The Blakros Museum rises into the night sky, its single black spire severing the full moon in twain. The black iron gates surrounding the exhibition hall grind in protest against the wind. Beyond, the museum’s large oaken doors stand wide open, a silver-gray mist belching forth from the cavernous darkness within. You wonder how you ended up here, standing at the precipice of unknown terrors, and instantly VentureCaptain Adril Hestram’s wide looming face is conjured into
your minds’ eye. His booming words ring out from memory as
clearly as he spoke them only one hour ago:
"The Blakros Museum is cursed. Some darkness has descended upon the place and those who enter are blasted with evil and left raving through its halls, more beast than men. The curator, Nigel Aldain, is an old associate of the Society, though he chose to leave our organization some years back after a disagreement."
Adril looked sheepish then, as if remembering some distasteful incident from his youth.
"Nigel has long denied the Society access to the Blakros Museum’s considerable collection of relics and scrolls, using his extensive contacts to nab several excellent finds right out from under us... he always had a nose for the hunt. Whatever is past between Nigel and the Society, he needs our help now. Perhaps if we can come to his aid, he may think on rejoining the Pathfinder Society, or at least offering to share his discoveries with us. Apparently the trouble at Blakros Museum began this morning, shortly after a wayward Pathfinder named Lugizar
Trantos returned to Absalom after months spent in the Mwangi Expanse. Supposedly, instead of coming straight to the Lodge to report in, he went to Blakros, sold his finds to Nigel, and then disappeared with a hefty sum of gold. The few who glimpsed Lugizar claimed he was much changed by his time in the Mwangi... gaunt, his eyes yellowed and unfocused, a strange rasping cough that seemed to wrack his now wasted
frame. Whatever he brought back with him, we believe it is the cause of the Blakros Museum’s ills. Root it out."
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The Varisian man seems to wear a constant smirk. He introduced himself at the meeting with Hestram as Greydrake. Now he stands with black leathers and a pair of drawn kukris looking at the mists seeping out of the museum. "Rather ominous, no? Quite a mess our man Lugizar has left for us. You all ready to see what's going on in there?"
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When the Wayang adventurer stands in a well-lit room, he sticks out like a sore thumb. Even in the cosmopolitan city of Absalom his oddly proportioned limbs marred by alien patterns of ritual scarification mark him as different, even freakish. He made an effort to conduct himself according to the social niceties of the Inner Sea region, obviously aware of his off-putting appearance, but good manners couldn't quite overcome his unsettling first impression.
Here, though, in the wild hour of the night, that sense of wrongness has vanished. Kutukan is in his element as he studies the entrance to the museum with an almost nostalgic look in his eyes.
"Feels like home."
The Venture Captain gave you a folded map of the museum.
Much of the Mwangi’s darkest interior is ruled by a demon lord named Angazhan, who is described in an ancient text as a thing of primordial darkness, a foulbreathed demon who grunts prophecies of blood to apes and madmen. The jungle is his beating heart.
Much of the Mwangi’s darkest interior is ruled by a demon lord named Angazhan, who is described in an ancient text as a thing of primordial darkness, a foulbreathed demon who grunts prophecies of blood to apes and madmen. The jungle is his beating heart. The Gorilla King’s dread city was founded hundreds of years past by cultists who bowed to Angazhan. It is said they captured the souls of monkeys in the wood-grains of strange idols called Tik Taan. The monkeys’ tormented
spirits became the slaves and playthings of Angazhan, who murdered their playful whims and replaced them with a deep-seated hate and wild madness. These Tik Taan are rumored to shred the sanity of anyone who spends too
long in their presence.
Much of the Mwangi’s darkest interior is ruled by a demon lord named Angazhan, who is described in an ancient text as a thing of primordial darkness, a foulbreathed demon who grunts prophecies of blood to apes
and madmen. The jungle is his beating heart.
The Gorilla King’s dread city was founded hundreds of years past by cultists who bowed to Angazhan. It is said they captured the souls of monkeys in the wood-grains of strange idols called Tik Taan.
The monkeys’ tormented spirits became the slaves and playthings of Angazhan, who murdered their playful whims and replaced them with a deep-seated hate and wild madness. These Tik Taan are rumored to shred the sanity of anyone who spends too long in their presence. The cultists who created the Tik Taan were hunted by a brave tribe of the Mwangi called the Jambala Jaeg. The Jambala Jaeg created ritual knives, crafted out of bone handles and obsidian blades, to slay the demons inside the Tik Taan. Legends speak of the deadly mists of the Tik Taan, ill humors that invade men’s hearts by seeping into their mouths. Anyone wearing a scarf or other protection against the airborne menace is immune to its effects.
