The young heroes of Kassen have decided to see with the Cult of Razmir in Tamran has to do with the events at the Crypt the Everflame. With the city's blessing, they have infiltrated the Cult. But what they find will test them...
Special Defenses (e.g., DR, SR, Resistances, Immunities)
Lowest Save/Highest Save
Movement
Special Attacks (e.g. breath weapons, gaze attacks, sneak attack)
Spell-Like Abilities/Spellcasting
Typical Feats/Abilities
Skills
Languages
Other Special Abilities (SQ)
Ecology
Known Details of the Tamran Mission:
Per Sledge's request, here are the known details on the Tamran mission:
Ekat Kassen wrote:
"Three months ago, I was wrenched back here and have been stuck in this chamber ever since, unable to do much of anything. But there were people here then. They stole something...Our amulets. Mine and Asar's. Maybe that's why...did they know?"
"Our amulets were parts of a key to the last great treasure vault we found. It was a place of stark temptation: near endless treasure and power. My companions and I agreed to split the key into four parts and to carry them with us until the end of our days: for one person to have control over that much wealth and power...well, it was certainly against what Aroden stood for. Asar, Iramine, and Delaab agreed to the plan. We took what we could carry and split the key back into its original four pieces. We also swore to tell no one of the amulets' true purpose. The thieves must have somehow found out about the Vault and come looking for the pieces."
"Whoever is trying to find the Vault can surely have none but ill intentions. And I'm afraid of what such a person seeks. What they're capable of. What they will do if they get their hands on all that wealth. And may Aroden forgive me for my selfishness, but I'm afraid of what will become if me if I am unable to return to the River of Souls."
"Please. I know that you claim you are no heroes, but you are the only ones who now know of what happened here. Please, stop the person responsible for all this from reopening the Vaulet."
"You could seek Iramine and Delaab and pray that they stayed true. Elves live for a very long time. Iramine was from Kyonin, and Delaab from Ustalav. They might have gone back home or settled elsewhere. I would not know..."
Discoveries in (and near) the Crypt wrote:
The man that you found dead by the river was wearing clothes that were in season in a place like Tamran. The man was a commoner, but he was a well-dressed one. There is no clear sign of the man's faith on his person, but he had coins in his coin pouch. The coins appeared to be relatively newly minted from the capital city of Nirmathas: Tamran. They bore the likeness of Forest Marshal Weslen Gavirk, the recently-elected leader of Nirmathas.
On another body in the Crypt, Median found a map detailing the area, similar to the one that you all had received from the Mayor, with the entrance to the Crypt circled. There was also a small handbill of a type typically found posted in taverns. The handbill is faded, but clearly reads as a notice of employment, telling all those interested to meet at "The Ranger's Lament." Sledge recalled that the Ranger's Lament is a popular tavern in Tamran, the capital city of Nirmathas, about 130 miles to the southeast.
The central sarcophagus of the crypt room has been disturbed, its lid lying broken on the ground in front of it, and the sarcophagus itself empty. The name "Asar Vergas" has been carved into the broken stone. A corpse dressed in gray robes lies beside the sarcophagus, the stench of rot hanging heavy around him. Flipping the corpse over, Garen sees that he is wearing an iron mask that fully covers his face. There are also bruises and striations about his neck, a sure sign of death by strangulation. Garen thinks that he died about 3 months ago.
A cursory glance of the man's person reveals a few more items of interest. First, there is a map of the region, similar to the one that you received from the mayor, with the roads leading to the Crypt marked. On the back of the map is a message scrawled in ink: "The amulets are entombed with Ekat Kassen and Asar Vergas." There is also a wand tucked into his belt, a pair of stylized copper wrist guards, a small horn (for playing, not drinking), a coin pouch with 354 newly minted gold coins, and a spellbook with many pages filled.
Looking over the dead man, Garen recognizes from the mask affixed to his face that he is--or was--a follower of Razmir: The Living God. Cults of Razmir have been gaining traction all around the Lake Encarthan Region, spreading out from the country named after the Living God. Forty-eight years ago, in 4661 AR, Razmir became the most recent mortal to attain godhood by passing the Test of the Starstone: a feat last accomplished by Iomedae almost 900 years ago.
Sledge has heard rumors of a cult opening up a major headquarters in Tamran, the capital of Nirmathas. Tamran is about 130 miles southeast from Kassen and very close to the border with Molthune. The city built on piers and pilings over the marshlands at the mouth of the Marideth River, where it meets the banks of Lake Encarthan. The city is connected by a web of bridges, ramps, and causeways, and a flotilla of barges and skiffs, and all of the buildings are made of wood.
Altogether, you found seven people associated with the suspected tomb robbing: one by Gray Lake, one in the room with the frogs, the man in the iron mask, and four zombies. None of them were carrying any amulets, so one might suspect that someone got away.
