GM PLaceholder
Roused from sleep and herded aboard the Winking Wyvern, the party sails urgently for Rivenrake Island and the ruins of Xin-Bakrakhan, ancient capital of the Thassilonian Runelord of Wrath. A note from Venture Captain Sheila Heidmarch informs the group that a Society-funded dig team has uncovered a totally intact temple that appears to be associated with the goddess Lissala, buried for 10,000 years. Given the fresh revelations that this long-thought-dead cult is thriving and allied with the Aspis Consortium, it’s a truly wonderful find, providing an unprecedented opportunity to gain knowledge of this forgotten faith. Even if the site turns out to not be dedicated to Lissala, learning more about the faiths and practices of ancient Thassilon always provides an abundance of knowledge. Often the items they use in their rituals lead to clues about the cults.
By now the work crew has finished clearing the site—the time to explore its secrets is at hand. The Society has no exclusive contract to the site, and Aspis Consortium agents scour the countryside seeking such ripe targets, so time is of the essence. Archaeologists Halla Beusophis and Kovo Murse can answer questions when the group arrives, and a fellow Pathfinder ranger, Riemme Batelle, is already on the island, ready to join in this exciting endeavor. Sheila Heidmarch has given the party a charge: eliminate the ancient temple’s dangers so that Society scholars can study the ruins safely, and bring back whatever knowledge lies within.
The sea journey is uneventful, and the sloop’s crew gives the Pathfinders a wide berth, partially out of respect, partially out of superstitious dread at the destination.
The harbor closest to the Xin-Bakrakhan dig silted over hundreds of years ago, so the Winking Wyvern drops anchor and sends the party ashore in a pair of launches. Greeting them are a half-dozen bedraggled souls living in rugged tents sufficient for four times their number. They're led by a grim-looking woman in work clothes, with signs of emotional strain and fatigue lining her face.
“Thank goodness you’ve arrived,” begins the careworn Pathfinder. “I am Halla Beusophis, let cut to the details. Two days ago workers at the dig site were attacked, by what or whom I don’t know. I was here at camp when it happened. Only a single worker escaped—Shadaq, who crawled back here, bleeding from a dozen terrible injuries. The wounds were mortal and none of us here possessed the skill to aid him. Before he died we got little information. He told us of the attack, said everyone had been, ‘gutted like game birds.’ His last words—as his eyes violently rolled back in his head—were ‘Lissala is angry, but so am I.’
“The six of us are all that’s left—myself and these five hired excavators. They’ve refused to go back to the site and I didn’t dare go alone. We’ve been huddled in these damned tents since Wealday, waiting for your arrival. I’ll take you to the dig myself, but I don’t know what we’ll find. If Shadaq’s words are true, it won’t be pretty. Only the gods know whether those same attackers lie in wait.”
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Darksid'Ious is a very pale half-elf, all in black. Around his neck, a black medaillon, representing a skull with two chains coming out of its eyes. Despite his somber look, he has a charming smile and seems quite happy to be here.
During the travel, Darksid'Ious is quite excited to get on site! He explains that Thassilon was the ancient empire that encompassed all of modern Varisia and beyond. It fell into ruin at the advent of Earthfall 10,000 years ago. It was ruled over by seven runelords, extremely powerful wizards who employed Thassilonian sin magic. Bakrakhan was the province of Alaznist, Runelord of Wrath, and XinBakrakhan was her capital city. The Hollow Mountain, which broods over the ruins of Xin-Bakrakhan, is thought to hide endless subterranean spaces filled with wealth and danger. Some believe Alaznist herself is hidden within its unplumbed depths!
Zon-Kuthon be bless, at least you're alive! Luckily we are all here to deal with what are inside this temple. But first, may be Shadaq's body could tell some stories about what attacked him?
Have you still his corpse somewhere to see?
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Kavor Doan is a broad-shouldered dwarf carrying a fine waraxe with runes carved into it. Upon reaching land, he donned a set of full plate armor.
On the journey, he was gregarious and pleasant, discussing trade routes and offering to lead "prayers" to Cayden Cailean. He tended to steer clear of the Kuthite, however.
Now, he finds himself agreeing with the deranged pain fetishist.
"Yes. Not out of any love of seeing mutilated corpses, mind you, but we could examine the wounds to see what inflicted them."
With a shocked expression, "You want us to dig up the body? I mean, if you think it will help with the investigation, I guess we can take you to him"
Halla leads you to a mound of freshly dug earth. "there he is. He is not dug too deep."
It takes a couple of minutes, but the team removes enough dirt to see the body of Shadaq. Nearly every inch of the body has been mutilated. Long lacerations across his torso, series of scratches across his face and harms. In some places, chunks of flesh has been torn from his body.
Holding a handkerchief in front of her face, she holds back bile, "Please cover him back up when you are finished." With that she turns away from the body.
