school of enchantment is the most beautiful on campus, looking like a grand palace of white marble and gold in true Garundi style. Puk and Balian have little trouble bypassing the magical lock and the companions can witness firsthand that the outside splendor of this edifice continues on the inside. Sculptures in rich materials and wonderful shapes fill every corner, often depicting attractive semi-nude young men and women in alluring poses. Similar topics adorn paintings, that seem to ooze charisma.

Elvira’s familiarity with this building facilitates the search and within a few minutes the party locates the key-light in a large auditorium. It floats jitterily at 12 feet above the floor. From the moment the companions enter, it shoot into action and flits through the room. Sjo summons his fiery wings and chases it down at great speed. As the light darts into the corner, the soaring Shoanti grabs it with great efficiency, but his momentum makes it impossible to avoid a collision with the wall. At the last moment he swirls around, taking the brunt of the crash with his shoulder instead of his head. As he puts his hand around the key-light, a wave of magic emanates from it, blowing over everyone in the room. The adventurers feel enchanting tendrils trying to take over their minds, but they all bite off the manipulation through mere willpower. As Sjo stumbles to his feet, he has the second key in his hands. So, that was it? That was easy, especially in comparison to the previous ordeal in the Hall of Lies. Well, so much the better, two down, one to go!

The party’s third destination is the Hall of Seeing, which is at the other end of campus. To avoid being spotted, the adventures cloak themselves in silence and invisibility. A big, glass dome tops the department of divination, filled with whirling wisps of mist. Upon careful examination the heroes can make out vague shapes of people and places in the smoke, making the half sphere looks almost like an immense scrying ball. The main entrance is on the front and borders the high western wall of the compound, on top of which two tieflings stand watch. The double doors look like two giant Harrow cards, that change their image as soon as Balian and Puk touch them, one taking on the appearance of the Big Sky and the other the Juggler, reflecting the personality of the two who handled them. Elvira tries as well, making the left door shift into the Wanderer. As Balian goes to work on the lock, the enchantress notices that the tieflings on the wall have remarked the changing images on the doors. The party, still clouded in invisibility, retreats to the back of the building, while the lookouts on the wall alert the central patrol to check out the anomaly. As the tieflings snoop around the hall’s entrance, one lays his hand on the right door, making it change into the Avalanche card’s image. Two of the four security guards make their way around the building and close in on the hidden party. Using his cloak of the Pixie King Puk dimension doors his friends away, but he is unable to take Spyder along, since his teleporting capacity is limited to only four creatures. The half-devils now see the dog and start firing arrows at the animal. Spyder tries to hide, but with his opponents’ eyes firmly fixed on him, that turns out to be impossible, so he explodes into a sprint instead, trying the hug the wall and make his way around campus in an effort to shake his pursuers. As the security detail chases off after the canine, completely distracted, the heroes see their chance to sneak back and slip into the building, making sure that only Elvira touches the door that still displays her true Harrow card. She leads the others straight into the central chamber under the dome, where the key-light is supposedly ever-present. And indeed, just below the clouds in the dome a white light dances in the air. As she reaches for the brilliant ball, a mask pulls out of the mist. One half is white, the other black. It represents the god Nethys, the all-seeing eye. The empty eye-sockets flash with blue electricity and a whispering voice emanates from the floating face cover:

“Eodred Arabasti witnessed two individuals climb through his window. What ensued, was a true scandal. The two men grabbed the golden goblets and candlesticks from the table and put them in a big bag. From the chest they stole jewelry and they snatched the paintings from the walls. When they had gathered all the loot, the two thieves climbed out of the window again and disappeared into the night. Eodred blinked his eyes once more and continued what he was doing before the burglars entered his room. Why didn’t Eodred do anything, while he was wide awake, perfectly healthy and in control of all his bodily functions? You can ask only yes- or no-questions and you have until the hourglass is empty.”

At that exact moment an hourglass appears in the air next to the mask. The sand of time starts slipping down. The companions formulate a series of questions:

“Was Eodred in his bedroom?”

“Yes.”

“Did he know the thieves?”

“No.”

“Was Eodred under the influence of magic?”

“No.”

“Could Eodred see the burglars stealing his stuff?”

“Yes.”

“Had he made a deal with someone to steal from him?”

“No.”

“Did he think he was doing charity?”

“No.”

“Was Eodred scared?”

“No.”

“Did the thieves threaten him?”

“No.”

“Was there a magic wall between Eodred and the burglars?”

“No.”

The questions continue for eight minutes, but the companions do not get closer to the answer and cannot figure out the riddle. Finally the last grain of sand slips down and time is up. With a bright flash of light the mask, hourglass and key-light blaze out of existence. The adventurers blink their eyes to recover their sight. The blobs of white that temporarily cloud their vision, form into the riddle’s answer. In their mind’s eye they see baby Eodred lying in his cradle, smiling before he slips back to sleep.

Elvira realizes that the key-light is gone and won’t reappear for another hour, so she herds the others back to the front doors. Again making sure that only she touches the door that is still attuned to her Harrow card, Elvira opens it ever so slightly and peeks out. It looks like the guards are still distracted, so the coast is clear to move to the Hall of Induction, home to the school of evocation. Solid stone walls clad with dark-iron plating form an imposing, but plain square building, which Acadamae students refer to as the Cube. The heavy iron doors prove no challenge for Balian and Puk’s skills at lockpicking, and a few moments later the heroes find themselves in the wide, empty ground floor of this hall. A plain spiral staircase leads up to the next floors. With all open floors, it is not hard to locate the key-light, which hangs on the fourth floor. Elvira explains that the two top levels of the Cube are open in design as well, although they are actually divided into smaller rooms with invisible walls. The fourth floor houses a number a laboratories, one of which holds a strange contraption that contains the key-light. Two vats of bubbling liquid, one green and one purple, are connected by a spiral glass tube. The key-light burns in the middle of this tube, actually separating the acrid fluids. This apparatus is clearly alchemical in nature, but it also radiates strong evocation magic. There is no way to get to the key but shatter the glass.

Balian and Puk pull out their thieves’ tools and go to work on the tube with extreme caution. They manage to saw through the glass where it connects to the vats, using empty flasks to collect the chemicals that spill from the now free tube. As they back out of the room, the vats themselves continue bubbling and start spilling their contents on the table and the floor. Two puddles form on the ground and slowly creep towards each other. Handing the empty glass tube that still holds the key-light to Elvira, Balian summons a wind wall between the growing puddles, but his forceful barrier of air also hits the table with the vats. The vats are flung in the air, green and purple droplets spatter around. When two of them connect, they set of a mini-combustion, that immediately chain-reacts into a major explosion. Fortunately the heroes are not in the room anymore, so they only feel an immense displacement of air as an elemental storm of fire, acid and electricity tears through the lab. The dust settles, but the air continues moving with gusts of wind. Behind them the companions now see a greater air elemental draw closer. Elvira would rather avoid a confrontation with this tremendous guardian and pulls in her companions to dimension door everyone to the ground floor again.

Opening the front door and peering out, she picks up a worrying scene. The patrol that normally walks around the Hall of Summoning is now standing in front of that humongous building, in the center of the campus grounds. They have even gained the company of two more tieflings and a pair of winged stone monsters, garipans! Elvira fixes her gaze and sees that the guards surround a lifeless lump on the ground, the corpse of a black dog. Spyder did not make it! Afraid of Balian’s reaction, the wizardess chooses not to inform the ranger of his animal’s demise yet. Instead she tells her friends that they’ll need to act quickly and quietly. She reactivates an invisibility sphere spell through her bonded item and casts it on the party, telling Sjo to cloud them in another silence as well. Then she opens the doors and hurries the adventurers along across the square to the Hall of Wards. She hopes Balian will not pick up the horrible scene, but the ranger’s senses are too sharp to miss his faithful hound’s dead corpse. Without giving it a second thought, Balian draws his greatsword and storms at the killers, screaming out his lungs in anger. Puk follows, as does Sjo, albeit reluctantly. The healer gets shot by one of the tieflings, who seems very skilled at firing his longbow. Balian takes three hits from another archer, but Sjo’s shield other immediately mitigates half of the damage to the half-Shoanti. The four other tieflings draw their swords and shields and get into position to ward off the assailants, which is what they would have done if Elvira’s confusion hadn’t messed up their tactics. The two garipans and three of the tieflings are affected by her mind-mingling magic and are suddenly useless in combat. Instead of fighting the companions, they start hitting each other, and Elvira warns her friends to let them do so, since confused creature prefer to target whoever attacked them last. The few tieflings who are still of a clear mind, shoot arrows at Balian or Sjo, demonstrating a peculiar capacity to hurt humans. Sjo is forced to heal himself for the moment, Elvira casts haste on the party, turning Balian and Puk into even more deadly killing machines. Helped by hold person and hold monster the two melee adventurers have no trouble cutting down the opposition. When only confused adversaries are left, the companions leave them to slaughter each other and retrieve Spyder’s body. Then they make their retreat to the entrance of the Hall of Wards, the goal of their raid.

Elvira pulls out the three key-lights and immediately the front doors swing open ominously, revealing a wall of pure darkness. The heroes step into the void and fall into blackness for what seems like only a moment. Then their senses are restored. They find themselves in a small room, with little indication of where they really are. Elvira focuses her senses and sighs: “I think we are in Hell.”

A whirling purple portal hangs from the back wall and lights a small, stone room. A small, round table is full of empty, stoppered crystal vials with peeling faded labels. Behind the table a heavy iron door looms; a man’s bony remains lie on the ground underneath. Elvira examines the vials and after careful inspection can make out four names on the labels: Balian, Puk, Shaoban and Elvira. The mangled skeleton is clad in tattered wizard’s robes. Sewn in the seam El discovers a scroll, which she later identifies as a scroll of break enchantment. In his pocket there is a fading document, obviously an infernal contract. Using her librarian’s skills, El tries to decipher the parchment. She can deduce that it was signed by Gandrax, a student who graduated from the Acadamae two years ago who never came back from the Breaching Festival, and a devil whose almost illegible name could possibly spell out ‘Chyvrom’, the name that Sjo remembered from Rolth’s contract. El can figure out that Gandrax signed a deal for more power in exchange for one mortal’s soul for the duration of 101 years. Going through the rest of the document, the enchantress gleans that its complicated wording shrouded that fact that it really concerned Gandrax’s own soul and that his ‘servitude’ in Hell was meant to last an eternity.

Balian listens at the door. When he hears nothing, he knocks, but there is no answer. Since they are already seriously drained of their magic, Elvira and Sjo suggest resting up before continuing in this Hellish dimension. Nothing disturbs their sleep and about ten hours later, the party stands ready again for what is to come.


Again Balian listens at the iron door of the arrival chamber in the Hellish dimension. He still hears nothing and slowly opens it to find a corridor running off to the left with five more doors. The ranger checks the first one, then pushes it open. It leads to a small macabre office. Bones from dozens of creatures rest in neat piles on the desks, with the skulls sitting atop the rest of the skeletal remains. Hollow eyes stare from the sockets of mostly human heads, although the party recognizes other humanoid races as well, like halflings and gnomes. The desk at the back lies toppled over, the bones scattered over the floor. Elvira takes a look at some of the books on the shelves, but they crumble beneath her fingers when she leafs through them. Sjo is more interested in the skeletons, but when he disturbs a pile, he sends it crashing to the ground. On the largest of the bones he finds tiny writing scrawled over its surface. It reads:

“This is no Hall of Wards
But a Hell of Discords
No Breaching Festival
Just pure, pure evil
If you can, run, flee!
Lest you die with me.”

Startled by this ominous warning, Elvira wonders if they could even get out of here if they wanted to. She picks up a small bone and returns to the arrival chamber, where the purple portal still swirls against the wall. When she tries to throw the bone through, it simply bounces off. Just what she thought, the way back is closed! The only way left is forward.

The party moves to the second door on the right. It opens up into a torture chamber which reeks heavily of death. Chained to the far wall is a tiny figure, a female halfling. The gray color of her skin and the morbid smell leave no doubt as to her condition: she is one of the walking dead, but she moves with incredible speed. The chains seems to glide through her hands as she steps forward and swings her shackles at Balian, smacking him hard in the head. From her dry lips comes a wailing whisper: “Freeee meeee.” Remembering guildmaster Boule’s information, Elvira figures out that this is Illia Ean, the last member of the thieves’ guild to enter in the Breaching festival over a year ago. Balian takes a couple of swings at the fast zombie, but she is very nimble and he connects only once. Puk tumbles past her into a flanking position, but quickly discovers that she is too experienced in roguish combat to be hampered by this unfavorable arrangement. Her skill in sly and strategic combat becomes even more clear when she continues her attacks on Balian, first feinting him before pummeling him with terrible sneak damage. Her chains swirl around the ranger’s body and smash into his kidneys, causing massive internal bleeding. Sjo has to step up to heal his friend and Elvira, realizing that her mind-affecting spells are useless against undead, throws haste over her allies. Puk manages a few minor nicks, but Balian, dazed by this creature’s velocity, has trouble hitting home. Only one of his next series of attacks succeeds. The chained halfling presses the advantage, her shackles gravely hurt the ranger twice more, leaving him staggering on the edge of defeat. Sjo has to resort to extreme measures; he pulls out his scroll of heal to keep Balian in the fight. Enraged and empowered by the curing energy flowing through his veins, Balian growls and bears down on his tiny opponent. His greatsword sinks into her mithral chain shirt, pushing it deep into her undead skin, which spits through the links like meat in a meat grinder. Fortune now favors the party, as the undead rogue misses her final attacks before Puk and Balian strike her down.

