The goblin alchemist Gristleburst is the fourth and final member of the protagonist adventuring party in the Pathfinder novella, The Shroud of Four Silences, by Pathfinder Tales veteran Liane Merciel. You can find the No-Prep Character (NPC) entries for his compatriots, Eleukas, Lisavet, and Wendlyn, on previous blogs. Check out the party’s full adventure here on paizo.com or on the Kindle bookstore.

Gristleburst, Inquisitive Pyromaniac

Gristleburst grew up among the Gullcracker goblins outside of Otari, but he was always a loner. His irrepressible curiosity and keen mind for chemistry earned him few friends among the goblins, even though his firebombs were always a source of good fun. When the Gullcrackers were killed and reanimated as zombies, Gristleburst took on the lonely, sad task of putting down each one of his former kin. He now wanders the world as an alchemist-for-hire, just as eager to investigate unusual mysteries as he is to set things ablaze.

Gristleburst is an unreliable ally. He’s quick to make friends—particularly because he’s otherwise all alone in the world—but he frequently pursues his own ideals without consulting his allies and hurls his bombs with reckless glee.

Gristleburst, illustration by Valeria Dryzhak

Gristleburst — Creature 2

Unique, CN, Small, Goblin, Humanoid
Male goblin alchemist
Perception +7
Languages Common, Goblin
Skills Acrobatics +7, Crafting +8, Intimidation +6, Nature +7, Stealth +7, Survival +7
Str +1, Dex +3, Con +1, Int +4, Wis +1, Cha +0
Items alchemist’s tools, dagger, formula scraps (as formula book), goggles, infused reagents (2), studded leather
Infused Items Gristleburst carries the following infused items, which last for 24 hours or until the next time he makes his daily preparations: lesser acid flask (2), lesser alchemist’s fire (4), lesser eagle-eye elixir (2)

AC 18; Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +6
HP 30; Resistances fire 1
Speed 25 feet

Melee [one-action] dagger +9 (agile, versatile S); Damage 1d4+1 piercing

Ranged [one-action] lesser alchemist’s fire +11 (range increment 20 feet, splash); Damage 1d8+1 fire plus 2 persistent fire damage and 1 fire splash damage

Ranged [one-action] lesser acid flask +11 (range increment 20 feet, splash); Damage 1 acid plus 1d6 persistent acid damage plus 1 acid splash damage

Ranged [one-action] dagger +11 (agile, thrown 10 feet, versatile S); Damage 1d4+1 piercing

Quick Bomber [one-action] Gristleburst draws an alchemical bomb with an Interact action and throws it as a ranged Strike.

Quick Smoke Bomb [free-action] Cost 1 batch of infused reagents; Effect Gristleburst mixes up a short-lived lesser acid flask or lesser alchemist’s fire without attempting a Crafting check. It remains potent only until the end of his next turn. When he throws this bomb, in addition to its normal effects, it creates a cloud of smoke in a 10-foot radius burst. Creatures in that area have the concealed condition, and other creatures are concealed to them. This smoke lasts for 1 minute or until dissipated by a strong wind.

Plot Hooks

Game Masters might consider the following plot hooks as a means of integrating Gristleburst into any Pathfinder Second Edition game.

• When the heroes are following a treasure map through a dangerous wilderness, Gristleburst agrees to show them a safe path in exchange for a share of the loot.
• The heroes are hunting an arsonist, and Gristleburst can help identify blast patterns and accelerants the arsonist used to set the blaze.
• Gristleburst’s reckless alchemy inadvertently sets a stand of trees or a building on fire, and he needs urgent help to put the fire out before it spreads.

Ron Lundeen
Development Manager (Pathfinder)

It’s been a few months since we last checked on our adventurous friends in the town of Otari, but you can now get the entire Shroud of Four Silences novella in eBook form here on paizo.com or on the Kindle bookstore. Next, we’ll look at the pyromaniac scamp, Gristleburst, wrapping up our No-Prep Character series based on the novella’s main adventuring party. What would you like to see next in the world of Pathfinder (or Starfinder) fiction? Do you prefer blog-based flash fiction, email-based serialized novellas, or something else entirely? Let us know in the comments below.

Wendlyn, Incorrigible Thief

Wendlyn grew up in Otari and knows just about everyone in it. This means she knows which people are safe to target with her petty larceny. She’s been on the wrong side of Captain Longsaddle of the Otari town guard for as long as she can remember, but she keeps away from the sorts of crimes that would call for serious punishment, or that would seriously hurt anyone. The people of Otari are immune to her thefts but not her pranks; she’s fond of hiding animals where they’ll surprise people or livening up a celebration with some unexpected fireworks. She considers it to be all in good fun. Captain Longsaddle would definitely disagree, as would her younger half-sister, the pious acolyte Lisavet.

Wendlyn is an excellent person to become acquainted with in Otari, as she knows a fair share of the town’s secrets. Her lifelong inclination toward theft also makes her just the right person to disable a tricky lock or disarm a complicated trap. She’s eager to join just about any escapade, illicit or otherwise, as long as no one seems likely to get seriously hurt.

Wendlyn, illustration by Valeria Dryzhak

Wendlyn — Creature 2

Unique, CG, Medium, Elf, Human, Humanoid
Female half-elf rogue
Perception +10; low-light vision
Languages Common, Elven
Skills Acrobatics +10, Deception +6, Otari Lore +7, Society +7, Stealth +8, Thievery +10
Str +2, Dex +4, Con +0, Int +1, Wis +3, Cha +0
Items leather armor, lesser alchemist’s fire (2), rope, shortbow (20 arrows), shortsword, thieves’ tools

AC 17; Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +11
HP 30
Nimble Dodge [reaction] Trigger Wendlyn is targeted with an attack by an attacker she can see; Effect Wendlyn gains a +2 circumstance bonus to AC against the triggering attack.
Speed 30 feet; mobility

Melee [one-action] shortsword +10 (agile, finesse, versatile S); Damage 1d6+4 piercing

Ranged [one-action] shortbow +10 (deadly d10, propulsive, range increment 60 feet, reload 0); Damage 1d6+1 piercing

Ranged [one-action] lesser alchemist’s fire +10 (range increment 20 feet, splash); Damage 1d8 fire plus 1 persistent fire damage and 1 fire splash damage

Mobility Wendlyn doesn’t trigger reactions from movement when she Strides half her Speed or less.

