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Please post the following:

Player Name:
Character Name (class, level, theme):
PFS ID:
Starting reputation with factions:
Starting fame:
Day Job roll:
Other relevant info the GM should know:

Please post the following info, although decisions may be adjusted following your adventure briefing.

Purchases:
Boons slotted for this scenario
- Ally:
- Faction:
- Personal:
- Promotional:
- Social:
- Starship:
- Slotless:

Starship Role Modifiers:
Preferred Starship Role: I'll include some primer slides for starship combat in the GoogleDoc, so folks who are new to it can peruse the various roles.

Each of you has been summoned to a mission briefing by Zigvigix, the leader of the Exo-Guardian faction.

Please phantom dot this thread. This post is just a placeholder to help create the campaign on the boards. I'll provide a better kick-off post once we're all squared away.

Please post the following:

Player Name:
Character Name (class, level, theme):
PFS ID:
Starting reputation with factions:
Starting fame:
Day Job roll:
Other relevant info the GM should know:

Please post the following info, although decisions may be adjusted following your adventure briefing.

Purchases:
Boons slotted for this scenario
Relevant boons: Contractor’s Respect (Church of Desna)/Contractor's Respect (Xenowardens) from SFS 2-12. If you have a Chronicle sheet from Starfinder Society Quests: Into the Unknown, please note so here as well.
- Ally:
- Faction:
- Personal:
- Promotional:
- Social:
- Starship:
- Slotless:

Starship Role Modifiers:
Preferred Starship Role: There is no starship combat in this scenario, but you will be flying a Pegasus for part of it and relevant skill checks may be required.

You gather in a Lorespire Complex hangar. You're supposed to meet Venture-Captain Arvin here, but no one has seen him yet. Nearby, several teamsters load crates of astronomical equipment into a Pegasus-class starship.

You can use this space to introduce yourselves. We will likely begin after PaizoCon.

Beneath the Storm-Veiled Spires
In the flooded city of Hyrantam, the Lirgeni residents find themselves trapped between two perilous threats: a thunderbird allied with a coven of hags ruling above, and increasingly vicious attacks from oceanic monsters lurking below. The terrified Lirgeni believe their salvation lies in Hyrantam’s ruins, and ask the PCs to scour the drowned city for resources to help them survive. As the PCs explore the flooded Lirgeni capital, they uncover clues connecting the coven’s schemes with the influx of aquatic predators, and must search the city for weapons and allies capable of challenging the city’s volatile overlords.

Beneath the Storm-Veiled Spires is a Pathfinder RPG adventure designed for 5th-level characters. PCs on the medium advancement track should reach 8th level by the adventure’s conclusion.

Adventure Background
Throughout the Age of Enthronement, the people of Lirgen used their knowledge of astronomical patterns and prophesy to read the heavens and guide their civilization to prosperity. When Aroden died and the Eye of Abendego blotted out the stars, some members of the Saoc Brethren frantically tried to apply their auguries to the hurricane’s wind patterns in a desperate bid for deliverance. Though their efforts ultimately failed to save Lirgen, the Brethren’s storm readings helped guide countless refugees to safety.

Over a century later, a storm hag (Adventure Path #72: The Witch Queen’s Revenge 90) named Byurka found documents describing the Brethren’s attempted storm auguries. Intrigued, she wondered if her mastery of storms could allow her to change the Eye’s wind patterns, and thus control the fate of those touched by the hurricane’s influence. She gathered a coven of like-minded hags and traveled to Hyrantam to perfect the Lirgeni philosophers’ haphazard storm auguries.

When they arrived in the Sodden Lands, Byurka found that the territory around Hyrantam was already claimed by Aeassra, a thunderbird drawn by the Eye of Abendego. Rather than compete with the powerful beast, the hags used flattery and the promise of tribute to entice Aeassra into an alliance. With the thunderbird’s aid, the coven began extorting the Lirgeni survivors residing atop the Hyrantam ruins. Now the beleaguered locals bristle under Byurka’s demands for food, Saoc artifacts, and other offerings, but lack the resources necessary to confront the hags. Instead they eke out a living by sending tribute to the Augur’s Throne, a floating Saoc tower that now serves as the coven’s lair.