Elvira’s detect magic reveals that the mithral chain shirt is magical and holds an enchantment that allows the wearer to increase his speed three times a day. Puk cleans it up and dons it. Elvira respectfully puts Illia’s corpse in her bag of holding, hoping to return it to the Cerulean Society later.

The next room the party explores is a library. Balian silently pushes the door wide and peeks inside. He sees a robed man with graying hair, who is standing in front of floor-to-ceiling bookcases. The shelves are a mass of pages and volumes, which seems to flutter with life, flying around the chamber and rearranging themselves constantly. The man frantically flips through a heavy tome, curses and throws it on the ground. It immediately flies back up to one of the shelves. “No, that’s not it. Where is it? Where the hell is it?” the man mutters. The companions now step into the room and Elvira eyes the mad man closely. He looks a lot like Terentius, a conjuration wizard who graduated over a years ago from the Acadamae and competed in the last Breaching Festival. The only thing is, he has aged a lot, at least three decades. The ‘old’ wizard is solely focused on the thousands of bound volumes in front of him, though, and hasn’t even noticed the party come in. Elvira calls out to him: “Terentius, it is me, Elvira, from the Acadamae … Are you okay?”

“You … who … hmm, have you seen it? Do you know where it is?” he sighs.

‘What do you mean?”

“My book, of course. My spellbook. Where is my spellbook?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know. But are you alright? Do you remember me? I’m Elvira Campert, we were at school together.”

Picking up another book from the table and going through its pages, the mad wizard rants on: “No, that’s not it either. What do you mean, Elvira? You’re too young to be her, it’s been … well, so long … I can’t really say, but it’s been … many years. You look like you haven’t aged a day. Unless … of course, it’s YOU again, you fiend! Come to mock me some more, have you? Give me my book, I tell you!”

Elvira does her best to talk some sense into the crazed mage, but when a book flies over his head, he tries to grab it. He misses by an inch and then sets off in pursuit to the shelve where it lands. “There it is! I found it! Wait, what …? No, that’s not it at all. Asmodeus’ damnation take you all!”

“Terentius?” Elvira tries again.

“Huh, what, who are you?” As the mage resumes the conversation, he seems to have forgotten ever talking to these visitors. “Do you know where my book is? You do, don’t you? Give it to me, it’s mine!”

The man is obviously lost in his own madness. When Sjo finally suggests helping him by setting the place aflame, he reacts furiously and opens combats. A chain of lightning tears from his fingers and fries Sjo, Balian and Elvira. Since El is in the worst shape, Sjo patches her up with his magic first. The enchantress attempts a spell of her own, hideous laughter, but discovers that Terentius possesses some kind of spell resistance that proves too hard to be penetrated. Balian and Puk now close in on him and narrowly prevent him from casting an even more powerful spell. In hand-to-hand combat with two heavy-hitters the wizard stands no chance and his corpse graces the floor tiles only a few moments later. The party finds some magic items on him, as well as an infernal contract. Scanning the lengthy document quickly, Elvira sees it was signed by a devil called Chyvvom (instead of Chyvrom, as Sjo remembered it). There is something in there about “returning to Golarion”.

The last room to the right turns out to be a laboratory. Its sole occupant is a rather attractive white-skinned female with two long tentacles hanging down from the crown of her head. Her lower body blooms in a gown of writhing tendrils. Elvira knows this creature as a handmaiden devil. Balian wastes no time talking and charges forward to attack, but the devil woman is faster and summons three Erinyes devils to aid her in combat. Elvira wants to freeze the handmaiden in place with a hold person, but cannot overcome her spell resistance. Puk flanks one of the Erinyes and chops her down in a couple of seconds. His effectiveness is halted, however, when the handmaiden devil calls a mass of black tentacles into being that grapple him and his friends, locking them into place and slowly crushing their bones. Sjo and Elvira suddenly discover that these grasping tendrils make it almost impossible for them to cast spells. All the enchantress can do, is activate her aura of despair, while the two remaining Erinyes – who are also caught in the tentacles - now target the companions with their longswords. Sjo tries to hit one of them with his mace, but misses, finding his movement severely hampered by the entwining ebony limbs. Balian is the only one who manages to escape the wrestling feelers and slashes his way past a second Erinyes. The ranger breaks out of the writhing area and confronts the Handmaiden, but she is stronger than he thought. She hits him with her claws and swallows him up in the tendrils below her waist, confining him in a living cage. While Sjo and Elvira suffer several attacks from the last Erinyes, Puk finds his way out of the black tentacles, but without Balian to provide sneak opportunities, his attacks are puny against the devil’s hide. Sjo’s health is in steady decline, so he drops the shield other he cast on Balian earlier, to preserve his own life. His attempt to cast a powerful cure spell fails because of the grappling arms. His lot is slowly turning dire, so he decides to dig up a potion of cure serious wounds to hold out longer. Balian cannot free himself from the tendril cage and pulls out his dagger to cut the limbs from the inside, while Puk nicks them from the other end. The halfling is clawed in return, but a powerful cut from Balian opens up enough of the cage to squeeze out. Switching to his greatsword once more, the ranger now makes short work of the handmaiden. As her body hits the table and crashes into the vials of acid, the black tentacles and the summoned Erinyes suddenly disappear. Elvira spots no magic in this room, but she does find one interesting item on the shelves between the alchemy manuals: it’s Terentius’ missing spellbook!

The party heals up and makes for the door at the end of the corridor. Balian detects two voices arguing on the other side, but he does not comprehend the guttural language they utter. Elvira gives it a shot as well and has no trouble understanding the infernal tongue. Still, it is hard to pick up anything through the thick door, so she can only make out something about “torture” and “a contract”. Balian kicks the door open. The high-ceilinged chamber is modeled after the Acadamae’s summoning duel arenas. A pair of stairways flank the door and lead up to a balcony that encloses the room. Two summoning circles dominate the central floor, on which an agitated creature stands, locked in a heated argument with a barbed devil on the grand stairs at the far side of the arena. The large figure in the middle of the room is a devourer, an outerplanar undead who has the power to suck up souls and use their energy to bolster his own powers. This dry corpselike hulk’s chest is a prison of jagged ribs, within which a small tormented ghostly form struggles to get out. Elvira recognizes the unfortunate Illia Ean, the halfling rogue, in its facial features. The devourer’s mouth cracks into a horrifying smile: “Well, is it that time again? Travelers, I see, welcome in Belzeragna … welcome to your doom.”


The companions immediately realize that the devourer and barbed devil have no desire to talk, so Puk races forward, trying to take the large undead by surprise. Unfortunately his stab misses the mark. Elvira gives her allies additional speed with a haste spell, which now allows Puk and Balian to tear into the creature, but the barbed devil joins the fray and throws an unholy blight over the heroes, dealing damage to everyone and sickening El. The tortured face of Illia Ean in the devourer’s chest screams out in silence, calling forth a huge earth elemental in one of the summoning circles in the room. The undead’s withered hand stretches out to Balian, trying to drain his life force, but the ranger bites off the brunt of the vile attack and sustains only minor damage. Just a second later the earth elemental slams into him, throwing the hapless ranger across the room with an awesome blow. Puk tumbles around the devourer and delivers some vicious cuts, leaving it to Balian to finish the job with his holy greatsword. Surely this weapon must be the best investment the party ever made! Meanwhile Elvira charms the barbed devil into believing she is his best friend. The hamatula aids the party in bringing down the elemental, but when El questions him after the fight, she quickly learns that her new ‘assistant’, Nagvix, won’t be of any help against the ‘master’ of this dimension, Chyvvom. Nagvix is bound to the contract devil with a might that undoubtedly supersedes a simple enchantment spell. The wizardess motions for her companions to take out her new pet, but despite the initial element of surprise, the fight is harder than expected. Each blow Puk or Balian try to deliver to the devil has his barbs cut them in return. When the devil tears into Puk next, he sends the halfling fleeing in fear. Balian is taken aback by the sudden desertion of his flanking buddy and misses his next attacks. Sjo steps in to take Puk’s place, but finds the hamatula too agile to hit. The enraged creature now encroaches on Balian and impales the ranger on his many deadly spikes. Elvira is stunned to see how her boisterous allies can’t even take out a charmed opponent, so she has to send it rolling on the floor laughing with hideous laughter to give Balian the opportunity to kill it.

It takes an entire wand of cure light wounds to nurse the party back to health. Ready to face the final test, the party walks up to the grand doors. Balian knocks politely before pushing the doors wide. The companions enter and find themselves standing on an elevated balcony that encircles a large round chamber. The dome that spans this rotunda bears the image of an aged, bearded human signing a contract held by a massive, flaming devil. The painted creature, that seems to almost glow as if burning and move as if alive, bears a passing resemblance to the towering, rust-skinned giant in the center of the room. A tangle of parchments hangs from the massive horns curving from his back and over his head. This is Chyvvom, the master of this demesne, in charge of ensnaring powerful souls from Korvosa.

Looking down on this regal creature, Sjo suddenly hears a charming voice echoing through his head: “Young Shaoban, noble scion of the strongest of Shoanti and Chelish blood, but treated by both of your ancestral races as a bastard, do you not dream of recognition? Do you not want to take your rightful place as a sun shaman of the Sklar-Quah, gaining the admiration of your people and the love of your mother? You have but to ask and we can make it so.”

Sjo is not dazed by the devil’s silver tongue. “I have gained all the respect I need among my people, thank you. I am already ‘nalharest’ and killing you and that devil-loving queen will wipe any trace of disrespect from the minds of both my father’s and my mother’s kin. I do not need your treacherous help to achieve what I can reach on my own. I am the master of my own fate!”

Puk also receives a telepathic offer: “Master Puk, I feel the hole in your heart, the guilt you try to hide from others and even yourself. Your sister, who fell to the badly-dosed drugs you bought from Gaedran Lamm, has not found her peace yet. Her lost soul wanders about aimlessly in Pharasma’s Boneyard. You can save her; all you have to do is ask me.”

Puk shakes his head in rejection. “I have made my peace with my past and I have taken my revenge on my tormentor. My faults are my own, but I have shaken off my nasty habits and atoned for my sins. My sister made her own mistakes and she will have to own up to them herself before she can find her peace. I cannot do that for her, but she has an eternity to figure it out before Pharasma sends her soul to whatever afterlife she deserves. It is not my place to interfere, nor is it yours, devil!”

Elvira hears the pleading voice in her head as well: “Young and fair maiden, still so inexperienced in the ways of the world. Would you not like to find your true place in this universe? I can give you all the knowledge you crave, the power you deserve or the stamina you lack if you want to continue hanging round with this reckless bunch. Whatever path you want to carve out, I can get you there in a heartbeat. All you have to do is sign your name.”

Elvira shrugs: “Why would I give up on the fun of fulfilling my own mortal destiny and condemn my eternal soul in the process? You have nothing to offer me, fiend, because my desires are few and well within my own reach.”

Naturally Balian receives an offer as well: “Eternal damnation … that is the fate of your sister’s soul. Everlasting suffering in the pits of Hell. I have made some good contacts there over the last few millennia. I could call in a favor and have her soul be free to attain any paradise Alika would have ended up in if her innocence had never been corrupted. I can help you keep your duty towards your helpless little sister. All you have to do is ask, and we can make a deal.”

Balian bites off the devil’s deceitful words: “You fool! It was my hand that condemned Alika to Hell. Her soul was corrupted beyond any hope of salvation. I did my duty, all right, by saving our world from all the horror she could still have inflicted upon it.”

Now Sjo takes the initiative. “You know why we are here, devil. Just cut the crap and tell us if there is any way for us to read Ileosa’s contract or buy it from you.”

“My price is well known, I would suspect”, Chyvvom replies. “To read this contract, even the lightest soul among the four of you would suffice. Selling off a contract is not something that I normally do, though, but if you insist, I’m sure that we could come to some kind of agreement in exchange for all your souls.”

Sjo scoffs at Chyvvom’s offer. “So there is nothing else we can pay you with? I have a book here that will make you even more charismatic. It is very valuable. I’d rather hang on to my soul.”

Now it is Chyvvom’s turn to laugh: “A soul is priceless, this book you have pales in comparison. No, unless you have something truly invaluable to offer in exchange, I’m afraid souls have to be our currency. Still, it doesn’t have to be your soul. You can give me your soul as a down payment, but I might be open to having you switch it out for another’s soul later on, perhaps that lovely girl of yours, Larella Semyr …”

“I see these negotiations are getting us nowhere”, Sjo grumbles. “I suggest we let our weapons do the talking!”

