TheTwitching King's page

Three Months Ago

All was black, and Sturvok flew through the emptiness. Below and above continued out endlessly, yet this seemed a natural and nothing of note. Then beside Sturvok flew another moai who bore his face. The other moai was clad in furs, with his hair in a chonmage. A moment later another Sturvok was decided the two, wearing war paint and missing his front teeth. Then there was another pulling a flute out of a leather case as he flew and began playing it. Than another wearing elven grab and refinement. One that had only one eye and another dressed only in a skirt of iron and gold.
Faster the Sturvoks flew, now nineteen in all, and the first Sturvok thought, “Where are we going that we need such speed?” And as if he had spoken aload a bearded Sturvok answered, “The Toda is finally calling us,” and then he pointed before them in the distance where a stone sword hilted in iron and gilded in gold hang in the distance. Upon sight of the sword the darkness around it pulsed as waves of oilily rainbows leeked into the blackness like the lights of the northren sky. The Toda seemed to be getting closer and as one the Sturvoks reached for the stone blade. The first Sturvok’s, the true Sturvok’s, eyes began to wateras the colors became the brightest of pure white light. Nineteen pairs of hands grasped the Toda and as Sturvok’s finger tips brusted the handle the Toda whispered “Awaken” and the dream was no more.

Since recruitment is over I thought I would move our discussions here. We should first focus on character builting, party building, and background. I'm working weekends at the moment but I'll do my best to get a write-up for the starting area on my days off this week.

Hello, I'm Matthew Stinson. I'm starting up a new 3rd party company for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game System and am looking for play testers to test mainly new races, classes, archetypes, and feats has we finalize our first product and start growing our home setting.
The main race of our Aramir setting is the Moai.

MOAI (10 RP)

Moai (Rock People)
The tall men of stone once held a grand peaceful empire until the great sleep took them and the race as one slumbered for nearly 4000 years to wake and find the world changed and their memories lost. Now every couple of hundred years each individual moai will go to sleep and then awake hundreds of years later with no personal memories.

+2 Strength, -4 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom (3 RP)
Slow Speed: The Moai have a base speed of 20 feet, and their speed is never modified by encumbrance or armor.
Darkvision (3 RP): Moai can see in the dark up to 90 feet.
Stone Legs (2 RP): Moai’s strong stone legs are thick and sturdy; they count as quadrupeds for the purposes of encumbrance and CMD.
Natural Armor: Moai have a +1 natural armor bonus.
Tired (-1 RP): Moai receive a -2 racial penalty on saving throws against sleep effects. Moai spellcasters that require sleep to regain spells need an extra two hours of sleep.
Memory Fragments (2 RP): Moai still retain some instinctive knowledge from their past lives. Moai may select any two skills to add to their class skill list.
Languages: Moai begin play speaking Common and Terran. Moai with high Intelligence scores can choose any of the following bonus languages: Dwarven, Giant, Gnome, or Undercommon.

Feel free to comment below. Anyone interested in testing more material contact me at Matthew.W.Stinson@gmail.com
Thank you.
-Matthew Stinson

Hello, Liz directed me here, I hope you can help. I'm about to start using the boards here heavily as I am slowly starting my own 3rd party company and we are at the play testing phase. I want people to know who I am so I made an alias using my real name, but my RPG Super Star 2009 Top 4 tag didn't attach to my new alias. Is there anyway switch the tag over? I'll take all the street cred I can get.
I thank you for your time.
-Matthew Stinson

I'm looking VERY forward to this one! The new reaper gnolls, are the only gnolls I've seen that look right to me. Big heads, big backs. It's nice to know that when I run this I'll have the right mini for the job.

I was just wondering who of the last two year's Top 32 would be at Gen Con this year? It would be great if we could me up and had a sit down/ face to face social thing while were all there together. I meant to bring this up a while ago, but I haven't had a computer for about five weeks.

Denying the Boiling Beast

Back Cover
A devastating hurricane has struck Magnimar! The City of Monuments reels from the blow, and another storm is gathering in the Arcadian Ocean. These storms are not natural, and thousands of Magnimarians are counting on brave adventurers to quell the oncoming onslaught of murderous wind before the city is brought, crumbling, to its knees. The PCs will have to out-maneuver politicians, slog through stagnant swamps occupied by shape-shifting frogmen, and battle the vile Boiling Sisterhood on the ocean floor among the massive pilings of the Irespan before their goal is realized. Can they do it? Or will the Boiling Maiden's retribution be final?

The module is designed for four 8th level characters. Most characters will reach 9th level by the conclusion of the module.

A Boding Background
There has always been a city at the foot of the Irespan, but it has not always been called Magnimar. Not long after the Fall of Thassilon, the people of the area pulled themselves together under the leadership of Vanderlae Marm, last of the storm lichs. Vanderlae was not cruel and sinister like his predecessors, but was no less powerful or overbearing. He put the survival of the community first; his rule was cold, but solid and unassailable. Increasing numbers of refugees flooded to his lands as more raiders and pirates were devoured by his awesome power.

