Conversions / alterations and resources


Serpent's Skull

Liberty's Edge

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As I am currently running Souls for Smuggler's Shiv, I have been modifying and creating stuff to make the game flow smoothly and help everyone have fun. I'm not doing anything particularly special but in case anyone needs some specific permutation of a stat block or something, I'll post what I make on this thread.

I made a trio of handouts for Ishirou's maps, two of which could lead to later side adventures. Unfortunately, my handwriting is bad enough that it was a puzzle all its own to decipher the journal entry.

Quote:

Map 1

Map 2
Quellig's Map

I decided to time Yarzoth's entry into the temple based on how long it would actually take her, rather than waiting for the PCs to fight the cannibals. Unfortunately, the PCs took too long to begin exploring the southern portion of the isle, and saw the lightning before they'd begun even planning an assault on the cannibal camp. (They did get within a few miles of it, though.) As they were resolute on investigating but still only level 2, I'm scaling down a few of the encounters by 1 CR.

Quote:

Z3. Priest Cells (CR 1)

Human skeletons (3)
Quote:

Z5. Cleansing Shrine (CR 3)

Flensing Room CR 3
Type mechanical; Perception DC 15; Disable Device DC 25; Bypass hidden switch (Perception DC 25)
Quote:

Z6. Sunken Chamber (CR 3)

Soulbound dolls (2) CR 1
XP 400 each
NE Diminutive construct
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 size)
hp 11 each (2d10)
Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +0
DR 2/magic; Immune construct traits
Weaknesses mind-affecting effects
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee dagger +4 (1-3/19-20 plus poison)
Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 2nd; concentration +1)
3/day - light, mage hand, open/close, prestidigitation
1/day - inflict serious wounds (DC 12), levitate
STATISTICS
Str 5, Dex 16, Con -, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 9
Base Atk +2; CMB -5; CMD 8
Feats Improved Initiative
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +12
Languages Aklo
SQ soul focus
Quote:

Z7. Dark Lake (CR 4)

Young gibbering mouther CR 4
XP 1200
N Small aberration
Init +5; Senses all-around vision, darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +12
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 13 (+5 Dex, +4 natural, +1 size)
hp 38 (4d8+20)
Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +5
Defensive Abilities amorphous; DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune critical hits, precision damage
OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft., swim 20 ft.
Melee 6 bites +9 (1d3-2 plus grab)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks blood drain (1d3-2 bite), engulf (6d3-12 plus 2 Con damage, AC 12, hp 3), gibbering (DC 11), ground manipulation, spittle (+8 ranged touch, DC 16)
STATISTICS
Str 6, Dex 21, Con 20, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 12
Base Atk +3; CMB +0 (+4 grapple); CMD 15 (can't be tripped)
Feats Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Perception +12, Swim +6; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception
Language Aklo

Liberty's Edge

Quote:

Yarzoth CR 6

XP 2,400
Female serpentfolk cleric of Ydersius 3/warlock vigilante 1
NE Medium monstrous humanoid
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +13
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 17, flat-footed 13 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 natural) (24/17/17 with mage armor)
hp 72 (9 HD; 5d10+4d8+27)
Fort +7, Ref +13, Will +14
Immune mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison; SR 19
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee bite +13 (1d6+1 plus poison)
Special Attacks channel negative energy 7/day (DC 15, 2d6)
Domain Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +8)
8/day – inspiring word (1 round), touch of evil (1 round)
Serpentfolk Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +8)
At will – disguise self (DC 15), ventriloquism
1/day – blur, dominate person (DC 18), major image, mirror image, suggestion (DC 17)
Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 3rd; concentration +8)
2nd – enthrallD (DC 17), sound burst (DC 17), summon monster ii
1st – command (DC 16), cure light wounds, divine favorD, hide from undead (DC 16), summon monster i
0 (at will) – create water, detect magic, purify food and water, read magic
D Domain spell; Domains Evil, Nobility
Warlock Vigilante Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +4)
1st (3/day) – detect secret doors, mage armor
0 (at will) – bleed, disrupt undead, message, resistance
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 23, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 20, Cha 18
Base Atk +7; CMD +8; CMD 25
Feats Combat Casting, Command Undead, Dodge, Scribe Scroll, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +11, Bluff +9, Disguise +9, Escape Artist +18, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (history) +15, Knowledge (religion) +11, Linguistics +10, Perception +13, Sense Motive +13, Spellcraft +11, Swim +9, Use Magic Device +13; Racial Modifiers +8 Escape Artist, +4 Use Magic Device
Languages Aklo, Azlanti, Common, Draconic, Halfling, Polyglot, Undercommon, Varisian; telepathy 100 ft.
Favored Class cleric (+3 skill ranks)
SQ dual identity (Ieana, N; Yarzoth, NE), social grace
Combat Gear potion of water breathing, scrolls of augury (2), scroll of comprehend languages, scrolls of cure moderate wounds (2), scroll of find traps, scrolls of lesser restoration (2), scroll of remove disease; Other Gear ring of mind shielding, spell component pouch, unholy symbol of Ydersius, waterproof scroll tube (worth 250 gp; can hold up to 20 scrolls), 18 pp; Spellbook containing all 0-level spells, detect secret doors, floating disk, identify, mage armor, protection from good, shield
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Poison (Ex) Bite – injury; save Fort DC 17; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Str; cure 2 consecutive saves

Rejiggered Yarzoth with one level of vigilante playtest because it kinda fits her . . . and because I'm hoping it slightly reduces her power level. I couldn't reduce her actual HD because then she would lose dominate person.

Liberty's Edge

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Map of Eleder's surroundings (still in progress, needs New Krane and possibly some better names and icons)

This map is for a side game I'm running where the goal is to change the course of Sargava's history. Mikaze made a post somewhere about how an extra group of PCs should stay behind to resolve the themes brought up in Racing to Ruin, which I thought was a great idea.

Liberty's Edge

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Been working on some name generators. (You'll have to download them and open in a browser to make them work.) So far I have ones for Garundi and Zenj women and men. I'm trying to work out a way to automate updating these but my code-fu is pretty f~@#ing weak so I'll probably end up just manually creating the rest.

Liberty's Edge

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Updated those castaways still surviving to 4th level as the adventure suggests.

Sasha
Jask
Aerys
Gelik

Liberty's Edge

Using Khelavraa's suggestion, I used a different NPC for the guide. Shamelessly cribbed from the PFSRD.

Diamata Sirathini CR 4
XP 1,200
Female human (Bas'o) ranger 5
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +4; Senses Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +4 Dex)
hp 37 (5d10+10)
Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +2
Resist fire 5 (see below)
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee longsword +6 (1d8+1/19–20)
Ranged mwk longbow +11 (1d8/×3)
Special Attacks favored enemy (humans +4, animals +2)
Spells Prepared (CL 2nd, concentration +3)
1st—entangle (DC 12), summon nature’s ally I
Tactics
Before Combat She affects an unimpresed demeanor and keeps targets distracted while her companions deploy. She may summon an ally to help distract or flank opponents.
During Combat She prefers to stay out of melee, being less skilled with the colonial weapon than she is with a hunter's bow.
Morale She flees if in serious danger, ultimately holding no loyalty but to herself.
STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 20
Feats Desert Dweller (see below), Endurance, Point-Blank
Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (longbow)
Skills Bluff +2, Climb +5, Diplomacy +1, Disguise +3, Handle Animal +6, Knowledge (Geography) +5, Knowledge (History) +2, Knowledge (Local) +2, Linguistics +2, Perception +9, Ride +10, Stealth +12, Survival +9
Languages Common, Polyglot, +1 additional
SQ favored terrain (plains +2), hunter’s bond (companions), track +2, wild empathy +4
Gear +1 studded leather, masterwork longbow with 20 arrows, longsword, hat of disguise, unguent of timelessness (2), 125 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Desert Dweller Feat (Ex)
She has the Desert Dweller feat, which grants her fire resistance 5 against effects that deal 5 or fewer points of fire damage (attacks that deal 6 or more points of fire damage affect him normally). She has a +4 bonus on checks made to avoid starvation or thirst and on Fortitude saves to avoid nonlethal damage from hot environments (this is in addition to the benefits of the Endurance feat).

