Players who read though Lost Omens Legends might find that they want to learn more about just what kind of deals Baba Yaga can offer them or the cool alchemy techniques that Artokus Kirran saves for only his most important students. GMs who read through the book might see that Queen Abrogail Thrune has contracts that can offer great power (with an obviously high price) or that Runelord Sorshen can teach a new, enchanting spell. These cool new options are easy enough to hand out, but we want tables to do more than just snag a new feat or magic item. We want you to meet these legends in the flesh! At least, as best as one can with a roleplaying game.

To help out with that, I’ve put together a brief little encounter in Qahir Palace, home of Satrap Xerbystes II, his wife Shahiyan Deena al-Parishat, and his vizier Hebizid Vraj. The palace is located in Katheer, capital of Qadira. For this encounter, the PCs have earned the right to visit with Satrap Xerbystes. Perhaps the PCs are here for a diplomatic endeavor to win the satrap’s favor. Maybe the vizier called them to the palace to task them with an important mission. It could also be that the PCs won Deena’s attention after a notable horse race. Whatever the case, the PCs are now in the royal palace and, of course, things are about to go wrong.

The encounter below is for 9th-level Pathfinder characters. First, let’s take a look at the map. The map is of a large Qadiran palace that has lots of room for intrigue, stealth, and of course, combat. Feel free to use this map as you like in your own game, sprinkling in encounters, traps, and more as you see fit. Today’s encounter takes place in the throne room, but could totally spill out into the rest of the palace!

Art by Firat Solhan

Untagged map for my VTT friends

Art by Firat Solhan

Qahir Palace

This luxurious palace serves as the home for Xerbystes II. The palace itself is relatively small compared to others throughout the Padishah Empire of Kelesh, but remains impressive nonetheless. The palace is lit with bright light throughout the day and the guards that patrol the palace use personal torches after dark. The palace ceilings rise to a height of 20 feet on the first floor and are only 10 feet high on other floors.

1. Palace Stairs: These fine, marble stairs lead up to the palace.
2. Bazaar: Shahiyan Deena al-Parishat allocates this space for local merchants to sell their wares. She specifically selects merchants with unique or high-quality items in an attempt to showcase Qadiran crafting skill.
3. Entryway: This grand domed arch serves as the palace entrance. The pair of guards posted here make sure to only allow expected guests inside and also keep an eye on the bazaar.
4. Barracks: The palace guards sleep here between shifts.
5. Stable: Deena keeps a number of her prized mounts here as this stable offers better defenses than the stable on the palace grounds. The staircase leads down to the armory landing (room 23).
6. Meeting Chambers: Xerbystes and Hebizid use this chamber for meetings with diplomats and other guests.
7. Courtyard: This open-air garden offers a break from the cramped quarters of the palace.
8. War Room: Xerbystes uses the table’s illusion magic to discuss battle strategy with his advisors.
9. . Storage: Palace staff keep food and other supplies here. The staircase descends down to the additional storage (room 26) and the rest of the basement.
10. Throne Room: Xerbystes holds court in this large chamber. A secret door on the back wall allows Xerbystes to slip away to other floors in times of danger. Spotting the door requires a successful DC 25 Perception check, though a specialized mechanism prevents immediate use for the door. Xyrbestes, Deena, and Hebizid all know the required method of using the door and can do open it with a single Interact action. Anyone else will need to succeed at three total DC 30 Thievery checks to Disable the Device that locks the door. The secret passage leads up to the secret chamber connecting the royal bedroom (room 19) and the basement tunnel (room 29).
11. Servant’s Quarters: This are the resting quarters for the palace staff.
12. Kitchen: The palace staff are available at all hours to make a meal here.
13. Dining Hall: Xerbystes holds regular dinners here for guests. The palace staff use the smaller tables as serving tables during meals.
14. Bathing Room: This is Deena’s personal bath.
15. Shahiyan’s Chambers: This are Deena’s personal quarters.
16. Office: Deena uses this office when writing letters and other messages.
17. Vizier’s Chambers: Hebizid stays in these chambers and uses the connected office for his work.
18. Vizier’s Office: Hebizid uses this office for his work.
19. Royal Bedroom: This are Xerbystes’s personal quarters. A secret door connects to hidden chamber. Locating and using the door uses the same rules as the secret door in the throne room.
20. Lounge: Xerbystes relaxes here during evenings, usually with Deena or Hebizid as a companion.
21. Bathing Room: This is Xerbystes’s personal bath.
22. Stairwell: This staircase leads down to the main hallway between the servant quarts and the kitchen, allowing the staff quick access when tending to royal needs.
23. Armory Landing: This small landing contains a staircase that connects to the stable (room 5) upstairs.
24. Armor: The palace guards keep their equipment and extra gear in this room.
25. Guard Lounge: The palace guards relax here when off-duty or taking breaks. Extra beds are kept here to support additional guards during important events.
26. Additional Storage: The rest of the palace storage is here and connects with the storage upstairs (room 9).
27. Library: Xerbystes keeps notable reading material and important documents such as financial records here.
28. Royal Treasury: This room holds the palace’s treasure. A guard stands at the entryway at all times of the day.
29. Basement Tunnel: This secret tunnel connects to the other secret chambers on the above floors. Locating and using the doors that connect to this tunnel uses the same rules as the secret door in the throne room.