Given the Nirmathi coins and the flyer from the Ranger's Lament, it seems possible at least that perhaps trying to tie this tragedy up will only mean looking into one cult cell--the one in Tamran--rather than the whole of the nation of Razmiran. Hopefully.
Khuvaan wrote:
"While you all were moving through the lower floor, I kept an eye on the entrance. Last night I heard some howling and scratching at the door. I carefully opened it after the scratching died down and saw a pack of switchback jackals prowling around. I tried to chase them off, but they were more brazen than those I've usually encountered. Just being near them filled my mind with dread and they looked...off. It's the same feeling you get around undead, but they were definitely alive. Some had patches of fungus growing from them. Others looked like they were rotting. Whatever you all end up doing, I'm going to tell Arnama about this and ask her to help me investigate this blight."
"Mutated frogs? Maybe whatever happened in the Crypt has gotten out into the wider Fangwood, then. Like some sort of curse, or blight. Not good."
"That name: Delaab. It's impossible to know for certain, but it sounds like an anagram of my father Baelad's name. It could just be a coincidence, but with his treason and spycraft I wouldn't be too shocked."
Father Rantal Prasst wrote:
"The living god: that's Razmir. You know, ruler of that country across Lake Encarthan? The Church of Razmir set up a Temple in Tamran right around the time that I was mustering out of the military. It was just a few people at first, but they started drawing converts faster than any other Cult I had seen. I'm a born-and-raised Erastilian, but I admired them. They did good charity, feeding the poor, healing the sick, protecting businesses from criminals, that sort of thing--and unlike the stuffy Abadaran bank they weren't trying to charge money for it. The local government liked them: they were bringing in foreign coin and solving problems that the city was too poor to manage itself. They would make good donations to the military as well, enough to feed and arm our soldiers and even hire some mercenaries to help fight Molthune. They were gaining influence with the city guard and the government. But some things about them made me nervous."
"First, they really denigrated other faiths. They'd openly mock Erastil if I walked by one of their street sermons wearing my holy symbol, calling him a distant god. Second, they seemed even more focused on accruing money than the Church of Abadar. It was like an obsession: they promised wealth and power to anyone who followed Razmir and learned his truths. And finally, they require anyone who joins to wear these masks at all times. I had a friend who joined before I left Tamran and...well, I never saw him again. I mean, I might have seen him in the streets, but I wouldn't have known it because they never show their faces."
"Everyone I knew who joined the Church of Razmir was about your age. Our age. With all due respect, Ranger Lastrid, they'd be the perfect people to figure out what the Church of Razmir has to do with all this. Better than most of us, at least."
Mayor Jonark Uptal wrote:
"I think that settles it then. If the three of you will accept it, I would ask you to travel to Tamran and find those responsible for unleashing this violence on our town. They may not have known that that's what they would do when they robbed from our founder, but we deserve answers. I would prefer to avoid a diplomatic incident, of course. Remember: you are representatives of Kassen and Nirmathi citizens. Rantal, is there someone they should contact in Tamran?"
Prasst wrote:
"Tamran has a loose ruling council with three members: the Speakers. The Speaker of the Heart, Aromina Yasgon, would be a good person to connect with. She's a veteran, like the other two Speakers, and she's probably the most amenable to overtures from outsiders."
Town of Kassen:
1. Seven Silvers: Most visitors to Kassen end up at this comfortable two-story inn and tavern. Run by Trelvar Silvers, this inn features modest prices (4 sp/night), decent food (3 sp/day), and a lively taproom. Trelvar is assisted by his daughter, Asina, and the overly friendly Jimes “Short Change” Iggins, who is known for giving himself generous tips.
2. Greathall: Typically used for meetings, weddings, and other celebrations, the Greathall is a tall, three-story wooden structure near the center of town. Inside is one grand space with a number of smaller rooms on each floor.
3. Woodcutter’s Guildhall: Kassen’s primary export is lumber taken from the surrounding Fangwood. While many of these logs are taken right down the Tourondel River to Lake Encarthan, the woodcutters require that all logs bear the stamp of the guildhall, which of course requires a small fee. As a result, the woodcutter’s guild is one of the more powerful groups in town, under the firm hand of the ever-opportunistic Colbin Vetnar.
4. Temple of Erastil: The only stone building in town is home to Kassen’s only temple. While the church is officially dedicated to Erastil, there are a number of faiths practiced here, including Gozreh, Gorum, Shelyn, and Torag. Father Prasst is the only priest, but most in town refer to him as the "High Priest."
5. Town Watch Headquarters: Guard Captain Wisslo spends most of his time in this building or patrolling the streets of Kassen. While the guardsmen are mostly relaxed in their duties, they become an effective force if there is trouble in town.