Quote:

Diamata Sirathini, ex-Bas'o survivalist

exiled from her people for taking the life of her own kin in anger
basically, she discovered that her uncle was selling those they captured into slavery
spiritually lost, and 0 love for colonials, but Glaur suspects she could be swayed to helping them if the Gozran Nkechi gives his blessing
lives in Outerwall, in a small hut with a shrine to the empyreal lord Cernunnos and an unkempt garden out front
Quote:

Amivor asks party to find a seasoned guide who can navigate the harsh and strange terrain, and also to deal with local tribes. He's heard that Diamata Sirathini, a former Bas'o who was exiled from her tribe, is very knowledgeable about the M'neri Plains, but can be quite temperamental. Amivor gives you the location of her home in Outerwall, but cautions, “She's no friend of colonials. If you're asking her for help, you'll need some way to prove you're trustworthy. The best way might be to gain the blessing of an aged mystic priest of Shimye-Magalla, called the Tempest, who lives up in the Pallid Bluffs north of town.”

Knowledge (local or geography) DC 15: The holy man lives alone in a cave atop a jagged seaside cliff face several miles north of the city known as the Pallid Bluffs. These great cliffs form the highest point of a high promontory and drop some 300 feet into the angry sea. His hermitage is not visible from above, so it would be best to approach from the shore.
DC 25 remembers that today is Pearl Markets day, there should be Ijo heading up that way this evening.
I also made Nkechi a priest of Shimye-Magalla, not Gozreh, and tied his backstory to the Ijo village. Since he now worships a deity of water, wind, AND STARS, and since my party missed some XP last session, I added a new challenge.
Quote:

Challenge of the Stars

“The Challenge of Stars is perhaps the easiest. There is an inn for Pale Ones north of the Ijo village. It is called the Fetching Fishwife, and it is owned by a foolish man named Kimbal Pall. His brother was, rather than foolish, quite cunning, and before leaving the inn to Kimbal ran a smuggling operation out of it. He collected Mwangi artwork, symbols, artifacts. One of the artifacts is the Sliver of Moonrise, a rock from the heavens that once belonged to the Ijo priest of the pearl bed village. It bears Shimye-Magalla's symbol. You must simply retrieve the Sliver of Moonrise and bring to me as proof that Shimye-Magalla's luck blesses you.”

Basically, they need to acquire the rock. The Fetching Fishwife sits about 13 miles up the coast as the boat rows. “This salt-encrusted beach house-turned-inn teeters on a rocky beach a short ride north of the Pallid Bluffs. The small, quaint building is made of red-stained wood, and is distinctly Chelish in construction. Out front, a melting totem carved of sandstone, apparently depicting a panther, glares down at the entrance.”

This particular treasure is hidden in a backroom, but if the lock is picked or the door is smashed, a poison dart trap (wyvern arrow) springs


Gark do you mind if others post their alterations/conversions/resources here?

Liberty's Edge

Absolutely not! Sorry for the late response.


Very nice stuff here, Gark. Dotted, and I'll add some of my fiddlings once I have time.

Liberty's Edge

Thanks!

I've been totally remiss in updating this, haha. Starting from the Tests:

Items wrote:

Black pearl is pearl of power iii.

Ercinee feather reduces the speed at which its bearer falls. The bearer suffers falling damage as if they fell 20 feet less. In addition, the feather can be shaken as a move action to release droplets of a luminous liquid into a square within the bearer's reach – each such lit square increases the light level by one step in a five-foot radius. The fluid lasts for 1 hour, after which it evaporates to nothing. Lastly, once per day the feather can be commanded to release light as the spell daylight (command word is a primal screech). CL 5th, Faint evocation and transmutation; Slot -, 8500 gp; Weight 0. Req: Craft Wondrous Item, daylight, feather fall
Weather as the party travels (based somewhat on Sargava: The Lost Colony plus climate data for interior Ghana) wrote:


Dominant weather table for M'neri Plains, Rova-Neth. Humidity always 80 except clear skies (70) and thunderstorms (90). Wind speed as appropriate, 90% chance of coming from west and 10% from northeast. Fog only by rivers and lake – no chance of getting lost except during downpour, storms, or in fog (note, +2 from compass, +2 from being familiar w/ terrain).

The Table

Due to humidity, any encounters during the day will require a DC 13 Fortitude save vs. 1d4 points of nonlethal damage from heat, +1 to DC for each 5 degrees F it is above 85 degrees. Additionally, during days where high (or nights where low) is >90 degrees, characters must make Fortitude saves versus heat as for “very hot conditions.” During days where high or nights where low is >100 degrees (or 95F and thunderstorms), “severe heat.”
During days with downpours or powerful storm, 20% chance of flash flood.

Athyra's Unchained Character Sheet
Inside Fzumi Mine (scaled to 5 PCs and 1 NPC) wrote:

2 DC 20 Perception checks to notice each crystal ooze (+1/10 ft.)

4 Wights take 10 on Perception for 21 – hear walking party at area marked
DC 37 Perception to hear them hide under the bridge
DC 27 Perception (4 checks) to see them when party reaches C3
Falling Ceiling Trap CR 3
XP 800
Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
Effects
Trigger timed (1d4 rounds); Reset none
Effect falling debris (4d6 damage); DC 20 Reflex avoids; dust cloud (all creatures in 20-ft.-radius gain partial concealment); multiple targets (all targets in marked area)
4 Wights in C4 take 10 on Perception for 21 – hear combat in C3 immediately
DC 27 Perception (4 checks) to see them as party walks underneath the ceiling. Then DC 20 Perception check to locate the sound of the banging (dwarves get +2 bonus). 4 rounds later, the entire ceiling dislodges, creating a mound of debris about 15 feet high (difficult terrain, though no Climb checks)
4 wights in C5 take 10 on Perception for 21 – hear combat in C4 immediately, make DC 42 Stealth checks to get into position. 1st marked region is where PCs can first see them, 2nd marked region is where they are auto-seen and attack.
3 wights in C6 take 10 on Perception for 21 and 23 – hear walking PCs at area marked, auto-hear combat in C4 and C5.
Blue Warrior has a helmet of alluring charisma +2 which gives him total of 38 hit points, +6 on Fort saves
We then had a sidequest where the party freed some people from a guy who took over a mine, but I didn't make any special stats or maps for that and doubt it would be interesting to groups without the specific backstory relating to the mine.
The Vulture Encounter wrote:

Feast of Vultures 3:20 pm. I'm gonna go with effective APL of 7 (Diamata+party is APL 5 and 6 characters), so party is about 2 levels over what they “should be.” So 3 Giant Vultures.

“As you continue on through the savanna, the terrain flattens out even further, with less than one tree per hectare. You spot more geiers and smaller vultures scribing lazy circles high in the sky, but no other animals are present. The only landmark ahead is a low hill, at most 5 meters high, which lies almost directly in your path. When you get closer, you see that near the top of the hill is a crumbling stone wall with a broken, jagged top like the ramparts of a fortress. Rising above the wall is a tree that you first thought was heavy with leaves – but now see it is dead, and filled with vultures. The sun is low in the sky, giving everything a yellow cast, and your shadows stretch unnaturally far towards the horizon.”

The mound exudes a faint evil and chaotic aura. This is where the Zura worshippers of Smuggler's Shiv (or at least, some of them!) met their end. They were slain by a kingdom that worshipped Sarenrae, but their high priests' ashes were still powerfully cursed, so a mound (with a guard tower) was erected over the pyre to prevent it from being opened by animals and so forth. The Sarenites died and dispersed when the Starstone hit, making them unable to keep monitoring the site. Unfortunately, the curse seeped out, and over the thousands of years since the wardings failed. Now the mound is the favored roosting place of a group of vultures that take particular delight in eating the flesh of sentient creatures.

Loot in mound: +1 keen rapier that constantly weeps blood (about 1 mL/minute), mithral headband of vast intelligence +2, and Chester's halberd gains ghost touch ability.

Kalabuto notes wrote:

Gallows Tree has 8 bodies on ground and 8 bodies “hanging out.” (They sever their ropes in first round).

Kibi: stats for Village Idiot, page 308 [Gamemastery Guide], but 12 Cha instead of Str and ranks in Bluff +2 and Stealth +1 (+5 outside) instead of Climb and Perception. Has Fleet and Run feats instead of Catch Off-Guard and Endurance.