Sneak Attack Wendlyn deals an extra 1d6 precision damage to flat-footed creatures

Surprise Attack On the first round of combat, if Wendlyn rolls Deception or Stealth for initiative, creatures that haven’t acted yet are flat-footed to her.

Plot Hooks

Game Masters might consider the following plot hooks as a means of integrating Wendlyn into any Pathfinder Second Edition game.

• Wendlyn needs the heroes to help her recover a hand mirror she stole from an abandoned house and then fenced, as she didn’t realize its presence was keeping a ghost confined to the old house. She hopes to recover the mirror from the fence and get it back into the house before anyone’s hurt.
• One of the heroes is an alibi who can prove Wendlyn wasn’t at the scene of a crime that Captain Longsaddle is certain she committed. The heroes must work to prove the thief’s innocence—in this particular matter, at least.
• The heroes have come across a strange puzzle box that defies all attempts to open it, but an expert locksmith like Wendlyn might be able to help.
• Through her shady contacts, Wendlyn has heard of a plot to smuggle drugs into Otari’s harbor late at night. She hopes to intercept the smugglers, dump the drugs into the harbor’s waters, and teach the smugglers to stay out of her town.

Ron Lundeen
Developer

This week we send out the final chapter of The Shroud of Four Silences. For those still experiencing technical difficulties receiving emails, we’ll leave signups open to get these (at a rate of a chapter a day to help you catch up). Additionally, we’ll have an ePub version of this story available here on paizo.com and the Kindle store as soon as possible, and we’ll be doing this again once we work out some of the kinks in the email garden hose, so to speak. For now, enjoy this glimpse into to one of the story’s four protagonists, the Sarenite acolyte Lisavet.

LISAVET, WELL-READ ACOLYTE

Lisavet found two callings in the Dawnflower Library. She was not only drawn to the faith of Sarenrae, benevolent goddess of the sun and healing, but also adored the numerous and varied books within the library. Although trained as a healer, she spent most of her time reading adventure stories. When the opportunity came for adventure of her own, Lisavet put her self-doubt aside and embraced her faith, becoming a righteous hero. Lisavet’s adventures are described in The Shroud of Four Silences.

Lisavet is just the sort of person anyone would want to find at a local shrine or hospital: caring, intelligent, and eager to provide whatever assistance she can. Although she puts on a greater show of confidence than she sometimes feels, she knows that Sarenrae will never let her down.

Lisavet, illustration by Valeria Dryzhak

Lisavet — Creature 2

Unique, NG, Medium, Human, Humanoid
Female human cleric

Perception +10
Languages Common
Skills Diplomacy +7, Library Lore +7, Medicine +8, Religion +8, Society +7
Str +0, Dex +1, Con +0, Int +3, Wis +4, Cha +1
Items minor healing potion (3), religious symbol of Sarenrae, staff, studded leather
AC 17; Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +11
HP 30
Speed 25 feet

Melee [one-action] staff +8 (two-hand d8); Damage 1d4 bludgeoning

Divine Prepared Spells DC 18, attack +10; 1st bless, burning hands, heal (x2), sanctuary; Cantrips (1st) detect magic, divine lance, light, shield, stabilize

Cleric Domain Spells 1 Focus Point, DC 18; 1st dazzling flash (Core Rulebook 391)

Healing Hands When Lisavet casts heal, she rolls d10s instead of d8s.

Turn Undead When Lisavet uses heal to damage undead, each level 2 or lower undead that critically fails its save gains the fleeing condition for 1 round.

Plot Hooks

Game Masters might consider the following plot hooks as a means of integrating Lisavet into any Pathfinder Second Edition game.

• Lisavet needs some special herbs to make a rare healing poultice she’s read about. She knows she’s ill-suited to handle an expedition to find the herbs on her own and wants the heroes to accompany her.
• Having suffered a strange wound that resists ordinary attempts to heal it, the heroes must come to a specialist like Lisavet.
• While perusing an ancient folio, Lisavet discovered a map to a forgotten shrine of Sarenrae in a forlorn section of wilderness. She needs aid to reach it and restore it to its former glory.

Ron Lundeen
Developer

As The Shroud of Four Silences, the new serialized Pathfinder novella from Liane Merciel, comes to a close, we’re presenting NPC stat blocks for all four of the main protagonists, allowing you to incorporate them into your ongoing campaigns. Whether they serve as allies, competitive rivals, or even replacement player characters, take these new heroes and make them your own. We look forward to seeing what challenges face them beyond the story’s conclusion next week.

ELEUKAS, COURAGEOUS GUARD

Eleukas grew up in Otari, working hard in the logging camps and getting to know the townspeople. When he was old enough to join the Otari town guard, even the curmudgeonly Captain Longsaddle couldn’t deny that the muscular lad had martial talent. What he didn’t realize is that Eleukas also has heart. Though unsure of his own abilities, Eleukas joined with his friends to avert a serious threat to Otari, as described in The Shroud of Four Silences.

Eleukas is an excellent example of a local folk hero. He’s willing to raise his magical axe, Visperath, for coin, but he’s more likely to raise it to protect the innocent.

Eleukas, illustration by Valeria Dryzhak

Eleukas — Creature 2

Unique, LG, Medium, Human, Humanoid
Male human fighter
Perception +10
Languages Common
Skills Athletics +8, Diplomacy +8, Society +6, Survival +6 Str +4, Dex +1, Con +3, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +2
Items breastplate, minor healing potion, dagger (3), rope, Visperath (+1 battle axe that deals an additional 1 acid damage, and an additional 1d4 persistent acid damage on a critical hit)

AC 19; Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +6
HP 32
Attack of Opportunity [reaction]
Speed 20 feet

Melee [one-action] Visperath +11 (sweep); Damage 1d8+4 slashing plus 1 acid (plus 1d4 persistent acid on a critical hit)

Melee [one-action] dagger +10 (agile, versatile S); Damage 1d4+4 piercing

Ranged [one-action] dagger +7 (agile, thrown 10 feet, versatile S); Damage 1d4+4 piercing

Lunge [one-action] Eleukas makes a Strike with a melee weapon, increasing the reach of the Strike by 5 feet.