Lugizar Trantos spent the better part of a year in the Mwangi. At first he wrote letters to his brother and wife, but after a few months these stopped coming and most gave him up for dead.
Lugizar Trantos spent the better part of a year in the Mwangi. At first he wrote letters to his brother and wife, but after a few months these stopped coming and most gave him up for dead. His letters spoke of a lucrative find at one point, three idols of dark wood carved in the shape of bearded monkeys.
Lugizar Trantos spent the better part of a year in the Mwangi. At first he wrote letters to his brother and wife, but after a few months these stopped coming and most gave him up for dead. His letters spoke of a lucrative find at one point, three idols of dark wood carved in the shape of bearded monkeys. The last of his letters evidenced an unhinged mind, and was covered in strange sketches of monkey paws. He described dark eyes glaring out from the mists. Shortly after his return to Absalom, the monkeys and apes in the Absalom Menagerie attacked their keepers during a feeding and fled the grounds into greater Absalom.
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"Heard a few rumors about Lugizar back at the Lodge. He was in the Mwangi for nearly a year and wrote letters at first. One of the letters spoke of finding three idols of dark wood carved in the shape of bearded monkeys. Then they stopped. Everyone thought he was dead until word came that he was back in Absalom."
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"I always thought there was something off about Lugizar. Met him a few times and didn't care much for him... not that I care much for any of you. Don't care much for monkeys either."
Januzaj, as abrasive little gnome with a penchant for making things explode, stands bedecked in a leather tunic with numerous strings, doodads, bebobs, and vials of strange liquids jangling around. His small stature is more than compensated for by his large intellect and equally large ego.
"Let's get this show on the road!"
Being on the doorstep of the unknown, the only thing greetings you is eerie silence and the silvery mist.
Once inside, an unnatural cold permeates the entrance chamber and the tendrils of silver-gray mist flowing out the front archway into the courtyard beyond seem to effortlessly pierce the flesh and gently caress the bone in a cold embrace.
The grand entranceway’s vaulted ceiling is supported by six great pillars of hewn black stone.
Braziers mounted on the pillars cast white radiance from balls of continual light.
The light glimmers eerily in the silvery haze that fills the atrium, giving the impression of something alien watching from the glowing fog.
When the chamber narrows, there are doors both to your left and right.
Left is a plaque "Exhibit: The honored Dead".
Right is a plaque: "Exhibit: Hunting the Beasts of Legend".
The silence.......
Your Intelligence and Charisma are both reduced to 6, you gain a +2 to their Strength and Dexterity, you become immune to fear, you gain a +10 to Climb checks (and a climb speed of 20 feet), you gain a +5
to Jump, Hide, and Move Silently, and you also gain a slam attack (1d4 for Medium creatures).
Enjoy the rp. ;)
You open the door to the exhibit, it slightly creaking in neglected hinges.
The mists here congeal into a thick and silvery fog that cools the lungs.
A giant warrior looms from the haze, his arms crossed at his chest, his helm solemn and still.
Beyond lie sarcophagi of varied designs, and a few glass cases wherein withered dead are held upright by rods and string, grim exhibits of long-dead citizens whose fallen empires were erased an age past.
The warriors displayed are quite remarkable a sight.
Mummified remains, a skeleton of a warrior, a bandaged corpse and another skeleton of what must have been a bear of a man.
Three of you cautiously take in your surroundings, but no sounds are heard nor do shadows stir.
Not until you enter the center of the room.
It is then, that some of the glass display cases shatter, as 4 ancient warriors break out of their glass alcoves.
Januzaj & Greydrake
Quadiran Warlord
Kardiv & Kutukan
Kellid War Chief
Osirian Seer
Bronze Legionnaire
Bold are up.
Januzaj moves closer and throws a bomb at the mummified opponent.
His aim is slightly off and it lands east, but it still scorches the enemy.
Greydrake eyes the western skeletal figure and prepares to swings his kukris.
Quadiran Warlord moves from behind a sarcophagus in the east and attacks Januzaj.
Januzaj is hit for 4.
Kardiv & Kutukan
Kellid War Chief
Osirian Seer
Bronze Legionnaire
Bold are up.
Januzaj moves closer and throws a bomb at the mummified opponent.
His aim is slightly off and it lands east, but it still scorches the enemy.