The Lirgeni’s situation deteriorated further when the hags started experimenting with storm auguries. Manipulating the weather created far-reaching consequences below the waves, driving maritime creatures into ravenous frenzies. The Lirgeni don’t know what is causing the surge in monster attacks, and they desperately seek adventurers bold enough to rid them of the violent sea beasts, the thunderbird, and the ruthless storm coven.

Hooks: A storm augury convinces the hags that a passing ship (with the PCs as passengers) contains great danger, so they send Aeassra to sink it. The PCs wash up in Hyrantam, where the coven continues to investigate and harass them, wary of the ship’s survivors. Alternatively PCs may approach Hyrantam investigating Lirgeni distress signals or rumors of hidden treasures lost in the drowned city, but foreigners attract the hags’ attention. Regardless of their circumstances, the PCs arrive to find the Lirgeni struggling to make ends meet without angering the thunderbird or falling prey to sea monsters.

Chapter I: Red Tide Rising
Intrigued by the newcomers, the coven uses divinations and dream spells to sift through the PCs’ thoughts and motives. The Lirgeni explain that contributing to their tribute will likely cause the hags to lose interest in the PCs, allowing them to escape. The Lirgeni typically gather offerings from the city ruins, but the rash of monster attacks has left them terrified. They ask the PCs to search the flooded city for offerings and help find a way to repel the aquatic predators.

Exploring Hyrantam functions as a sandbox, where PCs can investigate rumors and high-profile locations within the city. Possible sites include:

• Aphelion’s Manor: The ruined mansion of a renowned Saoc leader, currently sheltering a lizardfolk tribe chased from their home by the Terwa Lords in the south. By aiding the reptilian refugees and repelling the giant elasmosaurus hunting them, the PCs earn the lizardfolk’s allegiance and insights into the mysterious attacks.
  
• Bolide Academy: A magical university with breathable air trapped within the complex. PCs can recover documents describing links between weather and oceanic disturbances, as well as accounts of Lirgeni auguries (including storm auguries). Fighting the water naga that resides within may break the academy’s airtight seals, forcing the PCs to salvage resources before the flood ruins them.
  
• Saoc Planetarium: Once used as a public forum, performance hall, and place of worship, this domed structure now serves as a killing arena for adaro. PCs can learn about the storm’s influence on their activities by deciphering their crazed writing and witnessing their ritualized feeding frenzies.

PCs will also face scripted encounters above and below the waves. Sample encounters include:

• Eryssala, an oceanid driven into a rampage by the hags’ storm manipulations. Calming her may offer articulate insight into the impact of Byurka’s auguries.
  
• Rescuing Lirgeni from frenzied adaro. Their corpses contain evidence of enhanced power and madness triggered by the magical storms.
  
• Presenting tribute to the coven, which may give clever PCs a chance to learn more about Byurka’s machinations from the hags themselves, or reduce their suspicion (see below).

Exploring Hyrantam may attract the hags’ attention. A suspicion mechanic tracks how well the PCs avoid unwanted scrutiny, with certain actions increasing or decreasing their score. High suspicion reflects the hags’ growing concern over the PCs meddling in their affairs, and triggers retaliation. As the PCs’ suspicion score increases, the hags’ responses escalate from conjured storms (interfering with other encounters and skill checks) to skirmishes with the hags’ whaitiri servants (see below), culminating with assassination attempts against the PCs, or even imploring Aeassra to hurl thunderbolts at the PCs during their travels.

Chapter II: In the Storm's Shadow
Exploring Hyrantam reveals that the hags’ experiments with storm auguries create artificial winds currents, churning the ocean depths and driving sea creatures into the shallows. The chaotic environment alters the monsters’ behavior, triggering ravenous killing sprees. Armed with this knowledge, the PCs realize they must stop the hags to restore stability in Hyrantam, but they cannot enter the Augur’s Throne while it remains shielded by Aeassra’s storms. Challenging a thunderbird directly would be suicide, so in order to access the coven, the PCs must prepare a trap for Aeassra by gathering weapons, tools, and allies from Hyrantam’s ruins.