Power Attack [two-actions] Eleukas puts his power behind a melee Strike, which counts as two attacks when calculating his multiple attack penalty. If the Strike hits, he deals an extra die of weapon damage.

Plot Hooks

Game Masters might consider the following plot hooks as a means of integrating Eleukas into any Pathfinder Second Edition game.

• Eleukas needs help recovering an escaped prisoner who has made threats on the lives of a local family
• The heroes must defeat a marauding creature that can only be permanently killed by acid damage.
• Eleukas falls victim to some charm or possession effect and the heroes must stop him without killing him.
• While the heroes are investigating strange happenings in Otari, Eleukas lends his aid as someone who can make introductions to helpful townspeople and perhaps even convince Captain Longsaddle to overlook well-intentioned misdemeanors.

Ron Lundeen
Developer

Over the last few months, we’ve provided a number of new mechanics in the blog to give Game Masters running Otari-based campaigns a few more tricks to add flavor to the region based on the exploits of the heroes in Liane Merciel’s ongoing novella, The Shroud of Four Silences. We’re getting to the end of that tale, with Chapter 11 going out to our mailing list this week. To avoid spoilers, we’re hiding this week’s GM’s Toolkit entry below—keeping it secret, if you will—for only those who know the true villains at the heart of the story or who don’t mind learning it before reading it for themselves. Make sure you stay on top of future serialized fiction offerings by ensuring your privacy settings allow us to send you marketing emails.

Spoilers

Norgorber's Many Masks

The evil god Norgorber is unusual in that he maintains many guises. His four aspects are Blackfingers, god of alchemy and poison; the Gray Master, god of thievery; Father Skinsaw, god of ritual murder; and the Reaper of Reputation, god of lies and secrets. His worshipers usually follow just one of these aspects, although the heroes in The Shroud of Four Silences discover something that those cultists dedicated to the worship of all four aspects of Norgorber might create.

Norgorber’s worshipers delight in being as crafty as they are cruel, and they might fashion any number of wicked items to further their sinister plans. Followers of Norgorber might create one of these masks, bearing the aspect of Norgorber they worship.

Secret-Keeper’s Mask — Item 3+

Rare, Divination, Enchantment, Invested, Magical

Usage worn; Bulk —
Each of these full-face masks is made of stitched materials—often including humanoid skin—and has a single, bulbous eye. While wearing the mask, you gain a +1 item bonus to Deception checks to Lie and the mask doesn’t impair your vision. The mask can also be activated, with an ability based on its type.

Type Blackfingers; Level 3; Price 60 gp
This featureless mask is made of thin, papery skin. Its single eye is a fragile bubble of venom-filled glass.

Activate [two-actions] Interact (divination); Frequency once per day; Effect You twist the mask’s eye and peer at an object. You know whether the object is poison or has been poisoned, but you don’t learn the number or type of poisons present in the object.

Type Gray Master; Level 5; Price 150 gp
This monochrome mask is made of tattered rags of gray and black cloth and bleached fragments of skin.

Activate [reaction] Interact (illusion, visual); Trigger You succeed on a Thievery check to Steal an item of negligible Bulk; Frequency once per day; Effect You create an illusory duplicate of the item you just stole. This duplicate has the appropriate appearance and weight, but it doesn’t make sounds or generate smells. The illusion vanishes after 10 minutes, or earlier if anyone examines or manipulates the illusory duplicate (such as to try to use it).

Type Father Skinsaw; Level 6; Price 250 gp
This mask is a patchwork of tanned skins, each with a distinctive scar. It is contorted into a caricature of a face with a leering eye.

Activate [reaction] Interact; Trigger You deal persistent bleed damage to a creature; Frequency once per day; Effect The bleeding wound you cause is particularly mutilating. The DC of flat checks to recover from the persistent bleed damage is increased by 2, and the target creature has a –2 status penalty to Deception, Diplomacy, and Performance checks while it is bleeding and for 1 minute after it ceases bleeding.

Type Reaper of Reputation; Level 3; Price 60 gp
This mask is made of gray and black tiles sewn together. It has a messy, inky spiral over the mouth.

Activate [one-action] Interact (auditory, linguistic); Frequency once per day; Effect You touch the mask’s spiral and identify a target creature within 30 feet. For the next 10 minutes, any normal speech you utter can, at your discretion, be inaudible to all creatures except the target creature, who can hear you clearly regardless of ambient sound so long as it is within 1 mile. This ability doesn’t silence magical words, such as the verbal component of spellcasting or commands to activate magic items.

A mask dedicated to Father Skinsaw, illustration by Israel Maccari Dionisio.

Ron Lundeen
Developer

This week in The Shroud of Four Silences, the adventurers find themselves in pitched battle in the heart of the Fangspark kobolds’ warren. Enjoy this standalone encounter inspired by these events, which you can add to any Pathfinder second edition game, whether it’s one set in Otari (like Troubles in Otari, the Pathfinder Beginner Box, or this month’s debut volume of the Abomination Vaults Adventure Path), somewhere else in the Age of Lost Omens setting, or a campaign of your own creation.

Map constructed using Pathfinder Flip-Tiles: Darklands Starter Set, cartography by Jason Engle

Heaving Kobolds — Moderate 4

This encounter takes place underground, in or near kobold warrens. An ogre long ago moved in with the kobolds, demanding food and tribute from the smaller creatures. The kobolds have coddled the ogre somewhat, as they realize the brute provides a good defense of their territory, but they don’t realize that the ogre views the kobolds as ammunition rather than allies.