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Heal
”He was hit with everything. Blades weapons, teeth, claws, you name it. And the teeth and claws weren’t humanoids, that’s clear,” the little blue haired gnome exclaims. She looked fairly muscular for a little folk, wasn’t wearing any armor, and carried only the most basic weaponry. Her speech pattern was trademark gnome, in a fast rat a tat tat cacophony.
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"Great, just great another ship.... You have no idea how much fun it is to be in constant mental communication with an owl that likes the crunchy parts of rats."
He explains that Thassilon was the ancient empire that encompassed all of modern Varisia and beyond. It fell into ruin at the advent of Earthfall 10,000 years ago.
"Yeah, I remember...."
"And her worshipfulness was known to have favorites whom she gifted with powerful magic items of her own creation. Many of those servants are known to have been in Xin-Bakrakhan when the end came."
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Iago, a little let down by the trip and it's lack of women of low moral standing, sighs as he lets others inspect the body, a task he has no propensity for. Another mission with Agent Gwendolyn the uptight and her owl. Greeeeeat...
"Pardon the question from the idiot in the back, but could we narrow it down? Non-humanoid is good, but that leaves almost everything in existence that eats, and includes Hera" he comments from a few paces back, the smell of the recently dead certainly not to his taste.
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Stormy is tall human woman, perhaps of Kellid descent. She carries a spear and is further armed with a scimitar, club, and silver sickle. She wears a masterwork breastplate constructed from the hide of a large red reptile and has a wooden shield slung over her back. As she boards the ship a sleek black cat pads in after her.
At first she seems interested in Iago, but during the voyage it appears that she finds the man too different from her and firmly rebuffs any advances from him.
AS the group disembarks and greets their fellow pathfinder she darkens a little when the bard intone the name of his god but says nothing. She takes the chance to examine the body but has little to add.
Halla leads the group of pathfinders to the temple. It takes about 30 minutes to reach on foot. The travel there is uneventful and gives ample time to follow up on more questions if asked.
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Arriving at the temple.
This breathtaking edifice is constructed of tightly fitted blocks of brown stone covered with intricate engravings depicting humans engaged in acts of terrible self-mutilation. A pillared portico girds the eastern front of the great temple, the carved columns resemble fat, coiled serpents. The structure stands about 20 feet tall, though a great dome rises out of the center another 20 feet. How this place could be more than 10,000 years old defies logic—some sorcery must have preserved the stone.
The stench of blood is the only greeting upon arrival at the excavated temple. Before an imposing stone structure lie a few stripped and eviscerated bodies bearing terrible wounds that go far beyond the marks of battle in their viciousness, and furrows in the fresh dirt indicating that others have been dragged inside. Halla covers her mouth to stifle a cry, then rushes to the side of one of the bodies, falling to her knees. “Kovo! Oh, Kovo, look how they butchered you!”
All of the bodies share the same wounds as Shadaq corpse.
After a few moment s ofvmourning over her colleague’s battered and bloody body, Halla rallies and aids in examining the gruesome scene.
"All of the workers are not accounted, they are not among the bodies." She looks around and counts them off as she goes. "The pathfinder agent Riemme Batelle. Two of the dig team Pel and Saala. And four of the laborers." She follows the drag marks to the northeaster side of the temple entrance. "Odd, both of these entrances were sealed yesterday. The rubble indicates, it was broken out, not in."
Looking around the bodies you find a masterwork long sword covered in dried blood. A quiver with 10 arrows and a broken longbow. "Those belong to Riemme." Halla says returning to the group.
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"Did the team dig too deep and awaken something from Thassilon?"
The dwarf looks around, holding his waraxe in one hand and his wand of Shield in the other.
He examines the bodies.
"These bodies were further mutilated after death. Whether out of spite or out of hunger I am not sure."
To Halla, he says, "I am sorry for the loss of Kovo and these poor souls. If Riemme, Pel, Saala, and the other laborers yet live, we will rescue them. If not, we will avenge them."
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Doodle shudders at talk of fiends and the like. ”Well, whatever it is seems powerful enough to kill groups of workers, we’d better be prepared to fight for our lives. Can anyone use the longsword and those arrows? Everything might come in handy soon enough...”
The little gnome casts Mage Armor, which will last for six hours.
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Seeing Doodle cast her defensive spells Stormy cast some spells of her own. She casts Longstrider on herself and right before entering she casts Barkskin on both herself and her animal companion. And finally she casts Create Flame from a wand to serve as a light source for her and her cat. Ready. She says.
"Well that is why you are here, to figure out what is going on." Hella says over the discussion. "I, will be heading back to the camp to take note of what I have seen and start writing up the report. Make sure to take notes on what you find as well. Try not to damage any carvings or writings while you are in there. The society has a reputation after all."
Looking into the atrium, dim illumination, nothing can really be seen but a shadow statue in the rear and multiple fat columns holding up the dome of the temple.
