The Runelord Saga's page

As I did with all of the dungeons and most of the encounters, I have redesigned the catacombs somewhat. In this case, I arranged it to function better as the remnants of a former military outpost (repositioning it directly beneath the Old Light/Hellfire Flume) which would then later be used as a hidden temple for a cult of Lamashtu. Part of the redesign removed the lower levels since I will not be using the sink hole/ Scribbler portion later down the road. One of my favorite alterations is the room with the prisoner cages where the zombies reside. They were arranged as more traditional cells with bars to create a more exciting combat scenario where the PC’s must avoid their grasping, grappling outstretched hands while the Sinspawn try to use their ranseurs to force them into their reach. I also added a bit of brown mold to the former ‘cold storage’ rooms and an antechamber ringed in runes which activated a Bane or Bless spell on creatures who entered, depending on whether they were good or evil. Finally, the Meditation Chamber was altered and repurposed – I gave it a permanent Silence and Deeper Darkness effect in addition to its Levitation feature, intending for it to have been a sort of isolation chamber for special prisoners, and now serving as a place for Elyrium to spend decades at a time in the silence of her own mind.

The catacombs themselves are primarily populated by an increased number of Sinspawn which I redesigned to be more challenging, given their fearsome appearance. Beyond them, the only other occupants are the mutated goblin Koruvus, and the Quasit Elyrium. I whom I re’statted (is that a word?) Koruvus using the Mutant Goblin from the Monster Codex, with a few minor changes (I gave Koruvus a functional third arm similar to what he had in the original, replaced the dragonfly wings with a Climb speed and included his traditional weaponry, with a slight twist). His Monster profile can be found here. I also rebuilt Elyrium as a 3rd level Cleric of Lamashtu for the final battle to better represent her role. Her Monster profile can be found here, along with the updated stats for the Sinspawn.

I also tweaked the loot a bit. I’m generally very custom with the magic items my players find and a lot of the non-magical loot as well. ‘Wealth by level’ is only a thing I glance at from time to time, preferring my players have a small collection of powerful or meaningful items rather than a deluxe set of the official generic magic items that every adventurer must have®. In this case, that included a mostly intact map of the area as it appeared in the days of Ancient Thassilon (prior to Earthfall), specifically showing the borders of Eurythnia, Bakrakhan and Shalast where they once met and offering the barest hint of things to come. I also included a couple of Ioun stones (a recurring theme associated with Thassilon), a couple of Evocation-based spell scrolls and made the ranseur held by the statue of Alanzist a +1 weapon. The statue also radiated failing divination and transmutation magic, having once served as a scrying focus for Alanzist as well as a defender for the complex that could be activated as needed. Finally, I had decided early on that no exploration of the Runelords history would feel truly authentic unless I started introducing unknown/forgotten magics. Part of that effort included what I refer to as ‘kicker’ spells, swift action spells that are used to augment spells cast that same round, in many ways similar to Metamagic feats. A partially destroyed spellbook with the first of these spells is also discovered and a list of these spells can be found here. I will be regularly updating this spell list as these postings progress, so check back periodically to see what’s new.

Aldern Foxglove arrives during breakfast (he is staying at the White Deer) and is quite the contrast to how the group last saw him. In brilliant spirits, he proclaims the group ‘The Heroes of Sandpoint’ to any who will listen and offers to pay their tab at the Rusty Dragon. When Ameiko refuses, saying that their tab has been covered – and will be for as long as they’d like to stay – he instead insists on purchasing them all a new set of clothes, some finery to replace the rags they’ve been forced to wear. After a few more ingratiating comments, he heads off to make an appointment for them at Vernah’s for the following day.

If you haven’t already begun to, you should start to play up Ameiko as fun-loving and playful but tough, one who adopts the PC’s, slipping into kind of a ‘big sister’ role to them (and as a potential romantic interest for one of the male PC’s, even if it does not materialize immediately). She will be their best ally and advocate in Sandpoint but is fiercely independent and not shy about speaking her mind. You can find her NPC profile here.

Volioker Briskalbeard also seeks the group out at some point to thank them personally for the role they played in saving his sister and the children of their orphanage. By way of thanks, he gives them two vials of Oil of Sharpness / Impact.

The group is well regarded around town as word of their heroism the night before begins to spread. Most of the day is spent cleaning up and recovering from the terror and confusion of the night before. If encountered, Mayor Deverin expresses interest in meeting with the group for lunch once things have calmed down a bit.

That evening, Ven Vinder returns to the Rusty Dragon with Shayliss in tow, to again express his gratitude for her watching out for his daughter. He again spares little more than a grunt for the group before departing, but Shayliss returns a short time later, having given her father the slip. She focuses on one male PC in particular, one with whom she has become enamored of, and seeks to lure him away, mentioning something about a ‘scary rat problem’ at the store, though she is sure it would require only one of the ‘Heroes of Sandpoint’ to tend to such a trivial task. Aldern is likely present, drinking and loudly toasting the group, though he remains uncharacteristically quiet while Ven and his daughter are present.

Around the same time, Hemlock stops by to give Ameiko an update on the search, that she might pass the information on to her patrons – little sign of the goblins has been found in the area, suspiciously little in fact, and he would prefer that everyone remain in town a short time longer. Then he seeks out the group (minus the member who may have been lured away by Shayliss) and asks them if they wouldn’t mind accompanying him to the Boneyard where Father Zantus has suggested that there might be a bit of trouble. On the way, Belor questions the group about their past and tries to get a read on whether this motley crew of adventurers might be useful allies to he and the town.

If the chosen PC agreed to join Shayliss, she lures him into the cellar storage area (where her father keeps a cot for those occasions when a bout with the missus has him needing to sleep elsewhere) and seeks to seduce him. Regardless of the outcome of her efforts, Ven discovers them in the act and attacks the PC in question. Ven seeks only to intimidate and subdue the PC so that he can physically throw him out of the store, which, if successful, he immediately does.

Note: Ven is a very strong combatant, arguably the strongest in town, and should be quite capable of either subduing or knocking out the PC in question with a judicious application of the Grapple maneuver and non-lethal damage. As fearsome as he might seem, however, Ven has no intention of seriously or permanently injuring anyone. In addition to playing his relatively minor part in the narrative, the encounter with Ven also serves a secondary purpose – he is the first example that not every fight the PC’s engage in will be an assured victory. Part of world-building and game immersion is the perception that the world itself is ‘lived in’, meaning that things still happen when the PC’s leave the room, and that the world will keep on spinning regardless of the choices they make. One aspect of that is that the world won’t always make sure that it is ‘level appropriate’ for the PC’s, and as such there will be encounters not best solved by them simply kicking the door down and rolling initiative. Admittedly, the PC in question may not have much choice in this encounter, but understanding on a basic level that not every fight is one they can win (yet) reminds the group that they are in fact mortal, and ensures that the game feels as if it has actual stakes.

Sheriff Hemlock and the other PCs should pass by the General Store right about the time Ven physically throws their comrade through the front door. The Sheriff berates him for such rough treatment of one of town’s guests and Ven stubbornly argues with him, warning the PC to stay away from his daughter before storming back inside and slamming the door. Hemlock shrugs and chuckles, seeing that no permanent damage has been done and helps the PC up. If prompted, he might tell them a little about Ven’s history, including the fact that, while he never fought in the arena, Ven had been a moderately successful dock fighter in his youth, gaining a fair bit of notoriety in the lower districts of Magnimar. He also relates that, since settling in Sandpoint, Ven has always been extremely protective of his family and the town itself – in that order – when it comes to those whom he considers outsiders. You can find Ven’s NPC profile here.

(Note: there is a typo regarding Ven’s stats in the Pugil Stick competition written for the Swallowtail Festival events in post #7. The statistics shown in his linked NPC profile are the ones that should be used.)