Creatures: This fight likely begins when the kobolds slink out of hiding to attack, but the ogre hurler joins the battle quickly, tossing the kobolds at intruders before entering melee. The kobolds fight bravely while trying to avoid being the closest one to the ogre. The overconfident ogre fights until slain, but the kobolds break and run as soon as the ogre falls.

Ogre Hurler — Creature 4

Uncommon, NE, Large, Giant, Humanoid
Perception +10; darkvision
Languages Draconic, Jotun
Skills Athletics +14, Intimidation +9
Str +6, Dex +1, Con +4, Int –2, Wis +0, Cha –1
Items spear (3)
AC 19; Fort +14, Ref +11, Will +8
HP 65
Speed 25 feet

Melee [one-action] fist +14 (reach 10 feet); Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning plus Grab

Melee [one-action] spear +14 (reach 10 feet); Damage 1d6+8 piercing

Ranged [one-action] spear +9 (thrown 20 feet); Damage 1d6+8 piercing

Toss Kobold [two-actions] Requirements A kobold is within 10 feet of the ogre; Effect The ogre picks up the kobold and hurls it at another creature within 30 feet. This ranged Strike has a +14 attack modifier and deals 2d8+6 bludgeoning damage. The kobold takes half the damage dealt to the target and is prone.

Kobold Tunnelrunner (4) — Creature 0

Uncommon, LE, Small, Humanoid, Kobold
Perception +6; darkvision
Languages Draconic
Skills Acrobatics +5, Athletics +5, Crafting +2 (+4 traps), Mining Lore +4, Stealth +5
Str +1, Dex +3, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha +0
Items leather armor, light pick
AC 16; Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +4
HP 16
Speed 25 feet

Melee [one-action] light pick +6 (agile, fatal d8); Damage 1d4+1 piercing

Sneak Attack The kobold tunnelrunner deals an extra 1d4 precision damage to flat-footed creatures.

Scaling This Encounter: This is a Severe encounter for 3rd-level heroes, or a Moderate encounter for 4th-level heroes. To scale this encounter for higher-level parties, add one or two kobold dragon mages (Pathfinder Bestiary 340), who are smart enough to stand away from the ogre!

Ron Lundeen
Developer

Mazes are sometimes just the thing a story needs, but they aren’t usually much fun in RPGs. A lot of the “we don’t know which way to go” feeling is lost when the players around the table see the map in a top-down way. Here’s an easy way to include a maze-like experience in your games.

First, decide on an entrance, an exit, and an optional area, like a room with some treasure or a helpful clue—something that isn’t necessary for the heroes to find but that could aid them. You should also choose a minor hindrance the heroes might stumble into, which should impose a condition like being clumsy, enfeebled, or stupefied.

Let’s apply this to a maze of kobold warrens, clawed out of the earth, braced with rickety wooden posts, and barely large enough for humans to navigate. The kobolds have stolen some trinkets from town, and our heroes need to get them back. In our kobold warrens, let’s use the following:

Entrance: The warren entry is guarded by three kobold warriors (Pathfinder Bestiary 212). That’s an encounter of Low difficulty for 1st-level heroes.

Exit: The warren’s center is where a kobold dragon mage (Pathfinder Bestiary 213) and another kobold warrior have stashed the stolen trinkets. This encounter is of Moderate difficulty for 1st-level heroes.

Optional: The kobolds have a trap-making room with a lesser bottled lightning, a lesser tanglefoot bag, and a pile with everything needed to create two spike snares.

Hindrance: The warrens are full of traps like caltrops that lodge into boots (or feet!), entwining ropes, or similar inconveniences that make intruders clumsy until they have the time and space to get themselves free of the spikes, hooks, and knots.

Which passage would you take? Illustration by Jessé Suursoo.

In the Warrens

The passages are so narrow that one hero must lead the others. The hero in the lead must attempt DC 15 Survival checks, each taking 10 minutes (this DC should be one appropriate for the party’s level; for 1st-level heroes, DC 15 works just fine). Other heroes can Aid this leader’s Survival check (Pathfinder Core Rulebook 470). Once they accumulate four successes, they’ve reached the warren’s center. The heroes can return to the surface at any time by retracing their steps, but this reduces the successes they’ve earned to zero and, if they return, they must start again.

Critical Success The party makes good progress in the maze, earning two successes. On their first critical success, they also spot the side passage leading to the trap-making room and can collect the treasures there.

Success The party earns one success towards solving the maze.

Failure The party stumbles into a kobold trap! Each hero must succeed at a DC 15 Reflex saving throw or become clumsy 1 until they are out of the warrens and take an hour to untangle themselves from the detritus. Failed saves from multiple kobold traps increases this condition, to a maximum of clumsy 3.

Critical Failure As failure, and the heroes inadvertently return to the warren entrance, losing any progress they’ve made.

How will the heroes of Otari fare in the kobold warrens they find themselves in in this week’s chapter of The Shroud of Four Silences? Find out by signing up for a weekly chapter on the paizo.com marketing mailing list. New sign-ups will only get this story for a limited time, so start catching up today (we’ll offer The Shroud of Four Silences for purchase at a later date for those who miss it via email). Whether you’re adventuring in Otari using the Pathfinder Beginner Box, the Troubles in Otari adventure, or the forthcoming Abomination Vaults Adventure Path, or setting into a menacing maze in a campaign of your own, use these rules and share how they worked with you in the comments.

Ron Lundeen
Developer

The restless dead sometimes wander the world as skeletons or zombies, but necromancers are as innovative as they are evil. This trap consists of several corpses interred within the earthen walls and ceiling of a narrow passage. When living creatures enter the 5-foot-wide and 20-foot-long tunnel, the corpses animate and lunge from behind the dirt, their rotted limbs grasping and their maggot-ridden faces moaning.

An unassuming underground tunnel can hide unseen hazards. Illustration by Jay Epperson.

Gravehall Trap — Hazard 4

Complex, Magical, Trap

Stealth +12 (expert)

Description When a living creature crosses the midpoint of the trapped tunnel, necromantic magic partially animates the corpses buried in the walls and ceiling.

