TEXT: The 
  Inferno Gate
  by Patrick Renie
  
  C
  H
  E
  LI
  A
  X
  KINTARGO
  KANTARIA
  WESTCROWN
  CORENTYN
  WHISPERWOOD
  REMESIANA
  LAEKASTEL
  OSTENSO
  CITADEL DINYAR
  HINJI
  EGORIAN
  LONGACRE
  SENARA
  
  ON THE COVER
  HELL’S VENGEANCE        The Inferno Gate
  eal the Inferno Gate, an 
  dventurers are called to 
  s and perform the ritual, they 
  knight Order of the Pike, and 
  tial allies. But before they can 
  ands of one of their closest allies. 
  se the gate to Hell—or better yet, 
  ll they become sacrifices to the 
  nues the Hell’s Vengeance 
  vel characters, 
  esley Schneider.
  y Schneider.
   
  son Keeley, Jeffrey 
  ell
  Part 3 of 6
  The 
  Inferno Gate
  by Patrick Renie
  Printed in China. PZO90105
  105
  PATHFINDER
  THE INFERNO GATE
  Paizo Inc.
  7120 185th Ave NE, Ste 120
  Redmond, WA 98052-0577
  paizo.com
  Once more, Wayne Reynolds gives us a look 
  at the latest nefarious villain for the Hell’s 
  Vengeance Adventure Path on this volume’s 
  cover—the iconic assassin, Emil Kovkorin!
  ADVENTURE PATH 3 OF 6
  Reference
  This book refers to several other Pathfinder Roleplaying Game products using the following abbreviations, 
  yet these additional supplements are not required to make use of this book. Readers interested in 
  references to Pathfinder RPG hardcovers can find the complete rules of these books available online for 
  free at paizo.com/prd.
  Advanced Class Guide 
  ACG
  Advanced Player’s Guide 
  APG
  The Inner Sea World Guide 
  ISWG
  Ultimate Combat 
  UC
  Ultimate Equipment 
  UE
  Ultimate Magic 
  UM
  This product is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game or the 3.5 edition of the 
  world’s oldest fantasy roleplaying game.
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  the Pathfinder logo, and Pathfinder Society are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; Hell’s Rebels, Hell’s Vengeance, Pathfinder Accessories, 
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  Printed in China.
  Development Leads • Adam Daigle and Rob McCreary
  Authors • Benjamin Bruck, Joe Homes, Jason Keeley, 
  Patrick Renie, F. Wesley Schneider, Jeffrey Swank, Josh Vogt, 
  and Mike Welham
  Cover Artist • Wayne Reynolds
  Interior Artists • Davi Blight, Ekaterina Burmak,  
  Mikaël Léger, Ayran Oberto, Nikolai Ostertag, 
  Sara Otterstätter, Roberto Pitturru, Bogdan Rezunenko, 
  Lydia Schuchmann, Dimitri Sirenko, and Bryan Sola
  Cartographer • Robert Lazzaretti 
  Design Elements • Eva Widermann
  Editor-in-Chief • F. Wesley Schneider
  Creative Director • James Jacobs
  Executive Editor • James L. Sutter
  Senior Developer • Rob McCreary
  Developers • John Compton, Adam Daigle, Mark Moreland, 
  and Owen K.C. Stephens
  Assistant Developers • Crystal Frasier, Amanda Hamon Kunz, 
  and Linda Zayas-Palmer
  Senior Editors • Judy Bauer and Christopher Carey
  Editors • Jason Keeley, Lyz Liddell, and Josh Vogt
  Lead Designer • Jason Bulmahn
  Designers • Logan Bonner, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, 
  and Mark Seifter
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  Foreword 
  2
  by Rob McCreary
  The Inferno Gate 
  4
  by Patrick Renie
  NPC Gallery 
  56
  by Patrick Renie
  Meet the Villain: Emil Kovkorin 
  60
  by Joe Homes
  Roads to Hell 
  62
  by F. Wesley Schneider
  Moloch, the Ashen Bull 
  68
  by F. Wesley Schneider
  Pathfinder's Journal: Cowards and Crows 3 of 6 
  74
  by Josh Vogt 
  Bestiary 
  80
  by Benjamin Bruck, Jason Keeley, Jeffrey Swank, and Mike Welham
  
  RITUAL AND BETRAYAL
  T
  he first two adventures of the Hell’s Vengeance 
  Adventure Path took place chiefly in urban 
  environments. Both were set in small towns, 
  and most of the action took place within the confines 
  of Longacre and Kantaria or in locations just outside 
  town. “The Hellfire Compact” and “Wrath of Thrune” 
  were also two sides of the same coin, so to speak—in 
  one, the PCs prevent an uprising against Thrune’s 
  rule, while they foment discontent with the Glorious 
  Reclamation’s governance and reassert Chelish control 
  in the other.
  This month’s adventure, “The Inferno Gate,” changes 
  the focus by taking the evil PCs out of town and into the 
  wilderness. There is still some urban excitement to be 
  had, this time in the city of Senara, but the PCs won’t 
  be lingering there long. The Glorious Reclamation now 
  rules Senara, and unlike in Kantaria, the PCs aren’t 
  going to be able to take back the city by themselves. 
  Instead, their patron, Archbaron Fex, has a different 
  job for them. They’ll be asked to leave the Glorious 
  Reclamation alone and focus their efforts on collecting 
  components for a ritual to close a portal to Hell—the 
  Inferno Gate.
  This quest turns “The Inferno Gate” into much more 
  of a sandbox than the previous two adventures, which 
  have relatively linear plots. The PCs must gather a 
  variety of ritual components from locations scattered 
  throughout the Whisperwood and in Senara. There is no 
  set order to most of the encounters in this adventure; it 
  is up to the PCs where they go to find these components 
  and in what order. GMs will need to keep careful track 
  of what information the PCs have learned, whether it’s 
  true or just rumors, where they have gone, and where 
  they still want to go, as well as which components they 
  2
  
  have and which they still need. GMs’ primary task 
  should be to ensure that the PCs have the opportunity to 
  acquire all of the items they seek by the time they get to 
  Fort Arego in Part 3 and to help guide them to the right 
  areas if necessary (depending on the PCs’ actions and 
  movements, GMs might need to modify the location or 
  timing of some encounters so the PCs have everything 
  they need). At the same time, the open nature of this 
  adventure also means that GMs should have plenty of 
  opportunities to expand on the content provided in the 
  adventure or add their own to it.
  But this sandbox also has another subplot that won’t 
  play out until the very end of the adventure: Archbaron 
  Fex’s betrayal. The clues pointing toward this event—
  which the PCs can find while searching for the ritual 
  components—are just as important as the components 
  themselves, and GMs should be equally vigilant about 
  keeping track of these clues and ensuring that the PCs 
  discover them in time.
  Archbaron Darellus Fex was introduced in the first 
  Hell’s Vengeance adventure as the PCs’ patron, and his 
  guidance has helped keep the evil PCs on track for the 
  first three adventures. But no one wants to be a hired 
  thug forever, and eventually, the time comes for the 
  apprentice to replace the master. It’s no fun being evil 
  if you always have to follow orders, and most Pathfinder 
  players want the chance for their characters to tell their 
  own stories. At the beginning of “The Inferno Gate,” the 
  PCs are rewarded for their earlier efforts by promotions 
  to Thrune Trusted Agents—the next rank in the Thrune 
  hierarchy. It won’t be long (if it hasn’t already begun to 
  happen) before they start to see Archbaron Fex as an 
  obstacle to their own goals and ambitions. Unfortunately 
  for them, Fex has realized this fact as well, and he has put 
  a scheme into motion to take out his upstart minions 
  so they can’t threaten his own plans—preemptively 
  betraying the PCs before they can turn on him.
  Fex’s betrayal is a major plot point in this adventure, 
  but it will require finesse to give the PCs hints of their 
  patron’s treachery while still preventing them from 
  learning the full details of Fex’s plan before the time 
  is right. Ideally, the PCs shouldn’t be taken completely 
  by surprise when Fex springs his trap, but neither 
  should they confront the archbaron too early, before the 
  adventure’s conclusion.
  Of course, players always do the unexpected, and 
  though we’ve tried to address the most likely scenarios 
  for the adventure’s final encounter, it’s impossible to 
  anticipate every possibility. It is up to GMs to respond to 
  the actions of their own players and tailor the conclusion 
  of the adventure to them. With a little flexibility and 
  creativity, GMs should have no problem giving their 
  players a satisfying finale and placing the PCs on the 
  path that leads to them becoming villains in their own 
  right, rather than just someone else’s pawns.
  THE GLORIOUS 
  RECLAMATION’S PROGRESS
  Throughout the Hell’s Vengeance Adventure Path, the 
  Glorious Reclamation enjoys a variety of successes in its 
  war against Cheliax and House Thrune, but if the PCs 
  are successful in their endeavors during the campaign, 
  the knights should also suffer some devastating defeats. 
  The inside front cover of each volume of the Adventure 
  Path displays a map of Cheliax with symbols of House 
  Thrune and the Glorious Reclamation that tracks each 
  side’s progress in the wider conflict.
  Following the actions of the evil PCs in “Wrath of 
  Thrune,” the town of Kantaria should once more be under 
  Thrune control. While symbolically significant, Kantaria 
  has no real strategic value at this point in the conflict, 
  so the Glorious Reclamation is forced to surrender the 
  town once the PC Thrune agents overthrow the new 
  government established there by the Iomedaean order. 
  However, as “The Inferno Gate” begins, the Glorious 
  Reclamation has offset its loss of Kantaria with another 
  major territorial conquest: the city of Senara. Close to the 
  battlefields of the Sirmium Plains, Senara sits in the heart 
  of the Whisperwood astride the Iseld and Malvesa Rivers, 
  giving the Iomedaeans access to the forest’s lumber as 
  well as control of vital trade routes between Remesiana, 
  Misarias, and the eastern Menador Mountains. Senara 
  also provides a good staging point for the Glorious 
  Reclamation’s efforts to find the Inferno Gate, which lies 
  hidden somewhere within the Whisperwood.
  While the armies of both House Thrune and the 
  Glorious Reclamation continue maneuvering against 
  each other on the wide plains of Sirmium, the Iomedaeans 
  are looking to secure their north flank by also taking 
  the town of Misarias. Its position on the Isgeri border 
  would strengthen the knights’ lines of communication 
  and supply between Senara and Citadel Dinyar; however, 
  Cheliax has more troops stationed there to guard the 
  border than would typically be found in a town of that size, 
  making the conquest of Misarias more difficult than the 
  Glorious Reclamation would like.
  For now, however, Senara is likely to remain in the 
  Glorious Reclamation’s hands. It’s not important enough 
  for the Chelish army to worry about at this point, and 
  local Thrune agents—the villainous PCs—have more 
  important things to attend to right now than taking back 
  another city from the Glorious Reclamation.
  Rob McCreary
  Senior Developer
  rob.mccreary@paizo.com
  3
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh:  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  9
  7
  8
  PART 1: CITY OF HELLSPAWN 
  5
  The villainous player characters continue to rise in service to House Thrune, becoming 
  Thrune Trusted Agents. Tasked with retrieving an infernal talisman from the city of Senara, 
  now in the hands of the Glorious Reclamation, the villains must contend with the tiefling 
  thieves’ guild that has stolen the item.
  PART 3: THE DEVIL’S GATE 
  39
  Ritual components in hand, the Thrune agents must fight their way through knights of the 
  Glorious Reclamation to reach the Inferno Gate. When they arrive at the portal, the villains 
  face betrayal from a powerful ally, but have the opportunity to make a deal with a devil to 
  gain control of the gate themselves.
  PART 2: RITUAL PREPARATIONS 
  25
  To close down an uncontrolled portal to Hell called the Inferno Gate, the villains must scour 
  the depths of the Whisperwood for components for a magic ritual, facing celestials, a bandit 
  prince, and virtuous forest denizens—possibly discovering clues to a traitor in their midst.
  The PCs begin this adventure 
  at 7th level.
  The PCs should reach 8th 
  level 
  while 
  exploring 
  the 
  Whisperwood in Part 2.
  The 
  PCs 
  should 
  be 
  9th 
  level  before they enter Fort 
  Arego’s dungeons.
  The PCs should be 10th level by the 
  end of the adventure.
  “The Inferno Gate” is designed for  
  four characters and uses the medium 
  XP track.
  ADVANCEMENT TRACK
  THE
  INFERNO GATE
  
  5
  ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
  In 4305 ar, Cheliax began its period of imperial expansion 
  now known as the Everwar, but the inhabitants of 
  neighboring regions did not surrender to the Chelish 
  invaders without a struggle. Many prisoners of war 
  were interned in various prison camps set up along the 
  borders of Cheliax’s ever-growing sphere of influence.
  At the fortified prison camp called Fort Arego, in 
  the forbidding Whisperwood, prisoners labored long 
  days cutting and loading timber for shipment down 
  the River Iseld. When one inmate’s show of defiance 
  sparked an all-out riot in the prison, the outnumbered 
  guards desperately sought any means possible to regain 
  control. In their moment of need, a heresy devil named 
  Visperthul appeared to the beleaguered Chelaxians and 
  offered them aid in the form of infernal reinforcements. 
  All the devil asked for in return was that the soldiers swear 
  their allegiance to his patron, the archdevil Moloch, lord 
  of Malebolge, the sixth layer of Hell.
  The guards hastily agreed, and to finalize their 
  covenant, Visperthul opened a portal to Malebolge in the 
  dungeons beneath the prison. Multiheaded cerberi, hell 
  hounds, and other infernal denizens flooded into the 
  Material Plane through the gate and easily cut down the 
  rebellious prisoners. But the guards’ victory celebration 
  soon turned sour as they began to realize the gravity of 
  their bargain, for the portal to Hell remained open even 
  after the riot had ended. When they attempted to back 
  out of their deal with the heresy devil, Visperthul used 
  the power of Moloch to transform them into undying, 
  infernal soldiers of the General of Hell.
  In the 4 centuries since, Fort Arego has been lost to 
  the depths of the Whisperwood. The prison guards-
  turned-Hell-soldiers have guarded the portal—now 
  known as the Inferno Gate—ever since their deal went 
  awry, repelling those who would seek to close the gate 
  and luring in anyone foolish enough to bargain with the 
  devil Visperthul.
  Darellus Fex, Archbaron of Longacre, first learned of 
  the Inferno Gate while studying historical records of 
  Cheliax’s centuries-old conquests. In order to learn more 
  about the portal and how he could use it to summon 
  his own powerful minions, Fex summoned a heresy 
  devil—a Hellish scholar and powerful summoner in its 
  own right—and the devil that answered was none other 
  than Visperthul, the ayngavhaul that originally opened 
  the Inferno Gate beneath Fort Arego. After careful 
  negotiation and discussion, Fex ended up swearing his 
  soul to Visperthul in exchange for fiendish power. But 
  the devil did not stop there; Visperthul further tempted 
  the archbaron into heresy against Asmodeus and House 
  Thrune by suggesting that Fex take control of the 
  Inferno Gate himself, promising to give Fex the secrets 
  of controlling the portal—under Visperthul’s continuing 
  guidance, of course—in exchange for four additional 
  souls that Fex must sacrifice to the devil. Once he learns 
  how to operate the gate, Fex plans to take advantage of 
  the current unrest in Cheliax to carve out an independent 
  kingdom for himself using an army of hellish minions 
  brought through the Inferno Gate.
  For his sacrifices to Visperthul, Fex has chosen his 
  newest agents—the unwitting player characters, who 
  are already well on their way to becoming paragons of 
  villainy. Fex has grown concerned that the PCs might 
  soon attempt to supplant him, so he plans to use them 
  to both carry out the final requirements for controlling 
  the gate and serve as the final sacrifice to Visperthul. But 
  Fex intends to betray not only the PCs, but his diabolic 
  patron as well. After making his deal with Visperthul, 
  Fex successfully researched the devil’s true name and 
  acquired a rare devil talisman called a phlegmatic talisman. 
  Armed with Visperthul’s true name and the talisman, 
  Fex plans to bind the devil to the Inferno Gate to gain 
  complete control of the portal, something Visperthul 
  would never agree to willingly.
  Meanwhile, the Glorious Reclamation has conquered 
  the Chelish city of Senara, which puts a slight kink in 
  Archbaron Fex’s plans. He left his phlegmatic talisman 
  in his Senara townhouse for safekeeping, but with 
  Iomedaean soldiers now patrolling the city’s streets, Fex 
  must send his patsies—the PCs—to retrieve the talisman 
  for him. At the same time, the Glorious Reclamation 
  has sent its own force into the Whisperwood, under the 
  leadership of a knight banneret named Viona Kadarius, 
  to search for the Inferno Gate and prevent House Thrune 
  and its allies from making use of the portal. As multiple 
  groups comb the Whisperwood for the location of the 
  Inferno Gate, the heresy devil Visperthul waits beneath 
  Fort Arego for the souls he has been promised.
  PART 1: CITY OF HELLSPAWN
  The adventure starts in the town of Kantaria, which 
  the player characters recaptured from the Glorious 
  Reclamation in the last installment of the Hell’s 
  Vengeance Adventure Path, “Wrath of Thrune.” While the 
  PCs wait for members of House Narikopolus to return to 
  Kantaria from Egorian and resume their rightful rule of 
  the town, the PCs can run Kantaria as they see fit. This 
  may take several days, or even weeks, depending on how 
  interested they are in lingering in Kantaria, giving them 
  time to resupply and gather their bearings before they 
  get involved in the events of this adventure.
  Sooner or later, however, House Narikopolus arrives 
  in Kantaria to relieve the PCs of their station. At the 
  same time, the accuser devil Razelago appears in town to 
  deliver a missive to the PCs from their patron Archbaron 
  Darellus Fex, recalling them to the town of Longacre 
  for their next mission. The journey to Longacre is not 
  detailed in this adventure, but it can be expanded upon 
  at your discretion.
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  6
  TrusTed AgenTs of Thrune
  When the PCs arrive in Longacre, they are once again 
  summoned to Archbaron Fex’s manor, Scarlet Crown. 
  Fex waits for them in his office, seated in his throne-like 
  chair beneath his coat of arms of two warring stags with 
  bloodied antlers. Razelago hovers nearby, wings buzzing, 
  and a tall, thin man with a shaved head and stubbly beard, 
  dressed in the red-and-black robes of an Asmodean 
  inquisitor, sits in a chair in front of the archbaron’s desk. 
  Although Fex is aware (through Razelago) of most of the 
  PCs’ activities in Kantaria, he asks for a personal report 
  of their time there. When the PCs have finished their 
  report, the archbaron commends them for their deeds, 
  then turns to introduce his mysterious guest, who has 
  been quietly listening to the PCs’ account.
   “Through your actions, you have proven yourselves worthy 
  as Loyal Agents of House Thrune, and your success in Kantaria 
  has attracted notice in the capital. Allow me to introduce 
  Corrector Izinio, one of the Bound in service to Thrune. 
  He has come here from Egorian to reward you by 
  initiating you into the ranks of the Trusted.”
  Izinio (LE male human inquisitor of 
  Asmodeus 13) is a corrector of the Inquisition 
  of Asmodeus. Izinio is here in another capacity, 
  however, as a Bound Agent of Thrune—the 
  highest level of agent within the Thrune 
  organization—to promote the PCs to 
  the next level in the family, that of 
  Thrune Trusted Agent. To advance 
  to this rank, the PCs must swear 
  their minds to Queen Abrogail 
  II by accepting an infernal 
  brand that prohibits them from 
  betraying House Thrune. In exchange, the PCs will 
  enjoy even greater authority and prestige than they did 
  as Thrune Loyal Agents, and gain a boon in the form of 
  a bonus feat. Only PCs who are already Thrune Loyal 
  Agents may be promoted to Trusted Agents; if a PC chose 
  not to accept that honor in “Wrath of Thrune,” she may 
  not become a Trusted Agent, though at your discretion, 
  you may allow such a character to join the ranks of the 
  Loyal at this time.
  Assuming the PCs agree, Izinio officiates the initiation 
  ceremony, with Razelago as a witness. Izinio withdraws 
  a specially crafted branding iron from a black silk 
  pouch and touches it to the invisible arcane mark each 
  PC received upon becoming a Thrune Loyal Agent, 
  announcing, “By the grace of House Thrune and the 
  favor of Asmodeus, I name you one of the Trusted.” The 
  branding iron is not hot and the ritual is painless. Upon 
  completion of the ceremony, each PC gains Thrune 
  Trusted Agent as a bonus feat (see the sidebar on page 7) 
  and his arcane mark now functions as a mark of justice (CL 
  13th). If a branded PC willingly attempts any action that 
  would betray House Thrune, the mark of justice activates, 
  cursing the character with the following effects:
  • The PC immediately loses the Thrune Trusted Agent 
  bonus feat.
  • The PC’s Charisma score decreases by 4 (minimum 
  score of 1).
  • Izinio is immediately notified of the PC’s betrayal as if 
  by sending.
  If the point hasn’t yet been driven home in previous 
  installments of this Adventure Path, then this ritual 
  should illustrate to the PCs that it is well within their 
  best interests to remain in House Thrune’s favor.
  CLUES TO FEX’S TREACHERY
  Archbaron Fex’s scheme to lure the PCs to the Inferno 
  Gate—with components of their own unwitting sacrifices 
  in hand—is complex. But though Fex is cunning, he is not 
  infallible, and his plot has left several loose threads that 
  the PCs can pick up on throughout the adventure. 
  If the PCs can discover any of these clues to Fex’s 
  impending betrayal, they might be able to cut 
  their own deal with Visperthul and possibly 
  turn the heresy devil against the archbaron. 
  These clues and the locations where they may 
  be found are summarized below.
  E4. River Cavern: The PCs can find their first 
  clue that Fex might be up to something when 
  they retrieve the archbaron’s phlegmatic 
  talisman in the Black Daggers’ 
  guildhouse, for along with the 
  talisman are Fex’s notes concerning 
  the item’s powers, as well as hints 
  about the heresy devil guarding 
  the Inferno Gate.
  L6. Feign Prince’s Hut: The PCs can learn the location 
  of the Inferno Gate within Fort Arego from the bandit-
  sorcerer Lairsaph, as well as the nature of the devil that 
  lairs in the dungeons beneath the fort.
  O. Barbazu Messengers: As the PCs explore the 
  Whisperwood in search of the Inferno Gate, they can 
  encounter a pair of bearded devils in Visperthul’s service. 
  The devils are on their way to deliver a missive to Fex, 
  but if the PCs intercept and decipher the message, they’ll 
  gain their strongest clue yet that Fex plans to betray them.
  P5. Outer Bailey and Barracks: Warden Korva 
  Ferrini’s journal details the original deal that the guards 
  of Fort Arego made with the devil Visperthul, and how 
  the heresy devil betrayed them and opened the Inferno 
  Gate. The journal also mentions the human sacrifices the 
  devil took to open the portal.
  IZINIO
  
  7
  Development: Izinio has no further role in this 
  Adventure Path, though you may choose to integrate the 
  inquisitor into the campaign’s plotline as you see fit. 
  However, the PCs are only likely to meet the Bound Agent 
  again if they commit an act of betrayal against House 
  Thrune. Upon learning of any such betrayal, Izinio forms 
  a party of Hellknights, inquisitors, and other Thrune 
  agents to hunt down and capture the traitor (and any allies 
  still associating with the traitor) by any means necessary. 
  A traitorous PC who is captured is sent to prison (likely 
  the Order of the Chain’s Citadel Gheradesca outside 
  of Corentyn) and subjected to indescribable torture. It 
  is possible for a PC who has betrayed House Thrune to 
  regain the organization’s trust, but the process is long and 
  arduous, and likely involves an atonement spell or similar 
  act of repentance. In any case, the further repercussions of 
  a betrayal are beyond the scope of this adventure.
  fex’s errAnd
  Following the initiation ceremony, Izinio takes his leave 
  and Archbaron Fex briefs the PCs on their next task.
  “Somewhere in the Whisperwood, not far from the city of 
  Senara, there is a portal to Hell. The locals call it the ‘Inferno 
  Gate,’ an apt name if their harried descriptions of the site 
  are true. The portal connects to the sixth layer of the Pit, 
  Malebolge, the realm of Moloch and his infernal armies. As 
  I’m sure you can imagine, House Thrune is not interested in 
  uncontrolled devils roaming the Whisperwood and dragging 
  Chelish citizens to Hell—not without the queen having a say 
  in the matter, that is. Unfortunately, the complexities of 
  our beloved governance prevent Thrune from handling the 
  matter directly. 
  “Which brings me to why I’ve summoned you. I want 
  you to go to the Whisperwood, locate the Inferno Gate, 
  and shut it down. Such a bold deed committed by my most 
  favored agents, so close on the heels of our successes here in 
  Longacre and in Kantaria, is certain to impress House Thrune 
  and increase both my own prestige and yours in the eyes of 
  our superiors.
  “I’ve already done extensive research on the portal, and 
  the ritual to close the gate requires a number of components 
  that you’ll need to gather. I have already acquired the 
  first component, an infernal talisman, which I left in my 
  townhouse in Senara for safekeeping. Unfortunately, while 
  you were busy in Kantaria, Senara fell to the knights of 
  Iomedae and their Glorious Reclamation. As a titled noble of 
  Cheliax, I would probably be arrested on sight if I showed my 
  face in town, but I have no doubt that you can get in and out 
  of the city with minimal effort. I’m not interested in retaking 
  Senara—it’s far too well defended for even a group such as 
  yours to have much success, but we need my talisman.
  “Once inside the city, you can retrieve the talisman from 
  my townhouse. It’s a quaint little manor on the hill that 
  you can’t miss. My butler—her name is Bessie or Billie or 
  something, I believe—will meet you and give you whatever 
  you need. You’re welcome to stay there, but don’t linger in 
  town too long—you still need to find the other components 
  for closing the gate.”
  When he’s finished, Fex hands the PCs a list of the 
  components they’ll need to gather (see Handout #1). 
  The archbaron also informs the PCs that, as usual, 
  Razelago will act as an intermediary and handle any 
  communications between the PCs and Fex. Allow the 
  PCs to ask Fex any questions they have about Senara or 
  the Inferno Gate at this time. Some of the most obvious 
  questions and Fex’s answers to them are listed below.
  What does the ritual to close the Inferno Gate entail? 
  “In order to close the portal, we need the hearts of four 
  different celestials—agathion, angel, archon, and azata. 
  ADVANCING THROUGH  
  THE RANKS
  Those who work for the imperial government of Cheliax 
  and the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune are commonly 
  known as Thrune agents. Among these agents, however, 
  are those who serve House Thrune directly, often working 
  for the best interests of Cheliax’s ruling family rather than 
  for those of the nation (though these interests often 
  overlap). These agents swear their bodies, minds, or 
  souls (or all three) to Queen Abrogail II herself.
  The second level of sworn Thrune agent is Thrune 
  Trusted Agent (referred to within the Thrune 
  organization as simply “the Trusted”). Having already 
  sworn their lives to House Thrune, Trusted agents swear 
  their minds—in other words, their absolute loyalty—to 
  Queen Abrogail II. In exchange, they gain a bonus feat: 
  Thrune Trusted Agent.
  Thrune TrusTed AgenT (TeAmwork)
  Your supernatural bond to other Thrune agents strengthens 
  your resolve and allows you to bolster your allies.
  Prerequisite: Thrune Loyal Agent trait.
  Benefit: Whenever you are within 30 feet of an ally 
  who also has this feat, you gain a +1 profane bonus 
  on Reflex and Will saving throws. In addition, once per 
  day as a swift action, you can forfeit the saving throw 
  bonuses granted by this feat to increase the effectiveness 
  of the aid another action. For a number of rounds equal 
  to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1), when you use 
  the aid another action to aid an ally who also has this 
  feat, the bonus you grant to an ally’s AC, attack roll, or 
  skill check is increased to +4 instead of the usual +2. You 
  don’t benefit from the feat’s saving throw bonuses for 24 
  hours, though you still qualify as having this feat for the 
  purpose of other characters gaining the bonuses. 
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  8
  A summoned celestial—along with its heart—will just 
  return to its home plane when killed, so these must be 
  from celestials physically present on this plane. Each 
  of the hearts must then be impaled on the horn of a 
  unicorn, so we need four of those as well. Razelago will 
  inform me once you have all of the components, and I 
  will join you at the Inferno Gate to complete the ritual.”
  How do we find the Inferno Gate? “The portal 
  to Malebolge is somewhere in the depths of the 
  Whisperwood, but its exact location is a mystery. 
  However, the Hellknights of the Order of the Pike have 
  a citadel not far east of Senara. They are expert trackers 
  and monster hunters, and probably know more about 
  the Whisperwood than anyone else. At the very least, they 
  should be able to point you in the right direction.”
  TrAveling To senArA
  The city of Senara sits in the northeastern reaches of 
  the Whisperwood, about 190 miles east-northeast of 
  Longacre. However, travel through the depths of the 
  untamed Whisperwood can be dangerous, so most 
  travelers take the safer route of the Whisperwood Way, a 
  road that passes near the Whisper River north of Longacre. 
  The 225-mile journey along the Whisperwood Way takes 
  about 9 days on foot, or 5-1/2 days on horseback. The PCs’ 
  journey to Senara is not detailed in this adventure, but 
  you can use the information on the Whisperwood (see 
  page 25) and the Whisperwood Encounters tables on page 
  81 to expand upon the trip as you see fit.
  The CiTy of senArA
  Senara is a small forest city of 5,200 people built around 
  the confluence of the River Iseld and River Malvesa. 
  Infamous for its population of devil-tainted humans 
  and hellspawn tieflings, Senara is scorned by the rest of 
  Cheliax as an experiment in fiendish fraternization gone 
  too far—a fact that may have contributed to the Glorious 
  Reclamation’s recent success in conquering the city.
  Senara’s geography divides the city into three 
  main quarters. The High District, an affluent trading 
  quarter occupied by well-to-do villains and visited by 
  unscrupulous merchants from eastern Cheliax and Isger, 
  sits north of the rivers’ confluence. It includes Castle di 
  Lauro, the largest structure in Senara, which stands in 
  full view atop Paulus Hill, overlooking both the High 
  District and the rivers, though the fortress was mostly 
  destroyed during the Glorious Reclamation’s siege of 
  the city. On the west bank of the rivers sprawls the Low 
  District, a densely populated, rundown neighborhood 
  rife with drug dens and vile rakes. To the southeast, the 
  Farmlands dominate the razed landscape between the 
  River Iseld and the fringes of the Whisperwood.
  The settlement stat block below represents the city 
  of Senara as it currently exists, under the rule of the 
  Glorious Reclamation.
  SENARA
  LN small city
  Corruption +3; Crime –1 (–3 at night); Economy +1 (–1 
  at night); Law +4 (+2 at night); Lore +2; Society +1 (–1 
  at night)
  Qualities insular, nocturnal danger, notorious, racially tolerant
  Danger +15 (+25 at night)
  DEMOGRAPHICS
  Government overlord
  Population 5,200 (3,079 humans, 1,499 tieflings, 
  343 halflings, 279 other)
  Notable NPCs
  Deposed Mayor Gaugellio Belken (LN male human 
  expert 4/ranger 5)
  Duxotar Abrittia Fessellin (LN female tiefling fighter 6)
  Governor and Knight Commander Danvrey Piluxo (LG 
  female human paladin of Iomedae 12)
  Prelate Sinza Corsini (LE male tiefling cleric of 
  Asmodeus 11)
  MARKETPLACE
  Base Value 5,200 gp (2,600 gp at night); Purchase Limit 
  37,500 gp (18,750 gp at night); Spellcasting 6th
  Minor Items 4d4; Medium Items 3d4; Major Items 1d6
  NOTES
  Nocturnal Danger The neighboring Whisperwood is wild 
  and untamed, even haunted, and is home to bandits, evil 
  fey, and uncontrolled devils. These dangerous creatures 
  sometimes enter Senara under the cover of darkness, 
  making the city’s streets unsafe at night—for both law-
  abiding citizens and criminals. (At night only: Crime, 
  Economy, Law, and Society –2; Danger +10; decrease 
  base value and purchase limit by 50%)
  Racially Tolerant Although tieflings are reviled and 
  treated with contempt elsewhere in Cheliax, the 
  citizens of Senara hold no such prejudices, and tieflings 
  are welcomed as equal members of the community. 
  (Society +2)
  RITUAL COMPONENTS
  Infernal talisman 
  One (1) agathion heart
  One (1) angel heart
  One (1) archon heart
  One (1) azata heart
  Four (4) unicorn horns
  HANDOUT #1
  