Once the group reaches the bone yard, they find Father Zantus and the bonekeeper Naffer Vosk waiting for them. The two lead the Sheriff to the crypt where the door has been left ajar, Vosk having heard some odd stirrings within and fearing some of the goblins may still be hiding out inside. What awaits them within is in fact a Skeletal Horror (Giant, Advanced Four-Armed Mudra Skeleton with claws only), an amalgamation apparently made up of all the prior priests whom had overseen the church in Sandpoint and been buried in the crypt have been taken. Father Zantus enters the crypt after the creature has been destroyed and clandestinely discovers a silver braid of hair, left there by Tsuto at Nualia’s instruction when he snuck in during the raid and stole Father Ezekien’s remains. The horror (created by a magical bone that Nualia had acquired) was intended to disguise the fact that Father Ezekien’s remains had been taken, but Nualia still wanted to leave her braid as an ominous warning of who was behind it for the priests in Sandpoint. Upon discovering the braid, he surreptitiously tucks it into his robes (if the GM wishes he can give a particularly perceptive PC a chance to spot him doing so, but Zantus will not acknowledge it) and ushers the group out, ordering Naffer to reseal the crypt. He thanks the group profusely for their assistance but hurries off as soon as able to do so without being rude or raising suspicion.

On the walk back to the Rusty Dragon, Sheriff Hemlock tells the group about the ‘Late Unpleasantness’ – the narrative that I used for it can be found here.

Rebuilding in the town continues. Aldern expresses his gratitude as promised by having the PC’s fitted for new clothes at Vernah’s (25 gp each), all the while asking about their past and future plans. He is particularly interested in one PC’s intentions towards Shayliss, whom he has become infatuated with, but only does so subtly, content with learning whatever he can about the PC that he might be able to use as a wedge to drive between they and the girl. At the GM’s discretion, he will later make a very public announcement before the cathedral that he intends to make a sizable donation to assist in rebuilding the town, and again publicly thanks the ‘Heroes of Sandpoint’. He, of course, has no intention of making such a donation (he’s low on funds as it is), but piggy-backing his own public perception on the PC’s fame is pretty much par for the course.

The events above replace the Boar Hunt, since the last place anyone would want to be after a massive goblin raid is off in the woods alone. Sheriff Hemlock is keeping people in town for now, and this is the closest thing to normalcy Aldern knows – retail therapy, condescension through generosity and just all-around plotting in general. I’ve also skipped The Monster in the Closet encounter, though you are welcome to include it if you wish.

It’s important to play up the foppishness of Aldern. My wife suggested that Gilderoy Lockhart of Harry Potter fame might make a good role-playing inspiration at this point. It’s fine if the PC’s pick up that he might be interested in Shayliss and its best if they think him a bit of a fool or a bit of a coward, since he is certainly both. He is also a conniving opportunist with few morals and he is already in the grip of the Shard he carries, the Shard of Envy, which as him envying the PC who seemed so heroic while he cowered, the same PC who has the affection (even if unrequited) of the beauty that he himself has become infatuated with. You want to play Aldern true to himself, but the more he serves as a character that is difficult to take seriously now the more impactful the eventual reveal of his true villainy will be. You can find his NPC profile here.

Dodger Hosk comes into the Dragon that evening and over drinks he updates Ameiko and the party on the strangely empty countryside, with very little sign of goblins, and most of that days if not weeks old.

Shayliss makes another effort that night to ingratiate herself to the PC with whom she has become infatuated.

Regardless of how Shayliss’ last encounter with the object of her infatuation turns out, Aldern will later intercept her, either that night or the following day. He first uses his Disguise Self ability to appear as the PC and brusquely reject her before later finding her as himself, consoling her over the unreliable nature of ‘these vagrant mercenaries’ and impressing her with his (apparent) lavish wealth and gentlemanly nature.

That afternoon there’s a stir in town when the elven ranger Shalelu arrives. She is something of a local legend, well known throughout the Hinterlands, who passes through town from time to time to spread news from the area. Shalelu and Ameiko are very close, and after a brief, private exchange between them outside of the inn, she is quickly ushered away to speak with Sheriff Hemlock and the Mayor. Later that evening, the Sheriff summons the group to a meeting at the Garrison that has them arriving just as Titus Scarnetti is being escorted out. The indignant nobleman erupts at the sight of the PC’s, demanding to know why outsiders are being given a private audience while he, one of the town’s important figures, is being put off by the mayor. Once inside, Hemlock makes introductions and invites Shalelu to share with them the news she has brought from the Hinterlands. This narrative I used can be found here. After the situation has been thoroughly discussed, he then asks the group if they wouldn’t mind keeping a visible presence in town while he escorts visitors from Magnimar back home and petitions for additional aid. It is assumed that the group will agree, though events will unfold the same regardless. Sheriff Hemlock gives the order to his guards to spread the word that they will be escorting the town’s visitors safely back to Magnimar in the morning.

After the meeting, Shalelu returns with the group to the Rusty Dragon where she and Ameiko reunite and spend most of the evening recounting stories with any who wish to stay up late and drink with them. Shalelu’s NPC profile can be found here.

Sheriff Hemlock and a dozen guardsmen depart with the caravan for Magnimar that morning. Aldern is with them and, before they depart, Shayliss makes an obvious display of affection towards him, deliberately flouting it in the face of the PC with whom she believes has rejected her (and with whom she refuses to speak if approached). Aldern is gallant, inwardly pleased to have outmaneuvered his rival but again loud and extravagant in his praise for the PC’s heroism and offering to host ‘his friends’ at his townhouse in the city should they ever come to visit.

Shalelu leaves at the same time, in the opposite direction, intent on scouting out Thistletop. She and Ameiko share a lingering goodbye, Shalelu calling her ‘sister of her heart’ in elven, and promising to return by the time the snows begin to fall.

The rest of the day passes without incident. If desired, the group can run afoul of a couple of Scarzni taking advantage of the Sheriff’s absence by attempting to rob the local jeweler (or something similarly nefarious but relatively minor).

That evening, Lonjiku makes an appearance at the Rusty Dragon where he and Ameiko have a very public argument in Minkian. Ameiko aggressively warns off any PC who might seek to interfere, but when Lonjiku seizes her by the arm, she smacks him with a soup ladle, splattering the stuff all over his finery. He curses her – again in Minkian – before storming out into the night. Ameiko, to cover her embarrassment and hurt, makes a joke of the whole thing and buys the house a round of drinks in apology for the disturbance. She brushes off any questions about her father, unwilling to discuss him.

The day passes without incident, though the GM may of course insert any role-playing encounters here that they wish.

Elminedra Stargazer, female Half-Elven 2nd level Oracle of Desna
Elminedra is a scholar and an adventurer whom has come to Sandpoint not just to enjoy the Swallowtail festival but to see the Old Light for herself. She suffers the Powerless Prophecy curse and follows the Desna mystery, a custom mystery that combines elements of the Solar (reflavored as 'starlight') and Heavens mysteries.

Daario Vash, male Human (Varisian) 2nd level Unchained Rogue
Daario and Dormond are thick as thieves - so to speak - with Daario excelling at getting the two into trouble and Dormond doing his part by getting them back out again. Working as mercenary guards for one of the trade caravans, they are in Sandpoint to dance, drink and gamble, and if a pretty girl or two pops up, so much the better.

Dormund Kurgan, male Human 2nd level Barbarian (Urban Barbarian)
Dormund is a large man and a skilled fighter who shows surprising restraint and wisdom most of the time, but can have a bit of a temper when properly provoked and has a difficult time passing a game of dice or cards without indulging in a round or two. After an unfortunate incident involving a noblewoman's petticoats, Daario has convinced him to spend a few days away from Magnimar and the Swallowtail festival fits the bill perfectly.

Illyrio Silversliver, male Halfling 2nd level Swashbuckler (Mouser)
The second son of a second son, Illyrio is the heir to the legendary Silversliver blade. He has set out into the world to find his fame and fortune, hoping to restore his family name to glory and, in the process, reawaken the fabled magic of his ancestral sword. Tales of the Sandpoint Devil has brought him to Sandpoint and he is pleasantly surprised to discover that his family is still known amongst his kin - which does nothing to ease his secret doubts that he will not be found a worthy wielder of the blade.

Llyra Vhiski / Sze-Suian, female Kitsune 2nd level Crossblooded Sorcerer (Fey & Serpentine)
An inhuman foundling with the ability to change her appearance, Llyra was discovered and raised by a Varisian family of Scarzni as much as a pet as a daughter, and was passed around from one group to another as payment for this debt or that, eventually ending up here in Sandpoint as the ward of Jubrayl Vhiski. She has been working as a courtesan at the Pixie's Kitten for the past few months, placed there by Jubrayl to spy on Sheriff Hemlock during his clandestine visits to the brothel's proprietor Kaye Teserani. Of late Llyra has begun to chafe at Jubrayl's use of her talents and restrictions on her freedoms and is looking for a means to earn her freedom and escape his authority.