Disable Thievery DC 24 (expert) to disrupt the magical trigger before the hazard rolls initiative, or Religion DC 18 (trained) to overwhelm the area with positive energy and prevent the hazard from using its routine for 1 round; on the third successful Religion check, the necromantic energies are disrupted and the hazard is destroyed.

AC 20; Fort +15, Ref +8, Will +14
HP 60 (BT 30); Immunities mental, poison; Weaknesses positive 10

Lunging Dead [reaction] (divine, fear, incapacitation, mental, necromancy) Trigger A living creature crosses the midpoint of the tunnel; Effect The dead reach out from the walls and ceiling, moaning and spewing writhing maggots. Creatures in the room must attempt a DC 21 Will save. The trap then rolls initiative.

Critical Success The target is unaffected.

Success The target is frightened 1.

Failure The target is frightened 2. It can’t reduce its frightened condition below 1 while in the trap’s area.

Critical Failure As failure, and the target is paralyzed for 1 round.

Routine (1 action) Undead fists assail all creatures in the hall, dealing 4d6 bludgeoning damage. Creatures in the hall must attempt a DC 21 Reflex save.

Critical Success The target is unaffected.

Success The target takes half damage.

Failure The target takes full damage, and its Speeds are reduced by 10 feet (to a minimum of 5 feet) for 1 round.

Critical Failure The target takes double damage and is immobilized for 1 round.

To see the inspiration for this hazard, be sure to sign up for our weekly marketing emails, which include a new chapter of Liane Merciel’s The Shroud of Four Silences novella each week. While this trap plays a role in this week’s chapter, “Welcoming Hands,” Game Masters are encouraged to use it in any campaign, whether it’s set in the town of Otari or not. Be sure to share your stories of thrilling adventure in the comments below.

Ron Lundeen
Developer

In this week’s exciting installment of The Shroud of Four Silences, the adventurers head to Stone Ring Pond, home to Otari’s local druid enclave, in hopes of getting some answers to lingering questions. This location doesn’t play a prominent role in the Pathfinder Beginner Box, Pathfinder Adventure: Troubles in Otari, or the Abomination Vaults Adventure Path, but that doesn’t mean that Game Masters and players can’t make it a key part of their campaigns!

Adventurers look to the water for a glimpse of their fate. Illustration by Flrat Solhan.

Stone Ring Pond

Stone Ring Pond sits high on a rise overlooking Otari. One of the town’s most unusual and understated landmarks, the pond’s preternaturally still waters are mirror-bright. Twenty-four standing stones, each 12 feet high, surround the pond, their weathered surfaces bearing silent testament to their age. Some Otari residents visit Stone Ring Pond to glimpse the future in the pool’s still waters, but more come for the advice and guidance of the druids and itinerant naturalists that camp around the pond. These people rarely invite visitors, as they are folk far more at home in the wild than in a bustling town, but neither do they turn away people asking for their advice.

A gnome druid named Worliwynn has lived longer around Stone Ring Pond than the other denizens, who tend to come and go with the seasons. Having lived near Stone Ring Pond for 25 years, Worliwynn has taken it upon herself to educate and guide the fishers and lumberjacks of Otari. She teaches them to improve their yields by protecting the wilderness and not taking too much from nature. Worliwynn is one of Otari’s most esteemed advisors, even though she hasn’t set foot within the town limits for years.

Many of those who live near Stone Ring Pond are followers of Gozreh, the god of wind and waves, and the water of the pond is sacred to these Gozrens. Some make use of the following ritual to peer into the future.

Waters of Prediction — Ritual 5

Rare, Divination

Cast 4 hours; Cost rare incense and herbs worth a total value of 300 gp; Secondary Casters 3

Primary Check Nature or Religion (master, the check has the secret trait); Secondary Checks Nature, Occultism, Religion, or Survival

Range 20 feet; Targets 1 pool of water

You and the secondary casters peer into the still waters of a natural pool or lake to divine your collective future. Over the course of the minute following the ritual’s end, the waters display a scene of one possible future involving the primary caster and as many secondary casters as feasible. This scene is usually, but not necessarily, set within the next few days. The future is unwritten, so the casters would be wise to not read guarantees into the cryptic nature of the visions shown in the water.

Critical Success The scene gives hints as to at least one danger the casters are likely to face, as well as at least one method of effectively addressing the danger (showing the group examining an area of a wall containing a secret hatch to bypass a trap, for example).

Success The scene gives a hint as to at least one danger the casters are likely to face, or some cryptic method to effectively address or bypass a danger (such as a scene of lurking trolls, or a scene of the casters lighting several torches and passing them out, but not both).

Failure The scene consists of so many contradictory details that it’s impossible to identify a single danger or effective course of action from them.

Critical Failure The scene is wrong; it shows the casters facing a danger they’re unlikely to come across, or encourages actions that hinder a likely upcoming encounter (such as encouraging chopping down several trees before meeting an arboreal or a dryad).

Ron Lundeen
Developer

A distinctively sharp and somewhat minty smell alerts travelers to the presence of redpitch pines, trees that have grown around Otari since before the town was founded. Redpitch wood isn’t much prized, as it catches fire dangerously quickly and burns fast, but its flammable sap is useful in many alchemical concoctions. Eager alchemists here often make volatile concoctions with redpitch pine sap, including incendiary bombs.

The town of Otari, as seen from the Inner Sea, by Will O’Brien

Redpitch Bombs

Redpitch bombs are martial thrown weapons with a range increment of 20 feet. They explode when the bomb hits a creature or object.

Redpitch Bomb — Item 1+

Rare, Alchemical, Bomb, Consumable, Fire, Splash

Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk L

Activate [[one-action]] Strike
Sap from redpitch pines, if properly distilled into a gummy, incendiary mass, ignites when exposed to the air. A redpitch bomb deals the listed fire damage, persistent fire damage, and splash damage. Many types grant an item bonus to attack rolls.

Type lesser; Level 1; Price 3 gp
The bomb deals 1 fire damage, 1d4 persistent fire damage, and 1 fire splash damage. On a critical hit, the target is clumsy 1 until the start of your next turn.