  9
  A. ARCHBARON FEX’S TOWNHOUSE
  The PCs’ first stop in Senara should be Archbaron Fex’s 
  townhouse, a tall manor in the High District just east of 
  the ruined remains of Castle di Lauro. Fex spends the 
  majority of his time in his baronial seat of Longacre, 
  leaving the townhouse in the care of his halfling butler, 
  Blissy, for most of the year.
  Archbaron Fex’s two-story townhouse, on a small hill east 
  of the ruins of Senara’s castle, is as grandiose and morbid as 
  the man himself.
  Fex’s butler, Blissy (LE female halfling commoner 3/
  expert 3), greets the PCs with a deep bow at the house’s 
  front door. An older halfling woman with a solemn gaze, 
  Blissy knows why the PCs are here. Inside, the house’s 
  other servants, all halfling slaves, are lined up to welcome 
  their master’s visitors. Any PC who succeeds at a DC 
  20 Sense Motive check gets a hunch that something is 
  bothering the servants, and that they’re deathly afraid.
  If the PCs sense the servants’ fear and bring it up to 
  Blissy, or ask about Fex’s infernal talisman, a dark look 
  crosses the halfling’s face, and she takes them into the 
  house’s parlor for a private conversation. Otherwise, 
  Blissy leads them first to the dining room, where she has 
  already set a table for them to eat dinner and rest a bit 
  after their travels. When the PCs are ready, Blissy cleans 
  up the dishes and invites the group into the parlor to 
  discuss the archbaron’s business. 
  Once there, Blissy takes a deep breath before speaking.
  “His Lordship instructed me to give you an amulet he kept 
  here when you arrived, but there’s been... a complication. 
  Burglars broke in to the house last night, and among the 
  valuables they stole was His Lordship’s talisman.
  “I had nothing to do with it. Nor did anyone else in the 
  house. The Glorious Reclamation freed all of the slaves in the 
  city, but no one here left. We all stayed—every single one of 
  us. You make sure you tell His Lordship that. We’re all loyal 
  servants, and proud to serve House Fex.
  “As for who is responsible, there is only one group in Senara 
  brave—or stupid—enough to steal from the Archbaron, and 
  that’s the Black Daggers, a local thieves’ guild led by a pair 
  of hellspawn sisters. They’re pretty good at keeping their 
  activities and their hideout secret, but surely someone in 
  the city knows. If nothing else, you can probably buy the 
  information at Senara’s black market. And even if the Black 
  Daggers weren’t responsible, they probably know who was, 
  if can you find them.”
  The PCs can ask more questions, but Blissy has no 
  further information, and neither do any of the other 
  servants. If the PCs are particularly distrustful, they might 
  suspect Blissy is lying, but a successful DC 15 Sense Motive 
  check is enough to realize that she is telling the truth, 
  about both the loyalty of Fex’s servants and their lack of 
  involvement in the crime. If the PCs ask to search the 
  house, Blissy acquiesces, as long as they are chaperoned 
  by a member of the house staff, but the only clue they can 
  find is the footprints of the thieves (see Finding the Black 
  Daggers’ Hideout on page 10 for more information).
  If the PCs ask what the servants are so afraid of, 
  Blissy responds as follows. If the PCs don’t bring it up 
  themselves, Blissy mentions it before she’s done speaking 
  with the PCs.
  “There is one last thing I feel I must mention. His Lordship is a 
  good master, but he does not bear disappointment well, and 
  some of the staff are afraid he might take out his displeasure 
  on them. It goes without saying that I would never question 
  His Lordship’s decisions regarding... disciplining... his staff, 
  but if I can mitigate his temper in any way, then I feel duty 
  bound to do so. To that end, I have some information that 
  I would ask you to pass on to the Archbaron. It in no way 
  proves our innocence, but I hope it serves to demonstrate 
  our loyalty to him.”
  Blissy goes on to say that she was recently approached 
  by an agent of the Bellflower Network, the underground 
  society that seeks to free halfling slaves in Cheliax, 
  who tried to convince her to betray Fex and join their 
  organization. Blissy initially expressed interest in the 
  scheme, but she used the opportunity to instead gain 
  information about the organization’s operations. In 
  particular, Blissy managed to uncover evidence of an 
  active Bellflower Network cell in Egorian, the imperial 
  capital, a city so firmly in the grasp of House Thrune 
  that the Bellflower Network has supposedly been unable 
  to infiltrate it. In addition, Blissy has a description of 
  one of the Bellflower Network’s top agents in Egorian, 
  a human woman known only as “the Barrister” who is 
  missing her left hand, as well as details on how to make 
  contact with this agent. With the abolition of slavery in 
  Senara following the arrival of the Glorious Reclamation, 
  COMPONENT LOCATIONS
  The components for the Inferno Gate ritual can be 
  found in various locations throughout the adventure. A 
  brief summary of the components and their locations is 
  presented below for the GM’s reference.
  Infernal Talisman: Black Daggers’ guildhouse river 
  cavern (area E4)
  Agathion Heart: Senara’s black market (area F)
  Angel Heart: Old Boneyard (area C)
  Archon Heart: Fort Arego stream crossing (area P3)
  Azata Heart: Shrine of Picoperi (area I)
  Unicorn Horns: Blessing of Unicorns (area K)
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  10
  Blissy has had no more dealings with her Bellflower 
  Network contact, whom she believes has left the city, 
  but she provides all of this information to the PCs, 
  hoping to assuage any suspicion that they or Fex might 
  have regarding her involvement with the theft of the 
  archbaron’s infernal talisman.
  Development: Blissy has prepared a room in the 
  manor for each of the PCs, should they wish to stay in the 
  townhouse. She prepares meals for them as well, acting 
  at all times like a deferential servant, but she still makes 
  it clear that the PCs are guests in her master’s house, and 
  subtly pressures them to finish their business in Senara 
  and leave as soon as possible.
  What the PCs do with Blissy’s information about the 
  Bellflower Network is up to them. They can certainly 
  pass along the intelligence to Fex, but he will not take 
  any action on it before the PCs face him at the end of 
  this adventure. However, the PCs can make use of this 
  knowledge themselves in the next adventure, “For Queen 
  & Empire,” where they will have the opportunity to 
  eradicate the network in Egorian and potentially gain the 
  notice and esteem of Queen Abrogail herself.
  Finding the Black daggers’ hideout
  The guildhouse of the Black Daggers thieves’ guild 
  (area  E) lies beneath an orphanage in Senara’s Low 
  District called Tilo’s Home for Wayward Youths, which 
  serves as the front for the guild’s activities. In order to 
  recover Fex’s infernal talisman, the PCs must find the 
  guildhouse, infiltrate the hideout, and steal the item back. 
  The PCs can learn of three entrances to the guildhouse: 
  Tilo’s Home for Wayward Youths (area B); a secret tunnel 
  in Senara’s cemetery, the Old Boneyard (area C); and an 
  abandoned aqueduct (area D) beneath the Low District. 
  Only the aqueduct entrance is currently in regular use; 
  the entrance from the orphanage itself was recently sealed 
  off, and recent events in the Old Boneyard have curtailed 
  the gang’s use of the secret tunnel there. However, PCs 
  exploring the orphanage can find clues pointing to the 
  tunnel in the graveyard, which is still a viable entrance. 
  Using this entrance is a stealthier option, while entering 
  through the aqueduct is a more straightforward assault.
  There are multiple ways for the PCs to learn the 
  guildhouse’s location. A PC who succeeds at a DC 20 
  Knowledge (local) check knows the Black Daggers 
  operate out of Tilo’s Home for Wayward Youths, while a 
  PC who succeeds at a DC 25 check knows the abandoned 
  aqueduct leads to the guild’s hideout. A PC who succeeds 
  at a DC 20 Diplomacy check to gather information 
  can also learn of the orphanage, while a result of 30 or 
  more reveals knowledge of the secret entrance in the 
  Old Boneyard. Alternatively, the PCs might try to track 
  the burglars from the scene of the crime. This requires 
  a successful DC 20 Survival check to follow the thieves’ 
  trail from Fex’s townhouse to the abandoned aqueduct. 
  Lastly, the PCs can follow Blissy’s advice and visit Senara’s 
  black market (area F) in the city’s Low District in hopes of 
  learning the hideout’s location.
  The PCs might also want to attempt to contact the 
  Black Daggers directly, perhaps under the auspices of 
  SENARA
  LOW DISTRICT
  RIVER ISELD
  RIVER ISELD
  FARMLANDS
  RIVER MALVESA
  A
  D
  E
  B
  F
  C
  HIGH DISTRICT
  0
  800 FEET
  
  11
  doing illicit business with the guild. A PC who succeeds at 
  a DC 20 Bluff check can pass a secret message to the guild 
  requesting a meeting. The Black Daggers respond with a 
  hidden message of their own, requiring a successful DC 
  20 Sense Motive check to decipher, which proposes a 
  meeting between the PCs and representatives of the guild 
  at the Old Boneyard. In truth, the Black Daggers have 
  no interest in meeting with unknown individuals, 
  suspecting they are criminal rivals or worse, 
  agents of the Glorious Reclamation. Instead, the 
  guild hopes the PCs will encounter the balisse 
  angel Orimos in the cemetery, which will solve 
  one of two problems—either the angel kills 
  the PCs, thus removing the potential 
  threat they represent, or the PCs kill 
  the angel, allowing the guild to once 
  more make full use of their secret 
  tunnel (see area C for more details).
  B. TILO’S HOME FOR WAYWARD 
  YOUTHS
  The Black Daggers use an orphanage called Tilo’s 
  Home for Wayward Youths as the front for the guild’s 
  activities. Until recently, the building was a brothel 
  called the Forbidden Sisters’ Ballroom, run by a pair of 
  tiefling sisters named Donara and Vicelli Gedraedius. 
  In addition to hosting bawdy soirées and debaucheries 
  in the brothel, the sisters also managed the operations 
  of the Black Daggers from the building’s basement and 
  nearby river caverns.
  Things changed, however, when the Glorious 
  Reclamation conquered Senara. The knights of Iomedae 
  quickly caught wind of the infamous Black Daggers 
  guild, and stormed the Forbidden Sisters’ Ballroom in 
  a bloody raid. They gutted the building and sealed the 
  entrance to the caverns below, planning to burn the 
  den of debauchery to the ground. But a silver-tongued 
  bard named Tilo of Braganza managed to convince the 
  knights to reconsider. Would it not be more useful, 
  Tilo reasoned, to transform the brothel into a place of 
  charity and good, rather than simply raze it? After all, the 
  Glorious Reclamation’s siege of Senara had left hundreds 
  dead. The children of the fallen needed a place to go, and 
  this brothel could serve as a perfect home. The knights, 
  believing the charismatic bard to be a good man, gave 
  Tilo permission to turn the building into Senara’s first 
  and only orphanage.
  True to his word, Tilo did transform the brothel into 
  a home for orphaned children, but he also wanted in 
  on Donara and Vicelli’s criminal operation. The sisters 
  agreed, and together, the trio opened new entrances to the 
  Black Daggers’ river caverns and revitalized the guild’s 
  activities with a new source of income—impressionable 
  children who would unwittingly pilfer gold from wealthy 
  Senarans and easily duped travelers.
  Senara’s new Glorious Reclamation leaders believe 
  Tilo’s Home for Wayward Youths to be a diligently run 
  orphanage for displaced children, when in fact it is 
  more of a training academy for aspiring 
  juvenile rogues. Every day after breakfast, 
  Tilo ushers the youngest orphans 
  outdoors and encourages them to make 
  a living either begging on the streets or 
  pickpocketing travelers for “fancy toys.” 
  Older children—those at or approaching 
  puberty—are either enrolled in legitimate 
  apprenticeships around town, or, if they 
  show especial promise and aptitude, are 
  occasionally recruited as members of the 
  Black Daggers.
  Tilo’s Home for Wayward Youths 
  is an unassuming, narrow building 
  on the banks of the River Malvesa 
  in Senara’s Low District (see the 
  map on page 13). There are four 
  entrances to the building: the 
  main street entrance to the west, a side door to the north, 
  a back door into the kitchen to the east, and doors to the 
  south leading to the building’s basement (area B7). These 
  good wooden doors are usually locked (hardness 5, hp 15, 
  break DC 18, Disable Device DC 20), night and day, except 
  the front door, which is normally kept open during the 
  day. Mama Lopelia (see Creatures below) has keys for the 
  orphanage’s ground-floor doors, but only Donara, Vicelli, 
  and Tilo have keys to the cellar doors.
  The PCs need not explore the entirety of Tilo’s Home 
  for Wayward Youths; the important areas are in the 
  basement, where the PCs can find the (now-barricaded) 
  entrance to the Black Daggers’ underground hideout. 
  As a result, only brief summaries of the orphanage’s 
  ground-level rooms are given on page 12, followed by full 
  descriptions of the basement rooms.
  Creatures: When the PCs first visit the orphanage, Tilo, 
  Donara, and Vicelli are not present; they are currently 
  below engaged in guild business (see areas D and E). 
  During such times, they leave the orphanage in the care 
  of the housemother, Mama Lopelia (N old female human 
  expert 1/rogue 1). A retired prostitute who once worked 
  at the Forbidden Sisters’ Ballroom, Mama Lopelia knows 
  the orphanage’s owner, Tilo, and its two “benefactresses” 
  Donara and Vicelli, but she is not a member of the Black 
  Daggers and knows nothing of the guild’s operations. 
  She is aware of the now-closed secret entrance to the 
  river caverns in the orphanage’s basement (area B10), 
  but does not know anything about the other entrances 
  to the thieves’ guild. If necessary, use the statistics for a 
  prostitute on page 301 of the Pathfinder RPG GameMastery 
  Guide for Mama Lopelia.
  Currently, 26 orphans (N young human commoners 1) 
  live at Tilo’s Home for Wayward Youths. During the day, 
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  BLISSY
  
  12
  they are out on the streets, leaving the orphanage empty 
  except for Mama Lopelia, but they are usually all back 
  home by dark. 
  B1. Foyer: Most visitors to the orphanage enter 
  through this lobby. The stairs in the northern portion 
  of the room lead down to the playroom below (area B7).
  B2. Tilo’s Office: Tilo of Braganza (see area E4) is a 
  meticulous businessman, and keeps the forged records of 
  the orphanage’s finances well organized. All of the notes, 
  ledgers, and budgets on Tilo’s desk appear completely 
  legitimate, and he keeps nothing in here that might 
  give away the Black Daggers’ secret operations. When 
  necessary, Tilo sleeps on a cot in the back of this room.
  B3. Dormitory: The orphans all sleep in bunk beds in 
  this large hall, where they also eat their meals.
  B4. Kitchen: Mama Lopelia prepares breakfasts and 
  dinners for her charges here. During the day, the orphans 
  are responsible for feeding themselves.
  B5. Mama Lopelia’s Room: Mama Lopelia stays in 
  this room, where she occasionally entertains a few loyal 
  “private guests.”
  B6. Sisters’ Room: Donara and Vicelli (see areas D1 
  and E2) stay in this room when at the orphanage, but are 
  more often found in the guild’s hideout below.
  B7. Playroom
  Several brightly patterned shag rugs cover the floor of this 
  large basement room, though aside from these, the stone 
  floor is practically bare. Small, colorful wooden crates and 
  chests line the walls and fill the corners of the chamber.
  The younger orphans play inside this room on rainy 
  days or in the evenings after coming home from the streets. 
  To the northwest, stairs lead up to the foyer (area B1), 
  while a short flight of steps to the southeast climbs up to 
  the exterior cellar doors. A PC who succeeds at a DC 25 
  Perception or Survival check notices an old trail of dried 
  dirt leading from these steps to the door to area B9.
  A large wooden chest sits against the northern wall of 
  the room. A wooden sign above the chest reads, “Toy Box. 
  Put away ALL toys before bed!” Stuffed inside the box are 
  the orphans’ toys: dozens of straw-stuffed dolls, musty 
  storybooks, wooden doodads, and jumbled miscellany. 
  The chest is affixed to the floor. A PC who succeeds at a 
  DC 16 Perception check while looking through the box 
  discovers a false bottom. Beneath the warped wooden 
  boards is a metal grate and long chute that leads down to 
  area E4. The chute is too narrow for anything larger than 
  Diminutive size to fit inside it.
  Once a week or so, after the children have gone to 
  bed, Donara or Vicelli comes to the playroom and takes 
  out the chest’s false bottom, allowing anything that fits 
  through the metal grate to tumble into the river caverns 
  below the orphanage. There, Black Dagger thieves rifle 
  through the junk to find any valuables (Tilo’s “fancy 
  toys”) that the orphans may have brought back from 
  their excursions outdoors—just one of the many 
  procedures the Black Daggers perform to keep their 
  illicit operations well funded and out of sight.
  Treasure: A PC who succeeds at a DC 20 Appraise 
  or Perception check while sorting through all of the 
  items in the toy box finds some of the goods pilfered 
  by orphans over the past week, including a feather token 
  (bird), a pair of gold cuff links worth 25 gp, and a chipped 
  topaz ring worth 50 gp.
  RUMORS IN SENARA
  At any time while the party is in Senara, if a PC questions 
  the townsfolk and succeeds at a DC 10 Diplomacy check 
  to gather information or a DC 15 Knowledge (local) 
  check, the PCs hear one of the following rumors, 
  determined randomly.
  d6 Rumor
  1 “Did you know there’s an angel living in the Old 
  Boneyard? It set up shop there after the Glorious 
  Reclamation took the city. It says it’ll take 
  anybody’s confession, but what are we supposed 
  to confess? It may be an angel, but I’m sure not 
  gonna be the one to talk to it.”
  2 “Some people say there are walking dead in that 
  old aqueduct running under the Low District. That’s 
  why it was abandoned—it ran too close to the Old 
  Boneyard, and opened up some of the graves. 
  Now there’re zombies, ghouls, and worse running 
  around down there!”
  3 “I overheard some of those so-called ‘Glorious 
  Reclamation’ 
  soldiers 
  saying 
  one 
  of 
  their 
  commanders is looking for some sort of portal in 
  the Whisperwood. If it’s the Inferno Gate, maybe 
  we’ll get lucky and one of the devils’ll get her 
  while she’s out there.”
  4 “Don’t mess with Knight Commander Piluxo. She 
  brooks no villains in Senara under her watch. 
  Duxotar Fessellin may have kept her post, but 
  the governor personally locked up Mayor Belken, 
  and he hasn’t been seen since, so you know she 
  means business.”
  5 “Everyone knows about the black market. You can 
  get anything there—drugs, stolen goods, even 
  banned books and maps—you just have to look the 
  part. Doesn’t hurt to have an unsavory reputation 
  around town, either.”
  6 “Keep your coin purse close and out of sight—there 
  are thieves all over Senara. Even the kids are little 
  devils who’ll stab you in the belly for your gold.”
  
  13
  B8. Larder (Cr 1)
  The shelves of this cramped larder are stocked with preserved 
  foodstuffs such as jarred jams, pickled vegetables, and tins 
  of salted butter.
  Trap: Donara set up a small trap here, consisting of 
  several large brass chimes attached to a tripwire. The 
  purpose of the trap isn’t to harm intruders, but to deter 
  children who might sneak out of their beds at night to 
  pilfer sweets or dried fruits from the larder.
  CHIME TRAP 
  CR 1
  XP 400
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset manual
  Effect loud chimes (noise can be heard up to 60 ft. away, 
  –10 ft. for each interposing closed door, –20 ft. for each 
  interposing wall); Reflex DC 15 negates
  Development: The trap is not loud enough to reach the 
  ears of anyone in the orphanage above, but if triggered, 
  the chime does alert the spectre in area B10, which snaps 
  out of its trance and prepares to face intruders.
  B9. disused CeLLar
  During the building’s days as a brothel, this cellar was 
  filled with bottles of cheap wine and distilled liquor. 
  Since the Glorious Reclamation ransacked it, however, 
  the cellar has remained empty, serving only as a bitter 
  reminder to Donara and Vicelli of their former business.
  A PC who succeeds at a DC 25 Perception or Survival 
  check notices that the trail of dried dirt in area B7 
  continues in this chamber, running between the doors to 
  the west and north. The door to the north (leading to area 
  B10) has been jammed shut and boarded up (hardness 5, 
  hp 15, break DC 18).
  B10. aBandoned storeroom (Cr 7)
  Loose soil and dirt cover the stone floor of this cobwebbed 
  chamber, piled with discarded furniture and debris. Strewn 
  across an ornate carpet on the floor are a worn wooden coffin 
  and its badly broken lid, both caked with dirt.
  This room once provided access to the Black Daggers 
  thieves’ guild in the caverns below (area E), but when 
  the Glorious Reclamation raided the Forbidden Sisters’ 
  Ballroom, they sealed the tunnel and boarded up the 
  entrance to this chamber. One of the dressers leaning 
  against the northern wall conceals the tunnel, which can 
  be discovered with a successful DC 15 Perception check, 
  but the Glorious Reclamation collapsed the passage, 
  filling it with large stones and thick layers of soil. The 
  tunnel is completely blocked, making the orphanage’s 
  basement a dead end for the PCs.
  Creature: Unknown to any of the residents of Tilo’s 
  Home for Wayward Youths, a stoic undead creature now 
  quietly lairs in this blocked-off room. When the Black 
  B. TILO’S HOME FOR WAYWARD YOUTHS 
  E. BLACK DAGGERS’ GUILDHOUSE
  D. ABANDONED AQUEDUCT
  BASEMENT
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  E1
  100  FEET
  E4
  E3
  E2
  D1
  T
  B1
  B2
  B3
  B6
  B7
  B10
  B8
  B9
  B5
  B4
  N
  C
  GROUND FLOOR
  RIVER MALVESA
  N
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  14
  Daggers exhumed a grave in the Old Boneyard and 
  converted it into a secret escape tunnel (see area C), they 
  dumped the coffin in this chamber and forgot about 
  it. Little did they realize that such a callous act would 
  come back to haunt them—literally. The grave belonged 
  to a woman named Melany Voddarin, an old resident 
  of Senara who died long ago, but the desecration of her 
  grave caused Melany’s spirit to return as a spectre that 
  now haunts the site where her body was abandoned.
  Thus far, Melany has been content to remain in this 
  room, close to her remains and lost in memories of her 
  previous life. Any living creature entering this room, 
  or the sound of the chime trap in area B8, breaks her 
  from her reverie, however, and she attacks with the 
  anger of undeath. 
  MELANY VODDARIN 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Female spectre (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 256)
  hp 52
  Treasure: The Black Daggers didn’t even bother to 
  loot Melany’s coffin when they dug it up, figuring her for 
  just another peasant. In truth, the Voddarins were quite 
  wealthy, and they laid Melany to rest with a number of 
  bracelets, necklaces, and rings, which still remain draped 
  on her corpse inside the coffin. The jewelry is worth a 
  total of 900 gp.
  Development: If the PCs set off the chime trap in 
  area B8, but don’t explore this room, Melany’s curiosity 
  eventually prompts her to pass through the walls and she 
  attacks the PCs before they leave the basement.
  The presence of the spectre here can give the PCs a 
  valuable clue to the guild’s new secret tunnel in the 
  Old Boneyard, since an unearthed coffin and spectral 
  horror are hardly commonplace sights in an orphanage 
  basement. The age of the coffin certainly points to it 
  having been unearthed from the Old Boneyard (area 
  C), and carved into the center of the coffin’s lid, hardly 
  discernible among the dirt caked on the wood, is the 
  name “Melany Voddarin.”
  Story Award: Award the PCs 1,600 XP if they discover 
  the obstructed passageway to the Black Daggers’ 
  hideout, and an additional 1,600 XP if they learn Melany 
  Voddarin’s name and the origin of her displaced coffin.
  C. OLD BONEYARD (CR 8)
  Located atop a small rise overlooking a tributary of the 
  River Iseld, Senara’s original burial ground is a gently 
  sloping field of green grass dotted with stone grave 
  markers, packed with the remains of thousands of 
  townsfolk who have lived and died in the city over the 
  years. Due to this overcrowding, a new, larger graveyard 
  was constructed on the northern outskirts of the city, 
  where most of Senara’s deceased citizens are now 
  buried, and the locals refer to this cemetery as simply 
  the “Old Boneyard.”
  During the tumultuous years after Senara’s founding, 
  goblin raids and monster attacks on the fledgling town 
  were frequent. To make it easier to flee in times of violence, 
  Senarans constructed narrow escape tunnels connecting 
  to the aqueducts beneath the city. Most of the tunnels 
  have collapsed or fallen into disrepair in the years since, 
  but some time ago, the Black Daggers discovered one of 
  the passages leading from the abandoned aqueduct near 
  their hideout to the Old Boneyard. The Black Daggers 
  dug up one of the graves to access the tunnel, creating a 
  secret escape route they could use if they needed a quick 
  getaway from their guildhouse. 
  The secret tunnel saw frequent use until several 
  weeks ago, when the balisse angel Orimos (see Creature 
  below) took up residence in the graveyard. The Black 
  Daggers soon discovered that they could not use the 
  route without confronting the vigilant celestial, so have 
  mostly stopped using this entrance for the time being. 
  The thieves didn’t bother blocking off the secret tunnel, 
  however, as Tilo argued that it would be better to face an 
  angel while trying to escape than to die with their backs 
  against the wall if the guildhouse was ever compromised. 
  For now, the Black Daggers are more or less just hoping 
  that someone else will take care of the celestial so they 
  don’t have to.
  The PCs likely come to the Old Boneyard either in 
  search of the Black Daggers thieves’ guild following 
  information they gathered or from finding Melany 
  Voddarin’s coffin in the basement of Tilo’s Home for 
  Wayward Youths, or after hearing some of the rumors 
  about the angel residing in the cemetery (whose heart 
  they’ll need to complete their ritual at the Inferno Gate).
  The false grave that leads to the secret tunnel once 
  belonged to a woman named Melany Voddarin. Her 
  remains, and the undead creature this desecration of 
  her grave spawned, now inhabit the basement of Tilo’s 
  Home for Wayward Youths (see area B10). Though 
  many of the tombstones and grave markers in the Old 
  Boneyard have been vandalized over the years, Melany’s 
  flat, 2-foot-by-2-foot granite grave marker is noticeably 
  more defaced than most. Centered among the scratches 
  and markings on the rough slab is a black, cross-shaped 
  alchemical stain burned into the stone. Though it looks 
  heavy, the grave marker can be easily lifted, revealing an 
  excavated shaft in the earth containing a wooden ladder. 
  At the bottom of the shaft, a narrow tunnel leads to the 
  abandoned aqueduct (area D) that eventually connects 
  to the Black Dagger’s river cavern hideout (area E). Of 
  course, disturbing this or any other grave ignites the ire 
  of Orimos, the balisse angel watching over the graveyard 
  (see Creature below).
  Creature: Shortly after the Glorious Reclamation 
  conquered Senara, a balisse angel named Orimos 
  
  15
  appeared in the city and proclaimed they had been sent 
  from Heaven to take the confessions of Senara’s citizens 
  and guide them toward the path to righteousness. In 
  particular, Orimos has focused on the city’s tiefling 
  population, but the angel is willing to hear the confession 
  of anyone seeking redemption. The angel often wanders 
  the city’s streets ministering to the townsfolk, but took 
  up residence in the Old Boneyard, where anyone can 
  find them if necessary. With no need to eat or sleep, 
  Orimos monitors the cemetery from a hillock in the 
  field’s northwest corner, and stalwartly defends the Old 
  Boneyard’s graves against those who would defile them. 
  The PCs and other visitors may walk freely among 
  the graves, but the angel immediately moves to confront 
  intruders who disturb any of the gravesites (including the 
  false grave that leads to the Black Daggers’ hideout). Able 
  to sense the presence of evil with their constant detect evil 
  spell-like ability, Orimos gives only a single warning 
  before launching into a full-on attack against the 
  PCs, whom the angel considers irredeemably evil 
  and unworthy of mercy. Orimos fights to the 
  death in defense of the Old Boneyard.
  ORIMOS 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Balisse angel (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 5 22)
  hp 95
  Development: Orimos pursues any foes 
  fleeing the Old Boneyard, but returns to 
  the cemetery after defeating or losing the 
  intruders. The angel’s primary 
  goal is to be available for those 
  seeking guidance and to protect 
  those interred here, and Orimos 
  pursues 
  this 
  mission 
  single-
  mindedly. If the PCs slay Orimos, 
  they can harvest the angel’s heart to 
  use in the Inferno Gate ritual.
  Story Award: Award the PCs 4,800 XP if they 
  successfully acquire the angel’s heart.
  D. ABANDONED AQUEDUCT (CR 2)
  Long, flat, rectangular slabs of stone form the 
  walls and roof of this long tunnel, which 
  runs in a straight line beneath the streets 
  of the city above.
  This subterranean aqueduct once 
  fed water from the River Malvesa 
  into Senara’s Low District, but part 
  of the tunnel was destroyed during 
  an ogre attack in 4698 ar. The city’s mayor never 
  bothered to repair the partially collapsed tunnel, instead 
  diverting water to other, smaller aqueducts and forcing 
  many Low District residents to collect their daily water 
  straight from the river. Parts of the aqueduct still fill 
  with water during the winter months or periods of heavy 
  rainfall, but most of the year it contains only a shallow 
  layer of stagnant water. Now, the aqueduct is used by 
  the Black Daggers as the main entrance by land to their 
  hideout beneath Tilo’s Home for Wayward Youths.
  The main tunnel of the abandoned aqueduct runs in a 
  straight line from the escarpment on the south bank of the 
  River Malvesa in a south-southeasterly direction beneath 
  the Low District, before turning southwest toward the Old 
  Boneyard. The aqueduct connects to wells in the city above 
  at various points, but most of these conduits have been 
  sealed or long abandoned. The aqueduct is 8 feet high and 
  15 feet wide for most of its length.
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  ORIMOS
  
  16
  The PCs may investigate the abandoned aqueduct due 
  to information they’ve gathered about the Black Daggers 
  or rumors they’ve overheard. They may also arrive here 
  through the false grave in the Old Boneyard (see area C). 
  Otherwise, they’ll need to find the entrance themselves 
  by searching the banks of the River Malvesa on the 
  northeast side of the Low District.
  There are two areas in the aqueduct of interest to the 
  PCs. The first is a cramped tunnel at the far southwestern 
  terminus of the aqueduct, which leads to the false grave 
  in the Old Boneyard (area C). The second is a tall, narrow 
  gash in the northeastern wall of the aqueduct, about 
  halfway down the aqueduct’s primary tunnel. This 
  narrow passage winds for about 100 feet before reaching 
  the Black Daggers’ hideout (area E), and its entrance is 
  trapped (see Trap below). Part of the aqueduct wall, 10 
  feet northwest of the hideout entrance, is an illusory wall 
  (DC 16 Will save to disbelieve if interacted with) covering 
  an entrance to the watch cave (area D1).
  Use the map on page 13 for this encounter area.
  Trap: The Black Daggers have warded the entrance to 
  the branch tunnel that leads to their hideout with a simple 
  alarm trap. Any Tiny or larger creature entering the tunnel 
  triggers the trap, which alerts anyone in the adjacent 
  watch cave (area D1) and the guild hideout (area E). The 
  Black Daggers themselves use a pass phrase (“the night is 
  my knife”) to bypass the trap when using this entrance.
  ALARM TRAP 
  CR 2
  XP 600
  Type magic; Perception DC 26; Disable Device DC 26
  EFFECTS
  Trigger proximity; Reset none; Bypass password
  Effect spell effect (audible alarm)
  Development: If the PCs set off the alarm trap, it alerts 
  Donara Gedraedius and the Black Dagger thieves in 
  area D1. They immediately exit the watch cave into the 
  aqueduct tunnel to confront the intruders.
  d1. WatCh Cave (Cr 8)
  The Black Daggers dug out this small side cavern to 
  watch over the entrance to their hideout. Guild members 
  are posted here in shifts with orders to intercept any 
  unauthorized visitors to the guildhouse. In practice, this 
  means the guards usually don’t take any action unless the 
  alarm trap in area D goes off.
  Two short passages exit the watch cave, one leading 
  to the abandoned aqueduct to the southwest, the other 
  leading to the hideout’s entrance tunnel to the southeast. 
  Both of these entrances are hidden with illusory walls (DC 
  16 Will save to disbelieve if interacted with).
  Creatures: Donara Gedraedius and two Black Dagger 
  thieves wait in this chamber. They’re a bit more aware 
  than the guards usually posted here—they’ve been 
  expecting company ever since an initiate came back to 
  the guildhouse with a stolen bracelet worth far too much, 
  and it was only a matter of time before the bracelet’s 
  original owner sent mercenaries to come looking for 
  it. The thieves immediately exit this room to confront 
  intruders if the alarm trap in area D goes off.
  Donara is the elder Gedraedius sister and one of the 
  Black Daggers’ three guildmasters. The tiefling woman 
  has silvery horns and a diamond pattern on her skin. 
  She has become only more beautiful with age, though 
  her humorless scowl and militaristic attire are evidence 
  that her patience has greatly diminished since she was 
  a madam. Donara cruelly leads members of her guild 
  into battle with little regard for their safety, and savors 
  shedding her enemies’ blood with a carnal fervor.
  BLACK DAGGER THIEVES (2) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  Tiefling rogue 4 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264)
  LE Medium outsider (native)
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +6
  DEFENSE
  AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +4 Dex)
  hp 33 each (4d8+12)
  Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +0
  Defensive Abilities evasion, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; 
  Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk short sword +5 (1d6+1/19–20 plus black 
  whinnis) or
  dagger +4 (1d4+1/19–20)
  Ranged dagger +7 (1d4+1/19–20 plus black whinnis)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6 plus 2 bleed
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +3)
  1/day—darkness
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The Black Daggers have poisoned their short 
  swords and one dagger each with black whinnis, and they 
  drink their elixirs of hiding in preparation for battle.
  During Combat The Black Daggers stick to the shadows at 
  first and throw poisoned daggers at intruders. If these 
  tactics don’t drive off the trespassers, the thieves launch 
  a more lethal assault, using their Feint Partner teamwork 
  feat to bluff opponents and make sneak attacks.
  Morale If Donara and one of the Black Daggers are knocked 
  unconscious or killed, the remaining thief flees to area E.
  STATISTICS
  Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 8, Cha 8
  Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 18
  Feats Combat Expertise, Feint PartnerUC, Improved Feint
  Skills Acrobatics +11, Bluff +8, Climb +10, Disable 
  Device +13, Disguise +6, Escape Artist +11, Knowledge 
  (local) +9, Perception +6, Sense Motive +4, Sleight of 
  Hand +9, Stealth +23
  
