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A dirt trail winds through a sparsely wooded area. A fallen log provides cover, forcing caravans off-road, into poison ivy. Hot springs supply water for geysers. The last time they erupted, a merchant wagon was abandoned when the horses spooked and bolted. Broken glass (treat as caltrops) litters the area.

Glaive of the Lion-Hearted
Aura faint abjuration, enchantment, and necromancy; CL 5th
Slot none; Price 35,308 gp; Weight 14 lbs.

Description
The glaive of the lion-hearted is a +2 courageous thundering glaive with a serrated blade shaped to resemble teeth. Rather than a steel blade topping a wooden pole, this impressive polearm is forged entirely from steel. A banner bearing the visage of a snarling lion waves from the weapon's handle.

Once per day, the wielder can unleash a devastatingly loud roar upon scoring a critical hit with the glaive. This roar penetrates any silence spells within 150 ft, dispelling the spell(s) and allowing the weapon to deal its bonus sonic damage to the target. The lion fades from the banner after dispelling a spell, but the image returns the following day. If the wielder of the glaive of the lion-hearted ever runs from a fight, the lion fades and the weapon's dispelling powers cannot be used for the remainder of the day, though it remains a +2 courageous thundering glaive. If the dispelling ability has already been used for the day, the wielder suffers no penalties for retreating.

Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, blindness/deafness, dispel magic, heroism, remove fear; Cost 17,808 gp

Here is my rejected scenario proposal. I'd appreciate any feedback you care to offer.

INTRODUCTION:
The logging town of Falcon’s Hollow is gripped in fear. Townsfolk are being murdered in their beds, poisoned in their sleep, never to wake again. Victor Shadowgleam, a druid from Darkmoon Wood, is picking off any lumberman in a position to gain a seat on the board of directors of the powerful Lumber Consortium. Victor polymorphs into a venomous snake to slay his victims, intending to frame a local cleric of Norgorber for his crimes. Through these assassinations, the power-hungry druid hopes to slowly subvert control of the town.

SUMMARY:
The Pathfinders are sent to Falcon’s Hollow to speak with an Andoran scholar. This scholar is the sole person who knows the location of a rare artifact buried beneath the town. When the PCs arrive, they find the scholar locked in his home, refusing to speak to anyone. The man fears for his life after a series of recent poisonings. If the Pathfinders want information, they first have to put an end to the murders.

The black market can provide hints regarding jewelry stolen from one of the victims as well as poison recently purchased by a religious zealot and cleric of Norgorber. The cleric collects venomous creatures, but he is not responsible for the murders. Another suspect is the Gavel of the Lumber Consortium, Thuldrin Kreed. No solid evidence exists against him, but rumors swirl about his cruelty.

When the Pathfinders discover Victor Shadowgleam, they venture into Darkmoon Wood to defeat him in his lair. The dangerous woods are guarded by poisonous spiders and charmed boars, which must be dealt with before the confronting the murderer himself.

ACT 1: THE BLACK MARKET
The Lumber Consortium controls the town by tightly regulating trade. Local black markets occasionally spring up in defiance of these regulations. The PCs can locate a black market to follow the trail of stolen jewelry or to learn about recent poison purchases. If they stir up trouble, thieves attempt to scare them off by force.

Tier 1-2: human rogue 1 and halfling rogue 1
Tier 3-4: human rogue 2 and halfling rogue 1
Tier 6-7: human rogue 4 and halfling rogue 2 (x2)

ACT 2: DEN OF VENOM
The cleric of Norgorber acts as a red herring, but initial clues point to his venomous pets.

Tier 1-2: half-orc cleric 3 and monstrous scorpions (tiny) (x2)
Tier 3-4: half-orc cleric 3 and monstrous scorpions (medium) (x2) and spider swarm
Tier 6-7: half-orc cleric 5 and monstrous scorpions (large) (x3) and spider swarm

ACT #3: THE TYRANT'S THUGS (OPTIONAL)
The Pathfinders might suspect Thuldrin Kreed. If they voice such suspicions, Kreed sends thugs to silence them. Use this encounter if the PCs beat the previous encounters too easily.

Tier 1-2: human fighter 1
Tier 3-4: human fighter 2 (x2)
Tier 6-7: human fighter 4 (x3)

ACT #4: SPIDER NEST
The PCs stumble into a web-covered spider nest at the edge of Darkmoon Wood. The cleric of Norgorber marked the location on his map as he came here to capture poisonous pets.

Tier 1-2: monstrous spiders (small) (x3)
Tier 3-4: monstrous spiders (large) (x3)
Tier 6-7: phase spiders (x2)

ACT #5: MY LITTLE FRIENDS
Animals charmed by Victor Shadowgleam protect his woodland lair. The animals attack anyone who comes near.

