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This is a CORE game, please make sure your character is a CORE character.
Several years ago, a Taldan Zyphus cult took over a famous Oppara opera house, murdered a Pathfinder, and turned dozens of Taldor's wealthiest citizens into the walking dead. The Pathfinder Society has finally tracked down their hideout and sends you to Oppara for one purpose: revenge. Can you face the servants of Golarion's god of accidents unharmed or will you find yourself among Zyphus's cursed souls?
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I'm being told we're to hunt raiders that have attacked the tribe run off. Fun to be had! A large half-orc, clearly a primitive Mwangi tribesman. He has the furs and tattoos to make his origins clear. Though he does appear to have embraced modern equipment. Including, of all things, a wickedly sharp looking combat scythe.
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It has been nearly 5 days since late evening messengers pulled you awake from your tasks and ordered you to appear before Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng by midnight. Dreng, ever presenting the appearance of the doddering, decrepit old man, met you in the Great Hall of Skyreach, the main fortress of the Grand Lodge in Absalom. Dressed only in tattered night clothes complete with a faded yellow sleeping cap, the youthful excitement in Dreng’s eyes belied his elderly appearance.
“We’ve found them!” he declared, the moment you arrived in the Great Hall. “Those pitiful bastards who murdered Pathfinder Bodriggan Wuthers in Oppara those many months ago—you know, the Zyphus-worshipping fools who tried to turn Oppara into a zombie-filled nightmare? After all this time, we finally tracked their remnants to a burned-out temple in the vagabond camp across the river from the capital. You will set out for there at once—there is a ship waiting—and meet a man named Sebastus Hustavan outside the burned-out temple. Once a man of great importance, he seems to have fallen on hard times— fallen so far as to join those Zyphus fiends. But he’s redeemed himself by telling us their location! Find Hustavan—it can’t be hard, there’s only one burned-out temple to Sarenrae in the vagabond camp—learn all you can about the cult’s hideout, and then cleanse it of their presence. Cultists across Golarion must know they may not use the Society to fulfill their horrid glories—so too will they know that the Society will not stand by and watch its members murdered!”
Dreng cleared his throat then, his posture losing the sudden youthful fire and passion, his shoulders hunching once more, his face pinched and tired. “Of course, while you are there,” he rasped, “do your duty as Pathfinders and seek anything they may have that the Society would need in the vaults.” So, after a hurried early morning rush to gather supplies in Absalom, several days in the blustery Inner Sea, and another spent weaving through the bureaucracy of the Taldan customs rituals, you find yourself walking through a chilly, early morning rain storm and approaching what the vagabond locals say is the location of the burned-out temple to Sarenrae
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Shen is a tall, bald Elven woman with crystal blue eyes that is standing with nobody around her.
She is wearing an elegant purple dress that underlines her Elven physique and is watching you. Those seeing her notice immediately that her disinterested facial expression does not invite anybody to start a conversation.
From beneath her dress you sometimes see a timid, snow white albino rat appear and disappear.
She asks no questions.
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A diminutive man with a bright red beard rides in on his faithful canine companion. He waves to the others clearly excited to get started. He looks around for Ledt who mentioned that he would also by assigned to this mission.
"I am sure that there will be tons of treasure to be had and a mighty fine adventure ahead."
Sylvester's travelling companion is a cream haired and muscular Wolfhound. He wags his tail contently and barks a greeting to the group.
"Woof,woof!"
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"If only we do not end in an undead feast this time and they give us some big muscle with at least one finger of wits I would count me a s pleased Sylvester" Ledt shows up sitting at a chair next to the gnome.
"Bodriggan Wuthers? Who is that? Never heard of Zyphus equally..." Ledt stretches his eyes trying to ascertain if the Venture Captain is tricking the group "Hustavan. Ok. Where to start looking for him? Does he has any hobbies, like taverns, or women, or men?"
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Dreng listens to you as you form up your group, answering some of the questions as they come.
"Zephys? Hádanka, Zyphus is a minor god, the deity of accidents, tragedy, and graveyards. His faithful call him the Grim Harvestman, or sometimes Father Grim. He delights in stealing souls bound for Pharasma’s Graveyard—specifically, he steals souls that die in tragic accidents, so his faithful try to make those happen as often as possible.”
