Dot when ready.
A candied aroma wafts from multiple barrels of pyment—a beverage of fermented grapes and honey—strewn about the surprisingly barren grand hall of Manaket’s Swordmeet Lodge. At an ornate banquet table with legs carved in the stalwart forms of Rahadoumi crusaders wielding immense falchions sits the room’s lone occupant, Venture-Captain Obo. He is a broad-shouldered man wearing an olive tunic trimmed with gold filigree and sporting a puffy gray beard mottled here and there with black patches. Next to him sits a large bottle of pomegranate wine, several empty glasses, and a silver plate adorned with a half-eaten roast hen, a fig tart, and a small mound of creamy bread pudding topped with ground pistachios. Obo’s attention is clearly focused on the ornate siege board arranged as if two players had played a game into its late stages, with the monarch threatening to leave via the right edge of the board, thus winning the game for the defenders. As he stares at the pieces, Obo holds his fingers atop one of the attacking pieces, a knight carved of crimson marble, studying the placement of the defenders—white caliche castles protecting a lone sovereign. His other hand absentmindedly stirs the bread pudding with a spoon.
Venture-Captain Obo mumbles to himself while studying the siege board. “Now, if the invader moves parallel to the defender, resting in the seventh hall of the first tower, then the sovereign will be exposed to counterattack from—bah, I will never remember all of Valsin’s cryptic strategies!” Obo slams his free hand down on the table, and then gestures at the open chairs before him. “Sit, sit, for our very own game is afoot. Troubling news arrived two weeks ago from one of the Society’s trusted confidants, an artifacts expert and appraiser in the souk of Azir. Goes by Torvad. Torvad Shalzadin.”
Obo produces a small roll of parchment, its wax seal clearly broken. "This letter indicates that Torvad had been recently asked by a client to verify the authenticity of a rare artifact. Much to his surprise, every detail about the relic indicated that the fragment is one of the shards of the Shattered Shield of Arnisant. That’s supposedly impossible; all of the remnants of the shield are kept safe in Vigil, right under the Watcher-Lord’s nose. Per reports from both the Decemvirate and the Dark Archive, no one in Lastwall suspects any of the shards are missing. Torvad reports that the shard’s current owner, a clandestine auction house for illicit divine artifacts in Azir, the Sacred Cobra, intends to sell it in just seven days! If that shard is in fact a piece of the Shattered Shield of Arnisant, we must stop such an important relic from falling into the wrong hands.”
“Though it would be faster to go by sea, a rash of piracy just beyond the Arch of Aroden means reconsidering the route. I’ve arranged for you to go by caravan. Once you arrive, find Torvad and convince him to disclose the location of the Sacred Cobra auction house as well as the precisely time of the auction. The Cobra’s whereabouts are known only to a few major players in the artifacts trade, so you’ll need to act quickly before the shard can be sold and potentially lost forever. To even be considered as a buyer, you’ll need him to lend you his bidder’s banner, a token the Sacred Cobra uses to identify clientele considered in ‘good standing’ with the organization. It’s probably safest if you can acquire the shard by winning it at auction, though I trust you to do what is necessary to obtain the shard for the Society. Take this.” Obo again slides his hand inside his tunic to retrieve a small bundle of parchments. “Each of these ten letters is a bank note from Manaket, good for one thousand gold pieces. Showing these to the clerk of the auction house should help establish you as a serious buyer. Use the Society’s money wisely to ensure you obtain the shard, but if you see any other artifacts on auction that might be better off in the Society’s possession, you can use these funds to obtain those as well.”
Azir is the capital city of Rahadoum. The entire nation upholds a series of philosophical tenets known as the Laws of Man, the primary tenet of which is known as the First Law, which prohibits religion in any form. The country adopted these laws following decades of religious wars and maintains a peacekeeping force known as the Pure Legion to enforce them.
DC 15+
DC 20+
DC 25+
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Azir. Quite the secular community. I'd hide your holy symbols should you be needin' em. Venture-Captain, who else would know or be after the fragment? And after we secure it, what should we do with it? Being caught with it will land us in serious hot water. Barrabas scratches his leg by the knee. He wears short pants and sandals. Odd, you think for the dangerous work of Pathfinders. He wears a chain shirt and seemingly carries no weapons but a belt of small bags and a bandolier seem filled with baubles and reagents.