  17
  Languages Common, Dwarven, Halfling, Infernal
  SQ rogue talents (bleeding attack +2, combat trick), 
  trapfinding +2
  Combat Gear elixir of hiding, potion of cure light wounds, 
  black whinnis (2; see page 18), smokesticks (2), tanglefoot 
  bag; Other Gear +1 studded leather, daggers (5), mwk 
  short sword, antitoxin, climber’s kit, thieves’ tools, 55 gp
  DONARA GEDRAEDIUS 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Female tiefling slayer 8 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264, 
  Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 53)
  NE Medium outsider (native)
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +4 Dex)
  hp 72 (8d10+24)
  Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +2
  Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk handaxe +11/+6 (1d6+2/×3)
  Ranged +1 composite longbow +14/+9 (1d8+3/×3)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6, studied target +2 
  (2 targets, swift action)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th; 
  concentration +7)
  1/day—darkness
  TACTICS
  During Combat Donara sticks to the shadows, 
  studying targets and using Stealth to snipe at them 
  from afar with her bow. She takes great pains not to 
  reveal her position while the thieves accompanying 
  her engage opponents directly.
  Morale If an opponent detects Donara’s position, or if the 
  Black Dagger thieves with her are slain, Donara drinks 
  her potion of invisibility and attempts to flee down the 
  hideout entrance tunnel to area E to warn Vicelli and Tilo. If 
  cornered, captured, or defeated, Donara does not betray her 
  sister or their guild unless magically compelled.
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 8
  Base Atk +8; CMB +10; CMD 24
  Feats Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid 
  Shot, Weapon Focus (longbow)
  Skills Acrobatics +14, Bluff +12, Climb +8, Disguise +6, 
  Knowledge (dungeoneering) +9, Knowledge (local) +13, 
  Perception +10, Sense Motive +6, Stealth +21, Survival +8, 
  Swim +6
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Halfling, Infernal
  SQ slayer talents (deadly range, ranger combat style 
  [archery], slowing strike, snap shotAPG), stalker, track +4
  Combat Gear potion of invisibility; Other Gear +1 shadow 
  chain shirt, +1 composite longbow (+2 Str) with 20 arrows, 
  mwk handaxe, cloak of resistance +1, antitoxin, 120 gp
  E. BLACK DAGGERS’ GUILDHOUSE
  The Black Daggers run their illicit activities from 
  their hideout in forgotten river caverns beneath Tilo’s 
  Home for Wayward Youths, sneaking stolen goods and 
  human cargo out of the caves at night and shipping 
  them downriver to buyers throughout the Inner Sea. 
  Adherents of Zon-Kuthon originally held secret worship 
  ceremonies in these caves, but few Senarans (if any) know 
  this, and the Black Daggers have had exclusive use of the 
  caverns for the past few decades.
  Depending on how the PCs approach the guildhouse, 
  they may have very different experiences dealing with 
  the Black Daggers. If the PCs marched through the 
  abandoned aqueduct (area D) with a brute force assault, 
  the guild is most likely on high alert for intruders, and 
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  DONARA GEDRAEDIUS
  
  18
  the PCs will have a tough time sneaking through the 
  caverns or surprising enemies. On the other hand, if the 
  PCs manage to infiltrate the guild without alerting any 
  of the thieves inside, likely by sneaking past or defeating 
  all of the guild’s guards in the aqueduct, they may have 
  an easier time of it, and may be able to surprise some of 
  the thieves inside or avoid certain encounters entirely. 
  Unless otherwise noted, the floors of the Black Daggers’ 
  guildhouse are of hewn stone, slippery with accumulated 
  water, requiring a successful DC 15 Acrobatics check to 
  run or charge across, and increasing the DC of other 
  Acrobatics checks by 5. The walls are unworked stone, 
  and ceilings average 10 to 15 feet high. All rooms are 
  unlit. Use the map on page 13 for this area.
  Story Award: If the PCs manage to sneak past any 
  of the inhabitants of the Black Daggers’ guildhouse 
  in the following encounter locations, thus avoiding 
  confrontations with the thieves, award them the 
  appropriate amount of experience as if they had defeated 
  these foes in combat.
  e1. Common room (Cr 6)
  The muted roar of flowing water echoes through this moist, 
  high-ceilinged cavern, filled with bedrolls, chairs, tables, and 
  other furniture flanked by iron candelabra. At the northeast 
  end of the cavern, a black cloth is draped over a human-
  sized, rounded cylindrical shape on a low stone dais.
  The Black Daggers have repurposed this cavern, once 
  the primary ritual chamber of the Kuthites who originally 
  inhabited these caves, into a common room for the guild’s 
  members. While most of the Black Daggers have homes 
  elsewhere, they occasionally stay here when on duty in the 
  guildhouse or to lie low after a dangerous job. 
  The cloth-draped object on the low dais to the northeast 
  is an iron maiden. It is embellished with the image of a 
  flayed human impaled with a variety of spikes and nails, 
  but is heavily rusted due to the moisture in the cavern. A 
  PC who succeeds at a DC 10 Knowledge (religion) check 
  can recognize the iron maiden as a representation of 
  Zon-Kuthon commonly used as an object of veneration 
  in secret Kuthite shrines. The Black Daggers removed 
  all of the other torture implements from this chamber 
  when they moved into the caverns, but the iron maiden is 
  bolted to the floor, so the thieves simply covered it to avoid 
  looking at it. The ceiling is 25 feet high here.
  Creatures: Two Black Dagger sorcerers are taking their 
  ease here between jobs. The sorcerers attack intruders as 
  soon as they enter the chamber, unless the trespassers 
  have made an effort to disguise themselves.
  BLACK DAGGER SORCERERS (2) 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200 each
  Tiefling sorcerer 5 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264)
  LE Medium outsider (native)
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +3
  DEFENSE
  AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge)
  hp 30 each (5d6+10)
  Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +6; +2 vs. poison
  Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk dagger +3 (1d4/19–20)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +7)
  1/day—darkness
  Bloodline Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +8)
  6/day—corrupting touch (2 rounds)
  Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +8)
  2nd (5/day)—ghoul touch (DC 15), mirror image, 
  scorching ray
  1st (7/day)—burning hands (DC 14), charm person 
  (DC 16), magic missile, protection from good, vanishAPG
  0 (at will)—acid splash, bleed (DC 13), detect magic, flare 
  (DC 13), ghost sound (DC 13), read magic
  Bloodline infernal
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If aware of intruders, the Black Dagger 
  sorcerers cast mage armor and mirror image, and drink 
  their potions of blur before entering battle.
  During Combat The sorcerers target opponents with spells 
  such as scorching ray, ghoul touch, burning hands, or 
  magic missile, and summon lemures or fiendish wolves 
  with their wands of summon monster II.
  Morale The sorcerers are less afraid of death than most 
  members of their guild. A Black Dagger sorcerer 
  continues to fight until it is the sole remaining Black 
  Dagger left in battle, at which point the sorcerer casts 
  vanish and flees to regroup.
  BLACK WHINNIS
  Black whinnis is a poison made from the same red 
  creeper vine that produces the better-known blue whinnis 
  poison, but the distilled sap from the blue whinnis thorns 
  is further refined using a slightly more volatile process. 
  Vicelli Gedraedius (see area E2) mastered the crafting of 
  this homegrown poison several years ago, and has made 
  it a staple among Black Dagger thieves. One dose of 
  black whinnis costs 200 gp.
  BLACK WHINNIS
  Type poison, injury; Save Fortitude DC 14 
  Frequency 1/round for 2 rounds 
  Initial Effect 1 Con damage; Secondary Effect nausea 
  for 1d4 rounds; Cure 1 save 
  
  19
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 14
  Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 16
  Feats Combat Casting, Dodge, Eschew Materials, 
  Improved Initiative
  Skills Bluff +9, Craft (alchemy) +5, Perception +3, Stealth +9
  Languages Common, Infernal
  SQ bloodline arcana (+2 DC for charm spells), fiendish sorcery
  Combat Gear potion of blur, potion of cure light wounds, 
  scroll of alarm, scroll of mage armor (3), scroll of 
  spider climb, wand of summon monster II (13 charges), 
  alchemist’s fire (2); Other Gear mwk dagger, cloak of 
  resistance +1, dust of tracelessness, skeleton keyUE, 53 gp
  Treasure: Tilo keeps two potions of eagle’s splendor tucked 
  in a hollow behind the iron maiden in case he needs some 
  liquid courage while speaking to his guild members.
  Development: If the PCs interrogate any of the 
  sorcerers about Fex’s talisman, they readily betray their 
  guildmaster in exchange for their lives. They tell the 
  PCs that their boss, Tilo, has been wearing the accessory 
  fondly ever since some of his best recruits brought it 
  to him as a part of their initiation into the guild. The 
  sorcerers can also tell the PCs they might be able to avoid 
  a fight with Tilo by bargaining with the guildmaster.
  e2. underground laB (Cr 8)
  Glass vials filled with viscous liquids, jars of preserved animal 
  parts, and piles of dried herbs cover broken bookshelves and 
  haphazard tables in this makeshift laboratory.
  Creatures: Vicelli Gedraedius, younger sister of 
  Donara and one of the Black Daggers’ three 
  guildmasters, devises and crafts new 
  alchemical recipes and poisons in this 
  room. A thin, bookish tiefling 
  woman, Vicelli keeps her 
  brown hair in a long, 
  single braid to conceal 
  the sharp bone spurs 
  that protrude from her 
  spine. When the PCs arrive, she is training 
  two Black Dagger sorcerers in how to make black 
  whinnis poison. The thieves attack intruders on 
  sight, unless taken by surprise, or if the PCs captured 
  Donara in area D1 (see Development on page 20).
  BLACK DAGGER SORCERERS (2) 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200 each
  hp 30 each (see page 18)
  VICELLI GEDRAEDIUS 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  Female tiefling rogue (underground chemist) 7 
  (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264, Pathfinder RPG Advanced 
  Class Guide 109)
  LE Medium outsider (native)
  Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 deflection, 
  +3 Dex, +1 dodge)
  hp 49 (7d8+14)
  Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +3
  Defensive Abilities trap sense +2, uncanny dodge; 
  Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk punching dagger +9 (1d4–1/×3 plus black whinnis)
  Ranged thrown splash weapon +9 touch (by weapon) or
  mwk hand crossbow +9 (1d4/19–20)
  Special Attacks chemical weapons, precise splash 
  weapons, sneak attack +4d6
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
   VICELLI GEDRAEDIUS
  
  20
  TILO OF BRAGANZA
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Vicelli has poisoned her punching dagger 
  with black whinnis.
  During Combat Vicelli uses her chemical weapons and 
  precise splash weapons abilities to make sneak attacks 
  with her wide variety of alchemical weapons. She leaves 
  most of the damage dealing to her Black Dagger allies, 
  but if cornered in melee combat, Vicelli fights with 
  her poisoned punching dagger (which remains for two 
  attacks due to her lasting poison rogue talent).
  Morale If she has allies to fight alongside when reduced to 
  fewer than 25 hit points, Vicelli drinks her potion of cure 
  moderate wounds, but if outnumbered, she drinks her 
  potion of invisibility and flees.
  STATISTICS
  Str 8, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha 8
  Base Atk +5; CMB +4; CMD 19
  Feats Dodge, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Throw Anything, 
  Weapon Finesse
  Skills Acrobatics +13, Appraise +10, Bluff +11, Climb +6, Craft 
  (alchemy) +17, Disable Device +16, Disguise +11, Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) +14, Knowledge (local) +14, Perception 
  +11, Sleight of Hand +13, Stealth +15, Use Magic Device +9
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven, Halfling, Infernal, Orc
  SQ rogue talents (finesse rogue, lasting poisonAPG), 
  trapfinding +3, variant tiefling ability
  Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of 
  invisibility, acid (2), alchemist’s fire (2), black whinnis (2; 
  see page 18), bottled lightningUE (2), fuse grenadeUE (2), 
  ghast retch flaskUE (2), iron pellet grenadeUE (2), liquid 
  iceAPG (2), oil of taggit (2), tangleburn bagUE, tanglefoot 
  bag, thunderstone (2); Other Gear +1 studded leather, 
  mwk hand crossbow with 10 bolts, mwk punching 
  dagger, ring of protection +1, alchemy crafting kitAPG, 
  antitoxin (2), disguise kit, thieves’ tools, 57 gp
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Variant Tiefling Ability (Ex) Vicelli possesses fiendish luck, 
  allowing her to reroll one die roll once per day. She must 
  take the result of this second roll. This variant tiefling ability 
  appears in Pathfinder Player Companion: Blood of Fiends 
  and replaces the tiefling’s spell-like ability racial trait.
  Treasure: The alchemical gear in this chamber 
  composes a complete alchemist’s lab.
  Development: If the PCs captured Donara in area 
  D1, Vicelli’s tactics change immediately, and she offers 
  to bargain for her sister’s life. If the PCs mention 
  Fex’s talisman, Vicelli instantly recognizes it from its 
  description. In exchange for her life and Donara’s, Vicelli 
  tells the PCs that their “partner” Tilo in area E4 wears 
  the talisman, and promises not to intervene in their 
  attempt to get the talisman back. If pressed, she offers 
  her remaining doses of black whinnis to use against Tilo. 
  Likewise, capturing and interrogating Vicelli can reveal 
  the same information about Tilo and the talisman. 
  e3. storage Cavern
  Wooden crates, barrels, and a pile of large boxes fill up most 
  of this cavern’s floor. 
  The Black Daggers use this area to store excess 
  goods they’re still waiting to load onto boats to fence in 
  settlements downriver.
  Treasure: Being relatively mundane trade goods, most 
  of the items stored here are likely of little interest to the 
  PCs. However, if the PCs scan the crates and succeed at 
  a DC 25 Appraise check, they can find the most valuable 
  item in the collection, an engraved platinum scarab worth 
  800 gp. If they take at least an hour to search the boxes 
  more thoroughly, they can find 5 doses of black whinnis 
  poison (see page 18), three chests full of fine garments 
  worth 400 gp each, seven silver unholy symbols of 
  Asmodeus, and four 50-foot-long bundles of hemp rope.
  
  21
  e4. river Cavern (Cr 8)
  A large pool of dark water fills the north end of this high-
  ceilinged cavern, connecting to a waterway to the northeast, 
  from which the sound of running water can be heard. A 
  battered wooden raft and two rowboats lean against the 
  northeast cavern wall, and a collection of dirty toys and 
  garbage is piled against a wall to the south. A narrow chute 
  bores upward through the ceiling above the garbage pile.
  The waterway to the northeast connects to the River 
  Malvesa outside; the Black Daggers use the boats in this 
  chamber to smuggle goods into and out of their hideout. 
  The shaft in the ceiling leads up to the playroom in Tilo’s 
  Home for Wayward Youths (area B7), where the orphans 
  place their pilfered “toys” in the false-bottomed toy box, 
  unwittingly providing the Black Daggers with stolen 
  valuables to sift through.
  Creatures: The Black Daggers’ newest guildmaster, 
  Tilo of Braganza, is currently here sorting through 
  the rubbish that falls down from the chute above with 
  three Black Dagger thieves. Tilo is a tiefling, but as 
  far as infernal blood goes, his heritage is less obvious 
  than other devilspawn—curly golden locks frame a 
  handsome, bronzed face and deep brown eyes, fine 
  leather shoes conceal his cloven feet, and he keeps his 
  short, scaly tail tucked down the legs of his trousers. 
  Tilo’s most obvious fiendish features are black stigmata 
  that look like scorch marks on the fronts and backs of 
  his hands. Tilo takes an almost perverse pride in the 
  blasphemous markings, and doesn’t hide them except 
  in front of Glorious Reclamation soldiers. An exile from 
  Molthune, Tilo weaves grandiose (and almost entirely 
  fabricated) stories in and out of conversation as deftly 
  as he wields his whip. His favorite topics include his 
  heroically tragic beginnings as a bastard orphan, his 
  extraordinary travels to exotic locales, and a countless 
  number of benevolent or noble deeds he’s undertaken 
  for the less fortunate.
  Tilo is nothing if not diplomatic, and unlike his new 
  partners Donara and Vicelli, he does not attack the PCs 
  on sight. He asks what brought the PCs to his humble 
  operation, feeling out how they managed to sneak into 
  the hideout and what they hope to accomplish by doing 
  so. If the PCs reveal that they are looking for an item 
  that the Black Daggers stole, Tilo patiently nods as if 
  expecting as much, then announces that he is willing 
  to negotiate a trade for the talisman. Tilo himself 
  offers one possibility: if the PCs kill the angel currently 
  inhabiting the Old Boneyard (see area C), thus allowing 
  the Black Daggers full use of their secret tunnel, he’ll 
  give them the talisman. He’ll also accept payment of 
  no less than 2,000 gp in exchange for the talisman. The 
  PCs can also make their own offer; for example, if Vicelli 
  betrayed Tilo in exchange for her life (see area E2), one 
  possibility is to hand over the traitor to Tilo, who views 
  it as a fair trade for the talisman. Of course, the PCs can 
  also simply decide to fight Tilo and his goons and take 
  the talisman for themselves.
  BLACK DAGGER THIEVES (3) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  hp 33 each (see page 16)
  TILO OF BRAGANZA 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  Male tiefling bard (daredevil) 5/rogue 2 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 264, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat 32)
  LE Medium outsider (native)
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +4 Dex)
  hp 40 (7d8+5)
  Fort +1, Ref +12, Will +3; +1 vs. mind-affecting and fear effects
  Defensive Abilities evasion; Resist cold 5, electricity 5, 
  fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk whip +10 (1d3+1 nonlethal) or
  mwk whip +8 (1d3+1 nonlethal), +1 short sword +8 
  (1d6+1/19–20)
  Ranged dagger +9 (1d4+1/19–20)
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (15 ft. with whip)
  Special Attacks bardic performance 14 rounds/day 
  (countersong, derring-do [+2 AC and Reflex saves, +4 on 
  Dexterity-based skill checks], distraction, fascinate 
  [DC 14], inspire competence +2), canny foe +2 (trip), 
  sneak attack +1d6
  Bard Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +7)
  2nd (3/day)—blur, hold person (DC 14), silence (DC 14)
  1st (5/day)—charm person (DC 13), grease, hideous 
  laughter (DC 13), undetectable alignment (DC 13)
  0 (at will)—detect magic, ghost sound (DC 12), message, 
  prestidigitation, siftAPG, unwitting allyAPG (DC 12)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Tilo casts undetectable alignment on 
  himself at the start of every day. If aware of approaching 
  intruders, he uses a scroll of cat’s grace on himself.
  During Combat Tilo casts blur on the first round of battle 
  and tries to stay out of direct combat. He uses his 
  derring-do bardic performance to bolster his allies while 
  casting spells or tripping foes at a distance with his whip.  
  Morale If reduced to 15 hit points or fewer, Tilo throws the 
  phlegmatic talisman in the pool of water and attempts to 
  flee, using a smokestick to cover his escape.
  STATISTICS
  Str 12, Dex 20, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 8, Cha 14
  Base Atk +4; CMB +9 (+13 trip); CMD 20 (24 vs. trip)
  Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, 
  Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  22
  Skills Acrobatics +16, Appraise +8, Bluff +16, Climb +8, 
  Diplomacy +14, Disable Device +12, Escape Artist +6, 
  Knowledge (local) +8, Perception +9, Perform (oratory) 
  +12, Sense Motive +9, Stealth +16
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Halfling, Infernal
  SQ agile +2, dauntless +1, rogue talent (finesse rogue), 
  scoundrel’s fortune (1/day), trapfinding +1, variant 
  tiefling ability
  Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, scrolls 
  of cat’s grace (2), wand of glitterdust (11 charges), 
  alchemist’s fire (2), smokestick (2), thunderstone; Other 
  Gear +1 glamered chain shirt, +1 short sword, daggers 
  (4), mwk whip, phlegmatic talisman (see page 23), 
  masterwork thieves’ tools, 31 gp
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Variant Tiefling Ability (Ex) Tilo has a fiendishly cunning 
  tongue, granting him a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy 
  checks. This variant tiefling ability appears in Pathfinder 
  Player Companion: Blood of Fiends and replaces the 
  tiefling’s spell-like ability racial trait.
  Treasure: Regardless of whether they negotiate for it 
  or defeat Tilo in combat, the PCs should finally be able to 
  get their hands on Fex’s phlegmatic talisman (see page 23). 
  If the PCs try to identify the properties of the phlegmatic 
  talisman, they can learn the talisman’s abilities, how to 
  use the item, and the fact that a devil has not yet been 
  bound to the talisman, but not the specific devil the 
  talisman was crafted to bind. However, they can discover 
  more information elsewhere in this chamber (see below).
  Picking through the pile of “garbage” on the floor 
  results mostly in sticky hands and dirty knees, as the 
  Black Daggers have already fenced the latest collection of 
  “toys” from the orphanage above, but a PC who succeeds 
  at a DC 17 Perception check while searching the pile 
  finds a bundle of parchment. The pages are covered with 
  writing in Infernal, and contain Fex’s notes about the 
  phlegmatic talisman—notes that the Black Daggers stole 
  along with the talisman and that Fex never intended for 
  the PCs to see.
  The papers identify Fex’s particular infernal talisman 
  as a phlegmatic talisman, which is used to bind a devil to 
  a specific location, provided the bearer of the talisman 
  knows the devil’s true name. They also contain a sketch of 
  a corpulent devil seated on a floating throne of iron skulls 
  along with a drawing of some sort of esoteric glyph or 
  symbol. A PC who succeeds at a DC 22 Knowledge (planes) 
  check recognizes the depicted devil as an ayngavhaul, or 
  heresy devil. A successful DC 20 Knowledge (arcana) or 
  Knowledge (planes) check identifies the strange symbol 
  as an infernal sigil, something like a unique signature 
  that defines an individual devil. 
  A result of 25 or greater on this check (or a second 
  successful DC 25 check) allows a character to recall some 
  information on how infernal sigils are used and how they 
  relate to true names. A true name is the quintessence of 
  a devil in verbal form; an infernal sigil is the written 
  representation of this name. However, an infernal sigil 
  cannot simply be read to learn a devil’s true name, as 
  such a symbol is essentially an abbreviation that does not 
  directly correspond to the intricate syllables of the true 
  name. Together, a true name and infernal sigil embody 
  the totality of a devil’s being, much like a mortal soul, 
  and knowledge of a devil’s true name and/or infernal 
  sigil can give a summoner great power over that fiend. 
  As a result, most devils work very hard to keep their true 
  names and sigils secret from those who would use them 
  against them.
  With these notes, the PCs can easily surmise that Fex 
  may very well be planning to bind a heresy devil to the 
  Inferno Gate, and that the archbaron likely knows the 
  devil’s true name. Why Fex would want to bind the devil 
  to the gate is unclear, but the PCs might infer that their 
  patron wants to take control of the portal himself rather 
  than close it. In any case, the notes are likely the PCs’ first 
  clue that Fex is planning something different from what 
  he told the PCs, or at the very least, has not shared all of 
  his information with them.
  Lastly, the raft and pair of rowboats in this chamber 
  are perfectly serviceable vessels, if any of the PCs are 
  practiced river travelers.
  Development: If the PCs encounter with Tilo is an 
  amiable one and they recover the talisman peacefully, the 
  guildmaster knows little about it. Tilo appreciated the 
  talisman mainly for its aesthetics and cares little for the 
  object’s value; as a collector of rare objects, he was more 
  interested in the talisman as a fashionable curiosity than 
  as a show of wealth. However, Tilo does give them the 
  papers found with the talisman in Fex’s townhouse (see 
  Treasure above).
  Story Award: Award the PCs 4,800 XP if they 
  successfully recover Fex’s phlegmatic talisman. If they 
  manage to do so without resorting to violence, award 
  them an additional 4,800 XP, as if they had defeated Tilo 
  and his thieves in combat.
  PhlegmATiC TAlismAn
  A phlegmatic talisman is a type of devil talisman—a magic 
  item created by the infernal lords that supposedly binds 
  a devil to a mortal’s whims, but also allows the devil to 
  tempt the mortal and corrupt his soul. Unlike other devil 
  talismans, phlegmatic talismans do not actually have devils 
  bound within them. Instead, they are used to bind devils 
  to specific locations.
  The price of a phlegmatic talisman varies depending on 
  the power of the devil to be bound to it, equaling the 
  bound devil’s CR × 8,000 gp.
  More information on devil talismans and true names 
  can be found in Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Princes of 
  Darkness: Book of the Damned, Vol. 1.
  
  23
  PHLEGMATIC TALISMAN
  PRICE
  96,000 GP
  SLOT neck
  CL 12th
  WEIGHT —
  AURA strong conjuration
  This turbid blue, teardrop-shaped devil talisman binds a 
  particular devil to a specific location, trapping the fiend in 
  a manner similar to planar binding but without the need 
  for a magic circle and with no chance of the devil escaping. 
  Once bound, the devil cannot move farther than 100 feet 
  from the location it is bound to, and the devil is considered 
  helpful toward the talisman’s wearer for the purposes of any 
  request related to the location it is bound to (thus negating 
  the need for an opposed Charisma check to convince the 
  bound devil to perform such a service). A creature must 
  be wearing the phlegmatic talisman to make requests of 
  the bound devil.
  When within 100 feet of each other, the 
  wearer of the phlegmatic talisman and 
  the devil bound to it cannot attack 
  or take offensive actions against 
  one another, even if magically 
  influenced (such as by charm 
  monster or dominate monster). In 
  addition, when within 100 feet of 
  each other, the wearer and the bound 
  devil each gain a +4 profane bonus on Will 
  saves against spells and effects that possess or 
  exercise mental control over a creature (including effects with 
  the charm or compulsion descriptors).
  A phlegmatic talisman is crafted to bind a specific devil, 
  and is not capable of binding any other creature. Any 
  mortal who meets the construction requirements can craft a 
  phlegmatic talisman as long as she knows the true name of 
  the devil to be bound to the talisman, which must be spoken 
  during the item’s creation. In order to finally bind the devil 
  to the talisman, the wearer of the talisman must touch the 
  talisman to the devil in the location the devil will be bound 
  to (so the wearer and the devil must both be physically 
  present in the binding location) and speak the devil’s 
  true name. If the devil bound to a phlegmatic talisman is 
  destroyed on the same plane as the talisman, the talisman 
  breaks and loses its magic. Conversely, if the phlegmatic 
  talisman binding the devil is destroyed, the devil is freed.
  Archbaron Fex’s phlegmatic talisman is tied to the heresy 
  devil Visperthul (see page 53) and was crafted to bind 
  Visperthul to the Inferno Gate (see area Q16).
  CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
  COST 48,000 GP
  Craft Wondrous Item, planar binding, protection from evil or 
  protection from law, must know the true name of the devil 
  to be conjured and bound
  F. BLACK MARKET
  Before the Glorious Reclamation conquered Senara, the 
  city’s black market traders openly displayed their wares 
  alongside legitimate merchants on Caravan Street in the 
  Low District. Now, the black market hides in plain sight 
  in the dirty alleyways branching off of the town’s main 
  bazaar. With the Glorious Reclamation now patrolling 
  the streets and cracking down on crime, the black 
  market dealers only sell their illicit wares to customers 
  they recognize or unscrupulous-looking strangers not 
  obviously affiliated with the Glorious Reclamation. 
  Known felons and wrongdoers have the easiest time of 
  acquiring black market goods, since word travels fast in 
  the Low District’s gossipy alleyways.
  The PCs might come here following Blissy’s advice 
  to find information about the Black 
  Daggers, after learning of some of the 
  “disreputable” ritual components 
  for sale at the market from the 
  Order of the Pike (see area G), 
  or following up on rumors 
  they may have heard. In order 
  to discover the black market’s 
  location, a PC must succeed at a 
  DC 15 Diplomacy check to gather 
  information. Characters with the 
  black market connections rogue 
  talent (Ultimate Combat 69) gain a +2 
  bonus on the check. Failing this check 
  by 5 or more attracts unwanted attention 
  or turns up a false lead, and the check cannot be 
  retried for 1 day.
  The PCs can acquire a variety of illegal wares at the 
  black market, but they’re likely seeking specific items or 
  information. Details on tracking down these particular 
  resources are presented below.
  Black Daggers: Asking around about the location 
  of the Black Daggers’ hideout points the PCs toward a 
  freelance thief named Cael (NE male human rogue 7), 
  a dealer in confidential information. Cael offers to sell 
  the guildhouse’s location for 2,500 gp, but the PCs can 
  negotiate a lower price. A successful DC 24 Diplomacy 
  check or DC 17 Intimidate check reduces the price 
  to 1,875 gp; exceeding those DCs by 5 or more reduces 
  the price to 1,250 gp, the lowest price Cael is willing to 
  accept. Cael can tell the PCs that although the Black 
  Daggers operate out of Tilo’s Home for Wayward Youths 
  (area B), their guildhouse is actually located beneath the 
  orphanage, and must be accessed from the abandoned 
  aqueduct (area D). If necessary, use the statistics for a 
  freelance thief on page 147 of the Pathfinder RPG NPC 
  Codex for Cael.
  Ritual Components: If the PCs have come to the black 
  market in search of Fex’s ritual components, they quickly 
  find that celestial hearts are difficult to acquire, even in a 
  place such as this. They can learn that an angel has recently 
  been seen in the Old Boneyard (area C), if they want to 
  acquire an angel’s heart themselves. Otherwise, the PCs 
  are directed to a woman named Ginevra, who might have 
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  24
  Ginevra’s body may be decrepit, but age has not 
  diminished her razor-sharp perceptiveness. She talks 
  slowly but candidly, in contrast with the smooth-
  talking swindlers and con artists that otherwise 
  populate the black market. 
  Initially, Ginevra claims to have no 
  knowledge of what the PCs are seeking—
  she’s never seen these people before, and has 
  no idea what their true purpose is. Her initial 
  attitude is indifferent, but Ginevra can be 
  made friendly with a successful DC 22 
  Diplomacy check, or a successful DC 22 
  Intimidate check (the DCs include 
  a +5 modifier due to Ginevra’s 
  suspicion and the ignominious 
  nature of dealing in the body 
  parts of sentient creatures). 
  Once made friendly, however, 
  Ginevra admits that she currently has only one 
  such item in stock—the heart of an agathion (an avoral’s 
  heart, to be precise)—that she offers to sell for the price 
  of 8,000 gp. Ginevra is no newcomer to the way of 
  underworld dealings, and she is willing to trade for the 
  heart if the PCs don’t have the money, though she only 
  accepts magic items of equal or lesser value to the heart 
  in exchange. She is also willing to take a combination of 
  cash and magic, though she’s not interested in any magic 
  items worth less than 2,000 gp and refuses to accept 
  them in trade. If the PCs need time to acquire the needed 
  funds, Ginevra agrees to hold the heart for them until 
  they have the money.
  Alternatively, the PCs might attempt to steal the 
  avoral heart from Ginevra. This requires a successful 
  DC 20 Sleight of Hand check, but Ginevra and her 
  bodyguards can attempt opposed Perception checks to 
  notice the theft.
  If the PCs threaten or attack Ginevra, or she notices an 
  attempted theft, she warns the PCs that such actions risk 
  attracting unwanted attention. The old woman shows no 
  desire to fight, but her halfling bodyguards quickly move 
  to defend their employer, fighting to the death.
  GINEVRA 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600
  Traveling merchant (Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide 285)
  hp 31
  HALFLING BODYGUARDS (4) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  Murderous halfling (Pathfinder RPG NPC Codex 81)
  hp 30 each
  Treasure: If the PCs successfully cut a deal with 
  Ginevra or slay her and her bodyguards, they acquire the 
  agathion’s heart for use in Fex’s ritual.
  more information (see The Agathion’s Heart below). Any 
  other inquiries about the ritual components, including 
  the unicorn horns, elicit a negative response and 
  a suggestion to talk with the Hellknights of the 
  Order of the Pike at Citadel Ordeial (see Part 2).
  Other Items: Besides the specific items 
  detailed above, Senara’s black market also 
  offers a variety of other proscribed goods. The 
  following are just some of the goods available 
  for sale; additional items and services may 
  be available at the GM’s discretion.
  Assassin Contract: Customers can 
  hire an assassin to kill a target of 
  CR 6 or less for a price of 2,000 
  gp × the target’s CR. The success 
  or failure of the assassination 
  (and the specifics of how it is 
  accomplished) is left to the GM 
  to determine.
  Cursed Magic Items: Among the more questionable 
  wares available at Senara’s black market are cursed magic 
  items. Their prices are equivalent to the ordinary magic 
  items they were originally meant to be. There is a 75% 
  chance that any cursed magic item with a value of 5,200 
  gp or less is for sale during the day (this value decreases 
  to 2,600 gp or less at night due to the city’s nocturnal 
  danger quality). Sample cursed magic items can be found 
  on pages 538–543 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook.
  Drugs: A variety of drugs are for sale at the black 
  market. See pages 236–237 of the GameMastery Guide for a 
  list of sample drugs and their prices and effects.
  Poisons: Black market dealers also carry several poisons 
  among their wares. Any poison costing less than 1,000 gp 
  is usually available, including black whinnis (see page 18), 
  which costs 200 gp per dose. In addition, there is a 75% 
  chance that any poison costing 5,200 gp or less is for sale 
  during the day (2,600 gp or less at night). See page 559 of 
  the Core Rulebook for a list of common poisons and prices.
  Slaves: With the Glorious Reclamation’s abolition of 
  slavery in Senara, the city’s slave trade has been forced 
  underground, into the black market. The cost of slaves 
  varies with quality, but average prices are as follows: 50 gp 
  for a menial or household slave (human commoner  1), 
  100 gp for a slave able to perform hard labor (human 
  commoner 1 with Str 15), 100 gp for a slip (halfling 
  commoner 1), and 500 gp for a slave with a specialized 
  skill (halfling or human expert 1). The specifics of slave 
  purchasing and interactions is left to the GM’s discretion.
  the agathion’s heart (Cr 8)
  PCs asking around the black market for celestial hearts 
  or other components for Fex’s ritual eventually learn of a 
  merchant named Ginevra.
  Creatures: Ginevra is a withered old woman 
  accompanied by four shifty-looking halfling bodyguards. 
  GINEVRA
  
