With the aid of Estrivalis, Jallel, and your allied dwarves, you make several hit-and-fade strikes on hryngar patrols and the various camps in the cavern. Once they are sufficiently weakened and scattered, you make a final push for the breach of the Kor Well, hoping to throw Narsiegus's forces into permanent disarray!
As your allies battle the bulk of the beleaguered defenders, you find yourselves facing off against the most stalwart of the enemy sentinels: a pair of hryngar captains and an enormous construct made of iron and steel. This sentient war machine has twin treads, a central cage full of flames, and numerous weapons including a hammer, cannon, and grasping claw! These final foes stand between you and your goal!
The construct has an Exertion Aura (aura, divine, mental) 20 feet. A toilforged sentinel saps the energy of nearby creatures. Each round a living creature begins its turn in the aura, it must attempt a DC 22 Fortitude save. On a failure, the creature takes 1d6 mental damage (2d6 on a critical failure) and becomes fatigued. This fatigue ends as soon as the creature remains outside of the aura for 1 minute.
Lie Jie recognizes the defiled statue as one of Pharasma.
Hooli recognize these fiends as nindorus, evil beings that rise from corruptions to the cycle of reincarnating souls and live on the Material Plane. These particular nindorus are called sojiurhs. A sojiruh comes into existence when a creature who has dedicated multiple lives to achieving enlightenment turns their back on these goals and deliberately tears themselves away from the cycle of reincarnation before their death. These monstrous creatures are the most common nindoru and are also the most hated by followers of Sangpotshi, since so many of these fiends rise from fallen members of that very philosophy.
"If this false goddess wanted to strike us down, she would have done so already," the sojiruh replies to Kwan Tai. "She has no true power, for she sits on a throne of lies. The idea of life after death is but a myth. After death, there is only us! We can prove it, if you'll allow us the pleasure of killing you..."
Once you are ready, you descend back into the Pit, retracing your steps until you find yourselves in the passage near where you found the Hollow Star. Double doors are set at the end of a side passage here, and they open into a large chamber. Nadja quietly cracks one of the doors open and stealthily peers inside.
Nearly a dozen small bedrolls lie on the floor to the north and south of this chamber. The air here feels cold and weirdly thin, almost as if it were located atop a high mountain, and the mournful sound of wind racing over uneven badlands seems to echo across a vast distance. The ceiling above appears to look out into a star-filled sky, while at the center of the room looms an unsettling “statue” of a roughly spherical mass covered with nodules, lumps, shallow gashes, and other strange imperfections, all painted in an almost hypnotic pattern of twisting strokes of green, brown, yellow, and red paint.
There are currently four deros here, offering prayers and obeisance to the strange statue. They don't notice Nadja watching them.
With the incriminating evidence in hand, you leave the dawnsilver workshop and report back to Ayavah. Ayavah is glad to hear that you have found some leads but is alarmed by how far-reaching this cult’s influence and aims are. She urges you to come with her to report directly to Queen Sorshen and warn her of the incoming dangers. With her position as the city’s high priestess of Nocticula, she can arrange a meeting quickly enough but not so swiftly that the you don’t have time to do some shopping, resting, and recovering if you wish. Once you're ready, Ayavah escorts you to the Blood Moon Palace.
When he lived, Runelord Karzoug ruled his city from near the peak of Mhar Massif within the towering Pinnacle of Avarice among the spires of Xin-Shalast. To Queen Sorshen, this felt unnecessarily distant, so she’s left those buildings empty and instead chose the city’s military academy, Shahlaria, as her home, renaming it the Blood Moon Palace. Constructed (and for many centuries, occupied) by giants, the Blood Moon Palace has a sprawling, intimidating scale that Queen Sorshen’s artisans and followers are still working to renovate into something that feels more welcoming and artistic than its previous austere, severe decor.
Ayavah leads you quickly through the structure, not pausing as curious artisans (some of whom are giants) look on. She doesn’t lead you to the throne room but instead to a sprawling balcony on an upper floor that overlooks the palace courtyard and the city’s northern sprawl below. A single guard clad in elegant robes and armed with a guisarme greets the group then cants her head to the side as she receives telepathic instruction from Sorshen to grant Ayavah and you admittance.
The chamber beyond is extravagantly appointed with tapestries, marble statues, fountains, floor-to-ceiling terrariums filled with a wide range of flora and fauna and a wide bathing pool lined with crimson stone. Sorshen herself lounges in a high-backed wood and velvet throne-like chair on the far side of the pool having just concluded a discussion with an immense rime dragon. The dragon nods her head, favors you with an appraising eye, then gracefully exits the area via the open balcony to fly off into the mountains.
As the dragon recedes from view, Sorshen bids the you approach. Though her expression is soft and welcoming, there’s a carefully schooled but unmistakable arrogance in her aura, the kind only one who has held great power can exude. She greets you softly, leaning forward to meet each eye with her cool gaze.
"Welcome, heroes. I’ve heard you’re among the most accomplished of those invited to Xin-Eurythnia in anticipation of our Unveiling Ceremony for the Circle of Open hands. High Priestess Ayavah has spoken highly of you, and it’s past time, I think, I made your acquaintance. But those pleasantries, I think, must wait for another time, perhaps after the ceremony. For now, I’m told you have uncovered some unsettling news about a cult?"
In this encounter, the PCs must appeal to Sorshen and convince her of the threat the Risen of the Trinity Star present to the city. This encounter uses the influence rules and is a mythic deed. While the PCs are quite accomplished already and she’s heard of their exploits, this is the first time Sorshen’s meeting them, so at the same time, the powerful wizard seeks to appraise their own trustworthiness. This encounter plays out over the span of an hour, with each round of the encounter taking 15 minutes— the PCs have 4 rounds to complete this encounter.
Discovery: Nocticula Lore, Society, Perception
Influence Skills: Art Lore (to appeal to Sorshen’s grown adoration for beautiful artwork), Arcana (to engage with Sorshen as a fellow practitioner of magic), Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation
With a bit of teleportation and exploration of the area, you soon find yourselves in Bridepool Fen, a swampy tangle of overgrown hillocks and muddy trough. A few hours of trudging through the marsh brings you to a grove of the rare Sarkorian lilies growing around an ancient human skeleton.
Unfortunatley, the grove is not free of the fiends that once plagued these lands. As you draw near, three demons made of living, animated filth rise up from the sloppy ponds to attack!