Vanderlae vowed the storm lich's legacy would no longer be tainted by tyranny and hid the rituals until the day he found a pure hearted apprentice. However one of his pupils, Lady Ellus Owlax, learned the forbidden rites through her moxie and subterfuge. Ellus had been born blind within the city and was healed by Marm himself as a child. Transforming herself into a storm lich, she then challenged Vanderlae for power. Marm, not wanting his people harmed in the battle, pulled the bloodshed into the sky over the sea. The battle raged for days and at its climax the two were pulled into the Eye of Abendego, an everlasting hurricane. There the two storm lichs are neither destroyed nor able to act upon their free will. They are stretched thin, pulled to a million different fragments of air and water and mixed with that of the mundane storm. Now a mixture of lich and ghost, damned twice through their own hands and others, they desperately fight to escape.

A few decades later a group of fugitive guild members escape execution in the City of Brass by fleeing to Golarion. Fearing pursuit, they decided to make there home below the Arcadian Ocean where those of the Plane of Fire would not look. Through deals with devils and black minded druids they adapted to their new underwater home and began to call themselves the Boiling Sisterhood.

Act 1: Commotions of the Civilized
Within Magnimar, the PCs cannot help but hear the results of the city vote a week before (infused by merchant-sailors serving the Boiling Sisterhood). At the end of the Irespan, the great bridge, stood the statue monument of Vanderlae Marm. It was not part of the original bridge, but archaeologists have dated the stone image to shortly after the Fall of Thassilon. Many citizens were outraged when the vote went through to have the sculpture moved to make way for a lighthouse project – removing anything from the Irespan goes against the laws passed late 4623 AR to protect the city from the creatures dwelling within the Giant's Bridge. Others found the argument sound since the chiseled icon was rarely seen atop the bridge and a lighthouse is much needed for the city's rocky coast. City officials can bypass the law claiming building on top of the bridge is different than ripping into its' foundations. A Knowledge (history, nobility, or local) check will reveal that this statue was a gift to king Marm by his apprentice Ellus Owlax, given just days before she betrayed him and brought his reign to a short end.

This argument heats over as the PCs pass through a public location when curses and fist begin flying. A Mr. Jamesric Mun seemed to be just a bystander at the beginning, but now is taking most of the violence as he lays helpless on the floor. If the PCs help him Jamesric is very grateful, and if they do not the city guards show up to thwart the brawl. Either way, afterwards Mr. Mun looks at their weapons and gear and asks the PCs if they would want jobs guarding the lighthouse work site that he is overseeing.

If the PCs refuse, here are some other ways to get them to the building area.
-A dwarf PC is asked to look at the foundation stonework.
-A wizard or cleric PC is asked to look at some strange runes found near the site.
-A druid or ranger PC spots a bizarre type of owl they have never seen, and it flies to the work site.
-A PC has a friend, family member, or city contact working on the lighthouse.

At the edge of the bridge where the work is commencing, the PCs find where the statue was removed. It must have been massive, and where it stood shows a set of arcane runes in a stylized circle. The PCs may also notice a strange collared owl peering at them from hiding near by. It flees if approached in anyway. Any cleric or paladin of a good faith becomes overly sickened near this space. In Aquan and Auran the runes read.

“No peace for the peaceful,
no body for the mind,
hold stone fast until the rebirth
or may the gales blow you blind.”

Within an hour of the PCs reading this, the sky darkens dramatically as beams of pale blue light launch high into the sky from the runes. The whole city is scared and curious, some gather on the bridge as the wind picks up. Minutes after the PCs see the light a horrendous hurricane swallows the city. Every one-in-a-hundred people are blinded as if by the blindness/deafness spell (have the PC roll this chance). Many of those gathered on the bridge or near the Seacleft are flung to their death. Some buildings fall, and debris rains down on any foolish enough to be outside. Stored foods are ruined and sea water floods the lower city, seeping into basements and flushing out the sewers. Shipping and trade comes to a crawl, as most ships are damaged or sunk. If the PCs try to help people indoors, grant them extra experience.

Eye of Owlax
Notice: Wisdom 25 ; Effective HD – (see text)
EFFECTS
Trigger: Remove the statue (phylactery) from it's resting place. Reset: automatic (2d6+10 days)
Effect: Hurricane-Force winds engulf the city of Magnimar for 1d4 hours. Every three rounds, the wind speed will increase up one stage until reaching Hurricane Force winds; apply wind, rain, and flood conditions to the entire city. All characters within the effect have a 1% chance to be blinded, as if by the blindness/deafness spell. A character standing within the rune circle on the Irespan may spend one Channel Energy use to prevent the winds from increasing in force for 1d4 rounds, but no single character is strong enough to completely dissipate the storm in this manner.

Act 2: A Flight Footed Statue
Upon revisiting the runes, the PCs discover on their own or through help of the local clergy that this is a powerful manifestation of undeath – a haunt. There are no clergy in Varisia strong enough to banish the haunt, and like all of its kind, it will continue to torment. Through clues (like the workers handling the statue going blind), NPC hints, and common sense the PCs will discover that the statue must be put back in place before another hurricane comes. However, the statue is no longer in the city!

If the PCs would rather run from Magnimar then help the citizens, use some of the following hooks:

-If the PCs have friends or family in the city, these people will refuse to leave their homes.
- Willis Purplemoon, famous Magnimarian bard and owner of the Ballerina's Blade, a high class theater in the Alabaster District, promises he'll put their deeds to words and make them legends if they only save his beloved play house... and the rest of the city.
-As a last resort lord-mayor Grobaras himself will offer the PCs a large reward upon recovering the statue. This will, however, change the public's perspective of the greedy PCs.