Taxes and tariffs mean most items (basically anything over 50 gp) costs 125% of the listed price. Or can buy smuggled items/contraband at 110% of listed price with a DC 15 Diplomacy or Bluff check, the DC of which increases by 1 point for each new type of contraband item to be purchased by that character. If the Diplomacy check fails, the store owner doubles their asking price. A DC 10 Bluff check allows you to sell goods for 75% of the market price (+1 to DC per each type of item subsequently sold). If the Bluff check fails, the character is spotted with their contraband by the Kalabuto Militia or their informants, and will be arrested for possession of prohibited materials. The Kalabuto Militia is numerous (5d4 Guards as on page 260 will first converge on the offending PC, led by 1d4 Guard Officers; then if one of them manages to get away and warn the rest of the Militia, it'll be 20 guards, 5 guard officers, 2 Watch Captains, and a Battle Mage p. 256). +44 Perception (with average aids) to find party. Got numerous complaints about this one. It's basically what's listed in the Sargava: The Lost Colony sourcebook but . . . it's not really fun to play?

Other stuff that can happen:
Ilisa's quest for a custom magic item that gives permanent endure elements (wizard by name of Bira likes to punch walls when he's mad).
Chester's halberd pulls her towards a small heap of stones near the base of one of the colonial-owned pyramids. Someone's slopped what looks like red paint over the stones. The stones have bas-relief pieces on them – pictures of a rising or setting sun, trees, clouds, pillars of what must be rock. Perhaps they fit together? DC 15 Craft (something stone related) or Knowledge (engineering).
The Grisgol: Sees a couple of people in a canoe get stuck on a sandbar in the river. They profile her, quietly beckon her over, offer some money if she can help them get dislodged and also buy them some food from the Shrunken Head. Escaped "house" slaves (Bibio & Taala) from the colonial enclaves.

A sidequest that might be a little more usable for other groups (intended for a PC who is returning to Kalabuto after a long absence) wrote:

Phila's Family

Once Phila's presence in town is known (probably around 2 pm, or earlier if he seeks them out), several of his younger cousins stage a surprise greeting by jumping off a roof and trying to tackle him (+1 CMBs, 12 ACs in case someone tries to stop them)

Family members:
Marasi (f cousin, knows kung-fu and flowers), Grokushtal (m cousin, knows kung fu and weaving), Ma Biba (mom), Sibiu (sister), Mama Orthoj (paternal grandma), Moh Roodsisial (paternal grandfather), Xhaawalong (father), Ozia (uncle, works on the docks), Bima (aunt), Sorasho (aunt, Chelish, married to Ozia), Kanboa (Biba's girlfriend), Papa Makiki (Biba's dad), Mama Dukpoduk (Biba's mom), Papa Mketjan Phon (Biba's dad2), another half-dozen cousins and uncles/aunts (Xhatiktik, Biabi, Bima, Vermama, Xhaxha, Aban)

Things to include:
Horrifying things coming up from ruins (got Phila's paternal grandma Mama Orthoj, folks think)
No good or dead dad (now working in Mzali, maybe a general-type?)
Celebration thrown for Bhekithemba with breadfruit, sausagefruit, pineapples, flavored coffee, roast spiders, very large breads (whole party invited); Aunt Bima gives a speech in his honor to commend him for “staying true to his people” and then Mama Dukpoduk stands up and challenges her for disrespecting Xhaawalong. Families form up in opposition to each other, potential brawl (Moh Roodsisial punches Mketjan Phon) due to high tensions from missing Mama Orthoj.
Missing Mama Orthoj
She lives in a shack made of palm thatch and rubble, near a ruined tower they say was inhabited by a colonist who in a cold blooded rage murdered all her slaves and several members of her family, some decades ago. According to legend, around the anniversary of her death by suicide (last week), her ghost leaves the ruins and steals the body of the happiest, proudest person nearby. Wailing is heard from the tower for a few nights afterward, by anyone who dares go close.
IN REALITY: The hideous spirit of the murderer has passed on to Abaddon and been consumed, but the taint of her crimes awakened a fell spirit beast in the depths of Kalabuto. It crawled up and, with a cruel understanding of what she'd done, began terrorizing the locals, slowly morphing its form to match Lady Godfre's. Now this creature looks like a cross between a large insect and a blond-haired woman with folds of exoskeleton and rough fur draped around her like an especially ornate dress. She has a large turban covering most of her hair, and her face is oddly porcelain, almost like a mask. She has six legs, heavy-looking wings with white bone ridges and transparent interstitial material, and a very hornet-like stinger. Uses thriae soldier stats on page 267, but advanced template. Can fire the stinger as ranged attack, and it's poisoned. Can feed on Mama as per Merope Consumption, also (kills Mama Orthoj). Speaks Aklo and Polyglot and is LE. “Clothes” can be cut off and sold for ~350 gp, and the remains of other victims hold jewelry worth 500 gp, a masterwork club, a cloak of resistance +1, and 125 gp.
Slayer Spirit CR 5
XP 1600
LN Medium monstrous humanoid
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +11
Defense
AC 21, touch 15, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +5 Dex, +2 natural) 19
hp 52 (5d10+25)
Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +8
Immune poison, sonic; DR 2/stone
Offense
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee sting +12 (1d8+10 plus poison)
Ranged sting +10 (1d8+7/×3 plus poison) or Rapid Shot +8/+8 (1d8+7/×3 plus poison)
Special Attacks merope consumption
Statistics
Str 24, Dex 21, Con 20, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 19
Base Atk +5; CMB +12; CMD 27
Feats Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot
Skills Fly +15, Intimidate +12, Perception +11, Profession (miner) +8, Stealth +11, Survival +11, Swim +12
Languages Aklo, Polyglot
Special Abilities
Merope Consumption (Su) Once per day as a standard action, a thriae soldier can consume a dose of merope in order to enhance her combat abilities for 1d6+3 rounds. Starting on the round after the merope is consumed, the thriae soldier gains a +2 insight bonus on attack rolls and saving throws, and gains fast healing 3.
Poison (Ex) Sting or arrow—injury; save Fort DC 17; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect Str poison cure 1 save. As a free action, a thriae soldier can apply her venom to an arrow as she fires the shot. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Cheiton's infodump wrote:

“Y'all had the good luck to find those ruins right as the Sargavan rainy season was ending. We've got the monsoon ending by the end of Lamashan, and after that it'll get a little hotter but a lot less humid and rainy. That means that wagon I saw you stabling will be able to handle most of the trails, even along the riverbank where it floods earlier in the year. So, just keep following the Upper Korir River northeast.

“But once you do cross the river, you'll have to be careful. You'll be leaving Sargava's territory, and that means attacks by warriors from Mzali are that much more likely. Oh, and - for those of you who don't know, Mzali a city run by a xenophobic cult that worships the living mummy of a long-dead child. I wouldn't plan any vacations there.
“Once you get to the Screaming Jungle, double your watches. I've heard too many stories of guards getting dragged off into the darkness and then jungle spirits devouring whole camps of folk. Enough stories that you have to wonder how there are so many survivors, but still worrisome. And to add to that you should be careful of the cannibalistic fey Eloko, as well as the demon-worshipping ape-people called the charau-ka. The latter you'll also have to worry about once you cross over into the Mwangi Expanse proper.
“You should spot a ruined city – once called “Liclac,” now burned and broken – on the opposite bank as you're leaving the Screaming Jungle. Don't camp near it if you can avoid it.
“After the Screaming Jungle, it's a short trip through some foothills of the Bandu Hills, and then near the shores of the Ocota River you should find the ruins of Tazion. Got any questions?”
Rival Faction Agents (I used a fighter rewrite for this, but if redoing would probably just use fighters updated to the stamina rules) wrote:

Rival Faction Agents (4) CR 3

XP 800 each
Human revised fighter 1/unchained rogue 3
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +7; Senses Perception +7
Defense
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 34 each (4 HD; 1d10+3d8+11)
Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +1
Defensive Abilities danger sense +1, evasion
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk short sword +7 (1d6+3/19–20 plus poison) or mwk punching dagger +5 (1d4+1/x3) or Power Attack mwk short sword +4 (1d6+5/19-20 plus poison) and mwk punching dagger +2 (1d4+2/x3)
Ranged hand crossbow +6 (1d4/19–20 plus poison)
Special Attacks finesse training (short sword), rogue talents (poison use), sneak attack +2d6, weapon training (light blades +1)
Statistics
Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12
Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 18
Feats Improved InitiativeB, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Use Magic Device), ToughnessB, Two-Weapon FightingB, Weapon FinesseB
Skills Acrobatics +10 (4 ranks), Bluff +9 (4 ranks), Climb +9 (4 ranks), Disable Device +9 (3 ranks), Escape Artist +9 (3 ranks), Intimidate +7 (3 ranks), Knowledge (local) +4 (1 rank), Perception +7 (4 ranks), Stealth +9 (3 ranks), Use Magic Device +10 (3 ranks)
Languages Common, Polyglot; Favored Class rogue (+3 hp)
SQ practice overcomes talent, trapfinding +1
Combat Gear potion of invisibility, wand of glyph of warding (leader
only; 5 charges), spider vine poison (4 doses), thunderstone;
Other Gear +1 studded leather, hand crossbow and 10 bolts,
masterwork punching dagger, masterwork short sword,
grappling hook, silk rope (50 ft.), thieves’ tools, 36 gp
Special Abilities
Poison (Ex) Spider vine poison—injury; save Fort DC 15;
frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; initial effect paralysis;
secondary effect 1d2 Con damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. Costs 250 gp.
Spider vine poison appears on page 6 of Heart of the Jungle.