Tier 1-2: boar
Tier 3-4: boars (x2)
Tier 6-7: dire boars (x2)

ACT #6: THE MURDERER'S LAIR
Victor has been watching the Pathfinders in animal form and is prepared for their arrival. For Tiers 1-2 and 3-4, the druid has a small collection of scrolls of Beast Shape III, which he uses to gain the poison ability of a viper.

Tier 1-2: human druid 4 (has already used his wild shape ability for the day and was injured in a scuffle with his previous victim)
Tier 3-4: human druid 6
Tier 6-7: human druid 8 plus deep spiked pit trap

CONCLUSION:
If the Pathfinders stop Victor Shadowgleam, the Lumber Consortium thanks them for keeping the town safe and for preventing further corruption of the board of directors. The scholar comes out of hiding, only to reveal that the artifact the PCs sought was stolen years ago.

If the Pathfinders accuse the wrong person, the murders continue, prompting further investigation. If unopposed, Victor becomes more brash, targeting board members directly and causing chaos to erupt throughout Falcon’s Hollow and the surrounding area.

Haldon Valmaur, the Jade Shadow
male human ranger 8

Description:
Haldon Valmaur is a quiet, brooding archer filled with jealousy over the elven people’s fabled mastery of sword and bow. His narrow, hazel eyes and shaggy, brown hair give him the look of a feral predator. Haldon dresses in greens for camouflage and this, along with his stealthy, hit-and-run tactics, has earned him a name that is whispered throughout the forests in fear: “Jade Shadow.”

The ranger’s most distinguishing feature is a rough scar running across his left cheek and nose, a perpetual reminder of a sword fight he lost to an elf in his younger days. Ever since that duel, Haldon has shied away from melee, taking up the bow and vowing to prove himself to the world.

Haldon bears not only a scar from his past failure, but also a trophy from a recent victory. An iridescent unicorn horn hangs around his neck. Although it no longer possesses any magic, Haldon prizes the horn greatly.

The Jade Shadow’s closest friend is his animal companion, a black bear named Razor. A violent beast, Razor’s fur is crisscrossed by scars from tussles with other animals. The single bloody claw mark that mars the bear’s face nearly matches his master’s scar.

In addition to Razor, woodland creatures also perform Haldon’s bidding, following him around as if he were a corrupted version of the pied piper. Haldon nicknamed his band of entranced animals the “twisted forest horrors” after bringing out their wicked side. The creatures have a disturbing appearance – huge fangs, never-blinking eyes, extra heads or appendages, all color drained from their fur – as if they had marched straight out of a nightmare.

Motivations/Goals:
Driven by jealously, Haldon dreams of burning the elven forests and hunting down any friend of the elven people. He started out slow, striking elven settlements at night and peppering the guards with arrows. Each time, the townsfolk glimpse a mere shadow before Haldon flees.

Recently, he has become more daring, allowing Razor to run amok, terrifying people, while arrows rain from the sky. The damage so far has been minimal, as the cowardly archer retreats in the face of serious resistance. However, the seeds of fear have been spread and the Jade Shadow believes he will soon receive the recognition he deserves.

Schemes/Plots/Adventure Hooks:

• Something is horribly wrong with the local wildlife. Animals have become fiercely aggressive and the townsfolk claim they resemble demons. The PCs are either sent to investigate or are attacked by fiendish beasts while traveling through the forest. Killing the twisted forest horrors quickly draws Haldon's attention.

• A dead centaur is discovered in the Mierani Forest, green-fletched arrows making a pincushion of his body. The trail leads the PCs to a dead unicorn caught in a bear trap, its horn missing. Haldon hopes to lure the forest’s residents into booby-traps and the PCs may end up falling prey to his scheme.

HAUNTED SHOES
Aura faint conjuration and illusion; CL 3rd
Slot feet; Price 6,480 gp; Weight 1 lb.

DESCRIPTION
Helpful spirits live in this otherwise simple pair of black shoes. The wearer occasionally hears faint laughing voices as wisps of smoke dance around her heels.

Two times per day, the wearer can call forth 1d4 spirit servants to aid her. The spirit servants are invisible, mindless, shapeless beings that act as servants summoned by the unseen servant spell. The spirits return to the shoes after 3 hours have passed. The wearer can choose to dismiss one or more of the spirit servants early.

Once per day, the wearer can command the ghostly spirits inside the haunted shoes to emerge and swirl around her, making her difficult to target in combat. The wearer gains concealment (20% miss chance) for 3 minutes. The spirits cannot be harmed, but a true seeing spell will negate the concealment effect. The concealment ability cannot be activated while any of the spirits are currently being used as unseen servants.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, blur, unseen servant; Cost 3,240 gp