In my calendar each month contains 30 days. Rather than week-day names, each day is simply referred to by its number (first-day, second-day, twentieth-day, etc. or ‘the fifth’, ‘the eighteenth’, etc.). Regular events are commonly referred to in a similar fashion – i.e. ‘every fifth-day’ would take place on the 5th, 15th and 25th of the month. Scheduling usually revolves around periods of 5 or 10 days, though every 15 days and every 30 days is common as well with 90-day schedules generally being the longest as a result of four seasonal feast days. Regionally, certain days of the month may have some sort of significance and are given their own specific names as a result.

There are four days each year that occur outside of the normal monthly schedule; they take place between months with the Summer Solstice (Summer’s Day) marking the mid-point of the year and the Winter Solstice (Winter’s Night) marking its end and beginning. The Spring Equinox (Spring Dawning) traditionally represents the mid-point of planting season while the Autumnal Equinox (Dusken Eve) represents the mid-point of the harvest. Finally, there is a ‘Fool’s Day’ though it is given different names and different significance throughout the various regions. In some places it is regarded as a day to catch up on things neglected or a day to remember those lost, but most commonly (particularly in large urban areas) it is a day of celebration for celebration’s sake, bidding the last days of summer a final farewell.

There is no official ‘start’ of the seasons though unofficially they begin at the mid-points of Calistril (Spring), Desnus (Summer), Arodus (Fall) and Neth (Winter). Like the Equinoxes and Solstices, it is not uncommon for these days to be considered holidays in various regions.

The months don't correspond exactly with those of our own calendar, but they're a close enough approximation that I included them for reference below.

Abadius (January) 30 days
Calistril (February) 30 days
Pharast (March) 30 days

"Spring Dawning" (Spring Equinox) 1 day

Gozran (April) 30 days
Desnus (May) 30 days
Sarenith (June) 30 days

"Summer's Day" (Summer Solstice) 1 day

Erastus (July) 30 days
Arodus (August) 30 days
"Fool’s Day" 1 day
Rova (September) 30 days

"Dusken Eve" (Autumnal Equinox) 1 day

Lamashan (October) 30 days
Neth (November) 30 days
Kuthona (December) 30 days

"Winter's Night" (Winter Solstice) 1 day

‘Burnt Offerings’, Vol. 1 of Rise of the Runelords plays out essentially as written, with just a few tweaks for NPC’s who have an expanded role to play, in particular Nualia having received the Shard of Wrath from the Quasit Elyrium. An interlude to Magnimar takes place prior to moving on to Chapter Two which includes elements from the PFS Special: Race for the Rune-Carved Key and introduces the PC’s to Sheila Heidmarch and the Pathfinder Society.

‘The Skinsaw Murders’, Vol. 2 of Rise of the Runelords also plays out in a fairly similar fashion to how it has been written, minus the side trip to the sanitarium. Xaneasha’s involvement with Aldern is expounded upon and Aldern has in his possession as a family heirloom the Shard of Envy which was one of the reasons that he becomes so obsessed with one of the PC’s. Another interlude then takes place, including the PFS scenario ‘The Golemworks Incident’ for the B-team, evolving from events that took place in chapter one, followed by a bit of homebrew action which sets the stage for Chapter Three. Most significantly, Sheila Heidmarch learns of the group’s acquisition of the two shards and enlists them into the Pathfinder Society in the hopes of recovering the rest. Also, Xaneasha proves a far deadlier foe than the group could have imagined and manages to escape, departing the city and shifting focus to her plans for Korvosa, intent on weaponizing a version of Vorel’s Phage. Xaneasha is key to the first act of the campaign as the mastermind behind Aldern’s and the Seven’s exploits but more importantly as the driving force behind the plague that will be unleashed on Korvosa (more on that in chapter four).

‘Curse of the Lady’s Light’, Vol. 2 of Shattered Star begins when Sheila sends the group by ship to investigate the Light, believing it to be the resting place of another Shard. The ship’s captain drops them off on her way to Palin’s Cove and promises to return for them in a week. While I’ve extensively re-written this volume, the gist of it is essentially the same, a massive dungeon with a Sorshen imposter at the end. Key additions/alterations include Nualia being forced to join the group (as a result of Sheila’s involvement) and ultimately redeeming herself through sacrifice - only to be reborn into the Sorshen clone. In this version the Grey Maidens are a contemporary organization, formed by the Sorshen-influenced Queen Ileosa in Korvosa and dispatched to the Runelord of Lust’s former domicile with the intent of recovering that clone.

When the ship does not return as promised, Sheila sends the group an alternative means of transport along with information regarding Xaneasha’s plans for Korvosa (gleaned from Ironbriar’s decrypted journals). Meanwhile, the ‘B’ team is sent to investigate the captain’s disappearance which leads to Palin’s Cove and the PFS scenario ‘The Cultists’ Kiss’. This side-quest serves to introduce the cult of Lissala which becomes more important as the campaign progresses. ‘Seven Days to the Grave’, Vol. 2 of Curse of the Crimson Throne takes place immediately after. This volume has been radically re-written in order to fit it more smoothly into the over-arching campaign but the two key differences are these:

1) The ambitious Queen Ileosa is being subtly influenced by the consciousness of the still slumbering Sorshen (instead of Kazavon). This, among other things, enabled her to quickly consolidate power in Korvosa after her husband’s death and to plumb the depths of the mastaba, recovering the sword of Sorshen’s greatest general. The general’s spirit was bound to the sword and through it, he took possession of the ambitious leader of the Grey Maiden and now works as the Queen’s closest advisor in an effort to prepare Korvosa for his mistress’ eventual return. Sorshen’s resting place beneath the city is actually hinted at in discoveries made while within the Lady’s Light, though the campaign does not intend for the PC’s to explore the mastaba or encounter Sorshen (yet).

2) Xaneasha, working as Karzoug’s agent, is aware of the stirrings within Korvosa, built on the site of the resting place of her master’s greatest enemy. To slow Sorhen’s eventual return, wreak havoc on her power base and simultaneously hasten Karzoug’s freedom with an infusion of greedy souls, she has worked with the followers of Urgathoa to weaponize Vorel’s Phage and intends to have it spread throughout the city via infected coins. At this point the PC’s are barely an afterthought to the powers that be – fortunately, for them.

As stated, this chapter has been extensively re-written, but a great deal of inspiration has been taken from the original work and as a result I believe it still manages to capture the mystique and feel of this most excellent AP volume while exposing the group to the idea that more than one great evil may be stirring. It also continues Nualia’s redemption arc as she eventually takes up the mantle of Blackjack after his death and remains behind to lead the clandestine fight against Ileosa. Xaneasha escapes the group once more – barely this time – but Korvosa is ultimately saved by a unique twist that expands on the original cure to the Blood Veil. Depending on circumstances and the GM’s preference, the group will eventually get its final shot at Xaneasha at Hook Mountain, in Jorgenfist or in Xin-Shalast.

The group returns to Sandpoint and has an opportunity to recover a bit. There is an option to include a nemesis party sent by Queen Ileosa to track the PC’s and recover the Shards they carry, bedeviling them for much of Act 2.

Meanwhile the B-team joins Sheila on a mission to a site where cultists of Lissala whom have infiltrated the Aspis Consortium are at work attempting to excavate the Well of Tainted Virtue (PFS scenario ‘Portal of the Sacred Rune’). They ultimately destroy the site to keep it from falling into the cultists/consortium’s hands. If the B team option is not used, the main PC’s are capable of performing this task, but the purpose of its inclusion is that it furthers the Cult of Lissala subplot which will ultimately involve an attempt to return Krune to this world and through him revive the goddess Lissala once more.

Eventually Sheila sends the main group to Turtleback Ferry to investigate the disappearance of a popular NPC, beginning Vol. 3 of Rise of the Runelords, ‘Hook Mountain Massacre’. This volume plays out largely as written, right up to the dramatic conclusion of ‘Stones Over Sandpoint’. I have something special for the PC’s at this point, bringing together multiple NPC’s that they have encountered throughout the campaign, joining them together to defend Sandpoint in a much larger conflict than what was originally written. The siege is broken down into a string of asymmetrical encounters where the PC’s get to play as those various NPC’s and therefor participate in determining who lives and who dies in defense of the town.