If you have casters in the party, the agents should definitely open with thunderstones as soon as they've made their first poison attacks. That was the only reason my agents weren't immediately subdued.

Spellbooks (for my houserule that wizards can't prepare spells in their opposition schools) wrote:

Jigeke Spellbook

4th—animate dead, contagion, enervation
3rd—fly, gentle repose, ray of exhaustion, vampiric touch
2nd—blindness/deafness, false life, hypnotic pattern, spectral hand, summon swarm
1st—chill touch, feather fall, mage armor, ray of enfeeblement, shield, transfer tattoo, true strike, web bolt
0 (at will)—acid splash, arcane mark, bleed, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, ghost sound, haunted fey aspect, mage hand, mending, message, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic, resistance, root, touch of fatigue

Issilar Spellbook
3rd—hold person, lightning bolt, protection from energy
2nd—cat’s grace, flaming sphere, hideous laughter, protection from arrows, scorching ray, spider climb
1st—alter musical instrument, burning hands, charm person, damp powder, detect charm, detect metal, gravity bow, heightened awareness, identify, lighten object, magic missile, shield, sow thought
0 (at will)—daze, detect magic, mage hand, ray of frost, read magic

Expanded Random Encounter Table for M'neri Plains wrote:

d% Encounter Avg. XP Avg. CR

1 - 2 Ellim bush (and roll again) 0 0
3 - 4 Gorao tree (and roll again) 0 0
5 - 6 1 shard mole 200 ½
7 - 7 1 insect swarm 400 1
8 - 10 Bulu-bulu tree 400 1
11 - 12 Frog cactus 400 1
13 - 14 Mosquitoes 400 1
15 - 16 1 cheetah 600 2
17 - 18 1 cockatrice 800 3
19 - 19 1 giant scorpion 800 3
20 - 21 1 mosquito swarm 800 3
22 - 22 1 small tuyewera 800 3
23 - 25 1 botfly swarm 1200 4
26 - 26 1 rhinoceros 1200 4
27 - 28 1 tuyewera 1200 4
29 - 30 1d6 venomous snakes 1400 4
31 - 32 1d4 bat swarms 1500 4
33 - 34 1d4 monitor lizards 1500 4
35 - 35 1d4 snake swarms 1500 4
36 - 37 1 dire lion 1600 5
38 - 39 1 giant frilled lizard 1600 5
40 - 41 1d8 hyenas 1800 5
42 - 43 1d8 Mwangi tribesfolk 1800 5
44 - 46 1d8 wild pigs (young boars) 1800 5
47 - 48 1d4 ankhegs 2000 5
49 - 49 Gnoll hunting party 2000 5
50 - 50 1 large tuyewera 2400 6
51 - 53 1d12 chimpanzees 2600 6
54 - 55 2d12 hobgoblins 2600 6
56 - 57 1d6 dire hyenas 2800 6
58 - 59 1d6 lions 2800 6
60 - 60 1d6 pteranodons 2800 6
61 - 62 1d6 rival faction agents 2800 6
63 - 64 1d6 vultures 2800 6
65 - 66 1 elephant 3200 7
67 - 68 1 rajput ambari 3200 7
69 - 69 1 stegosaurus 3200 7
70 - 70 1 wyrmling gold dragon 3200 7
71 - 70 2d8-1 undead ningyos 3200 7
71 - 72 1d8 merchants 3600 7
73 - 75 1d8 unaligned faction agents 3600 7
76 - 76 2d4 ankhegs 4000 7
77 - 78 1d8-1 venomous snake swarms 4200 7
79 - 79 2d6 giant ants 4200 7
80 - 81 1 dire tiger 4800 8
82 - 81 1 huge tuyewera 4800 8
82 - 82 1 triceratops 4800 8
83 - 84 1d12 deinonychuses 5200 8
85 - 87 1d6 army ant swarms 5600 8
88 - 88 1d8-1 vireseed swarms 5600 8
89 - 90 4d6 antelope 5600 8
91 - 93 4d6 zebras 5600 8
94 - 94 1d4 tribal totems 6000 8
95 - 95 1 very young gold dragon 6400 9
96 - 96 1d4 quetzalcoatlus 8000 9
97 - 98 1d6 ankylosauruses 8400 9
99 - 100 1d6 wyverns 8400 9


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Thank you for sharing your ideas and your work! Much appreciated!


1 person marked this as a favorite.

My players should finish the AP tomorrow. Once they're done I will post a lot of the custom stuff I did. It's been a labor of love for me and I really enjoy sharing my stuff and hearing the stories of other's adventures, so stay tuned.

Liberty's Edge

Would love to see what you've cooked up! Guess I'm due for a bit of an update here myself.

Liberty's Edge

We rolled a vireseed swarm random encounter, so here's my ecology-trained explanation for how it works wrote:
From a tall tree near the campsite (DC 20 Knowledge or Survival to identify before any seeds start falling), small yellow-colored seeds have been descending all night. Ask for Perception checks from each person on watch (DC 27), then for a Knowledge (nature) or Survival check from anyone who spots the seeds (base DC 15, text below+swarm traits+plant traits, infestation ability, disturbed by light and area effects). At the first light of morning, however, they begin flicking around with tiny springs built into their hulls, lodging in flesh, clothing, and even the wagon. Party has about 1 minute before swarms begin to coalesce – if they get more than 60 ft. away, will only have to deal with two swarms. Any area attack that deals hit point damage will provoke the swarms into forming prematurely.
Screaming Jungle Weather wrote:

Dominant weather table for Screaming Jungle, Lamashan-Neth. Humidity always 80 except clear skies (70) and thunderstorms (90). Wind speed as appropriate (or 01-33 calm, 34-66 moderate, 67-99 strong), 80% chance of coming from west and 81-100% from northeast. Fog occurs during the entire day if fog is rolled, as well as following a precipitation event. (note, +2 from compass, +2 from being familiar w/ terrain)

weather chart

Due to humidity, any encounters during days where max heat is >70 will require a DC 10 Fortitude save vs. 1d4 points of nonlethal damage from heat, +1 to DC for each 5 degrees F it is above 70 degrees. Additionally, during days where high (or nights where low) is >90 degrees, characters must make Fortitude saves versus heat as for “very hot conditions.” During days where high or nights where low is >100 degrees (or 95F and thunderstorms), “severe heat.”

Hippo Hunt wrote:

[The encounter conditions remained mostly the same, except that the lizardfolk are not immediately hostile.] The lizardfolk throw spears at a hippo, causing it to charge up onto land (where it's slower), but then spot the party and shout apologies in Draconic. A second hippo joins in the round after the first is injured, hearing the pained roars of its friend. (CR 7 encounter)

Lizardfolk are of the Shezek tribe, which has an enclave on the opposite bank of the Korir River. Their territory has contracted of late with Mzali encroachment. They do not want to invite the party to their home in case there is a spy among them (they have dealt with the Aspis Consortium in the past), but they give apology by placing a beautiful amber river-polished diamond into the hand of the most wounded party member. DC 20 Appraise: The diamond is worth 10000 gold pieces. Named Jeklina (raspy), Helli (whispery), and Jektan (loud). Their genders don't translate well to Polyglot (food-bearer, child-rearer, protector).