Following the uproar about the monument's removal, the city councilors decide out-of-sight-out-of-mind was the best approach. They declare that the statue will be used as a landmark southeast of the city and serve as a marker for river boats and a preview of the city's magnificence. It was transferred on a timber wagon with wheels as tall as a man and left some days ago, but at a very slow pace.

Before the PCs reach the wagon, it is attacked by a group of boggard were-rats known as the Killwater tribe. Overwhelming numbers assault the escort, easily subduing the guard and making off with the wagon. The battle site and the wagon's off road tracks make it clear to PCs what has transpired. If the Killwater scouts see that the following group is a large number (as in the PCs have brought along any merceneries, city guard, or volunteer adventurers), they stage an ambush at the swamps edge using the Yondabakari River to their advantage. These skirmishers attack those wearing the Magnimar crest first, hating the city, while archers target the less armored of the trailing group. If the PCs are alone, they are met by five visible sentries standing by a large ferry on the far river bank. If either group of frogmen begin to lose the fight, they retreat into the swamp to report calling out behind them, “Come! Come into the kill-water!”

The Killwater village is small, and should be on alert if any of the sentries or ambushers report in before the PCs arrival. The brackish sulfur water stinks and is hard to move through. Tar pits holding black pudding litter the area. The hybrid forms of half-rat frogmen seem as something out of a nightmare. The water is full of chained alligators and snakes. Outside the Priest-King, Wallar Mawl's, hut, the PCs find what is left of the statue, broken into a thousand chunks. Inside the hut, after the priest-king has died or fled, the PCs discover a caged NPC, Phorus Greenfin. This aquatic half-celestial goblin snake lets PCs in on Killwater's current doings.

Phorus has been the prisoner of Marnett Faulch, the Boiling Maiden, for nearly thirty years. The Killwater Tribe secretly serves her, for she rewards her servants well. She's the one that ordered the statue stolen and it was her merrow bully boys that busted it up once it arrived. Phorus doesn't know what was inside but he heard the word “phylactery” and that one of the merrow was cleaved by an strange owl. Phorus himself was the reward for fetching the stone icon. The goblin snake often skillfully insulted Wallar on his visits to see Marnett in her underwater lair. Wallar wanted to eat Phorus to aid his pride, and had already started, dinning on one of the goblin's wings just an hour before.

Act 3: Gorging the Storm

Phorus believes he can take the PCs to Marnett's lair. He tells them where Wallar kept his necklaces of water breathing and that the lair is north of Magnimar. If the PCs travel over land or go back to Magnimar to pick up supplies, the Boiling Maiden escapes to her lair. If they follow down the river, merrow bodyguards hold off the PCs as Marnett leaves with her prize.

Phorus informs the PCs that the Boiling Maiden's lair is in a hunk of ruin from the collapsed Irespan. The giant size guard tower lays on it's side and is defended heavily by eunuch merrow slaves, coral treants, and merfolk servants mounted on blood thirsty barded orcas. The drawn out horizontal spiral staircase is brimming with cubic gelatinous jellies. Also inside Marnett waits with her other boiling sisters, aquatic salamanders who never grow cold by the deep ocean currents. They are cruel, cunning, and ill tempered toward anyone who enters their waters. The water surrounding them is so hot it cooks those near by.

Worming their way through the sideways tower, the PCs finally face the Boiling Maiden and recover the phylactery which they find out is Ellus Owlax's. Marnett rants that she will be the next storm lich, using the phylactery as a starting blueprint to craft herself anew. Pride forces Marnett to fight to the death, unwilling to be weak for any reason. The PCs will be tempted to destroy the phylactery here and now. This is okay if they do. Inspecting the item with a Knowledge (arcane or religion) check, even after it's broken, will let the PCs know that at least two more hurricanes will come unless the runes on the bridge are destroyed as well.

As the PCs come out of the water to race to the bridge, they are met by the exotic owl, who has been watching them from the time of the original hurricane. If the phylactery has been broken by one of the PCs the owl will attack that individual. The owl is wearing a dancing collar and engraved on the inside is, “To Inga, the most cunning familiar in the Inner Sea. -Love Ellus.” If the PCs have not harmed the phylactery, the owl will shadow them to the Irespan secretly.

Dancing Collar: The collar can be put on any familiar, allowing it to become a +4 dancing battle ax for three rounds a day. It uses the familiar's base attack, strength, and dexterity modifiers for it's attacks. These rounds do not have to be in continuous. The familiar may also become a mundane ax at will and does not age in this form. Changing forms is an immediate action.

At the edge of the Giant's Bridge, the PCs arrive just as the skies begin to darken. Before they can start to remove the runes, Marnett flies up from the sea in the form of a revanant with a ring of flying . As she comes into vision so do eight mammoth tentacles rolling themselves around the bridge, scaffolding, and exposed columns. This blecksprut, a titanic octopus, has been a servant of Marnett's since she bore it from it's egg. It will try to slam the PCs and pull away parts of the bridge as the fight continues. Killing the head below will stop the arms above.

Blecksprut: This giant octopi has separate hit points for each limb and it's head. It relies on heavy slam attacks, and a swallow whole ability. It's thin sponge-like skin causes a vulnerability to fire. Primarily this is a colossal sized sea monster for lower level PCs.