Type moderate; Level 3; Price 10 gp
You gain a +1 item bonus to attack rolls. The bomb deals 2 fire damage, 2d4 persistent fire damage, and 2 fire splash damage. On a critical hit, the target is clumsy 1 until the start of your next turn.

Type greater; Level 11; Price 250 gp
You gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls. The bomb deals 3 fire damage, 3d4 persistent fire damage, and 3 fire splash damage. On a critical hit, the target is clumsy 2 until the start of your next turn.

Type major; Level 17; Price 2,500 gp
You gain a +3 bonus on attack rolls. The bomb deals 4 fire damage, 4d4 persistent fire damage, and 4 fire splash damage. On a critical hit, the target is clumsy 3 until the start of your next turn.

How or why might this be relevant to Eleukas, Lisavet, and Wendlyn? Last week’s chapter of The Shroud of Four Silences was entitled, “The Redpitch Grove,” and this week’s is, “The Last Gullcracker.” Could they be related? Only readers following along will know for certain. Make sure you don’t miss an entry in the serialized novella by Liane Merciel by ensuring you’re getting marketing emails from Paizo!

Ron Lundeen
Developer

This week on our series of Otari-themed blogs, we’re looking at Otari’s primary industry: logging. While none of the pre-written Otari campaigns (the Pathfinder Beginner Box, Pathfinder Adventure: Troubles in Otari, or the forthcoming Abomination Vaults Adventure Path) assume the player characters are loggers, the industry’s impact on the region is unmistakable. While exploring the woodlands around the town, player characters or GMs may wish to add a bit of local flair with the following rules for logger marks. Readers of the ongoing novella, The Shroud of Four Silences, will recognize these marks when they get to this week’s chapter, entitled “The Redpitch Grove.” What signs will Eleukas, Wendlyn, and Lisavet find, and what dangers will they help the party avoid (or lead the party toward, instead)?

Illustration by Will O’Brien

Otari Logger Marks

Like much of the Isle of Kortos, Otari is located in a heavily forested region. Three of the town’s oldest and most respected families log the forest, operating out of several lumber camps and bringing felled trees to Otari for milling. These influential families have long demonstrated a respect for the forest, understanding that later generations must rely upon the trees as well. Replanting is common, as is leaving markings upon trees to pass important messages (or warnings!) to other loggers who come by.

The logger marks around Otari are simple shapes scratched into tree bark. They are similar to marks made by vagabonds or drifters, in that they consist of only a few lines or curves, and interpreting their meaning relies as much on context as it does symbolic literacy. Marks sometimes appear close together or intertwined to create compound symbols with deeper meaning, such as “Danger” and “Grave” to warn of undead. Common marks include the following:

• Arrows Back and Forth: Hunters are common here.
• Arrow to Star: That way is north.
• Boot: Walk carefully around here; treacherous footing.
• Crossed Axes: Cut this tree first in this area.
• Crossed Circle: Danger.
• Hash Marks under Horizontal Line: This area is someone’s property (the image resembles a fence).
• Hook: Ogres (the image is a dreaded ogre hook).
• Open Stick-Figure Hand: People nearby will help you.
• Oval with Slashes on Each Side: Goblins (the image is a shape of a goblin head, with the slashes being ears).
• Plus: Something good; sometimes, a benevolent magical phenomenon.
• Row of Teeth: Predator.
• Spiral: Trees or branches fall irregularly here.
• Three Arcs Atop Each Other: This tree deserves respect (usually, because of its age) and should not be cut.
• Two Xs in a Circle: Grave.
• Two Upside-Down Vs: Look up, something noteworthy is above.
• Wave: Water, usually a spring.

Using Marks

To place or interpret logger marks, use the following exploration activities of the Survival skill.

Carve Logger Mark

Concentrate, Exploration, Secret

You carefully place a mark upon a tree or other wilderness surface to leave a message for others. Attempt a Survival check, which involves at least 10 minutes of evaluating the local terrain, which the mark will reference. The GM determines the DC for this check, depending on the obscurity of the logger mark and the complexity of the message you intend to impart.

Critical Success You place a mark so clearly that future checks to interpret it have the level of success improved by one step beyond the result rolled.

Success You place a mark that others will be able to read.

Failure You’re unable to impart any meaning into your mark, but you can try again in a different location.

Critical Failure You leave an inadvertently misleading mark. This generally imparts the opposite meaning (for example, safety rather than danger) or provides an incorrect direction if the marking is navigational in nature (such as to direct someone to a particular stand of trees).

Read Logger Mark

Concentrate, Exploration, Secret

You interpret the meaning in a logger mark you’ve found (usually, by Investigating or Searching). Attempt a Survival check, which involves a few minutes of evaluating the terrain around the mark. The GM determines the DC for this check, depending on the age, complexity, and obscurity of the logger mark. If you’re attempting to identify something that isn’t a logger mark—such as natural cracks in a rock or whorls in tree bark—you can’t achieve a result better than a failure.

Critical Success You understand the mark so completely that you can identify its approximate age, basic meaning, and another significant clue (for example, if the mark would point toward a logging camp, you know the camp’s distance as well as its direction).

Success You determine the basic meaning of the mark you’ve found.

Failure You can’t glean information from the mark you’ve found.

Critical Failure You incorrectly interpret a mark you’ve found and gain an opposite meaning (for example, to cut a tree rather than preserve it).

Ron Lundeen
Developer

This week on our series of Otari-themed blogs, we’re changing things up with a quick encounter that GMs can add to their Otari campaigns, whether they’re running the Pathfinder Beginner Box, Pathfinder Adventure: Troubles in Otari, or the forthcoming Abomination Vaults Adventure Path, or a campaign of their own creation! A small horde of goblin zombies might seem a strange fit for this peaceful coastal town, but readers of the ongoing novella, The Shroud of Four Silences, will see the connection. The circumstances leading to and developing from this encounter are left vague, but feel free to share how you plan to use it in the comments below!