As the ‘A team’ prepares for its journey to Jorgenfist, Sheila meets with the ‘B team’ in Kaer Maga where the secondary characters get an entire chapter to themselves. This part of the story includes a mash-up of ‘The Asylum Stone’, Vol. 3 of The Shattered Star along with several PFS scenarios, including The Refuge of Time, Word of the Ancients and The Waking Rune, along with a handful interconnecting homebrew encounters and set pieces. The gist of this is the culmination of the Cult of Lissala storyline where the group confronts an Aspis Gold Agent and current high priest of Lissala in an effort to stop him from waking the Runelord Krune from his stasis. The players get their first taste of what battling a Runelord might be like, thwart a terrible threat to both Varisia and the world itself and must potentially overcome a devastating betrayal from within. The victory also wins Sheila the fourth piece of the Sihedron, the Shard of Sloth.

The primary group makes its way to Jorgenfist, encountering a set piece inspired by the PFS scenario King of the Storval Stairs before continuing on to the Vol. 4 of Rise of the Runelords, ‘Fortress of the Stone Giants’. This volume plays much as originally written, though in Mokmurrian’s possession the group finds the Shard of Gluttony, leaving only two pieces of the Sihedron left to be recovered. The discoveries made in the ancient library seem to point the way to both.

Using information gleaned from the ancient library beneath Jorgenfist, Sheila leads the B-team to Guiltspur to play out a version of Vol. 5 of the Shattered Star, ‘Into the Nightmare Rift’. The major difference in this volume is that the blue dragon Caldistrika has in her possession the Shard of Pride and her encounters with the nightmarish realm of Leng have left her mad… leading to an illusory hellscape of her own nightmares brought to life that the party must fight their way through in order to defeat her and seal the rift between dimensions.

Meanwhile, also following clues gleaned from the Ancient Library, the primary group sets out in search of Runeforge, embarking on Vol. 5 of Rise of the Runelords, ‘Sins of the Savior’. I’ve rewritten and redesigned pretty much all of the encounters as well as the dungeon itself into something truly massive and (if I say so myself) quite spectacular. This volume very much plays out as written - minus the Scribbler’s Lair section (which, I’ll admit, was difficult to exclude).

From Runeforge, the group makes its way to Xin-Shalast, Runeforged weapons in hand, intent on confronting Karzoug in Vol. 6 of Rise of the Runelords, ‘Spires of Xin Shalast’. This volume also plays largely as written, though I have expounded significantly on the city of Xin-Shalast itself while removing the Wendigo encounter in ‘Whispers on the Wind’. Ultimately the PC’s defeat Karzoug and recover the final Shard of the Sihedron, returning to this realm to discover, as an aspect of the pocket dimension’s magic, much more time has passed in the real world than they had realized.

Chapter 10 begins with a return to Magnimar and the discovery that in the time since they’ve been gone, Korvosa has successfully marshalled its forces and is in route to Magnimar with a massive naval invasion force. Sheila, realizing that the Runelord Sorshen has essentially woken fully and taken control of the body of Queen Illeosa, rushes to begin the Sihedron ritual, requesting that the PC’s stand guard to prevent its interruption. Conflict rises from an unexpected source as an old NPC reveals himself to be a great deal more than anyone had suspected and animates the monuments around Magnimar to aid him in stopping the ritual. The PC’s manage to hold him off and the Sihedron is re-forged, suddenly animating and spinning off into the distance across the sea just as Korvosa begins its attack.

The battle takes place with the PC’s using their considerable might to protect the city as best they can… only for the tsunami caused by the Isle of Xin rising to wipe out most of the fleet and destroy much of the city itself a few hours later. After this point, the story plays out much as written in Vol. 6 of The Shattered Star, ‘The Dead Heart of Xin’ with a few exceptions – the mad hermit Fenster (from Vol. 1 of The Shattered Star) plays a shockingly major role, the Shriezyx and the Scilla encounters are written out and when the PC’s arrive at the risen Isle of Xin, they find themselves joined by Queen Illeosa/Sorshen, her general Corvina/Kaz and an elite force of Grey Maidens. Sorshen is, at this moment, a wary ally seeking to prevent whatever terrible machinations Xin may have set into motion and plays the role of ‘allied enemy’ that Ogonthunn would have originally played instead. Secretly hoping to claim the re-forged Sihedron for herself, she will be both an aid and an obstacle before the end and the final conflict with the Xin’s reliquary. I’ve expanded on the size and threats of the island and the crystal palace respectively, owing to the higher power level of the group, and I take advantage of the opportunity to explore the possibility of magical artificial intelligence.

Chapter One:
(2nd level)
Session 001 - Festival and Fire
Session 002 - Local Heroes, The Glassworks
(3rd level)
Session 003 - Cathedral of Wrath
Session 004 - Thistletop, part 1
Session 005 - Thistletop, part 2
(4th level)
Session 006 - New Friends
*Session 007 - New Enemies
Session 008 - Race for the Rune-Carved Key
Session 009 - Return to Thistletop

Chapter Two:
Session 010 - Murder Most Foul, Walking Scarecrows
(5th level)
Session 011 - The Misgivings, part 1
Session 012 - The Misgivings, part 2
Session 013 - Chasing the Skinsaw, The Seven's Sawmill
*Session 014 - Fenster’s Bargain
Session 015 - In the Shadow of Time
(6th level)
Session 016 - Raven's Roost
*Session 017 - The Golemworks Incident, Jailbreak

Chapter Three:
Session 018 - The Lady's Cape
Session 019 - The Lady's Light, part 1
Session 020 - The Lady's Light, part 2
(7th level)
Session 021 - The Lady's Light, part 3
Session 022 - The Lady's Light, part 4
Session 023 - The Journey East
*Session 024 - Palin's Cove

Chapter Four:
Session 025 - An Unexpected Welcome
(8th level)
Session 026 - Infection
Session 027 - Outbreak
Session 028 - Epidemic
Session 029 - Pestilence
(9th level)
Session 030 - Source
Session 031 - Cure
Session 032 - Nemesis, Homecoming

Chapter Five:
*Session 033 - Well of Tainted Virtue, part 1
*Session 034 - Well of Tainted Virtue, part 2
Session 035 - In the Hook's Shadow
(10th level)
Session 036 - Retaking Rannick, part 1
Session 037 - Retaking Rannick, part 2
Session 038 - Down Comes the Rain
Session 039 - The Haunted Heart
(11th level)
Session 040 - Harrowing the Hook
Session 041 - A Gathering of Eagles, part 1
Session 042 - A Gathering of Eagles, part 2

Chapter Six:
*Session 043 - Up a River
*Session 044 - City of Strangers, part 1
*Session 045 - City of Strangers, part 2
*Session 046 - City of Strangers, part 3
*Session 047 - The Undercity
*Session 048 - 1,000 Columns

Chapter Seven:
Session 049 - Journey to Jorgenfist
(12th level)
Session 050 - Valley of the Black Tower, part 1
Session 051 - Valley of the Black Tower, part 2
Session 052 - Jorgenfist
(13th level)
Session 053 - What Lies Beneath
Session 054 - The Ancient Library
*Session 055 - Journey to Guiltspur
*Session 056 - Depths of Guiltspur
*Session 057 - Into the Nightmare Rift

Chapter Eight:
Session 058 - Seeking Runeforge
(14th level)
Session 059 - The Abjurant Halls
Session 060 - The Ravenous Crypts
Session 061 - The Vault of Greed
(15th level)
Session 062 - The Iron Cages of Lust
Session 063 - The Shimmering Veils
Session 064 - The Festering Maze
(16th level)
Session 065 - The Halls of Wrath, Weapons of Power

Chapter Nine:
Session 066 - Expedition to Xin-Shalast
Session 067 - Spires of Xin-Shalast, part 1
(17th level)
Session 068 - Spires of Xin-Shalast, part 2
Session 069 - Heights of Mhar Massif
Session 070 - The Pinnacle of Avarice

Chapter Ten:
(18th level)
Session 071 - The Sihedron Re-Forged
Session 072 - Xin Rising
Session 073 - The Crystal Palace, part 1
(19th level)
Session 074 - The Crystal Palace, part 2
Session 075 - The Dead Heart of Xin

The virtue of Temperance, embracing all things in moderation as well as the respect for and acceptance of death as part of the natural order would become perverted into the sin of Gluttony, represented by the magical school of Necromancy.