Preparing the trap builds upon the sandbox established in Chapter 1, with the PCs searching the flooded city for resources, but their new goal encourages them to explore different areas. The PCs may have explored some of these areas when investigating rumors during the prior chapter, but they must now complete specific objectives in preparation for the battle with Aeassra. The hag’s suspicion mechanic becomes paramount, as the PCs must keep a low profile to maximize their chances of completing their preparations before facing the thunderbird. Furthermore, random encounters become more prevalent and dangerous as the rampaging sea monsters grow bolder. New sites include:

• Broken-Mast Bay: Hyrantam’s harbor now shelters a graveyard of derelict ships crippled by the Eye of Abendego. In order to recover siege weapons capable of piercing Aeassra’s storm aura, the PCs must brave the draugr-haunted ships and face the sirens who rule the bay.
  
• Hyrantam Public Works: The city’s advanced water purification system used metallic apparatuses that could be repurposed into massive lightning rods. Salvaging the equipment will require the PCs to defeat the traps and clockwork guardians that still defend the mechanisms.
  
• Northern Waterfront: Aeassra wasn’t the only creature drawn to the Eye of Abendego; the young sea dragon Kaijong built a lair in Hyrantam, hoping to restore balance to the Sodden Lands. Though the eager dragon needs little convincing to oppose the hags, recruiting him to go along with the PCs’ plan and remain inconspicuous requires more finesse. Persuasive PCs may also earn access to some of Kaijong’s hoard, including his jetstream bow (see below).
  
• Starfield Market: The locathah tribe that settled in the flooded agora struggles to resist the frenzies caused by the hags’ auguries. If the PCs can calm the aquatic humanoids they may earn extra manpower to aid in their preparations. Undiplomatic PCs may need to hunt a powerful monster to prove their worth to the locathah matriarch.

Chapter III: Hunting the Storm
Once equipped, the PCs must prepare for Aeassra’s arrival. Successfully keeping their suspicion score low allows the PCs to fully utilize their resources, as described below. High suspicion means Aeassra attacks prematurely, and the PCs must triage their preparations, with lower priority contributions only partially affecting the battle with the thunderbird.

The battle plays out as a series of consecutive, potentially overlapping encounters where the PCs race to stymie damage from the storm while attacking the thunderbird as she flies overhead, raining thunderbolts on the town’s defenders. Completing the lightning rods lessens or removes the risk of being struck by lightning from Aeassra’s storm aura.

Encounter 1: Aeassra’s thunderbolt hits a Lirgeni tower, blasting apart its foundation and causing the building to begin sinking. If the PCs recruited the locathah, they reinforce the tower and increase the time before the tower collapses. This encounter may happen more than once as Aeassra targets different towers.

Encounter 2: Whaitiries and lightning elementals join the fray shortly after the tower starts falling. If the PCs recruited Kaijong, he kills some of these reinforcements before they arrive.

Encounter 3: Aeassra lands to fight the PCs herself. If the PCs recovered the siege weapons, the thunderbird begins the encounter with significantly fewer hit points. Thorough exploration of Hyrantam outfits the PCs with equipment specifically geared towards fighting a thunderbird, including magical beast bane weapons, a wand of protection from energy,and the jetstream bow.

With the thunderbird defeated, the PCs can invade the Augur’s Throne and confront the coven directly. The floating observatory contains Byurka’s elite advisors, including a whaitiri with shaman class levels, a charmed brineborn marsh giant, and a nightmare lord lightning elemental. Furthermore, the levitating structure’s magic has become unsteady, causing the tower to tip if too many creatures cluster to one side.

Conclusion
Defeating the hags resolves the oceanic disturbances, freeing Hyrantam from sea monster predation. The PCs may wish to continue exploring the drowned city, or work with Kaijong to restore balance to the storm-wracked coast, possibly opening Hyrantam to recolonization and salvation.