“So be it, ignorant human. I’ll just add you to the long list of insignificant fools who thought they could best me in combat” Chyvvom sighs, before activating a quickened shield of faith and summoning a bone devil. This horrifying fiend immediately takes to the air and turns invisible, but El’s permanent see invisibility and Sjo’s blindsense still perceive the husk-like creature with dried skin stretched across its skeletal frame. El steps back and casts haste on the defensive, careful to avoid the bone devil’s deadly stinger. Sjo follows up with a purge invisibility spell, giving Puk and Balian the opportunity to attack. Balian hits home twice, but Puk finds his little blades unable to get through the fiend’s tough skin without the advantage of sneak. Sjo wonders out loud if the monster can be hurt by fire, but El shouts out that it is immune!

“Indeed, it is!” Chyvvom laughs, as he conjures up a gigantic explosion over the heroes and his summoned servant. Elvira takes the full hit of the fireball and can barely keep herself standing. The bone devil recognizes her fragility and hits her with his claws, leaving her staggered, on the edge of death. Sjo saves her by casting mass cure light wounds, and motions her to the corner, to seek refuge. Puk crosses the balcony to the far end of the chamber, where Chyvvom is waiting, while Balian displays the awesome power of his holy greatsword to dispatch of the bone devil.

The halfling and ranger now flank the red-skinned devil, delivering cut upon cut, but the monster just keeps on fighting, no matter how many wounds he is bleeding from. Sjo and Elvira try to assist with spells, but find it almost impossible to make their magic succeed. Sjo’s green rays miss thrice in a row, wasting three castings of his dimensional anchor. El’s [i[hold monster[/i] and hideous laughter fail as well, and only the sparkling outline of her glitterdust takes hold. Meanwhile Chyvvom focuses his attacks on Balian, goring away at the ranger with his horns and trying to slam him with his contracts. When the powerful outsider finally seems to be wearing down, he impales Balian on one of his horns and teleports away to the other end of the pocket dimension, the entrance room. While Chyvvom knocks Balian unconscious, the other three heroes races through the demiplane to save their friend. Sjo is the first to arrive and gets hit by three scorching rays. He resists most of the burning damage of the first two flaming rays, but the third one burns him good. The badly-wounded healer now has a choice to make: does he heal himself or does he get Balian back on his feet? Realizing that Balian’s greatsword offers the best chance to hurt Chyvvom, Sjo opts for the second choice and brings Balian back to consciousness. Puk picks up Balian’s blade and holds it out to the ranger, hilt first. The ranger rises, grabs his sword and jumps on the contract devil. Driven forward by the hatred of a thousand condemned souls, Balian plunges his weapon through Chyvvom’s chest. With a look of utter disbelief in his extinguishing eyes, the devil slumps against the back wall. With his dying breath he tries to utter some final words, but Balian does not give him the pleasure. Twisting his blade in the wound, the ranger ends the fabled devil’s existence. “No more evil for you, fiend!”


Balian stands victorious over the contract devil’s corpse. Previously Chyvvom’s frame was draped with animated scrolls that, like their designer, have now stopped moving. Sjo tries to recover the lengthy documents, finding a great number of them totally illegible. Elvira suspects that these contracts have been fulfilled and their signers’ souls harvested. Eleven parchments can still be read, although only Elvira masters the infernal language in which they are written. The young mage takes a couple of hours trying to decipher which mortals signed these contracts. She’s content to find queen Ileosa among them, but she also finds deals struck by Headmaster Toff Ornelos, Dean Messida Vost of Conjuration, Dean Orianna Delmore of Necromancy, Dean Norva Alessain of Divination and – not surprisingly – Dean Elgin Togomor of Transmutation, the queen’s new seneschal and Elvira’s admirer. Two other names of note are the leader of the Korvosan Hellknights, Lictor Severs ‘Boneclaw’ DiVri, and the head of his magic-users, Paravicar Acillmar of the Order of the Nail. Of lesser note are Headmaster Toff’s grandson Akmelek Ornelos, the pesky noble the companions met a few times at a party, and Terentius, the mad wizard the party defeated earlier in Belzeragna’s library. One unknown name, someone called Marijkal, completes the list.

Realizing that time actually runs a lot faster in this dimension, Elvira suggests staying here a few more days to study some of the contracts in greater detail; after all, every day spent in here corresponds with only one hour in the heroes’ home plane. The girl finds a comfortable seat in the library and starts poring over Ileosa’s contract first. Meanwhile Sjo examines the pocket dimension in greater detail, finding nothing more of interest, except the many books that probably offer a treasure of knowledge he hasn’t discovered yet. The healer convinces Puk and Balian to aid him in going through the tomes, putting all the books that are written in common and might hold some interesting information, to the side. Balian also notices that the empty flasks he and his friends found upon entering this dimension are now filled with a swirling purple energy that matches the pulsating force of the closed portal.

Over the next ten days the party uncovers some vital information in all the writings. Ileosa apparently struck a very advantageous deal, binding no less than thirteen devils to her service, seven Erinyes sisters, three barbed devils, one vengeance and one horned devil, and finally a creature called a Bdellavritra. She also bonded with someone named Zanzinaria, inheriting her strengths and powers. The price for these boons is her immortal soul, unless she manages to send 5,000 innocent souls prematurely to their deaths in a horrible fashion within one year after signing the contract. The document also stipulates that Ileosa must lend her assistance to a mysterious entity, only identified by a long number, and that she has to prepare Korvosa as an open ground for infernal use. Elvira also sniffs out a hidden condition that states that Chyvvom can summon Ileosa once per year to have her perform a task for him. It turns out that by slaying the contract devil, the companions actually did the queen a favor!

Seneschal Togomor’s contract is much more basic, simply granting the transmuter three wishes. Finally, Elvira studies Norva Allesain’s contract more closely, figuring the party could use the Dean of Divination’s help in locating either Zellara’s disappeared ghost or the long-lost Sun Shaman’s remains underneath the city. El is pleasantly surprised to find out that Allesain bartered to become the Dean of Divination in the Acadamae before her thirtieth birthday, implying that Chyvvom’s end of the deal has already been fulfilled. Now only Allesain’s payment remains: her soul upon dying! Elvira imagines that the young Dean would be very interested in acquiring Chyvvom’s copy of the deal. After all, destroying both her and Chyvvom’s version of contract number 9485631,4655:9027,9836641 would free her from paying the price, while she already holds the reward she wanted. That promotion won’t just disappear when the contracts are destroyed, so yes, the party has the perfect bargaining chip to get the Diviner to help them!

In the meanwhile, Sjo, Puk and Balian try to make the most of the time available by doing research in the library. Being limited to works in the Common language, they manage to find a handful of useful tidbits about devils. Zanzinaria, the creature Ileosa bonded with, turns out to be some kind of Erinyes queen, while bdellavritra are very rare outsiders, also known as belier devils, who look like enormous slugs. One side of their body ends in a lamprey-like mouth filled with row upon row of teeth. The other end sports three grimacing humanoid heads that seem to be in incredible pain. The creatures specialize in possession, using hosts to further their cunning schemes and intricate plans, preferring to manipulate events from behind the scenes like puppet-masters. When Puk finally tires of leafing through tomes about devils, he starts reading adventure books instead and accidentally makes the biggest discovery of all: the true history of the cruel tyrant who was defeated by Sun shaman Coja Eyes-Aflame and his allies so many centuries ago.

More than 800 years ago, as the nation of Ustalav was recovering from the rule of the Whispering Tyrant, the threat of an invasion of orcs from the neighboring Hold of Belkzen was very real. For generations, the county of Tamrivena – known as Canterwall in modern Ustalav – held strong against the orcs, its standing army of rangers and the tactical genius of its leaders more than a match for the orc hordes. When command of Tamrivena fell to Count Andachi, it quickly became apparent that he had not inherited his father’s and grandfather’s gifts of tactics and eloquence. Mile by mile, the orcs pressed into Ustalav through Tamrivena, and Count Andachi grew desperate. Nothing he tried stemmed the orc aggression. His desperate requests to the government of Ustalav for reinforcements seemed mired in bureaucracy. Even his prayers to Desna seemed to fall upon deaf ears. And so it was with a desperation born of fear that he fell back upon his ancestors’ one-time patron—Zon-Kuthon, god of pain and darkness. And in short order, his prayers were answered in the form a powerful and gifted mercenary named Kazavon.

The new charismatic general took control of Tamrivena’s army and whipped it into shape with his brutal discipline and knowledge of tactics and warfare, honing it into a military killing machine. When they marched into Belkzen, the undisciplined savages fell in waves. Tales of Kazavon himself riding in the vanguard and hewing his way through the orc lines while the arrows and blades of his foes bounced harmlessly off of him filled Count Andachi with relief. By the spring of 4043 AR, the orcs had been driven from their lands into the inhospitable foothills of the Kodar mountains, bloodied and defeated.

His task complete, Kazavon did not return to Ustalav. Instead, he set his forces to the construction of Castle Scarwall, from which he could remain vigilant over the surrounding lowlands. Yet in short time, Kazavon’s true goals became horrifically clear. Diplomats from southern Lastwall traveled to Scarwall, bearing gifts of triumph and promises of eternal friendship. Their overtures of peace were met with violence as General Kazavon captured the diplomats, flayed them alive and had their skins stretched over frames; he painted these skins with his new coat-of-arms, the fanged skull. The skinless dead were then animated and sent back south into Lastwall beneath these grisly banners with a counter offer—fall under Kazavon’s heel or be butchered.

Some among Kazavon’s own troops found his actions repellent, but Kazavon’s army had grown over the years as his number of victories mounted. His ranks swelled with mercenaries—half of his force bore no allegiance to anything but their general’s gold. Those soldiers who rose in rebellion were immediately quelled and executed, and those who attempted more diplomatic protest were tortured and fed to wild beasts.

Aghast at this turn of events, Count Andachi at last found his courage. He raised a new army, ragged and inexperienced, from the last remnants of his people and marched west to face his former general. In a bold offensive he laid siege to Castle Scarwall. Yet, with the next dawn, he was defeated by Kazavon’s forces. Hapless Andachi was captured, publicly tortured and degraded, and ultimately executed. These grisly deeds completed, Kazavon turned his attention east toward Ustalav.

For well over a decade, Kazavon ruled a nation of slaves, victims, and horror. Tales of fields of men impaled for the general’s amusement, of mass executions, of Shoanti tribesmen hunted like wild animals and then forced to slay their own women and children in carnivals of torture and terror spread throughout the neighboring regions. Whispers of cannibal feasts and vampiric orgies trickled out of Castle Scarwall. More than once, the forces of goodly nations marched on Scarwall, yet such was Kazavon’s strength that no army could face him for long. To a man, every warrior sent against Scarwall suffered the same fate as Count Andachi.

Yet where armies failed, a small and secret cabal of heroes did not. Led by a heroic soldier named Mandraivus, this group of Lastwall mercenaries, Shoanti mystics, and Ustalavi arcanists tore through Scarwall, laying waste to the warlord’s minions and pursuing him to the castle heights. Finally Mandraivus and his remaining companions cornered Kazavon and slew the tyrant.

Mandraivus remained behind at Scarwall with only a few loyal retainers in order to watch over the castle itself and prevent it from being reclaimed by the minions of Zon-Kuthon. Unfortunately, the victory was short-lived. The orcs confined to the nearby mountains by Kazavon’s armies took note of the death of their enemy and rampaged forth across Belkzen once again. A portion of the horde attacked Castle Scarwall, which was defended only by Mandraivus’s small and inadequate force. The defenders were quickly overwhelmed, but as Mandraivus was slain, the curse of Scarwall took hold. The wholesale slaughter of first Kazavon’s armies and then Mandraivus and his soldiers had suffused the fortress. In an instant, the orc invaders found themselves facing a host of vengeful spirits and slavering undead. It is said that only one of the orcs survived to make it across the causeway from the castle, the flesh of his face blanched completely white from the horror he had barely escaped. He brought word to his people of the haunting of Castle Scarwall, and the tribal warlords declared the site forever taboo, leaving it to the bloodthirsty spirits who now claimed it as their own.

These annals provide the heroes with some much-needed background on the myths they learned from the Shoanti. It strikes them, though, that the records do not mention that Kazavon was a blue dragon whose remains resisted destruction after the fight. Clearly, Mandraivus made sure to strike these terrible facts from history in order to safeguard the secret of Kazavon’s relics.

After ten days of research the party decides to return home. Elvira casts an invisibility sphere. Next everyone quaffs his personally labeled vial of purple fluid, holds hands and steps through the portal. The companions appear in the Acadamae grounds, right behind the Hall of Wards. Elvira immediately follows up with a teleport spell, instantly transporting the group to Tenna’s Bed & Breakfast. The heroes figure it must be a bit over noon of the day after the night they left the city. If Tenna is surprised to see her guests ‘get up so late’, she does not show it. As ever she is the perfect hostess and prepares a lovely meal. During lunch Elvira composes a short missive to Dean Norva Allesain:

“Dear Dean

We’d like to meet with you since we require your aid. In exchange, we can offer you something that concerns the number 9485631,4655:9027,9836641. If you agree to this mutually beneficial rendezvous, please come to the old courthouse on the cliffs next to the temple of Asmodeus at 2 o’clock tonight. Please come alone.”