At the end of the surprise round the runes will glow and shoot their ghostly light into the sky and the haunted hurricane strikes Magnimar again. The rapidly-increasing winds cause the PCs to make skill checks and may force Marnett to land. Once it reaches hurricane force gales, have the PCs roll their 1% chance to become blinded again. The phylactery sets off Marnett's self-loathing ability and she will do her best to kill her murderer without letting herself become an easy target or surrounded. She uses her baleful shriek ability as much as possible to hold back other enemies. Marnett cares nothing for the phylactery anymore and simply wants to devour her killer.

The owl, if not already dead, pays close attention to the phylactery. The moment someone tries to destroy it, the owl attacks with full vigor. If the wind gusts become too great for the owl, it will land and become a mundane ax until it needs to strike, letting it's new heavy weight hold it to the ground.

Once the PCs deface the runes and crush the phylactery the winds die down, but the rain continues for some time. Marnett will fight until her murderer is slain and then will fade into the afterlife. The Blecksprut, will flee after it takes so many injuries and will fear returning to this area for many years.

Conclusion: Wreath Crowns and Rebuilding

The PCs are now heroes in Magnimar, and given a parade where they wear wreaths adorned with tiny stone monuments. They are awarded a large sum of gold and a five bedroom town house for the PCs to share in the Marble District. The PCs gain none of these rewards if the lord-mayor had to contract them to go on the mission.

Monument Wreath: This crown takes up a head slot and can cast the statue spell once per day as a 13th level caster. The wearer can cast this spell on themselves only and are also immune to any type of baleful petrifaction effects.

Storm Lich Phylactery Pieces: Five years of study will reveal it's secrets. A storm lich is the same as a lich with the following changes:
-Add water and air as additional subtypes.
-The storm lich loses it's Fear Aura and Paralyzing Touch, but may cast control weather once per day as a spell-like ability.
-5/day a storm lich gains the ability to cast lighting bolt and turn into a air or water elemental functioning like the elemental body IV spell and may cast fly at will in these forms.
-The strom lich's DR changes to DR 10/ bludgeoning and lawful.
-Immunity to electricity and cold damage, fire resistance 15.
-Alignment restrictions change to any nonlawful.
-Level Adjustment: Same as base creature +6.

Anyone want to take bets on which lairs we'll be seeing on Tuesday?

The Abandoned Carnival at the Bumpy Apple Orchard
Deep within this twisted forest lies the remains of an aged, cursed farm. The apple trees of this now feral orchard have transformed into mountainous things covered in quill-like thorns.

Twisted Forest (CR 10)
Immense apple trees tower over the thick, unforgiving undergrowth. Waist high grasses full of briers and saw-vines cover every inch of earth. Little light can be seen through through the thick forest canopy; all seems dark, except the vivid red apples among the thorny branches.

The PCs may choose to either enter through the main gate or attempt to sneak through the twisted forest. The tangled brushwood makes any movement in the Bumpy Apple Forest extremely difficult, which each 5 foot square costing 20 feet of movement, and any character making a double move takes 1d6 piercing damage. Any PC ending their round in the forest must make a DC 20 Survival check or become lost in the magical woods. Lost characters immediately roll a d12 and move to the corresponding square (L1 - L12). One character can choose to lead the party, using their Survival check for all characters adjacent to them, but this slows the party to one square per round. CE creatures move through the forest normally.

Creatures: Tamin the Ring-Nosed Strongman patrols these woods for Rustin. He wears a bear suit and sleigh bells, and wields a giant hammer that boldly states “100 lbs.” upon it's side. He begins to stalk the party as soon as they enter the forest, and they encounter him 4 rounds later.

Tamin Banach, the Ring-Nosed Strongman CR 8
Male minotaur fighter 4
CE Large monstrous humanoid
Init +5; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +11
===== Defense =====
AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 19; (+5 armor, +1 Dex, +5 natural, -1 size)
hp 90 (6d8+4d10+40)
Fort +13, Ref +7, Will +4
Defensive Abilities bravery
===== Offense =====
Spd 20 ft.
Melee +1 earthbreaker +7/+2 (3d6+18/x3) and gore +1 (1d8+10)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks powerful charge 4d6+20
===== Tactics =====
During Combat If he encounters the PCs in the twisted woods, he will bull rush the leader to separate the party. Tamin always uses Power Attack and either Overhand Chop or Backswing, as appropriate.
Morale Tamin fights to the death.
===== Statistics =====
Str 24, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +7; CMB +15
Feats Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Overhand Chop, Backswing, Improved Intitiative, Blind-Fight, Cleave
Skills Perception +11, Survival +11
Languages Giant
SQ armor training, natural cunning
Gear +1 earthbreaker, bear suit (hide armor)
===== Special Abilities =====
Natural Cunning (Ex) Tamin is immune to the maze spell, can never become lost, and is never caught flat-footed.
Powerful Charge (Ex) When charging, Tamin may choose to make a single gore attack with a +8 attack bonus, dealing 4d6+20 damage.

1. Greeting Gate (CR 9)
Rotting apples squish underfoot at the entrance of the farmyard. Two tall, vine-covered walls create a hallway that seems to hold the brutish trees back from the trail. A weather beaten sign arcs from one fence to the other and states in faded yellow letters, “Bumpy Apple Orchard”.

The gate path is covered with broken barrels and mounds of apples and rocks, which count as difficult terrain. At the end of the path stands a minotaur. He tells the PCs that they are too late for the show, but are in time for dinner.

Creatures: Slake, the Ring-Nosed Halfling-thrower, waits to bull rush the leading PC into reach of the vampire vines (coiled at the top of the wall, 20 feet above the pathway), then holds his ground in the center of the gate path.