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Bask is a tall and burly half-orc dressed appropriately for the weather in silks and with a scimitar belted at his hip. His face is covered in scars in vaguely patterned shapes, and he is armoured in a solid looking breastplate.
The holy symbol of Sarenrae that he normally wears around his neck is tucked into a pocket of his silks, but he reaches for it reflexively at the mention of the strange prohibition.
"I grew up just over the border in Thuvia. The elders of my tribe of Sarenrae worshippers warned against crossing over the Uta river, and now I know why; a whole godless nation! May Pharasma have mercy on their souls"
The gaunt looking lion at his side growls at this, but Bask strokes him and he calms down.
"فتى سهل ، هؤلاء أصدقاء"
"I am Bask Rahid, and this is Salim, my companion who saved me from certain death in the desert. We are honoured to travel with you into this desert of the soul"
He bows deeply.
"If we are to smuggle items into and out of this place on our holy mission, does anyone have anything that might help? I have heard tell of a pouch beloved of Pathfinders that is excellent for smuggling, but I have had no need of one until now"
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Int. check:
Knowledge local:
The wayang remains quiet during the time the venture-captain talked. They have 7 days to secure an artifact. And more artifacts if possible. That's a good mission for the wizard. No battles, only an auction and a travel back. That's the plan.
His person is small with darker, muted coloration. A sharp feature inhabit this mutative dark skin. He doesn't wear any armor but good clothes. And a dagger can be seen hanging from his belt as well as a pistol in his bandoleer.
Finally, he speaks:
My name's Waze. And I've some questions. Will Torvad know that we will arrive? Are the ten letters 1000 gold pieces worth each or in all? When does the caravan depart from the city?
He doesn't wear any holy symbol, always seeking for balance.
Seeing the lion, he repeats the words of the beast's master: Yes, we are friends.
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Jahz nods as Barrabas speaks. "Yes, we'll want to keep an eye out for the Pure Legion," he says thoughtfully. "But what even is the Shattered Shield? And how do we find this Torvad?"
"Oh, and if I may be so bold, Venture Captain - it is highly unorthodox, but have you considered moving the invader counter to the defenders rather than with them?"
Obo smacks his forehead, "Ah, of course! You are quite the tactician, thank you. That was most vexing." He also hands you a small pouch of coins as a reward.
The venture-captain seems less distracted. "Now, what do you need to know about Azir and Rahadoum? Despite the Pure Legion’s best efforts, some of the nation’s citizens worship various gods within the country’s borders. Years of confiscation of divine artifacts, combined with the clandestine demand for divine paraphernalia, has contributed to a considerable secret trade of smuggled religious items. Punishments for breaking Rahadoum’s First Law range from a fine for possession of forbidden relics to public humiliation, incarceration, or banishment for public displays of divine advocacy, magic, or worship."
Obo lets out a heavy sigh, "You can't think of the Pure Legion as being psychopathic villains, however. While members of the Legion have a reputation for being stalwart enforcers of the nation’s laws, they are educated, civil, and disciplined. Far from reckless killers, most members of them consider it their duty to protect Rahadoum’s citizens and view their vigilant adherence to the First Law as the most effective way to keep each resident safe from the strife caused by religious zealotry. Generally, most members of the Pure Legion resort to violence only if left with no other choice. So, you may want to return the favor!"
Obo scratches his beard. "Now, as to you other questions: The origins of the shield are shrouded in mystery. Some believe that the god Aroden carried it when he was a mortal, while others claim that it was fashioned by Aroden after he became a god. The Taldan general Arnisant carried the shield during the Shining Crusade, and it was instrumental in defeating the Whispering Tyrant—that’s when it shattered. It is possible that even a fragment of the shield could be dangerous if used for nefarious ends."