Itombu as a mesmerist wrote:

Itombu CR 8

Male shadow demon mesmerist 1
XP 4,800
CE Medium outsider (chaotic, demon, evil, extraplanar, incorporeal)
Init [[1d20+11]]; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception [[1d20+21]]
Defense
AC 23, touch 23, flat-footed 17 (+7 deflection, +6 Dex)
hp 78 (7d10+1d8+32) (flees after taking 39 damage if it hasn't dropped someone) current damage: 21
damage
Fort [[1d20+6]], Ref [[1d20+15]], Will [[1d20+9]]
Defensive Abilities incorporeal, shadow splinter; DR 10/cold iron or good; Immune cold, electricity, poison; Resist acid 10, fire 10; SR 17
Weaknesses sunlight powerlessness
Offense
Speed fly 40 ft. (perfect)
Melee 2 claws [[1d20+13]] touch ([[1d6]] plus [[1d6]] cold), bite [[1d20+13]] touch ([[1d8]] plus [[1d6]] cold)
Special Attacks hypnotic stare -2, 7/8 mesmerist tricks (shadow splinter -10 DC 17), painful stare +1, pounce, sprint, shadow blend
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th, concentration [[1d20+17]])
At will—deeper darkness, fear (DC 20), greater teleport (self only), telekinesis (DC 21)
3/day—shadow conjuration (DC 20) (1 used), shadow evocation (DC 21) (3 used)
1/day—magic jar (DC 21, 1 used), summon (level 3, 1 shadow demon 50%)
Mesmerist Spells Known (CL 1st, concentration [[1d20+8]])
1st-level (2/2) – charm person (DC 18), fumbletongue (DC 18)
0-level (at will) – ghost sound (DC 17), light, open/close, touch of fatigue (DC 17)
Statistics
Str —, Dex 22, Con 19, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 248
Base Atk [[1d20+7]]; CMB [[1d20+13]]; CMD 27
Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes
Skills Acrobatics1 +15 (8), Bluff +16 (8), Fly2 +23 (8), Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7 (1), Knowledge (local)3 +13 (8), Knowledge (planes) +13 (8), Perception +21 (8), Sense Motive +13 (8), Stealth +15 (8), Use Magic Device +16 (8); Racial Modifiers +8 Perception
Languages Abyssal, Common, Polyglot; telepathy 100 ft.
Favored Class mesmerist (+1 skill)
SQ consummate liar
Special Abilities
Mesmerist Tricks (Su) A mesmerist can create hypnotic bonds with his allies, implanting magical suggestions in their minds that he can later activate. Each day, he can implant a number of these tricks equal to 1/2 his mesmerist level (minimum 1) plus his Charisma bonus (if any). He can have only one trick implanted at a given time, and implanting a new trick ends the previous one (the mesmerist still loses the use of this ability he spent on the previous trick).
To implant a trick, the mesmerist must take a standard action and either touch a willing creature or implant the trick in himself. A creature can be the subject of only one mesmerist trick at a time. The mesmerist can activate the trick as a free action when a triggering condition is met (as defined in the trick's description), even if it isn't his turn. The subject must be within medium range (100 feet + 10 feet per level) for the mesmerist to trigger the trick. The mesmerist monitors for the trick's triggering condition through a subtle telepathic connection, so he doesn't need line of sight to trigger it—but anything that blocks telepathic contact prevents him from triggering tricks. An implanted trick lasts until the next time the mesmerist regains his spells.
Once triggered, a trick is no longer implanted, and can't be triggered again until the mesmerist implants the trick again. The duration of the effect caused by triggering a trick is either instantaneous or appears in the trick's entry. The DC for any mesmerist trick or masterful trick that requires a saving throw or skill check is 10 + 1/2 the mesmerist's level + the mesmerist's Charisma modifier.
Sprint (Ex) Once per minute, a shadow demon increase its fly speed to 240 feet for 1 round.
Shadow Blend (Su) During any conditions other than bright light, a shadow demon can disappear into the shadows as a move-equivalent action, effectively becoming invisible. Artificial illumination or light spells of 2nd level or lower do not negate this ability.
Shadow Splinter (Su): The mesmerist protects the subject against an attack and redirects the harm to someone else. The mesmerist can trigger this trick when the subject takes damage from an attack. The damage the subject takes is reduced by an amount equal to 3 + the mesmerist's Charisma modifier (to a maximum of the total amount of damage the attack deals). Another creature within range of the original attack, other than the attacker, is affected by a shadow illusion that makes it appear as if the attacker is attacking that creature instead of the attacker's actual target. This second creature takes an amount of damage equal to the amount by which the attack's damage was reduced. This shadow doesn't require a roll to hit and ignores cover and concealment, but the target can attempt a Will save to disbelieve the effect. If it succeeds at this save, it neither takes the damage nor believes the attacker targeted it. This trick can't be triggered if there's no eligible second creature within range to take the redirected damage. This is an illusion (shadow) effect.
Sunlight Powerlessness (Ex) A shadow demon is utterly powerless in bright light or natural sunlight and flees from it. A shadow demon caught in such light cannot attack and can take only a single move or standard action. A shadow demon that is possessing a creature using magic jar is not harmed by sunlight, but if it is struck by a sunbeam or sunburst spell while possessing a creature, the shadow demon is driven out of its host automatically.

Possessed Dire Ape CR 3
XP 800
CE Large animal (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 17)
Init [[1d20+7]]; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception [[1d20+21]]
Defense
AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +5 natural, –1 size)
hp 30 (4d8+12)
Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +7
SR 17
Weaknesses sunlight vulnerability
Offense
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite [[1d20+10]] ([[1d6+4]]), 2 claws [[1d20+10]] ([[1d4+4]])
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks hypnotic stare -2, 8 mesmerist tricks (shadow splinter -10 DC 17), painful stare +1, rend (2 claws, [[1d4+6]])
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration [[1d20+17]])
At will—deeper darkness, fear (DC 20), greater teleport (self only), telekinesis (DC 21)
3/day—shadow conjuration (DC 20), shadow evocation (DC 21)
1/day—magic jar (DC 21), summon (level 3, 1 shadow demon 50%)
Mesmerist Spells Known (CL 1st, concentration [[1d20+8]])
1st-level (2/2) – charm person (DC 18), fumbletongue (DC 18)
0-level (at will) – ghost sound (DC 17), light, open/close, touch of fatigue (DC 17)
Tactics
During Combat The possessed dire ape begins by casting
fear at its opponents. Then, relishing in its physical body, it
forgoes further spellcasting and leaps into combat, rending
with its bite and claws.
Morale The possessed ape fights to the death, at which point
the shadow demon exits the ape’s body and attacks the PCs.
Statistics
Str 19, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 19
Base Atk [[1d20+7]]; CMB [[1d20+12]]; CMD 24
Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes
Skills Acrobatics +11 (8), Bluff +16 (8), Fly +9 (8), Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7 (1), Knowledge (local) +13 (8), Knowledge (planes) +13 (8), Perception +21 (8), Sense Motive +13 (8), Stealth +7 (8), Use Magic Device +16 (8)
Gear belt of natural armor +1 (2000 gp, quartz-studded, rain-spotted leather belt that's tied into a knot around elbow and smells like sweat), cracked dusty rose ioun stone (500 gp, can be used as magic jar focus)
Special Abilities
Sunlight Vulnerability (Ex) A shadow demon that is possessing a
creature using magic jar is not harmed by sunlight, but if it is
struck by a sunbeam or sunray spell while possessing a creature,
the shadow demon is driven out of its host automatically.