Several days pass as you rest and recover. Soon enough, though, Dalamian sends word that Queen Telandia has arrived and awaits you at Vynoren Estate.
The queen greets you and bids you to sit as she smooths her skirts. "First, let me thank you again for your accomplishments here in Greengold. The other delegates of the Encarthan Alliance have since returned to their homelands to spread the news of Treerazer's aggression, but they have promised their support. Without your aid, we would be alone in this war and Greengold would have been lost before the war even truly began. For this, Kyonin owes you a debt of gratitude, but I fear that our need of your heroism is far from over. Just yesterday, news came from the town of Riverspire of something horrific!"
War Interludes:
While the Spore War event includes mass combat and clashes between elven and demonic armies inworld, these wartime battles do not take place “on screen” in this Adventure Path. Though the PCs don’t physically take part in these battles, these conflicts still occur in the background of the campaign, and the PCs’ achievements during play help to bolster their allies on the field of battle. Whether by whittling down Treerazer’s forces, creating distractions by initiating skirmishes behind enemy lines, or simply by successfully completing great feats of heroism, their contributions to the war effort do affect the morale of Kyonin’s fighting forces.
At various points during this adventure and the next, you’ll come across War Interludes. These describe key battles and developments over the course of the Spore War, but the resolution of these battles is contingent on how successful the PCs have been in their own efforts to resist and hinder Treerazer’s war machine. At the end of the previous adventure, and periodically during the rest of this Adventure Path, the PCs can earn Triumph Points. During the campaign, they may hear news about battles and events taking place elsewhere in Kyonin as the war progresses. By spending Triumph Points, the party can influence the outcomes of these conflicts.
You begin with 6 Triumph Points, one for each of the delegates you convinced to sign the Encarthan Alliance. Each time a War Interlude occurs, the party must decide whether they wish to spend a point to ensure Kyonin’s victory in the interlude, or whether they want to save the point for later. Inform the PCs that any Triumph Points left unspent at the end of the Spore War Adventure Path will influence both Kyonin and Tanglebriar’s overall state after the war ends, but also emphasize that letting too many interludes pass by without victory could result in their facing growing penalties and disadvantages. In most cases, spending a Triumph Point earns the PCs significant XP, representing their growing fame and legend, but some War Interludes can result in additional penalties or benefits depending on how the interlude plays out.
WAR INTERLUDE 1: THE LOSS OF RIVERSPIRE
The town of Riverspire in southern Kyonin has fallen! An army of demons and fungal creatures attacked late at night, seeking to slaughter all who dwelled within it and expand Tanglebriar’s borders further to the northwest. Some of the townsfolk managed to escape north along the riverbanks, but now corruption has started seeping into the river waters as well, endangering all who dwell downriver.
Spend 0 Triumph Points: Riverspire is overwhelmed, and most of its citizens are killed or captured after Treerazer’s army occupies the settlement.
Spend 1 Triumph Point: Riverspire sustains significant damage and is still captured by Treerazer’s army, but the citizens are evacuated safely, along with a fair amount of the town’s resources.
Thanks to Caine and Njinga, you make good progress, clearing the muck swiftly.
SEDGE AND SPOOR
As the elevation rises, the ground becomes drier. Seasonal moisture has revitalized Belkzen’s foliage, much of it protected by thorns, saw-toothed sedge, and irritating oils. Amid the plants, though, are signs of aurochs: hoofprints, cropped grasses, and dung. Following the trail requires avoiding hazardous plants (or treating the wounds they inflict) while tracking the herd.
Threshold 4; Overcome DC 22 Acrobatics, DC 22 Medicine, DC 21 Nature, DC 20 Plains Lore, DC 22 Scouting Lore, DC 20 Survival
Considering the energies released upon Gimmel's destruction, Ranek deduces that they were related to the essence of memories and legacies that can sometimes be encounter in the Dreamlands. It is likely that what you fought was not the actual Runelord Gimmel, but rather a living illusion crafted somehow crafted from these esoteric energies.
The world is a riot of screams and sulfur, a percussive hellscape that hammers against your very bones as you run across the barren isle. Before you, a ruined keep of dark, weathered stone stands on cliffs at
the edge of a night-shrouded sea. From its center, a ray of shadowy radiance coils up from the broken top of a circular tower. The moon overhead illuminates the area but casts little light over the churning ocean. Waves roar ashore, sending spray high into the hot, damp breeze. The wind carries the scent of brine and death.
Between you and the keep churns the horde: a living tide of chitin, frothing mouths, and lashing, barbed tails. Dretches bubble up from cracks, their stench a physical assault. Vrocks shriek overhead, their feathers shedding despair. The path is not clear. It must be cut.
But you are not cutting it alone.
To your left, a phalanx of Katapeshi soldiers advances with mechanical precision. Their burnished helms and mirror-bright scimitars flash in the hell-light, a stark contrast to the organic horror they face. Between their ranks stride unflinching stone constructs, their heavy fists rising and falling in rhythmic, crushing arcs, each impact a dull thud that sends demonic ichor spraying across the pale rock.
"Hold the line!" a Katapeshi captain bellows, her voice cutting through the din. The line holds, a wall of discipline against the frenzied surge.
From the fractured caves to your right come your stranger allies. The hadis, wiry and fierce, move like dust-devils, their curved blades finding the gaps in demon-hide with unnerving accuracy. A trio of derhii, the great winged apes, beat their chests and answer the shrieks of vrocks with roars of primal challenge, leaping into the air to grapple with the flying horrors, tearing at wings with furious strength.
Beneath your very feet, the ground shifts. Morlocks, pallid and silent, erupt from hidden burrows to drag shrieking dretches down into the suffocating dark. And there, where the demonic press is thickest, a xorn surfaces. It ignores the slashing claws, its stony maw opening to bite not flesh, but the very weapons of the foe, consuming swords, shields, and minor demons with equal, grinding relish.
You are a dart shot through the chaos, using every opening this allied mosaic provides. You vault over the dissolving corpse of a quilled demon, sidestep a crater left by a xorn’s departure, and feel the wind of a derhii’s wingbeat as it batters a vrock from the sky. The air is a soup of blood-mist, ash, and the ozone crackle of magic. The roar of the battle begins to narrow, funneling into the thunder of your own pulse in your ears. The cliff face looms. The shattered gate of the keep yawns open like a dead mouth.