  25
  Development: Assaulting or killing Ginevra or anyone 
  else in the black market attracts the attention of Glorious 
  Reclamation guards patrolling the bazaar, if the PCs 
  linger too long. Four Knights Inheritor of the Glorious 
  Reclamation (see page 41) arrive on the scene in 9 rounds, 
  creating an additional CR 8 encounter. Regardless of 
  whether or not the PCs confront the guards, starting a 
  fight here makes the other merchants unwilling to deal 
  with the PCs, and they may no longer purchase items 
  from the black market.
  Story Award: If the PCs acquire the avoral heart 
  without fighting (through trade, theft, or otherwise), 
  award them 4,800 XP, as if they had defeated Ginevra and 
  her bodyguards in combat.
  leAving senArA
  The PCs may leave Senara at any time, though they 
  are most likely to do so after recovering the phlegmatic 
  talisman from the Black Daggers thieves’ guild. If they 
  didn’t acquire the heart of the balisse angel Orimos in 
  the Old Boneyard (area C) or the avoral heart from the 
  Black Market (area F), they’ll need to come back to Senara 
  at a later point in the adventure, before heading to the 
  Inferno Gate in Part 3.
  PART 2: RITUAL PREPARATIONS
  Eventually the PCs will leave Senara and venture into the 
  Whisperwood in search of the other components needed 
  for Archbaron Fex’s ritual, as well as for the Inferno Gate 
  itself. Rather than blindly wandering through the forest, 
  however, the PCs would be better served by enlisting the 
  aid of local expert monster hunters—the Hellknights 
  of the Order of the Pike at Citadel Ordeial (area G). If 
  necessary, Razelago can make an appearance to remind 
  the PCs of this fact.
  The whisPerwood
  An ancient woodland thousands of years old, the 
  Whisperwood has an ominous reputation. Widely 
  believed to be haunted and perilous for travelers, the 
  Whisperwood is primarily composed of thick stands 
  of ash, beech, and oak. Senara is the only settlement of 
  substantial size within the bounds of the wood, though 
  several towns and villages huddle along its edges. A 
  network of roads traverse the Whisperwood, most 
  connecting Senara with other communities, though all 
  but the most major of highways receive only minimal 
  upkeep, and are only marginally safer than travel through 
  the trackless depths of the forest.
  Most Chelaxians divide the Whisperwood into five 
  unofficial regions, described briefly below.
  Hellspawn Dale: Named for the high population of 
  tieflings in Senara, located just to the east, this small 
  swath of central forest is one of the most developed 
  (and theoretically safest) regions in the Whisperwood. 
  The  Glorious Reclamation has increased patrols in 
  Hellspawn Dale, assisted by good fey and otherworldly 
  celestials, though plenty of dangers still lurk beneath the 
  trees in this region. Both the Whisperwood Way and the 
  northern stretch of the Sirmium Throughway, connecting 
  Senara to Taggun Hold, pass through Hellspawn Dale. 
  Iron Snarl: One of the least-explored regions in the 
  Whisperwood, the Iron Snarl lives up to its name; thorny 
  bushes and rugged creepers strangle much of the flora 
  here, and the beasts that wander its tangled ravines are 
  equally hardy. The Whisperwood Way runs along the 
  banks of the River Iseld from Senara to Misarias on the 
  southern edge of the Iron Snarl, but only one road, the 
  poorly maintained Alda’s Flank, actually crosses through 
  the region, joining the Sirmium Throughway to the 
  north and south of Senara.
  The Murmurs: The Whisperwood Way is the safest bet 
  for travelers headed through the southwestern region 
  of the Whisperwood, known as the Murmurs. This well-
  maintained road links Senara to Dekarium and Egorian 
  to the west, while the smaller Longacre Road heads south 
  along the fringes of the wood, leading to Longacre and 
  Remesiana. Off these roads, however, the Murmurs are 
  just as wild as the rest of the Whisperwood, and home to 
  many bandits who plague travelers.
  WHISPERWOOD LORE
  If the PCs want to know more about the Whisperwood, 
  they can learn the following information about the 
  forest with successful Knowledge (nature) or Knowledge 
  (geography) checks. 
  DC 
  Lore 
  10 
  The Whisperwood is full of monsters of all kinds, 
  including giant vermin and animals, magical 
  beasts, and, more recently, celestials who watch 
  over pure-hearted travelers. Savvy travelers 
  do not brave the Whisperwood at night, when 
  even the established roads and trails become 
  dangerous routes patrolled by monsters and 
  dastardly highway bandits.
  15 
  Locals divide the Whisperwood into five distinct 
  regions, each with their own terrain types, unique 
  hazards, and predominant inhabitants. From west 
  to east, the five regions are tangled Scarhurst, 
  the bandit-infested Murmurs, boggy and devil-
  haunted Perdition Reach, the relatively tame 
  Hellspawn Dale, and the bramble-filled Iron Snarl. 
  20 
  The Order of the Pike Hellknights keep a close watch 
  on the beasts of the wood from their headquarters 
  at Citadel Ordeial in the Iron Snarl, but they’ve had 
  trouble keeping all of the threats contained.
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  26
   
  THE WHISPERWOOD 
  THE MURMURS
  SCARHURST
  HELLSPAWN DALE
  PERDITION REACH
  IRON SNARL
  1 HEX  = 25 MILES
  J
  I
  K
  M
  P
  N
  O
  H
  G
  L
  • PILLAR OF PALAMIA
  • SENARA
  • 
  REMESIANA
  REMESIANA  ROAD
  LONGACRE ROAD
  SIRMIUM THROUGHWAY
  SIRMIUM THROUGHWAY
  TO LAEKASTEL
  ALDA’S FLANK
  RIVER ISELD
  • LONGACRE
  TO
  DEKARIUM
  TO TAGGUN HOLD
  TO
  MISARIAS
  SCAR THICKET
  •
  W
  H
  I
  S
  P
  E
  R
   
  R
  I
  V
  E
  R
  R
  I
  V
  E
  R
   
  M
  A
  L
  V
  E
  S
  A
   
  I. SHRINE OF PICOPERI 
  K. BLESSING OF UNICORNS
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  W
  H
  I
  S
  P
  E
  R
  W
  O
  O
  D 
   
  W
  A
  Y
  
  27
  LUCAN ORCELANI
  Perdition Reach: Named for the large number of 
  devils and infernal outsiders encountered in the region, 
  presumably spawned from a portal to Hell located 
  somewhere within its bounds, Perdition Reach 
  contains dense oak groves and boggy lowlands, 
  creating a harsh terrain difficult to navigate 
  even on the clearest of days. The Remesiana 
  Road is the main thoroughfare through 
  Perdition Reach, connecting Senara 
  and Remesiana along the banks 
  of the River Iseld. The Sirmium 
  Throughway also passes through 
  the region on its way to Laekastel, 
  while the road known as Alda’s 
  Flank wraps around Perdition 
  Reach to the east.
  Scarhurst: The Whisperwood’s 
  northwest arm takes it name 
  from Scar Thicket, a tangled region of fungus-choked 
  woods that supposedly contains an entrance to the 
  Darklands. Scarhurst is also infamous for the Pillar 
  of Palamia, an ancient basalt obelisk that stands near 
  the wood’s northern edge. Because of the danger these 
  two locations pose to travelers, no roads venture into 
  the depths of Scarhurst. Full details on Scar Thicket 
  and the Pillar of Palamia can be found in Pathfinder 
  Campaign Setting: Cheliax, The Infernal Empire. Exploring 
  these locations is beyond the scope of this adventure, 
  but GMs can use them to expand their campaigns as 
  they see fit.
  exPloring The whisPerwood
  The PCs can begin exploring the Whisperwood at any 
  time, though the first stop should probably be at Citadel 
  Ordeial (area G) to get some guidance from the Order 
  of the Pike Hellknights. The map on page 26 shows the 
  entire Whisperwood, divided into hexes roughly 25 miles 
  wide. Use the overland movement rules from Chapter 7 
  of the Core Rulebook to determine how far the PCs can 
  travel in a day, taking into account whether they’re on foot 
  or mounted, and whether they’re traveling along a road, 
  trekking through the trackless forest, or sailing down a 
  river (perhaps using one of the boats from area E4).
  Once per day (or once per hex if the PCs enter multiple 
  hexes in a single day), roll for a random encounter on 
  the Whisperwood Encounters tables on page 81, using 
  the table for the specific region of the forest the hex 
  occupies. If the hex contains a lettered location tag, refer 
  to the corresponding encounter location instead.
  G. CITADEL ORDEIAL
  Citadel Ordeial, headquarters of the Hellknight Order 
  of the Pike, stands sentinel on the eastern edge of the 
  Iron Snarl. Citadel Ordeial is likely the first place the 
  PCs stop as they embark upon their explorations of the 
  Whisperwood. Read or paraphrase the following when 
  the PCs approach the citadel.
  The spiked steel and granite tower of Citadel Ordeial 
  looms high above a flat, grassy clearing. The 
  gleaming metal keep’s curving, mathematically 
  precise architecture contrasts starkly with the 
  Whisperwood’s endless acres of trees.
  The Order of the Pike dedicates 
  itself to protecting civilization from 
  the beasts and monsters that roam 
  the wild places of the world, making 
  them ideal potential partners for 
  hunting down any celestials that 
  may have found their way into 
  Cheliax. Unfortunately for the 
  PCs, however, when they arrive at 
  Citadel Ordeial, they find the fortress’s gates shut and its 
  Hellknight guards unwilling to open them, even if the 
  PCs identify themselves as agents of House Thrune.
  Up to this point, the Order of the Pike has stayed out 
  of the growing conflict between Cheliax and the Glorious 
  Reclamation; the Hellknights’ concern is with dangerous 
  monsters that threaten everyone, so as long as they don’t 
  get involved in politics, the Glorious Reclamation is 
  willing to leave them alone. Knowing that their relatively 
  small order would be no match for the full might of 
  the Glorious Reclamation (especially after seeing what 
  happened to the Order of the Godclaw), the leaders of 
  the Order of the Pike are not interested in rocking the 
  boat and have adopted the policy of refusing to parley 
  with either side of the conflict, preferring to make peace 
  with whoever emerges triumphant from Cheliax’s latest 
  civil war. 
  As a result, the PCs must convince the Hellknights 
  to grant them an audience. The Hellknight armigers 
  guarding the gates of Citadel Ordeial are under strict 
  orders to not open the doors for anyone, so Intimidate 
  has no effect, but the PCs can attempt a DC 25 Diplomacy 
  check to gain entry. Characters with levels in the 
  Hellknight prestige class gain a +5 circumstance bonus 
  on this check. Alternatively, the PCs could try to inveigle 
  their way in with a successful DC 25 Bluff check. 
  However, there is a much easier way to gain an 
  audience with the Order of the Pike, if the PCs rescued 
  the captive Hellknight Zara Orcelani in Kantaria in the 
  previous adventure. Zara is the sister of Lictor Lucan 
  Orcelani, who commands the Order of the Pike and 
  could make a powerful ally for the PCs if they manage 
  to get on his good side. If the PCs tell the guards at 
  the citadel’s gates that they rescued Zara (or better yet, 
  if she is still accompanying the PCs when they visit to 
  the citadel), the PCs are immediately allowed inside and 
  ushered to meet with the lictor.
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  28
  talking With the hellknights
  Once inside the citadel, the PCs are granted an audience 
  with the Order of the Pike’s lictor, Lucan Orcelani (LE 
  male human ranger 7/HellknightISWG 4). Lictor Orcelani 
  is a keen, humorless commander who has seen mortal 
  combat countless times, and might appear to be a dandy 
  if not for his long, crooked nose (which has been broken 
  in three different places on three separate occasions) and 
  deep, sunken eyes.
  The lictor greets the PCs soberly, but if the PCs 
  rescued Zara, he shows more warmth and thanks them 
  for their efforts in freeing her, before asking what he and 
  the Order of the Pike can do for them. The following 
  are likely topics the PCs might ask about, along with 
  the information (if any) the Order of the Pike has about 
  such topics.
  The Glorious Reclamation: Due to his order’s 
  staunch commitment to refrain from participating in 
  the conflict between House Thrune and the Glorious 
  Reclamation, Lictor Orcelani does not know much 
  more than the PCs about the Iomedaeans and their 
  crusade. However, he may be used to pass along any 
  information about the Glorious Reclamation that the 
  GM feels the PCs should know, or that they might have 
  missed earlier in the campaign.
  The Inferno Gate: Lictor Orcelani doesn’t know the 
  exact location of the Inferno Gate, but believes it to be 
  located somewhere within Perdition Reach. The Order of 
  the Pike is more concerned with the dangerous creatures 
  that come through the gate; actually dealing with portals 
  are more the purview of the Hellknight Order of the Gate.
  However, there has been a recent development that 
  is relevant to the PCs’ mission: the arrival of Knight 
  Banneret Viona Kadarius, whom the lictor talks about with 
  some level of respect. Along with a squadron of knights 
  and sergeants, Kadarius has entered the Whisperwood 
  in search of the Inferno Gate. She and her commanders 
  in the Glorious Reclamation believe that House Thrune 
  might try to use the portal to summon infernal minions 
  to bolster the Chelish army, and she aims to seal the 
  gate to prevent such a possibility. Orcelani knows that 
  Kadarius rides a half-celestial unicorn as her mount, but 
  can say little else about the knight.
  Ritual Components: If the PCs ask about any of 
  the components needed for Archbaron Fex’s ritual, 
  Lictor Orcelani has plenty of information. Within the 
  Whisperwood, the Order of the Pike knows a pair of 
  azatas guards a shrine to an empyreal lord in Hellspawn 
  Dale (area I), and a blessing of unicorns has been spotted 
  near the Whisperwood Way in the Murmurs (area K). 
  In addition, the Hellknights have posted a bounty for 
  hound archons spotted in Scarhurst (though this is a 
  red herring; see area J on page 30). Reports also indicate 
  that some archons accompany Knight Banneret Viona 
  Kadarius in her search for the Inferno Gate. Lastly, the 
  lictor has heard of the angel that has taken up residence in 
  Senara’s Old Boneyard (area C), if the PCs are not already 
  aware of its existence. The Hellknights have no further 
  information about the whereabouts of more celestials, 
  but Orcelani can recommend inquiring at Senara’s black 
  market (area F), which is known to occasionally deal in 
  such “unsavory” merchandise.
  The Whisperwood: Lictor Orcelani can also give 
  the PCs information about other threats lurking in the 
  Whisperwood, specifically those that have killed innocents 
  or caused havoc somewhere in the forest within the last 
  month. This information takes the form of an Open 
  Bounties list, which is posted alongside a large map of 
  the Whisperwood on the fourth floor of Citadel Ordeial 
  (see Handout #2). The list details each potential quarry’s 
  name, its last known whereabouts (also marked on the 
  map accompanying the bounty list), whether it’s wanted 
  dead or alive, and the bounty offered for the creature. The 
  Hellknights use the list and map to track the movements 
  of known monsters and coordinate hunting excursions, 
  earning bounties for successfully slaying those monsters. 
  If the PCs are interested, Orcelani offers the same 
  bounties to them for hunting any of the posted monsters.
  Four creatures currently have bounties posted for their 
  capture or death. The PCs will have to search the forest 
  to find them, likely based on the creatures’ last known 
  whereabouts (or stumble upon them by chance), but their 
  actual locations are as follows: bearded devils (area O), 
  hound archons (area J), Lairsaph (area L), and the Savage 
  Mistress of Beasts (area M).
  H. BEAST CARCASS (CR 6)
  The mutilated carcass of some great beast lies on the ground 
  not far from a wide game trail.
  A PC who succeeds at a DC 14 Knowledge (arcana) 
  check can recognize the carcass as that of an owlbear. 
  Two bearded devils traveling from Fort Arego (area  P) 
  encountered and killed the creature, but not before 
  taking a few slashes from the owlbear’s claws. A smaller 
  game trail, obviously belonging to the owlbear, branches 
  off the main trail nearby.
  Creatures: Following the side trail leads back to the 
  dead owlbear’s den, approximately 300 feet away, where 
  three owlbear cubs expectantly wait for their mother. Any 
  loud noises at the site of the dead owlbear cause the cubs 
  to emerge from the cave after several rounds to investigate. 
  Almost starving, the cubs attack any creatures they find or 
  any creatures entering the 20-foot-diameter cave.
  OWLBEAR CUBS (3) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  Young owlbear (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 295, 224)
  hp 37 each 
  
  29
  Treasure: Several days before she was slain by the 
  bearded devils, the mother owlbear chased off some 
  bandits operating on the Whisperwood Way. During 
  the fight, the owlbear chomped off the hand of a thief 
  named Snedar, consuming the magical signet ring 
  on his finger in the process. She later regurgitated 
  Snedar’s half-digested hand and his ring of swarming 
  stabs (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Equipment 175) inside 
  her den, where it can be discovered with a successful 
  DC 15 Perception check. The ring is engraved with the 
  symbol of a broken crown split by a bolt of lightning. 
  A PC who succeeds at a DC 20 Knowledge (local) check 
  can recognize the symbol as the sigil of Lairsaph, the 
  Feign Prince, a powerful bandit-sorcerer who leads a 
  gang of brigands in the Whisperwood (see area L for 
  more details). 
  Development: Tracking the bearded devils from here 
  is a relatively simple task, since the fiends left a faint 
  trail of infernal blood leading away from the scene. A 
  successful DC 16 Survival check allows the PCs to follow 
  the blood trail directly to the devils (see area O).
  I. SHRINE OF PICOPERI (CR 8+)
  A raised dirt path weaves through stands of ash, which peel 
  away to reveal a low, grassy glade where the steady drone 
  of insects and wildlife hushes to a quiet murmur. The path 
  leads down to a squat, open-air shrine made of interwoven 
  hemlock and beech in the center of the clearing.
  Natives of eastern Cheliax built this shrine to 
  the empyreal lord Picoperi centuries ago, and it has 
  weathered the elements for all those years thanks to the 
  god’s magic and celestial guardians sent to watch over it.
  The clearing lies 20 feet below the trail and is 
  approximately 100 feet across. A simple archway of 
  interwoven branches leads into the roofless shrine in 
  the middle of the glade. A thick, knobby tree stump 
  with fresh green vines and offshoots growing out of its 
  flat top sits in the center of the shrine, the new growth 
  supporting a crystalline serpent, impossibly entwined in 
  the leaves and branches. The stump serves as the shrine’s 
  altar, and the crystalline serpent is the shrine’s sacred 
  focus. A PC who succeeds at a DC 15 Knowledge (religion) 
  check recognizes the altar and serpent as being dedicated 
  to the empyreal lord Picoperi. 
  Use the map on page 26 for this location.
  Creatures: Two of Picoperi’s azata servants—a bralani 
  named Phythoras and a lillend named Issaya—guard 
  the shrine, protecting it from miscreants and hosting 
  good visitors who stumble upon the spot. There is a 
  10% chance that Issaya is not present when the PCs 
  arrive here, as she occasionally leaves the glade to play 
  her harp and lead weary travelers to the shrine. Thanks 
  to the shrine’s hallow effect (see Hazard on page 30), the 
  azatas know whether any creatures entering the clearing 
  are evil, and attack such creatures immediately. If Issaya 
  is not present, the lillend arrives at the shrine 2d4 rounds 
  after the PCs confront Phythoras. 
  OPEN BOUNTIES
  By order of Lictor Lucan Orcelani, all Hellknights of the Order of the 
  Pike shall be on the lookout for the following criminals and monsters 
  known to lair in the Whisperwood. Proof of a successful hunt must 
  be brought to Citadel Ordeial to receive the posted bounty.
  LAIRSAPH, A.K.A. THE FEIGN PRINCE
  Location: At large; last seen on the Whisperwood Way in the Murmurs.
  Wanted: Alive.
  Bounty: 5,000 gp.
  SAVAGE MISTRESS OF BEASTS
  Location: At large; last seen near the Remesiana Road in Perdition Reach.
  Wanted: Dead or alive.
  Bounty: 3,000 gp.
  BEARDED DEVILS
  Location: At large; one killed along the River Iseld in the Iron Snarl
  Wanted: Dead.
  Bounty: 1,000 gp each.
  HOUND ARCHONS
  Location: At large; last seen in Scarhurst.
  Wanted: Dead.
  Bounty: 600 gp each.
  HANDOUT #2
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  30
  ISSAYA 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Female lillend (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 26) 
  hp 73
  PHYTHORAS 
  CR 6 
  XP 2,400
  Male bralani (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 24) 
  hp 66
  Hazard: The shrine is protected by a hallow spell and 
  an associated detect evil effect (CL 20th) emanating from 
  the altar in a 40-foot radius.
  Treasure: 
  Aside 
  from 
  Issaya 
  and 
  Phythoras’s 
  otherworldly gear and the crystal serpentine ornament 
  on the shrine’s altar (worth 2,000 gp), there is nothing 
  else of obvious value in the shrine. However, a PC who 
  succeeds at a DC 20 Perception check while inside the 
  shrine can discover a wand of fly (16 charges) woven 
  among the branches of the shrine’s walls.
  Development: The PCs can obtain the azata heart they 
  need to complete the ritual at the Inferno Gate by slaying 
  either Issaya or Phythoras.
  The crystalline serpent on the altar is the source of 
  the divine magic that preserves the shrine and the focus 
  for its hallow effect. Casting desecrate on the altar or 
  removing the serpent, which requires breaking the altar’s 
  wooden growths (hardness 5, hp 20, break DC 23), causes 
  the magic of the site to slowly fade, and ends the hallow 
  effect 24 hours later.
  Story Award: If the PCs successfully acquire an azata 
  heart, award them 4,800 XP. Award them an additional 4,800 
  XP if they desecrate the shrine or removing the serpent.
  J. HOUNDS OF HEAVEN (CR 8)
  There is a 20% chance of encountering these creatures 
  any time the PCs enter a hex in Scarhurst; entering the 
  hex marked J on the map automatically triggers this 
  encounter. This encounter occurs only once; after the 
  PCs have dealt with these creatures, there is no further 
  chance of encountering them.
  Creatures: The hound archons sought by the Order of 
  the Pike (see page 28) are a red herring for PCs in search of 
  an archon heart. The Hellknights who first encountered 
  these creatures assumed they were hound archons in 
  canine form, but they are actually good magical beasts—
  celestial blink dogs—and not true archons at all. This 
  pack of seven blink dogs are natives of Heaven who came 
  to the Material Plane to give what aid they could to the 
  Glorious Reclamation, contributing to the Iomedaeans’ 
  success in the region. 
  ADVANCED CELESTIAL BLINK DOGS (4) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  hp 28 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 292, 47)
  Development: If the PCs slay the blink dogs and bring 
  proof of a successful hunt to Citadel Ordeial, they can 
  collect the bounty offered by the Order of the Pike for the 
  “hound archons”: 600 gp for each slain blink dog.
  K. BLESSING OF UNICORNS (CR 8)
  A trickling stream forms a small waterfall as the ground 
  dips low to meet a serene pond in this tranquil forest grove. 
  Glowbugs and moths float lazily above the shallow body of 
  water, and a small island of earth peeks out of the center. 
  On the island stands a magnificently tall white oak, its bark 
  covered with emerald green moss and its abundant branches 
  spanning the entirety of the pond.
  The pond is at most only 3 feet deep, and the streams 
  flowing in and out of the clearing are 1 foot deep. 
  Heavy undergrowth surrounds the pond, while light 
  undergrowth covers the ground beneath the trees (Core 
  Rulebook 426). Earthen walls held in place with thick roots 
  border the pond to the north and west, and are 15 feet tall 
  at their steepest. 
  Use the map on page 26 for this encounter.
  Creatures: This blessed grove is home to a family of 
  five unicorns—a powerful stallion, a mare, and their 
  three fully grown offspring, who protect the glade, 
  especially the sacred white oak that stands at its center, 
  from evildoers.
  ADVANCED UNICORNS (2) 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200 each
  hp 42 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 294, 269)
  UNICORNS (3) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  hp 34 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 269)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The unicorns detect evil creatures as soon 
  as they approach within 60 feet, and they rally to charge 
  at the intruders. The unicorns can teleport anywhere 
  within the mapped area, and do so if they become 
  cornered or need to help one of their kin on the other 
  side of the pond.
  Morale The blessing of unicorns fights to the death to fend 
  off intruders who would despoil the oak or the forest.
  Hazard: The white oak growing on the small island 
  in the center of the pond radiates a magical effect 
  throughout the forest grove, the result of a half-celestial 
  druid who was buried beneath the tree long ago. The 
  tree has an aura of good and of strong abjuration and 
  conjuration magic. Any creatures within 300 feet of the 
  white oak must succeed at a DC 18 Will save (harmless) 
  or be subject to the following effects while in the area 
  (CL 15th):
  
  31
  • Death ward
  • Nonmagical disease, fatigue, nausea, and sickened 
  effects are suppressed.
  • Conjuration (healing) spells are cast at +1 caster level.
  • Necromancy spells are cast at –1 caster level.
  Dispel magic or dispel good only suppress the tree’s 
  magic for 1d4 rounds. If damaged, the tree eventually 
  heals itself, unless it is fully cut down (hardness 5, hp 600) 
  or destroyed (such as with blight or disintegrate), which 
  causes the magic effects of the tree to cease immediately.
  Treasure: The most important items of value in the grove 
  are the unicorn horns needed to complete the ritual at the 
  Inferno Gate, but the PCs only need four. If they slay all of 
  the unicorns, the fifth unicorn’s horn is worth 1,600 gp.
  In addition, a PC who succeeds at a DC 25 Knowledge 
  (local) or DC 30 Knowledge (nature) check recalls a 
  legend of a powerful druid who was 
  buried beneath a mighty white oak. The 
  druid’s body has long since decomposed 
  and become one with the tree, but such is 
  not true of some of the druid’s possessions. 
  Digging up the earth beneath the oak is a time-
  consuming task, but with several hours of work 
  and a successful DC 25 Perception check, excavators 
  can eventually find a dirty druid’s vestment and goggles 
  of elvenkind (Ultimate Equipment 225).
  Story Award: If the PCs slay the unicorns and collect at 
  least four of their horns, award them 4,800 XP.
  L. HIDEOUT OF THE FEIGN PRINCE
  The brigand-sorcerer Lairsaph, the so-called Feign Prince 
  of the Whisperwood, is a well-known danger on the roads 
  through the forest, particularly along the Remesiana Road 
  and the Whisperwood Way. Lairsaph and his bandits prey 
  on travelers, merchants, Chelish soldiers, and Glorious 
  Reclamation knights alike, launching their attacks from 
  a secret hideout in the Murmurs.
  The PCs may find Lairsaph’s hideout after 
  encountering some of the Feign Prince’s 
  bandits and tracking them back to their 
  lair (or torturing one of them for the hideout’s 
  location). They might also simply stumble upon the 
  Feign Prince’s hideout by chance, though they may still 
  overlook the hidden entrance to the bandits’ den (see 
  area L1).
  If the PCs don’t attempt to slay Lairsaph outright and 
  instead gain the Feign Prince’s respect, they have an 
  opportunity to learn more about the Inferno Gate, which 
  Lairsaph has had intimate dealings with in the past.
  General Features: The Feign Prince’s hideout lies 
  in a hidden dell behind steep embankments. The 
  slopes are covered with thorny bushes that have 
  been enhanced with plant growth, creating a thick barrier 
  of entwined, thorny branches and making it extremely 
  difficult to climb the hill unnoticed (increasing the DC 
  of Stealth checks by 2). The combination of steep slopes 
  and overgrown vegetation reduces speed to 5 feet per 
  round, and requires two move actions to enter 1 square. 
  Flight is one option to overcome this barrier, though the 
  thick canopy of oak trees overhead makes it difficult to 
  infiltrate stealthily in this way as well.
  Use the map on page 34 for this location.
  l1. tree door
  A PC who succeeds at a DC 15 Perception check discovers 
  a faint path of trampled grass here that abruptly ends 
  at a lonely fig tree growing out of the side of a steep 
  embankment shrouded in impenetrable thorny bushes. 
  The hearty tree’s trunk is more than 2 feet wide and is 
  covered with intertwining branches and thick roots that 
  conceal the entrance to Lairsaph’s hideout. A successful 
  DC 20 Perception check and simple deductive reasoning 
  reveals some intertwining branches that can be moved 
  aside to reveal a subterranean tunnel burrowing beneath 
  the embankment.
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  ISSAYA
  
  32
  l2. BranChing tunnel (Cr 7)
  This earthen tunnel forms a nearly perfect cylinder through 
  the roots and dirt of the steep embankment around it.
  The tunnel splits about 40 feet from the tree door 
  (area L1), sloping slightly downward toward the east and 
  upward to the south. A character who succeeds at a DC 
  16 Perception check can notice a fist-sized carving of a 
  broken crown split by a bolt of lightning on a thick root 
  pointing toward the eastern tunnel like a gnarled finger. 
  Recognizable with a successful DC 20 Knowledge (local) 
  check, the broken crown symbol is the Feign Prince’s sigil, 
  and while it may seem like a waymark, it is actually a decoy 
  designed to send intruders down the wrong tunnel.
  Trap: At the far end of the eastern tunnel, a tripwire 
  triggers a frame of sharpened and poisoned wooden 
  stakes that violently snaps up behind a creature 
  entering the marked square on the map. In addition 
  to potentially injuring the creature who triggered the 
  trap, the frame also blocks the tunnel behind the victim, 
  likely separating them from the rest of their party until 
  the barrier is broken down (hardness 5, hp 10, break DC 
  14) and possibly subjecting them to attacks from the 
  creatures in area L3.
  SPIKED TUNNEL BARRIER 
  CR 7 
  XP 3,200
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 25
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset manual 
  Effect Atk +15 melee (1d6+1 spikes for 1d6+1 damage each 
  plus giant wasp poison)
  Development: Triggering the trap alerts the dire 
  badgers in the den outside the tunnel (area L3), who 
  immediately come to investigate fresh prey.
  l3. dire Badger den (Cr 7)
  Several dog-sized burrows pepper the floor of this debris-
  ridden forest hollow, which stinks of animal musk. Steep 
  slopes covered in thorny bushes make it all but impossible 
  to climb the surrounding embankments. A flat-topped 
  escarpment juts from the hillside to the south, while a 
  narrow tunnel opens in the embankment to the west.
  Creatures: A family of six dire badgers lives in this 
  small ravine. Lairsaph’s bandits keep the badgers around 
  by regularly throwing food scraps into their hollow. 
  Intruders who fall for the decoy waymark in the entrance 
  