Vampire Vines (4) CR 3
hp 30 (MM pg 20)
These assassin vines cannot move and do not have their Entangle ability, but their Constrict attack deals 1 point of Strength damage (DC 13 Fortitude save negates).

Slake Banach, the Ring-Nosed Halfling Thrower CR 8
hp 90 (see Tamin, above)

2. Smokehouse Wheel Room (CR 3)
Stacks of smoked meat are strewn around the entrance of this vine-covered shack. From the inside you hear a rapid clicking sound that starts and stops, followed by loud thuds and laughter.

The smokehouse has been cleared of its meat so Phaaron and Wicie can practice their old act. The PCs find Wicie tied to a spinning wheel as Phaaron is about the throw another knife at her. Phaaron has a mop of hair covering most of his face and upper body, while Wicie is all ribs and spine and wearing next to nothing, showing off her five breasts and three belly buttons. Wicie, unable to get off the wheel, insults the PCs by giving them grand complements as they fight Phaaron.

Phaaron Banach CR3
hp 37 (see Icosatuplets, below)

3. Pen of Mirrors (CR 3)
This pig pen smells of old air and rotting wood. Every inch of wall is covered in mirrors. Many mirrors are normal but most are of the fun house variety, distorting your images in almost magical ways. The grated floor of the pens and the stone floor of the hall are covered in filth and offal. Mice scurry about in the dozens.

The pig pens are small, and if anyone steps into them, the rotting floor gives way and dumps the character into a 30 foot deep pit full of writhing maggots and pig dung.

Camouflaged Pit Trap CR 3
(Pathfinder Beta pg 310)

4. Hag Wife's Kitchen (CR 10)
Inside this barren room you find a cook fire brightly going in the northwest corner, with a huge pot hanging above it. A hunched-over elderly woman is stirring the pot with a two-handed spoon as she points her ear in your direction. The room smells of sweet meat and roasted apples. A single carnival mirror hangs from the ruined door on the east side of the kitchen.

A fire took the original farmhouse the night the Rustin returned with what was left of his freak show – his first act of vengeance. A carnival mirror, in truth a mirror of opposition, hangs against the eastern wall.

Creatures: Maga Ogga, drinks her potion of fly and attacks from above as the PCs fight their distorted mirror images. The mirror itself shatters when any of its images have been destroyed.

Maga Ogga (Blind Faceless Stalker) CR 4
hp 42 (Pathfinder 2 pg 88)
Maga Ogga is blind (and is immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight, including the mirror of opposition) and has blindsight 30 ft.

5. Sad Little Garden
This garden seems to be having no luck this year, as all the plants are stunted and fruitless.

6. Full Outhouse (CR 8)
The small outhouse has an “Occupied for practice” sign on the door.

When the PCs open the outhouse door, six halflings fall out into adjacent squares, pushing the PCs back. The halflings start the encounter prone.

Banach Icosatuplets (6) CR 3
ogrekin halfling rogue 4
CE Small giant
Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +7
===== Defense =====
AC 22, touch 15, flat-footed 18; (+2 armor, +4 Dex, +5 natural, +1 size)
hp 37 (4d8+16)
Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +2
Defensive Abilities evasion, fearless, trap sense +1
===== Offense =====
Spd 20 ft.
Melee masterwork dagger +10 (1d3+4)
Ranged masterwork dagger +8 (1d3+7)
Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6
===== Tactics =====
During Combat The icosatuplets prefer to swarm a single target at a time, surrounding and stabbing them to death, with any remaining out of melee range throwing their daggers using Deadly Aim.
Morale The icosatuplets fight to the death.
===== Statistics =====
Str 18, Dex 18, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +3; CMB +6
Feats Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus (Dagger), Deadly Aim, Precise Shot
Skills Acrobatics +13, Bluff +2, Escape Artist +11, Perception +7 (+9 on sound-based checks), Perform (Tumbler) +2, Ride +15, Sleight of Hand +11, Stealth +15
Languages Common, Halfling
SQ trapfinding
Combat Gear 3 vials of alchemist's fire Other Gear elf-skin leather armor, 4 masterwork daggers
===== Special Abilities =====
Deformities (Ex) The icosatuplets all have thick skin (increasing their natural armor by 2) and are extra ugly (giving them a -4 penalty to charisma skill checks).

7. Unwishing Well
The stones around this well are crumbling and the post has no rope to hold a bucket.

Rustin stores his savings at the bottom of this 200ft well. He tells his fellow entertainers that if they want to “unwish” foolish youthful wishes, they must throw a silver coin down into the water.

8. Still Standing Warehouse (CR 10)
The 50ft. tall warehouse is made of flimsy board covering a thick sturdy frame. Parts of the northern and southeastern roof is missing, where apple branches have forced their way inside. Few cider barrels remain, and those that do are mostly broken.
The warehouse now serves as the cockroach stables. The roaches and the Banach halflings that breed them for riding them attack intruders on sight. Green Jeph the Cricket Boy uses his climb speed to go into the rafters with his violin legs and attacks the PCs at range.

Cricket Boy (Drider) CR 7
hp 45 (MM pg 89)
Replace web in the spell list with sound burst.

Icosatuplets (4) CR 3
hp 37 (see above)

Monstrous Cockroaches (12) CR 1/2
hp 8 (Pathfinder 13 pg 84)

9. Record Room
A thousand papers lay about the floor and the desk on the western wall. A backpack lies on the desk, empty.