One final stretch. A horned, hulking hezrou turns, sensing your purposeful rush, but before it can charge, a volley of Katapeshi crossbow bolts buries themselves in its back. It stumbles, roars, and is swarmed by hadis aiming for its eyes.
You do not stop. You do not look back. You pour the last of your stamina into a final, desperate sprint across the last twenty yards of open, corpse-strewn ground. The sounds of the epic battle—the roars, the screams, the crashing stone, the triumphant cries of allies and the death-rattles of demons—all fade into a dull, distant thunder as you reach the Wolves' Den.
But even as you approach the arched gateway that leads into the seemingly ruined structure, and immense shadow blocks out the moonlight as a huge reptilian demon lumbers out to confront you. The fiend has a quadrupedal dinosaur’s lower body, a vaguely humanoid upper torso, and a draconic saurian head. A black crystal implanted in its brow resembles a wolf's head, and riding atop the fiend is the shadowy echo of the Prince of Wolves that you previously fought during the invasion of Harrowheart. The partially substantial foe sneers at you, even as a pair of huge, corpulent boar-headed demons flutter down from the ramparts to land beside his saurian mount.
"This ends here and now! We will take those Harrow cards from your cold, dead hands, and the Unmatched will finally reign supreme!"
Everybody but Briar may act first! The saurian demon has an aura of Frightful Presence. Everybody who starts their turn must attempt a DC 37 Will save against it.
Free Action, Arcana, Occultism, or Religion (Legendary) DC 36:
The crystal in the huge demon's brow is manipulating his actions in some way. If it is destroyed or deactivated, the demon would be freed from its control.
Xiung-Lau can't hear much beyond the door. After healing up, you move into the next room. A wooden statue of Pharasma sits in a meditative pose atop a low dais to the south of this otherwise empty room. Bones, dead leaves, and chunks of mummified flesh lie in heaps around the statue, whose missing head appears to have been hewn off by a single blow. Bloodstained, moldy ropes have been wrapped tightly around the statue, amid which many more old bones with bits of dried meat have been affixed.
The nature of the statue’s defiling is meant to represent a fundamental rejection of the goddess' power over life and death, indicating that she’s blind to the truth of it and powerless to change her ways.
When you enter the room, you see what looks like three robed monks kneeling before the statue, as if in prayer. But as they turn to face you, you see that these humanoid creatures' mouths are stitched shut with lengths of their own hair. Their arms are long and broken-looking, while their chests are little more than rib cages filled with red wet butterflies that crawl through and cling to the creatures' ribs and organs.
The being's stitched mouths twitch unnervingly as they greet you. Despite the stitching, the creatures speak freely, their hollow-sounding voices issuing clearly from their sealed lips. "Welcome to the shrine of the Pretender. Do not bother to offer her your prayers, as she will not hear them."
The spider spirits seem miffed by Pagma's request. "Hmph. Now that you have arrived, you cannot be allowed to leave before you perform proper rites and prayers to those you have forgotten. You have brought tea, I see. I hope you know the right ceremony to avoid incurring the wrath of Daikitsu."
Again, this encounter uses Victory Points. Each character should do something to properly honor the shrine, then attempt a DC 28 skill check with an appropriate skill to earn Victory Points. Religion or Tea Lore are the most obvious choices here for PCs who wish to pray to the shrine or to perform the tea ceremony correctly. Diplomacy can be used to secure the algrievers’ cooperation, Performance can be used to supplement the tea ceremony, and magic can use Arcana, Nature, or Occultism as needed.
"The most likely place to find Sarkorian lilies is in a swamp known as Bridespool Fen—a once-toxic marsh in the southwestern portion of the region that’s slowly been recovering as the flow of the nearby Sarkora River has leached away and diluted the fen’s toxins," Fenton says matter-of-factly. "There, uh, may be a demon or two to contend with, but I'm sure it's nothing you heroes can't handle!"
You return to the camp to report your findings. The scouts have returned from the other nearby areas to tell you what they found there, as well:
E4: Standing on the cliff overlooking the sea is a square stone tower, with narrow windows placed at intervals up the faces of its walls. Several one-story wooden buildings are arrayed at the tower’s base, and the faded remains of a tattered flag fly from its parapets. The crumbling stones of a low fortification wall surround the complex.
E9: Amid the rolling hills covered in wind-twisted olive trees, a herd of goats grazes among the underbrush. Their long horns are oddly metallic, and they seem docile, yet skittish.
Torisen and Ranek continue to chip away at the wall of stone, but it still stands firm.
Iesha lets loose a terrifying howl, and all three sinspawn and the lamia all cry out in terror as they turn to flee! The one's she's been attacking doesn't get far, though, as she disembowels it with her first critical strike and then slashes the lamia with her follow-up attack.
Batman bashes Runelord Gimmel twice with his shield. Alaznist's thunderous strike misses, but the force of the impact knocks the lamia prone!
Still struck with terror, the lamia casts a translocation spell and teleports away! The two surviving sinspawn run to the far corner of the room, cowering in fear. Runelord Gimmel grimaces and starts to cast a spell, but that's when the invisible Alaznist impales him from behind with her reactive strike!
Gimmel groans as he slumps on the end of Alaznist's ranseur. Suddenly, his body and his polearm vanishes arcane energy explodes outward in a riot of swilring color, hammering the minds of Batman and Alaznist!
Batman and Alaznist must succeed at a DC 27 Will save or become stupefied 1 for 24 hours (stupefied 2 on a critical failure) as fragments of their own memories are temporarily scrambled or hidden.
The remaining sinspawn don't pose much of a threat, and you are able to dispatch them in short order. Each of the three sinspawn here have a +1 striking flaming glaive and +1 leather armor. While Runelord Gimmel and his weapon disappeared, one object remains where he had been standing: a slate of distant letters. A note has been scribble upon it, but has not been sent: “As feared, our city is crawling with heroes. One group is getting close to us. If you don’t hear back soon, assume the worst.” The message is “signed” with one final word—the rune of greed.