Abandoned Shack — Moderate 1

This encounter takes place in or near an isolated shack by a weathered monument toppled long ago. A necromancer alchemist animated the bodies of four hapless goblins, stuffing their stomachs with alchemical supplies that detonate when they’re destroyed. The goblins are lurking in the shack to exterminate trespassers, or perhaps to protect some clue or treasure.

Pathfinder Flip Tiles: Forest Perils Expansion, cartography by Jason Engle

Creatures: The four goblin zombies moan and lurch out of the shack whenever a living creature approaches. They spread out and attack whichever foes are closest, fighting until destroyed in an alchemical explosion.

Goblin Zombies (4) — Creature 1

Uncommon, NE, Small, Mindless, Undead, Zombie

Perception +0; darkvision
Skills Acrobatics +3, Athletics +4
Str +3, Dex +2, Con +0, Int –5, Wis +0, Cha –2
Slow A goblin zombie is permanently slowed 1 and can’t use reactions.
AC 12; Fort +5; Ref +3; Will +3
HP 20, negative healing; Immunities death effects, disease, mental, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Weaknesses positive 5, slashing 5
Alchemical Rupture When the goblin zombie is reduced to 0 Hit Points, an alchemical device jammed in its belly ruptures. Roll 1d4 and consult the following for the effect: 1 creatures in a 5-foot emanation take 1d3 persistent acid damage; 2 creatures in a 5-foot emanation take 1d4 fire damage (DC 16 basic Reflex save); 3 creatures in a 5-foot emanation take 1d4 poison damage (DC 16 basic Fortitude save); 4 smoke billows out in a 5-foot emanation for 1 round (creatures in that area are concealed, and all other creatures are concealed to them).
Speed 25 feet

Melee [one-action] fist +7; Damage 1d6+3 bludgeoning plus Grab

Jaws [one-action] (attack); Requirement The goblin zombie has a creature grabbed or restrained; Effect The goblin zombie makes a jaws unarmed melee Strike against the grabbed or restrained creature with an attack modifier of +7 that deals 1d8+3 piercing damage.

Scaling This Encounter: This is a Moderate encounter for 1st-level heroes, or a Low encounter for 2nd-level heroes. To scale this encounter for higher-level parties, add more zombies or give them the Unkillable special ability, which raises their level by 1 (Pathfinder Bestiary 340).

Ron Lundeen
Developer

Adventurers don’t spend every waking moment in moldering crypts or dangerous fens. When heroes need a break, they can take some downtime in a friendly town like Otari! The Abomination Vaults Adventure Path provides new downtime options for characters who have befriended some of the town’s notable characters. Here are some downtime activities the heroes can take at Otari’s largest temple, the Dawnflower Library.

The Dawnflower Library is constructed on a shelf of land west of town so that its dome and minarets gleam in the rays of the rising sun. Although principally a temple to the sun goddess Sarenrae, the building also holds shrines to Cayden Cailean (drunken god of heroes), Erastil (god of hunting and community), and Gozreh (deity of the wind and sea). Yet most of the building’s interior is dedicated to the stacks; the Dawnflower Library holds an incredible number of books, and its knowledge is open to all.

Vandy Banderdash by Nikolai Ostertag

A chatty halfling woman named Vandy Banderdash is the temple’s current high priestess. She is welcoming and kindly, with an uncanny ability to recommend the best possible book to someone she’s only just met. Anyone who befriends Vandy can engage in the following downtime activities in the Dawnflower Library.

Exemplary Resources: The reference materials in the Dawnflower Library are superb. Heroes can use a scholarly-focused lore skill such as Academia Lore, Legal Lore, or Library Lore to Earn Income (Pathfinder Core Rulebook 236) with a +1 circumstance bonus to the skill check. The first time a hero critically fails at such a check, Vandy gives them a stern lecture about taking better care of the library’s resources. The hero isn’t prohibited from Earning Income here again, but doesn’t gain the circumstance bonus any longer, as the acolytes are more judicious about which texts the hero is permitted to access.

Reshelving: Vandy wants the Dawnflower Library’s collection to be as useful to the community as possible, so she’s always looking at ways to rearrange or cross-reference the library books. A hero who takes a day of downtime to help rearrange the collection gains a 10% reduction in the price of the next spellcasting service purchased from Vandy or her acolytes (Core Rulebook 294; 3rd level or lower divine spells).

Tend to the Injured: The Dawnflower Library is the first place many in Otari think of when they need medical care, due to the number of clerics working there. Yet not all injuries require divine magic to repair. The hero can use the Medicine skill to Earn Income at the Dawnflower Library. On a critical failure, the hero injures someone placed in their care, which might have roleplaying repercussions at the GM’s option.

For more adventures in Otari, be sure to pick up your copy of the Pathfinder Beginner Box, the follow-up adventure, Troubles in Otari, and the Abomination Vaults Adventure Path. You can also get a new chapter of The Shroud of Four Silences novella by Liane Merciel, set in Otari, emailed to you each week by signing up for our mailing list in your paizo.com account preferences!

Ron Lundeen
Developer

A new Pathfinder Second Edition livestream begins on the official Paizo Twitch channel! Tune in Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Pacific time to catch the latest adventures!

Catch Up on YouTube
Listen to the Podcast

The small seaside town of Otari is known for its fresh fish and a source of lumber for the nearby metropolis of Absalom. But when something dark begins to menace the town, it’s up to a band of freelancers to come together and make a name for themselves....and learn more about the dark things in the world than they ever thought possible.

Now let’s meet the cast!

Jim Rodehaver as the Game Master

Jim Rodehaver writes and plays TTRPGs, sometimes during live-streams on The Dragons and Things Network. He’s written content for Starfinder and Dungeon Crate, as well as all of the home-brewed adventures for his streamed games. Having GM'd over 200 live actual-play games of Pathfinder, Jim is looking forward to bringing his experience to the Paizo community first hand. Follow Jim on Twitter.