Dead Man’s End
Flip-Mat: Battlefield
==========
When the Whispering Tyrant reconquered Ustalav, a priestess of Desna built a secret bridge across the West Sellen River to help refugees escape into southern Numeria. The crossing saved countless lives, but the exodus attracted Tar-Baphon’s attention. Instead of demolishing it, the cunning lich dispatched lieutenants to massacre the refugees, raise them as undead spawn, and create a new army on the eastern front. His forces killed the Desnan priestess and captured the crossing, but when they turned on the fleeing refugees the bridge suddenly vanished, dumping mortal and undead alike into the merciless current. Dubbed “Dead Man’s End” by the survivors, the bridge still holds a reputation for disappearing beneath the feet of travelers.

The abandoned bridge is treacherous, but does provide access to Numeria for those who hope to cross the border unnoticed. An inconspicuous escape route like this is a godsend for Baroness Lorylai Makrivas, a minor noble from the Ustalavic county of Varno who was recently outed as a vampire. Concerned that her careless and extravagant lifestyle would draw attention to his own vampirism, Varno’s ruler Conte Ristomaur Tiriac used his agents to expose Lorylai and whip up an angry mob. The Baroness’ butler, Rendel, quickly orchestrated her escape to Numeria across the bridge, confident that its sinister reputation would discourage hunters from giving chase. Though Conte Tiriac is content to let her disappear, some religious leaders suspect the Baroness’ vampirism is not an isolated case. They ask the PCs to intercept Lorylai at the crossing, learn what they can from her, and destroy her.

Holy Highwaymen (CR 9)
==========
The West Sellen River churns and spills over its banks, swollen by the steady rains that continue to drench the countryside. A ten-foot high, crumbling cobblestone bridge looms over the violent current, its wooden guardrails rotted and broken in several spots.

Lorylai got a head start, but her abhorrence for off-road travel allows the PCs to reach the crossing first by cutting through the wilderness. Without interference, the PCs arrive at the bridge 1 hour before the Baroness, 3 hours before daybreak. Clever PCs can further delay Lorylai’s arrival by turning the environment against her. Each attempt to slow the vampire down costs the PCs 30 minutes of travel time, and each success delays Lorylai by 1d2 hours. Some options for slowing Lorylai’s travels are included below, but GMs should reward players for thinking outside the box.

• Animal crossing: A successful DC 25 Handle Animal or wild empathy check allows the PCs to herd hundreds of farm animals from the surrounding pastures into the road, impeding all transit.
  
• The road less traveled: A successful DC 25 Knowledge (geography) or Survival check allows the PCs to identify and sabotage key road signs and landmarks guiding Lorylai to the bridge. If the PCs fail to cover their tracks by succeeding at a DC 20 Stealth check, the coffin guards discover their mischief and suspect an ambush; the PCs lose any chance of a surprise round and Lorylai’s retainers use their combat gear to prepare for battle before arriving at the bridge.
  
• Wayfaring strangers: The PCs can convince a troupe of Varisian performers to entertain the hedonistic Baroness with a successful DC 25 Bluff or Diplomacy check. The DC drops to 15 if the PCs fail to mention that she is a vampire, but once they realize they were deceived they warn Lorylai about the PCs in an effort to divert the Baroness’ wrath away from themselves (see above for response to a suspected ambush).

Once the PCs reach the bridge, they can use their remaining time to cast spells, set traps, and prepare for Lorylai’s arrival.

Creatures: Lorylai’s retinue includes herself, her butler Rendel, and two coffin guards. A horse pulls the light wagon carrying provisions and the Baroness’s coffin, an intricately carved mahogany casket featuring several pipes that allow her to attempt Perform (wind) checks from within. If encountered at night, Lorylai uses her dominate ability, spells, and combat gear to neutralize as many PCs as possible, while Rendel heals her and the guards attack anyone who resists her charms.