6. Renet’s Steel: While Renet’s shop services much of the town’s needs when it comes to metalworks, his quality is nowhere near that of Braggar’s. Most metal items can be found here for the standard prices.
7. Arnama’s Home: This is the home of Arnama Lastrid, one of the few rangers who lives in Kassen. Mayor Uptal, who trusts the ranger’s instincts implicitly, frequently calls Arnama to the town council to report and advise.
8. Sir Dramott’s Home: This is the home of Sir Dramott, a knight from Lastwall who keeps watch on the town.
9. Braggar’s Shop: This is the workshop and home of Braggar Ironhame, a dwarven blacksmith. Braggar’s works exceed those of Renet’s Steel, but he works much slower and charges a higher price.
10. Vargidan Estate: This is the home of the eccentric Vargidan family and has a bit of a spooky reputation in town.
11. Holgast’s Tower: Holgast’s slightly crooked tower stands at the edge of town.
12. Mayor Uptal’s Home: This modest building along the water is the home of Mayor Uptal, who can frequently be found in the Greathall holding meetings or on his small boat in the river, fishing.
13. Ilimara’s Home: This is the home of Ilimara Oniri, a woman from Qadira.
House Rules Summary:
Elephant in the Room (v3) Feat Tax ruleset in place
Combat Maneuvers: If neither opponent has a combat maneuver feat (Deft Maneuvers, Powerful Maneuvers, Unarmed Combatant), then untrained combat maneuvers do not provoke attacks of opportunity if the CMB check exceeds the target's CMD. If an untrained character attempts a combat maneuver against an opponent who has the corresponding feat, then they do provoke an AoO. Characters who have a combat maneuver feat never provoke AoOs using maneuvers covered by feats.
Deft Maneuvers (Dex 13 required): dirty trick, disarm, reposition, steal, trip; + feint as a move action
Unarmed Combatant (Dex 13 required): grapple, unarmed strike 1d6 dmg (1d4 if small) lethal or nonlethal
Hit Points: All characters whose hit points are dependent on class levels (i.e., most humanoids and animal companions) gain one maxed HD worth of additional hit points depending on their size and racial Constitution modifiers. Small = d6, Medium = d8. Con penalty reduces the die size by 1, whereas a Con bonus increases the die size by 1. So dwarves have 10 bonus hp, whereas elves and halflings have 6, and gnomes have 8. Half-elves, half-orcs, and humans typically have 8 bonus hp unless they take a Con bonus, in which case they have 10. Characters receive maximum HP at each level.
Favored Class Bonus: At each level, you get your race’s unique favored class bonus in addition toboth a bonus skill point and a bonus hit point. If your race doesn’t have a favored class bonus, you can choose from either this list (the second batch) or this one.
Healing During Rest: When you rest overnight, you will heal level + Con modifier hit points (i.e., a Level 3 PC with a 14 Con heals 5 hp during overnight rest). Successful long-term care doubles this (during an 8-hour rest) or quadruples it during a full 24-hour rest.
Character Creation Summary:
System: Pathfinder 1E
Level: 1
Ability Scores: 20 point buy
Races: Core only
Alignment: Any, within reason
Class: Any Paizo, core preferred
Skills: Background skills; House rules for Linguistics and Heal
Feats: Elephant in the Room; free Story feat; Combat Stamina free for fighters; Signature Skill to access skill unlocks; Psychic Sensitivity to access occult skill unlocks
Traits: Three traits, including one of the following custom campaign traits; can take drawback for a 4th
Wealth: Class average wealth for Level 1
Hit Points: Max at each level + 8 hp for humans/6 hp for elves/halflings/animals
Languages: No secret languages; House rule for using new languages (see below)
Favored Class Bonuses: Hit point, Skill point, and racial favored class option each level
Background: 2-3 paragraphs. You are from the hamlet of Kassen, and are the latest to participate in coming-of-age tradition called the Quest for the Everflame.
Extra: Please link to one previous example of your roleplaying.
Character Creation Details:
Starting Level: 1
Ability Scores: 20-point buy; no scores below 8 or above 18 after racial adjustments.
Races: Core only; you may choose any alternate traits within your ancestry’s page as listed on AoNPRD.
Humans are the most prevalent group in the hamlet of Kassen (population 750). Kassen is 93% human, 3% halfling, 2% half-orc, 1% half-elf, and 1% elf. There is also at least one dwarf living in town.
Alignment: No restrictions, but you should 1) be able to work with a team, and 2) have a real interest in completing the town’s coming-of-age tradition. Evil doesn’t mean you’re a mustache-twirling villain. A paladin should not be lawful stupid. And chaotic neutral is not an excuse to do whatever you want. There are two variant systems for alignment in Unchained, and we can explore those if the chosen players are interested.