The companions discuss what they want to ask from the Dean of Divination when they meet her in 12 hours. They need her assistance in getting Zellara’s lost ghost back and locating Sun shaman Coja Eyes-Aflame’s bones, something her considerable power in divining can possibly provide. They also require funds to have Spyder resurrected. Sjo does not master such ‘raising’ magics, but he knows that Archbishop Keppira d’Bear of Pharasma does. The spell is expensive, though, as it consumes a diamond worth 10,000 gold sails. Since party funds are running low again, they might just as well ask Allesain for a generous contribution.

After the meal Elvira walks into the street, where she picks out a random young boy. She casts suggestion on him to deliver her letter to the Acadamae. When the boy returns 25 minutes later, she hands him a gold piece, happy to learn that he did his job well.

Despite Balian’s impatience to see Spyder returned to life, the companions decide to put off visiting the church of Pharasma until they have the necessary ingredient for the spell, the expensive diamond. Of course, Spyder’s corpse is not the only one in Balian’s bag of holding, Illia Ean, the Cerulean Society’s halfling rogue is in there as well. The party would like to return her remains to guildmaster Boule, fully aware that good relations with the thieves’ guild might come in handy in the future. They head to the Arkona Palace in Old Korvosa, where Lord Glorio receives them as friendly as always. The nobleman is charmed to meet Elvira Campert. When Sjo tells him that they recovered Ean’s little body and want to deliver it to guildmaster Boule, Arkona agrees to take the burden off their hands and rewards them with the item they need: a 10,000 GP diamond. The charming lord is also interested to learn about Chyvvom and Belzeragna and seems to appreciate the trust the party now places in him. Finally they are working towards the same goal: put a stop to Ileosa’s evil!


After their visit to Glorio Arkona the companions make their way to the other end of the city, the Gray District. In the cathedral of Pharasma they call upon archbishop Keppira d’Bear. She is willing to attempt a resurrection on Spyder, but it will have to wait until tomorrow, since she has to prepare the spell first. Since the young heroes have done so much good for the city and are still the major movers against the queen’s evil, d’Bear even offers to do it for free. She invites the party to attend mass tomorrow morning, after which she will perform the ritual. There is no guarantee of success, however, since a soul may choose whether or not it wants to return, even if it is an animal. Sjo also picks up two fresh wands of cure light wounds before leaving.

31 Arodus 4708 – Saint Alika Day

Our young friends do not go to bed that evening, preferring to stay awake for their midnight meeting with the Acadamae’s Dean of Diviniation. As the night already slips into the first hour of Saint Alika Day, the heroes return to the old courthouse. At two o’clock exactly Norva Allesain appears, standing just inside the doors, which strangely did not open and close upon her entry. Elvira, who has taken up position further down the great hall, hails the dean over and gets right down to business: “Dean Allesain, we have retrieved a certain document from the Hellish dimension of Belzeragna with your name on it, which we are willing to trade in exchange for a few favors. I suppose you are interested?”

“Go on”, the Dean nods.

“For a genuine chance to free your immortal soul from eternal damnation, we require three things of you. Firstly, we need you to track down a spirit that has disappeared, who goes by the name of Zellara. Furthermore, we have to find the bones of an old Shoanti shaman who was buried somewhere below the city over six centuries ago. And finally, we want you to pay us the sum of 20,000 gold sails.”

Norva Allesain looks surprised. “I don’t know what your view on divination is, young Elvira. You never studied it, obviously, so I should forgive your ignorance, but a diviner is no miracle worker. Yes, I can look in on places where I’m not, find people of a specific kind or those known to me, or locate well-known or clearly visualized objects. But finding unfamiliar ghosts who have disappeared and possibly do not even reside in this plane or non-specified bones in a city built on the carcasses of thousands is another matter. Still, I can understand why you come to me with these requests, and yes, I might be able to actually help you, even though it will require your input as well. The 20,000 gold puzzles me, though. Even with all the magic I have on me, I don’t think I could match that amount.”

“Well, there are more than enough ways to get money,” Elvira sighs, “You have a very specific skill set which will allow you to make fortunes in the years to come, I’m sure. For now, you could simply get a loan in the Bank of Abadar. Unless your soul is not worth a bit of cash. In that case we might just sell off your contract to the highest bidder. I do not doubt that someone will cough up much more than a measly 20 grand to gain a hold over the Acadamae’s Dean of Divination. But I always liked you, even though I did not study at your faculty, so honor amongst colleagues compels me to give you the first option to buy. Take it … or leave it. I care not.”

“I’ll take it, thank you. But let us talk a bit more about your first two requests. The most powerful magic I possess that might aid you is contact other plane. This allows you to ask yes-or-no questions of an extra-planar entity. If you formulate your questions right, you might get the answers you need. Still, you need to be the one making the queries. I lack too much information to get it right, I’m afraid.”

Puk, Balian and Sjo remember this kind of magic, having used it once before in the temple of Pharasma. “There is a risk, however,” Allesain continues, “that things go wrong, certainly if I aim my questions at the highest authority possible, which I need to do to get correct answers.”

“What do you mean, go wrong?” Balian interrupts.

“I could lose my mind, for a time, if I fail to keep my focus. I’d be witless for a month or two”, the dean replies. “Still, I understand what’s at stake and I’m willing to take the chance, just know that it can all go the ‘Hell’ in a matter of seconds. I’d appreciate it if you would make sure I do not go there as well, if calamity strikes.”

The companions deliberate which questions they would like to formulate. Finding it hard to come up with the perfect thing to ask, they wonder if Dean Allesain does not know anyone else who might be able to help. She says that an infernal contract with a powerful entity like Chyvvom would probably do the trick, but she suspects that this bridge has already been burnt. Finally Elvira figures that they might be able to triangulate the correct location of Coja Eyes-Aflame’s bones by inquiring about their proximity to various points in the city in a contact other plane session.

Norva Allesain claims she can only cast the spell once today, which will be good for five questions. If necessary, she can prepare multiple castings of the call for extraplanar advice tomorrow. It takes ten minutes to prepare the link. Suddenly Allesain’s eyes turn blank, as her face takes on a different hue: the left side pales to white while the right side darkens to black. Elvira and Sjo immediately recognize the two-toned face as that of Nethys, the All-Seeing Eye, the god of magic.

Elvira fires off her first question: “Are the bones of Coja Eyes-Aflame buried within a 1,000 feet of Domina Square?” Norva Allesain reformulates the sentence in Celestial, then sighs in a deep, unearthly voice: “NO!”

Elvira follows up with more locations: the Gold Market, the university and Endrin Square, all yielding the same answer: “NO!” Having just one chance left, she wonders if the shaman’s bones are buried within Korvosa at all. This time she receives a resounding YES.

The Dean of Divination has been noticeably taxed by this powerful magic, but she agrees to return at noon, with more castings of the spell available. The four young adventurers return to Tenna’s for a very short night, getting up at the break of dawn for the morning service in the church of Pharasma.

After the ceremony the archbishop invites Balian to put Spyder’s corpse on a stone slab. She launches into the resurrection ritual with Balian still at Spyder’s side, his hand resting on the dog’s head. When the rite nears its point of completion, high priestess d’Bear starts sweating and grasping into thin air, as if she is reaching out to an unseen entity. Balian suddenly finds himself drawn into the void, before reappearing in a lush field with the wind rolling through the high grass under a perfect blue sky. A pack of dogs crosses a nearby hill and Balian spots a familiar shape in the mass: Spyder! He calls out to his canine friend, who comes running in and starts jumping around his master’s legs in an explosion of excitement. When Balian meets his hound’s gaze, he sees an intelligence in Spyder’s eyes he has never noticed before. Somehow the ranger realizes that here, Spyder can understand him perfectly. “Come back with me, Spyder, I miss you. Yeah, boy, we all miss you.”

Back in the church of Pharasma, Puk, Sjo and Elvira have remarked the change in Balian’s countenance. Now they hear him call out to his dog, as they see a thin trickle of blood running down from the ranger’s nose.

In the Elysian pasture Balian feels that Spyder is in doubt. The animal has clearly found its paradise, but is torn between the everlasting joy of the hunt and loyalty and love for its master. “Come back with me, my loyal friend,” Balian pleads, “I need you.” A tear runs down the gruff fighter’s face as he reaches out for the dog. Next Spyder jumps forward, pushing Balian back until they fall through the fold between worlds again. As Balian draws breath again in his home plane, in the cathedral of Pharasam, so does his dog. The strain of the experience has permanently drained a tiny fraction of Balian’s life force, but the ranger is overjoyed to have his pet back. He even senses a spark of the divine in Spyder, although he cannot put his finger on the specifics yet. Still, he thanks Keppira d’Bear profusely before heading back to Tenna’s B&B with his companions.


On the way home, they pick up the latest issue of the Korvosa Herald. The lead article discusses the fact that the Gray Maidens have made the city safe again. A second piece features the dismantlement of the Great Tower and the reemployment of its stones to erect four giant statues of the queen. A third article addresses the ‘cowardly’ murder of Lady Eliasia Leroung in the library by treacherous rebels. The ‘History of Korvosa’ section on the back focuses on the tale of how Eodred met Ileosa, a real-life love story.

When they arrive at the bed and breakfast, Tenna is already waiting for them. She has a letter that a young boy smelling a manure delivered earlier today. It is from Quint. It reads:

“Dear friends

Yesterday I managed to get into the castle. I was helping someone named Jorn carrying goods inside. Jorn is an oak of a man, as strong as an ox, but dimwitted. He does the heavy lifting around the castle.

Every corner of the palace is guarded by Gray Maidens. As far as I could tell, all of them were blood clones. The entry is watched over especially well, with multiple maidens standing guard in the gatehouse and in front of and beyond the doors. Inside I noticed even more armored ladies, specifically on the kitchen level, which is the floor below the throne room.

I’ve added a sketch of these two floors. In red ink I marked the chambers we visited before: the throne room, the antechamber, the royal reception room and the stage hall. In blue I mapped out the new things I discovered: a hallway leading past the seneschal’s apartment to a large spiral staircase going up and down. I followed Jorn to the floor directly beneath, where the kitchen is. We passed the workshop of Scotty, the gnome, the castle’s surly handyman. From there we went through a guardroom with Gray Maidens to the kitchen, where Karina, the chef, rules. Her helpers are a rotund halfling woman who goes by the name of Marika and the flirtatious girl Mikki.

From our cheerful chitchat I managed to deduce that this floor houses even more Gray Maidens, as well as most of the servants. Rooms in the opposite corner of the floor house the archives and a scriptorium. A man named Jean Deroth runs the place; the girls say he is a douchebag …quite domineering. He and Togomor are supposedly thick as thieves. He has one person working under him, Gerry Geldor, a clerk, who’s a wuss. I also gleaned that Ileosa’s royal chambers are located on the throne room floor, as are Sabina Merrin’s quarters.

What worries me more than these Gray Maidens and their commander, are the other creatures that lurk in the palace. Jorn claims there are dark angels on the lower levels – Erinyes, most likely, like the ones we came across in the temple of Asmodeus. Jorn dreads even going there. Upstairs are the rooms of the ‘red antmen’, Red Mantis, no doubt. Finally, Jorn mentioned a massive winged devil and a red dragon, who make their roost somewhere on the castle rooftops.

If we want to cut Ileosa’s ties to her devil allies, we’ll have to track down her copy of the contract too. If I’m careful, I could probably slip past the Gray Maidens invisibly. I suspect Ileosa keeps her end of the infernal deal in her personal quarters. Maybe I can sneak in when she is not there. Let’s hope I’m right. Wish me luck.

Q”

This information might actually prove helpful in the future. The companions also keep their fingers crossed, hoping that Quint will be able to retrieve Ileosa’s half of the infernal contract.

At noon the party revisits the old courthouse. Norva Allesain shows up again, now having prepared four castings of the required spell. Elvira asks the questions again after Allesain’s face turns black and white again:

“Are Coja Eyes-Aflame’s bones buried within the Acadamae?”

“NO.”

“Are his bones buried within 1,000 feet of the temple of Asmodeus?”

“NO.”

“Are his bones buried within 1,000 feet of the Kendall arena?”

“YES!” Finally, a positive answer!

“Are the shaman’s remains buried within 500 feet of the arena?”

“YES!”

“Elvira decides to press her luck with her final question:

“Are they buried in the arena?”

“NO.”

No luck this time, but the search area has suddenly become much smaller. The next contact other plane will help the companions to finetune their answer. Maybe they won’t need Zellara after all.

With renewed vigor Elvira tackles the next set of questions. Fortunately Dean Allesain’s casting still works perfectly, defying the chance to fail.

“Are Coja Eyes-Aflame’s bones buried within 500 feet of the Gatefoot?”

“NO.”

“Are his bones buried within 500 feet of the temple of Sarenrae?”

“YES.” That actually makes a lot of sense, Sjo reasons. Of all civilized gods, Sarenrae resembles the Sun shamans’ ancestral fire most. So, it probably is no coincidence that the Sun Goddess had her temple built close to the Sun shamans’ ancient tumuli. A pity he didn’t think of that before.

“Are the shaman’s remains buried north of Pillar Hill Boulevard?” Elvira goes on.

“NO.”

“Are they buried within 100 feet of the northern statue on Kendall Plaza?”

“NO.”

“Within 100 feet of the middle statue?”

“NO.”