The virtue of Love, specifically selfless love for others, romantic or otherwise would become perverted into the sin of Lust, a wholly selfish desire represented by the magical school of Enchantment.

The virtue of Providence, caring for others who are unable to care for themselves and making wise preparation for the future would become perverted into the sin of Greed, represented by the magical school of Transmutation.

The virtue of Empowerment, working for the elevation and engagement of the whole rather than the individual would become perverted into the sin of Envy, the coveting of anything that another might have when you did not, represented by the magical school of Abjuration.

The virtue of Mercy, compassion and forgiveness towards those whom have wronged you or others, whom have challenged you and been defeated would become perverted into the sin of Wrath, represented by the magical school of Evocation.

The virtue of Humility, maintaining a healthy and realistic perspective of one's place in the world while recognizing service to others as the highest calling, would become perverted into the sin of Pride, represented by the magical school of Illusion.

The virtue of Industry, reverence for productive labor that enhances dignity and encourages satisfied rest would become perverted into the sin of Sloth, represented by the magical school of Conjuration.

The Seven Deadly Sins, as they would become known, are arrayed thusly, with each supported by those adjacent and opposed by those furthest away:

<-> Gluttony <-> Lust <-> Greed <-> Envy <-> Wrath <-> Pride <-> Sloth <->

Gluttony (Necromancy)
Supported by Lust (Enchantment) and Sloth (Conjuration)
Opposed by Envy (Abjuration) and Wrath (Evocation)

Lust (Enchantment)
Supported by Gluttony (Necromancy) and Greed (Transmutation)
Opposed by Wrath (Evocation) and Pride (Illusion)

Greed (Transmutation)
Supported by Lust (Enchantment) and Envy (Abjuration)
Opposed by Pride (Illusion) and Sloth (Conjuration)

Envy (Abjuration)
Supported by Greed (Transmutation) and Wrath (Evocation)
Opposed by Sloth (Conjuration) and Gluttony (Necromancy)

Wrath (Evocation)
Supported by Envy (Abjuration) and Pride (Illusion)
Opposed by Gluttony (Necromancy) and Lust (Enchantment)

Pride (Illusion)
Supported by Wrath (Evocation) and Sloth (Conjuration)
Opposed by Lust (Enchantment) and Greed (Transmutation)

Sloth (Conjuration)
Supported by Pride (Illusion) and Gluttony (Necromancy)
Opposed by Greed (Transmutation) and Envy (Abjuration)

Feat: Sin Magic Adept
(prerequisite: Spell Focus feat of the appropriate magical school, the ability to prepare 3rd level arcane spells)
Select one school of magic. When casting spells from that school of magic, increase your effective caster level and save DC's by +1. Gain a +1 bonus to save against such spells and a +2 bonus to Spellcraft checks involving spells from that school. When casting spells from one of the two schools that oppose the selected school, reduce your effective caster level and save DC's by -1.

Feat: Sin Magic Mastery
(prerequisite: Greater Spell Focus feat of the appropriate magical school, Sin Magic Adept feat, the ability to prepare 5th level arcane spells)
When casting spells from the school of magic selected when you took the feat Sin Magic Adept, increase your effective caster level and save DC's by +2 instead. Gain a +2 bonus to save against such spells and a +4 bonus to Spellcraft checks involving spells from that school. When casting spells from either of the two allied schools, increase your effective caster level and save DC's by +1. When casting spells from one of the two schools that oppose the selected school, reduce your effective caster level and save DC's by -2 instead.

Each of the broken shards are considered slotless items roughly the size of a human’s hand. They only need to be carried by a person in a pouch, pocket or pack for 24 hours in order for their effects to manifest. If under the effects of two Shards at once, the resonance between them causes the bearer to become permanently Sickened for as long as the two remain in their possession. If under the effects of three Shards at once, the bearer becomes permanently Nauseated instead. If under the effects of four or more Shards at once, the bearer immediately falls Unconscious – there are no saves against these effects nor does any immunity apply to them. Only one person can be under the effects of any single Shard at a time. Whenever the bearer becomes separated from a Shard, the effects linger for 24 hours or until the wielder’s next extended rest, whichever comes first – likewise, it takes approximately 24 hours for the Shard to become fully attuned to a new bearer.

Each Shard grants a bonus when casting a spell from its aligned school of magic and inflicts a penalty when saving against spells from its opposing schools, in addition to the individual Shard’s unique powers and effects.

If in the continued presence of another creature who better exemplifies its particular sin, a Shard may reach out to them, subconsciously encouraging events which would lead to its transfer by whatever reasonable or appropriate. Players should be discreetly encouraged to role-play the influence of an attuned Shard on their characters, though precisely how much and to what ends should be left entirely up to them.

In the possession of the stone giant necromancer Mokmurian, discovered by him as he sought the forbidden lore of the fallen Runelords and now aspires to become one himself.

The Shard imparts the following effects:
+2 to save DC's & +2 to CL when casting Necromancy spells or using Necromancy-based SLA’s
-2 saves vs. Abjuration & Evocation spells or effects

Additional effects:
Any magical healing effects instead grant temporary hit points which last until the bearer’s next extended rest. All temporary hit points gained from any source stack. So long as they are under the effects of the Shard, actual hit points can only be regained through normal, non-magical means (like rest or treatment from a healer). If the bearer goes 24 hours without having double the normal amount of food and drink, they become Fatigued. If they go 48 hours without they become Exhausted. Only imbibing such sustenance can end these conditions.

Secreted away in the depths of the Lady’s Light, a monument to and former domicile of the Runelord Sorshen. Eventually claimed by Ashamintallu, the last succubus bound to the Light, when she assumed the title and identity of the Runelord of Lust as her own.

The Shard imparts the following effects:
+2 to save DC's & +2 to CL when casting Enchantment spells or using Enchantment-based SLA’s
-2 saves vs. Evocation & Illusion spells or effects

Additional effects:
Any creature who could be sexually attracted to an attuned bearer automatically improves their initial starting attitude by one step.

While under the effects of the Shard, if the bearer has not engaged in sexual activity in 24 hours, they become Fatigued; if they have not engaged in sexual activity in 48 hours, they become Exhausted. Only engaging in sexual activity can end these conditions.

Held close by the Runelord Karzoug within the Pinnacle of Avarice.

The Shard imparts the following effects:
+2 to save DC's & +2 to CL when casting Transmutation spells or using Transmutation-based SLA’s
-2 saves vs. Conjuration & Illusion spells or effects

Additional effects:
An attuned bearer may include themselves as a target of any arcane spell they cast as a free action, regardless of its normal area of effect or usual limitations on number of targets. The bearer may also include themselves as a target of any arcane spell cast by another IF they successfully identify the spell as an immediate action, regardless of its normal area of effect or the usual limitations on number of targets.

While under the effects of the Shard, the bearer may not give away an item of value nor sell it for less than twice its normal cost. They may only willingly loan an item of value to another with a successful DC 20 Will save and thereafter will be Sickened until the item is returned or 24 hours have passed since its permanent loss.

Acquired by Vorel Foxglove and kept as an heirloom of the Foxglove family, it was packed away when Aldern and his sisters were bundled off to Korvosa remaining in Aldern’s possession until he returns to claim his ancestral home.

The Shard imparts the following effects:
+2 to save DC's & +2 to CL when casting Abjuration spells or using Abjuration-based SLA’s
-2 saves vs. Conjuration & Necromancy spells or effects

Additional effects:
Once per day as a full-round action, an attuned bearer may select a humanoid creature that they have interacted with over the past 24 hours to be the subject of their envy. When they do so, they then choose one of the following effects:

* Gain up to +4 enhancement bonus to a single attribute in which the target has a higher score - this bonus may not cause the bearer’s new attribute score to exceed that of the target’s.

* Gain any one feat possessed by the target and witnessed by the bearer (the bearer does not need to meet the feat's pre-requisites).

* Gain any one skill possessed by the target and witnessed by the bearer. This skill is gained at the same level of proficiency (including class skill bonus and any class-based skill modifiers but using the bearer’s own attribute bonus).