  33
  tunnel (area L2) often get trapped in this area and 
  eviscerated by the badgers before ever finding the Feign 
  Prince and his bandits. 
  DIRE BADGERS (6) 
  CR 2
  XP 600 each
  hp 22 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 40) 
  Treasure: The PCs aren’t the first to stumble upon the 
  badgers’ lair, a point made clear by the human remains 
  scattered about the den. Among the bones and scraps of 
  equipment are a broken suit of studded leather armor, a 
  masterwork rapier, a grim lantern (Ultimate Equipment 301), 
  and a ring of sacred mistletoe (Ultimate Equipment 173).
  Development: If the PCs fight the badgers here before 
  facing the bandits in the adjacent encampment (area L4), 
  they can hear a voice from the camp saying, “Sounds 
  like the badgers got themselves another meal,” followed 
  by laughter 1d4 rounds after the combat begins. On the 
  following round, one of the bandits peers over the edge 
  of the escarpment dividing the camp from the badger den 
  and warns his fellow brigands of the PCs’ presence, unless 
  they have taken some means of concealing themselves. 
  l4. Bandit enCamPment (Cr 8)
  Several green-and-brown tents sprawl across this flat span of 
  secluded hillside. To the south, a hammock hangs from two 
  trees outside a small hut made of timbers and sheets of oak 
  bark. To the north, large, flat rocks next to a narrow tunnel 
  through the bushes mark the edge of a ravine. Trees and 
  steep slopes border the vale on all sides.
  Creatures: Most of the Feign Prince’s band of brigands 
  live in this humble encampment, but at any given time, 
  at least half of the bandits are away robbing travelers 
  on the Whisperwood Way or Remesiana Road, leaving 
  only six brigands here when the PCs arrive. One of the 
  brigands is Lairsaph’s second-in-command, Snedar, who 
  is missing one hand. Having lost the hand to the owlbear 
  in area H, Snedar has replaced the bandits’ standard-
  issue light crossbow with a trio of spears for throwing.
  If the bandits spot the PCs in area L3, they drink their 
  elixirs of hiding and set up an ambush here. Otherwise, 
  they attack as soon as intruders enter the camp. Once the 
  first brigand is killed, the rest quickly realize that they 
  need reinforcements to fend off the party, and Snedar 
  yells to a fellow brigand to “release the bear.” One of the 
  brigands then takes a full round to unfasten the chains 
  keeping the dire bear restrained in the cave (area L5). 
  FEIGN PRINCE’S BRIGANDS (5) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  Human fighter 1/rogue 3
  NE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +6 (+8 in forest); Senses Perception +6 (+8 in forest)
  DEFENSE
  AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +2 Dex, +1 shield)
  hp 34 each (4 HD; 3d8+1d10+11)
  Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +1
  Defensive Abilities evasion, trap sense +1
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk scimitar +7 (1d6+3/18–20)
  Ranged mwk light crossbow +6 (1d8/19–20)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6
  TACTICS
  During Combat The brigands first attack from a distance 
  with their crossbows, attempting to sneak attack if within 
  range. Once engaged in melee combat, the bandits draw 
  their scimitars and attempt to flank with each other to set 
  up more sneak attack opportunities whenever possible.
  Morale The brigands have committed countless crimes 
  throughout Cheliax, and have no interest in facing 
  “justice” at the hands of agents of House Thrune. They 
  fight to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 16, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 10
  Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 18
  Feats Improved Initiative, Point-Blank Shot, Power Attack, 
  Rapid Reload (light crossbow)
  Skills Acrobatics +9, Appraise +6, Bluff +7, Climb +7, 
  Disable Device +8, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (local) +8, 
  Perception +6 (+8 in forest), Ride +7, Stealth +9 (+11 in 
  forest), Survival +4 (+6 in forest), Swim +7
  Languages Common, Elven
  SQ favored terrain (forest +2), rogue talent (terrain 
  masteryACG), trapfinding +1
  Combat Gear elixir of hiding, potion of cure light wounds, 
  bottled lightningUE, burst jarUE, tanglefoot bag; Other 
  Gear mwk studded leather, mwk buckler, daggers (2), 
  mwk light crossbow with 10 bolts, mwk scimitar, cloak of 
  resistance +1, thieves’ tools, tindertwigs (3), bottle of fine 
  wine, 1d20 gp
  SNEDAR 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  Male Feign Prince’s brigand (see above)
  hp 34
  Ranged spear +5 (1d8+3/×3)
  Gear spears (3)
  Treasure: Snedar has hidden a pair of poisoner’s gloves 
  (Ultimate Equipment 239) in the bedroll in his tent, which 
  can be found with a successful DC 20 Perception check 
  while searching the tents.
  Development: Once the PCs have defeated or dispatched 
  the bandits here, Lairsaph himself emerges from his hut 
  (area L6) to personally greet the PCs, assuming they haven’t 
  already entered the hut by this point.
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  34
  T
  L5. Bear Cave (Cr 7)
  Thick oaken posts clumsily wrapped with iron chains and 
  rope cordon off a cave in the eastern hillside.
  Creature: When Lairsaph’s scouts decided on this 
  remote hillside for their gang’s base of operations, they 
  failed to notice the den of a dire bear that had already 
  made its den in this neck of the Whisperwood. When 
  he arrived, Lairsaph ordered the bear to be kept as an 
  additional guardian, so the brigands subdued the 
  animal with tranquilizers and quarantined it in its cave. 
  Although the brigands do make efforts to feed the bear, 
  the beast is not at all happy with its confinement, and 
  attacks anyone entering its den.
  If the brigands in area L4 release the bear to help fend 
  off the attacking PCs, they find it a dangerous ally at 
  best, as the bear attacks the closest foe, whether a PC or a 
  brigand. The bear fights to the death.
  DIRE BEAR 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  hp 95 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 31) 
  L6. Feign PrinCe’s Hut (Cr 11)
  Thick posts of dark wood form the frame of this humble 
  forest hut, while sheets of woven bark serve as its roof and 
  walls. A woven curtain of dried cattails hangs in the hut’s 
  narrow doorway.
  Trophies and prizes from the Feign Prince’s many 
  infamous exploits line the walls of this shack, which 
  contains a small desk and chair, a large chest, and a 
  luxurious, oversized bed that seems more suited to a 
  lord’s bedchamber than this woodland hovel.
  Creatures: Lairsaph, the self-styled Feign Prince of 
  the Whisperwood, resides in this hut along with his 
  two consorts, a pair of half-elf siblings named Quith 
  and Sifhain. Lairsaph doesn’t immediately attack the 
  PCs, whether he encounters them in the encampment 
  outside or here in his hut. The Feign Prince has not 
  eluded capture and survived for as long as he has by 
  initiating battles he might not win, and he reasons that 
  any intruders bold enough to take down his brigands and 
  captured beasts is worthy of at least a short conversation. 
  Instead, Lairsaph greets the PCs, welcoming them to 
  “the lair of the Feign Prince.” He recognizes the PCs as 
  agents of House Thrune and claims that “whispers on 
  the wind” have told him they’re seeking the Inferno Gate 
  (very little happens in the Whisperwood that does not 
  eventually reach the ears of the Feign Prince). Lairsaph 
  informs the PCs he can help them in their quest, 
  provided they are willing to treat with him, “as one group 
  of professionals to another.” 
  If the PCs do not immediately attack, Lairsaph offers 
  to share his information with the PCs, provided they 
  agree to leave him and his gang (or what’s left of it) 
  alone and allow them to continue their brigandage in 
  the Whisperwood. The Feign Prince has no interest in 
  the conflict between House Thrune and the Glorious 
  L. HIDEOUT OF THE FEIGN PRINCE 
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  L3
  L4
  L6
  L5
  L1
  L2
  
  35
  Reclamation, and refuses to take a side, though he does 
  pledge, with a wry smile, to prey equally on both factions. 
  If necessary, Lairsaph sweetens the pot by offering the 
  PCs a sum of 5,000 gp (the same amount as the bounty 
  offered for his arrest by the Order of the Pike) as well 
  as the possessions of any bandits they’ve already killed 
  (“They clearly don’t need them anymore,” he reasons).
  Assuming the PCs agree to allow the Feign Prince 
  to keep his freedom, he tells them that a ruined keep 
  called Fort Arego stands in Perdition Reach west of the 
  Sirmium Throughway. Lairsaph has been to this fort, 
  and he has seen the hellish portal, the so-called “Inferno 
  Gate,” in the dungeons beneath its halls. There, the 
  Feign Prince met a heresy devil whose name he never 
  learned. Had he been more foolish, Lairsaph says, he 
  might have been tempted to bargain with the fiend, but 
  the devil’s demands of mortal sacrifice were far too rich 
  for Lairsaph’s blood. Even though the fiend promised 
  infernal power, Lairsaph knew that he would gain only 
  misery if he struck a deal with the devil. Lairsaph left the 
  ruined fort immediately, and has given it a wide berth 
  ever since.
  Lairsaph can give the PCs a general description of 
  Fort Arego (area P) and the dungeons beneath it (area 
  Q), though it has been so long since his last visit that his 
  details are imprecise. As for the location of the Inferno 
  Gate itself, Lairsaph says only, “All the way down, in the 
  Pit,” hinting at the dungeons’ deepest sublevel (area Q16). 
  If the PCs refuse to parley with Lairsaph and combat 
  does break out, the bandit lord and his consorts fight 
  their attackers, but the Feign Prince flees as soon as 
  victory seems unlikely (see his Morale entry below)—
  Lairsaph is not going to risk his own life for no gain.
  LAIRSAPH 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  Male elf sorcerer 10
  NE Medium humanoid (elf)
  Init +6; Senses low-light vision; Perception +6
  DEFENSE
  AC 25, touch 15, flat-footed 22 (+4 armor, +2 deflection, 
  +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural, +4 shield)
  hp 102 (10d6+65)
  Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +11; +2 vs. enchantments
  Defensive Abilities stormchild; Immune sleep; Resist 
  electricity 5, sonic 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee +1 longspear +8 (1d8+4/×3)
  Ranged +1 composite longbow +8 (1d8+3/×3)
  Bloodline Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +14)
  7/day—thunderstaff
  1/day—thunderbolt (10d6, DC 19)
  Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 10th; concentration +14)
  5th (3/day)—teleport
  4th (6/day)— ball lightningAPG (DC 19), greater aggressive 
  thundercloudACG (DC 19), shout (DC 19)
  3rd (7/day)—displacement, lightning bolt (DC 18), slow 
  (DC 17), spiked pitAPG (DC 17)
  2nd (7/day)—aggressive thundercloudACG (DC 17), bear’s 
  endurance, bull’s strength, false life, gust of wind 
  (DC 16), scorching ray
  1st (7/day)—charm person (DC 15), grease (DC 15), magic 
  missile, obscuring mist, shield, shocking grasp
  0 (at will)—arcane mark, dancing lights, detect magic, 
  ghost sound (DC 14), light, mending, message, ray of 
  frost, read magic
  Bloodline stormbornAPG
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Lairsaph casts false life and uses his wand 
  of mage armor every morning and afternoon. If he is 
  alerted to intruders in the encampment, Lairsaph casts 
  bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, and shield on himself.
  During Combat Lairsaph casts displacement on the first 
  round of combat, then attacks foes with his spells, 
  favoring electricity spells. He uses a scroll of fly or 
  potion of invisibility to avoid being pinned down in 
  melee combat, and casts slow and obscuring mist to 
  hinder opponents, using the blindsense granted by his 
  stormchild ability to continue targeting foes in the mist.
  Morale The Feign Prince is not willing to die to keep the 
  location of his hideout secret, and if reduced to 75 hit points 
  or fewer, or if one of his consorts is slain, Lairsaph casts 
  teleport and flees into the Whisperwood, having no qualms 
  about abandoning any surviving members of his gang.
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 18
  Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 22
  Feats Combat Casting, Dodge, Eschew Materials, Improved 
  Initiative, Iron Will, Quicken Spell, Toughness
  Skills Bluff +13, Fly +8, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (local) +5, 
  Knowledge (nature) +8, Knowledge (nobility) +5, 
  Perception +6, Spellcraft +11 (+2 to identify magic item 
  properties), Stealth +10, Survival +4, Use Magic Device +13
  Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Goblin, Sylvan
  SQ bloodline arcana (+1 to save DC of spells with electricity 
  or sonic descriptor), elven magic, exceptional resources
  Combat Gear +1 corrosiveUE arrows (5), potions of cure 
  moderate wounds (3), potions of invisibility (2), scrolls 
  of dimension door (2), scrolls of dispel magic (2), scrolls 
  of fly (2), scrolls of mount (2), scrolls of wall of fire (2), 
  wand of mage armor (33 charges), wand of plant growth 
  (12 charges); Other Gear +1 composite longbow (+2 Str) 
  with 20 arrows, +1 longspear, amulet of natural armor +2, 
  cloak of resistance +3, handy haversack, headband of 
  alluring charisma +2, ring of protection +2, ring of spell 
  knowledge IIUE (false life), unfettered shirtUE, 220 gp
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Exceptional Resources (Ex) Lairsaph has had a long, 
  successful career in banditry, and his equipment is 
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  36
  testament to this. The Feign Prince has the wealth of a PC 
  rather than an NPC, increasing his CR by 1.
  QUITH AND SIFHAIN (2) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  Male and female con artist (Pathfinder RPG NPC Codex 29)
  hp 30 each
  TACTICS
  During Combat One of the con artists uses bardic 
  performance to inspire courage while the other uses 
  suggestion to compel opponents to leave the fight.
  Morale In love with Lairsaph, both Quith and Sifhain fight to 
  the death to defend the Feign Prince.
  Development: If the PCs reach an agreement with 
  Lairsaph or otherwise have a mostly amicable 
  encounter with him, he asks a special favor of 
  the party. Before the PCs leave the Feign Prince’s hideout, 
  Lairsaph sends his consorts away to speak with the PCs 
  in private. “When I fled Fort Arego those many years 
  ago,” he says, “I left something important behind in the 
  dungeons—a locket given to me by someone dear. If you 
  find the locket and bring it back to me, I’ll give you a 
  reward for your trouble.” If the PCs ask for more details, 
  he tells them they’ll know the item when they see it: “It’s 
  an exquisite piece of jewelry, and its beauty should surely 
  stand out in the gloomy depths of Fort Arego.” 
  If the PCs find Lairsaph’s locket in Fort Arego’s torture 
  chamber (area Q14) and come back here to return it, the 
  Feign Prince smiles wickedly before throwing the locket 
  into a nearby fire pit without explanation, letting the 
  flames burn the piece of jewelry to ashes. He thanks the 
  PCs for bringing the locket to him and gives them an 
  incandescent blue sphere ioun stone as a reward. Lairsaph 
  does not explain his action, the meaning of the locket, 
  or his relationship with the beautiful woman depicted 
  inside under any circumstances. 
  If the PCs arrest Lairsaph and bring him back alive to 
  Citadel Ordeial, they can claim the bounty of 5,000 gp 
  offered by the Order of the Pike. They receive no reward 
  for killing the Feign Prince.
  Story Award: If the PCs allow Lairsaph to live and learn 
  about Fort Arego and Visperthul from him, award them 
  12,800 XP, as if they had defeated the Feign Prince and 
  his consorts in combat.
  In addition, if the PCs bring back Lairsaph’s locket 
  from Fort Arego, award them 4,800 XP.
  M. MYSTIC GROVE (CR 8+)
  For many decades, a nymph known to the humans of 
  the Whisperwood as the Savage Mistress of Beasts has 
  lived in Perdition Reach. While normally content to 
  remain among the willow trees in her sacred grove, not 
  interfering with the other denizens of the forest, the 
  recent arrival of the Glorious Reclamation in the area 
  has galvanized the nymph and spurred her to combat the 
  evil forces that have long held sway in Perdition Reach, 
  drawing the ire of the Order of the Pike in the process. 
  The PCs encounter the Savage Mistress when they enter 
  the hex marked M on the map. 
  Creatures: The Savage Mistress has had several 
  friendly encounters with soldiers of the Glorious 
  Reclamation in the past months, and thus she does 
  not immediately hide from the PCs as they approach 
  her grove. Unless they take pains to hide their ill 
  intentions and evil affiliations, however, the nymph 
  quickly realizes that the party is not the usual band of 
  well-meaning knights. True to her name, the Savage 
  Mistress of Beasts is frequently accompanied by some 
  of the Whisperwood’s wild animals. When the PCs first 
  encounter the nymph, a black bear and two giant eagles 
  join her in battle against the PCs.
  LAIRSAPH
  
  37
  BLACK BEAR 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  Young grizzly bear (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 295, 31)
  hp 32 
  GIANT EAGLES (2) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  hp 26 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 118)
  SAVAGE MISTRESS OF BEASTS 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Nymph (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 217) 
  hp 60
  TACTICS
  During Combat While her animal allies engage foes in 
  melee, the Savage Mistress tries to stay out of direct 
  combat, using her blinding beauty, stunning glance, 
  and spells such as call lightning, entangle, and summon 
  nature’s ally IV to support them.
  Morale If her animal allies are all slain, the Savage Mistress 
  attempts to flee using dimension door, but she returns to 
  her grove the following day.
  Development: The PCs may bring the Savage Mistress 
  (or merely her head) to Citadel Ordeial to collect the 
  bounty of 3,000 gp from the Order of the Pike.
  N. LOST KNIGHTS (CR 8)
  The PCs have a 20% chance of encountering these lost 
  soldiers of the Glorious Reclamation anytime they are 
  exploring Perdition Reach. Alternatively, they initiate this 
  encounter automatically upon entering the hex marked 
  “N” on the map. This encounter occurs only once; after 
  the PCs have dealt with the knights, there is no further 
  chance of encountering them.
  Creatures: While searching Perdition Reach for clues 
  of the Inferno Gate, a group of Glorious Reclamation 
  soldiers—a knight inheritor and three sergeants—got 
  lost in the dense forest, and they’ve been searching for 
  the road since. By the time the PCs come across them, 
  the soldiers are bedraggled and hardly up for a fight; they 
  all have the fatigued condition. The knights recognize 
  the PCs as enemies, but don’t rush headlong into a 
  confrontation, instead hoping to parley if possible.
  Knight Inheritor Torpin Harrowhart, a paladin of 
  Iomedae and the group’s de facto leader, hails the PCs 
  from a distance, making his diplomatic intentions clear 
  from the outset. 
  “I recognize you as agents of House Thrune,” Torpin 
  explains, “and as a knight of the Glorious Reclamation, I 
  am sworn to capture or slay you. But my comrades and I 
  have lost our way in this wretched forest, forcing me to 
  beseech your aid.” 
  Torpin tells the PCs that if they agree to guide his party 
  back to the nearest road, he will give them the remaining 
  supplies from the chest the knights are lugging along with 
  them. In addition, Torpin asks if the PCs are looking for 
  the Inferno Gate. If they respond affirmatively, or at least 
  don’t deny it, the knight continues:
  “Take us back to the road, and I will contact my fellow 
  knights to reduce the forces currently searching for 
  the Inferno Gate, ensuring you will face much lighter 
  resistance when you meet them.” If the PCs doubt his 
  offer, he reasons with them using flattery: “We both want 
  the gate closed. Why should I risk spilling my comrades’ 
  blood in a feud against such clearly capable enemies 
  when your aims are essentially the same as ours? Take me 
  at my word—if you can get us out of here, your mission 
  will be much easier.” 
  Of course, Torpin is lying. He hates to do so, but the 
  paladin believes his lie will serve the greater good, and 
  he fears that in their fatigued state, he and his soldiers 
  will be unable to defeat the PCs at this time. His code 
  prevents him from surrendering to the PCs, but he feels 
  duty-bound to get his comrades to safety. Torpin can 
  atone for his falsehood later, but he has no intention 
  of actually betraying the Glorious Reclamation (see 
  Development on page 38).
  If the PCs ask Torpin the exact location of the Inferno 
  Gate, the paladin cannot help them, as his group split 
  off from the main Glorious Reclamation force before it 
  located the portal. He is willing to reveal that the knights 
  believe the gate is located in Perdition Reach, but he can’t 
  give the PCs more specific directions even if he wanted to.
   Although he would prefer to save the lives of the 
  soldiers under his command through diplomacy, Torpin 
  will fight if he needs to. If the PCs respond aggressively, 
  or diplomacy fails, the paladin tries to rally his troops 
  and launches an attack against the PCs. Both Torpin and 
  the Glorious Reclamation sergeants are fatigued; they 
  cannot run or charge, and take a –2 penalty to Strength 
  and Dexterity.
  GLORIOUS RECLAMATION SERGEANTS (3) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  Human fighter 4
  LG Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +5; Senses Perception +3
  DEFENSE
  AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+6 armor, +1 Dex)
  hp 42 each (4d10+16)
  Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +4 (+1 vs. fear)
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft. 
  Melee mwk greatsword +9 (2d6+6/19–20)
  Ranged mwk shortbow +6 (1d6/×3)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The sergeants use Power Attack on all their 
  melee attacks, switching to their shortbows if ranged 
  combat is preferable.
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  38
  SAVAGE MISTRESS 
  OF BEASTS
  Morale If reduced to fewer than 20 hit points, a sergeant 
  drinks a potion of cure moderate wounds, but bound by 
  their code, the sergeants fight to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 16, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
  Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 18
  Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, 
  Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon 
  Specialization (greatsword)
  Skills Handle Animal +4, Intimidate +4, Perception +3, 
  Profession (soldier) +8, Ride +4
  Languages Common
  SQ armor training 1
  Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, holy 
  water; Other Gear +1 scale mail, mwk greatsword, mwk 
  shortbow with 20 arrows, antitoxin, wooden holy symbol 
  of Iomedae, 43 gp
  TORPIN HARROWHART 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  Male human paladin of Iomedae 7
  LG Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +5; Senses Perception +0
  Aura courage (10 ft.)
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (+8 armor, +1 Dex)
  hp 71 (7d10+28)
  Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +7
  Immune disease, fear
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee +1 keen longsword +11/+6 (1d8+3/17–20)
  Ranged mwk light crossbow +9 (1d8/19–20)
  Special Attacks channel positive energy 2/day (DC 15, 
  4d6), smite evil 3/day (+2 attack and AC, +7 damage)
  Paladin Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +9)
  At will—detect evil
  Paladin Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +6)
  2nd—resist energy
  1st—bless, bless weapon
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Torpin calls upon his divine bond to 
  add the keen special ability to his longsword before 
  speaking with the PCs.
  During Combat Once battle begins, Torpin casts bless to 
  bolster his troops, then enters combat, using his smite 
  evil ability against foes.
  Morale A loyal soldier of the Glorious Reclamation, Torpin 
  fights to the death rather than surrender to agents of 
  House Thrune.
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 14
  Base Atk +7; CMB +9; CMD 20
  Feats Improved Initiative, Lunge, Power Attack, Vital Strike, 
  Weapon Focus (longsword)
  Skills Diplomacy +8, Heal +5, Knowledge (nobility) +4, 
  Knowledge (religion) +4, Ride +1, Sense Motive +6
  Languages Common
  SQ divine bond (weapon +1, 1/day), lay on hands 5/day 
  (3d6), mercies (diseased, sickened)
  Combat Gear arrow magnetUE, potion of aid, potion 
  of eagle’s splendor; Other Gear +1 banded mail, 
  +1 longsword, mwk light crossbow with 10 bolts, 
  campfire beadUE, silver holy symbol of Iomedae
  Treasure: The chest of supplies carried by the soldiers 
  holds an efficient quiver that contains 50 +1 arrows, 15 
  silver javelins, three longbows, and three shortbows. 
  In addition, the chest holds an instant bridge (Ultimate 
  Equipment 305), two scrolls of true seeing, an everburning 
  torch, 12 tindertwigs, 8 days of trail rations, and 200 gp.
  Development: If the PCs agree to help Torpin and guide 
  the soldiers to the road, the knight makes good on his 
  
  39
  promise to give them the chest of supplies. He does not, 
  however, send word to Fort Arego to reduce the Glorious 
  Reclamation forces at the Inferno Gate. Instead, he sends 
  a warning to Viona Kadarius that agents of House 
  Thrune are closing in on the gate’s location, and 
  tells her to reinforce their position and prepare 
  for an attack. Viona gets Torpin’s warning 1d4 
  days after the PCs encounter the lost knights 
  here (see area P for more details).
  O. BARBAZU MESSENGERS (CR 7)
  The PCs automatically trigger 
  this encounter if they follow 
  the blood trail from the owlbear 
  carcass in area H or when they 
  enter the hex marked O on the 
  map. This encounter occurs only 
  once; after the PCs have defeated 
  the barbazus, there is no further 
  chance of encountering them.
  Creatures: Although Archbaron Fex uses sending to 
  pass information to Visperthul, the heresy devil must 
  rely on other means to communicate with his mortal 
  agent: Visperthul summons a bearded devil, gives it 
  a message for Fex in illusory script, and sends the devil 
  through the Inferno Gate so it can teleport to Fex to give 
  him the message. Visperthul has sent a pair of barbazus 
  from Fort Arego with a new message for Fex, but the 
  devils have embarked upon a side mission of their own 
  in hopes of currying favor with the ayngavhaul. The two 
  bearded devils have taken it upon themselves to search 
  for the PCs in the Whisperwood, intent on weakening 
  them before they get to Fort Arego. They’ve already 
  stumbled across an owlbear that gave them more trouble 
  than they were expecting (see area H), but they hope to 
  run into the PCs on the outskirts of Senara before they 
  finally complete the task they were given.
  The devils recognize the PCs at first sight and 
  immediately attack. If a devil is slain, its corpse remains 
  behind, as it arrived on the Material Plane via the 
  Inferno Gate rather than being summoned. As soon as 
  one of the devils is killed, the other immediately flees, 
  using greater teleport to return to Fort Arego and report 
  back to Visperthul.
  BEARDED DEVILS (2) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  hp 57 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 73)
  Development: Both barbazus carry a copy of 
  Visperthul’s latest missive to Archbaron Fex in the form 
  of strips of tattered parchment tied to the devils’ glaives. 
  If the PCs kill at least one of the bearded devils, they 
  can intercept this communication, though the letter 
  is written in illusory script (Will DC 18), and appears to 
  be some unintelligible foreign language. The suggestion 
  effect keyed to the illusory script instructs unauthorized 
  readers (anyone other than Fex) who fail their Will 
  saves to drop the parchment and forget about its 
  existence. If the PCs find a means to read the 
  illusory script (such as by dispelling the effect 
  or using one of the scrolls of true seeing found in 
  area N), give the players a copy of Handout #3.
  The PCs can claim the Order of the Pike’s 
  bounty of 1,000 gp each for bringing proof 
  of each bearded devil slain to the 
  Hellknights at Citadel Ordeial.
  Story Award: If the PCs find 
  and 
  successfully 
  decipher 
  Visperthul’s message to Fex, 
  award them 4,800 XP.
  P. FORT AREGO
  This ruined, fortified prison 
  is the site of the Inferno Gate. It is 
  fully detailed in Part 3.
  PART 3: THE DEVIL’S GATE
  Once the PCs have collected all of the components 
  necessary to perform the ritual at the Inferno Gate 
  (with the exception of an archon heart, which can be 
  found in area P3) their final task is to actually get to the 
  infernal portal, located beneath the ruins of the former 
  prison called Fort Arego. While Fex obviously knows 
  the location of the gate, he wants the PCs to find it 
  themselves, hopefully keeping them in the dark about his 
  true plans until the very last minute. As a result, the PCs 
  will likely stumble upon Fort Arego while exploring the 
  Whisperwood, but they may also learn clues to its exact 
  location from the Feign Prince Lairsaph (see area L6).
  If the PCs arrive at Fort Arego before acquiring all of 
  the components needed for the ritual, they will need to go 
  back into the Whisperwood to collect them. If necessary, 
  use Razelago to help guide the PCs toward the missing 
  components and discourage them from attacking the 
  knights currently at the fort (see below). Razelago reasons 
  that attacking the Glorious Reclamation before all of the 
  ritual components are in hand will just give the knights 
  time to reinforce their position, so why fight the same foe 
  twice when once will suffice? 
  If the PCs did not learn from the Hellknights of the 
  Order of the Pike that there are archons accompanying 
  the Glorious Reclamation forces at Fort Arego, Razelago 
  can report the existence of the archons in area P3, which 
  he saw while reconnoitering the ruined fort.
  P. FORT AREGO
  The former Chelish prison of Fort Arego sits deep within 
  the Whisperwood’s southeastern expanse, Perdition 
  Reach. The presence of the Inferno Gate in the dungeons 
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  TORPIN HARROWHART
  
  40
  beneath the fort, and the devils and other infernal 
  creatures that occasionally pass through the portal, have 
  kept most explorers away. As a result, the prison’s location 
  has been lost to history, leaving the stronghold deserted 
  by all save its undying defenders—and more recently, 
  additional infernal guardians brought in by Visperthul.
  Fort Arego is divided into two main areas: the 
  aboveground keep, visible from outside and currently the 
  site of a Glorious Reclamation siege, and the dungeons 
  beneath the fort’s watchtower, where the Inferno Gate 
  lies. Once, multiple tunnels connected the dungeons to 
  the outside world, but now, the crumbling watchtower is 
  the dungeons’ only reliable entrance and exit.
  When the PCs first arrive at Fort Arego, it is in the midst 
  of a siege. Having finally found the fortress, soldiers of 
  the Glorious Reclamation, led by Knight Banneret Viona 
  Kadarius, attempted to enter the keep, but they were met 
  by dozens of devils crawling out of the depths of Fort 
  Arego’s dungeons. The knights are fighting desperately 
  to storm the fort and reach the Inferno Gate, but their 
  efforts are proving difficult in the face of seemingly 
  innumerable infernal foes, and they have been unable to 
  push past the inner bailey (area P6).
  If the PCs are going to take control of the Inferno Gate 
  before the Glorious Reclamation seizes it and potentially 
  closes or seals the portal, they must battle their way 
  through waves of crusading Iomedaean knights, 
  including Viona Kadarius herself, as well as a host of 
  devils and the fort’s undead defenders. Of course, the 
  PCs could potentially just teleport into the fort’s interior, 
  or even directly to the Inferno Gate itself, but that would 
  leave them surrounded by Glorious Reclamation knights 
  who might then interrupt the ritual to take control of 
  the gate. As such, defeating the besieging knights before 
  beginning the ritual would be a more prudent course.
  The PCs are not expected to fight the entirety of the 
  Iomedaean force besieging Fort Arego, but they must 
  battle some Glorious Reclamation soldiers and their 
  allies as they make their way toward the fort’s inner bailey 
  and the ruined watchtower. During this time, you should 
  describe the chaos of the surrounding siege: swooping 
  host devils snatching up human soldiers to drop them 
  from high above, mounted knights matching blades with 
  glaive-wielding bearded devils, and anything else you 
  feel might add to the location’s flavor. Eventually, the PCs 
  must face Viona Kadarius herself in area P6—defeating 
  her effectively ends the siege, allowing the PCs to explore 
  the fort’s dungeons and find the Inferno Gate.
  reinforCemenTs
  If the PCs helped Knight Inheritor Torpin Harrowhart 
  in area N in exchange for his promise to reduce the 
  Glorious Reclamation’s troops here, they soon discover 
  the opposite is true. Instead, the paladin sends word 
  to Viona Kadarius to strengthen their forces, and the 
  Glorious Reclamation soldiers besieging Fort Arego are 
  on alert for the arrival of Thrune agents. If this is the case, 
  make the following adjustments to the listed encounters.
  P1. Cavalry Picket: Add two additional knights 
  inheritor of the Glorious Reclamation and combat-
  trained heavy horses, making this a CR 10 encounter. In 
  addition, the knights have set up an ambush for the PCs, 
  who must succeed at a DC 14 Perception check to act in 
  the surprise round.
  Darellus,
  You have done well so far in leading your agents to me, 
  and Razelago has informed me that they’re well on the way 
  to collecting most of the items needed to perform the ritual. 
  I should inform you that some of the Inheritor’s knights have 
  been combing the Whisperwood for the gate as well, but I 
  don’t foresee any problems. I can always bring more minions 
  through the portal to stop them.
  All will be in readiness when your agents arrive with the 
  components. The taste of infernal power I have given you 
  thus far will pale in comparison to that which you will enjoy 
  once you can control the Inferno Gate, and I will relish the 
  four new souls added to my collection—especially since they 
  will be the unwitting instruments of their own demise.
  —Visperthul
  HANDOUT #3
  