The is where the orchard's business files were kept. Now the desk is used as a bed.

10. Practicing Yard (CR 12)
The branches of these three large trees are filled with swing ropes, tight ropes, hammocks, and cargo nets. The ground is dotted with spots of red where ripe apples have fallen into the grass. There is a small shed, partially hidden by the woods, that looks as though it is about to collapse.

This is where most of the Banach icosatuplets sleep and practice.

Creatures: The Bumpy Apple halflings start the encounter by hiding within the trees 60ft above the PCs and throwing their alchemist's fire into the middle of the party. After bombing, they swing on ropes down to the groundand fight in melee. Rustin Harp, upon hearing the fighting outside, clambers up onto the roof of his shed and begins to play his pipes. With the magical music in the air, any villain the PCs haven't yet fought will begin to make their way to the Practicing Yard.

Rustin Harp CR 12
hp 92
b]===== Tactics =====[/b]
During Combat As soon as he notices combat anywhere within the farm, Rustin begins to play his twintone flute, activating both an Inspire Courage effect and, if enemies are nearby, a Dirge of Doom. He stays out of combat as much as possible, being frail and infirm.
Morale Rustin runs away if reduced below 40 hp, and gives in completely if reduced to less than 20.

Icosatuplets (8) CR 3
hp 37

11. Saytr's Shanty
A bed lies in the northeast corner of the shed. Tied to the head board and gagged is the body of a overweight dwarven woman. Her belly is torn open, and gore covers the sheets. A basket by the bed holds a crying, horned baby. With hoofed feet and long eye brows, the baby still holds locks of it's mother's beard.

Rustin's wife, the Bearded Lady, died in child birth three days ago, but he can't seem let go. He has been sullenly cleaning his torturing tools and questioning his faith of late.

In my home game we made it were you could Track without the feat as long as the DC was under 20, much like Rogues with traps. It's working out well. Now characters can follow a blood trail down a street or a army across the plains with out need of a feat, because I don't believe you would not need a feat for such cases. Tell me want you think.

Sartel Bollen, Mistress of the Headless Caravan
Female green hag fighter 1/ sorcerer 9

Description
Long ago an escaped slave and gladiator named Sartel fled Sedeq and entered the jungles of the Zho Mountains. In the wilderness, through starvation and ignorance, she consumed poisonous Blackworm berries. As she lay dying, Blackworm sickness burrowing through her organs, snakes approached her and began to speak - they offered life in exchange for favors met. Sartel accepted their offer and serpent fangs pierced her flesh, their venom curing her and filling her mind with forgotten knowledge. That information led her through overgrown ruins and caverns deep within the mountains. There, she found the serpent head of Ydersius, and her will was bent to his. With promises of revenge against her old masters, she would help him bring the serpentfolk race back to their former supremacy.

Over months of bonding with Ydersius, Sartel's body has changed. Her youthful beauty is still present, but twisted: her yellow eyes hide under a veil of knotted, greasy locks; a hag's blackened teeth taints her smile; she is adorned with filth, trinkets, and small skulls. Her ragged gladiator armor has broken and grown into her skin, and the thick iron gorget is rusted and pockmarked. She often pats her rusty war razor against her thigh.

Mounted sidesaddle on a headless zebra, she is followed by hordes of decapitated servants, an army she has gathered to escort the god-head to its body. Heads of scholars hang from her saddle ready to supply knowledge and offer council. Rhinos, jackals, and rats march with men and ogres. Crows flock with vultures in the hundreds. None bear a head, but all are compelled by Ydersius to serve Sartel. The stench of rot is overwhelming and with no mouths everything is eerily quiet.

Motivations
Sartel's overall goal is to deliver Ydersius' head to his body and she has many cunning plans in place to distract all opposing forces. She collects the heads of scholars of the darklands to consume their knowledge. Sartel also uses her new found power to punish the Qadiran slave trade, hating complacent slaves as much as their masters.

Plot Hooks
A score of decapitated monkeys deliver an ultimatum from Sartel to Xerbystes II. She demands the head of the Mouthpiece of Gurat (last of the oracles and prophets) or he forfeits the villages lining the Zho Mountains. Outraged, Xerbystes contacts heroes to apprehend this brazen villain.

Snakefolk clerics of Ydersius, searching for Sartel, are encountered by the PCs. Needing their presence above the darklands to remain secret, the zealots try to slay the PCs. After the battle the PCs discover journals telling of the discovery of Ydersius' head and the impending doom of the world once it's reattached to his body.

One of the PCs stops by their childhood home to find the village full of headless zombies. A path, trampled by thousands of shuffling feet, leads away from the village and into the mountains.