Greydrake eyes the western skeletal figure and prepares to swings his kukris.
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Quadiran Warlord moves from behind a sarcophagus in the east and attacks Januzaj.
Januzaj gets hit for 4.
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Kardiv hits the skeletal warrior, but it deals less damage than expected.
Kutukan's turn
Kellid War Chief
Osirian Seer
Bronze Legionnaire
With Kutukan bursting in a frenzied cackling, something takes hold of the bones of the Quadiran Warlord.
The Kellid War Chief moves closer to Greydrake, who swings his kukri.
The blade connects, but it shows no harm.
The war Chief swings his greatclub in return.
, hitting Greydrake over the head.
The mouth of the seer opens, revealing a maw of razorsharp teeth and a devious hungry grin. He approaches Januzaj.
His claw thankfully misses.
The legionnaire shambles forth.
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Greydrake & Januzaj
Quadiran Warlord (-2)
Kardiv & Kutukan
Kellid War Chief
Osirian Seer (-6)
Zombie Legionnaire
Greydrake's 2nd swing strikes extra hard at the War Chief, several ribs come off, but it stands still.
Januzaj
Quadiran Warlord (-2)
Kardiv & Kutukan
Kellid War Chief
Osirian Seer (-6)
Zombie Legionnaire
Greydrake's 2nd swing strikes extra hard at the War Chief, several ribs come off, but it stands still.
Januzaj withdraws to a safer distance.
Quadiran Warlord (-2) turns its boney head following the escape of Januzaj. It focuses on Kradvig for now.
The swing hits the paladin across the chest.
Kardiv & Kutukan
Kellid War Chief
Osirian Seer (-6)
Zombie Legionnaire
The osirian is a ghoul.
Beware...
Kutukan throws another debuff on the skeleton.
Kardiv retaliates on the skeleton too, but deals minimal (1) dmg.
The Kellid War Chief raises his club again.
The impact would have been great, but Greydrake sidesteps to avoid the blow.
The Osirian 5ft steps closer.
It frenzies at both Kradvig and Kutukan, but fails to land a hit.
The zombie shambles into arm's reach of Greydrake.
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Greydrake & Januzaj
Quadirian Warlord (-3)
Kardiv & Kutukan
Kellid War Chief (-5)
Osirian mummy (-6)
Zombie Legionnaire
Bold are up.
Januzaj makes a few careful calculations and throws a bomb in a very sharp upwards angle. It lands just behind the 2 undead, the impact blowing the Warlord apart and further scorching the mummified seer.
Greydrake
Kardiv & Kutukan
Kellid War Chief (-5)
Osirian mummy (-6)
Zombie Legionnaire
I can sympathize, but i'm to run the adventure with the stats as written, granted that monsters can be replaced by their current versions, provided they retain the same CR.
In the PDF they mention what sort of skeleton it is, they have 6 hp.
I have played this as my very 1st scenario of PFS, so i can understand the feeling of threat.
Greydrake ends the Kellit War Chief and immediately slices into the zombie.
Meanwhile, Kardiv swings his sword at the osirian, kind of like a gorilla swings his fists. Kutukan follows up by sending the jibbers to the mummified osirian.
The osirion (-12), looking pretty charred from Januzaj's bombs, makes a final effort.
Time must have worn its joints, for it misses every time.
Zombie legionnaire (-2) swings his sword at Greydrake.
He hits Greydrake hard.
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Everyone
Osirion (-12)
Zombie Legionnaire (-2)
Kardiv swings again, but it fails to connect by only a few inches.
Everyone
Osirion (-12)
Zombie Legionnaire (-2)
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Upon Kutukan's warning to wait for a moment, Greydrake delays, then slashes at the zombie legionnaire once more yelling "If you're done, get back Kutukan. As soon as Kardiv is done with that other creature, I could use his sword over here." The slayer takes a step around hoping to get some help if Kardiv finishes his foe first.
I wasn't aware it was the only legit version from now on.
I hadn't followed the news for quite a while.
I'll make the adjustments, some of the PF versions of these encounters are then more lethal. Like the 'screamers'.
Greydrake slashes more into the zombie.
Januzaj & Kutukan
Osirian (-12)
Zombie (-5)
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No worries. I thought about saying something when you provided the Jump, Hide and Move Silently bonuses to Kardiv :) There is a note about it on the Product Page. I think they also mentioned it when they first released that version. Probably in a blog entry or something. Wish they would do the same for some of the other Season 0 classics.