"It should not be too difficult to find Torvad. Last I heard, he was a guest of Inusi Mendalari, a noblewoman from the Artisan’s Souk in Azir, with a habit of ‘collecting’ artists and other intellectuals she thinks might benefit from her patronage. You could also look for anyone with his fingers jammed inside an ancient magical cookie jar. He wears a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles and an old golden bracelet he found on some archaeological dig or other."
"The caravan will leave this evening. It is about 225 miles west to Azir; it should take you just under 6 days by camel. When you finish your mission, hire a caravan to take you back here to Manaket. There are many leaving at this time of year, and you have plenty of money."
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A hulking man with pale skin and a mop of thick black hair slouches in one corner. With a sigh, he says, "Are we going to have to, like buy things to deal with the desert? I, like, burn real easy."
"Oh, and I don't technically belong to any religion, but I'm in the Order of the Star and affiliated with the church of Pharasma. Is that, like, gonna be a problem?"
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A pale blue man with a studious manner considers the playing board while also listening to the Venture-Captain outline the mission.
”This is my first field assignment, so I bow to the wisdom of my more experienced colleagues. I have however made a study of how Pathfinder field agents perish, and the statistics on Rahadoum do not bode well. Lucklily for the rest of you, I seem to be able to commune with the spirits of our fallen agents and mayhaps we can avoid their fate.” Responding to Robb's comment, he points to his own pale blue skin, "Indeed, we may wish to invest in some of these nice flowing robes the locals seem to favor."
"Well, my pale friend, you are going to be traveling through the desert, so I would be prepared for its dangers. Traveling with the well-supplied caravan should keep you comfortable in the routine course of travel, but one never knows what will happen out in the sands." At Robb's revelations about Pharasma, he says, "If you don't proselytize for the Lady of Graves on your journey, you should be fine."
You travel with the caravan for four days without incident. The caravan master notices a violent electrical storm is sweeping across the desert and advises everyone in the caravan to take cover.
The caravan workers spring into action and set up sturdy shelters against the coming storm and securely tie all of the camels to avoid any loses. Before the storm sweeps in, you are safely inside, out of the howling winds.
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The wizard thought to be comfortable during the storm, but Barrabas heard some noises outside. A battle? So why to go over there? They should go in the opposite direction. He wasn't made to make war. But he already turned a minotaur half dead once. Such a nice shot. Well be careful. We don't know what happens here.
I come with you. Wait for me.
The wayang moves and draws his pistol.
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Bask stands upright at the noise. "Did you hear that Salim? Fighting in the storm! We should go offer our aid, come friends!"
He them stomps off into the storm having drawn his scimitar, Salim at his side. He refrains from casting a spell to enhance his speed as he knows his divine magic is not permitted here
Heal DC 10
Phase 1: Locate the Target
Success!
Phase 2: Dangerous Shocks! This type of dust storm builds up stunning static charges, blinds travelers, and can even bowl over creatures. You can evade or withstand the shocks with a successful Acrobatics check, Ride check (if mounted), combat maneuver check,
or Fortitude save. If you can withstand this, you should be able to reach the sounds of battle.
Successes Needed: 3
Success!
Phase 3: Assisting the Lost You stumble on a figure gasping in the thick dust-storm. It is a dwarven woman with dark eyes, deep brown skin, and long braids of hair decorated with horn beads. She wears a suit of vented plate mail tinged blue and embossed with the sigil of Rahadoum—an ornamental shield inscribed with the Laws of Man, bearing two hands with the palms facing out—over a red tunic and bronze-hued pantaloons.
To assist her requires a successful Heal check, though there’s only enough room for three PCs to attempt these checks each phase. A PC can also automatically succeed at a check by using an ability that restores at least 3 hit points. (Though you should consider the consequences of this method.)
Successes Needed: 2
Benedict rushes to her side, trying assess what is wrong and aid her.
[dice=Heal]d20+8
[dice=Heal reroll with GM stars bonus]d20+8+2
Success!
When you get the dwarf to shelter, she introduces herself as Kazima Rufah, a member of Azir's Pure Legion. She expresses bewildered gratitude to you, saying, “To help a stranger in a world where no greater reward can be guaranteed is a noble, dying thing.”
