ne of the first civilizations to rise in the wake of Earthfall, Osirion is also one of the greatest human empires in the history of Golarion, a nation of great knowledge, wealth, and power. This ancient land harbors pyramids, mummies, terrible curses, and endless sand, as well as a culture steeped in proud traditions: devout respect for the gods, dedication to communal service, and unswerving devotion to its rulers. Osirion today is just emerging from millennia of Keleshite rule and regaining the legacy of the pharaohs supplanted by these foreign oppressors. Its people seek to reestablish their own identity in a modern world by reaching back thousands of years and proudly proclaiming-and often rediscovering-their forebears' accomplishments.
he adventure begins in the city of Wati, where the Asp and Crook Rivers converge to form the River Sphinx in south-eastern Osirion. With the necropolis opened by royal decree, the priests of the local temple of Pharasma, the Grand Mausoleum, have been tasked with assigning sites ready for exploration to adventuring companies in a lottery.
sirion has watched its shifting desert sands cover 8,ooo years of history. Much of the magic, might, and mystery that propelled Ancient Osirion to become the greatest human civilization on Garund lies lost to time: purposefully obscured by jealous and paranoid pharaohs, by Keleshites suppressing the heritage of their Garundi subjects, and by the changeable desert and the whims of the region's harsh storms.
even years ago, Pharaoh Khemet III, the Ruby Prince , formally opened Osirion's ancient tombs and burial sites to foreign explorers. Khemet III understood that adventurers who've traveled great distances in search of treasure typically do not return from whence they came to sell their discoveries. Instead, they typically sell or trade what they do not keep as quickly as possible at the closest civilized community with an economy strong enough to absorb an influx of valuable antiquities. The Ruby Prince's policy has attracted not only explorers to the desert nation of Osirion, but also countless scholars, private collectors, special interest groups such as the Pathfinder Society, and financial interests from all across the Inner Sea. A minor industry has sprung up just to support visiting explorers, and an even larger infrastructure has come into being to serve foreign investors and traders. Every opening of a major site has heralded an economic boom, for the local area and Osirion as a whole.
he lottery's opening ceremony takes place in the Sunburst Market in the center of the living city of Wati, between the Grand Mausoleum and Abadar's Sanctum of Silver and Gold. An array of other adventuring groups have assembled, and the ceremony has attracted throngs of local people as well as street vendors.
"ith the necropolis opened by royal decree, the priests of the local temple of Pharasma, the Grand Mausoleum, have been tasked with assigning sites ready for exploration to adventuring companies in a lottery. An adventuring party wanting to register for the lottery should approach the priesthood of the Grand Mausoleum. Registering is not difficult; there are no background checks or special fees or requirements. Simply tell the priest the name of the group and the names of its members, they will give the group leader a token that they should present when the group receives its first assignment at the lottery's opening ceremony"
he Grand Mausoleum:
unburst Market:
This enormous open-air market forms the bustling heart of Wati. Decorated pillars mark out a regular grid, and various merchants hang attention-grabbing banners and samples of their wares from the painted sandstone columns. On busy days, the open plaza transforms into a maze of tents and tables that display goods ranging from artwork, cosmetics, and food to weapons, poisons, and magical tomes.