Again Elvira has used up her five questions, leaving Norva Allesain somewhat heavy of breath. Combining the information they learned from her answers, the companions can pinpoint the shaman’s grave to the arena’s northern entrance to the royal seats. Since they do not lie in the arena, Elvira now figures they will probably be somewhere below the structure.

Balian digs up what he knows about Korvosa’s open-air amphitheater. Korvosa’s proximity to the sea and its extensive and famous vaults make sinkholes a relatively common phenomenon in the city. For the most part, these sinkholes measure no more than a few feet in diameter, leading the church of Abadar to send out crews of volunteers to patch up the broken streets or floors. However, a little over a century ago, in 4579, the largest recorded sinkhole in Korvosa’s history opened up just north of the Pillar Wall. Despite its enormous size of nearly 300 feet in diameter, this immense hole swallowed only a few buildings, thanks to it occurring in a relatively unpopulated part of the city.

The disaster came with its own set of problems, though. The humongous cave-in did not occur because of ancient vaults collapsing, nor did unstable sea caves lie at its origin. No, when panicked citizens rushed to clear ground zero, strange creatures poured out of the sinkhole, attacking and savaging any citizen unfortunate enough to be nearby. The Korvosan Guard and Sable Company responded quickly, but between rescuing wounded civilians and containing these burrowing monsters, the armed forces were unable to enter the sinkhole to stop the flood of giant bugs.

Completely unprepared for anything like these murderous ankhegs, the city fell into a panic. Desna’s good luck shone on Korvosa, though, as the Scions of Puris, an adventuring band of some repute at the time, happened to be in the city, resupplying between forays. Without hesitation, the Scions of Puris fought their way through the teeming mass of beasts and plunged into the sinkhole. They emerged three days later, having slain the mother of the creatures, but they brought out their beloved leader, Mina Kendall, in a blood-stained bag.

In conjunction with the church of Abadar, dwarves from Janderhoff came down and stabilized the ground around the sinkhole. On top they constructed an impressive amphitheater. Three years later, the Scions of Puris returned to Korvosa to witness the grand opening of a massive open-air arena named after their beloved former leader.

Today, the Kendall Arena partially hangs suspended above the sinkhole’s opening. A complicated series of arches and pillars holds it aloft. Most of the bowl that forms the seating area for Kendall Amphitheater consists of carefully smoothed basalt. The benches are all built of Varisian spruce. Beneath the fighting pit is a large underground level that houses various mechanical contraptions to lift platforms up to the sands, but also contains cages for wild animals and cells and a training ground for gladiators.

Directly northwest of the Kendall Arena stand three tall statues of the Scions of Puris: the beautiful bard Mina Kendall in the center, the hot-tempered dwarven fighter Nurin Stonehelm to the south and the ever-pious Ristof of the Balanced Scales to the north. With their backs to the amphitheater, these statues face the cobblestone Kendall Plaza instead, graciously welcoming visitors to the arena.


I would like to credit these two sources for my description of the Kendall arena:
- source one,
- source two.


Two first two sessions of contact other plane have given the party a pretty good idea of where they can find the bones of Coja Eyes-Aflame, the Shoanti sun shaman who helped bring down the cruel tyrant Kazavon seven centuries ago. His remains should be buried somewhere around or below the northern entrance to the Kendall arena. But the heroes have more questions that need answering and Norva Allesain still has two more castings of the powerful spell left. Sjo, Puk and Elvira debate on what to ask next, but Dean Allesain already warns them not to go outside the deal they struck earlier: she gave her consent to aid them in finding Zellara and the bones of Coja Eyes-Aflame with her powers of divination. On top of that she has to pay 20,000 gold sails. However, if the party asks her about other things than the items agreed upon, she will have to charge them for the service … say, like 20,000 gold?

Elvira laughs away Norva’s ridiculous stipulation and tells her to start the third interplanar consultation. After ten minutes the dean’s face turns black and white again and Sjo fires off a new set of questions.

“Does the ghost of Zellara, the Varisian fortune teller from Lancet Street, still exist?”

As always Norva Allesain repeats the sentence in Celestial, then she starts moaning, finally grunting her answer: “YES.”

“Is the Zellara’s ghost being held somewhere against her will?”

“YES.”

“Is her ghost being held by Kazavon?”

“YES.”

“Is it Ileosa’s intention to gather all seven relics of Kazavon?”

“NO.”

“Are the bones of Coja Eyes-Aflame buried in the earth at a depth of more than thirty feet?”

“YES.”

When Norva snaps out of her trance she looks visibly tired. Still, she retains enough clarity of mind to issue an invoice for the party’s fourth question. An IOU for 20,000 gold sails will suffice, she says, for the question unrelating to Zellara or Coja. Again Elvira wipes the dean’s silly demand under the table, but she takes her companions to the side to discuss the new information they gained. If Zellara is in the hands of the mighty Kazavon, they will never be able to free her, so maybe they should make Dean Allesain a counteroffer: they will waive the first condition of finding Zellara’s ghost as a sign of goodwill, requiring only the other two demands to be met: retrieving Coja’s remains and the payment of 20,000 gold pieces.

Norva objects: “You have just found out that retrieving Zellara might be beyond your skill, so you need to draw out of the deal because of YOUR incompetence, not due to any fault of mine! I kept up my part of the bargain, why should I be punished for your lack of power … or resources … or courage? If you want to make further inquiries into Zellara’s whereabouts, I’m willing to help out, but my job is not to recover the ghost, that is your task! If you decide not to pursue this quest, the breach of contract is yours, not mine!”

“Which is exactly why we are willing to drop the first condition to our deal”, Sjo balms. “We are not inhuman.”

“Speak for yourself, big man!” Puk protests with his coy halfling smile.

“Then allow me to make a counteroffer. If my information somehow aids you in fulfilling the first condition anyway, you’ll waive the third condition – the 20,000 gold – instead”, Norva tries.

“No, we won’t! The gold is due!” Elvira bites. “Now leave, we do not require your services anymore for the moment, but stand at the ready for the next time we call … and make sure you get the cash, lest you suffer an eternity of torment in Hell”

With no time to waste, the party members decide upon their next target: the arena in the south of the city. Puk wonders if there has been any word on when the newly arrived gladiators will be giving their first show and decides to ask someone who seems eager to talk.

“Huh,” the man says, “the arena? Who cares. Just look there.” He points to the south, where the heroes now notice a plume of smoke rising into the air. “There has been an attack on the Gray District … on the temple of Pharasma!”

“What?” Sjo cries out. “Are the Shoanti here already?”

“Shoanti? Are you mad? It was the Gray Maidens!”

Sjo immediately suspects that it is not the temple of Pharasma that is burning, but rather the rebel hideout. When he shares his worries with his friends, Elvira is surprised, for the three men have not told her about their affiliation with the rebels yet. The heroes are disheartened, but fear there is nothing they can do. Balian wonders how the Maidens found out where the rebels were hiding. Did Dean Allesain find out with her hocus-pocus powers and sell out the information to the queen? Or was it the old Leroung guy, professor Fordyce, who decided to betray the ‘rebels’ for causing his wife’s death, even though they were generous enough to harbor his family? When Elvira hears that the Leroungs are hiding with the rebels as well, she urges her new companions to go to the Gray District immediately, to see if they can still save anyone. After all, the Leroungs are good friends of hers, she worked in their library for years. But Sjo and Balian are adamant, it is simply too risky and the fight is probably over anyway. No, the best thing for the party to do is continue on their quest and not allow themselves to get sidetracked. Elvira is also at a disadvantage with her current spells, because the invisibility sphere and teleport she cast yesterday to escape from the Acadamae still haven’t been refreshed after the too short rest the heroes took last night. Even though it’s just two spells, they might prove instrumental in any ‘stealth mission’ the party undertakes next. Being a caster who has to prepare her spells in advance, Elvira does not share Sjo’s flexibility of spontaneous casting. Once a spell is cast, it is wiped from her memory until she studies it again. Fortunately, Sjo still carries two scrolls of teleport, which he picked up in Kaer Maga. He hands them to the enchantress, since she is the only one who can activate their magic.

On the way south the party makes sure to avoid any Gray Maiden patrols, something they have become quite skilled at. They do pick up more rumors about the attack, gaining mixed information that either the temple of Pharasma or the rebels have been targeted. Some even claim both! When they reach the southern half of the city, they almost taste the tension. There are few civilians about and the military seems to be everywhere, forcing the party to duck for cover several times. When Elvira fails to shroud herself from view in time when a patrol of Maidens races by in the main street, one of the female soldiers definitely notices her. Fortunately, Elvira does not carry showy armor and weapons like her friends, and a woman in a gown hardly sticks out, so the troopers just rush past. Balian and Puk also pick up a shadow cleaving through the sky above Korvosa. It is the blue dragon that was guarding the Longacre Building earlier. Having heard of these creatures’ keen senses, they warn everyone to keep to the shadows.

When the companions finally get to Kendall Plaza, they seem to be the only ‘civilians’ out and about. Recent months have clearly taught Korvosans to lock their doors at the first sign of trouble. Viewing the arena from a distance, the heroes see shiny armors standing watch at every entrance: more Gray Maidens, and – Balian guesses from the way they move – blood clones! Making for the shadow of an alley between two houses, the young friends stake out the arena for a while. After about twenty minutes three closed wagons arrive from the east, heavily guarded by Gray Maidens. They take the ramp into the catacombs below the arena. Sjo fears that this transport contains captured rebels, being brought here for public slaughter.

Several questions now trouble the party’s thoughts: is Tenna’s B&B still safe? And if it is not, is there another place for them to rest? Their old villa is not far from here, just across the Pillar Wall. It has stood empty for a couple of weeks now, maybe no one is watching it? Balian and Puk go on a scouting mission. Relying on their magical footwear, which grants Puk the power to spider climb and Balian the gift of flight, they get into the South Shore district first, while Elvira and Sjo take cover behind the enormous statue base that supports the Gatefoot. A few minutes later the two scouts find the villa abandoned, with no signs of recent activity. There is one Gray Maiden detail patrolling the streets, obviously non-clones, who pass by the grand house once every quarter of an hour and walk up to the porch to casually throw a glance inside. If the companions manage to avoid their gaze – which seems easy enough – the villa might just prove a safe haven. Next the two sneaky friends make their way to the heart of the city, using the back alleys to get to Tenna’s B&B. Puk suddenly pulls Balian to the side, pointing out that he has to check the sky as well: the dragon passes over their heads every once in a while. Being a halfling, Puk is used to looking up, so he picked up the blue threat in time. Before they even get to the guest house, the scouts come across a patrol of Gray Maidens stationed out of sight in the very alley that the halfling and the ranger have chosen to approach Tenna’s. These armored women are clearly waiting for party to arrive, so Puk and Balian quietly retrace their steps and head back to their friends.

Again Balian wonders who betrayed them? Sjo claims there is only one person he knows who is aware of both where the rebels are hiding and where the companions are lodged: Quint! The healer now fears that his bard ally was caught while trying to infiltrate the castle and forced to talk. Puk and Balian cannot believe it: Quint would never give them away! Sjo sighs, everyone can be made to talk, be it through torture or magic. As he completes this last thought, the big man glances at Elvira.

The companions retreat to the villa, staying out of sight of the patrol. There they rest up and plan their next move. They need to get into the arena, but what should they do about the rebels who are imprisoned there? Do they save them or not? And after saving them, where do they take them? Balian is pessimistic, he cannot see an option that does not end in the rebels’ deaths. The heroes conclude to save the rebels if the opportunity presents itself, but not to make it the focus of their mission. By midnight Elvira has had ample time to refresh her magic and the party leaves for another nightly mission.

1 Rova 4708

Balian activates his boots of flying to scout ahead. He sees that all arena entrances are still guarded by Gray Maidens, but when he closes in to fly over the structure and get a better look, one of the guards spots him, forcing him to retreat.

Elvira offers a dimension door to transport everyone to the arena, which is perfectly possible from within the villa, because it is quite close to the amphitheater, just across the Pillar Wall and well within her 800 feet range. The only problem is that she can only take three other living beings and Balian does not want to leave Spyder behind. The solution is to put Puk in the bag of holding, which should have enough air to allow a person to breathe for about ten minutes.

A few seconds later Elvira’s magic teleports everyone to the arena sands. Since the mage has never seen the inside of the structure, she aimed for its center, leaving the heroes exposed in the moonlight, and in plain sight of the Gray Maidens on the royal balcony. As the guards spring into action, Elvira pulls Puk out of the bag. The halfling notices two large trapdoors in the arena floor, but quickly concludes they are too large and sturdy for his tiny thieves’ tools to pry open. Even Elvira calculates that their size is simply too big for a knock spell to work. Balian draws his sword, getting ready to meet the four Maidens who jump off the balcony head-on. He worries more about the three other who remain on the platform, though. Against their bows and arrows the adventurers will be sitting ducks.


So here's a look at the Kendall arena sands.