Classes: Any class or archetype published by Paizo, including unchained; core preferred. No 3rd party. There are prospective mentors for all of the core classes in Kassen, and therefore for the hybrid classes. I’ll try to find an established mentor for you if you really want to choose a different class (e.g. the town wizard is a decent alchemist as well). There are other class adjustments, listed later.
Skills: We will be using Background Skills rules from Pathfinder Unchained with one exception: background skills that are important for one of your class abilities (e.g. Perform for Bards, Craft (alchemy) for Alchemists, etc.) are not considered background skills for you.
Linguistics: You can read, write, speak, and understand any of your racial bonus languages easily (as a native). Languages gained through ranks will go through a process of acquisition requiring Linguistics checks to draw accurate meaning from unfamiliar passages that you are translating. I have always been frustrated by how you can level up and go from not knowing a language to being perfectly fluent, seemingly overnight. This makes it so that the Linguistics skill is actually a skill, not just a way to gain languages.
Heal: I am considering adjustments to Heal like the 2E Medicine skill to make it an actually useful skill for healing. If you have ideas, I'd love to hear them.
Feats: We will be using the most recent version of the Elephant in the Room feat tax house rule set. You may also choose one Story Feat that you qualify for. Combat Stamina is free for fighters, and available by feat access to everyone else. Similarly, Unchained Rogues gain class access to skill unlocks, which other characters can access by choosing the Signature Skill feat (though they won't come into play during this campaign). Psychic classes automatically gain access to occult skill unlocks, which other characters can access by choosing the Psychic Sensitivity feat.
Traits: Choose two traits from different categories, along with one of the following custom campaign traits. You may choose a drawback to gain a fourth trait.
Wealth: You will start off with average wealth for your class at Level 1. You are expected to travel light, carrying only what you absolutely need—weapons, armor, spellbooks, etc.—as rations and other generic equipment will be provided.
Hit Points: Max at each level. (Note: enemies will have max hit points as well.) When you rest overnight, you will heal level + Con hit points.
Languages: No secret languages.
Favored Class Bonuses: At each level, you get your race’s unique favored class bonus in addition to both a bonus skill point and a bonus hit point. If your race doesn’t have a favored class bonus, you can choose from either this list (the second batch) or this one.
I’m open to considering other possible rule changes, but I offer this as a warning. The creatures that you face will benefit from many of the same rule changes that you are (especially feat taxes and max hit points). Be careful what you wish for.
Player Expectations:
I would like to encourage one substantive post per player per weekday (and one on the weekends), but I understand the realities of life. I care more about quality than quantity or frequency, but I want to keep the story (and game momentum) moving.
Please engage with the scene, the NPCs, and with each other.
Bad: “Grog nods.” Why? It’s boring and doesn’t add much to the scene.
Good: “Grog looks at the skeleton now lying splintered and still on the cave floor, and his rage slowly subsides. “Well that was embarrassing,” he says sheepishly, his tall frame shrinking as he hopes that his friends won’t think less of him for getting so angry.” Why? It’s more appropriate, providing sensory details and adding something that another character can respond to.
When combat begins, I will roll Initiative for everyone and combat will proceed in block initiative. When your character is up in initiative, you will have 24 hours to post your combat turn. If you don’t post by that point, then I will either have your character delay or (if you have a typical action), I can bot you. I plan to use Roll20 for maps.
I prefer a roleplay-forward style of play. What is your character thinking? What are they feeling? Roleplaying, especially PbP, is a collaborative environment where we are all telling a story together. I would love to be able to tell each character’s story in addition to the overarching narrative.
Class Adjustments:
Beyond the class adjustments listed in version 3 of the Elephant in the Room feat tax documents, I am making the following class adjustments:
* Bloodragers will have Magus cantrips.
* Paladins will have Cleric orisons.
* Rangers will have Druid orisons.
* I am open to Paladins of Neutral Good or Chaotic Good alignments, more similar to the Champions of 2E, without taking an archetype that cripples the class. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis if someone wants to play a champion of a chaotic good, true neutral, or chaotic neutral deity.
* Alchemists and Investigators can prepare any of the ten effects from polypurpose panacea as nostrums, cantrip-level effects. Rather than choosing an effect on the fly, these effects must be chosen individually at the beginning of the day. Alchemists start off knowing all ten polypurpose panacea nostrums, and can prepare them as a magus prepares cantrips (i.e. three at level 1). Alchemists can also prepare chameleon scales, detect magic, detect poison, enhanced diplomacy, and vigor as nostrums. A nostrum is typically inhaled as a standard action, and can be used at will throughout the day, though it only works for the alchemist/investigator unless they possess the Infusion alchemist discovery.