A PC who spends 10 minutes Searching the documents, tools, and clutter on the tabletops discovers that they mostly concern information and intelligence about Xin-Eurythnia (although the documents stubbornly refer to the city as its outdated name of Xin-Shalast)—a PC who references this collection for an hour gains a +2 item bonus on checks made to Recall Knowledge about the city. More disturbing, these notes are obviously gathered and annotated in a way that plans out several dozen potential methods for a group called the Risen of the Trinity Star to take control of the city once the Unveiling Ceremony is completed. It should be obvious this group wants to secure control of the city and its powerful portal, and it mentions that this small group the PCs just defeated planned on seizing control of the Circle of Open Hands once it was activated. While the cultists the PCs defeated were powerful, it should be apparent that this group would not have been enough to wrest control of a portal defended by Queen Sorshen and her allies. While the notes make no indication of other resources and allies that would aid in this theoretical attack, the implication remains that something dire is afoot...
In the hours that follow, all the fungus around the city collapses and rots away. While the smell is intolerable for a time, the townsfolk band together to clean it up and begin the process of repairing the damage caused by the blossoming. It’ll take time, but they hold hope that Greengold will recover fully–though it should soon become apparent that time may not be a luxury anyone in Kyonin has.
Dalamian contacts you soon after your triumph and invites you back to Vynoren Estate, where you are joined by the Nalora, who alone escaped the destruction of the temple of Calistria and has spent the past several days in Greengold’s streets, tending to the wounded or sickened and working tirelessly to hold their spirits together. They thank the you for your heroism and offer their magic free of charge to help you recover. They also offer you two potent treasures that they were able to flee with and which long resided in a secret vault within the temple. These treasures are two weapons—Castrovel’s Beacon and Morning Glow. Once wielded by previous worshippers of Calistria who fought against Treerazer when the elves first returned from Castrovel so many centuries ago, they were then donated to the temple for safekeeping should need for them rise again.
After that, Dalamian grows more serious as she informs you that what’s happened in Greengold is not an isolated incident. Word of your actions in Greengold and your efforts to destroy the Jeharlu Spore has been sent to Queen Telandia, allowing her the precious time needed to mobilize other heroes throughout Kyonin. The discovery of spores growing in or near several other settlements is disheartening, but your actions have allowed Kyonin’s forces to destroy these unbloomed Jeharlu Spores before they could do nearly as much damage as the one in Greengold did.
Even so, reports are coming in from throughout Kyonin of similar upheavals of fungal infestation, and while the full scope of the disaster is not yet apparent, armies of demons, corrupted fey, blighted monsters, and fungal horrors are on the march, surging out of Tanglebriar to overwhelm dozens of border forts and watchtowers. Dalamian informs you that Queen Telandia has officially bestowed you all with the title “Heroes of Kyonin.” She tells you that you will have a few days to recover, but that some time very soon, the queen herself intends to visit you here in Greengold. In her latest communication with Dalamian, she indicated that war with Tanglebriar seems assured, and that she has a special mission for you to undertake if Kyonin is to prevail against Treerazer’s forces.
At the same time, Dalamian offers an apology to Alzarius for any implication in the plot. The Razmiri delegate in turn forgives her for any slight, explaining that it was the right choice to make, and that he is just glad he was cleared of any culpability in the end. Alzarius thanks you for your friendship and support, and while he says he must soon return to Xer to begin organizing support for Kyonin, he grants you a parting gift: his snowcaster’s staff. Alzarius explains the staff’s history, telling them it was carried by his heroic ancestor, and that he can conceive of no greater honor for her memory than to know her staff is now in the hands of a new generation of heroes fighting for the survival of elvenkind!
End book 1! Everybody gains a Hero Point! Everybody is now level 14!
Ardax has decided that the first task ahead is to make contact with Storm-Screamers of Rull. Led by the druid Regnat the Green, the orcs of this hold are among the best authorities on weather and wildlife in Belkzen. Urgir has not heard from the Storm-Screamers since before this year’s flooding, and Ardax is anxious to locate them, confirm their allegiance, and enlist their help in protecting the herds and investigating the ancestor storms.
The Storm-Screamers roam widely, even more so than most nomadic holds, but their primary territory is in the foothills beneath the Whisperfall Pass. Ardax orders numerous scouting parties to be sent northward between the Flood Road and the Tusk Mountains to locate the Storm-Screamers. Scouting parties have orders to resolve any minor threats they encounter along the way, and to locate the Storm-Screamers if they can. If they do, they are to provide the Storm-Screamers with any assistance they might need and ensure a messenger is sent back to Urgir to report on the hold’s location and situation.
There is a roughly 200-mile journey from Urgir to your designated search area, a trip of roughly 10 days by foot.
This sequence uses the Victory Points subsystem track the PCs’ progress as they overcome various obstacles, rather than mapping their exact overland route. Each obstacle presents a threshold representing the number of Victory Points needed to overcome the challenge. The obstacle also lists recommended skills and check DCs to earn points, though consider the PCs’ creative alternatives in resolving checks.
Action progresses in phases, each representing about half a day’s travel. During each phase, each PC can attempt a check to earn Victory Points. If their point total equals or exceeds the threshold value at he end of a phase, the group prevails and moves on. If they don’t have enough points, they spend an additional phase overcoming the obstacle. If the PCs end a phase with at least 2 Victory Points more than the threshold requires, they begin the next phase with 1 Victory Point applied to the next obstacle.
Since you convinced Ardax to support Kragga during the war council’s second issue, the PCs periodically encounter friendly scouts and trail signs that help them navigate. This provides the PCs a +1 circumstance bonus on all checks to overcome these obstacles.
SLOPES AND SLUDGE
The rolling plains, usually an expanse of dusty hills, have turned into low, slippery slopes that defy even the best boots’ grip. Navigating the muck requires balance, endurance, and a keen eye to spot the least problematic paths.
Threshold 4; Overcome DC 21 Acrobatics, DC 22 Athletics, DC 22 Fortitude, DC 20 Plains Lore, DC 22 Perception, DC 20 Scouting Lore
The construct whirls and evades Alessandria's fire wave. It dodges Wispil's blast and parries Kilitsi's axe strikes. As the minotaur falls back, Gentle Storm moves in, delivering a critical blow with his tail!
Reorienting on the new threat even as Alessandria's aura scorches it, the construct attacks the druid-turned-dinosaur with bone-crunching force!!
Alessandria burns the construct again and Wispil blasts it, but it still shows no signs of slowing down, bashing Kilitsi with force staves again and again.
Batman loosens the lamia's grasp on her falchion and completely knocks one of the sinspawn's glaives out of its grasp!
As Torisen chips away at the stone wall, Ranek gives Iesha a boost of speed. The ghostly warrior phases through the wall as she charges at one of the sinspawn, scoring a critical hit that leaves it reeling! Meanwhile, Batman bashes Runelord Gimmel with his shield, while the invisible Alaznist stabs him and drains his life force!