Michelle Nguyen Bradley as “Gristle” the Human Fighter

Michelle Nguyen Bradley is a show host, writer, and professional TTRPG player, and is passionate about fostering community and equality in the geek space. She's played characters like Betty on the official Rat Queen's RPG (HyperRPG), a huntress wizard on The Department of Mysteries (Dragons and Things), a Viet granny crime lord on Altered Carbon (Hunters Entertainment), a heavenly Aasimar knight on Broken Pact (Saving Throw Show), an awkward librarian Tremere vampire on Denver by Night (Queuetimes), and many more personas through her work on RPG shows. She currently hosts the video game deep dive show, "Button Mash" on the Total Nerd Network, and is a featured RPG cast member of the Hunters Entertainment Twitch channel.

Find her work at iamchubbybunny.com and follow her on all socials at @iamchubbybunny.

Xander Jeanneret as “Ingot” the Dwarf Wizard

Xander Jeanneret is an actor, roleplayer, streamer, and musician on the internet. Folks may recognize him as 'X' from Vampire the Masquerade: LA By Night, Rikki Huckster from Relics and Rarities, or from the Library Bards, his nerd parody band.

He has turned his love for roleplaying games into a career, and continues to tell stories and create characters; follow along on Twitter and watch him on Twitch.

Katie Wilson as “Waverly” the Human Cleric

Katie Wilson is an actress, host, and prolific geek guru. Her credits range from mainstream (SUPERSTORE (NBC), Into the Dark (HULU), 2012: Ice Age (SYFY) and hosting gigs (Syfy Wire, WB Games LIVE, Geek & Sundry's Game Engine, MatPat's Game Lab), to new media (Smosh Games, Screen Junkies, The Warp Zone, YouTube Red). She has battled countless monsters on tabletop streams for the Dragons and Things Network, HyperRPG, and Holy Crit. With roughly 350k followers across her social media platforms and a YouTube viewership of over 21 million, Katie has been delighting fans on her YouTube channel (LegendofKatie) for over 8 years. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Gabe Hicks as “Thee” the Elf Rogue

Gabe Hicks is an independent game designer for digital and tabletop. He created the CMM (an alternative character creation tool for 5e focused on class narrative) that has been featured on the DnD twitch channel. He has worked with Roll20, Paizo, Critical Role, MageHandPress, and Grim & Perilous Studios. Leading a group called Mythic Grove, he focuses on highlighting smaller creators to give them a platform and opportunity through streaming, design, writing, or other creative mediums with the projects that Mythic Grove creates. "Let's put more magic into the world, together." Follow Gabe on Twitter.

We look forward to seeing you on the stream!

Watch Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Pacific on the Official Paizo Twitch Channel

Today we’re proud to debut the first of a dozen blogs by Developer Ron Lundeen featuring content for your game set in or around the town of Otari. Whether you’re running the Pathfinder Beginner Box, the Troubles in Otari adventure, the Abomination Vaults Adventure Path, or a campaign of your own creation, this No-Prep Character can serve as a valuable ally for your players’ characters. Morlibint even makes an appearance in this week’s chapter of Shroud of Foul Silences, so if you’re not already receiving it by email, sign up in your paizo.com privacy settings today and start catching up! How will you use Morlibint in your campaign?

Morlibint, Small-Town Bookseller

Odd Stories is one of Otari’s most distinctive shops: a three-story stone tower looming over a one-story wooden bookstore. The shop is the home and business of the wizard Morlibint, a scholar who enjoys talking about magical theory only slightly less than thrilling fiction. Imagination, he insists, is the most wondrous magic of all. Morlibint is a middle-aged man with short, red hair and a perpetual scowl that quickly transforms into a smile when he identifies a fellow bibliophile.

Odd Stories is an excellent place for anyone seeking gripping novels, clever anthologies, or useful textbooks, and Morlibint is a valuable contact for any party. He’s happy to exchange spells with another wizard, sell arcane scrolls to adventurers, or buy rare tomes that heroes come across in their travels. He never accompanies adventurers on their quests, however, instead finding excitement in treasured books from the safety of his favorite fireside armchair.

Morlibint — Creature 4

Unique, LN, Medium, Human, Humanoid
Male human wizard

Perception +7
Languages Aklo, Common, Draconic, Elven, Sylvan, Undercommon
Skills Academia Lore +8, Arcana +12, Crafting +10, Diplomacy +8, Medicine +7, Nature +7, Occultism +10, Performance +8, Religion +7, Society +10
Str 10, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 14
Items minor healing potion, scholarly journal compendium (fictional literature), scroll of invisibility, scroll of knock, spellbook, +1 staff
AC 21; Fort +11; Ref +9; Will +9
HP 60
Speed 25 feet

Melee [one-action] staff +9 (two-hand d8); Damage 1d4 bludgeoning

Arcane Prepared Spells DC 21, attack +13; 2nd comprehend language, dispel magic, illusory creature; 1st color spray, magic missile, unseen servant; Cantrips (2nd) dancing lights, daze, detect magic, mage hand, telekinetic projectile

Focus Spells (1 Focus Point) (2nd) hand of the apprentice

Call Bonded Item [one-action] (concentration, conjuration, teleportation) Morlibint teleports his scholarly journal into his hand from up to 1 mile away.

Drain Bonded Item [free-action] (arcane) Frequency twice per day; Requirements Morlibint hasn’t acted yet on his turn; Effect Morlibint draws some of the power in his scholarly journal. He gains the ability to cast one spell he prepared today and already cast, without spending a spell slot. He must still Cast the Spell and meet the spell’s other requirements.

Plot Hooks

Game Masters might consider the following plot hooks as a means of integrating the bookseller Morlibint into any Pathfinder Second Edition game.

• Morlibint’s rarest almanac has been stolen and he hires the heroes to discover who took it and why.
• The heroes consult Morlibint to learn more about a creature’s peculiar ability or resistance. Morlibint searches through fictional accounts of the creature to find the answer, which might not be entirely accurate.
• Morlibint has learned the location of a particularly valuable tome and offers the heroes both the opportunity to retrieve it (he only wants to copy a few pages from it) and hints about the curse the tome reputedly imparts on those who carry it.