The party’s dimensional hop to the arena sands did not exactly come as a surprise to the Gray Maidens guarding the structure. The queen’s soldiers hop down from the royal balcony to give the intruders a warm welcome on the arena sands. Balian draws first blood, followed by Puk. Elvira tries to take care of the three Maidens who have remained on the balcony and are now threatening to shoot a volley of arrows at the heroes. Sadly, her confusion only takes effect on one of them: these bloodclones are not so easily manipulated! Sjo helps out by throwing a wall of fire over the archers, forcing them to abandon their ranged attacks before they have even shot a single arrow. In the pit one maiden challenges Balian, but her swings go wide. Puk is not so lucky and suffers two heavy hits. The ‘archers’ jump down from the balcony as well and draw their swords to join the fray. Puk slips into an advantageous position and takes out a first maiden in a flurry of sneaky stabs. Elvira attempts another confusion, which miraculously takes hold on all three Gray Maidens she targets. Meanwhile Sjo has to choose between healing Puk and bathing the confused maidens in a fireball. In just a few moments his enemies’ isolated position on the left flank might be lost, so he opts for the attack. A burst of fire washes over the armored women and Puk, who only just avoids the flames.

Balian is hard pressed, these female soldiers use both challenges and smite good to bolster their hits. The ranger suffers grievous wounds, but Spyder runs over and licks one of his master’s bleeding gashes, revealing his new divine power: a healing lick that starts a process of regeneration. While the left flank of Maidens starts hacking at each other in confusion, Puk tries to help out on the right, where Balian is making his desperate stand. Elvira gives her friends a boost by casting haste and Sjo heals some of Puk’s wounds, but these efforts do not suffice to save Balian, who gets knocked out. Fortunately Spyder’s lingering lick immediately stops the bleeding. Puk’s rapid cuts take out another Maiden, as Elvira targets the last non-confused adversary with hideous laughter. The woman drops to the ground in uncontrollable howls of hilarity over Balian’s defeat. Little does she know that the slow regeneration process brings the ranger out of unconsciousness again: he reaches for his weapon and strikes her hard. Spyder and Puk finish the job. As he crawls up, Balian is sure he has heard movement in the basement below the sands. He welcomes Sjo’s healing hand, feeling a bit better after receiving a breath of life, but immediately loses the new health when one of the confused maidens manages to regain control of her actions for a few seconds and charges him. Enraged he slashes her down, realizing that Elvira’s wonderful magic is not exactly foolproof; even in their bewildered state, these enemies can still attack.

Elvira hears the clink of metal chains from below and sees how the trapdoor in the arena floor pops open to reveal a creature that possesses the same magic power naturally that she just invoked on herself with her blink spell: it is a displacer beast, a six-legged cat with two tentacles growing from its shoulders, who flickers in the moon light. Sjo hands out even more healing, while Balian and Puk now focus their attacks on the big feline. It seems that black cats really do bring bad luck, since the creature turns out to be very hard to hit. Elvira gives Balian a boost and empowers him with heroism, as Sjo starts throwing around fireballs once more, trying to fry both the remaining maidens and the displacer beast, but being forced by circumstances to include Spyder in the blast as well. Elvira tries to take control of the black panther with charm monster first and hold monster next, but both spells fail. The cat continues to prove very evasive, managing to duck under or shimmer away from most attacks, so Balian finally decides to use his greatsword against one of the two remaining Gray Maidens instead. After all, the confused warriors occasionally regain control of their senses and target the ranger, so – even though she is not a constant threat – this woman definitely is a persistent pain in the ass. As he kills her off, Sjo conjures up a mass cure light wounds and Elvira activates her aura of despair.

Whoever is at work in the catacombs below does not sit still either, another clicking of chains and groaning of gears heralds the arrival of four girallons from the second trapdoor. Balian finally manages the killing blow on the big black cat as he sees the first pair of the four-armed apes strike out against the last Gray Maiden. Her armor and shield prove excellent defenses, warding off most hits. With everyone but Elvira hurt quite badly, Puk screams out to Balian to meet them “back home”, before calling upon his cloak of the pixie king’s power of dimension door to zap away with Spyder, Elvira and Sjo. Balian has just enough time to lift off with his flying boots, before the mad white-furred apes reach him. As he pulls away into the night, he sees more Gray Maidens arrive on the balcony. The soldiers are obviously distracted by the skirmish in the pit, witnessing their final colleague being torn to shreds by the girallons and then explode in a pool of blood, as is the fate of all clones. The ranger is pretty sure the new guards didn’t spot him, so they might still be unsure of what just transpired in the pit. After all, they only saw how four wild apes ravaged one of their fellow Maidens, leaving no one to tell the tale but a few scorch marks left by Sjo’s fire magic. At the very least the enemy will be confused as to whom attacked.

Back in the villa Sjo reaches for a wand of cure light wounds to patch everyone up. As he pulls the magic stick out of his pocket, the Harrow cards drop to the floor. At the same time Elvira sees the deck flash with magic for a tiny second, before going ‘dead’ again. The card of The Tyrant - the blue dragon - is on top. One card is also upside down in the deck. It’s The Wanderer, showing the centaur peddler under the neutral good sign of the book. This is the card that appeared on the door of the Hall of Divination in the Acadamae when Elvira touched it. It is supposed to represent her personality. While Sjo burns through his wand, the party ponders on this strange occurrence with the Harrow deck. Still, they shelve the issue when they realize they have more pressing matters awaiting them. They need to return to the arena as soon as possible. Elvira tells her friends that she will be able to teleport them into the cellar now. Now that she has been in the fighting pit, by using spatial deduction, she can calculate where the underground level should be. Once everyone is healed and buffed, Puk climbs into the bag of holding, Elvira cast invisibility sphere on everyone else and transports the party to the catacombs beneath the Kendall arena.

Puk sees dim light shine through the hole that he just crept through to get into Elvira’s bag of holding. As he crawls back out, he feels the enchantress’s hand on his, but he cannot see her. “Here, hide between these sacks of grain and hay bales”, she whispers. “We’re not alone here, let’s watch and listen first” The halfling easily blends in with the supplies and hears a voice from behind the corner. Peeking around the bend Puk spots a half-orc and some dwarves. While the half-orc looks tough and dangerous, the dwarves do not appear to be armed or armored. The brute’s tusks stick out from his bottom jaw, but do not impede his speech. “Things seem to have cooled down up there. Too bad those gals didn’t make it … ‘t would have been nice to know who attacked us”, the half-orc groans.

“So, that’s what you got us out of bed for? Intruders who aren’t even strong enough to breach the first line of defense?” a voice with a heavy Chelish accent replies from the other end of the hall, speaking to the half-orc through the barred-off mid-section of the room. Snooping around the other corner, Puk notices four of the gladiators who arrived in Korvosa a few days ago. The man speaking is Maxor, the lauded champion from Cheliax. At his side are a muscular Shoanti with an enormous hammer, one of the lean bugbear twins and the towering ettin, carrying not one but two clubs.

“I told you, you shouldn’t have gone to bed to begin with! With the rebels in our cages we have to be on the lookout for any attempts to free them.”

“Well, I’m here now, aren’t I? Bored as hell too, I can tell you. I’m going to turn back in, I need my beauty sleep if I want to kill these traitors tomorrow”, the gladiator shouts backs, drawing his burning short sword across the bars of the prison door behind him. Panicked voices cry out from within the cell, but the fighter only laughs at them: “Har, har, say your prayers tonight, you fools, for tomorrow you will BLEED, tomorrow you will DIE!”

“There they are, stand back”, the half-orc orders the dwarves. “J.N., bring them down!” Puk cannot make out who handles the lifts, but he hears heavy footfalls as a chain is pulled taut and starts clinking loudly. The far lift comes down, carrying three of the four girallons, all wounded to some degree. “Off you go, into your cell with you!” the half-orc barks, as he goads the three big apes to an iron cell door past Puk and his friends. Inside are even more white-haired gorillas, one of which looks even more gigantic than the rest. Elvira wonders if this is the girallon version of a silverback. As the beast master closes the cage door, the gladiators have walked up from the other side, now enclosing the invisible party members and their hiding halfling scout from both sides.

“Do you already know who is going first tomorrow?” Maxor inquires. “I reckon the beasts will start and we will follow.”

“I guess so, that is the normal procedure”, the half-orc grunts back. “You’ll probably be last, saving the best for last and all …”

“I wonder if any of these rebels can offer any real resistance. There’s no glory in chopping down fools who cannot fight. Maybe that rebel leader … what’s his face?”

“Illrem Bromathan. Used to be an officer in the Sable Company.”

“Yeah, him, or that Pharasman priestess, ‘the bear’, is that what they call her?”

“D’Bear, but they have her holed up somewhere else. I’m not sure if the queen wants her gutted in the arena yet. She might have different plans for this one.”

Realizing that he cannot keep quiet in his full plate armor any longer, Sjo motions for his friends to get ready. Being veiled in the same invisibility spell, they can see him giving the sign. Only Puk can’t, but Elvira taps him on the shoulder to warn him. It’s time to act.

Sjo opens the hostilities with a mighty fireball that explodes over the gladiators. At the same time Balian and Puk charge forward, blades first, and Elvira mumbles the words of a haste spell. Within a matter of seconds the ranger and rogue dispatch of the Chelaxian and Shoanti, savaging them with vicious flashes of their blades. Disemboweled the two arena legends drop to the floor, before the fight has even begun. Puk and Sjo surround half-orc, but Elvira catches him in her wiles with charm monster. The beast master is conflicted, his allies are being overrun by intruders, clearly rebel friends, but the person he trusts most, this gogeous blond-haired caster, tells him not to interfere. He obeys her request for now, relieved to learn that the dog and fireball-wielding knight do not press their attacks either. Still, he remains very wary and questions Elvira’s soundness of mind. The bugbear, seeing how fast his powerful brothers-in-arms went down, choses the safest option and runs for it, but before he makes it to the end of the hall, Sjo freezes him in place with a hold person.

Balian and Puk now surround the ettin who tries to pound them with his dual flails, but misses them both. Next thing he knows is that the human and the halfling slash away at him like whirlwinds. As blood spills from several arteries, he drops to the floor, his twin faces staring at each other in sheer disbelief. From the barred window of the last prison cell door, a belt lashes out at the frozen bugbear, pulling him close. An arm slips around his throat, choking him: Illrem Bromathan is doing what he can to help. Balian runs up and simply guts the unfortunate gladiator with one thrust. On the other side of the hall, the dwarves sink back in fear, calling for J.N. to protect them. At their call, an iron golem steps in front of them, shielding them from the party. “We urh … mean you no harm”, the dwarves stutter. “We just work here, making sure the place doesn’t sink back into the ground. We’re engineers … fr...fr…from Janderhoff, not from around here. We couldn’t care less about Korvosan politics. Take those prisoners if you want to, we have no beef with you.”

“We understand,” Sjo replies. “We’re friends with your king … lord … whatever you call your ruler in Janderhoff. We will honor the contracts with your people. We are no threat to you.”

As the half-Shoanti lets his voice ring through the hall, someone calls out for him from inside the first prison with rebels. “Sjo? Is that you? Sjo?” Recognizing the voice of his fiancée immediately, the healer rushes to the cell. “Larella? I’m here!”

Meanwhile Elvira glances at her new half-orc BFF. What to do with a friend that is an enemy of your allies?


I included some extra pictures of the arena on my Deviantart page, showing the catacombs before the rebels were brought there, and the above-ground structure as it would look when spectators arrive.


Once again, a highly entertaining post, Mr. Vergee. So, are we approaching the conclusion of this AP? I remember that you've skipped Adventure 5 completely, right?


We are defintely getting closer. With my players taking the initiative on several matters, the scenario has turned into somewhat of a sandbox, leaving me guessing what they were going to do next, but also making it quite interesting.

So the end is certainly sneaking closer, but I have no idea how long it will still take. I have another sidetrek planned, an excellent Crystal Frasier adventure that fits into our campaign perfectly. The length of this will depend on how the PCs solve most of the encounters, by fighting or talking. The second option is usually more fun and shorter in game time, since combats do seem to drag out a bit. Still, with my players being fans of diplomacy, we might go down that road quite often.

Our next session is on the 26th of December, a special double session (afternoon and evening), that will exceptionally take place at my home for once. I'm hoping to get a lot done in those hours.

Only two weeks ago I was still confident that the new Pathfinder Battles Crown of Fangs line would arrive in time for our final encounter with Ileosa. Now I'm not so sure anymore.


We had a double session earlier this week, plunging into the fantastic adventure The Harrowing. It was a blast! I really love this scenario. It took me two days just to write out the journal, though. So, here it is. Enjoy!


Level up: level 11

Elvira keeps struggling with Akron, the half-orc beastmaster who is under her charm spell, finding it hard to convince him to lend his support to the ‘treacherous’ rebels. In the end she just convinces him to hand over the keys and stay out of the way, if he wants to survive the night. In the meantime, Sjo releases the prisoners, while Balian and Puk plunder the defeated gladiators. They find two powerful magical belts that are useful to the party. They also discover a freshly printed flyer, announcing the spectacular execution of the rebels in the arena, for all of Korvosa to see.

After Sjo has cradled his fiancée in his arms for a few comforting heartbeats, she pulls out of his embrace, her face painted with distress. “I don’t know how to tell you, my love … the attacks … it was Quint.”

“That’s what I feared,” Sjo whispers, “they must have forced him to talk, tortured him ...”

“No, you don’t understand, he didn’t just tell the Gray Maidens where to find the rebels and their sympathizers, he was actually there, leading them … including some of those assassins in crimson masks.”

“Leading them, you say? But, how can that be possible?”