  41
  P3. Stream Crossing: Add an additional legion archon, 
  making this a CR 10 encounter.
  P5. Outer Bailey: Add two additional knights inheritor 
  and advanced hippogriffs, making this a CR 10 encounter.
  P6. Inner Bailey: Add a legion archon, making this a 
  CR 11 encounter.
  P1. Cavalry PiCket (Cr 9)
  The trail narrows slightly here and turns west as a crumbling 
  fortress of gray stone and decaying timber comes into view 
  to the south, situated atop a steep embankment of dirt and 
  stone bordered by a narrow forest stream. Dark smoke leaks 
  into the sky from the keep’s ruined stone tower, and the 
  sound of clashing steel echoes from within the fortress walls.
  The forest trail that leads to Fort Arego ends in a 
  bottleneck perfect for an ambush here. 
  Creatures: Four knights inheritor of the Glorious 
  Reclamation guard the trail leading to Fort Arego and the 
  Glorious Reclamation encampment (area P2). Mounted 
  on heavy horses, the knights are in plain sight on the 
  trail, letting their horses graze, but they immediately 
  confront any intruders coming down the path or through 
  the woods.
  KNIGHTS INHERITOR (4) 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200 each
  Human fighter (dragoon) 5 (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate 
  Combat 46)
  LG Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +2; Senses Perception +3
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+6 armor, +2 Dex, +1 shield)
  hp 42 each (5d10+10)
  Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1 (+1 vs. fear)
  OFFENSE
  Speed 50 ft. mounted (20 ft. on foot)
  Melee +1 lance +12 (1d8+9/×3) or
  mwk scimitar +10 (1d6+4/18–20)
  Ranged javelin +8 (1d6+6)
  Special Attacks spear training
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The knights apply oil of bless weapon 
  before entering battle.
  During Combat The knights charge into the fray with their 
  lances, using Ride-By Attack and Spirited Charge to gore 
  their opponents from horseback.
  Morale The knights fight valiantly to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 18, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12
  Base Atk +5; CMB +9; CMD 21
  Feats Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, 
  Ride-By Attack, Skill Focus (Ride), Spirited Charge, 
  Weapon Focus (lance), Weapon Specialization (lance)
  Skills Handle Animal +5, Intimidate +5, Perception +3, 
  Ride +10 (+12 to stay in the saddle)
  Languages Common
  SQ armor training 1
  Combat Gear oil of bless weapon (2), potion of cure 
  moderate wounds; Other Gear mwk chainmail, mwk 
  light steel shield, +1 lance, javelins (3), mwk scimitar, 
  banner of the Glorious Reclamation, silver holy symbol 
  of Iomedae
  COMBAT-TRAINED HEAVY HORSES (4) 
  CR 2
  XP 600 each
  Advanced horse (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 294, 177)
  AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +4 Dex, +2 natural, 
  –1 size)
  hp 19 each 
  Melee bite +5 (1d4+5), 2 hooves +0 (1d6+2)
  Feats Light Armor Proficiency, RunB
  Gear chain shirt barding, bit and bridle, military saddle
  P2. knights’ enCamPment (Cr 8)
  Tents, wooden supply crates, and a large fire pit make a 
  military encampment of this otherwise cozy forest clearing.
  Once they located the Inferno Gate, the knights of 
  the Glorious Reclamation set up their campsite in this 
  clearing outside the fort.
  Creatures: When Knight Banneret Viona Kadarius led 
  her finest soldiers to assault Fort Arego, she left her second-
  in-command, Knight Inheritor Emmeleine Flemmard, in 
  charge of the knights’ camp. Flemmard is a coward whose 
  success and rank in the Glorious Reclamation are only due 
  to dumb luck and her affluent family’s influence. Three 
  Glorious Reclamation sergeants and three trained war 
  hounds accompany Flemmard, but she posted the cavalry 
  picket in area P1 in hopes that they can take care of any 
  opposition so she doesn’t have to. If invaders enter the 
  encampment, however, the craven knight and her troops 
  take up their arms to repel the attack.
  EMMELEINE FLEMMARD 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600
  Female human fighter 6
  LN Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +4; Senses Perception +5
  DEFENSE
  AC 22, touch 10, flat-footed 22 (+9 armor, +3 shield)
  hp 61 (6d10+24)
  Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +3 (+2 vs. fear)
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee +1 shock longsword +12/+7 (1d8+5/19–20 plus 1d6 
  electricity) or
  mwk dagger +10/+5 (1d4+3/19–20)
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  42
  Ranged mwk composite longbow +7/+2 (1d8+3/×3)
  Special Attacks weapon training (heavy blades +1)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Primarily concerned with her own safety, 
  Flemmard tries to stay out of melee, using her longbow 
  as long as she is able, but switches to her longsword 
  when necessary, making use of Combat Expertise. The 
  sergeants accompanying Flemmard actively cry out 
  for their leader’s guidance and help, but the haughty, 
  shallow knight ignores their pleas in favor of mid-combat 
  flourishes using Dazzling Display and cocky dirty trick and 
  disarm maneuvers that do little more than illustrate her 
  lack of wisdom.
  Morale Flemmard tries her best to lead her troops in 
  battle, but if two or more sergeants or war hounds are 
  defeated in battle, the knight inheritor drinks her potion 
  of invisibility, grabs her handy haversack from her tent 
  (see Treasure below), mounts one of the horses tethered 
  nearby, and flees in cowardice, leaving her fellows to 
  fend for themselves.
  STATISTICS
  Str 16, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 14
  Base Atk +6; CMB +9 (+11 dirty trick, +11 disarm); CMD 19 
  (21 vs. dirty trick, 21 vs. disarm)
  Feats Combat Expertise, Dazzling Display, Improved Dirty 
  TrickAPG, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Power 
  Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (longsword)
  Skills Bluff +8, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (nobility) +4, 
  Perception +5, Ride +3
  Languages Common, Halfling
  SQ armor training 1
  Combat Gear +1 devil-bane arrows (10), potion of cure 
  moderate wounds, potion of invisibility; Other Gear 
  gem-encrusted +1 half-plate (worth 3,000 gp), +1 heavy 
  steel shield, +1 shock longsword, mwk composite 
  longbow (+3 Str) with 20 arrows, mwk dagger, cloak of 
  resistance +2, antitoxin (2), gold holy symbol of Iomedae 
  (worth 100 gp), signet ring (worth 75 gp), ornate gold-
  and-silver scabbard (worth 500 gp)
  GLORIOUS RECLAMATION SERGEANTS (3) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  hp 42 each (see page 37)
  WAR HOUNDS (3) 
  CR 1
  XP 400 each
  Riding dog (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 87)
  AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +2 Dex, +1 natural)
  hp 13 each
  Gear studded leather barding
  Treasure: Flemmard is a poor excuse for a 
  knight of the Glorious Reclamation, but onlookers 
  wouldn’t guess it based on her extravagant armor 
  and equipment. In addition to her emerald- and 
  ruby-bedecked armor and gold-and-silver scabbard, 
  Flemmard keeps a handy haversack in her luxuriously 
  appointed tent. The haversack holds a noble’s vigilant 
  pillbox (Ultimate Equipment 312) a croquet set (Ultimate 
  Equipment 92), four different noble’s outfits, polo gear 
  P. FORT AREGO
  1 SQUARE = 10 FEET
  P2
  P3
  P1
  P6
  P5
  P4
  P7
  
  43
  (Ultimate Equipment 93), 10 sunrods, 20 tindertwigs, five 
  bottles of fine wine (worth 10 gp each), and a small 
  coffer containing 50 pp.
  Development: If the PCs capture Flemmard, she 
  wails and loudly demands to be released, blasting 
  the PCs for being “cowardly devils who have sold 
  their souls to Hell.” It doesn’t take much to quiet 
  her blustering—she is easily intimidated and 
  all too willingly sells out her commander (and 
  reveals the location of her own treasures in the 
  encampment) in exchange for a promise 
  of release. “You want to know about 
  Viona?” she offers. “She rides an 
  angelic unicorn, and some sort of 
  winged lion fights by her side. 
  She’s up there on the hill, trying 
  to fight her way into the tower.” 
  Aside from this basic information, 
  Flemmard has little else of value to 
  add to the PCs’ mission.
  P3. stream Crossing (Cr 9)
  A narrow footbridge crosses over a burbling stream that 
  winds around the hill to the east and trickles westward.
  The stream’s flow is not quick enough to sweep 
  creatures’ feet out from beneath them, but anyone who 
  enters the water must succeed at a DC 13 Acrobatics 
  check to balance on the slippery rocks of the streambed. 
  A creature that fails this check must end its turn in that 
  square and succeed at a DC 13 Reflex save or fall prone.
  Creatures: Two veteran hound archons and a legion 
  archon guard this bridge, with orders to stop anyone 
  attempting to break through the Glorious Reclamation’s 
  lines. With their constant detect evil ability, the archons 
  immediately recognize the PCs as threats and move to 
  engage them in battle. The hound archons focus their 
  attacks on warriors, while the legion archon takes to the 
  air, targeting obvious spellcasters at range. All of the 
  archons fight to the death to defend the bridge.
  VETERAN HOUND ARCHONS (2) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  Advanced hound archon (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 294, 19)
  hp 51 each 
  LEGION ARCHON 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  hp 76 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 19)
  Story Award: The PCs can obtain the archon heart 
  they need for the Inferno Gate ritual from one of these 
  celestials. Award the PCs 4,800 XP if they successfully 
  acquire the heart.
  P4. gateWay oF trees (Cr 8)
  Two mounds of earth and stone, possibly the overgrown 
  ruins of collapsed towers, form a gateway of sorts, 
  bracketing the trail as it winds upward to the 
  fort proper.
  The two mounds are nearly 20 feet 
  high, with gradual slopes covered in 
  dense rubble (Core Rulebook 427–428).
  Creatures: Knight Banneret Viona 
  Kadarius befriended a treant 
  named Timbercrown while she 
  and her troops were scouring 
  the forest for the Inferno 
  Gate, and the monstrous tree 
  creature has aided them since. 
  Timbercrown currently perches 
  on the southernmost mound, 
  while two oak trees he has animated with his animate 
  trees ability are trying to down the western walls of 
  Fort Arego. Timbercrown hurls rocks at the PCs as they 
  approach the fort and commands the animated trees to 
  attack them in melee combat. All of the plant creatures 
  are large enough that dense rubble on the mounds does 
  not affect their movement. If Timbercrown is killed, the 
  two animated trees immediately take root and become 
  normal trees again.
  TIMBERCROWN 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Male treant (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 266)
  hp 114 
  ANIMATED TREES (2) 
  CR — 
  hp 114 each (see treant, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 266) 
  P5. outer Bailey and BarraCks (Cr 8) 
  A squat stone building sits in one corner of the fort’s outer 
  courtyard. The walls to the west have collapsed, and wind 
  whistles through cracks in the remaining crumbling walls. 
  A small gatehouse provides passage deeper into the fort 
  through a wall to the north.
  When Fort Arego was operational, the prison’s warden 
  and her top guards lived in the barracks building in 
  the fort’s outer ward. When Visperthul opened the 
  Inferno Gate and cast the prison into chaos, the warden 
  blockaded herself inside the barracks in hopes of 
  surviving the infernal onslaught, but was crushed when 
  part of the building’s roof collapsed on top of her. Inside 
  the dimly lit ruins of the barracks, rotted wood furniture 
  leaning against once-sturdy doors hint at the structure’s 
  final purpose and its subsequent decades-long neglect. 
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  EMMELEINE FLEMMARD
  
  44
  Creatures: Three knights inheritor of the Glorious 
  Reclamation riding trained hippogriffs patrol the outer 
  bailey. The knights are intent on preventing evildoers 
  from compromising their goal of closing the Inferno 
  Gate, so they swoop down to fight any intruders.
  KNIGHTS INHERITOR (3) 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200 each
  hp 42 each (see page 41)
  ADVANCED HIPPOGRIFFS (3) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  hp 28 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 292, 156)
  Treasure: A rusted iron lockbox is tucked in the 
  southeastern corner of the barracks building, noticeable 
  at a glance with a successful DC 15 Perception check. The 
  heavy lockbox is secured with a rusty padlock (Disable 
  Device DC 20), but can be easily broken open (hardness 7, 
  hp 10, break DC 16). Inside are over two dozen books, 
  remarkably well preserved considering their age. Most 
  of these are historical in nature, including exhaustive 
  records of every individual imprisoned and executed 
  at Fort Arego over the years, as well as several journals 
  kept by the prison’s wardens. The books weigh a total 
  of 60 pounds in all, and are capable of fetching 6,000 
  gp if sold to a historian or book collector. In addition, a 
  2nd-level page of spell knowledge (Ultimate Equipment 314) 
  lies among the more mundane volumes (the GM should 
  choose the exact spell contained on the page of spell 
  knowledge to customize it for her group).
  Details found within the wardens’ journals can be as 
  mundane or as fascinating as the GM likes, but one of 
  the journals in particular should interest the PCs—that 
  of Korva Ferrini, the last warden of Fort Arego before it 
  was overrun by a prisoner riot and the prison’s guards 
  made their ill-fated bargain with Visperthul. If the PCs 
  look through the journals, give the players a copy of 
  Handout #4 (see page 46).
  P6. inner Bailey (Cr 10)
  Mounds of dirt, debris, and loose stone litter this open 
  courtyard, which is bordered on all sides by the crumbling 
  walls of the fort. To the northeast, chunks of rubble have 
  been moved to reveal an entrance to the interior of a 
  massive, ruined tower, blocked by double doors.
  The fighting to take Fort Arego is heaviest 
  in this area. Dead Glorious Reclamation 
  soldiers and slain devils litter the ground, 
  but the knights are close to breaking through. 
  When the PCs arrive, the siege has mostly drawn 
  to a close, though a few soldiers are still fighting 
  isolated battles with devils on the periphery of 
  the courtyard.
  Creatures: Knight Banneret 
  Viona Kadarius, the leader of 
  the Glorious Reclamation’s 
  efforts in the Whisperwood, leads the siege from here. 
  Sitting astride her noble half-celestial unicorn mount, 
  Laissis, she rallies her remaining troops in the bailey 
  for the final push to enter the fort’s ruined watchtower. 
  In addition, Iomedae has sent a lammasu named Ibnian 
  to aid the Glorious Reclamation in their quest to close 
  down the Inferno Gate. As the PCs enter the inner 
  bailey, the knight banneret and her allies turn to repel 
  the intruders so they can finally complete their mission.
  Both Ibnian and Laissis gain a +2 morale bonus on 
  saving throws against fear and a +1 morale bonus on attack 
  rolls made as part of a charge as long as Viona’s banner 
  is visible. They gain increased bonuses on their saving 
  throws when adjacent to Viona once she uses her tactician 
  KNIGHT INHERITOR
  
  45
  ability to grant them the Shake It Off feat. Viona Kadarius 
  is described fully in the NPC Gallery on page 58.
  IBNIAN 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Lammasu (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 175)
  hp 94
  LAISSIS 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600
  Advanced half-celestial unicorn (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 
  294, 169)
  hp 50
  VIONA KADARIUS 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  hp 72 (see page 58)
  Development: The death or capture of Viona Kadarius 
  breaks the morale of the few remaining Glorious 
  Reclamation soldiers, who flee the confines of the fort to 
  regroup with any other survivors.
  P7. Fort arego toWer
  Originally consisting of three aboveground levels, Fort 
  Arego’s watchtower was mostly destroyed in the prison 
  riot that left the fort abandoned and in ruins. Looters 
  and treasure hunters cleared rubble from the tower’s 
  entrance and stole the most precious relics decades ago, 
  but few braved the dungeons beneath the tower, which 
  remain intact. It would take a mighty effort to excavate 
  anything of value from the wreckage of the tower’s 
  upper levels, and such an act is beyond the scope of this 
  adventure, but the tower’s subterranean levels are fully 
  detailed in area Q.
  Q. FORT AREGO DUNGEONS
  Although most of Fort Arego Tower has collapsed, its 
  ground floor and the five sublevels beneath it are still 
  accessible. The heresy devil Visperthul, who has been 
  consorting with Archbaron Fex for several months, 
  dwells far below in Fort Arego’s dungeons, where 
  he keeps watch over the ever-burning Inferno Gate, 
  ushering scores of fiendish servants through the 
  portal to guard the fort’s upper levels and terrorize the 
  surrounding Whisperwood.
  General Features: Unless otherwise specified, the 
  dungeons of Fort Arego have the following general 
  features. Ceilings are 8 feet high on the ground floor and 
  sublevels 1, 2, and 4 (areas Q1–Q12, Q14, and Q15), but 
  are dramatically higher in the Funnel (area Q13) and the 
  Pit (area Q16). Floors consist of flagstone tiles, but rubble 
  (noted on the map) creates difficult terrain in some areas 
  and obstructs other areas entirely. Unless otherwise 
  noted, corridors and rooms are unlit—the dungeons’ 
  infernal and verminous denizens have no need for light, 
  so they haven’t bothered replacing the torches in the 
  sconces that line the prison’s walls.
  Q1. entryWay (Cr 8)
  Cracked stone columns support what’s left of the crumbling 
  ceiling of this wide foyer. A flight of stairs descends to the 
  east, and a long hallway continues to the north. Ahead, two 
  doors provide access to other chambers.
  Creatures: A pair of three-headed cerberi guards the 
  tower’s entryway, attacking any mortal creature that dares 
  to step inside.
  CERBERI (2) 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400 each
  hp 76 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 51)
  Q2. liBrary (Cr 9)
  Broken and rotting bookshelves stand in various states 
  of disarray throughout this chamber. Books, scrolls, and 
  miscellaneous papers are scattered across the floor, giving 
  the room the appearance of a ransacked old library.
  This half of the tower’s ground floor was a repository 
  for book collections stolen by Cheliax during the 
  Everwar. While most of the tomes have decayed in the 
  centuries since Fort Arego’s abandonment, a few finely 
  preserved volumes have survived over the years. 
  Creature: A single bone devil that came through the 
  Inferno Gate at Visperthul’s command currently occupies 
  this chamber, busily consuming the lost lore in the 
  moldering books and scrolls piled high on the library’s 
  shelves. The devil attacks intruders as soon as it notices 
  them, eager to practice some of the torture techniques 
  it’s been reading about on living subjects.
  BONE DEVIL 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  hp 105 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 74)
  Treasure: Scattered among the disintegrating 
  papers and books in this room are three scrolls of dispel 
  magic, a scroll of see invisibility, a wand of stone shape (23 
  charges), six black onyx gems worth 100 gp each, and 
  what appears to be a strikingly boring compendium of 
  500-year-old Chelish legal precedents, but is actually a 
  spellbook protected by a bookmark of deception (Ultimate 
  Equipment 284). Removing the bookmark reveals the 
  true nature of the spellbook, which contains 3d4 
  sorcerer/wizard spells of 1st through 3rd levels (the 
  GM should select the specific spells or determine 
  them randomly).
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  46
  Q3. guard BarraCks (Cr 9)
  Broken stone blocks and rubble create an uncertain path 
  through this maze of half-ruined sleeping quarters. Gold 
  coins are scattered across the floor as though spilled from 
  a purse, and several rusty weapons hang from a rack in the 
  corner of the room.
  This area (and rooms on the now-collapsed levels 
  above) housed the majority of Fort Arego’s garrison when 
  the prison was operational.
  Creatures: Six of Fort Arego’s original guards agreed 
  to Visperthul’s infernal bargain during the prison 
  riot and were transformed into flaming undead 
  monstrosities called Burning Knights of Moloch. They 
  have guarded the dungeons of Fort Arego ever since. 
  The Burning Knights resemble animated corpses 
  garbed in armor smoldering with hellfire. Their skin 
  has melted away, leaving only their fiery, grinning 
  skulls visible.
  Two of these undead horrors currently stand guard 
  in this room to keep intruders from delving further 
  into the tower. Visperthul has ordered all of the 
  Burning Knights to attack the PCs on sight; he wants to 
  make sure that the souls Fex has acquired for him are 
  worthy of his efforts, and he also doesn’t want the party 
  to grow suspicious if the infernal conscripts let them 
  through unharmed.
  BURNING KNIGHTS OF MOLOCH (2) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  Human variant graveknight fighter 6 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 3)
  LE Medium undead (augmented humanoid)
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +17
  Aura hellfire aura (1d6 hellfire), sacrilegious aura (30 ft., 
  DC 17)
  DEFENSE
  AC 23, touch 12, flat-footed 21 (+7 armor, +2 Dex, +4 natural)
  hp 85 each (6d10+48)
  Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +7 (+2 vs. fear)
  Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, rejuvenation; 
  DR 10/magic; Immune cold, electricity, fire, undead 
  traits; SR 18
  Weaknesses inferno bound
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee +1 longspear +16/+11 (1d8+13/×3 plus 1d6 
  hellfire) or
  slam +13 (1d4+7)
  Ranged mwk spear +12/+7 (1d8+10/×3 plus 1d6 hellfire)
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with longspear)
  Special Attacks channel destruction (1d6 hellfire), 
  devastating blast (4d6 hellfire, DC 17, 3/day), undead 
  mastery (30 HD, DC 17), weapon training (spears +1)
  The murders continue, 
  even after the hanging of 
  Bartleby Crispin. Just this 
  morning, Officer Hyla found 
  both Sergeant Logan and 
  Marshank the Varisian cut 
  from ear to ear, splayed 
  out in the assembly room 
  on sublevel 2. So much for 
  the killer being confined 
  to the Funnel or the Pit—
  it seems that whoever our 
  murderer is, he’s got some 
  way of sneaking out of his 
  cell and between floors. I’ve 
  locked down the cellblocks 
  and stationed additional 
  guards on sublevels 2 and 
  4, but I’m afraid there is 
  little else we can do to fend 
  off the killer lurking in the 
  shadows until reinforcements 
  arrive from Westcrown.
  We had no idea of the 
  devil’s power when we made 
  our foolish bargain. True to 
  his word, Visperthul put a 
  stop to the riot—but only by 
  making matters worse. Most 
  of the guards are already 
  dead, claimed as sacrifices 
  by the fiend, or have been 
  turned into infernal soldiers 
  by the devil’s fell magic. I 
  hide within these walls for 
  now, but I fear the worst 
  for my soul. Our supposed 
  ally promised us salvation, 
  but none of us knew he would 
  open a portal to Hell itself!
  HANDOUT #4
  HANDOUT #5
  
  47
  TACTICS
  During Combat The Burning Knights unleash their 
  devastating blasts, then leap into melee with their 
  longspears. The knights throw spears at opponents 
  beyond melee range.
  Morale The Burning Knights of Moloch fight until they are 
  destroyed.
  STATISTICS
  Str 21, Dex 15, Con —, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 18
  Base Atk +6; CMB +11; CMD 23
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Furious FocusAPG, Improved Initiative, 
  Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Ride-By 
  Attack, Stand Still, Toughness, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus 
  (longspear), Weapon Specialization (longspear)
  Skills Climb +12, Intimidate +21, Perception +17, 
  Profession (soldier) +9, Ride +14
  Languages Common, Infernal
  SQ armor training 1, graveknight armor, ruinous 
  revivification (hellfire)
  Gear +1 breastplate, +1 longspear, mwk spears (4)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Hellfire Aura (Ex) Creatures adjacent to a Burning Knights 
  of Moloch take 1d6 points of hellfire damage at the start 
  of their turn. Anyone who strikes a Burning Knights of 
  Moloch with an unarmed strike or natural attack takes 
  1d6 points of fire damage. This replaces the graveknight’s 
  phantom mount ability.
  Inferno Bound (Su) The Burning Knights of Moloch are 
  tied to the powers of the Inferno Gate. Each hour a 
  Burning Knight spends farther than 1 mile from the 
  Inferno Gate, it takes a cumulative –1 penalty to its 
  Charisma score.
  Ruinous Revivification (Su) A Burning Knights of Moloch 
  is ablaze with hellfire, and its channel destruction, 
  devastating blast, and hellfire aura abilities deal hellfire 
  damage, half of which is fire damage and half of which 
  is damage from unholy energy. Evil-aligned creatures 
  and creatures with the evil subtype take no damage 
  from the unholy energy, but good-aligned creatures and 
  those with the good subtype take double the normal 
  damage from it. Creatures under the effects of spells like 
  protection from evil are unaffected by the unholy energy, 
  though they still take fire damage.
  Treasure: The guard barracks have been already picked 
  mostly clean by treasure hunters exploring the most 
  easily accessible areas of Fort Arego, but the weapons rack 
  in the corner of the room holds three broken martial 
  weapons (GM’s choice), and a total of 66 gp, 36 sp, and 
  12 cp are scattered across the floor. 
  In addition, a PC who succeeds at a DC 15 Perception 
  check while investigating the weapons rack can spot a 
  small iron key poking out from beneath the rack, which 
  opens the northern door to the guardroom two floors 
  below (area Q9).
  Q4. main stairWell (Cr 7)
  This wide stairwell once connected all of Fort Arego’s 
  dungeon levels, allowing guards and escorted prisoners 
  access between each floor, although portions of it are 
  now blocked by fallen rubble. From the ground floor, the 
  stairs connect to the commons on sublevel 1 (area Q6).
  Creature: A single Burning Knight of Moloch stands 
  watch halfway down the steps of the main stairwell, 
  attacking any intruders on sight. 
  BURNING KNIGHT OF MOLOCH 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  hp 85 (see page 46)
  Q5. auxiliary stairWell
  This spiral stairway connects the ground floor of Fort 
  Arego Tower to the two sublevels below (areas Q1, Q6, 
  and Q8). A rotting wooden door on each level separates 
  the stairwell from the rest of the dungeon chambers.
  Q6. Commons (Cr 9)
  Shattered clay pots, dented tin mugs, and crumbling wooden 
  utensils lay scattered across the broken tables and floor tiles 
  of this communal dining area.
  The stairs in the northeast portion of this chamber 
  climb up to area Q1. A staircase to the west that once led 
  to the level below is now filled with earth and rubble and 
  is impassable.
  Creatures: Visperthul has posted two warmonger 
  devils in this chamber to defend against deeper 
  incursions into the Fort Arego’s dungeons. The two 
  devils, known as levalochs, yearn to fight against the 
  knights aboveground, and attack any intruders on sight, 
  pursuing them throughout the fort if need be.
  WARMONGER DEVILS (2) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 84 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 5 81)
  Q7. kitChen and larder (Cr 7)
  These two chambers appear to have been a kitchen and 
  an adjacent larder. Dirt and rubble have spilled from the 
  chimney of the kitchen’s fireplace and filled the cauldron in 
  the hearth. The shelves of the larder are bare save for dust 
  and the dried remains of long-spoiled foodstuffs.
  Creatures: Two achaierais have sought refuge in the 
  kitchen (area Q7a), where they hide from the hellcats 
  who have been hunting them throughout the tower’s 
  dungeons (see area Q12). The multilegged, birdlike 
  creatures are infernal predators in their own right, 
  however, and immediately attack any living thing that 
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  48
  enters either of these chambers, filling the rooms with 
  black clouds of toxic smoke before lashing out with 
  their claws.
  ACHAIERAIS (2) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  hp 52 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 7)
  Treasure: A knocked-over shelf in the larder (area 
  Q7b) obscures a loose flagstone, which can be noticed 
  by anyone who succeeds at a DC 24 Perception check 
  (characters specifically searching the floor gain a 
  +4 bonus on the check). Underneath the loose tile is a 
  bag containing a figurine of wondrous power (serpentine 
  owl), an adamantine wire saw (Ultimate Equipment 75), 
  10 garnets worth 60 gp each, and 322 gp.
  Q8. assemBly room (Cr 9)
  Four cracked stone columns support the ceiling of this central 
  chamber, while several doors provide access to other rooms. 
  Two stairways exit this area to the south. 
  Fort Arego’s guards assembled prisoners selected to 
  labor in the adjacent workshops (areas Q11 and Q12) 
  in this chamber before putting them to work. The 
  southwestern stairway once climbed up to the level 
  above, but is now blocked by fallen rubble and dirt. The 
  southeastern stairs remain intact, and descend to area 
  Q13 below.
  Creatures: Two more Burning Knights of Moloch have 
  taken up position in this room. They attack any creatures 
  trying to pass through to the lower levels.
  BURNING KNIGHTS OF MOLOCH (2) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 85 each (see page 46)
  Q9. uPPer guardroom
  The northern door to this chamber is locked (hardness 5, 
  hp 15, break DC 18, Disable Device DC 25); the key can be 
  found in area Q3. In addition, the western double doors 
  are blocked from within the room.
  A line of wooden cots stands against the western wall of 
  this room, which contains the remains of a table and several 
  chairs. Broken stone pillars lean against the eastern wall, 
  blocking a set of wooden double doors.
  This chamber served as a combination guardroom 
  and break room for the guards posted inside the prison. 
  The treasure hunter whose corpse now lies in area Q10 
  fled through here, locking the northern door behind him 
  and pushing over some crumbling pillars to block the 
  double doors to the east.
  Q10. storeroom (Cr 8)
  A lone humanoid corpse slouches in one corner of this 
  chamber. Shelves covered in rusty tools and junk line the 
  walls, and several open chests contain nothing but dust.
  Trap: A few years ago, a treasure hunter named 
  Garman worked up the courage to explore the dungeons 
  of Fort Arego. He managed to reach the dungeons’ 
  second sublevel before running afoul of the Burning 
  Knights of Moloch. He hid from the infernal guardians 
  in this room, setting a crossbow trap that would launch 
  a +1 holy crossbow bolt poisoned with shadow essence at 
  whoever opened the door. Although Garman eventually 
  succumbed to his wounds, his expertly crafted trap 
  remains intact.
  BURNING KNIGHT  
  OF MOLOCH
  
  49
  POISONED HOLY BOLT TRAP 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 27; Disable Device DC 25
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset none
  Effect Atk +15 ranged (1d10+1/19–20 plus 2d6 damage vs. 
  evil creatures plus poison [shadow essence])
  Treasure: Although the prison relics in this room are 
  long gone (the shelves and chests were already empty when 
  Garman searched the room), the corpse of the treasure 
  seeker has a number of useful items on it, including a 
  suit of masterwork padded armor, a +1 darkwood club, a 
  vial of abjurant salt (Ultimate Equipment 276), a potion of cat’s 
  grace, a climber’s kit, a crowbar, a skeleton key (Ultimate 
  Equipment 72), and a sack containing 255 gp.
  In addition, if the PCs avoided triggering Garman’s 
  trap, they can recover his masterwork heavy crossbow 
  and the +1 holy bolt from the trap.
  Q11. Wood Workshop (Cr 8)
  Broken furniture and discarded, rotting lumber take up most 
  of the floor space in this long-abandoned workshop. The 
  floor is covered in a slurry of old sawdust and stagnant water 
  dripping from the ceiling.
  The wardens of Fort Arego were unwilling to let any 
  potential labor go to waste, and those prisoners not 
  healthy enough to cut timber in the forest outside were 
  required to toil in prison workshops such as this one, 
  where they crafted wooden furniture pieces for sale in 
  Senara or Remesiana.
  Creature: A swarm of hellwasps that came through the 
  Inferno Gate has constructed a nest in the rotting lumber 
  in this room. The swarm attacks any living creatures that 
  enter the room, eager to inhabit a mortal body.
  HELLWASP SWARM 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  hp 90 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 146)
  Q12. TexTile Workshop (Cr 9)
  Half-broken looms are arranged in clumsy rows throughout 
  this workshop. Moth-eaten blankets, rotted clothing, and 
  other textiles in various states of disarray litter the floor and 
  drape precariously on the room’s sparse furniture.
  More prisoners were forced to work on over a dozen 
  looms in this room to produce finely woven blankets, 
  scarves, tunics, and leggings.
  Creatures: Two hellcats pursued the achaierais in area 
  Q7 through the Inferno Gate, and are currently resting 
  in this room before resuming the hunt. The hellcats’ 
  invisible in light ability grants them partial concealment 
  (20% miss chance) in the normal darkness of this room, 
  but they may become more or less visible depending on 
  any light sources the PCs bring with them. The hellcats 
  attack any other living creatures entering the room. 
  Q. FORT AREGO DUNGEONS
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  GROUND FLOOR
  SUBLEVEL 1
  SUBLEVEL  3
  SUBLEVEL  4
  SUBLEVEL 5
  SUBLEVEL  2
  Q5
  TO Q6
  Q5
  Q5
  Q6
  Q9
  Q8
  Q11
  Q12
  Q10
  Q4
  Q7a
  Q13a
  Q13b
  Q13
  Q15
  Q14
  Q16
  Q7b
  Q2
  Q1
  Q3
  Q4
  TO Q1
  TO Q13
  TO Q8
  TO Q16
  TO Q15
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  50
  HELLCATS (2) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 85 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 153)
  Treasure: A tunic of careful casting (Ultimate Equipment 
  223) lies beneath some disintegrating cloth in the 
  southern portion of the room, seemingly forgotten.
  Q13. the Funnel (Cr 11)
  This huge cylindrical chamber is divided into three tiered 
  levels of flagstone walkways that encircle the room’s 
  perimeter, connected to adjacent levels by stone staircases. 
  The topmost tier is the largest in diameter; the next lower 
  tier is smaller, with steps circling down to the lowest tier, 
  an empty circular area in the center of the room. Dozens 
  of prison cells line the walls of each tier. A large staircase 
  climbs from the top tier to the dungeon level above. On the 
  bottom level, two open archways lead east and west under 
  the tiers. Four long iron chains dangle from the high ceiling, 
  hanging over a large square hole in the floor at the bottom 
  of the chamber.
  Most of Fort Arego’s prisoners were housed in the 
  dozens of shared cells lining the walls of this chamber, 
  called “the Funnel” due to its shape and its position over 
  “the Pit” below.
  The ceiling is 40 feet high in this chamber; each tier 
  is 10 feet above the tier below it. The cramped cells are 
  only 8 feet high, each secured with a door of iron bars 
  (hardness 10, hp 30, break DC 28). All of the cells can be 
  locked or unlocked with a lever located in the control 
  room, located in one of the top-tier cells to the south 
  (area Q13a). The open archways on the bottom tier lead to 
  chambers beneath the stacked tiers of the Funnel (areas 
  Q14 and Q15).
  The square opening in the center of the room once held 
  a wooden elevator platform that connected this chamber 
  with the dungeons of the Pit below (area Q16). Prisoners 
  would raise or lower the lift by means of a winch located 
  in a small room on the top tier to the east (area Q13b). 
  The lift was broken long ago; the wooden platform was 
  destroyed, the chains that supported it are badly rusted, 
  and the winch is frozen and no longer functional. The 
  floor of the Pit lies 80 feet below the opening, but the 
  shaft ends in a 2-inch-thick, flat wall of stone 20 feet 
  below the Funnel’s floor. Fex was uninterested in letting 
  any would-be heroes or intruders find the Inferno Gate 
  and possibly interrupt his grand scheme, so he walled 
  off the shaft using a scroll of wall of stone several weeks 
  ago. If the PCs break through the wall (hardness 8, hp 30, 
  break DC 24 per 5-foot-square section), they can reach the 
  Inferno Gate in the Pit below.
  Creatures: One might expect the cells in this prison to 
  be long vacant, but such is not the case, as more than two 
  dozen petitioners—the souls of mortals damned to an 
  eternity in Hell—paw at the iron bars, pining for release. 
  The petitioners retain their human forms, but have been 
  horrifically scarred after untold centuries of torment in 
  Hell. They unwittingly came to the Material Plane from 
  Malebolge through the Inferno Gate, and Visperthul has 
  imprisoned them here for the time being. The heresy 
  devil could just send the petitioners back through the 
  Inferno Gate, but he is stockpiling them until the market 
  price in Hell for the return of escaped souls increases, 
  and until he has enough to use as a bargaining chip with 
  a more powerful devil.
  The “wardens” of the prison are three host devils that 
  Visperthul has put in charge of the petitioner “prisoners.” 
  When the PCs first arrive in this chamber, the host devils 
  see an opportunity for some morbid entertainment. On 
  the first round of combat, one of the devils pulls the lever 
  in the control room (area Q13a), opening all of the cell 
  doors. “Bring us the heads of these intruders,” one of 
  the devils intones telepathically, “and you may finally be 
  rewarded with a new infernal form!”
  The petitioners, eager for any chance to escape their 
  future of eternal torment, heed the devil’s instructions 
  and attack the PCs with reckless abandon. Their 
  desperation is nearly palpable—the petitioners violently 
  clamber over each other to reach the PCs, pushing each 
  other down the stairs or even leaping headlong from the 
  rails of higher tiers to reach any PCs on lower levels.
  HOST DEVILS (3) 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400 each
  hp 59 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 53)
  MALEBOLGIAN PETITIONERS (25) 
  CR 1
  XP 400 each
  LE petitioner (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 208)
  hp 16 each
  Immune fire
  Treasure: The host devils have scoured the ruins 
  of Fort Arego for any missed or forgotten treasures, 
  which they have collected in the disused winch room 
  (area Q13b). The valuables include a mithral shirt, oil of 
  magic weapon, two scrolls of slow, a shield cloak (Ultimate 
  Equipment 268), a wand of hold person (33 charges), 
  miscellaneous gemstones worth 1,200 gp total, 43 pp, 
  and 566 gp.
  Q14. torture ChamBer (Cr 8)
  Torture implements and other devices of cruelty are 
  strewn throughout this room, including hanging chains 
  and manacles, an iron maiden, a rusty rack, spiked iron 
  chairs, blackened branding irons, bloodstained scalpels, and 
  hundreds of rusty iron nails. 
  