Grimacing in pain, Gimmel casts a quickened spell, dodging Alaznist's reactive strike. He tries to polymorph Batman into a regular bat, then casts another spell to try to impale Iesha with a spike of cold iron!
Batman must attempt a DC 30 Fortitude save against cursed metamorphosis. Iesha must attempt a DC 30 Reflex save against impaling spike (19 damage). Iesha takes 24 slashing and 1 fire damage and must attempt a DC 30 Will save or become enfeebled 2. Batman takes a total of 60 slashing, 25 piercing, and 5 fire damage from 4 separate attacks.
Alkabah works to exorcise the demonic energy, but falters slightly partway through. A sinister voice fills all of your minds, speaking in the Chthonian tongue: "And so my whelp has failed, yet you have not found salvation—you have doomed Kyonin to fall. Will you be the first to die, or shall you linger long enough to see all you hold dear become mine?"
You immediately recognize the voice--Treerazer! The fungal heart starts to clench as if beating like a real heart, but before it can unleash its toxic spores, Alkabah successfully banishes the remaining Abyssal taint! The heart withers and crumbles to dust, and immediately, the Jeharlu spore beings to slowly decay, melting away beneath your feet. A minute later, the slurry dries to a sticky green film, and on the floor under where the fungal heart was suspended lies a small mound of dark-colored dust: two doses of major black ash.
As you emerge out of the temple of Calistria, you can see that all of the fungus across Greengold is beginning to collapse and rot away as well!
Iokoris gives you directions to both Merosyne's cave (E6) and Sophreista's shrine (E10). He also gives you something to help for now, a vial of holy water.
Fenton is particularly impressed by Cerulean's and Kharya's suggestions, and he takes pains to integrate their feedback immediately. "Yes, yes. Fantastic! I appreciate your keen observations. I hope you will like the costumes once they are finished!"
You gain 1 Production Point.
"I do have one special request, if you don't mind," the seamster continues. "I have a special dye in mind for Oriole's costume. I really want the main villain of the play to pop on stage! The trouble is, though, the dye requires a rare alchemical ingredient diffused from the Sarkorian lily, a delicate flower that many believed went extinct in the wild, for it only grew in the land of Sarkoris before the Worldwound devastated it.
"Now that the Worldwound has been sealed, however, the lilies haev been flourishing again in certain areas of Sarkoris. The dyes distilled from their flowers are impossible to find for sale. If you could travel to Sarkoris and harvest a handful of the flowers, I would be much obliged!"
The four giants share a glance as they seem to come to a silent agreement. Then, they immediately begin dashing for the exit door! You step aside to allow them to flee, wisely abandoning their post in order to preserve their lives.
You can use the levers to open the portcullis blocking the next door. Beyond is a wide hallway that is plain and unadorned. The walls show signs of being recently smoothed and widened.
As you head down the hall and turn the corner, you see two more tomb giant guards conversing with a female tomb giant in robes wielding a guisarme. This matches the description of the seer Sorvinaesen. Unlike the previous guards, though, as soon as the trio notices you, Sorvinaesen snarls and raises her weapon. "Intruders! Don't let them past!" she commands as the other giants ready their scythes to attack!
You retrieve the item that Usilket gave you when you forged the alliance with the Pactmastrs: a witchwyrd beacon. Made of djezet, orichalcum, and luminous, resonant crystal, the witchwyrd beacon looks like a series of concentric rings mounted on rods that allow the rings to rotate independently of each other. You place it on the ground and adjust its rings to link it to your location.
After several minutes, the rings begin to spin and rotate at a rapid speed, then Usilket appears in a flash of light. The witchwyrd spreads their four arms wide in greeting. "Hello, friends. We are eager to assist you. Those who you helped in Kho now come to return the favor."
There are more and more flashes of light as forces from the various factions you supported earlier teleport into the Abyss to fight by your side! Hadis, derhiis, morlocks, and xorns appear in rapid succession, followed by the immense form of the radiant warden, its gleaming hammers raised high!
"We will move at your command," Usilket says proudly.
Between Lie Jie's fangs and Kwan Tai's critical hammer strikes, the second undead monk goes down!
The cabinets and shelves in the chamber are in tatters, but two moderate healing potions, a set of expanded healer’s tools, and a pair of healer’s gloves can be found in the debris.
Estrivalis bids you follow them back to their lair before the hryngar become aware of the trolls' defeat. You make it there without incident, where Malikress chirps happily and flies over to nuzzle his parent. Estrivalis purrs as they wrap their wings around their child.
"You are welcome to stay here and rest safely whenever you would like," the elder dragon declares. "Then we can see about routing those hryngar and taking back this cavern."
Alessandria scorches the construct with a wave of fire, but it parries Kilitsi's attacks as it continues to attack. It quickly pummels the protector tree to splinters and bashes the minotaur!
Alkabah sets the other ooze aflame but misses with their second attack. This time, the fungal demon succumbs fully to Blooms' divine wrath while the oozes resist. Raneshi finishes off the demon with a blow from her mace and a blast of flame from her rune! Takarias and Idari turn their attention to the already wounded and blinded oozes, and in short order, they are destroyed as well.
With the enemies defeated, you can make your way into the entrance of the giant fungal puffball. All surfaces of the spherical chamber within are covered in thick, tangled sheets of spiky fungal filaments interspersed with oily, dripping mushroom-like growths or hanging sheets of mold that looks like puffy cobwebs. Thick, fibrous cords extend from dozens of points on the inner walls to anchor a pulsing nodule of fungal matter in the middle of the twenty-foot-diameter room.
You can try to destroy the fungal heart with damage, or disable it with three successful DC 3 Nature checks (master) to carefully prune away specific tethers that keep the fungal heart or three DC 33 Religion checks (master) to exorcise the demonic energies from the fungal heart.
None in Willowshore know the name “Whisperweb Shrine,” for in their time a century ago, the site was without a name at all. Instead, it was known only as a strange, forgotten shrine that predated the modern township. If you ask around Karahai, you can confirm that the old shrine located a few days travel north of Willowshore has been known as Whisperweb for as long as they can remember.