Note: It's not actually that great an idea to level Itombu up, even if your party is ahead of schedule like mine. But if you have both a large party AND a lot of casters, this mesmerist build won't totally TPK them. I also decided to use a random action generator to represent Itombu's capricious (but usually malicious) mindset. This generator's based on the party's second fight, where he returned under cover of darkness with four spitting cobras, possessing one of said cobras (but couldn't use its spit ability because of the magic jar rules).
Pick action by rolling 1d12 wrote:
1 – bite, 2 – fear, 3 – greater teleport, 4 – shadow conjuration (1-12 grease, glitterdust, web, communal mount, stinking cloud, phantom steed, spiked pit, sleet storm, aqueous orb, ash storm, summon monster iii (1-lantern archon, 2-dretch, 3-fiendish crocodile, 4-fiendish constrictor snake, 5-1d4+1 fiendish vipers, 6-fiendish dire bat), summon swarm (always snakes)), 5 – shadow evocation (1-fireball, 2-wall of fire, 3-hydraulic torrent, 4-wall of ice, 5-resilient sphere, 6-chain of perdition, 7-lightning bolt, 8-wind wall, 9-barrier of wind, 10-shout, 11-dragon's breath, 12-vitriolic mist), 6 – summon another shadow demon, 7 – ghost sound, 8 – magic jar, 9 – deeper darkness, 10 – telekinesis, 11 – fumbletongue, 12 – shadow splinter
Itombu's backstory wrote:

Itombu, also known as the lesser wendo the Seventh Accident, first arrived to Golarion over 11 thousand years ago, coming as an envoy from the demon lord Vyriavaxus to the Emperor of Scales, the herald of Ydersius. He spent many years going back and forth between Rankarrus, Sydrixus, and the seat of Ydersius' material power in Sverenagati. However, as Ydersius' court fled to Ilmurea at the end of the Age of Serpents, Vyriavaxus told his messenger that would not provide aid to the snake god – Itombu knew that when he reported this to Ydersius, he would be slain on sight, and fled to the surface. In the centuries that followed, he joined the ancient sabosan building the city of Jaytirian, possessing key individuals to both lend his power and relish their physical forms. Soon, Jaytirian was warring with its neighbors to the northeast (declining Saventh-Yhi) and the south. Itombu and his vessel were ultimately defeated in a battle with the ancient Mwangi nation of Bis!Kek, and he was trapped in an iron flask that was then stored deep underground for further study. During his imprisonment, his demon lord was slain by Nocticula, but as he has no divine power he did not sense the loss. He escaped less than a decade ago, when agents of Lady Daugustana of Eleder raided the underground vault for power and wealth. He has since flitted across the landscape, and found the Screaming Jungle much to his liking: without any organized defense, and few powers greater than his own on this side of the river, he can possess anyone and anything he wishes. He is envious of life, having no earthly body save when he possesses, and once entrenched in a body will not be removed until that body dies – typically of thirst, but sometimes of being killed by another creature that Itombu has attempted to fight. If he knows that a party member is descended from the people of Saventh-Yhi or Bis!Kek, he takes the time to mock them for their nation's failures, and for his own endurance while their civilization crumbled. If promised a body to inhabit in which he may feel earthy sensations, a portal back to the realm of Vyriavaxus, or a city to rule, Itombu may be willing to enter into a pact; for the most part, however, he cannot be reasoned with. He also does not know that Nocticula slew Vyriavaxus, and that a plane shift would not help him return home. He could be intimidated into serving the party, but it would take a very good check to prevent him from attempting to possess one of them after a few days (or hours!).

The Noedtwan tribe is the only tribe that has chosen to stay in this region of the forest since Itombu's arrival, thanks in large part to their wendifa's ability to repel contrary wendo.

Before the next session, I had a dream about an aphid that would poison you if you touched it wrote:

Scale Tree

At noon, [a random party member, including animals] nearly brushes up against a scale tree. The party gets Knowledge (nature) DC 19 checks to identify the aphid/tree [and Handle Animal checks to get an animal to step away]. (combat situation so no taking 10). Info priority: The scale tree is home to a rare species of insect that is renowned for its danger. You remember that these creatures, called bonerot aphids, should never be set on fire. DC 24: Bonerot aphids are coated in a thick acidic oil, which they impart to any predator that attacks them. The oil destroys hard tissues, like bones and teeth, first. DC 29: Bonerot aphids carry their own young within them and explode to disperse their children; these explosions can reach more than 3 meters.

Bonerot Aphid CR 5
XP 1600
N fine vermin
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception -3
DEFENSE
AC 21, touch 21, flat-footed 18 (+3 Dex, +8 size)
hp 4 (1d8)
Fort +2, Ref +3, Will -3
Defensive Abilities vermin traits; Weaknesses heat sensitivity
OFFENSE
Speed 5 ft.
Melee touh +3 (poison)
Special Attacks death burst, poisonous touch
STATISTICS
Str 1, Dex 16, Con 10, Int -, Wis 5, Cha 3
Base Atk +0; CMB -5; CMD 5
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Death Burst (Ex) When a bonerot aphid dies, it explodes in a burst of poison. All creatures within 10 ft. of the aphid are exposed to its poison as if hit by its poisonous touch and must make a Fortitude save to avoid beoming poisoned.
Heat Sensitivity (Ex) A single point of fire damage automatically kills a bonerot aphid, triggering its death burst.
Poisonous Touch (Ex) A bonerot aphid is covered in a virulent poison that rapidly dissolves first the touched skin, then the teeth, then the bones of an affected creature. Whenever the aphid successfully hits on a touch attack, it discharges a small quantity of poison. In addition, whenever another creature successfully attacks the aphid with a natural weapon, melee touch attack, or unarmed strike, that creature is automatically exposed to the poison.
Bonerot Poison Type poison, contact; Save Fortitude DC 20; Track Constitution; Frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; Special This poison causes acid damage rather than poison damage (acid resistance protects, but poison does not); Cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +10 racial bonus.

My party wanted to take their Mzali ranger prisoners to some sort of authority for justice rather than executing them in the field wrote:

The nomadic Noedtwan tribe's camps dot the northern length of the Upper Korir River. The party passes an empty camp-village the day before they reach the tribe itself (use tribal camp map from Heart of the Jungle but with many more trees around; pond is constructed for fish farming).

Noedtwan Camp
LN hamlet
Corruption -2; Crime -2; Economy -1; Law -2; Lore -2; Society -2
Qualities prosperous
Danger 0; Disadvantages ephemeral
Government autocracy
Population 35 (34 humans, 1 painterlily)
Notable NPCs
Wendifa Su-Eloko Amkharize (N male human juju oracle 4), reincarnated Eloko
Healer Siren (NG female painterlily expert 2/bard 1), wants to know if afterlife exists for her
Net-Tender Mureg Fish-Scarred (LN female warrior 3/barbarian 2), heavily scarred from maka-yika bites
Harvester Orda of the Canopy (LN female swashbuckler 2), always agrees
Base Value 260 gp; Purchase Limit 1500 gp; Spellcasting 2nd
Minor Items 1 (lens of detection)
Ephemeral This settlement only exists for 3 months out of the year before its inhabitants move on to the next village downstream. There is also more danger in an ephemeral settlement where the surroundings are not thoroughly cleaned of monsters throughout the year. As a result, nothing weighing more than 50 pounds (apart from vehicles and animals) can be purchased in this settlement, and the Danger score of this settlement increases by 5.

Noedtwan Occurences
Su-Eloko Amkharize will pronounce judgement on the Mzali captives, hearing arguments from both them and the PCs (opposed Diplomacy roll vs. the -1 the captives each have). Mureg will ensure that the Mzali captives do not run off, while Orda of the Canopy (translated) will show them how to provide for their own nutrition.

If the party fails to convince Amkharize that the captives must be held, he asks them to perform a service for him and his tribe. An impetuous young necromancer named Jigeke has become host to a powerful “contrary” wendo, which Amkharize says is called Mfuello, the Journeyer. Mfuello is a destructive, angry wendo who always feels excluded and restless, and last month he killed one of the Noedtwan tribe before being cast out. Mfuello raided the tomb of his former enemy-friend Amghawe, gaining two large long-clawed undead servants and Amghawe's legendary magic spear and war mask (which Mfuello had helped him craft). He and his undead servants have been roaming the forest killing everything they come across, and Amkharize has been unable to stop them – indeed, he can only do what he can to make the tribe members invisible to Mfuello. Amkharize asks the party to stop Mfuello any way they can, and in return he will hold the Mzali rangers captive. The party may even take Amghawe's spear and war mask if they think those items will help them in their quest to save the ancient city of the north.

