Below is some notes I have for adventure locations, orignally created for my own world (http://www.users.on.net/~blake_ryan/Ishuka/Ishuka.html) I have adapted them for use in Golarion.
I hope people find them useful.
Happy gaming!
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Mysterious Places of Golarion
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These are the Mysterious places of Golarion. Most inhabitants of the world have heard from them at some point in there life, but most of their knowledge is rumour and legend. Very few have ever seen one, let alone more than one of the monuments.
Some of the places and ruins were constructed recently or far in the past, others are magical Phenomenon native to Golarion, others still are from other places entirely...
Note – This information is for Game Masters, players are advised to experience these locations throughout the game. Minotaurs and Trolls are used more than once, if you have your own favourite bad guy critters then simply swap them for these creatures.
Format :
Country - Specific Location - Name of Mysterious Place
Galt – Boarhood forest – Kemsamora (3,200 years old)
Rumours - Strange noises from the caves for each full and new moon. Elves stay away warning of vicious beasts roaming the caves at night. Magical river and pool within caverns as source of the beasts strength.
Facts – Crafted by Minotaurs, now a large troll lair. Nine large rock pinnacles with caves and huts throughout the area. Carvings about Dead in tomb in desert near water (Tomb of Tavkor). Magical pool rumour is spread by Agent of the Dragon to get people to clear out the trolls.
Interested Parties – Scanlon Merchant House, Elven clans, Agent of a Dragon who’s master wants the lair.
Isger – Western mountains – Salumbara (1,500 years old)
Rumours - Old Dwarven fort complex, now inhabited by goblinoids. Many levels deep, riddled with caves and tunnels. Great reward offered by Dwarven lord for cleaning out their goblin enemies.
Facts – Over 20 levels deep this fort was massive and well made. Raided by Fiends summoned by Asmodeus cult 280 years ago. Two Spear tribes raided 20 years ago. Reward from Dwarven lords is status an eternal alliance. Some Dwarven warriors may assist you as henchmen.
Interested Parties – Asmodeus cult, Dwarven clans, Local barbarian tribe (two spears), Pathfinder Society.
Molthune – Southern mountains – Xagafell (30,000+ years old)
Rumours – Elven city lost in a valley within the mountains. Ancient treasures and lost lore lie within.
Facts – Rumour is spread by Naga who want the ruins back from Morlocks within. Large collection of ruins built by Naga in ancient times, Morlocks have been here for over 3 thousand years. Hags are commanding the Morlocks to keep others out of the area. Complex of caves, trees and woven tunnels of plant matter over several hundred meters. Hags are using rituals to open portals to Shadow Plane.
Interested Parties – Elven nobles, Naga (in disguise as scholar-wizards), Church of PC member has a seer who is having visions of great darkness coming from the ruins.
Nidal – Eastern mountains - Warlord Statues (3,000+ years old)
Rumours – Every three years humanoids and giants come here to fight anyone for domination of the area. The area is considered cursed by human farmers as herd animals do not breed within 50 miles. Orks in the area believe Fenris will animate the statues and begin Armageddon.
Facts - Ogre Tribal Chief statues were built thousands of years ago. 100 feet tall. Sacred to Orks, Ogres, and Ettins. Frequent Ogre raids into Nidal for the statues. Any one who does not follow an evil god touching these statues will be petrified. Statues are immune to magic. Lizardmen keep watch over the area and the statues and will actually assist people for fear of Ork and Ogre domination. 7 years ago an Ogre clan captured the area and were besieged for 3 months by Dwarven warriors.
Interested Parties – Lizardmen tribes, Ork tribes, Dwarven clans.
Numeria – within Echo Woods - Ice Basilisk (Ruined-5,000+ years old)
Rumours – Those touching the basilisk are mutated, physically, mentally and/or spiritually. Halflings consider the area cursed and will not go there. Druids have a prophesy that the Ice Basilisk will turn into a five headed dragon and lead a forgotten race to defeat its enemies.
Facts - 60 ft tall and 120 feet long, Indestructible basilisk shaped Ice structure. The Ice Basilisk radiates cold for 150 feet. Good priests are captured by cultists and sacrificed to this monument. The entire area is unholy. Ice Basilisk has been cracking since 650 years ago. Mutation rumours are true, consider the statue evil, so the more good you are the more you get mutated.
Interested Parties : Cult of Lamashtu, Halflings clans in the area, local Druidic circles.
Osirion – Eastern coast - Khemab Caverns (discovered in the last 1000 years)
Rumours – Legends say they are haunted. No one ever returns. Even pirates don’t go here. Giant dragon eggs are within.
Facts - Half underwater, over 1100 feet deep in total, many 60-80 feet diameter caves. Sea Giant caverns. Lower half of the caverns are completely underwater. Merfolk, Sea Serpents, Sea Giants and Dragons dwell in some areas. Eggs will hatch if Five headed dragon ever comes to the world.
Interested Parties – Nethyr church restricts access to the caverns. Visitors must prove loyalty, by some deed or gift. Merfolk tribes will seek allies against dragons and giants within the caves, Pathfinder Society.
Rahadoum – within the Eastern mountains – Verlassen (2,900 years old).
Rumours – Verlassen is the Ancestral home of Gargoyles. There are several tunnels to hill entrances. Generations of Elven slaves exist within the ruins. A great Jistka fortress hides magical armoury.
Facts – Ruins are a huge area. Original Inhabitants were Gargoyles and are still here. There are stone carvings, statues and sculptures everywhere. There are several tunnels to hill entrances, all of which are lined with non-magical traps. Elven and other slaves are within. There is a Jistka armoury here, but the legions did not count on medusa and many statues are Jistka warriors as stone.
Interested Parties – Centaur tribes, Elven clans, the Pure Legion.
Thuvia – in the Barrier Wall mountains - Tomb of Tavkor (2,300 years old).
Rumours – Tomb of a great Necromancer is there, when used the dead minions would raid nearby farms and towns. Church of Sarenrae closed the tomb and banished Tavkor. Much treasure remains hidden within.
Facts – Large tomb that was original a fort crafted by minotaurs. Minotaurs are still there and Tavkor is a sacred ancestor. Many of the minotaurs practice necromancy and both corporeal and incorporeal undead exists within the tomb. Oskar Irving a great champion of Sarenrae & Tavkor fought here circa 1,620 years ago and records of this exist within Pashow. Carvings about rock caverns in woods far away over water (Kemsamora).
Interested Parties – Descendants of Oskar Irving, Sarenrae Church, Necromancer cults.
Ustalav – northern Shudderwood – Shudderwood Caverns (2,700)
Rumours – Lair of demonic bats and vampires. Hundreds taken over the last millennia to be corrupted in their kind!. Bats are controlled by magical crystal balls within the caves with demon guardians. Some nobility have these crystal balls and summon the bats for their nefarious purposes.
Facts – Large cavern complex with in the woods, now inhabited by all sorts of bats and trolls. Hanging vines everywhere. Thousands of bats in upper caverns. Very dark throughout. Several different troll tribes within the caverns. Part of these caverns were originally Sakoris sacred caverns, tribal burial caves long from long ago.
Interested Parties – Militias from several Ustalav counties, Iomedae church.