When Ledt mentions Hustavan he sighs. "Hustavan was once a consul of the empire and carried the title Magistros. He was present in the House of the Immortal Son when the Society saved Oppara from the cultists. He’s fallen on hard times since—hard enough that he joined the cultists out of desperation. His recent messages to our lodge in Oppara indicate that something in the cult has changed and he wants out, so he’s given us their location in exchange for us keeping him safe and bringing him back to Absalom, where he will likely spend his days scrubbing floors in Skyreach.”
He reiterates "There’s only one burned-out temple to Sarenrae in the vagabond camp. He said he will meet you there."
"As for Bodriggan Wuthers, he was a pupil of Venture-Captain Eliza Petulengro. He was tricked by a man named Fel Bustrani, into believing he was working on a dig of significant importance for the Society. Instead, he was digging up an ancient artifact dedicated to Zyphus that now rests in the vaults below Skyreach. It has the ability to turn corpses into Zyphus zombies, creatures able to infect living humanoids and turn them into yet more zombies. Were it not for the presence of brave Pathfinders, I fear the city of Oppara would now be crawling with undead. Though Bustrani was slain and his cult scattered or captured, they were not destroyed completely.”
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"I'm guessing there are still cultists in there. And whatever they have dredged up in terms of followers - whether raised or living. Who knows, demons don't really seem to be his thing, but cultists generally love the things. Mostly though, I would expect traps. Lots of unfortunate ways to die. Gruesomely." says Dreng with a surprisingly large smile.
"Makes me wish I was still a field agent!"
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"No, My repertoire of knowledge does not include traps, though I understand those more nature inclined than myself may have spells to detect those sorts of things, and I have always found that a summoned creature is a safe way of springing a trap. I will invest in some low powered summoning spells. And since we must expect zombies, I think a couple scrolls to deal with that eventuality are in order too. I will need to make a stop to purchase some items."
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Dreng offers a happy smile to Ledt. "That's the spirit. Storm the place, exterminate all the rats."
The weather, for once on a pathfinder expedition, is fine, and the ship encounters No pirates. No sea serpents. No Whirlpools. No floating islands. Also no excitement.
At last you arrive in Opera! Of course this is Taldor. The fine weather for the ship trip couldn't last. You have little difficulty locating the vagabond camp, and less spotting the old ruined temple.
Rain patters down in sheets over the scorched skeleton of a once majestic temple. Walls of thick, blackened masonry stand tall and abandoned, with gaping wounds revealing where stained glass windows once caught the morning sun. The roof has collapsed and most of its remnants are long gone. Only large, immovable remnants of the crumbling masonry remain in the rubble piles scattered throughout the ruin.
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Silgil loves ruins and all old things that speak of history. He immediately moves towards an opening in the wall and takes a look, but not before casting an extended heroism spell on Hadanka.
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The canine gives his master a confused look as the water keeps disappearing from his outstretched tongue. Shaggy is not quite sure what exactly is going on but suspects that Sylvester is behind it somehow.
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Ledt passes the whole trip at the ship complaining of how much the thing moves, of how boring the trip is and even of how sunny the day is! "Those rays of light are going to peel my young facial skin"
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Arriving the temple, Ledt uses his wand to cast mage armor on himself and gives a look around with the others.
"That pile of ruins is certainly burned down like promised. Why the Venture Captains keep sending us at illusory and trap filled places? If they are that clever, they could come and disable them ahead of time" Ledt extends his hand saying обнаружить магию to cast detect magic and points forward trying to detect any illusion or magical trap in the area.
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The team approaches the old temple you hear a commotion and loud barking. Peering through the ruined walls you see three massive wolves have "treed" a man higher up in the temple. They prowl around. One tries to jump up, and narrowly fails.
The wolves at the moment seem more intent on amusing themselves with the terrified man and are unaware of your presence.
Status, bold may post:
Ledt
Graff
Sylvester
Silgil
Hadanka
Shen
Wolves
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The little gnome sighs at the awful behavior of those oversized wolves.