If party does convince Amkharize, this info can instead be imparted by Mureg, who will have Amkharize give each party member a little pouch of frog bones to wear around their neck. (+1 deflection bonus and immune to Mfuello's unearthly powers for 13 days, but if they fail to apprehend Jigeke, instead take a -1 penalty to AC for the duration of that period)

[It's a Bird Village]
The Net-Tender must both repair the nets used for fishing in the Korir River and maintain the bird nets over the village's fish pond – all raptors are captured and eaten, but songbirds are allowed to go free. The Noedtwan tribe pays specific respect to chickens, which are never eaten or kept in cages, and are sometimes possessed by the rooster wendo Tokuru, the Lover. Tokuru thinks he is the best of all the wendo, but he is actually rather small in comparison to his sister Sister Lilza. Amkharize can tell a story of how Tokuru once ate a stone and then screamed all day and all night from the pain of losing his teeth, but found that he couldn't chew without more stones, and now he and his children all must scream forever. That night, if the party allows, Amkharize will summon Tokuru through one of their roosters and ask him where Mfuello is now. Tokuru is friends with Mfuello, and he knows that Jigeke the human is still sleeping in the tomb of Amghawe.

Amghawe's Tomb wrote:

Mfuello comes out to listen to who the party is before he attacks, though he already has the aura of cannibalism running. He can be appeased with a DC 23 Diplomacy check, with a +2 bonus if the party references letting him partake in some sort of ritual, meal, or other group activity – even swimming. A creative use of Intimidate or Bluff can meet the same DC. In the case of a successful check, he dismisses the aura and puts away his spear, and takes part in whatever activity was promised. Laughing with many croaks, he fades out of Jigeke's body.

Jigeke the Exile CR 7
XP 3200
Male human necromancer 8
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +2
Defense
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +1 deflection, +2 Dex, +1 natural) + 20% concealment vs. adjacent melee, 50% vs. ranged [fog]
hp 52 (8d6+16) + 1d10+8 temporary
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +8
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 spear +6 (1d8+2/3) or dagger +5 (1d4+1/19–20)
Ranged touch +5
Special Attacks channel negative energy (DC 13, 7/day)
Arcane School Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +12)
7/day—grave touch (4 rounds)
Spells Prepared (CL 8th; concentration +12)
4th—animate dead, contagion (DC 18), enervation (1, DC 18)
3rd—aura of cannibalism (DC 17), fly, ray of exhaustion (DC 17), vampiric touch (2, DC 17)
2nd—blindness/deafness (DC 16), false life, hypnotic pattern
(DC 16), spectral hand, summon swarm
1st—chill touch (DC 15), mage armor, ray of enfeeblement (2,
DC 15), shield, true strike
0 (at will)—bleed (DC 14), detect magic, detect poison, read
magic, resistance
Opposition Schools Enchantment, Evocation
Tactics
Before Combat Jigeke casts false life and mage armor on himself every morning. Should he hear the party moving, he asts aura of cannibalism on himself and moves outside.
During Combat Jigeke uses his mask’s scare ability to frighten away as many foes as possible, then moves behind the trolls and casts fly on himself. Mfuello's ghostly form tries to squeeze the life out of the party, but they feel the bones in their pouches rattling, and it stops. He then tries to make the ground into mud around the party, but the slop turns back into solid as soon as they step on it. Jigeke makes ray attacks to weaken opponents, then makes touch attacks with spectral hand. If necessary, he bolsters his defenses with shield. Mfuello tries to drop a tree on the party, but it just falls in a random direction away from them.
Morale Once he's reached 34 hp and if it's not already running, he casts aura of cannibalism on himself. If he drops below 30 hp, he flees and uses his wand to heal himself. Mfuello fores the wizard to return as soon as he's fully healed. If dropped below 0 hp, Mfuello's spirit departs and Jigeke beomes himself again – though, unconscious. If woken, he is contrite but still grumpy, and gives the party his spellbook, the onyx stones, the spear, and the mask, as he does not want to kill so many people again. They can return the mask and spear to Amghawe's tomb if they wish.
Statistics
Str 12, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +4; CMB +5; CMD 18
Feats Combat Casting, Command Undead, Craft Wondrous Item, Greater Spell Focus (necromancy), Martial Weapon Proficiency (spear), Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (necromancy), Toughness
Skills Craft (alchemy) +12 (5), Fly +7 (2), Intimidate +8 (7), Knowledge (arcana) +14 (7), Knowledge (history) +14 (7), Knowledge (local) +14 (7), Knowledge (religion) +14 (7), Spellcraft +14 (7), Use Magi Deie +6 (7)
Languages Common, Draconic, Giant, Polyglot, Sylvan
SQ arcane bond (amulet)
Gear +1 spear, dagger, amulet of natural armor +1, war mask of terror (see sidebar), onyx stones worth 280 gp (party thinks worth 300 gold), sroll of grease, identify, and hypnotism (75 gp), sroll of fireball and wind wall (750 gp), spellbook (195 gp more than normal), wand of cure light wounds with 50 charges (750 gp)
Mfuello
Greater Wendo
Str -, Dex -, Con -, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 10
Various undetermined magial abilities + possession
Will +9, no SR

Jigeke Spellbook [updated]
4th—animate dead, contagion, enervation
3rd—aura of cannibalism, fly, gentle repose, ray of exhaustion, vampiric touch
2nd—blindness/deafness, defoliate, false life, hypnotic pattern, spectral hand, summon swarm
1st—chill touch, feather fall, grease, mage armor, ray of enfeeblement, shield, transfer tattoo, true strike
0 (at will)—acid splash, arcane mark, bleed, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, ghost sound, haunted fey aspect, mage hand, mending, message, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic, resistance, root, touch of fatigue

It's been a while since our last game - we left off after Mfuello was exorcised, if memory serves. The party wizard is currently possessed by Itombu, but her body is suffering from dysentery, so it's not having a good time. I'll update here once they play through the next set of my notes, in which they're going to meet a fisherfolk tribe and probably fight the Eloko.


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I converted the Racing to Ruin encounter which occurs just prior to arriving in Kalabuto to a haunt.

Gallows’ Tree (CR 6)

XP 2,400; NE haunt (30ft radius of leafless boab tree); Caster Level 5th; Notice Perception DC 16 (to notice frayed ropes begin to sway in the breeze); hp 10; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 hour

EFFECT
The Gallows’ Tree manifests as a spectral noose that unerringly drops from the tree, entangling the neck of a random living being under the branches of the tree and then slowly pulling the victim up. The victim feels strangled by the rope, convulsing like a hanging victim. This experience inflicts no actual damage but begins to suffocate the victim as per the Suffocate spell (DC 17).

DESTRUCTION
Burying the victims of the hanging in consecrated ground and burning all the dangling ropes from the tree.


In the City of Seven Spears I updated Grugonoth

Grugonoth
½ Fiend Megaprimatus
CE, Gargantuan Outsider, Native
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60ft, low-light vision, scent; Perception +15
DEFENSE
AC 25, touch 11, flat-footed 21; (+4 Dex, +14 natural, -4 size, +1 deflection)
HP 125 (10d8+80)
Fort +15, Ref +11, Will +7; Immune Poison, Acid, Cold, Electricity; Resistance Fire 10;
DR 5/magic; SR 19
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., Fly 60ft (good)
Melee 2 slams +15 (1d8+11), bite +14 (2d6+11)
Power Attack - 2 slams +13 (1d8+15), bite +12 (2d6+15)
Special Attacks: Rend (2 claws, 1d4+6), 2/day Smite Good (+3 atk, +10 Damage)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10, DC 12+ Spell level)
3/day – Darkness, Poison (DC 15)
1/day – Desecrate, Unholy Blight (DC 16), Contagion (DC 16)
STATISTICS
Str 33, Dex 19, Con 26, Int 4, Wis 14, Cha 17
Base Atk +7; CMB +22; CMD 36
Feats – awesome blow, combat reflexes, improved bull rush, power attack
Skills Acrobatics +17, Climb +23, Perception +15, Intimidate +16, Fly +17, Survival +15
Gear – Vembrances of Defense

Liberty's Edge

That's a good idea with the suffocation effect. Everyone in the group was underwhelmed by the gallows tree, even though I made it tougher than the book.

Grugonoth update looks good! I'll probably use that - regular Huge Grugonoth just won't have the same impression as something that's basically a kaiju.


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Gark the Goblin wrote:

That's a good idea with the suffocation effect. Everyone in the group was underwhelmed by the gallows tree, even though I made it tougher than the book.

Grugonoth update looks good! I'll probably use that - regular Huge Grugonoth just won't have the same impression as something that's basically a kaiju.

Those were my thoughts when I made the changes.

Liberty's Edge

Whoo boy it actually hasn't been that long since I updated this, but there's a lot of new stuff.