The journey to the shrine is uneventful, though an ominous hush descends upon the land as you draw close. The winding path opens here into an idyllic-looking clearing, at the heart of which shines an achingly beautiful pond. Ornaments hang from tree branches overhead: paper lanterns, gilt masks, braids of woven silk, and, hung among the rest with equal prominence, the mummified corpses of animals and more than a few people. Their silent screams are preserved in tight, suffocating layers of silk, as though the keepers of this place found that expression particularly pleasing or amusing.
The ornamental pool that glimmers in the middle of the clearing is surrounded by old stone shrines built out of stacked stones, while a beautiful cascade of water runs softly over the edge of a low ridge to the northwest to fill the pool, flowing back out to the south in a narrow creek.
Soon after your arrival, six spiderlike spirits emerge from the surrounding woods and clamber up onto the six rock shrines to the east and west of the pool. The one closest to you addresses you in a soft, eloquent voice. “You intrude upon sacred ground. Your kind abandoned this shrine to us. By what right do you claim such a return?”
"I have heard enough," Iokoris declares. "I shall tell you what I know of this island's history and its recent goings-on.
"Perhaps you know the tale of the hero-god Sophreista. I was once her noble steed, and together we traveled across Iblydos battling monsters and defending those who could not defend herself. She lived here on this island in between adventurers, and many of her followers took up residence on the island. Among these followers were a male aiuvarin named Ekleios, who became Sophreista’s high priest, and Merosyne, a human woman and gifted poet who chronicled Sophreista's exploits and eventually became her lover.
"For a time, life on Eupherae was peaceful for Sophreista and her cult. Tragically, it was not to last. One of Sophreista’s rival hero-gods, Phreskores, envied her powers and sought her destruction, but he knew he couldn’t defeat her in a fair fight. Instead, he coaxed Ekleios into betraying her, and the priest betrayed her greatest weakness: when Sophreista first gained mythic power, she was dying from an arrow embedded in one of her ribs, and though she was revived by her empowerment, the arrowhead remained within her. She knew if the spot were struck again, fate would catch up with her, and so she disclosed this information to only her most trusted allies.
"Armed with this knowledge, Phreskores challenged Sophreista to battle and quickly targeted her weak point, slaying her. It was in this battle that I was so grievously wounded. I barely managed to flee, and it took me days to make my way back to Eupherae. Meanwhile, Merosyne discovered what Ekleios had done, and in vengeance, she poisoned him during Sophreista’s funeral feast.
"Neither Sophreista nor Ekleios would rest peacefully, however. Sophreista rose as a ghost, doomed to roam her former home while lamenting her betrayal. Ekleios rose as a herexen, yet Merosyne believed this wasn’t punishment enough. She beseeched naiads of the surrounding sea for aid. Though generally uninterested in mortal affairs, the naiads took pity on Merosyne and granted her a boon. At her request, they performed a ritual to seal Ekleios in Sophreista’s shrine, where he could ponder his betrayal forever. When this was done, they placed Merosyne into a deep slumber, safe within a cave on the island, to allow her to remain with Sophreista’s ghost until heroes capable of laying her beloved to rest arrived to awaken her.
"Over the centuries, plants grew over Sophreista’s shrine and its surroundings, yet the wards imprisoning Ekleios remained strong. However, when that meteor struck the island a few days ago, the tremors physically cracked the wards and eroded the magical bindings. Ekleios remains confined for now, but his malign influence is beginning to seep out. Without intervention, it’s only a matter of time before he escapes.
"I would ask you, heroes, to seek the shrine and destroy Ekleios once and for all. I shall reward you for your efforts. Merosyne still slumbers in her cave. I have been unable to wake her, but perhaps you could. And Sophreista yet wanders the island as a ghost, though I am too wracked with guilt to approach her."
Kharya manages to secure one of the twilight orioles in short order! With a bird in the hand (which is worth two in the bush), you use the wand of teleport to swiftly return to Kintargo and present Oriole with their new pet. The performer is delighted, and the twilight oriole seems equally taken with them, immediately starting to sing, obviously quite pleased with its new living arrangements. "Oh, darling! I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!"
Oriole draws upon their resources over the course of the next few days, and they gift you a true staff of healing in thanks.
You gain 1 Production Point.
***
Soon thereafter, the rehearsals for the opera begin. Fallenta takes over the day-to-day of working with the actors that you hired and the crew to organize the rehearsals, including the selection of assistant directors among the crew, but she makes it clear to you that you're welcome to provide any aid you can and wish during this time.
Throughout the first day of rehearsals, Ricovial and Oriole eye each other coolly. It's clear that both are holding onto the rivalry they once shared on stage. Will the clashing divas sour the play or make it better?
Each PC can attempt (once) a DC 35 Deception or Diplomacy check to productively spur Ricovial's and Oriole’s rivalry. If at least one PC is successful, the party gains 1 Production Point as both are fired up to outdo each other. Each PC who critically fails, however, causes the loss of 1 Production Point from the divas’ feud hindering the rehearsals.
After the first rehearsal, Fallenta tells you that the production's seamster and costumer, Fenton Vilorgo, wants to meet with you in the opera house's basement. Fenton has already converted a storage area there into a proper seamster’s workshop with racks of clothes, mannequins, and tables full of partially stitched garments forming a veritable maze around the room. As you arrive, a reedy, dark-haired man emerges from behind a mannequin to greet you in a sonorous voice, then he places several sheets of paper on which costume designs have been drafted upon a nearby table.
“Ah, you’re here! Come in, come in. So nice to be formally introduced to you all in person, and might I say, it’s been an honor to be included in this production. As you can see, I’ve taken the liberty of drawing up a few sketches for your costumes, but I wanted to get your input before finalizing the design. If you would?”
Fenton eagerly accepts your feedback, jotting your ideas down as you look over his sketches.
You can particularly impress Fenton with your feedback by succeeding at a DC 32 Crafting, Performance, or Theater Lore check.
Once you are ready, you head down into the secret entrance to the Agorron, escorting Graelar as your prisoner. You travel down a long, twisting set of stairs in utter darkness for 200 feet before arriving at a large steel door, which is unlocked.
This large room has steel doors to the east and west. The design is both recent and utilitarian, though it’s clear whoever constructed it took their work seriously. To the east an iron portcullis protects a steel door. There are two levers, one in the north wall and one in the south wall. Huge weapon racks stand against the eastern wall, including well-oiled scythes and an assortment of other weapons. The air here is uncomfortably cold.
Four tomb giants stand guard here. They raise their scythes when they see you and your prisoner. "Stop right there! What is the meaning of this?" one giant demands.