“I don’t know, but he looked different … evil.”

“Hmm,” Sjo muses, “what was that devil called again that was part of Ileosa’s entourage? The ‘belier’ devil?”

“Yes,” Elvira chimes in, “the bdellavrtitra specialize in taking possession of host bodies, using them to further their own vicious plans. If this creature has taken over your friend, I fear we may have lost him forever.”

Sjo curses under his breath. Every move Ileosa makes serves to further ignite his anger. The big man cannot wait to rid the world of this evil she-devil. As his wrath flares up, so does the deck of Harrow cards in his pocket. Elvira sees the magic radiate with a flash of light inside Sjo’s clothes for the briefest of moments. The healer pulls out the deck and studies it: this time the Hidden Truth rests above, right on top of Elvira’s token card, which is upside-down again.

“What do you think, Elvira,” the big man wonders, “is this a message, perhaps? Is Zellara trying to tell us something?”

“Hmmff,” El sighs, “I don’t understand this divination crap either. It’s a bunch of hocus-pocus, even if I – a wizard – do say so myself. I mean … what can it be? The hidden truth? Such typical divinonsense, wanting to say something without saying anything at all. Or saying something that can be interpreted in a zillion different ways … how convenient! The hidden truth? That can be just about anything. I’m sure that in hindsight every fortune-teller will be able to pinpoint the exact event that it referred to. The problem is with being able to tell before the event. I have yet to find the first diviner who can do that.”

“So I guess that means ‘no’?” Sjo frowns. “You don’t know what it is about? Thanks for your … interesting insight.”

“Well, I just think we should focus on the matter at hand. How do we get these people out of here safely? Do you even know how many of them are here?”

“There are about fifty of us”, Larella states.

Looking through the ranks of haggard prisoners, Balian and Sjo see some familiar faces: Illrem Bromathan, the rebel leader, Aaron Endrin, his righthand man, and Grau Soldado, the former sergeant in the Korvosan Guard whose niece Brienna the party saved from the plague. There are a number of Pharasman priests as well, including the brothers Jasan and Aldrick, and Larella’s apprentice and cousin, Fayne. Tenna, the owner of the B&B, is among the prisoners too, as is trader and aspiring actor Diederik Lodann. There is no sign of Vencarlo Orisini, however, nor of Keppira d’Bear, field marshal Kroft or any of the Leroung nobles. Illrem Bromathan cannot tell whether they survived the assault, and – if they did – whether they are in another jail cell or in hiding somewhere. He worries about them, but right now, he worries even more about getting out of here. He realizes that it will not be easy to smuggle over four dozen people out of the arena unseen.

Puk and Balian suggest exploring the tunnels under the arena. There might be a way out that no one knows about. Sjo heads to the room with the dwarven engineers to get more information. One of them leads him to the ‘ledge’, a walkway that hangs over the sinkhole. A huge pit gapes into the deep. An intricate construction of stone and metal arches supports and reinforces the rift and off to the south a set of stairs leads down into the darkness.

“What’s down there?” Balian asks, peering over the edge. “Any tunnels, perchance?”

“Indeed, sir, there be tunnels under us”, the dwarf nods. “The ground here gave way two centuries ago because of big burrowing insects. Ankhegs, we call ‘m. Some of them tunnels are still here. ‘T was the famous bard Kendall and her fellows who cleared them out, before we dwarves came from Janderhoff to stabilize the ground and build the arena. Though the monsters were defeated, we took no chances and bricked up the entrance to the warren.”

“Right, and that’s where the stairs lead to?”

“It is, and then they go further down, to the bottom.”

‘Anything at the bottom?”

“Nothing, sir, just water … and sewage. We use this ledge to get rid of our refuse.”

“So, that explains the stench”, Sjo grimaces, sneaking a look over the edge as well. Wherever the bottom is, it is beyond the healer’s limited 60 feet of vision. As he leans over, the Harrow deck flares up again in his pocket. Elvira prompts Sjo to take it out. This time her token card is on top, the wanderer. She motions for the healer to hand her the cards. As she touches them, Elvira feels the deck draw at her powers. Her permanent detect magic wavers for a second. Is the deck thirsty for magic? Should she try and feed it a spell?

Holding the cards in one hand, El clenches the other one into a fist and bangs her knuckles on the deck: “Knock!” The energy she unleashes is immediately absorbed, after which the cards start vibrating between her fingers. As she loosens her grip, first one, then two and then all the cards tear out of her grasp and start swirling around in the air wildly. The tempestuous twirl flashes with energy and draws in gusts of air, creating stronger and stronger torrents, until the gale turns into a howling vortex. The pull of the whirlwind starts dragging the people in front of it closer. Elvira calls out: “A portal! Quickly, gather the rebels. This could be our way out of here … Let’s just hope this gateway doesn’t close too soooooooon!” The next moment the wizardess is sucked into the eye of the storm, followed by the dwarven engineer, Puk, Spyder and Balian. Sjo, whose heavy armor offers him more grip on the floor, pushes back to the animal pens and shouts for the rebels to hurry along. There is a magical way out!

Clinging to the wall, the half-Shoanti cheers everyone on, watching one rebel after the other being swallowed by the vortex. When everyone has gone in, he jumps in after them. As he tumbles through the whirling storm in endless spins, the healer is happy no one can actually see him. He imagines it is a silly sight, a tall and burly man in full plate armor being tossed around like a ragdoll. All of a sudden the winds seem to slow down, now more carrying him than throwing him about, and finally rolling him out on what feels like grass and earth. All around him harrow cards rain down, as the vortex over his head closes. With his darkvision he can make out that everyone made it here safely.

Sjo struggles to his feet. “Is everyone alright?” “I hope we are, my friend”, Balian says, offering a hand. “I know you can’t see that far, but there is something wrong with the sky here.”

“What do you mean?” Sjo inquires, while he starts gathering the scattered Harrow cards.

“Well, the moon … it has a face.”

“It has been a long time since I could see like a normal person, before that vile bastard Yargin burned out my eyes with acid. But I remember that the moon always looked a bit like a face.”

“Yeah, you’re right. But this one has an actual nose … and lips … and an eye.”

“It has an eye?”

“It does, but don’t worry, it’s not watching us. The eye is shut. The moon is … sleeping, I guess.”

“You’re kidding me, right?”

“Wish I were, I tell you, this moon is … painted in the sky, literally. And another thing, apart from six stars in front of the crescent moon’s face, the firmament is completely black.”

“Strange …”

“Unnatural, that’s what it is. By the way, look at this forest.”

“What about it?”

“Well, you have these trees with all these bushes growing underneath, but there is grass too.”

“Yes? Forest, nature, tree, bushes, grass … Seems to fit the picture.”

“No, there’s too much grass. The trees and the undergrowth block out the sun. It should be very hard for anything to grow on ground level. It all feels … artificial.” Next Balian flies up, above the trees, to catch a glimpse of the area. For as far as he can see in the dark, the forest seems to stretch out in every direction. There is one source of light in the distance, in the middle of the forest, perhaps a mile away.

Despite the strange surroundings, the arrival point seems to be safe. The exhausted rebels and their saviors decide not to risk anything and set up camp here. They even appoint some sentries, who see the night pass uneventful.

When morning breaks, it does so with the screeching of metal against metal. The moon, which hasn’t moved all night, suddenly winds out of the sky in a quarter arc to the left, while from the right the sun rises with matching speed, rotating up to the exact position of the moon. Now the artificial character of these heavenly bodies become abundantly clear. The sun is a painted face as well and stands on top of a massive mechanical arm against the horizon. The sky reveals itself as a truly humongous dome, painted in a fading blue hue. It looks like the refugees have ended up in a theater set of nearly boundless dimensions.

Since they have only put in between four and five hours of sleep, the companions catch a few extra hours of rest, before they call a meeting with the most competent people in their charge. Being an accomplished priest of Pharasma, brother Jasan will be able to create food and water for everyone. Armed with some of the party’s spare loot, Illrem Bromathan, Grau Soldado, brother Aldrick, Aaron Endrin and Larella can provide protection, so the refugees will remain in the camp, while the heroes scout this strange dimension, looking for a way home.


Trekking through the woods is not easy. The ground is overgrown with thorny briar, making it a chore to make any progress, definitely for Elvira, whose robes get caught constantly and are quickly shredded beyond recognition below the knee. Mending helps, but only serves to slow her again, restoring her skirt to maximum obstructing capacity. Balian takes to the air once more and spots the source of the lights he noticed last night: a large, colorful tent that protrudes from the trees.

“It’s that way,” Balian tells his friends, “perhaps another half mile.”

“Sshht, be quiet,” Elvira whispers. “There is something ahead of us … right there.” Peering through the brush the party notices a gnome sitting on a rock, stuck with his nose in a book. He does not notice the approaching companions until they are right in his face.

“Oh, blimey, a thousand apologies. I didn’t notice you there.”

“Good day, kind sir,” Elvira replies. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Elvira Campert.”

“Yes, of course you are … I wonder … have I read about you in my book?” The gnome turns his attention to his pages and resumes reading. Glancing over his shoulder, Elvira sees random letters filling the lines, but none of the many languages she masters is written there. As a matter of fact, the totally fickle combination of letters teaches her that this isn’t a comprehensible language at all.

“And my name is Sjo,” the big healer coughs, “who might you be?”

“Oh, yes, sorry, I got distracted. I’m Aliteon.”

“You look almost familiar, kind sir”, Sjo muses. His hand caresses the pocket in which he holds his Harrow deck. He pulls it out and starts leafing through it. “Here,” he nods to Elvira, showing her The Hidden Truth, “our friend Aliteon looks just like the gnome in this picture … I wonder … Pray tell, magister Aliteon, do you know where we are?”

“Where we are? Well, we’re in the forest, obviously.”

“But in which … forest … or country … or even world?”

“Oh, I think that answer might be in my book, if you allow me, sir … I think it’s right here … yes …” Again he thumbs through the pages. “Well, if only … yes, here … oh no … wait.” He flips some more pages over. “Yes, yes, hmmm, aah, no, that’s not it.” Once more the small scholar is totally absorbed by his book.

“Why is the gnome from the Harrow card here in person? What if I …?” Sjo slaps the card gently with his palm. Elvira watches the gnome closely, who seems to ease into a less chaotic examination of his tome. Her gaze glides over the pages again. The letters shift into sensible writing. “Would you mind if I read a bit?” she asks.

“Oh, of course, here you are, milady.”

Elvira reads the text out loud. The book tells the story of the charming Varisian bard Sonnorae Imlios, who lived in Korvosa in 4520 AR, a little under two centuries ago. Just like her mother and her grandmother before her, Sonnorae dedicated her life to reading other people’s fortune with a Harrow deck. As she grew older, the fortune-teller started to worry. The Imlios line had dwindled down to her, a single, childless bard, who feared that her family’s hoarded knowledge would be lost with her inevitable death.

The need to ensure her legacy became an obsession and Sonnorae kept searching until a fantastic, albeit insane idea sprouted in her head. And so the charming bard began an exorbitant project: she sheared off a corner of the malleable Dimension of Dreams and crafted her own demiplane in which she stored the treasured tales of the Harrow. She named this plane the Harrowed Realm and anchored it to her personal soothsaying deck. The landscape and creatures she crafted reflected the cards she used to foretell the future. Still, taking on physical form did not free these creatures from the constraints of their individual stories, forcing them to forever repeat the same actions and struggling perpetually to complete their personal story.

Sonnorae planned to retreat into the Harrowed Realm and spend eternity at the side of her creations. This way she hoped to inspire future fortune-tellers who would use her deck and keep her knowledge and legacy alive. But she ignored the fact that her ‘puppets’ ached to be as real as their creator. And so it happened that the blue dragon Zavon, who called himself the Great Kah and who was a reflection of the tyrant card, sought out the most powerful of the Harrowed creatures and conspired with them to overthrow their maker, murder her and devour a part of her body. Each of them also claimed one of the coins that hung from her kapenia, the colorful scarf she wore around her head, which had eight coins dangling on her forehead. Through their betrayal, the conspirators gained power and a certain amount of free will, but still they remained trapped in the web of the Harrowed Realm, forced to relive the same destiny over and over.

Aliteon looks as if enlightened. “But of course, Sonnorae’s Harrowed Realm! How I pity the destiny of those poor Harrow creatures, cursed to rake up the same tale forever more. Now I see … the eight blood coins! Bring those together and you’ll be able to leave the Realm. The conspirators keep the blood coins as trophies, not realizing that they have held the key to leave all along. They are too blind to see it! Haha, the irony! And these cards you have. Is it possible that the very Harrow deck to which this realm is bound is now inside it? It looks like these cards have special powers in here, play them at the right time and they will benefit you greatly! Yes, if you want to get out, you’ll need to collect the eight blood coins. That is the truth that is hidden! The truth even the conspirators haven’t figured out yet!”