SARTEL BOLLEN CR 10 [+5 green hag, +1 fighter (associated class), +4 sorcerer (non-associated class)]
CE Medium monstrous humanoid
Init +6 [+2 dex, +4 Improved Initiative]; Senses darkvision 90'; Perception +0
===== Defense =====
AC 31, touch 13, flat-footed 29; (deflection +1, dex +2, natural +14 [11 base, +3 Improved Natural Armor], shield +4)
hp 157 (1d10+9d8+9d6+79 [+57 (19 HD * 3 con) base, +3 Toughness flat bonus, +19 Toughness HD bonus])
Fort +11 [+2 fighter, +3 monstrous humanoid, +3 sorcerer, +3 con], Ref +11 [+6 monstrous humanoid, +3 sorcerer, +2 dex], Will +12 [+6 monstrous humanoid, +6 sorcerer]
Defensive Abilities unusual anatomy; SR 18
===== Offense =====
Spd 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee war razor +20/+15/+10 [+14 BAB, +1 weapon enhancement, +5 str] (1d4+6 [+5 str, +1 weapon enhancement]/18-20) and claw +14 [+14 BAB, +5 str, -5 secondary weapon] (1d4+2) or
2 claws +19 [+14 BAB, +5 str] (1d4+5) or
weakness +19 [+14 BAB, +5 str] (2d4 strength)
Ranged acidic ray +16 [+14 BAB, + 2dex] (1d6+4)
Special Attacks acidic ray, weakness
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th)
At will--dancing lights, disguise self, ghost sound (DC 15 [+10 base, +5 cha]), invisibility, pass without trace, tongues, water breathing
Spells Known (SORCERER CL 9th)
4th (5/day [+4 base, +1 cha])--animate dead, black tentacles (CL 11th [9 base, +2 ancestral reliquary], +16 CMB [11 caster level, +4 str, +1 size]), confusion (DC 21 [+10 base, +4 spell level, +5 cha, +2 Greater Spell Focus])
3rd (7/day [+6 base, +1 cha])--haste, hold person (DC 20 [+10 base, +3 spell level, +5 cha, +2 Greater Spell Focus]), tongues (CL 11th [9 base, +2 ancestral reliquary]), vampiric touch
2nd (5/day [+6 base, +1 cha, -2 already used])--ghoul touch (DC 17 [+10 base, +2 spell level, +5 cha]), glitterdust (DC 17 [+10 base, +2 spell level, +5 cha]), mirror image, see invisibility (CL 11th [9 base, +2 ancestral reliquary]), web (DC 17 [+10 base, +2 spell level, +5 cha])
1st (6/day [+6 base, +2 cha, -2 already used])--alarm, enlarge person (CL 11th [9 base, +2 ancestral reliquary], DC 16 [+10 base, +1 spell level, +5 cha]), grease, ray of enfeeblement, shield, shocking grasp
0th (at will)--arcane mark, detect magic, mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, touch of fatigue (DC 15 [+10 base, +5 cha])
===== Tactics =====
Before Combat Sartel casts alarm at the entrance to her lair every morning and maintains invisibility on herself nearly at all times. As soon as she is alerted to the PCs' presence, she casts shield, mirror image, and see invisibility. If she has time, she will proceed to use invisibility on any minions with her, starting with the strongest.
During Combat When the first PC enters her sight, Sartel casts haste on herself and as many of her minions as she can. She then tries to keep as much space as possible between herself and the PCs, casting web, glitterdust, hold person, black tentacles, and confusion to separate and weaken the party. Sartel tries to attack from a distance with her long limbs and weakness abilities, preferring to let her minions do most of the serious fighting. The first time a PC dies, Sartel casts animate dead on the corpse and sends it to attack its former companions.
Morale Sartel gathers up Ydersius's head and attempts to flee if she is ever reduced below 50 hit points, or if fewer than three of her minions remain to guard her. If she has the chance, she will drink her potion of fly and flee to water, trusting her natural swim speed and her water breathing spell-like ability to give her the advantage in an underwater environment. If she escapes, she retreats to the caverns beneath the Zho Mountains and attempts to rebuild her power base.
Base Statistics AC 27
===== Statistics =====
Str 21 [+13 base, +8 race], Dex 14 [+12 base, +2 race], Con 16 [+14 base, +2 race], Int 12 [+10 base, +2 race], Wis 10 [+8 base, +2 race], Cha 21 [+15 base, +2 headband enhancement, +2 race, +2 hit die boosts at 12 and 16 HD]
Base Atk +14 [+1 fighter, +9 monstrous humanoid, +4 sorcerer]; CMB +19 [+14 BAB + 5 str]
Feats Improved Initiative, Toughness, Improved Natural Armor x3, Leadership (cohort Melora Ulak, a lamia matriarch [Pathfinder #2 pg 92]), Eschew Materials, Spell Focus (enchantment), Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Silent Spell, Ability Focus (weakness), Arcane Poison (strength)
Skills Intimidate +27 [+19 ranks, +5 cha, +3 class skill], Profession (gladiator) +4 [+1 rank, +3 class skill], Ride +16 [+11 ranks, +2 Dex, +3 class skill], Spellcraft +19 [+15 ranks, +1 int, +3 class skill], Swim +5 [+5 str] (+13 [+5 stre, +8 racial] to perform special actions or avoid hazards), Use Magic Device +19 [+11 ranks, +5 cha, +3 class skill] [57 ranks: +2 fighter, +18 monstrous humanoid, +18 sorcerer, +19 int]
Languages Common, Giant, Undercommon
SQ long limbs, mimicry
Combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds x2, potion of cure moderate wounds x4, potion of cure light wounds[i] x2, [i]potion of fly Other Gear +1 war razor, ring of protection +1, headband of alluring charisma +2, wand of speak with dead (19 charges), ancestral reliquary (aberrant) [RPG Superstar 2009], hungry decapitant [Pathfinder #2 pg 26], 400gp onyx (for animate dead)
===== Ecology =====
Environment Any
Organization Always encountered with the Headless Caravan (100-400 zombies, 20-80 ogre zombies, 20-80 advanced mount variant carrion golems [Pathfinder #7 pg 78], 11-20 advanced ghouls, 3-8 advanced flesh golems, Melora Ulak, and Sartel herself)
Treasure Standard coins, double goods, and standard items. Products of a god of nobility, Sartel's minions are compelled to hoard luxury items in the caravan as a form of offering to the master.
===== Special Abilities =====
Acidic Ray (Su) Sartel can fire an acidic ray as a standard action, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. The acidic ray deals 1d6+4 damage.
Long Limbs (Ex) Sartel's reach is 10 feet when making a melee touch attack. This does not increase her threatened area.
Mimicry (Ex) Sartel can mimic the sounds of any animal found along the path of the Headless Caravan.
Unusual Anatomy (Ex) There is a 25% chance that Sartel will ignore any critical hit or sneak attack directed at her.
Weakness (Su) Sartel can weaken a foe by making a melee touch attack as a standard action. If she hits, the foe must make a DC 21 [+10 base, +4 half of monstrous humanoid hit dice, +5 cha, +2 Ability Focus] Fortitude save or take 2d4 points of Strength damage.