"Ah, what you heard was me bumping into my shield in the wind, no doubt. I was returning to Azir after performing an investigation. I normally wouldn't talk about it, but you seem like upstanding folks." She eyes each of you, as if carefully looking for evidence of...something...before continuing.
"I was looking into the disappearance of Vensali Vuun, a miller who operates a mill along the Jodin River’s northern bank. Not only was Vensali missing, but her family was found torn to pieces in their home. I was returning to Azir from her investigation when the storm struck. Other than the bloodshed, the only clue I discovered was this:"
Kazima retrieves a small bundle of black cloth from her saddle bags. Unwrapping it carefully, taking extreme precautions not to touch it directly, she shows you what is inside: a small statue of a judge’s gavel made of shimmering gold. "I can't make sense of it, but only something connected to a god could seem so harmless yet be so evil. I believe the statue is connected to several other disappearances around Azir, all related to similar sculptures that each bore a different shape."
DC 20+
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Jahz also inspect the statue curiously - he has to be reminded several times not to touch it directly by Barrabas as he does so.
"'Fraid I can't make any sense of this," he remarks cheerfully to Waze. "You having any better luck?"
Turning his attention to Kazima, Jahz frowns puzzledly. "What other shapes have been found? And, um, well,, did the rest of Vensali 's family look like they were torn apart by animals trying to eat them, or...?" His voice trails off, as if unwilling to finish the thought.
Kazima frowns deeply, "That is just as I suspected. Don't worry, I have been careful not to come into direct contact with the cursed thing. The statues have been of various shapes--there does not seem to have been a pattern among them." To Jahz, she says, "The family were definitely ripped apart by claws, but it was impossible for me to determine any further details due to the condition of the corpses."
"Yes, it is important evidence. We can travel together to Azir, if you like, once this storm clears. I usually work alone, but you have proved that there is safety in numbers."
Kazima will travel with your caravan to Azir, which you should reach by sundown two days hence.
Violating the Laws of Man.
While the PCs are in Rahadoum, they must adhere to its laws prohibiting deific worship, divine spellcasting, religious expression, and possession of holy relics. Worshipping a deity in public, divine spellcasting, and attempting to influence another’s religious opinion are considered serious offenses. Punishments typically escalate from warnings to public humiliation (such as stamping an offender’s skin with long-lasting ink) to public lashing to expulsion.
Rather than focus on the specifics of these punishments, this scenario tracks’ PCs offenses with Legion Points. As a PC performs forbidden actions where citizens are likely to see them, the PC earns Legion Points. Typically a PC only earns up to 2 points per encounter even if she performs several infractions (such as casting several different divine spells). However, exceptional infractions that affect large groups, threaten the city’s safety, or represent a blatantly callous disregard for Rahadoum’s laws (eg. setting fire to a building or magically convincing numerous citizens to defy the Pure Legion) may exceed this limit. Unless removed (see below), Legion Points generally last until the end of the adventure.
Minor Offenses (1 Point): Possession of religious contraband or the public display of religious imagery is considered a minor offense that earns the PC 1 Legion Point, and the contraband is confiscated.
Major Offenses (2 Points): Worshipping a deity in public, casting a divine spell (including the use of channel energy or domain abilities), or proselytizing a religion is considered a major offense that earns the PC 2 Legion Points.
Consequences: A PC who has 2 or more Legion Points receives an indelible ink stamp on the forehead identifying her as a lawbreaker. The PC takes a –2 penalty on skill checks to influence law-abiding inhabitants of Rahadoum, which includes all of the named living NPCs in this scenario. A PC who has 5 or more Legion Points is arrested and put on the next ship bound for Absalom.
Removing Points: A PC can remove 1 Legion Point by spending a number of Prestige Points equal to 1 plus the number of Legion Points she has already removed in this way (e.g., removing the first Legion Point costs 1 Prestige Point, the second costs 2, 3 for the third, etc.).
You have time on your way to Azir to figure out how you are going to deal with these restrictions. (Now's a good time to bat around ideas. Kazima is preoccupied with her investigation and will not overhear.)