Gimmel ignores Torisen's spell while the lamia and sinspawn are only partially affected, all of them resistant to mental damage. Torisen recalls that lamia additionally cannot be controlled. They can change shape into humanoid forms and their touch weakens their victims.
Batman raises his shields and boldly strides forward while Alaznist turns invisible and does likewise.
Runelord Gimmel begins casting a spell, and Alaznist reacts by lashing out, wounding him with her polearm. Undeterred, the runelord completes his casting, and a wall of stone appears behind Batman and Alaznist, sealing them off from the rest of the group and trapping them with all of the foes on their side!
The lamia cackles and casts haste on herself, then slithers up to attack Batman! The sinspawn move to surround Batman as well, slashing with their glaives. He takes several hits from their burning weapons.
A total of 86 slashing and 12 fire damage to Batman. Each 10-foot-by-10-foot section of the wall of stone has AC 10, Hardness 14, and 50 Hit Points, and it's immune to critical hits and precision damage. A destroyed section of the wall can be moved through, but the rubble created from it is difficult terrain.
Finally, by the end of the third day, you've isolated a twilight oriole nesting ground!
Each PC can attempt one of the following checks over the course of a
hour to try to capture one of the rare birds: a DC 32 Nature check to compel a bird to approach and be taken willingly, or a DC 34 Survival check to create a trap to catch a bird alive, or a DC 36 Athletics check to catch a bird without hurting it. Alternatively, a PC who has wild empathy or can speak with animals can instead attempt a DC 34 Deception, Diplomacy, or Intimidation check to capture a twilight oriole. Spells or traps can also aid in catching the creature, potentially removing the need for a skill check, provided they don’t harm the bird. If at least one PC captures a bird, they’re ready to return to Oriole, but if all of the PCs fail at the task, they must start over from the beginning by searching out a new nesting ground.
Ardax nods emphatically. "It is clear to me now. We will send envoys to the other holds, but we must find the Storm-Screamers of Rull. Who in Belkzen knows more about the aurochs and about weather than Regnat and his druids? We must organize a search for the hold immediately. In the meantime, we will protect the aurochs as best we can."
If Ardax favors Kragga’s proposal, he assigns numerous squads to find, shepherd, and defend the herds. This is only a temporary fix, and he acknowledges that as the aurochs enter the floodplain, they’ll have less mobility and need more oversight. This strategy keeps the herds healthy, increasing their health later in this chapter.
Soon after, the council is adjourned. Ardax thanks those in attendance for their time and loyalty, and he asks that you rest in Urgir and report to him the following morning to assist with an upcoming wilderness operation.
As the others disperse, Kragga approaches you. "The Provident appreciates your support. Please, accept this token of our appreciation." She offers you a grudgestone.
The troll is wrapped up by Brijetta's molten wire and splattered by Mal's acid. Uhe fumbles his attack, and the troll growls as it prepares to retaliate. But suddenly, Estrivalis is there, the crystal dragon's jaws closing around the cavern troll! The dragon tears at the troll with their claws and bashes it with their tail, taking down the rocky giant! The other trolls in the camp are either dead or have fled.
Breathing heavily, Estrivalis regards you. "Thank you, friends. Those brutes had kept me bound here for far too long. I am grateful for the rescue."
Will vs Charm:1d20 + 16 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 16 + 4 = 29 Will vs Charming Touch:1d20 + 16 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 16 + 4 = 24
Sariana succesfully feints, clocking Trask with two strikes. As the mercenary reels, Floare and Tandri reach out with their charm magic. He resists Floare's spell but succumbs to Tandri. He eyes Sariana warily as he steps back, keeping his blades up. "I will avail your liege of her mercy, then, if this is not a trick. Stand down and I, too, will lower my weapons."
Meanwhile, the troll's armor protects it from Tyr's attack. Deregar heals the undead dragon as they start to fly away, but the trolls lumber in pursuit, continue to slice at Tyr with their axes.
When it becomes clear that you have no intentions to negotiate, the demon resumes its attack. Fortunately, it isn't long before you are standing over its bloodied body!
The demon has a greater breastplate of command.
Once you emerge from the oubliette, you get your first view of the Prince of Wolves' lair—a rocky, barren isle about two miles across. The aboveground portion of the oubliette is little more than a metallic rim around a hole in the ground, located atop a large promontory with a commanding view of the surrounding isle and the dark waters of the Abyssal sea all around. Hordes of demons of all shapes and sizes teem around the isle. It would be a grueling slog to try to fight your way past all of them.
This might be a good time to contact Usilket of the Pactmasters as All-Seeing Hajeck suggested to ask for reinforcements.
The next morning, you meet with Sheriff Hemlock and present him with the evidence you gathered from Podiker's shop. The Shoanti sheriff scowls. "I always thought that Pillbug was up to no good. This confirms it. Thank you for bringing this to me. I'll round up my deputies right away!"
Indeed, Hemlock and his deputies quickly descend upon The Pillbug's Pantry and arrest Aliver Podiker, taking him into custody. The alchemist curses and protests as he is lead off to the Sandpoint Jail as townsfolk gasp and gawk. The sheriff and Mayor Deverin both see to it that Nisk Tander of Bottled Solutions is put in charge of cataloging the shop’s supplies and setting up the stock to be sold to generate money for the town’s use. The mayor allows you to pick and choose from the supplies as a reward.
More importantly, by disrupting Podiker's operations, you have no doubt prevented one of the dooms Nualia predicted would come to Sandpoint!
Everybody gains a Hero Point. Each of you may choose up to 50 gp in common alchemical items of level 4 or lower. You gain 2 Reputation Points with the Sandpoint Mercantile League, the Townsfolk, and the Town Watch.
Ardax nods again and stands. "We must alienate neither our allies nor our potential allies. We will send our envoys with warriors to protect them from the dangers of travel, but not to wage war. The threat we face is too great to also war among our own kind. However, the holds must understand that disunity is not an option. We shall go with Bravthur's suggestion."
If Ardax favors Bravthur’s proposal, envoys are sent to the far-flung holds to reestablish contact and encourage those holds to unite against a common enemy under Ardax’s oversight. This helps convey that Ardax and the Empty Hand Hold are friendly and open to negotiation, giving the PCs a +1 circumstance bonus to all Deception and Diplomacy checks made against orcs in Chapter 2.