Little set pieces along the Upper Korir River wrote:

Come across an ancient well with runes in Polyglot saying that dropping a clean agate into its water will curse their greatest enemy. What is each character's greatest enemy?

Party comes to a plain full of deep, wide cracks – might catch wagon wheels.

Massive swarms of midges descend on the party, gathering around the eyes and noses of their horses. But not dangerous, just annoying.

Random encounter with Mwangi people on the Korir River wrote:

For most of today, you've been spotting glimpses of ruins on the opposite shore. Diamata says these were once outposts of the Devouring Kingdom, and that you'll soon be coming up on one of that kingdom's cities: Liclac. The dirt tracks that you followed in the Screaming Jungle have merged onto overgrown stone pathways, and you're following one of these along the riverside when you suddenly spot a pair of canoes in the shallows just fifty feet off. There are four Bonuwat people in each canoe, and they all seem to be wearing a similar style of clothing – knee-length dresses made of some silvery substance.

Birana warriors (8) CR 1
XP 400 each
Human warrior 3
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +1
Defense
AC 20, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (+6 armor, +1 Dex, +3 shield)
hp 16 each (3d10)
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +1
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee shortspear +5 (1d6+2) or unarmed strike +5 (1d3+3)
Ranged shortspear +4 (1d6+2), ranged touch +4
Statistics
Str 14, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 8
Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 16
Feats Athletic, Improved Unarmed Strike, Shield Focus
Skills Climb +1 (1), Perception +1, Survival +2, Swim +1 (1), Use Magic Device +0
Languages Polyglot
Gear heavy wooden shield, shortspear, fish scale chainmail (75 gp), wand of heatstroke with 3 charges each

Mwangi are of the Birana Bonuwat tribe – fisherfolk with a rigorous honor code; DC 15 Knowledge (geography or local) identifies that a Stranger Greeting (raise a shield, make a series of non-aggressive gestures) is needed before approaching an unknown tribe's foraging party. Use stats for Ijo warriors, but with Use Magic Device instead of Intimidate. Negotiations require a DC 20 Diplomacy check (can be aided by Knowledge (local)) to avoid saying something offensive to the Birana and secure permission to move through their riparian zone, or the fisherfolk will stay in their canoes and use wands of heatstroke to fire on the party as they paddle away (DC 13 Fortitude saves vs. heat after combat, and also any swimming summons a swarm of maka-yika within 1d10 rounds). If the PCs conduct themselves adequately, the Birana leader, Aoo, will offer them a peace meal of fire-roasted buttery maka-yika at their camp a mile upstream. As they cook it, she will tell the party how the Tarasu tribe of Zenj to the north recently lost their spirit dancers – young women who wandered away one day without ever telling their families. Aoo asks what the party has faced so far and for stories of distant Kalabuto. She is not concerned with the coming expeditions, but thanks the party for the warning so they know to move camp to the other side of the river. The rest of the Birana do not speak much, as they are not very familiar with the Kalabuta dialect of Polyglot and have never even encountered Taldane.

Combat map I used for Birana encounter/Eloko fight, which were on the same day for me. Yellow circles are quicksand.
Random encounter with some chimps wrote:
Party comes down into a drying wetland and sees a group of dark-haired humanoids gathered near the river (DC 11 Knowledge (nature) identifies as chimps). A troop of 5 chimpanzees is digging in some dirt for tubers. When the PCs approach on the track, they begin screaming and try to intimidate them into leaving (-2 on checks). If the PCs don't intimidate back, they attack, but flee as soon as one of them is knocked unconscious.
Random encounter with some trolls in the Bandu Hills wrote:
Warhog, Figgie, Ridian, Pixeye, Kurcat. The trolls are trying to slosh mud out of a watering hole that has dried up, and they attack the party if they come close enough to see their degree of thirst. If someone casts create water, they instead try to kidnap that person.
The party discovered a cave with human and animal bones while traveling through the Bandu Hills.
They were later attacked by 3 dire lions (random encounter) wrote:
One lion charges towards the party, trying to Intimidate a horse into fleeing (has Intimidating Prowess and Frightening Ambush instead of Run and Skill Focus, and only +1 Perception so that it can have +11 Intimidate). The other two lions lion in wait beyond a small rise.
The next day, they came into an abandoned village wrote:

Shotik Village

Party comes to a small abandoned village which looks like it was destroyed by a monster, scattered with human and dog bones and torn fabric made of millet grass. DC 15 Knowledge (nature) recognizes teeth marks as cave lion handiwork. Knowledge (geography) DC 17 knows that this region was most recently occupied by Shotik tribe of Bekyar (CN warrior tribe that primarily worships warthog wendo called The One Mighty and Strong, raids other tribes, and hunts hill antelope and sheep).
The next day, they arrived in another tribe's territory wrote:
Party comes to the Dukrama Zenj tribe's boundary, which is marked by a line of grey stones each about 10 cm in diameter that basically enclose a whole watershed. According to Diamata, the party must wait for a Dukrama tribe member to allow them over the border, or else go around (adds 1 hour to travel time). It takes 1d100 minutes for a Dukrama ranger (a guy wearing what looks like furred cow leather and carrying a spear-thrower) to appear, and then Diamata can borrow Ilisa's shield and make the stranger greeting. If the party shows some sort of evidence of the favor of the Birana Bonuwat during the stranger greeting, they are automatically allowed through – otherwise, ask for a Diplomacy check DC 22 (failed check shifts towards unfriendly, as Dukwakusht thinks the party is going to attack village; if the party successfully conceals that there is a caravan coming behind them, -5 to DC but Consequences later). Dukrama ranger escorts party down into the valley, past a few small fields glistening with irrigated water, over a river, and up the hill to another line of stones.
They then entered the Baim!bira tribe's rainy-season territory, which was abandoned as it was the dry season. And then they entered the Mwangi Jungle.
Leaving the Bandu Hills wrote:
As you come down out of the hills, you cross a long plain of burned grassland that crunches underfoot and come to a verdant wall of vines and shrubs and trees. Diamata begins hacking the vegetation aside with her longsword, and you enter under the sheltering canopy of the largest known rainforest in the world: the Mwangi Jungle. It is perceptibly cooler, but more humid, and smells of a hundred different flowers and the earthy decay of leaf matter. The forest is not as loud as the Screaming Jungle, but nevertheless sings with the calls of birds, frogs, and insects.

I have even more written up for Tazion, but no time to organize it now.


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I've been preparing some changes to Saventh-Yhi, that I've collected here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pav11mT0DK405bZ9mXr7QZKP3xQZbVgM/view?usp= sharing

I had two major goals in the changes I made to Saventh-Yhi: the first was substantiate the sense that Saventh-Yhi was a city of wonders and treasures; the second was to complicate the internal dynamics of some of the districts and the relationships between districts so that PCs had more options to achieve goals than “slay at least 100 vegepygmies.” What you won’t find here is a detailed description of buildings and sites.

In each district I added a minor treasure that is tied to the district and cannot be moved without damaging the item, explaining why Urschlar was unable or unwilling to hide them. I also used the minor treasures to address some of the game-play consequences of Saventh-Yhi’s isolation, such as a chest that summons a Mercane interested in trading magic items.

I also added a more major treasure that ties to the history of the city in each district, treasures either hidden by Urschlar or already hidden by the time he arrived on the scene. I’m planning to put each major treasure in a five room dungeon (nerdsonearth.com/2017/12/5-room-dungeon/) and while I’ve included some notes on both the treasure and the dungeon, I haven’t detailed the dungeons.

I would make finding the minor and major treasures worth a discovery point each.

To differentiate each district I included random encounter tables for each district.

I don’t directly address the conquest conditions spelled out in the text, but I tried to provide new quests/opportunities to form alliances with the various factions.

A major potential source of complication to Saventh-Yhi is the actions taken by and alliances formed by rival factions. I don’t detail them below, but hopefully the quests/dynamics identified for each district can provide ideas for what the other factions are doing: if the PCs run across a rival faction in the mercantile district for instance, they may be trying to capture ketches in order to secure an alliance with Olujimi. The other factions will likely also be in conflict with the PC’s faction over control of some of the minor treasures, particularly those with limited uses.

I removed the Aboleth from the city. The only significant change this required was to change Ugimmo’s (the boggard oracle) reason for being in the Government District.

I’ve elaborated the history of the city quite a bit for my own campaign, but I’ve tried to minimize references to this history from the text.

Comments and suggestions welcome.

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