The gnome takes his book back and starts reading: “And so the charming Sonnorae braved the crumbling towers of her age, gobbling up the most fantastic tales lest they be forever lost. Then into her secret hold she went, to keep them safe forever more. But careless was charming Sonnorae, and once behind her, the door did close. Trapped forever and a day, she stumbled from genius into madness and back again, living betwixt her beloved tales that she had given mouths so they might speak and legs that they might walk. But being of wax, not flesh, they were half-formed and imperfect. And as such some of them were filled with hate …” The gnome flips forward. “How interesting, I finally understand. Just let me look here. Yes, here it is … no, wait, maybe just a little further … yes, yes … hmmm.” Elvira sees the letters on the page get scrambled again, returning the book to nonsense. “I think we’ve learned all we can from this little man. I thank you, Aliteon. I guess we don’t have to ask you to keep quiet about this.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there”, the gnome says, staring at Elvira as if he’s never laid eyes on her before.

“Never mind, sir, we don’t want to interrupt your study, we’ll be on our way. Good day!”

As they walk off, Sjo tries to make sense of the Harrowed Realm’s history. So, this bard Sonnorae used to live in Korvosa as well. Being an ‘artist’, she must have been susceptible to Kazavon’s influence, like so many mad but inspired artists over the years. That would certainly explain why she came up with such a crazed idea as to build her own fairytale land. It would also clarify why the blue dragon fancied himself Kah Zavon – Kazavon – and why he was the one to betray the bard in the end.


The party continues its trek to the tent. Through the trees they finally see an enormous circus tent in red and white stripes. Abandoned worn wagons and smaller tents are scattered around it. In front of the yawning entry four birdmen with ravenlike beaks have surrounded a frail and clumsy man with a bandage around his head. “Give us your money!” they croak, brandishing their swords.

Sjo pulls out the card of the Crows, but sees how the tengus cut into the man’s flesh, bringing him to the edge of death. Elvira captures the birdmen in a confusion, leaving the only tengu who resisted her magic to Spyder and Balian. Sjo rushes forward as well, laying his hands on the dying stranger. Two of the confused tengus turn on each other, but the third one decides to make a target out of the kneeling healer. His swords rebound of the Shoanti’s full plate, leaving barely a scratch. Spyder jumps in the creature’s back, biting him three times in a row in a display of leaps and barks, making feathers fly everywhere. Balian is less graphic about it, taking the raven rogue out with one fell swipe.

Elvira kneels at the fallen tengu’s side and starts examining his corpse. The two remaining birdmen keep attacking each other until one of them remains, badly wounded, only to be finished off by more weapons than he ever cared to face.

“Have a look at this”, Elvira calls out in surprise. “Even though they bleed, these tengus are actually made of … wax. Sonnorae’s story about crafting this world … looks like it’s true.”

Sjo helps up the wounded man, whose name is Biyo Venna. He has run away from the Striding Fortress, where the Kah rules. He was being kept there against his will, forced to work in the kitchen. He also knows that there was another person in the fortress’s prison cells, a black-haired lady. When Sjo asks him if her name was Zellara, he cannot say; he never learned her name. Biyo is looking for the Prophet’s Garden, where he hopes to be safe in the unicorn’s care. He was just asking these raven creatures for directions when they attacked him, so he is grateful to the heroes for rescuing him. Sjo shuffles through his Harrow deck and pulls out The Survivor card, which depicts a wounded person that looks like Biyo. It seems to have an effect, because now Biyo suddenly remembers where to find the garden. He generously offers to lead the heroes there, but he refuses to enter the circus tent, afraid he will run into more trouble, so he waits outside for the party to complete their business in there.

The companions step into the tent, where they see the bleachers filled to the brim with spectators. The only one who seems to have any personal space is a large ettin in the corner, who is having a great time, rolling on the benches laughing. In the ring a giant is juggling rocks, while four bears perform tricks around him: one of them rides on the back of another one, the third one makes somersaults, and the fourth spins along on a unicycle. At the far end of the tent stands a kiosk-like structure that is completely covered in curtains.

Despite the wonderful display in the center, the audience looks quite bored. Everyone but the ettin, that is. One of the brute’s heads shouts out as the party walks in: “There, Rogg, new balls for your act. Why don’t you throw those newcomers around for a bit?” “Yes, Rogg,” his second head continues, “give us a show with living balls! Go Rogg!” The spectators pick up the chant: “Rogg! Rogg! Rogg!” The bears now walk up to the party, growling. Balian slips off his cloak and sidesteps the first two bear attacks like a toreador. Elvira is quickly looking through the Harrow cards and pulls out the Joke, the Juggler and the Bear. Sjo runs up to the juggling giant, calling out: “Give me a lift!” Rogg leans back in surprise as the heavily armored man charges him, but Sjo summons his fiery wings at the last moment, setting himself off against the giant’s knee, then soaring into the air. Elvira conjures up dancing lights and Puk starts juggling his blades with amazing speed. The audience oohs and aahs in awe.

Elvira seizes the opportunity to ask them if they know of any ‘wicked’ beings. “Yes!” they chant in unison. Riding the mood, Elvira points to the curtained kiosk: “Is he in there?” The spectators cheer out a “Yes” as if speaking through one mouth. Next she hears the clapping of a pair of hands come from behind the velvet drapes. A strange creature with the head of a crocodile pulls back the curtain, his large maw curled into something that could be interpreted as a smile. The impeccably dressed creature sips daintily from a silver cup, nods gently and sits down on the back of a man who is crouched on the floor. “I complement you on an entertaining performance”, he flatters. “My name is Bernaditi, I am the ringmaster of this lovely little circus.” Elvira quickly retrieves the Rakshasa card from the deck, recognizing this bipedal crocodile for the treacherous creature he is by the awkward position of his hands. “Please, can I offer you anything to drink?” he asks, inviting the party over to his podium.

“We are looking for blood coins”, Elvira cuts right to the chase. “Do you have one?”

“I do or I don’t. Who can tell.”

“Well, if you do, you’re going to hand it over freely”, Sjo tries.

The crocodile chuckles. “You want me to give you something for free? Well, I feel a little challenge coming up. A battle of wits, if you will. If you can trap me in a contradiction, I’ll hand over my coin. If you can’t …” he smiles, pointing at his human ‘seat’, “I have been looking for a new chair, one of you will take this poor sod’s place.”

“How does this challenge work?” Elvira inquires.

“You can ask me five questions. Catch me in a contradiction, and you win. Don’t, and you’re on sofa duty.”

“You have a deal, ringmaster. Do we get a moment to confer?”

“Take your time, I don’t want to pressure you into stupid queries.”

Elvira takes her friend apart, but quickly finds that their brain is not the best source for this conundrum, seeing how she is actually smarter than the three of them combined. Digging through her own memories she finally comes up with this question: “Suppose that you are able to forge an arrow that will shoot through any object and a shield that will block anything that comes at it, what will happen when you fire the arrow at the shield?”

“Well, my dear, I’m not much of an archer, I would just miss the shield altogether.”

“So, when will the arrow stop, when it hits the ground?

“Of course not, it will go right through.”

“So, when will it stop?”

“When it has lost its velocity.”

“But isn’t it the resistance of the air that causes the arrow to lose its speed? If it can cut through anything, it can certainly cut through air, can’t it?”

“Well, I guess you are right, you caught me in a mistake there, little lady.”

“So I won?”

“Yes, you did, my dear.”

“And the coin?”

The rakshasa sniffs, brings his cup to his mouth and drinks slowly. After his sip, he moves about his jaws as if chewing on something. He brings his hands to his tongue and pushes out a coin. “There you are, darling. One blood coin, all yours.”

“Thank you”, Elvira mutters as she eyes the gift closely. It is a gold coin with a little hole in the top curve. It displays a ship on one side, identifying it as a Korvosan gold sail, the backside commemorates the city’s 100th anniversary, placing the gold piece in the correct timeframe to have belonged to the bard Sonnorae.


Outside of the tent Biyo is still waiting for the companions. He is happy to see them again, unharmed, and leads them into the forest, sun in their backs, in the direction of the Prophet’s garden, he claims. The thorny bushes still impede movement, but when Elvira digs up the Tangled Briar card, she finds she can move through the undergrowth more easily.

Biyo reveals more about the Striding Fortress. The giant construction walks around on huge metal legs and is notoriously difficult to find, because it changes position all the time. It is guarded by more than a blue dragon. There are three beautiful devil women, a fire and water spirit and a mean gnome with ogre pets. The creepiest being – apart from the Kah – in Biyo’s eyes, is the grim bishop and his acolytes. Sjo and Elvira commit this information to memory and already try to match Harrow cards to the keep’s residents.

After about an hour and a half, the party picks up an irritated voice from somewhere ahead: “Leave me alone, I tell you! Just stay here, already! I’m sick and tired of you following me all the time!” Suddenly the dense bushes give way to a clearing, with an adorable little cottage against the trees. A rabbit in a noble’s outfit and a crown on his brow seems to be locked in a heated discussion with … the house. “Begone,” he shouts, “begone and mewl at me heel no longer, you stupid … mewling … heel-thing! I have greater destinies than to play your nursemaid!”

“Excuse us, sir, might we ask you a few questions?” Elvira says as she enters the clearing.

Upon noticing the visitors, the rabbit startles, then he zaps away, out of view. Some sort of teleportation magic! The next moment the clearing and the house are gone as well, leaving the party between the trees again. A new clearing appears some fifty yards down the forest. “You stupid house! How can I hide if you always betray me whereabouts?”

Elvira leads her friends to the new clearing. “We mean you no harm, good sir, allow me to introduce my company. My name is Elvira and these fine men are Balian, Sjo, Puk and Biyo. Oh, and the dog’s name is Spyder.”

Now the rabbit takes a bow: “My name is Bramsen, the rabbit prince, it’s a pleasure to meet you, milady Elvira.”

“Oh my dear, a prince, no less. The pleasure is all mine, your highness.” Elvira curtseys. “If you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing in the middle of the forest?”

“Well, as you can see, I’m having a rough time getting rid of my humble abode. But among my people I am a hero, so I want to see the world and do great deeds, slay tyrants and dragons!”

“What a coincidence, we’re on our way to face a dragon ourselves. Have you heard of Kah Zavon?”

“The great Kah, the tyrant of the Realm? Then you must be great heroes as well. I would love to join you, but my house won’t let me leave.”

“Have you ever taken your house beyond the forest?”

“These woods are vast, I have yet to find a way out. So no, I haven’t. But I want to go even farther, beyond this realm and into the real world, there I could give full vent to my wanderlust.”

“Ah, so you know that this is just a small subdimension? We are actually from the real world ourselves”, Elvira remarks, realizing that the only Harrow creatures who possess knowledge beyond their own little tale, are the conspirators who slew Sonnorae.

“That sounds mighty interesting. Still, leaving is not an option right now, I’m still working on that. However, if you are heroes, you might still be able to satisfy a bit of my maddening hunger for heroics. What do you say to an honor duel?”

“An honor duel, does that mean that no one dies?” Sjo wonders.

“We fight until one of us surrenders.”

“Great, and what would we be fighting for?” the healer asks. “You wouldn’t happen to have a coin with a hole in it?” Elvira wonders.

“Oh, you mean like this one?” From his pocket the rabbit prince digs up a blood coin.

“Yes, exactly. I’d like to offer a coin as well” Balian takes out a normal gold sail from Korvosa and shows it to Bramsen. “We fight an honor duel for a coin. You against me, man-to-ma… err … rabbit.”

“You got yourself a duel, warrior!” Bramsen pulls out his sword, which only has half a blade.

“Your sword?” Balian marvels, “it’s broken.”

“It is, but since I’m such a big hero, it doesn’t matter. It will just even the odds. En garde!” The rabbit sprints forward, darting around Balian and cutting him twice, before hurrying off to the edge of the clearing. Balian realizes that this rabbit is incredibly fast and readies to strike when he attacks him again. His tactics fail miserably when Bramsen casts greater invisibility and starts slicing away at the ranger unseen, one cut at a time. Balian has no clue how to win this battle and decides to hack into Bramsen’s cottage instead. “Great idea!” the rabbit shouts, out of thin air. “That might be the way for me to get out, go ahead and destroy my house!” Still the buck prince does not stop his own attacks and keeps wounding Balian.

“Just try hitting him!” Sjo shouts. “when he attacks you, strike back, even when you don’t see him. You might still get him!”

The ranger takes Sjo’s advice and readies for when Bramsen makes his next pass. When he gets stung again, Balian retaliates with full force, feeling his greatsword connect with his unseen opponent. The ranger continues this new ploy and since fortune favors the bold, his blind hits strike true every time. Still, the accumulated damage proves too much, and Balian’s health gives out first. He drops to the ground, unconscious.

Bramsen reappears: “Is there anyone here who can save this brave warrior’s life? He owes me a coin”, the rabbit beams. Sjo sees that prince’s wounds are already closing by themselves. He nurses Balian back to full health, while Elvira hands Bramsen the money, but also asks for his coin in return. “You got your honorable fight, didn’t you? That was the deal, a duel for a coin.”

“No, no, milady, that is not how duels work. The winner takes all.”

Elvira rolls her eyes and decides to resort to charm monster, but despite the creature’s weakness to charm effects, she has to cast it twice for it to work. This time the rabbit agrees, he got his honor duel, so the companions get his coin, certainly when Elvira explains that they need it to return to the real world, and when they do, they won’t forget their friends, she winks.

As the party leaves, the friendly rabbit wishes them well. “Fare thee well, noble heroes, and don’t be strangers!”

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