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Darksid'Ious is eager to ask Halla about the discoveries that they made before the attacks.
As his first contact with Thassilon the half-elf is quite happy to learn more about it.
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Pain is a reward, not a curse. I'm sorry for your loss Halla. Says Darksid'Ious after a short prayer to his god.
The absence of some of the laborers and our colleague, indicate some sort of intelligence. We must be careful.
Before entering into the temple, Darksid'Ious draws his whip.
“It’s an impressive free-standing domed structure, made of fitted tan stone, remarkably well preserved unnaturally well preserved. There are two possible entrances on a pillared portico, both of them bricked over with stone and hardened clay. There’s also a circular opening at the peak of the dome, an oculus about 5 feet wide, but we stayed clear of that after discovering it during the excavation. Our work has consisted almost exclusively of moving away debris so the temple can be explored. So as far as discoveries, not very much.”
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Iago takes a look at the broken bow and the sword before shrugging. "I have no need for either. Bow is broken though huh..." He frowns and rather than grab hold of one of his many swords, he instead reaches for his bow, snatching up the arrows from where they lay. "You know" he voices conversationally to Kavor and Doodle "I think it says something of the world we live in that when we start talking of a man-eating creature that brandishes weapons, the best we can do is say "can you narrow that down please?" if you don't mind me saying."
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"True enough, Iago. Think of the broad range of things that tried to kill us on that Kellid expedition. Rune-swarms, constructs, hounds, orcs, undead, and more. It is a rough job we have. Made it this far, praise Cayden."
The dwarf uses and sheathes his wand of Shield just before entering the atrium (now at 40 charges).
Moving in to the temple.
Eight great pillars, larger versions of the serpentine columns found at the pillared portico, encircle an enormous mosaic on the floor. The tiles of fading greens, reds, and yellows form a seven-pointed star. The dome peaks about forty feet overhead, its center pierced by an oculus five feet across. Near the front of the temple are the remains of a marble statue, smashed to bits. What it once was is unclear, as the vandal did a rather thorough job destroying the ancient work of art.
Toward the back of the wide open space, a long, five-foot deep pool lies in this western alcove, empty now, though the irregular red brown stains on its surfaces leave little doubt as to what once filled the basin. Standing at the center of the pool is an eighteen-foot-tall marble statue of a strange being. Its body is a tangle of tentacles and eyes surrounding a circular maw filled with jagged teeth and barbed stinging tongues.Each of the thing’s tentacles ends in a claw, pincer, hook, or some other implement of pain Ancient paint flakes from the grand effigy, but glittering in the light are dozens of onyx gemstones adorning the statue where the being’s eyes are carved. It appears that something is strapped to one of the writhing appendages with red silk ribbons. On the floor of the pool itself are dozens of small stone figurines.
Before the pathfinders can even reach the center of the room. They here two voices began to sing above them from the pillars.
On top of the pillars, 25 feet up, are two winged creatures.
Round 1-Bold May Act
Darksid'ious
GM
Iago
Doodle
Kavor
Gwendolyn
Stormy
Red swoops down and strikes out at Iago, but misses, before returning to a perch at the opposite side of the room.
The blue one follows suit targeting Iago as well, with more success, as her morning star connects.
Round 1-Bold May Act
Iago-3 damage
Doodle
Kavor
Gwendolyn
Storm
Round 2
Darksid'ious-captivated
GM
Round 1-Bold May Act
Iago-3 damage
Doodle
Kavor-Readied
Gwendolyn
Stormy
Round 2
Darksid'ious-captivated
GM
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After Doodle casts protection from evil on him, Darksid'Ious seems to recompose his self.
Wha...what happened?
Understanding that the song of the beast was what takes his mind he starts declaming an ode to fear and death.
But still shaken by his beautiful experience, he is unable to concentrate on his poem!
The pathfinders find themselves split at the sound of the Harpy song. Stormy decides to throw her flame at the blue feathered harpy and hits it square in the chest.
The red feathered harpy starts to sing again moving high above, from one perch to another
The harpy swings at Hera with her morningstar. Catching her both on the first and the back swing.
Round 3-Bold May Act
Iago-2 damage
Doodle
Kavor
Gwendolyn/Hera- Hera 11 damage
Stormy/Shade
Round 3
Darksid'ious
GM(red-singing)
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Stormy advances as she casts and throws another Produce Fire spell at blue. This spell, cast directly by her is a little more potent than the one created by the wand. After she throws it a new flame springs into life in her hand. I may not be able to reach you, you filthy abomination she calls up to the Harpy but I'll not stand by while you attack that helpless owl.
The large cat shakes his head and growls up at the Harpy, ready to pounce on it.
Stormy unleashes another ball of fire, which strikes true.
Round 2-Bold May Act
Iago-2 damage
Doodle
Kavor
Gwendolyn/Hera- Hera 11 damage
Stormy/Shade
Round 3
Darksid'ious
GM(red-singing)