If the PCs delay her arrival until daybreak, the Baroness remains in her coffin while Rendel parlays with the PCs. His negotiations are a ruse designed to distract the PCs while Lorylai summons reinforcements with her children of the night ability. Once combat begins, she uses her bardic performance to inspire courage while her guards attempt to drive off the attackers. If the PCs kill both coffin guards, Rendel opens the casket (requiring a full-round action) and uses his scroll of protective penumbra to shield Lorylai from the sun, allowing her to flee and seek shelter.

The horse is skittish, but cannot escape its harness. It avoids combat as much as possible, but defends itself if attacked. A creature holding its reins can attempt to drive the wagon (Ultimate Combat 183, see Ultimate Combat chapter 4 for vehicle rules).

Baroness Lorylai Makrivas, Vampire Seducer CR 6
XP 2,400
hp 61 (Monster Codex 239)
Skills Perform (wind) +14 in place of Perform (act) +14

Coffin Guards (2) CR 3
XP 800 each
hp 38 each (Monster Codex 238)

Rendel, Weird Butler CR 4
XP 1,200
hp 31 (Monster Codex 238)

Horse CR 1
XP 400
hp 15 (Bestiary 177)

Haunt: The restless spirit of the Desnan priestess still haunts the bridge, causing it to disappear beneath the feet of anyone attempting to cross, living or undead.

Vanishing Bridge CR 4
XP 1,200
CN haunt (10 ft. square at the center of the bridge)
Caster Level 5th
Notice Perception DC 25 (to hear the shrieking of terrified refugees)
hp 8; Trigger proximity; Weakness tricked by hide from undead; Reset 1 hour
Effect When the haunt is triggered, the bridge suddenly turns ethereal, as if affected by a blink spell. Any creature standing within the area of effect must succeed at a DC 20 Reflex save or fall 10 ft. into the river (see below).
Destruction Descendants of refugees saved by the priestess must return to the bridge and spend 24 hours in ceremonial prayer.

Hazards: A steady rain has fallen in Varno for over a week, bringing the temperature close to freezing at night and filling the river to the point of overflowing. Each hour they spend waiting for Lorylai to arrive, unprotected PCs must succeed at a Fortitude save to resist the effects of cold weather (Core Rulebook 442). The rain reduces visibility by half, resulting in a –4 penalty on Perception checks. It has the same effect on flames, ranged weapon attacks, and Perception checks as severe wind (Core Rulebook 439).

The excess rainwater makes the river’s current far more dangerous. The swollen river functions as stormy water (Swim DC 20). Those trapped in the current are swept downstream (east to west) at a rate of 60 feet per round (Core Rulebook 432).

The bridge’s guardrails are rotted through (hardness 2, hp 5) and can be burst with a DC 12 Strength check as part of a move or bull rush action. The rain softened the road to mud, turning all road squares into difficult terrain. The dark green areas to the north, southwest, and southeast of the bridge function as light undergrowth (Core Rulebook 426).

Development: If all of her guards are killed or captured, Lorylai surrenders, confident that she can use her noble title and natural charm to negotiate her release. She doesn’t object if her captors wish to restrain her, since her gaseous form ability allows her to escape if things go sour. The Baroness doesn’t know that Tiriac is a vampire, but she does know two of his allies who are: the nosferatu Ramoska Arkminos, the Conte's advisor who hasn’t been seen in Varno for some time, and Kvarric Lorinska, seneschal of the Conte’s estates west of Corvischior. Lorylai only talks if she thinks it would help her escape; if the PCs attempt to destroy her or her coffin, she fights to the death.

Rendel and the coffin guards are loyal thralls, and fight to the death as long as their Baroness survives. If Lorylai is destroyed, they fight on for 1d4 rounds before realizing they are free. The guards know nothing of other vampires among Varno’s elite, but the butler suspects that Kvarric Lorinska knows more based on letters his mistress received from the seneschal.

A pale figure weeps into its long, clawed hands, rivulets of blood pouring from its eyes. The haunting cries of the dead echo around it.
Matianak CR 8

XP 4,800
NE Medium undead
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +22
Aura divine failure (60 ft.)