* Gain +2 to attack and damage and +2 to Bluff and Sense Motive checks against the target being envied.

* Use Alter Self as a spell-like ability at will, but only to appear as the target being envied.

These benefits last until the bearer chooses a different aspect of the target to envy (which may be done as a full-round action), chooses another humanoid creature to become the subject of their Envy or becomes aware of the death of the subject of their envy.

If at any time the bearer witnesses the target of his envy rolling a natural 20 when making an attack roll, saving throw or skill check, the bearer becomes Shaken until the bearer also rolls a natural 20 in that area, until they select a new target to envy or they become aware of the envied target's death.

Long held by the quasit priestess of Lamashtu in her imprisonment beneath the town of Sandpoint before being gifted to Nualia as a means to spur her corruption by the goddess.

The Shard imparts the following effects:
+2 to save DC's & +2 to CL when casting Evocation spells or using Evocation-based SLA’s
-2 saves vs. Enchantment & Necromancy spells or effects

Additional effects:
An attuned bearer deals additional damage when making a melee attack at the expense of their own defense. At +1 BAB, the character gains a +2 to melee or thrown weapon damage (+3 if using a two-handed weapon) and -1 to their AC. At +4 BAB and every +4 beyond, those modifiers improve incrementally (+4/+6 damage and -2 AC at +4, +6/+9 damage and -3 AC at +8, etc.). While under the effects of the Shard, the wielder may not use the Total Defense or Withdraw actions. A DC 20 Will save may be attempted at the beginning of a player’s turn as a free action to suppress all of the additional effects for one round.

Currently in the possession of the mad blue dragon Calistrika.

The Shard imparts the following effects:
+2 to save DC's & +2 to CL when casting Illusion spells or using Illusion-based SLA’s
-2 saves vs. Enchantment & Transmutation spells or effects

Additional effects:
While under the effects of the Shard of Pride, an attuned bearer chooses one of the following: skills, attack rolls or saving throws. Whenever making a d20 roll of the selected type, the bearer rolls twice and takes the better of the two. If the bearer should fail one of those rolls, they will then roll twice and take the worse of the two until they succeed once more. The chosen category may be changed after each extended rest, but the status of the effect (rolling twice and taking either the better or the worse) will not change until the specified conditions are met (success of failure).

Recovered from an ancient ruin by the Aspis Gold Agent Maladros Leroung, currently held by him and intended to be used in the final ritual that will restore the Runelord Krune to this world.

The Shard imparts the following effects:
+2 to save DC's & +2 to CL when casting Conjuration spells or using Conjuration-based SLA’s
-2 saves vs. Abjuration & Transmutation spells or effects

Additional effects:
While under the effects of the Shard, an attuned bearer is always Fatigued. Any effect that would make the bearer Fatigued makes them Exhausted instead. The bearer may at any time apply the Metamagic feats Extend Spell, Reach Spell (one step only), Silent Spell or Still Spell to any non-Abujuration or non-Transmutation spell they cast without increasing the level of the spell or its casting time. Summoned creatures automatically benefit from the Augment Summoning feat whether the bearer has that feat or not.

Karzoug, the Runelord of Greed, has been awake for some time now, freed from his slumber but trapped in a different phase of reality that he had created for himself with the aid of agents from the mysterious realm of Leng. His minions have been working towards his freedom by sacrificing souls infected with greed to power a massive Runewell which will then in turn activate an artifact that will finally allow him to return to this phase of existence. He is in communication with the greatest of his servants and has been directing them towards that end, and towards the preparation of the world for his arrival and eventual conquest. Before his self-imposed exile, Karzoug was in alliance with the mysterious Denizens of Leng, working to build a gateway that would allow travel through time, not just for him but for large numbers at his command as well. His ultimate intent is to bring his armies from a time in ancient Thassilon before Earthfall through that gateway and use them to subjugate the modern world.

The forgotten city of Xin-Shalast is the former capital of Shalast, the kingdom ruled by Karzoug, and is now hidden away in the mountains of the Roof of the World. Through Karzoug’s manipulations it has begun to stir, with both ancient allies awakening and new ones being drawn to its burgeoning power. Though still turbulent and dangerous, and not yet a shadow of its former glory, the city already holds both riches and knowledge unknown anywhere else in the modern world. Among its current denizens are beings of tremendous power including dragons and rune giants of legend. Only its extreme isolation has prevented it from being detected or from directly influencing the world around it.

The stone giant Mokmurian considers himself Karzoug’s first (and only) modern era apprentice and has been gathering an army of giants at Jorgenfist on the Storval Plateau while coordinating the activities between Xin-Shalast and the rest of the world. He is currently in possession of the Shard of Gluttony and hopes to eventually use it to claim the position of the new Runelord of Gluttony by proving himself Karzoug’s equal.

Xaneasha, a lamia matriarch, was one of Karzoug’s favored concubines and assassins in ancient Thassilon and has survived to become his most fanatically loyal servant today. While gathering intelligence on the modern world, she has also been overseeing various plots throughout Varisia to harvest souls of the greedy in order to hasten Karzoug’s return. Her most recent efforts include instigating a war between crime families in Riddleport, the manipulation of a murder cult in Magnimar and the sinking of a gambling ship named ‘Paradiso’ at Turtleback Ferry. Her next scheme – and grandest yet – is the cultivation of a magical plague that is to be unleashed upon Korvosa. This plan would actually serve two separate goals; the first being a dramatic influx of souls infected by the greed of tainted coin spread throughout the city, and the second to completely disrupt the militaristic organization and expansion of Korvosa by Queen Illeosa whom Karzoug (correctly) suspects to be under the influence of the stirring Sorshen, the former Runelord of Lust. In the process of her exploration of Varisia, Xaneasha has discovered the Urgothal – remnants of a bizarre race of creatures (Advanced Faceless Stalkers) created by Karzoug millennia ago to serve as spies and assassins – somehow thriving deep within the Mushfens. Over millennia their alien culture has evolved to worship their fallen creator as a god, and they have devoted themselves to their deliverance and return to glory when he awakens. The creatures view Xaneasha as a prophet of sorts and she has found in them a small army ideally suited to serve her clandestine efforts.

[This is the plotline which will primarily occupy the ‘A’ team throughout most of the campaign, encompassing most of what would have been the Rise of the Runelords AP along with several other volumes.]

The Runelord of Lust Sorshen slumbers still, deep beneath Castle Korvosa in the labyrinthine vaults that hide her body and legions of her hand-picked servants. The mastaba was long looked after by the Shoanti, tribespeople descended from a warlike caste of primitive humans used by the Azlanti as foot soldiers in their conflicts. Over time, their legends and sacred traditions ensured that they maintained guardianship of the site, both in an effort to contain the evil within and to prevent anyone else from seeking it out. Their diligent efforts continued for millennia, until Cheliax expansion finally drove the indigenous Shoanti from the region and the city of Korvosa was built around their once-sacred site.

As she has not fully awoken, Sorshen is behind Karzoug in his machinations, but her will and ambition remain extremely potent. Over the past few hundred years, her subconscious thoughts have begun drifting to the surface in the forms of dreams and inflamed desires, influencing individual Korvosan citizens and even all of Korvosa itself at various times throughout its history. It served to inspire the Korvosan rebellion against Chellaxian rule and most recently has found fertile soil to take root in the mind of the beautiful young queen Illeosa. It was due to Sorshen’s secret influence that Illeosa was able to consolidate power so quickly after her husband’s untimely death and is currently the driving force behind her militarization of Korvosa and its surrounding lands. The Queen’s strange, lust-filled dreams inspired her to create the Grey Maidens, a group of fanatically loyal female warriors, the best of which she sent off on a quest to recover an ancient artifact (the living clone of Sorshen herself) from the monolithic ruin now known as the Lady’s Light. While awaiting their return, the Queen found herself drawn to wander the lower vaults of the castle and deeper still into the ruins below. She proved seemingly immune to the magical defenses there that had served to deter would-be tomb robbers for centuries, led by the presence of Sorshen’s subconscious mind. It was in those vaults that she discovered the resting place of Dai’mas Davacoule, Sorshen’s greatest general, and found the enchanted sword interred with him. She made the sword an heirloom of her rule, to be wielded by the captain of her Maidens, and when Oriana failed to return from her mission, she gifted it to the ambitious Corvina Kora instead. The queen was unaware that the sword was inhabited by the spirit of Dai’mas, bound to it as a means to see his survival through until Sorshen herself reawakened, and Corvina’s body was immediately possessed by the ancient general. Since then, Dai’mas has facilitated the Queen’s rule as Corvina, all the while advancing Korvosa’s military production and development. He is currently unaware of the efforts of the other Runelords and intends to conquer all of Varisia under the Korvosan banner to present as a gift for his mistress when she finally awakens.

