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Magnimar Monument Boons:
Magic of the Monuments Magnimar’s founders were adventurers, and the spirit of the adventurer and explorer keeps the heart and soul of Magnimar alive. It should thus come as no surprise that the monuments the city is so well known for often having ties to adventuring themes. In addition, many of the major works have been magically empowered over the years. The source of these enhancements are hotly debated—some assume that they were created by now-dead or anonymous spellcasters as a gift to the city, while others suspect these magical effects instead represent a legacy of the ancient Thassilonian wizardry lingering in the region’s stones. In truth, these effects are manifestations of the mysterious patrons of the Seacleft region, the ancient empyreal lords so beloved and venerated over the past several thousand years by Varisia’s native people. These lords have welcomed the land’s newest settlers, yet their welcome is subtle. In many of the monuments detailed in the following pages, boons are listed for those who perform minor acts of worship and respect to Magnimar, its monuments, and the empyreal lords who watch over the city. Any nonevil, intelligent creature who performs a specific act before one of these magically charged monuments and makes a successful skill check awakens the monument’s magic, and, in return, gains a small bonus of some sort for 24 hours. A single person can never have more than one monument-granted bonus in effect at any one time; attempts to gain a second bonus before the first wears off automatically fail. In addition, a person can only attempt to benefit from a monument bonus a number of times in a week equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum of once per week)—the city of Magnimar responds most often to those who carry themselves with greater poise and personality, after all. Beacon's Point B2. The Battle of Charda: Magnimar is no stranger to threats from the sea—between the constant threat of piracy from Riddleport and raiders from the Linnorm Kingdoms, the city’s defenses have had plenty of opportunities over the past century to test their mettle. This large statue depicts the first and most famous of the nautical battles waged in the city’s early days between Magnimar’s navy and the pirates of Riddleport. The battle itself was significant not only for the size of the invading force, but for the pirates’ use of five captured and charmed monsters harvested from the Darklands—four-armed beasts known as chardas. Although only 4 feet tall, the chardas under Captain Jevanna “Winterkiss” Skrinn’s enchantment were a significant force, and had Antholus Kaddren not given his life during that battle in a desperate attempt to break the charms controlling the monsters (and thus turn them back on Captain Winterkiss in a fury of ruinous revenge), the bile-spewing monsters would have helped Riddleport sack the city. Today, the monument exaggerates the actual size of the chardas, depicting them as 30-foot-tall behemoths. Rumors that these monstrous giants are actually petrified monsters persist to this day. Monument Boon: Practice weaponplay for 10 minutes before the Battle of Charda and make a successful DC 20 Intimidate check to gain a +1 morale bonus on all attack rolls made with melee weapons for 24 hours. This bonus increases by +1 for each 10 points by which you exceed the initial check. Capital District C3. Cenotaph One of the tallest structures in the city, this 10-story, cylindrical monument is called the Cenotaph. Created as a memorial to Magnimar’s most beloved founder, Alcaydian Indros, the monument was meant to be an empty tomb honoring the local hero. As years passed and Indros’s family members and friends passed on, an inordinate number of residents requested to have their bones entombed near or within the monument. Begun as an honor to the great man, then a vogue, the practice has become a tradition and postmortem status symbol for all who can afford burial beneath the stones of the surrounding Mourner’s Plaza or in the later-constructed catacombs beneath the memorial. Priests of the church of Pharasma patrol the Cenotaph and its catacombs frequently, striving to keep the monument free of undead, scavengers, and grave robbers. Monument Boon: Pray for 10 minutes in the Mourner’s Plaza before the Cenotaph and make a successful DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check to gain a +1 morale bonus on all Fortitude saves for 24 hours. This bonus increases by +1 for each 10 points by which you exceed the initial check. C5. Indros cul Vydrarch The towering marble sculpture called “Indros cul Vydrarch” depicts the legendary battle between Alcaydian Indros and the great Vydrarch. Monument Boon: Recite the poem “Upon a Serpent’s Grave” in the original Aquan while standing before the monument, then attempt a DC 15 Perform (act, oratory, or sing) check. Success grants a +1 morale bonus on all weapon damage rolls against creatures with the aquatic subtype for 24 hours. This bonus increases by +1 for each 5 points by which you exceed the initial check. Dockway D2. Eyes of the Hawk This monument depicts the twin wizards Cailyn and Romre Vanderale and their adventuring party, the Eyes of the Hawk, as they defeated the monstrous, spidery shriezyx that erupted from the Irespan in 4623 AR. Monument Boon: Study the monument’s complex carvings for 10 minutes, then attempt a DC 15 Perception