  51
  Fort Arego’s original guards tortured particularly 
  heinous criminals or misbehaving prisoners in 
  this well-equipped room, which they also used for 
  interrogations and cruel sport.
  Creature: A Burning Knight of Moloch—actually the 
  undead corpse of Fort Arego’s last warden, Korva Ferrini, 
  now cursed to an eternity of infernal unlife—sits stoically 
  on one of the broken torture chairs in this room, hunched 
  over and seemingly unaware of her surroundings. When 
  the intruders enter the room, however, the Burning 
  Knight stands, regards them silently for a moment, then 
  launches into an attack.
  ADVANCED BURNING KNIGHT OF MOLOCH 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  hp 97 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 294, see page 46)
  Treasure: A tattered piece of cloth hangs from one of 
  the spikes of the iron maiden in this room—a remnant 
  of Lairsaph’s cloak, which snagged on the iron maiden 
  as the Feign Prince fled from the Inferno Gate years ago. 
  If the PCs succeed at a DC 20 Perception check while 
  searching the torture chamber—or if they specifically 
  search the tattered cloak hanging from the broken iron 
  maiden—they find a small gold locket hanging from a 
  fine mithral chain. Inside is a moonstone and bloodstone 
  cameo engraved with the finely detailed portrait of a 
  human woman. The locket is worth 300 gp as a piece of 
  jewelry, but is far more valuable if returned to Lairsaph 
  (see area L6 for details).
  Q15. loWer guardroom (Cr 11)
  A few scattered pieces of dilapidated furniture decorate this 
  otherwise bare dungeon room.
  Guards for both the Funnel above (area Q13) and 
  the Pit below (area Q16) were posted in this chamber. 
  The doors to the west open onto the long stairway that 
  descends to the bottom of the Pit.
  Creature: A barbed devil guards the doors to the 
  western staircase. This devil is likely the final obstacle 
  between the PCs and the Inferno Gate in the Pit below. 
  Visperthul has ordered the devil to attack the PCs on 
  sight, but not kill them; he wants to weaken them for 
  Fex’s betrayal and the sacrificial ritual, but the heresy 
  devil has no use for dead sacrifices. As a result, the barbed 
  devil only fights until it is reduced to fewer than 40 hit 
  points, at which point it teleports to the Pit and flees 
  through the Inferno Gate, pausing briefly to report to the 
  heresy devil on the PCs’ status.
  BARBED DEVIL 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  hp 138 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 72)
  Q16. the Pit (Cr varies)
  Intense heat and the stench of sulfur fill the air of this 
  immense circular chamber. A wide stone staircase, broken 
  in places, spirals around the perimeter of the massive room, 
  linking the level above to the floor below. Dozens of dungeon 
  cells line the walls alongside the staircase, secured with thick 
  iron bars. At the very bottom of the room, an oval portal like 
  a gash in the air itself hovers a foot or so above the floor, 
  ablaze with crimson flames and crackling with arcs of black 
  lightning. A hellish landscape of vast, spiked walls under a 
  constant rain of ash is visible through the gate. Around the 
  portal, a floor-spanning pentagram of molten lava smolders 
  with hellfire.
  The most dangerous or wretched prisoners of Fort 
  Arego served their sentences in this massive prison 
  hall, called “the Pit” because of its soaring, cylindrical 
  shape and its location at the very bottom of Fort Arego’s 
  dungeons. The name took on additional meaning when 
  the Inferno Gate appeared in this chamber.
  The ceiling is 60 feet high in this chamber. The 
  staircase leads up to area Q15; in addition, a shaft in the 
  middle of the ceiling connects to the Funnel (area Q13) 
  above, but it is currently sealed by Fex’s wall of stone.
  The Inferno Gate burns in the center of the room, 
  an open portal to Malebolge, the sixth layer of Hell. 
  When the Inferno Gate first opened, a 30-foot-diameter 
  pentagram of hellish molten rock ripped across the 
  floor’s flagstones, surrounding the portal with a moat 
  of fiery lava (see Hazard on page 52). The Inferno Gate 
  is 15 feet wide and 30 feet high, and sheds as much 
  light as a hooded lantern or sunrod (normal light in a 
  30-foot radius, dim light in a 60-foot-radius), but radiates 
  heat like a large bonfire. It has overwhelming auras of 
  conjuration, evil, and law.
  Creatures: Razelago has been invisibly tailing the PCs 
  for some time, and as they approached the location of 
  the Inferno Gate, he apprised the archbaron of their 
  impending arrival. Fex then informed Visperthul that 
  everything was ready via sending, so the heresy devil 
  came through the portal and Fex teleported to the Pit 
  to join the PCs for the ritual. As a result, when the PCs 
  arrive in the Pit, they find Archbaron Darellus Fex, his 
  accuser devil Razelago, and the heresy devil Visperthul 
  waiting for them next to the Inferno Gate. Visperthul 
  makes quite a sight sitting on his levitating throne 
  in front of the massive, burning Hell portal, and the 
  corpulent devil is eager to meet the souls that will soon 
  be sacrificed to him.
  Depending on the clues the PCs may have gathered 
  during the adventure and what information they have 
  learned, this final encounter can transpire in different 
  ways, but they all involve Fex betraying the PCs and 
  attempting to sacrifice their souls to Visperthul to take 
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  52
  VISPERTHUL
  control of the Inferno Gate. See Fex’s Betrayal below for 
  details on how this event can play out.
  Hazard: The pentagram surrounding the Inferno 
  Gate is formed of lava from Hell itself. Touching the 
  lava deals 2d6 points of hellfire damage, half of which 
  is fire damage and half of which is damage from unholy 
  energy. Evil-aligned creatures and creatures with the evil 
  subtype take no damage from the unholy energy, but 
  good-aligned creatures and those with the good subtype 
  take double the normal damage from it. Creatures under 
  the effects of spells like protection from evil are unaffected 
  by the unholy energy, though they still take fire damage. 
  Damage from the lava continues for 1d3 rounds after 
  exposure ceases, but is only half normal (1d6 points of 
  hellfire damage per round).
  Fex’s Betrayal (Cr 12 or Cr 14)
  Eventually, the PCs and Archbaron Fex are going to 
  come to blows. The adventure assumes that the PCs have 
  uncovered at least some hints that Fex is going to betray 
  them. They may not know all of the details, but they are 
  likely suspicious when they arrive at the Inferno Gate. 
  In this case, the PCs might very well decide to attack Fex 
  first (after all, by attempting to take control of the Inferno 
  Gate for himself, Fex is a traitor to House Thrune, and 
  the PCs can further their own careers by removing him 
  from power as well as closing the portal).
  Alternatively, the PCs may have learned nothing about 
  Fex’s betrayal, or they could decide to wait for him to 
  make the first move. If this is the case, neither Fex nor 
  Visperthul gives anything away. The archbaron appears 
  outwardly friendly, greeting the PCs and verifying that 
  they have gathered all of the necessary components for 
  the Inferno Gate ritual. Once he has confirmed that 
  everything is ready, Fex asks the PCs to assist him in 
  performing the ritual to close the portal (see The Inferno 
  Gate Ritual on page 53).
  Lastly, if the PCs have surmised that Fex is also 
  planning on betraying Visperthul as well as them, they 
  might to try to talk with the heresy devil and strike 
  their own deal with Visperthul instead (see Bargaining 
  with Visperthul on page 53). The PCs 
  won’t have much time for discussion, 
  however, for as soon as Fex realizes 
  that they’re trying to turn Visperthul 
  against him, he makes his move.
  Creatures: If the PCs suspect Fex’s 
  betrayal and attack him before he turns 
  on them, the timing is up to them, but combat is pretty 
  straightforward. The instant the PCs make any hostile 
  moves, Fex and Razelago respond in kind.
  Otherwise, Fex waits to double-cross the PCs until 
  after they’ve begun the ritual to supposedly close the 
  Inferno Gate. As soon as the PCs impale the last 
  celestial heart on the fourth unicorn horn, Fex 
  and Razelago launch a full attack against the party. 
  Now that he has come this far, all Fex needs to do 
  to gain full control over the portal is to kill the PCs, 
  sacrificing their souls to Visperthul, before using 
  the phlegmatic talisman to bind the heresy devil to 
  the Inferno Gate. At this point, however, the Inferno 
  Gate is energized, potentially making combat more 
  challenging (see The Inferno Gate Ritual on page 53).
  In either of these two cases, Visperthul stays largely 
  out of the fight. His contract with Fex means he’ll get 
  the archbaron’s soul regardless of what happens, so the 
  heresy devil mainly stands by during any confrontation 
  between Fex and the PCs. At most, Visperthul uses 
  defensive magic such as deeper darkness, dispel magic, or 
  invisibility purge to support Fex without directly attacking 
  the PCs. However, if the PCs inform Visperthul that 
  
  53
  Fex is planning to betray him as well, the devil gives 
  no aid to Fex at all, waiting to see who triumphs in the 
  confrontation between Fex and the PCs.
  The worst-case scenario occurs if the PCs utterly 
  botched their investigation of the Inferno Gate and 
  did not discover any clues about Fex’s true motives, 
  arriving at the Inferno Gate completely unprepared. In 
  this circumstance, Fex begins the ritual with the PCs (as 
  described in The Inferno Gate Ritual below), and when 
  he turns on them, Visperthul joins Fex in the attack, 
  making this a brutally difficult CR 14 encounter—but 
  that’s the consequence of the PCs failing to acquire the 
  clues during the adventure.
  Archbaron Fex is fully detailed in the NPC Gallery on 
  page 56.
  DARELLUS FEX 
  CR 12
  XP 19,200
  hp 139 (see page 56)
  RAZELAGO 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  Male accuser devil (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 84)
  hp 30
  VISPERTHUL 
  CR 12
  XP 19,200
  Male heresy devil (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 5 80)
  hp 175
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Summon Devil (Sp) Visperthul is a more accomplished devil 
  summoner than most of his kind. Once per day, he can 
  summon 2d6 imps or 1d4 bearded devils with an 80% 
  chance of success, two bone devils with a 100% chance of 
  success, or a contract devil with a 70% chance of success.
  Development: If the PCs attack Fex first and successfully 
  defeat him, or if they defeat Fex after performing the 
  ritual and energizing the Inferno Gate, they must still 
  contend with Visperthul and the Inferno Gate, which 
  remains open. See Bargaining with Visperthul below for 
  the possibilities the heresy devil now provides.
  If the PCs end up facing Fex and Visperthul together 
  in combat and defeat them both, then they can attempt 
  to close the Inferno Gate as planned. See The Inferno 
  Gate Ritual below for how they can accomplish this 
  task. If the PCs kill Fex first in this scenario, however, 
  and it seems likely that they might defeat Visperthul 
  as well, the heresy devil attempts to save his own life 
  by offering the PCs a deal of their own (see Bargaining 
  with Visperthul below).
  the inFerno gate ritual
  The ritual to close the Inferno Gate is also the first step 
  for Fex to take control of the portal. If the PCs are still 
  working with Fex (or are waiting for him to make the 
  first move), the archbaron directs them to stand around 
  the Inferno Gate and skewer the four different celestial 
  hearts onto the unicorn horns they collected. Tall iron 
  candleholders around the edges of the pentagram make 
  for nice unicorn horn holders. If the PCs lack any of the 
  required components, they cannot begin the ritual.
  Hazard: As soon all four celestial hearts are pierced by 
  unicorn horns, the Inferno Gate becomes energized. The 
  earth around Fort Arego shakes violently as the Inferno 
  Gate belches forth unholy flames, bolts of eldritch 
  lightning, and lesser devils onto the Material Plane. 
  Every 1d3+1 rounds for 10 minutes, the Inferno Gate 
  pulses with infernal energy, which manifests in one of 
  several ways (roll 1d6 on the Inferno Gate Effects table on 
  page 54 to randomly determine the effect).
  Development: If the PCs are still working with Fex at this 
  point, he and Razelago attack the PCs as soon as the Inferno 
  Gate is energized (see Fex’s Betrayal above for details).
  If the PCs defeat both Fex and Visperthul without 
  making a deal with the heresy devil, they can attempt 
  to close the Inferno Gate as originally planned (without 
  Visperthul’s help, there is virtually no way for the PCs to 
  take control of the portal themselves). They must first 
  perform the ritual to energize the gate as detailed above, 
  then succeed at a DC 25 Use Magic Device check to shut 
  the portal down. If the check fails by 9 or less, the gate 
  remains open. If the check fails by 10 or more, the gate 
  stays open and releases additional infernal energy. Roll 
  1d6 times on Inferno Gate Effects table; all of the resulting 
  effects occur in a single round. In either case, the PCs 
  must wait 24 hours before trying to close the portal again.
  Story Award: If the PCs successfully close the Inferno 
  Gate on their own, award them 6,400 XP.
  Bargaining With visPerthul
  It’s likely that the PCs will attempt to talk to Visperthul 
  at some point, either before or after they confront 
  Archbaron Fex. If the PCs try to tell the devil of Fex’s 
  planned betrayal before they’ve defeated the archbaron, 
  give them a small opportunity to do so. Visperthul listens 
  attentively to what the PCs have to say, but he does not 
  fully believe them unless they present evidence such as 
  the phlegmatic talisman or Fex’s notes from area E4. Of 
  course, Fex won’t just stand by while the PCs unravel all 
  his plans: he immediately attacks the PCs the moment 
  such damning evidence of his treachery is revealed (see 
  Fex’s Betrayal above).
  Otherwise, the PCs will probably face Visperthul once 
  they have defeated Fex. Rather than fight the PCs (or to 
  avoid being slain if they’re already engaged in combat), 
  Visperthul proposes another option—a deal of their own 
  with the devil.
  Fex’s original deal with Visperthul was five souls in 
  exchange for control of the Inferno Gate: Fex’s own soul, 
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  54
  The PCs could try to use the talisman the way Fex had 
  planned and attempt to bind Visperthul to the Inferno 
  Gate, but they probably don’t have Visperthul’s true name, 
  dooming any such attempt to failure. However, as long as 
  the talisman remains in mortal hands, its existence is a 
  threat to Visperthul, a fact that the heresy devil knows all 
  too well. Therefore, if the PCs make the existence of the 
  phlegmatic talisman known, Visperthul offers to take the 
  talisman as payment instead of the remaining four souls, 
  allowing the PCs to “buy” control of the gate without 
  collecting additional sacrifices.
  Regardless of the nature of whatever deal the PCs may 
  make with Visperthul (if any), they cannot gain complete 
  command over the Inferno Gate as Fex had planned to do 
  with the phlegmatic talisman, but instead control the portal 
  through Visperthul. In other words, the PCs must continue 
  to deal with the heresy devil to use the Inferno Gate.
  Development: If the PCs agree to Visperthul’s deal 
  in exchange for four replacement souls, they must first 
  find four suitable creatures for sacrifice, which must 
  be equivalent to the PCs (at least 9th-level characters or 
  CR 8 creatures) and capture them. These encounters are 
  not detailed in the adventure, but should be relatively 
  easy for the GM to create—there might be surviving 
  knights of the Glorious Reclamation still outside Fort 
  Arego, for example, and there are probably plenty of 
  suitable candidates in Senara. Once the PCs capture 
  these creatures, they can bring them back to the Pit and 
  sacrifice them to Visperthul. True to his word, the heresy 
  devil takes possession of the sacrifices’ souls and gives 
  the PCs control of the Inferno Gate with his guidance.
  If the PCs decide not to make a deal with Visperthul, 
  their only remaining option is to close the Inferno Gate as 
  originally planned, but they’ll have to fight the heresy devil 
  first. Once Visperthul is defeated, the PCs can attempt to 
  close the portal (see The Inferno Gate Ritual above).
  Story Award: If the PCs make a deal with Visperthul, 
  award them 9,600 XP for gaining control of the 
  Inferno Gate.
  CONCLUDING THE ADVENTURE
  After defeating Archbaron Fex, the PCs have lost a 
  powerful patron, but depending on the outcome of the 
  final encounter, they may have suddenly gained access 
  to an infamous portal to Hell and possibly a relationship 
  with a formidable infernal ally. Regardless of what the 
  PCs ultimately do at the Inferno Gate, their mission is 
  considered complete once they have defeated Fex and 
  have either closed or gained control of the portal. 
  What the PCs do with their newfound resources is up 
  to them (and likely Visperthul as well), though it would 
  of course be in their best interests to use such assets in 
  support of House Thrune. The marks of justice the PCs 
  received when they became Thrune Loyal Agents should 
  serve as reminders of this fact, and turning over control 
  INFERNO GATE EFFECTS
  d6 
  Effect 
  1 
  The ground quakes violently for 1 round; creatures 
  standing on the floor must succeed at a DC 20 
  Reflex save or fall prone.
  2 
  Crimson waves of unholy flames deal 4d6 points 
  of hellfire damage to all creatures within 20 feet 
  of the Inferno Gate (Reflex DC 20 half; see page 52 
  for details on hellfire damage).
  3 
  A bolt of black lightning lashes out at one random 
  creature within 40 feet of the Inferno Gate; the 
  target gains 1d4 temporary negative levels 
  (Fortitude DC 20 negates after 24 hours).
  4 
  A cloud of driving ash pours out of the Inferno 
  Gate, blocking all sight (including darkvision and 
  see in darkness) and creating difficult terrain on 
  the floor in area Q16 for 1 round.
  5 
  One or more random extraplanar monsters come 
  through the portal (roll on the Inferno Gate 
  Monsters table below). 
  6 
  Nothing happens.
  INFERNO GATE MONSTERS
  d% 
  Monster 
  Avg. CR 
  Source
  01–05 
  1 bearded devil 
  5 
  Bestiary 73
  06–15 
  1d4 hell hounds 
  5 
  Bestiary 173
  16–25 
  1 cerberi 
  6 
  Bestiary 3 51
  26–35 
  1 kyton 
  6 
  Bestiary 185
  36–45 
  1d4 achaierais 
  7 
  Bestiary 2 7
  46–55 
  1 hellcat 
  7 
  Bestiary 2 153
  56–65 
  1 warmonger devil 
  7 
  Bestiary 5 81
  66–75 
  1d4 host devils 
  8 
  Bestiary 4 53
  76–85 
  1 hellwasp swarm 
  8 
  Bestiary 3 146
  86–95 
  1 Nessian warhound 9 
  Bestiary 173
  96–00 
  1 bone devil 
  9 
  Bestiary 74
  plus the souls of the PCs. With the archbaron’s death, 
  Visperthul has already claimed Fex’s soul, but not the 
  other four. So he offers the PCs the same deal he gave 
  Fex: if the PCs sacrifice four souls to him, the devil will 
  give them control of the gate. Visperthul reasons that if 
  closing the gate would be a prestigious act, then gaining 
  control of it for House Thrune would be even more 
  impressive—going above and beyond the call of duty, so 
  to speak.  
  The PCs can certainly agree to this deal to take control 
  of the Inferno Gate for themselves, or they can refuse, 
  fight the heresy devil, destroy him, and close the gate once 
  and for all (see Development below for the consequences 
  of both of these actions). But the PCs have a third option 
  as well: Fex’s phlegmatic talisman. 
  
  55
  of the Inferno Gate to Thrune would certainly go a long 
  way toward mitigating any concerns about the fact that 
  the PCs probably killed not only their patron but a titled 
  noble of Cheliax. If they wish, the PCs can contact the 
  Thrune Bound Agent Izinio (see page 6) and report 
  Fex’s treason to him. Provided they have evidence (such 
  as Visperthul’s testimony, Fex’s notes, or the phlegmatic 
  talisman, if they kept it), then there should be little doubt 
  regarding the truthfulness of their account and the 
  justification for their actions. Of course, the PCs may 
  have a much easier time proving Fex’s treachery if they 
  captured him alive instead of killing him. Any further 
  repercussions of Fex’s death for the PCs are left to the 
  GM to develop.
  In any case, as sworn Thrune agents, the PCs will soon 
  be summoned to the imperial court in Egorian. There, 
  they just might have the opportunity to gain the notice 
  and patronage of Her Infernal Majestrix Queen Abrogail 
  II herself, in the next volume of the Hell’s Vengeance 
  Adventure Path, “For Queen & Empire.”
  using The inferno gATe
  The Inferno Gate is a permanent extraplanar portal 
  joining the Material Plane to Malebolge, the sixth layer of 
  Hell. The secrets of controlling the portal are currently 
  known only to Visperthul, which means the PCs must 
  negotiate with the heresy devil to activate any of the 
  Inferno Gate’s powers. In practice, this can be achieved 
  with a successful Charisma check opposed by Visperthul’s 
  Charisma check, similar to compelling a creature called 
  by a planar binding spell to perform a service.
  The Inferno Gate functions a permanent gate spell, 
  and may be used either for planar travel or to call 
  creatures through the gate, following all of the rules 
  for that spell, including the material costs for calling 
  a particular being or kind of being. As Visperthul 
  controls the Inferno Gate, his caster level (13th) is used 
  to determine the total Hit Dice of creatures he can 
  control that are brought through the portal.
  Anyone stepping through the Inferno Gate is 
  immediately transported to Malebolge. Details on the 
  sixth layer of Hell can be found in Pathfinder Campaign 
  Setting: Princes of Darkness: Book of the Damned, Vol. 1, 
  though any explorations of Hell are far beyond the scope 
  of this Adventure Path.
  Finally, the controller of the Inferno Gate can 
  automatically close the portal as a full-round action, 
  causing the gate to wink out of existence in a blinding 
  burst of white fire. As long as Visperthul retains control 
  of the gate, however, he refuses to close it without lengthy 
  negotiation and significant payment (likely in the form 
  of multiple mortal souls).
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  56
  ARCHBARON 
  DARELLUS FEX
  As archbaron of Longacre, Darellus Fex was a loyal servant of House Thrune for many 
  years, but all that changed when the traitorous noble swore his soul to the heresy devil 
  Visperthul in exchange for the power to control the Inferno Gate.
  DARELLUS FEX 
  CR 12
  XP 19,200
  Male heresy-devil-bound human conjurer 12 (Pathfinder 
  RPG Bestiary 4 56)
  NE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., see in darkness; 
  Perception +14
  DEFENSE
  AC 28, touch 14, flat-footed 26 (+4 armor, 
  +2 deflection, +2 Dex, +6 natural, +4 shield)
  hp 139 (12d6+95); regeneration 5 (good spells 
  and weapons)
  Fort +12, Ref +10, Will +14; +4 vs. poison
  DR 10/adamantine (120 points); Resist 
  fire 30
  Weaknesses contract bound
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
  Melee +1 darkwood planar quarterstaff 
  +8/+3 (1d6)
  Ranged darkwood light crossbow 
  +11 (1d8/19–20)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th; 
  concentration +14)
  3/day—invisibility purge, telekinesis 
  (DC 17)
  1/day—summon (level 6, 1 lemure, 
  1 bearded devil, or 1 erinyes 100%)
  Arcane School Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th; 
  concentration +18)
  At will—dimensional steps (360 feet/day)
  9/day—acid dart (1d6+6 acid)
  Conjurer Spells Prepared (CL 12th; 
  concentration +18)
  6th—acid fog, chain lightning 
  (DC 22), quickened 
  invisibility, summon 
  monster VI
  5th—acidic sprayUM (DC 22), sending, summon monster V, 
  teleport, wall of force
  4th—acid pit APG (DC 21), greater false lifeUM, shout 
  (DC 20), stoneskin, summon monster IV
  3rd—dispel magic, displacement, fly, ray of exhaustion 
  (DC 19), stinking cloud (DC 20), summon monster III
  2nd—acid arrow, darkness, glitterdust (DC 19), resist 
  energy, scorching ray (2), web (DC 19)
  1st—grease (DC 18), mage armor, magic missile (2), 
  protection from evil, ray of enfeeblement (DC 17), shield
  0 (at will)—acid splash, mage hand, prestidigitation, 
  touch of fatigue (DC 16)
  Opposition Schools divination, enchantment
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Fex casts greater false life and 
  mage armor at the beginning of each day. Before 
  teleporting to the Inferno Gate, Fex casts fly, 
  protection from evil, shield, 
  and stoneskin, and uses 
  his wand of heroism.
  During Combat Fex casts 
  displacement on the first 
  round of combat, then uses his 
  summon spell-like ability to conjure an 
  erinyes. He then continues to summon 
  additional allies, using his Summon Evil 
  Monster feat to summon a bearded devil 
  (summon monster V), a hell hound or yeth 
  hound (summon monster IV), or an augur 
  kyton (summon monster III). If successfully 
  targeted by opponents, Fex casts quickened 
  invisibility to reposition himself, followed by 
  mirror image from his wand. He uses spells such 
  as acid fog and wall of force to divide and hinder 
  enemies, relying on his summoned minions to 
  deal damage for him.
  Morale If reduced to fewer than 40 hit points, 
  Fex uses a scroll of slow to impede his closest 
  foes before imbibing a potion of cure 
  serious wounds. Fex has pooled all his 
  resources into this betrayal, and fights to 
  the death to ensure his scheme succeeds.
  
  57
  STATISTICS
  Str 8, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 23, Wis 10, Cha 14
  Base Atk +6; CMB +7; CMD 19
  Feats Augment Summoning, Combat Casting, Craft 
  Wondrous Item, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Quicken 
  Spell, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (conjuration), Summon Evil 
  Monster (see sidebar), Toughness
  Skills Acrobatics +4, Appraise +8, Bluff +16, Climb +1, 
  Diplomacy +4, Disguise +4, Escape Artist +4, Fly +21, 
  Heal +2, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (arcana) +23, 
  Knowledge (nobility) +17, Knowledge (planes) +23, 
  Perception +14, Ride +4, Sense Motive +12, Spellcraft +23, 
  Stealth +4, Survival +2, Swim +1, Use Magic Device +16
  Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Halfling, 
  Infernal, Shadowtongue
  SQ arcane bond (+1 darkwood planar quarterstaff), 
  summoner’s charm (6 rounds)
  Combat Gear potions of cure serious wounds (2), scroll of 
  black tentacles, scroll of hungry pitAPG, scroll of planar 
  binding, scrolls of slow (2), wand of heroism (12 charges), 
  wand of mirror image (22 charges); Other Gear +1 
  darkwood planarUE quarterstaff, darkwood light crossbow 
  with 10 bolts, amulet of natural armor +2, belt of mighty 
  constitution +2, headband of vast intelligence +2 (Use 
  Magic Device), ring of arcane signetsUE, noble’s outfit, 
  spell component pouch, gold and silver necklace with 
  bloodstone pendant engraved with the arms of House Fex 
  (worth 500 gp), signet ring (worth 50 gp)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Heresy-Devil-Bound Archbaron Fex has bound himself to the 
  heresy devil Visperthul, gaining a +2 bonus to Constitution, 
  Intelligence, and Charisma, and gaining the following 
  spell-like abilities 3/day: invisibility purge and telekinesis.
  House Fex rose to prominence during the Thrune 
  Ascendancy. One of countless minor noble houses with 
  the luck to back the winning side in the Chelish Civil 
  War, they were granted the town of Longacre and the title 
  of archbaron for their service to Thrune. 
  The current archbaron of Longacre is Darellus Fex, an 
  only child and the last of his line. A lifelong bachelor, Fex 
  leads a chaste life. He is staunchly devoted to the art of 
  conjuration, sparing no time for courtship or friends. His 
  only romantic dalliances have all been dangerous trysts 
  with summoned succubi—nerve-rattling affairs that 
  so far have only reinforced Fex’s asexual propensities. 
  Never one for explaining himself, Fex doesn’t entertain 
  questions regarding his personal life (or lack thereof), 
  and allows bystanders to think whatever they may about 
  his strange interpersonal habits. 
  Fex’s closet companion is the accuser devil Razelago, 
  who has served the archbaron as a deputy and spy for more 
  than a decade now. The zebub is well aware of Fex’s plans, 
  and his role within them: spying on Fex’s agents, the PCs, 
  and regularly reporting their progress to the archbaron.
  CAMPAIGN ROLE
  Archbaron Fex serves as the PCs’ patron from the 
  moment they embarked upon their careers as Thrune 
  agents in “The Hellfire Compact” until they finally 
  discover his traitorous intentions in the course of this 
  adventure. During this time, Fex has been lawful evil, but 
  once he puts his plans to betray the PCs in motion at the 
  beginning of “The Inferno Gate,” his alignment shifts to 
  neutral evil. Fex reveals his betrayal at the Inferno Gate 
  deep beneath Fort Arego (see page 52). Ostensibly, he is 
  there to lead the PCs in the ritual to close the portal; 
  instead, he attacks the PCs, planning to sacrifice them 
  to Visperthul before turning on the heresy devil and 
  binding him to the gate with the phlegmatic talisman.
  If the PCs defeat Fex, they lose a powerful and 
  influential patron, but gain a measure of freedom and 
  independence, enabling them to come into their own 
  as Thrune agents for the rest of the campaign. If the 
  PCs manage to capture Fex and turn him over to House 
  Thrune—Corrector Izinio (see page 6) would certainly be 
  a good choice to take possession of the prisoner—they 
  should have gathered more than enough evidence during 
  the adventure to convict the treasonous archbaron. 
  Fex is taken to Egorian, swiftly tried, and immediately 
  sentenced to excruciation. If the PCs are interested in 
  getting revenge on their former patron, they might even 
  be invited to carry out the sentence themselves.
  Fex has used much of his personal wealth to fund his 
  scheme of betrayal, but if the PCs search his manor in 
  Longacre, Scarlet Crown, after his defeat, they can find 
  Fex’s spellbook (which contains at least 35 spells of 1st 
  through 6th level), as well as any additional treasures the 
  GM might wish to place there for the PCs to discover.
  SUMMON EVIL MONSTER
  Archbaron Fex can summon the aid of creatures driven by 
  their very nature to destroy goodness. This feat originally 
  appeared in Pathfinder Player Companion: Champions of 
  Corruption. See Fex’s Tactics on page 56 for the monsters 
  the archbaron typically summons in combat. For the full 
  list of monsters that can be summoned with this feat, 
  refer to Champions of Corruption.
  Prerequisite: Any evil alignment.
  Benefit: When casting summon monster, you also 
  have access to a list of additional evil monsters. When 
  you’re summoning a creature from this list, your debased 
  nature allows you to cast the spell as a standard action. 
  The summoned creature appears as normal for the spell, 
  but can’t act until your next turn. It is not flat-footed, 
  however, and it can make attacks of opportunity as 
  normal. These effects don’t apply to creatures from the 
  standard list that aren’t also on this list.
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  58
  KNIGHT BANNERET 
  VIONA KADARIUS
  A solemn cavalier of the Glorious Reclamation, Viona Kadarius masks the pain of her 
  tragic past with bravery on the battlefield and bold leadership even in the face of mortal 
  peril. She has been charged with finding and destroying the Inferno Gate.
  VIONA KADARIUS 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Female human cavalier 8 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced 
  Player’s Guide 32)
  LG Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +6
  DEFENSE
  AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 20 (+7 armor, +1 Dex, +3 shield)
  hp 72 (8d10+24)
  Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +6
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft. (60 ft., fly 120 ft. mounted)
  Melee +1 longsword +13/+8 (1d8+4/19–20) or
  mwk lance +12/+7 (1d8+4/×3)
  Special Attacks banner +2, cavalier’s charge, challenge 
  3/day (+8 damage, +3 to saves while threatening), for the 
  faith 1/day (+2), tactician 2/day (Shake It Off, 7 rounds)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Viona uses her Inheritor’s breastplate to 
  cast bless weapon on her lance before entering battle.
  During Combat On the first round of combat, Viona uses 
  her tactician class feature to grant the Shake It Off feat 
  to her unicorn and lammasu allies and challenges one 
  opponent as a swift action. She fights from the back of 
  her unicorn mount as long as possible, focusing on the 
  target of her challenge and using her cavalier’s charge 
  ability and Spirited Charge feat. Once both she and her 
  allies are engaged in combat, Viona uses her for the 
  faith ability to grant them all bonuses on attack rolls. 
  In close-quarters combat, she resorts to her longsword 
  and dismounts from Laissis to allow the unicorn to fight 
  beside her. 
  Morale Viona fights to the death to uphold her oath, refusing 
  to flee or surrender to the forces of Hell or House Thrune.
  STATISTICS
  Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14
  Base Atk +8; CMB +11; CMD 22
  Feats Iron Will, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-By 
  Attack, Shake It OffUC, Spirited Charge, Weapon Focus 
  (longsword)
  Skills Diplomacy +11, Handle Animal +9, Heal +6, 
  Intimidate +8, Knowledge (nobility) +2, Knowledge 
  (religion) +7 (+11 if involving Iomedae’s faith), 
  Perception +6, Ride +8, Sense Motive +7
  Languages Common
  SQ calling 4/day (+2), expert trainer +4, mount (see below), 
  order of the star
  Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds (2); Other 
  Gear Inheritor’s breastplate (Pathfinder Adventure Path 
  #103 73), +1 heavy steel shield, +1 longsword, mwk 
  lance, cloak of resistance +2, phylactery of faithfulness, 
  banner, silver holy symbol of Iomedae
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Mount (Ex) Viona’s original mount died several months 
  ago in a battle against Chelish soldiers, and the cavalier 
  has not finished mourning her fallen partner. Currently, 
  the half-celestial unicorn Laissis allows Viona to ride it, 
  but it does not function as a mount for purposes of the 
  cavalier’s mount class feature.
  Anyone who knew Viona Kadarius as a youth would never 
  have guessed that the headstrong tomboy would ever be 
  military material. The daughter of Taldan aristocrats 
  who had relocated to the Andoren town of Alvis, Viona 
  resisted authority and bucked the trends of “proper” 
  society well into her formative years. Viona’s parents 
  quickly realized she would not grow into the demure 
  noblewoman they had hoped for, and all but gave up on 
  raising the rebellious girl.
  But where Viona’s parents saw a lost cause, the girl’s 
  loving and wise paternal uncle, Artibus, saw promise. 
  Viona frequently visited her uncle’s horse ranch south 
  of town and marveled at the strong, hardy beasts that 
  roamed his vast acres. She regarded her stately uncle 
  with all the respect she refused her parents, and the two 
  shared a special bond rooted in their love for horses.
  When Viona turned 13 years old, Artibus gifted her 
  a young Taldor jennet from his stables so she could 
  more easily travel to and from his ranch. She named the 
  skittish, wiry excuse for a horse Shynbel. Viona’s father 
  repeatedly expressed his ire over his brother’s gift, but 
  to Viona, Shynbel was a majestic steed, and before long 
  she had trained the horse to answer her call and allow 
  bit and bridle.
  