Palace Attack

Severe 9

“You have a chance to meet with Qadiran royalty. Upon being ushered into the palace, you make your way into the grand throne room.”

A local pro-slavery group, the Burning Sands, has grown upset at Deena’s continued abolitionist stance and have decided to put an end to the abolitionist decrees coming from the palace. The group recently learned of the PC’s visit to the palace and recognized that it would serve as a perfect distraction for their attack on the palace so they can put an end to Xerbystes and Deena.

Creatures: The members of the Burning Sands are disguised as staff and roaming the throne room. A servant notices one of the assassins drawing their blade. Her scream alerts the room and Xerbystes (or the appropriate person) immediately slips into the secret chamber behind the throne room, escaping to safety. It’s up to the PCs to fend off the assassins! 1d4+1 rounds after the combat begins, a squad of palace guards join in to assist the PCs.

Burning Sands Assassins (4) — Creature 8

Assassin (Gamemastery Guide 211)
Initiative Deception +12

Qahir Guards (4) — Creature 5

Elite Palace Guards (Bestiary 6, Gamemastery Guide 211)
Initiative Perception +14

Treasure: Once the PCs deal with the assassins, they earn the satrap’s thanks. In addition to a hefty gold reward of 900 gp, Xerbystes offers the PCs a particularly unique gift. His palace spellcasters have developed a method that can infuse an animal companion with elemental power, converting the animal companion into a genie-touched companion. He is willing to have his spellcasters use this technique on the PC’s companions or grant them one of these companions as a gift.

To learn more about Xerbystes, Deena, and Hebizid as well as the power that a genie-touched companion holds, check out Lost Omens Legends when it releases on July 30th!

Luis Loza
Developer

Patross, the staff lead, was sneering again, and Ivy knew that would soon cause trouble for her. The waitress didn't even need to look to know what had offended the surly man. The two guests that sat by the dock-side windows—prime seats of the establishment, Patross would protest!—stood out enough from the regular crowd. It was an open question on what about them offended the most. The woman's clothing was too shabby, the man's clothing was too foreign. The woman was vicious and unpleasant. Truthfully, Ivy thought that Patross was most upset that the pair were both old, and the woman incredibly ugly.

He couldn't say anything about that, it would upset Taldan decorum. So Patross sneered and settled on, “Setting that filthy chicken on the table. As if she thought this place was a barn!”

As if other guests didn't bring their dogs into the tavern all the time, throwing their grimy leftover bones on the floor for the pets to chew on. Ivy would have rolled her eyes, if she didn't know what was coming next for her. She kept her gaze down on the floor and clutched her serving plate to her chest, willing herself to become invisible. If she could just slip under the man's notice, maybe he'd just complain and then leave it alone—

“Ivy!” Patross barked, and the poor waitress felt a cold shudder roll up her shoulders despite the fact she'd been expecting it. “Tell that woman to either take that louse-ridden bird out, or take herself out instead!”

Coward, Ivy thought.

She moved as slowly as possible, dragging each step with a sense of building dread, but with Patross' eyes on her she couldn't draw her walk out forever. The more that Ivy could see of the old woman, the more terrified Ivy became. Maybe it was simply because the old hag was so hideous—Ivy didn't like to think she was so shallow, but what else was there? She'd dealt with far less pleasant drunks nearly every shift. The woman's teeth glinted like iron, but Ivy had seen gaudier dentures before, some made of far less pleasant materials. The woman was glaring at Ivy long before the girl reached the table, sniffing as if she could suck the waitress in through her nose. The price of dragging it out as she had; that always made things worse!