check. Success grants a +1 morale bonus on all weapon damage rolls against aberrations for 24 hours. This bonus increases by +1 for every 5 points by which you exceed the initial check. D11. The Fifth Wind This massive stone weather vane stands amid the docks, its windsocks towering above surrounding buildings so as to give all of Outcast’s Cove an easy method of determining wind speed and power. The sides of the stone pylon that supports the windsocks are carved with complex images of air elementals and cloud dragons in fierce battle. Monument Boon: Observe the patterns on the pylon and watch the windsocks cavort above for 5 minutes, then attempt a DC 15 Survival check. Success grants a +2 morale bonus on Survival checks for 24 hours, and prevents seasickness for the duration of any sea voyage begun while this bonus persists. Keystone K1. Our Lady of Blessed Waters Seerspring Garden, a park boasting a spring of crisp, clear water, marks the northeastern corner of Keystone. The park itself is a fine place to relax, but its most striking feature is the bronze, strangely verdigris-free statue of a lithe woman that stands at the center of the water. The statue is said to be an image of the spirit believed to linger within the Seerspring, but none in Magnimar know who built the mysterious monument. Monument Boon: Spend 10 minutes in prayer to the spirit of the Seerspring, then attempt a DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check. Success grants a +1 morale bonus on all caster level and concentration checks for divine spells for 24 hours. This bonus increases by +1 for each 5 points by which you exceed the initial check. K4. Founder’s Honor The visage of Alcaydian Indros is common enough in Magnimar, but this 50-foot-tall monument to the city’s heroic founder is among its most iconic and well loved. Patriotic Magnimarians often leave offerings of fruits and flowers at the statue’s feet. Monument Boon: Place an offering of fruits or flowers at the statue’s feet and then study the statue for 10 minutes before attempting a DC 15 Diplomacy check. Success grants a +1 morale bonus on all Diplomacy checks for 24 hours. This bonus increases by +1 for every 10 points by which you exceed the initial check. Lowcleft L7. Mapstone Monument This corner of Seerspring Garden is dominated by a massive block of marble that protrudes 3 feet from the ground. The top of this block of stone has been meticulously carved into a scale model of the city of Magnimar. Touch-ups and additions to the carving are performed yearly to show the rise and fall of buildings in the city by artistic sculptors from the Church of Abadar using stone shape spells. Monument Boon: Meditate for 10 minutes before the Mapstone Monument and make a DC 15 Knowledge (local) check to gain a +1 morale bonus on all Will saves for 24 hours. This bonus increases by +1 for every 10 points by which you exceed the DC 15 Knowledge (local) check. L8. The Celwynvian Charge A gift from the elves of the distant Mierani Forest after Magnimar sent a delegation to secure a trade alliance, what was originally nothing more than a curious stony seedpod has, over the decades, grown into a tree-shaped sculpture as tall as a two-story building. Although the Mierani trade alliance never blossomed in the way Magnimar’s founders had hoped, the strange tree sculpture the elves gifted the city does every year, growing real leaves that bud and fall at the appropriate times of year. Monument Boon: Meditate for 10 minutes in the shade of the Celwynvian Charge and make a DC 15 Knowledge (nature) check to gain a +1 morale bonus on all Reflex saves for 24 hours. This bonus increases by +1 for every 10 points by which you exceed the DC 15 Knowledge (nature) check. Naos N9. Founder’s Flame This magical fountain of flame was built by Antholus Kaddren—a gift to the city soon after its founding. The monument itself consists of a pedestal that supports a bronze bowl filled with green oil. A nimbus of fire burns perpetually in the bowl, changing to an arcane rhythm and cycling color from yellow to orange to violet to blue. Benches surround the remarkable fountain at a safe distance. Monument Boon: Meditate for 10 minutes before the flame and make a successful DC 15 Spellcraft check to gain a +1 increase to the save DCs of all fire spells you cast for the next 24 hours. N10. The Guardians Just within Twins’ Gate stand the Guardians, one of the city’s larger monuments. These 200-foot-tall colossi depicting the young heroes Cailyn and Romre Vanderale face each other with burning staves held high, forming a giant arch. Monument Boon: Meditate for 10 minutes below the arch and make a successful DC 15 Knowledge (arcana) check to gain a +1 morale bonus on all concentration checks for 24 hours. This bonus increases by +1 for every 10 points by which you exceed the DC 15 Knowledge (arcana) check. Ordellia O6. Mistress of Angels This fine marble sculpture of Ordellia Whilwren, one of the founders of Magnimar, shows the beloved cleric of Desna looking out over the Varisian Gulf to the horizon, as if she were scanning for threats to the city. Monument Boon: Meditate for 10 minutes before the statue and make a successful DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check to gain a +1 morale bonus on all Initiative checks. This bonus increases by +1 for every 10 points by which you exceed the DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check.
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