(a 15 on K-Nature as we are out of combat and I can take 10. I am assuming bog standard Dire Wolves but perhaps they are something else.)
"Let me try to talk to them at least."
Sylvester begins to howl and pant as a wolf in an attempt to try to resolve this peacefully.
(Speak with Animals)
Shaggy looks a bit surprised as his master speaks to what appears to him to be oversized nasty dogs. He barks back in a whisper to Sylvester.
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"Who is that man? Why is he there? If that's a cultist, it is better the wolves just eat him..." Ledt comments, and profits Sylvester's distraction to start casting enlarge person.
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Two of the wolves turn toward Sylvestor and lick their lips.
They then bound forward toward the party. The third continues to harass the man. The man, wielding a large chunk of wood calls out "Shoo... shoo!"
The big wolf with blueish fur leaps at Sylvester, while another goes for the equally juicy looking Ledt.
Both get bites taken from them as they are knocked to the ground.
Status, bold may post:
Ledt 10 damage; prone
Graff
Sylvester 6 damage; prone;
Silgil - false life (16);
Hadanka
Shen
Wolves
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Graff cuts the wolf with green fur deeply. It howls in pain while the other barks in sympathy.
The first wolf says "I think you meant Dessert. Deserts are those hot places."
The second, after being cut badly by Graff just says "Ouch"
Status, bold may post:
Ledt 10 damage; prone
Sylvester 6 damage; prone;
Silgil - false life (16);
Hadanka
Shen
Giant Wolves
Green wolf: 15 damage;
Graff
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Ledt is badly surprised when the wolf squeezes the head through the opening and reaches him dropping the halfling to the floor.
Nevertheless the reckless halfling clenches his teeth and maintains the concentration on his spell. With a wry smile Hadanka suddenly enlarges evening the fight with the overgrown wolves.
"Your mother never told you to respect the smaller ones, overgrown pile of esparto?" Ledt instantly stands up and steps back saying сма́зка while pointing at the space between both wolves.
A layer of grease materializes, menacing to trip the wolves in a jokingly reflection of what they just made.
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The two wolves skid on the newly slippery surface. One falls flat, howling.
Hadanka brings down his mighty scythe on the already injured wolf. It too howls in pain, and is wondering how its little prey got so big and so... toothy.
Silgil sends motes of magic into the badly injured wolf and it crashes to the ground, unmoving.
Status, bold may post:
Sylvester 6 damage; prone;
Shen
Giant Wolves
blue - prone
Graff
Ledt 10 damage; prone
Hadanka
Silgil - false life (16);
Shaggy barks back at the nasty wolves and is glad they are getting what they deserve. He is directed by Sylvester just outside of the reach of the nasty nearby creature.
(5' Step)
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Shen sends out a dart of acid, burning the blue wolf on the ground. Sylvester and Shaggy then team up. The blue wolf on the ground looks on in disgust.
He gets to his feet
The last wolf then lopes over to Shen who appears to be rather tasty. Yum, she is. But unlike everyone else, the agile elf manages to stay on her feet.
Behind the man, who appears to be standing in the pulpit yells insults at the wolves, while brandishing his rotten piece of 2x4.
Status, bold may post:
Graff
Ledt 10 damage; prone
Hadanka - has AOO on blue; 11 damage; prone.
Silgil - false life (16);
Sylvester 6 damage; mounted on shaggy
Shen - 12 damage.
Giant Wolves
blue - 6 damage.
red
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"Oh, well, let's show these wolves they got into hard bone" Ledt steps forward and aims through the hole in the collapsed wall to the red haired wolf.
Sparks start to crackle from the top of his pointy red hair, descending all over his face and concentrating at his red arm. When the sparks reach his index and heard fingers, an arc of electricity jumps over the giant wolf.
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Hadanka leaves the wolf reeling with two massive blows. It staggers and then slumps to the ground.
Meanwhile Ledt shows the red one why you shouldn't mess with gnomes.
Status, bold may post:
Graff
Silgil - false life (16);
Sylvester 6 damage; mounted on shaggy
Shen - 12 damage.
Giant Wolf: red 17 damage;
Ledt 10 damage; prone
Hadanka - 11 damage; prone.