----- Defense -----
AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural)
hp 102 (12d8+48)
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +11
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4; DR 10/good; Immune undead traits; SR 19

----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +11 (1d4+2 plus energy drain)
Special Attacks channel negative energy (4d6, DC 20, 7/day), energy drain (1 level, DC 20), unliving empathy
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th; concentration +16)
3/day—desecrate, quickened inflict moderate wounds (DC 16), magic circle against good

-----Statistics-----
Str 14, Dex 16, Con —, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 19
Base Atk +9; CMB +11; CMD 24
Feats Alertness, Channel Smite, Command Undead, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (inflict moderate wounds)
Skills Heal +15, Perception +22, Sense Motive +22, Stealth +18
Languages Common

----- Ecology -----
Environment any urban
Organization solitary, pair, or ward (3–6)
Treasure standard

----- Special Abilities -----
Channel Energy (Su) As a standard action, a matianak can channel negative energy in a 30-foot burst as an 8th-level evil cleric. This ability requires no divine focus. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Divine Failure (Su) A matianak is surrounded by restless souls that interfere with positive energy. Any creature attempting to channel positive energy or cast a spell with the healing descriptor within 60 feet of a matianak must make a DC 20 caster level check or treat all damage dice as natural 1s. Failing by 5 or more results in no healing, and living targets instead take 1d6 bleed damage. Abilities that help overcome spell resistance also apply to this check.
Unliving Empathy (Su) Curse—touch; save Will DC 20; effect creature gains negative energy affinity within the matianak’s divine failure aura. The creature permanently loses any benefit from positive channeled energy or spells with the healing descriptor. The save DC is Charisma-based.

When a person dies because healers failed to provide adequate care, her rage and despair may cause her to rise as a matianak. This forlorn spirit lashes out against those who allowed it to perish, nurturing other undead in a twisted effort to rationalize its senseless death. Its perpetual mourning attracts other innocent souls lost to neglect, still hungering for salvation and eager to feed on any healing energy within their reach. The wailing dead herald a matianak’s presence, and their endless crying pushes the tortured creature deeper and deeper into madness.

Matianaks predominantly spawn in Rahadoum, where they target political leaders who refuse to allow divine healers to treat sick citizens. Matianaks also arise in areas with abusive or dispassionate clergy, including Cheliax, Nidal, and Razmiran. The undead lords of Geb and Ustalav covet matianaks for their mastery of negative energy, and often force the hapless creatures into service as court healers.

Despite its anger, a matianak longs to save others from its fate. If a matianak finds someone suffering from conditions similar to those that caused its own death, it fiercely attempts to help, using its unliving empathy to heal the victim with negative energy. This “patient” typically resists its advances, further fueling the matianak’s fury as it tries to force aid upon the terrified invalid. Willingly accepting a matianak’s care may give it closure, releasing it from undeath.

This dam was conjured by Baba Yaga to expand land access to the Linnorm Kingdoms during the Winter War. If destroyed, the river would cut off Irrisen’s western front and allow the Blackravens of Hagsreach to retake vital territory. Ice trolls and a white dragon guard the dam.

Banshee’s Wrath
Aura faint necromancy and transmutation; CL 5th
Slot armor; Price 14,300 gp; Weight 40 lbs.

Description
The links of this +1 ghost touch chainmail blur and drift together like a shimmering veil, and its motion creates a chorus of angry whispers instead of clinking metal.

Once per day when making a charge attack, the armor can cause the wearer to take on a terrifying, semisolid spectral form. The wearer can charge through squares occupied by other creatures, and the wearer is treated as incorporeal for all attacks of opportunity or readied attacks triggered by the charge. As part of the charge action the wearer may unleash a bone-chilling shriek, allowing the wearer to make an Intimidate check to demoralize any creature within the line of its charge, including the target of the charge attack. This effect does not allow the wearer to charge over difficult terrain.

Construction Requirements
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, blink, cause fear; Cost 7,300 gp