The disruption caused by the Blood Veil will not be as great as hoped for by Xaneasha due to the unwitting intervention by the PC’s and the mystical cure that consequently spreads throughout the city and its holdings. If left unopposed, Korvosa’s armies will eventually sweep across Varisia, its navies laying siege to Magnimar and then Riddleport, gaining control of the entire region south of the Storval Plateau. At some point, Queen Illeosa, without fully understanding why, will demand the blood sacrifice of most of her Maidens and their sacrifice will be the final step in the ritual to revitalize and ultimately restore the Runelord Sorshen. Upon being fully awoken, Sorshen will immediately take control of the powerful Acadamae in Korvosa, gaining a loyal army of spellcasters and summoners as well as access to all of its arcane relics and secrets. The tribal tattoos of the Shoanti, unwittingly handed down for generations, are in fact runes that will serve as a focus for Sorshen to subjugate them once more, swelling her ranks, as will the powerful creatures and allies whom were buried with her beneath Korvosa. With this formidable force, she may be able to withstand Karzoug’s invasion from the north and once his threat was defeated, she would spread her influence eastward into the Chelaxian Empire, forming an alliance with the Devil Prince Asmodeus and bringing all of the Hellknight orders into the fold. From there she would begin to look to the rest of the world.

Sheliara Concetta Marcellus was born the daughter of a wealthy merchant baron from Cheliax who’s privileged position in life allowed her to engage in higher academic pursuits, particularly that of history and the study of the mystical arts. She was especially fascinated by the legends of Thassilon and the Runelords who ruled over it; eventually she used her father’s connections to join the Aspis Consortium that she might better serve his ends as well as her own desire to explore arcane antiquity. She and her father often had a contentious relationship however, and the more time she spent in the Consortium, the further apart they drifted.

Sheliara was assigned to the Varisian region where, along with another aspiring Aspis agent Maladros Leroung, she made a remarkable discovery. While searching the ancient ruins of a Thassilonian temple they unearthed the Shard of Sloth and information detailing the sundering of the Sihedron. They also discovered that Krune, the last reigning Runelord of Sloth, was in fact the high priest of Lissala, the all-but-forgotten Goddess of Rune Magic. The ever-ambitious Maladros hatched a plan to use the resources of the Consortium to uncover the final resting place of Krune and use the Shard to revive him, hoping to sit as his right hand as he ushered in a new era of dominion over Varisia and beyond. Sheliara did not trust the immoral ambitions and ruinous decadence of the Runelords and was disturbed at the idea that one or more might return. One night she attempted to steal the shard but was discovered in the act – despite the fact that the two were lovers, Maladros had never fully trusted Sheliara and attempted to have her killed for her betrayal. Sheliara managed to escape, though just barely, and without the Shard.

Undaunted by Sheliara’s escape, Maladros moved ahead with his plan while keeping it secret from the Patrons of the Consortium, knowing that if discovered they would likely subsume his purpose and have him killed for his ambitions. He eventually discovered vestiges of the cult to Lissala and absorbed them, expanding her worship in secret and adopting his growing ranks of fanatical followers into the Consortium to better consolidate his influence and ambitions. All the while he sought out the final resting place of Krune, intent on fostering his return.

Openly branded a traitor to the Consortium, Sheliara fled to the only power she knew that might be able to protect her and still serve her own agenda – the Pathfinder Society. Assigned to the fledgling lodge in Magnimar, she met, seduced and eventually married the Usher Canayven Heidmarch and took his name, adopting the name Sheila Heidmarch. Using his local influence and her own inside knowledge of the Aspis Consortium, she ascended to a position of power and respect in the city as well as within the Society, eventually becoming Venture Captain for all of Varisia. Her secret quest has been to discover the resting places of the remaining Shards of the Sihedron and eventually see the artifact re-forged in the hopes that it may serve as a weapon and deterrent against the return of Krune or any of the other slumbering Runelords. Her chief rival in the city, Aspis Gold Agent Maiveer Sloane, is aware of her former affiliations with the Consortium and disdains her as a traitor but knows nothing of her more secret goals as Maladros could not risk exposing his own plans by tipping him off.

For two decades Sheila and Maladros have waged a secret war across Varisian, each seeking to further their ends while sabotaging the other at every opportunity. Maladros has more resources at his command and has gathered a small army of cultists and Aspis agents, but Sheila has proven to be extraordinarily resilient and resourceful, often outmaneuvering him and blunting his efforts but has only managed to track down hints and whispers of where the other Shards might be found. With the arrival of the PC’s and their stunning discovery of not one but two Shards of the Sihedron in their possession, Sheila is filled with both hope and dread – she is far closer than she has ever been to realizing her goal, but with the appearance of so many Shards at once, it can only mean that the Runelords are stirring and the ancient artifact fragments are seeking to return to their former masters. She knows that she must move quickly now, before Maladros finally succeeds at finding and resurrecting the Runelord Krune.

[While Sheila becomes the primary impetus for the PC's involvement in the greater story, the majority of the subplot involving the Aspsi Consortium and the cultists of Lissala is to take place within the purview of the ‘B’ team. Their exploits will unfold across a number of adapted PFS scenarios, finally coming to a head in Shattered Star volume #3 ‘The Asylum Stone’. The final conflict will take place beneath Kaer Maga where a portal has been re-opened leading to a secret place deep within the Mindspin Mountains. There Krune has been existing in stasis, surrounded by 1,000 great columns, each of which is actually a powerful creature summoned and bound to serve him when he awakens. It is at this point that one of the ‘B’ team members may be revealed as having been a spy and traitor for Maladros all along.]

Before the Runelords there was Xin, the greatest archmage this world has ever known, and one of the greatest to be found in any realm of existence. He established and promoted what he considered to be the seven virtues of rulership, a responsibility he viewed as service to the people rather than dominance over them. Those virtues were Temperance, Love, Providence, Empowerment, Mercy, Humility and Industry (more on these below). Over time he gathered seven apprentices, each chosen as much for their embodiment of one of those virtues as for their intelligence and magical talent. He set them above all others to rule the kingdoms of his homeland as he devoted himself to the further study and advancement of the mystical arts. As a focus for his power, he forged the Sihedron, the ultimate expression of his arcane might and the means by which he might be able to create true magical artificial life. For reasons that have been lost to time, his apprentices came together to stop the ritual of the Sihedron’s creation, striking at a time when the archmage was at his weakest and most vulnerable. Realizing his betrayal too late, Xin still managed to alter part the ritual, investing a portion of his vengeful spirit into the artifact and shattering it into seven separate pieces. As he anticipated they might, his apprentices each took a portion of this shattered star to hold against the possibility of its re-forging and the possible resurrection of their former master. Over time, Xin’s vengeful spirit crept into the mind of each of his former apprentices through the piece they kept, infecting and influencing them and those around them, tainting and perverting the magics that they were used to perform. New apprentices arose to overthrow their masters and take the title of Runelord again and again, each influenced by the perverted virtues which over time had become the seven vices of the spirit, the seven deadly sins of Gluttony, Lust, Greed, Envy, Wrath, Pride and Sloth. They also collectively weakened the potency of Divination magics, largely ignored by the Runelords as a result, and blinding them to what was happening. When Earthfall came so unexpectedly the Runelords were believed destroyed and their kingdoms fell to ruin. In the chaos, the Shards of the Sihedron were scattered and lost to history.

Now the surviving Runelords are stirring, and the Shards, so long infused with the lure and the taint of their particular Sin, find themselves being passed from one such sinner to the next, each seeking their former master (and each other) in the hopes that they might be reforged and thus return Xin to this world. Unfortunately, the sliver of Xin’s spirit that each Shard contains has over time become so perverted and twisted by now that, when rejoined, they will manifest the very distillation of the seven deadly sins, as pure evil and madness and will reawaken a version of Xin bent on nothing less than the corruption and destruction of all life in the modern world.