***
As details are hammered out regarding Ardax’s previous decisions, someone brings up the issue of the aurochs herds. They are coming south with the floodwaters, and the storms and undead will be a danger to them too.
Mother Agwilend of the Reverent dismisses the idea. “Are the aurochs not wise animals that know to seek shelter from the storm? Are the hungry dead any more dangerous than the predators down from the mountains? How can we send warriors to defend mere animals when our own people are endangered? Should we not let nature takes its course?”
Kragga of the Provident disagrees. “Do you forget the story of Hetzek and the Many Gifts? All our strength and valor are for naught without the aurochs to clothe our bodies and fill our stomachs. We must ensure the safety of the aurochs, if we are to ensure the safety of our people. If the undead consume the aurochs we are as surely lost as if they had consumed us.”
Again, Ardax asks you for your opinion of the matter.
Skills that might apply here include Nature, Survival, Farming Lore, Hunting Lore, or Plains Lore.
Hooli peppers the undead monk with needle darts as she crawls away. Kwan Tai bashes it with his hammer, then Lie Jei scores a critical hit with his fangs!
The monk whirls on the nagaji, pummeling him with crushing blows!
45 bludgeoning and 10 void damage to Li Jie. He must attempt a DC 22 Fortitude save or be slowed 1 until the end of his next turn. He must then attempt another DC 22 Fortitude save or be stunned 1 (or stunned 3 on a critical failure).
You return to the ruins of the governor's manor and spend quite some time scouring it for any clues. Unfortunately, your investigation doesn't turn up anything of use. Nothing seems disturbed or changed here from the last time you were here. It looks like there's not much more you can do to try to solve Oono's murder for now, but perhaps opportunities will arise to do so in the future.
In the meantime, you wait for Ren Mei Li to return. She does so after a few more days, thanking you for your work restoring the grove of apple trees. While her demeanor is as courteous as ever, there’s an intensity to her manner that she never showed before. The silvery sheen over her eyes is more pronounced, and the tips of her fangs are visible when she speaks.
“You come to the fourth season, and to the most revealing task. The ritual of winter requires providing a spiced tea for the people, signifying the steward’s ability to provide warmth, sustenance, and safety throughout the season’s cold and hungry nights. It’s best to use fine tea for such an occasion, yet even the finest tea can be improved by filtering it through the most delicate of webbing.
“The caretakers of Whisperweb Shrine to the northwest provide such fine silk, the texture and weave are perfect for the straining of delicate teas. They may not be what you are accustomed to, yet provide them with a taste of the teas you seek to present, and you should be able to secure their favor. I advise against simply taking from them what you need, but your choices, as always, remain your own."
This time, she offers the cloisonne ball depicting the fruit platter, while holding back one final ornament, which shows a steaming cauldron glowing against a backdrop of white snowflakes, or perhaps spiderwebs. Then, she once again promises to return in one week to sample the teas strained through spidersilk gathered from Whisperweb Shrine.
Despite his best efforts to manipulate the illusion magic, Ranek is unable to disable the trap. Fortunately, he doesn't set it off, and with a powerful burst of mythic magic, Alaznist dispels the dwoemer before it can adversely affect you! The unraveled magical energy revitalizes you.
Overcoming this trap is a mythic deed; doing so restores 3 Mythic Points to each PC.
Beyond the door is a large chamber that appears to be an office. Four tables sit in the room, their tops cluttered with scrolls, star charts, maps, books, and incense burners spewing a strange, spicy scented smoke into the air. Stone shelves to the east and west stand empty, while glowing stones in the ceiling fill the room with illumination.
This room is occupied by a trio of sinspawn soldiers who stand guard before two others. One is a lamia matriarch, with the upper body of a human woman and the lower body of a snake. She wears leather armor and wields a flaming falchion. But it is the human man who commands the most
presence, though, even being smaller and less monstrous in shape than his bestial allies. Imperious and with mismatched eyes (one green and human, the other amber and slit like that of a snake), he wears striking green and gold robes and wields a flaming glaive. Indeed, it seems the man who stands before you is none other than the third runelord of greed, Runelord Gimmel, once again alive and in the flesh!
Runelord Gimmel sighs with exasperation. "Ugh, I swear, good minions are so hard to find. I can't believe these meddlers made it here."
The lamia, on the other hand, grins savagely. "Good! I've been cooped up in this workshop for far too long. I shall relish this chance to spill some blood!"
Alkabah transforms into a cosmic being, burning one of the oozes and setting it ablaze. The demon ignores Blooms' divine wrath but both oozes take some damage from it. Raneshi's magic boots allow her to easily run up the side of the massive puffball to get to the demon, smacking it with her cold iron mace! Idari likewise climbs up determinedly and delivers a powerful slash, the fiend now gravely wounded. Takarias is able to return himself to his normal form.
Hissing and snarling, the misshapen fungal demon attacks Idari with teeth and claws! Idari dodges, only taking one hit.
The oozes climb back up the side of the puffball to try to stop Idari and Raneshi. Idari takes another hit but Raneshi wards off their attacks with her shield.
Ranek's prudence pays off as he discovers a powerful magical trap on the door! It is designed to flood intruders' senses with a mass of illusions, plunging them into an ever-shifting maze of fluid realities.
The trap can be disabled with a DC 38 Thievery check (legendary) to seize strands of false reality and tug at them to unravel the surrounding illusions, a DC 41 Arcana check to take command of the illusions and force them to consume themselves, or a dispel magic (7th-rank; counteract DC 39) to counteract the realities the illusion creates.
The construct takes some damage from Gentle Storm's lightning this time. Wispil's blast goes wide, but Alessandra burns it with her flaming axe, and Kilitsi manages to land a critical hit on the backswing!
The sturdy swordkeeper continues to fight on unimpeded, even as Alessandria's aura burns it. It swings its force staffs at the minotaur while using one to ward off incoming blows. It lands a single critical hit in return, shattering the protector tree to splinters and battering the fighter.
"We are the Risen, for like the Peacock Spirit, we have returned to claim the legacy we once thought lost to us," the charmed cultist says proudly. "Runelord Gimmel dwells in the rooms to the east, but we haven't yet been allowed to access those."
With no other relevant information to give you, you can decide the fate of these two prisoners. Afterwards, you head to the east, where ancient lava flows have partially buried a balcony walkway. At the close end, a curved viewing platform looks out over the larger workshop, while to the far end stands a large wooden door.