“Well?” the old woman snapped, and Ivy fought down another deep shudder. “What is it, child? Did you burn your tongue off? Spit out what you want or leave me to my tea!”

Ivy swallowed deeply, glad that her serving plate could hide the sweat on her palms. “Madam...” she said, mind racing on what to say, before she settled on something potentially inoffensive. “Would you like me to care for your chicken, while you are here?”

The woman sniffed heavily again, this time thoughtfully. “Careful with your words, are you? Yes, take care of my chicken. If you're a good girl and treat it well, I'll give you a gift and let you go free.”

“Stop tormenting the young woman,” the elderly man chastised. Ivy had nearly forgotten he was there, too focused on his horrible companion. He had dark skin, not too unusual in Taldor—plenty of families from Mwangi had come to Taldor with the returning Armies of Exploration—but none of those people wore clothing like his. He continued, “Pay your grandmother no mind, Ivy. Nor your staff lead, for that matter.”

Art by Firat Solhan

He must have overheard my name, Ivy thought, because she didn't like to think of any alternatives. She wasn't sure what to say now, so she said nothing.

“A shy little bit like that must be pushed, or she'll never amount to anything,” the 'grandmother' complained. “Look at her, shoved around by quarrelsome women and grubby men. She'd be better off as a ham on a plate.”

“Isn't that right?” she said, suddenly snapping her attention back to Ivy. “You'd leap at any chance to get out of here, wouldn't you, child? Even one as horrible as I?”

Ivy wanted to. Ivy wanted to escape this miserable, harassment-filled drudgery more than anything. But Ivy had been raised on old tales of careless fools, and had learned well in Taldor to be cautious of windfalls, and so she took a step back and gave a short shake of her head.

“Plenty of 'shy young bits' grow up without you to threaten them,” the man scoffed at his companion. “Or do you think you're so important?”

“Of course I'm important,” 'grandmother' cackled.

“Oh? Care to wager?” the man asked.

The pair glanced at Ivy again, something unspoken passing between them. The old woman shook her head, picking up her chicken under one arm. “A waste,” she grumbled, with no further explanation, and hustled out of the tavern door. Both Ivy and the old man watched her go.

“You're wise to avoid suspicious gifts, and wiser still not to look toward someone else to save you,” the man said, after a moment. “But will you be able to live with the curiosity of what would have happened, if you had said yes?”

“Well, I'll have to, sir,” Ivy said, slipping easily back into her pleasant server persona now that the woman was gone. “Thank you for your patronage.”

The old man nodded, or perhaps it was a small bow, before he picked up his leopard-headed staff, paid the bill, and left. Ivy blew out a sign of relief, glad the situation had resolved itself without a confrontation. Patross couldn't yell at her for failing now... at least, not much. The waitress moved to clean up the dishes on the table, noting the silver and glass tea mugs weren't anything she'd seen used at the Dancing Dolphin before. Moving one of the cups onto her tray, she noticed a brilliant red and gold egg sitting behind it. It looked the size of a regular hen's egg, but it glittered with real gold, and something strange and powerful hummed beneath Ivy's fingertips when she touched it.

This is not safe, Ivy thought to herself, for she was no fool. She looked out the window, but could see no sign of the old hag or her friend. Was this some kind of test? The smartest thing to do was leave the egg there, or perhaps give it to Patross and see what happened. But she thought back to the old man's words... will you be able to live with the curiosity of what would have happened, if you leave it be?

Ivy picked up the Fabergé egg, slipping it into the pocket of her waitress' apron...

To learn more about these mysterious patrons and just what kind of gifts they can offer, check out Lost Omens Legends when it releases on July 30th!

About the Author

Eleanor Ferron is a developer at Paizo, working primarily on the Pathfinder Lost Omens product line.

About the Tales of Lost Omens

The Tales of Lost Omens series of web-based flash fiction provides an exciting glimpse into Pathfinder’s Age of Lost Omens setting. Written by some of the most celebrated authors in tie-in gaming fiction, including Paizo’s Pathfinder Tales line of novels and short fiction, the Tales of Lost Omens series promises to explore the characters, deities, history, locations, and organizations of the Pathfinder setting with engaging stories to inspire Game Masters and players alike.