Fenster:
The decrepit and quite mad hermit and crime boss is far, far more than he seems when the group first encounters him. Fenster is – or at least was – the major domo of Xin and the person who betrayed him to his apprentices, fearing his master’s growing obsession with magically-created artificial life, a perfection Xin may have decided deserved the world far more than the corrupt and petty lifeforms who currently inhabited it.

In punishment for his betrayal, Fenster (his real name lost to time) was cursed with immortality, and cursed to be forever tied to the site of his betrayal. He cannot venture more than a mile from that spot, rooting him in place to the area that is now Magnimar. He has dwelt here for thousands of years, since the Irespan was new, and lived countless lifetimes in this narrow corridor of the world. He has been many people in those lifetimes and over time some are forgotten while others have blurred together. He only has brief periods of lucidity – every century or so – and uses his powers and abilities unconsciously, if he uses them at all.

Fenster is in truth a 20th level Time Oracle with the Site-Bound curse, and the group will have to contend with him during the ceremonial ritual to reforge the Sihedron, for only he is the only living soul who truly understands what it portends. When the time comes, he will remember everything in a rush, and awaken the slumbering golems that are the various statues around Magnimar to aid his cause. The group will not have to stop him, however, merely hold him off long enough for Sheila to complete her ritual, after which he will fall into a hopeless depression. He is a potentially valuable resource on what may await the group across the ocean, if they can get him to speak and if they can make sense of the words when he does.

The Runelord Saga contains elements from the six volumes of the Rise of the Runelords AP, four volumes of the Shattered Star AP and one volume from the Curse of the Crimson Throne AP. In addition, there is material drawn from over half a dozen theme-related Pathfinder Society scenarios, mostly from season four. Conceptually it plays out for the hunt for the Shards of the Sihedron against the backdrop of several different Runelords slowly beginning to stir from their millennia-long slumber – essentially, we are using Rise of the Runelords to better tell the story set forth in Shattered Star. To help tie these disparate adventures together, a number of major NPC’s have seen their backstories, motivations and eventual story arcs significantly altered and expanded, as has the timeline, such that the three AP’s and scenarios mentioned are assumed to be happening concurrently rather than having Shattered Star take place as a sequel of sorts. It’s best to enter into this project without any preconceived notions regarding NPC’s canon history or how they ‘should’ be behaving. While set in Golarion, the campaign is not intended to accurately represent any particular piece of Golarion lore but rather to create a whole new story inspired by but not bound to what has seen print in the past.

The entire campaign is planned to last approximately 75 sessions, but that includes 15 sessions set aside for a separate group of PC’s, a ‘B team’, so to speak, which I shall get into the how and why of a little later. While these 15 sessions expand and expound upon the story to collectively offer a richer and more diverse experience for the players, the events that occur in them can be considered to have taken place ‘off stage’ if the GM would prefer not to include them and shorten the campaign substantially. Likewise, there are a number of hooks and side-quests that could easily be expanded upon if one wanted to extend this campaign to 100 sessions or more.

There are several factions currently in play when the story begins, each moving clandestinely in the background to advance their particular agenda. A more detailed explanation of each one will be posted later, but for now, those groups include:

1) The Runelord Karzoug (currently imprisoned on a demi-plane), his consort the Lamia Matriarch Xaneasha acting with the assistance of the Urgothol (a race of faceless stalkers), Karzoug’s new apprentice the stone giant Mokmurian and his assembled army of giants as well as the newly awakened denizens of Xin-Shalast.

2) The Runelord Sorshen (still slumbering beneath the city of Korvosa), Queen Illeosa of Korvosa, Corvina Kora (the leader of the Grey Maidens now possessed by spirit of Sorshen’s greatest general) and the assembled wealth and might of all Korvosa.

3) The Runelord Krune (currently in a state of stasis) and a secret sect of cultists of Lissala whom have managed to infiltrate the Aspis Consortium. This group is led by cultist leader and Aspis Gold Agent Maladros Leroung.

4) Sheila Heidmarch & the fledgling Varisian chapter of the Pathfinder Society, soon to be aided by the PC’s. There is an additional subplot involving Sheila which the GM may choose to ignore but is best served if the ‘B’ team option is used.

5) Long forgotten Xin, his army of magically-created artificial life and the Shards of the Sihedron themselves.

The campaign begins with the PC’s becoming unwittingly drawn into the lingering history of ancient Thassilon, discovering one of the Shards of the Sihedron and then another, each in the hands of a villain whom themselves have been unknowingly touched by ancient powers. These exploits will eventually draw the group to Sheila Heidmarch’s attention and she will enlist them to aid her in her lifelong pursuit of finding and reclaiming the shards in order to see the Sihedron re-forged. Soon it will become apparent that ancient powers are stirring as the group finds themselves caught between multiple warring factions and racing to complete their quest as their sole means of defense… only to ultimately spring an ancient trap laid thousands of years before and which now threatens to bring ruin to the entire world.

While every scenario and AP volume that is sourced for this campaign has been extensively re-written, they remain invaluable as a resource and reference. These are the materials from which the primary inspiration was drawn:

Rise of the Runelords, Vol. 1 – Burnt Offerings
Rise of the Runelords, Vol. 2 – The Skinsaw Murders
Rise of the Runelords, Vol. 3 – Hook Mountain Massacre
Rise of the Runelords, Vol. 4 – Fortress of the Stone Giants
Rise of the Runelords, Vol. 5 – Sins of the Saviors
Rise of the Runelords, Vol. 6 – Spires of Xin-Shalast

Shattered Star, Vol. 2 – Curse of the Lady’s Light
Shattered Star, Vol. 3 – The Asylum Stone
Shattered Star, Vol. 5 – Into the Nightmare Rift
Shattered Star, Vol. 6 – The Dead Heart of Xin

Curse of the Crimson Throne, Vol. 2 – Seven Days to the Grave

PFS Special - Race for the Rune-carved Key
PFS Scenario 3-26 - Portal of the Sacred Rune
PFS Scenario 4-03 - The Golemworks Incident
PFS Scenario 4-04 - King of the Storval Stairs
PFS Scenario 4-08 - The Cultists’ Kiss
PFS Scenario 4-12 - The Refuge of Time
PFS Scenario 4-20 - Word of the Ancients
PFS Scenario 4-26 - The Waking Rune

Additional materials which would prove very useful include:

Pathfinder Chronicles – City of Strangers
Pathfinder Chronicles – Guide to Korvosa
Pathfinder Campaign Setting – Magnimar, City of Monuments

And, of course, the standard rule books and any splat books and bestiaries appropriate to your campaign and characters would be needed as well.

Any campaign of this length can be difficult to sustain for a variety of reasons, including mental fatigue or simply getting caught in a rut with a particular character. To help combat that I came up with the idea of a story arc for a secondary group of PC’s that ties in directly to the main campaign at a number of points, with most of their adventures coming in the form of one-shots. Narratively, these adventures serve to fill in some of the backstory that the players of the main characters might otherwise never get to experience. One of the biggest differences between the ‘A’ team and the ‘B’ team is that the ‘B’ team characters are also intended to be relatively expendable from session to session, meaning that players can make an entirely new character each time if they wish, without losing any real continuity (more in the spirit of actual Pathfinder Society play). A beneficial side effect of this is that should a main character die or wish to retire, that player has a secondary character already built and invested in the campaign world, ready to step in with minimal disruption. It also provides an opportunity for players who can’t make the regular game consistently to still somewhat participate in (and contribute to) the story.

For this particular campaign, the 'B team' PC’s sort of serve as Sheila Heidmarch’s ‘black ops’ team, doing a lot of the dirty work that the more heroic ‘A’ team PC’s might theoretically balk at. As such, they are generally considered to be more mercenary than idealistic, which should also allow the players to scratch their ‘murder-hobo’ itch a little better. Moreover, I have found that having the larger campaign objective require multiple groups to achieve definitely adds to the epic feel of the campaign. Should the GM decide to forgo the ‘B’ team concept, most of the adventures intended for that group could also be performed by the main characters with only minor alterations to the story, or they could even be hand-waved as something other members of the Pathfinder Society did at Sheila’s instruction.