Arcane Poison (Metamagic)
You can imbue your damaging spells with a deadly arcane venom.
Benefit: Upon gaining this feat choose one ability score (strength, dexterity, etc.). Any creature taking damage from an arcane poison spell takes 1d4 points of temporary ability score damage to the chosen ability immediately and another 1d4 points of temporary ability score damage 1 minute later. Each instance of damage can be negated by making a Fortitude save (DC equal to 10 + base spell level + spellcasting ability score modifier). Spells that do not deal damage are not affected by arcane poison. Creatures that are immune to poison are immune to the arcane poison. An arcane poison spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new ability score. You can, however, apply arcane poison multiple times to the same spell, so long as each application affects a separate ability score.

Sartel Bollen, Mistress of the Headless Caravan
Green Hag Sorcerer 9/Fighter 1

Background
Long ago an escaped slave and gladiator named Sartel fled Sedeq and entered the jungle valleys of the Zho Mountains. In the wilderness, through starvation and ignorance, she consumed poisonous Blackworm berries. As she lay dying with Blackworm sickness burrowing through her organs, snakes approached her and began to speak - they offered life in exchange for favors met. Sartel accepted their offer and serpent fangs pierced her flesh, their venom curing her and filling her mind with forgotten knowledge. That information led her to overgrown ruins and caverns deep within the mountains. Within the bowels of the earth she found the serpent head of Ydersius, and it began to bend her to his will.

Appearance
Over months of bonding with Ydersius, Sartel's body had changed. Her youthful beauty is still present but twisted. A hag's blackened teeth taints her smile. Her yellow eyes hide under a veil of hair knotted in greasy locks. She is adorned with trinkets and small skulls. She is filthy. Her ragged gladiator armor fits her poorly, but the thick iron gorget and pauldrons are well kept and in place. She often pats her snicker-snack war razor against her thigh.

Mounted sidesaddle on a headless zebra she is followed by hordes of decapitated servants, an army she has gathered to escort the god-head to its body. Rhinos, jackals, and rats march with men and ogres. Crows flock with vultures in the hundreds. None bare a head, but all are compelled by Ydersius to serve Sartel. With no mouths everything is eerily quiet. The stench of rot is overwhelming. Heads of scholars hang from her saddle ready to supply knowledge and offer council.

Motivations
Sartel's overall goal is to deliver Ydersius' head to his body. She collects the heads of scholars of the darklands and places them as offerings to Ydersius at his altar in the center of her caravan. The
god-head, in his turn, subsumes their knowledge into his own and reanimates their headless corpses as his servants to join the ranks of Sartel's army.

Plot Hooks
A score of decapitated monkeys deliver an ultimatum from Sartel to Xerbystes II. She demands the head of the Mouthpiece of Gurat (one of the last oracles and prophets) or they forfeit the farms and villages lining the Zho Mountains. Outraged, Xerbystes contacts heroes to terminate this brazen villain.

Snakefolk clerics of Ydersius, searching for Sartel, are encountered by the PCs. Needing their presence above the darklands to remain secret, the zealots try to slay the PCs. After the battle the PCs discover journals telling of the discovery of Ydersius' head and the impending doom of the world once it's reattached to his body.

One of the PCs stops by their childhood home to find the village full of headless zombies. A path, trampled by thousands of shuffling feet, leads away from the village and into the mountains.

School of Eyes
Aura moderate divination CL 10th
Slot - ; Price 95,000gp ; Weight -

DESCRIPTON
This item first appears as a syrupy potion with an eyeball floating within. Once drunk a school of floating fish with large eyes for heads protrude from the drinker's body within 1d4 days. This process is very painful and stuns the drinker for 1d12 rounds. Once “born” these eyes hover near their parent host at all times, allowing them to see through their eyes, granting their parent the ability to see in all directions.
The parent of the school gains a +10 competence bonus on Perception checks. They also retain their Dexterity bonus to AC when flat-footed, and they cannot be flanked.
Eyes may also be sent out scouting, as per the prying eyes spell three times per day. Any situation that effects the parent's sights can effect the eye school as well; such as darkness, magical light, or fog. An eye that is destroyed is reborn in 1d4 days. The school my be released by the host at will, though once released they can not be returned.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Brew Potion, prying eyes, unseen servant, a humanoid eye Cost 47,500gp