  59
  In addition to teaching her all he knew about horses, 
  Artibus instilled Viona with a strong faith in his patron 
  goddess, Iomedae. Viona admired the Inheritor’s acts 
  of bravery and selflessness, and she grew into young 
  adulthood with all the reverence for divinity that her 
  childhood had lacked. Her parents could hardly believe 
  Viona’s transformation, and when she told them she 
  planned on joining the clergy of the church of Iomedae, 
  they practically wept in support of her noble decision.
  But Viona’s faith and resolve were sorely tested on a 
  cold winter’s day when she rode Shynbel to visit her uncle 
  as usual, only to find Artibus dead, his seaside estate in 
  ashes, and his horses stolen. The raiders had already 
  fled across the border into Cheliax. Why they killed her 
  uncle, Viona did not know, nor did she care—her only 
  thoughts as she rode back to Alvis that snowy eve were 
  of taking vengeance on the vile marauders who had slain 
  her beloved uncle.
  The church of Iomedae no longer appealed to 
  Viona; the Inheritor could not offer the revenge she so 
  desperately sought. Instead, she enlisted in the Andoren 
  army alongside her trusted steed, Shynbel. Viona quickly 
  excelled at military life, and her skill on the battlefield 
  and many examples of strong leadership gained her a 
  position of command. Viona continued to investigate 
  her uncle’s murder, eventually discovering that the 
  horse thieves who had killed Artibus were Chelish 
  soldiers stealing mounts for the Chelish army. 
  Unfortunately, her pursuit of vengeance 
  was constantly stymied by her superiors, 
  who, for fear of sparking a larger conflict 
  between Andoran and Cheliax, forbade her 
  from crossing into Cheliax to seek justice.
  When 
  the 
  Glorious 
  Reclamation 
  announced its holy crusade against 
  Cheliax and House Thrune, Viona 
  experienced a reawakening of 
  her faith in the Inheritor, 
  seeing the renewal of the 
  opportunity she had long 
  sought 
  as 
  Iomedae’s 
  blessing. Viona renounced 
  her commission in the 
  Andoren army and 
  swore 
  herself 
  to the Glorious 
  Reclamation. 
  Her noble birth and 
  martial prowess earned 
  her the rank of knight 
  banneret, and she soon began to 
  lead Iomedaean knights in battle 
  against Cheliax under her own 
  banner, proudly displaying the 
  Kadarius coat of arms.
  But not all of Viona’s missions were destined to be 
  successful or glorious. One day, the cavalier and her 
  squadron chased a group of Chelish soldiers fleeing 
  into the Whisperwood, only to find themselves lured 
  into an ambush. The Chelish troops surrounded Viona 
  and her knights, and in the ensuing battle, Viona was 
  dismounted and knocked unconscious. When she came 
  to, her companions were dead and the Chelaxians had 
  trapped Shynbel in a ring of pikes. Viona watched, 
  helpless, as the soldiers speared her steed to death 
  before turning to her. As she realized this was how she 
  would die—alone and dazed, clutching her holy symbol 
  of Iomedae and thinking of her uncle—a glimmer of 
  light in the forest appeared behind her assailants. The 
  light became a dazzling array of colors, and an ivory-
  white horse with angelic wings and a silver horn charged 
  from the woods, scattering the Chelish soldiers and 
  saving the knight banneret from her doom. 
  The unicorn spoke to Viona in a handsome 
  voice, introducing itself as Laissis, and 
  offered to serve her in lieu of her lost 
  mount. The two have been inseparable 
  ever since. 
  CAMPAIGN ROLE
  Viona Kadarius leads the 
  squadron of knights tasked 
  with finding the Inferno 
  Gate, 
  and 
  if 
  possible, 
  closing or destroying the 
  portal to Hell. Viona is 
  noble to a fault, and does 
  not back down against the 
  PCs, even if outnumbered, 
  overwhelmed, or if death is 
  the most likely outcome.
  If the PCs capture Viona—a 
  prospect made more difficult by 
  the Glorious Reclamation’s code 
  that specifically prohibits her 
  from surrendering—she proves 
  a stubborn prisoner, revealing 
  nothing about the Glorious 
  Reclamation’s future plans, 
  even if magically compelled. 
  She has not been involved 
  in any large-scale strategic 
  planning thus far, and 
  she and her squad know 
  relatively little about the 
  nature of the Inferno 
  Gate. Likewise, they know 
  nothing at all of Visperthul 
  or Archbaron Fex and his 
  plans to betray the PCs.
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  60
  EMIL KOVKORIN
  Emil is the iconic assassin for the Hell’s Vengeance Adventure Path. Although he does not 
  appear as a character in the campaign, he can be used as an NPC or pregenerated player 
  character. Note that his CR is 1 higher than normal because he has PC wealth.
  MEET THE VILLAIN:
  EMIL KOVKORIN 
  CR 7
  XP 2,400
  Male tiefling assassin 2/rogue 5 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264)
  NE Medium outsider (native)
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., see in darkness; Perception +10
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, 
  +1 natural)
  hp 47 (7d8+12)
  Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +4; +1 vs. poison
  Defensive Abilities evasion, improved uncanny dodge, trap 
  sense +1; Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee +2 punching dagger +10 (1d4+4/×3) or
  Ranged +1 hand crossbow +8 (1d4+1/19–20)
  Special Attacks death attack (DC 12), sneak attack +4d6
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12
  Base Atk +4; CMB +6; CMD 20
  Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Point-Blank Shot, Rapid 
  Reload, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (punching dagger)
  Skills Acrobatics +8, Bluff +8, Climb +8, Craft (poison) +8, 
  Disable Device +14, Disguise +13, Escape Artist +8, 
  Knowledge (local) +4, Perception +10, Sleight of Hand +8, 
  Stealth +15, Use Magic Device +10; Racial Modifiers 
  +2 Bluff, +2 Stealth
  Languages Common, Infernal
  SQ poison use, prehensile tail (Pathfinder RPG Advanced 
  Race Guide 169), rogue talents (finesse rogue, weapon 
  training), trapfinding +2
  Combat Gear potions of invisibility (2), wand of alter self 
  (12 charges), wand of cure light wounds (22 charges), 
  deathblade, oil of taggit (2), sassone leaf residue (3); 
  Other Gear +2 studded leather, +1 hand crossbow, 
  +2 punching dagger, crossbow bolts (10), dagger, short 
  sword, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +2, 
  belt pouch, disguise kit, masterwork thieves’ tools, 89 gp
  Emil became the source of great scandal when he was 
  born to a pair of affluent merchants in the Andoren 
  capital of Almas. Normally a tiefling in Andoran wouldn’t 
  raise many eyebrows; however, Emil’s parents were 
  former nobles who had refused to face exile and instead 
  grudgingly capitulated to the growing zeitgeist that 
  gripped Andoran during the People’s Revolt. Though they 
  had never roused enough ire to warrant a visit from the 
  Eagle Knights, the Kovkorins were quite vocal about their 
  dissenting opinions on the eradication of the aristocracy, 
  often clashing with their nation’s lofty, democratic ideals.
  Emil’s parents tried to hide the boy’s fiendish nature 
  from the public, but the young tiefling’s distinctive tail—
  and the smoke that poured out of his differently colored 
  eyes whenever his emotions got the better of him—made 
  their attempts futile. Convinced that the old money in 
  Andoran took part in seditious practices against the 
  government, rabble-rousers pointed at Emil as proof that 
  the former nobility were truly loyal to themselves, House 
  Thrune, and even Hell itself. Enemies of Emil’s family 
  used the boy as a rallying point for those who shared 
  their views about Andoran’s overthrown class system, and 
  fingered the family for being part of the Seven Houses, a 
  conspiracy of one-time nobles who still used their wealth 
  to influence the nation. 
  In truth, Emil’s parents did indeed belong to the 
  Seven Houses, and had recently accepted a large sum of 
  money and promises for security from House Thrune 
  in exchange for swaying votes in the People’s Council in 
  favor of laws that might benefit Cheliax and delivering 
  information on Eagle Knight activities. At first, these 
  accusations hardly mattered to the furious noble couple, 
  who had faced the same opposition before. However, 
  they saw their Hell-spawned son as a political liability 
  and locked him away in a cellar beneath their impressive 
  manor house. But when the Eagle Knights finally came 
  calling to their estate, Emil’s parents chose exile over 
  death, and abandoned their 8-year-old son along with 
  their other gifts from House Thrune.
  The estate fell to the government, and a few weeks later, 
  the bureaucrat who came to catalog the new assets—
  an elderly minister of trade and commerce from the 
  Demarchy Assembly—discovered Emil in the basement, 
  sitting in a cloud of smoke and tears. Whether in an act of 
  egalitarian charity or wily foresight, the minister adopted 
  Emil as his ward, taking the boy back to his home.
  For the first time in his life, Emil freely walked the 
  streets of his home city, though he soon learned that his 
  noble heritage attracted as much negative attention as his 
  
  61
  fiendish one. He quickly became deft with disguises—
  much more so than his parents had been. He found 
  that he enjoyed the feeling of power that came with 
  anonymity and a changeable identity in these undercover 
  excursions, though he struggled to find an identity that 
  fit him. Under various guises he fought in brawls down in 
  Portside, spied on the logging operations in Timberfell, 
  and snuck in to performances in the Theater District.
  He also had a taste of his parents’ former high-class 
  lifestyle, thanks to his mentor. The old man groomed 
  the lad for a landscape of political intrigue, paying for 
  a swordfighting trainer and bringing Emil along to 
  dinners, balls, and other high-society functions in Almas. 
  Emil never wore a disguise at these events, at his mentor’s 
  request; the crafty politician liked how the tiefling’s eerie 
  eyes unsettled his political opponents.
  Emil delighted in this as well, and soon began finding 
  other ways to subtly advance his mentor’s agendas—in 
  secret, of course. A rival politician might lose an important 
  document, for example, or an uncooperative 
  union organizer might get in a fight with 
  a stranger on the street and end up with a 
  broken jaw. Emil never cared much about the actual 
  politics involved, but thrilled to see his power displayed in 
  his targets’ suffering. With each misdeed, Emil’s schemes 
  grew increasingly cruel, vindictive, and enjoyable.
  All this came to a head one day when Emil returned 
  home to find his mentor fretting about international 
  trade negotiations. A Drumish diplomat apparently had 
  some incriminating evidence against Emil’s patron, and 
  threatened to expose everything unless Druma received 
  extraordinarily generous terms. With sudden inspiration, 
  Emil excused himself calmly and walked down the hall 
  to his chamber, his eyes wafting trails of smoke in barely 
  contained excitement.
  Later that night, a half-elven Eagle Knight 
  approached the Drumish embassy—which had 
  once been the mansion of Emil’s parents—
  with an urgent message for the diplomat to be 
  delivered to his hands only. The earnest young 
  Eagle Knight was granted audience, and as soon 
  as he and the diplomat were alone in the mirror-
  trimmed parlor, the disguised Emil pounced, 
  driving a dagger up through the man’s jaw. As the 
  would-be blackmailer bled out in the tiefling’s arms, Emil 
  caught his reflection in one of the large silver mirrors 
  on the wall. Smoke coursed from his eyes—one black, 
  one red—and the warm blood flecking his skin made his 
  sharp-toothed grin all the wider. 
  As he dropped the lifeless body to the ground, he 
  realized he’d been searching for this identity all along, 
  the mask he would wear forevermore: he would be 
  the face of death in Almas.
  Since that night, Emil has claimed dozens of 
  unsuspecting lives—sometimes for gold, sometimes 
  for fun. He has never lost the thrill of walking in public 
  disguised, knowing he possesses the power to end the 
  life of any person he meets on the street unnoticed. Nor 
  has he forgotten the exhilaration of watching a victim 
  die, not even when he took a bag of gold from a Lumber 
  Consortium officer to end the life of his adopted father. 
  Emil doesn’t frequent state events anymore unless 
  he is working, but he is intimately familiar with the 
  already-rotting underbelly of the ruling class in the 
  young nation of Andoran, and takes contracts from 
  government officials as often as from those with more 
  private interests. Each time he kills, he lingers to watch 
  death take hold of his new victim before vanishing back 
  into the night, leaving nothing more than a few wisps 
  of smoke.
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  62
  ROADS TO HELL
  W
  e don’t know why they came, and I suspect we never will. On that 
  day, though, the air shattered like glass. There was screaming, such 
  screaming, but we couldn’t make out what they were saying. It wasn’t any 
  familiar voices or in any tongue we knew. Then the smell—burning, rotting, 
  and fresh blood. If terror made a sound, if dread had a smell, then both 
  engulfed our village. Peace died in that instant. 
  “I saw our captain—the same man who had drilled us farmers into a proper 
  garrison, who had convinced us all to serve and die in defense of our homes—
  sit down in the mud, head in his hands. I couldn’t blame him. Our bodies knew 
  it was over, even if our souls still clung to hope.
  “We were defeated even before the first of Hell’s butchers stepped forth 
  from beyond.”
  —From An Account of the Ruin of Gladspar
  
  R
  eligions warn of sin as the path to Hell. In 
  truth, the way is not so long.
  Contrary to the beliefs of most of the 
  Material Plane’s inhabitants, reality is not the reliable, 
  reassuring certainty their limited experiences suggest. 
  Rather, existence is moth-eaten cheesecloth, riddled 
  with tears and holes. Some of these imperfections are 
  dangerous rents, torn by incredible forces and erupting 
  like extraplanar volcanoes. Others are deliberate gateways, 
  through which hidden threads unite distant worlds and 
  realities. These pathways provide connections across the 
  planes, secret trails and back doors between the realms of 
  life and death, used by celestials and fiends alike. These 
  passages are, for the most part, not friendly to mortals, 
  but neither are they forbidden. For those who know 
  where to find the doors, the paths to the planes stand 
  open. But what might sound like a route to wonder is 
  more often a lethal slide into despair.
  TYPES OF PORTALS
  Portals come in a variety of forms, and each type has a 
  different method of use. Several of the most common 
  types of portals are described here.
  ElEmEntal nExus
  A type of planar tear especially common on the Material 
  Plane, these portals connect an Elemental Plane with a 
  site of intense elemental energy. In much the same way 
  that stars often connect to the Positive Energy Plane, 
  a planet’s deepest sea trench, the stormy heights of a 
  towering mountain, the depths of a lightless cavern, or 
  the core of an endlessly erupting volcano all may hold 
  connections to a corresponding Elemental Plane—
  though most do not. Usually, only creatures immune to 
  the dangers of the plane beyond can access elemental 
  nexuses. A preponderance of elemental beings around 
  an obvious natural landmark often suggests the presence 
  of an elemental nexus.
  Elf GatE
  Called aiudara by their elven creators, these portals 
  were forged using powerful magic in ages past. Elf 
  gates typically appear as empty, ancient arches. While 
  some ceased functioning long ago, others occasionally 
  open spontaneously, or can still be activated through 
  the use of a specific (and sometimes metaphorical) key. 
  An elf gate’s key could be anything—a physical object, 
  a password, a spell, a planetary alignment, or another 
  specific circumstance. Upon passing through an elf gate, 
  a traveler appears at another elf gate, almost always on 
  the same world. The elf gates are linked to the legendary 
  Sovyrian Stone, which once provided a connection between 
  Golarion and the elven nation of Sovyrian on the planet 
  Castrovel. Similar permanent magical passages may have 
  been created by other exceptionally ancient races or 
  powerful individual magic users, but none now known 
  were as perfected and widely used as elf gates.
  GatE
  The effect of the spell of the same name, gates are 
  temporary links formed between planes for the purposes 
  of travel or calling creatures to other realms. A gate usually 
  remains open for mere moments. While some purist 
  scholars argue that only a portal between planes can truly 
  be called a gate, some gate-style portals offer teleportation 
  effects rather than plane-shifting, allowing users to step 
  instantaneously between locations on a given plane. A few 
  exceptional magic items, such as lintel stones (see Pathfinder 
  Tales: The Redemption Engine), even allow both uses within 
  certain constraints. In rare cases, gates might be made 
  permanent by fantastically powerful magic.
  Planar BrEach
  A temporary planar tear, planar breaches are often no 
  more than a few meters wide. They typically exist for 
  just a matter of days or hours, and tend to be caused by 
  some dramatic magical event, extraplanar confluence, 
  or the release of powerfully aligned forces. The death 
  of a particularly powerful outsider could create a planar 
  breach that connects to the outsider’s home plane, but 
  likely only if its death occurs in an area of considerable 
  planar weakness. 
  Planar tEar
  Every plane is full of countless portals formed by the 
  stresses of existence rather than magic or design. These 
  permanent planar imperfections most often connect 
  similarly aligned or coterminous planes, but might 
  provide passage between any two planes. Most form 
  as the result of dramatic cosmic events, such as the 
  multiverse’s creation, the formation of a planet, or some 
  terrestrial cataclysm, making new tears exceptionally 
  rare. They’re often found in secluded places that are 
  known for strange magical storms or home to unusual 
  creatures. Planar tears are most common on the Astral 
  Plane, Ethereal Plane, and in the Maelstrom, perhaps 
  because of those planes’ role as a sort of connective tissue 
  between other planes. Planar tears in prominent regions 
  of the Outer Planes or between oppositely opposed 
  planes are dangers that often draw the attention of aeons 
  or other extraplanar forces. Ancient tears, however—ones 
  to which the surrounding regions have adjusted or that 
  pose no considerable danger—are generally ignored or 
  used for planar travel. Tears on the Material Plane rarely 
  attract attention, as the plane is already a hodgepodge of 
  alignments and conflicting forces. Most were formed by 
  the birth of stars, whose explosive celestial fires ripped 
  passages to the Positive Energy Plane. On Golarion, the 
  Worldwound is an example of a relatively recent planar 
  tear, a rarity in that it was created by mortal tampering.
  63
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  Meet the VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads to hell
  MoloCh,  
  the asheN Bull
  PathFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  Bestiary
  
  similar to a given portal might notice it and potentially 
  coax it open for a moment, only to have it close again soon 
  after (see Mastering Portals below). Few in all the planes 
  know how soulgates came to exist; theories range from 
  deliberate installation to naturally occurring ripples or 
  imperfections left in the wake of outsiders’ plane shift 
  abilities. Unlike planar tears, however, their locations 
  don’t seem to be random. In planar metropolises such as 
  Axis or Dis, or hubs such as the Boneyard, thousands of 
  soulgates are well documented and lead to destinations 
  across the planes.
  MASTERING PORTALS
  While many portals can be used by anyone who 
  knows the proper magic or who meets the necessary 
  requirements to pass through, portals such as soulgates 
  can be employed only by those who possess a special 
  sensitivity to them. Most mortals are ignorant of such 
  portals’ existence, yet some who study planar lore or who 
  have had brushes with extraplanar forces can learn to 
  unlock these passages to the multiverse.
  Planar sEnsitivity
  You can sense and manipulate connections between 
  the planes.
  Prerequisite: Knowledge (planes) 3 ranks.
  Benefit: You gain access to the gatefinder and 
  gatekeeper skill unlocks (see below).
  Special: Sentient outsiders who have one or more 
  ranks in Knowledge (planes) and who lack the native 
  subtype are treated as having this feat.
  GatEfindEr (PErcEPtion)
  You can notice soulgates compatible with your 
  alignment.
  Check: You are familiar with soulgates 
  and might notice those with an alignment 
  matching your own. To notice a soulgate that 
  you’re not already familiar with, you must 
  succeed at a DC 20 Perception check—this 
  DC could be higher if the portal is obscured 
  or damaged, or at the GM’s discretion. If 
  the soulgate shares your exact alignment, you 
  gain a +5 bonus on your check to notice the 
  portal, feeling an instinctual draw toward it. 
  If your alignment and the portal’s share none 
  of the same components, you take a –5 penalty 
  on your check to notice the portal. If your 
  alignment is neutral with no other alignment 
  components, you take no penalties on checks 
  to find soulgates.
  For example, a lawful good character would 
  gain a +5 bonus on her Perception checks to 
  find lawful good soulgates, but would take 
  a –5 penalty on checks to find chaotic evil, 
  soulGatE
  Also known as planar braids, soulgates are links between 
  planes that are hidden in plain sight. These portals 
  typically exist within naturally formed or exceptionally 
  old archways, doors, or other closed geometric shapes. 
  One might walk past a soulgate every day and not realize 
  that it links to another plane, as for the majority of their 
  existences, these portals are closed. Tales of strange 
  feelings or rumors of hauntings might surround an area 
  containing a soulgate, but little reveals one’s existence—
  not even detect magic or similar spells. These portals often 
  can be recognized only by non-native outsiders or other 
  creatures with unique planar sensitivity (see below). Every 
  soulgate connects to a specific spot on another plane, and 
  typically has an alignment matching that of the plane 
  on the opposite side (those that connect to the Material 
  Plane or other unaligned planes are neutral). In rare 
  cases, a soulgate might have an alignment different than 
  the plane beyond, suggesting its deliberate creation or 
  use by a specific type of being. Those with an alignment 
  64
  
  chaotic neutral, and neutral evil soulgates, as she has no 
  chaotic, neutral, or evil components to her alignment. A 
  neutral character, however, gains a +5 bonus on checks to 
  find neutral gates, but gains no bonus on checks to find 
  chaotic neutral, lawful neutral, neutral good, and neutral 
  evil soulgates. Additionally, she takes no penalty on 
  checks to notice chaotic good, chaotic evil, lawful good, 
  or lawful evil soulgates.
  Once you are aware of a soulgate, you never need to 
  succeed at a Perception check to find that particular gate 
  again, as long as some remarkable event doesn’t change 
  its appearance or location.
  GatEkEEPEr (knowlEdGE [PlanEs])
  You can attempt to open soulgates compatible with 
  your alignment.
  Check: Once you are aware of a soulgate, you can use 
  your knowledge of the planes and your place as a child of 
  the multiverse to attempt to open the portal. This attempt 
  takes 1 minute to perform. The DC of the Knowledge 
  (planes) check to open a soulgate is 30. If your alignment 
  perfectly matches that of the soulgate, you gain a +5 bonus 
  on this check. You can also attempt to open a soulgate with 
  an alignment that is within one step of your own. However, 
  unless you are neutral, you cannot open a soulgate with an 
  alignment two or more steps away from your own.
  For example, a lawful evil character would gain a +5 
  bonus on her attempt to open a soulgate connecting the 
  Material Plane to Hell (lawful evil) or other planes of lawful 
  evil alignment. She can also attempt to open soulgates to 
  Abaddon (neutral evil), Axis (lawful neutral), and other 
  planes that share those planes’ alignments, because 
  their alignments are one step away from lawful evil. She 
  can never open a soulgate to the Abyss (chaotic evil), the 
  Boneyard (neutral), Elysium (chaotic good), Heaven (lawful 
  good), the Maelstrom (chaotic neutral), Nirvana (neutral 
  good), or any other plane with those alignments. 
  If your alignment is neutral with no other alignment 
  components, you can open soulgates with an alignment 
  two steps away from your own, but you take a –10 penalty 
  on attempts to do so.
  Once opened, you can keep a soulgate open for a 
  number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. An 
  open soulgate closes at the end of that time, or you can 
  close it earlier as a standard action.
  PASSAGES TO HELL
  Across the Inner Sea region, dozens of portals connect 
  Golarion with destinations across the planes. While 
  many connect to pleasant sites, planar hubs, or strange 
  destinations, some lead into the bowels of Hell. Whether 
  recorded in tomes of planar lore or used by diabolical 
  agents with agendas upon Golarion, the following are 
  just a few of the secret gates that link the Inner Sea 
  region with the nightmare that is the Pit.
  thE Black Brick
  Location: The city of Katapesh in Katapesh
  Destination: Coultharic’s Boudoir, Erebus
  The Brokered Marbles lies within sight of Katapesh’s 
  temple of Abadar, the Immaculate Repository. This 
  market’s vendors provide wares and services for 
  organized religions, from custom ceremonial vestments 
  and gilded holy symbols to statuary and works in 
  stained glass. Religious layfolk find little of interest 
  among the shops and stalls, though one cramped, back-
  alley idol carver’s shop called Small Gods offers an 
  unusual, largely unadvertised service. Near the bottom 
  of its menu of services, the shop offers “auguries—2 
  gold pieces.” Those who pay the clerk are quietly taken 
  to a beaded alcove behind the rear workshop. Inside is 
  a blank, ancient-looking stone wall, part of the larger 
  structure that now makes up the market block. At floor 
  level, there’s a missing brick. Anyone who bows and 
  asks a question into the gap receives an answer that is 
  cryptic but proves to be insightful and true more often 
  than not.
  While many suspect a magical scam, few know that 
  behind the wall is a hollow no larger than a few bricks. 
  Inside is a stable, colorless planar tear, a gash hardly a foot 
  long that connects the shop with the personal chamber 
  of the contract devil Coultharic in Erebus. Coultharic 
  provides petty prophecies and plain advice, attempting 
  to motivate mortals into relying upon her wisdom. Over 
  time, she tries to subtly deepen her victims’ distress, 
  pushing them to seek dramatic resolutions. At the height 
  of their desperation, she demonstrates that her peephole 
  into the mortal world is just large enough to slip a 
  contract through.
  thE BoilinG wEll
  Location: Scrawny Crossing in the River Kingdoms
  Destination: The Finishing Knot in Avernus
  It has been a long time since anyone used the Boiling 
  Well, a novelty and a mystery that was once a source of 
  curious pride for the residents of Scrawny Crossing. Since 
  the ferry crossing’s desertion a decade ago, the roadside 
  well has stood forgotten, nothing more than a pile of 
  stones next to a dilapidated smithy. But the well was 
  once remarkable for providing body-temperature water. 
  Most assumed it was fed by a hot spring, but determined 
  investigators debunked that theory, finding the water in 
  the well’s depths as cool as that from any other spring. 
  Somehow, in raising a bucket, the user inexplicably 
  heated the water. The baffled townsfolk never attributed 
  the strange heat to the band of ancient, rusty metal that 
  served as part of the well’s foundation. Far older than any 
  could imagine, the 5-foot-diameter band is a soulgate 
  that connects to Avernus, the first layer of Hell. Planar 
  agitations from the link to that sweltering plane cause 
  the well water to increase in temperature—residents 
  65
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  Meet the VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads to hell
  MoloCh,  
  the asheN Bull
  PathFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  Bestiary
  
  never knew their tea was steeped in water heated by the 
  fires of Hell. Those who coax the soulgate open emerge 
  from a pool choked with soaked ropes and braids. This 
  small basin lies at the foot of the Finishing Knot, the 
  enormous tapestry depicting suicides that makes up 
  the demesne of the infernal duke Eaqueo, demigod of 
  depression, nooses, and sad stories.
  citadEl EnfErac
  Location: Mount Nyisaid in the West Menador Mountains 
  of Cheliax
  Destination: The Razor Stair in Stygia
  Deep within the fortress of the Hellknight Order of the 
  Gate lies what is perhaps the order’s namesake gate. 
  Two uniila devils (also called cabal devils; Pathfinder 
  Adventure Path #28: The Infernal Syndrome 86) consult with 
  the signifers who quietly slip between the mortal realm 
  and Hell’s fifth layer, Stygia. The uniilas, Mahshoka and 
  Sister Drove, know the lands beyond the portal well, but 
  are experts—librarians of sorts—on the Razor Stair. This 
  structure is a leaning, 2-mile-high tower constructed 
  of books of all shapes and sizes. The tomes share no 
  obvious common theme or order, but numerous uniilas 
  have claimed landings upon the stairs, declaring that 
  their platforms hold valuable secrets. Despite decades 
  of control, the Hellknights have not explored far beyond 
  this permanent gate, in part because the portal opens 
  near the stairs’ top, and the staircase has proven difficult 
  to navigate, being fraught with book avalanches and 
  dangerously sharp pages. Yet even with this limited 
  exploration, the Order of the Gate has learned fantastic 
  secrets and collected powerful weapons as a result of 
  members’ interplanar sojourns. A few hollow-eyed non-
  Hellknights who have survived covert missions into 
  Citadel Enferac claim the portal to Hell is no longer the 
  only planar connection within Mount Nyisaid—nor is it 
  the most terrifying.
  craGfirE
  Location: Hargun Peak, in the Tusk Mountains between the 
  Hold of Belkzen and the Worldwound 
  Destination: The Prototypes in Phlegethon
  High in the mountainous no-man’s-land between orc-
  held Belkzen and the demon-infested Worldwound 
  stands the monastery-forge of Cragfire. Staffed 
  primarily by terse dwarven monks, many of whom 
  were born in the monastery and have never 
  left save to hunt wyverns and other peak-
  dwelling food sources, the cliffside monastery 
  is renowned for creating some of the best 
  magic weapons in the region, particularly 
  demon-bane weapons and ingenious siege 
  engines for use in various nations’ wars 
  against the Worldwound. Adventurers of all 
  races and creeds are welcome to purchase 
  the monastery’s wares—provided they can 
  survive the treacherous route there through 
  the mountains, including a final hundred feet 
  scaling a massive iron chain—and crusaders 
  seeking tools against the demons find the 
  dwarves’ prices surprisingly reasonable.
  This emphasis on combating demons 
  is not simply due to the monks’ sense of 
  righteousness. Deep within the cliff face, 
  behind the fiery bellies of Cragfire’s forges, 
  stands a tunnel that leads not into rock, but 
  into a back room in the Prototypes, Duke 
  Sabnach’s workshop on Phlegethon. With 
  orders to help undermine the Abyss’s power 
  and staunch the Worldwound’s demonic 
  invasion, 
  Sabnach’s 
  hamatula 
  minions 
  regularly provide Cragfire with ingenious 
  new demon-slaying devices, taking only 
  the occasional sacrifice in return.
  66
  
  drink of tEEth
  Location: Black Flow River in the Sodden Lands
  Destination: Dis
  Narrow water tupelo trees covered in pale lichen line 
  the length of the Drink of Teeth, a tributary of the Black 
  Flow River. Only 8 miles long and flowing to and from 
  nowhere, the stream is easy to ignore. Aside from its 
  riblike trees, its only remarkable feature is a centuries-
  old, half-sunken dock that doesn’t connect to any land. 
  On the night of the new moon, during the months of 
  Calistril, Desnus, Lamashtan, and Neth, a skiff arrives at 
  the dock at 3:20 in the morning and waits 10 minutes. 
  If no one approaches, it sails on. If anyone does, 
  Grivangaul, the skiff’s thanadaemon pilot (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 2 74) offers passage to the city of Dis for the price 
  of 3,000 gp worth of opals or tourmalines—or all of a 
  passenger’s teeth. The daemon’s skiff can carry only three 
  other passengers at a time. Once the price has been paid, 
  the 3-day-long journey to Dis begins; the skiff travels 
  along secret currents of the River Styx and passes from 
  Golarion, through the Maelstrom, to the outskirts of 
  Dis, and finally into the metropolis itself. At the docks of 
  Dis, Grivangaul is met by Holitthepis, an ancient ghoul 
  artisan who is deeply disappointed if the daemon hasn’t 
  brought her any teeth.
  hall of thE shriEk
  Location: Thunder Steppes in the Realm of the 
  Mammoth Lords
  Destination: Far above Phlegethon
  A rent within the Thunder Steppes cuts deep into 
  the earth, creating a series of narrow canyons and 
  claustrophobic tunnels. Those who listen outside one 
  human-sized crack at the bottom of a gorge littered with 
  cat skulls hear a distant screaming. Most who seek the 
  source of the screaming become lost in the echoing tunnel 
  maze. A few, though, discover the Hall of the Shriek, a 
  downward-sloping tunnel that ends in a horizontal floor 
  of glowing volcanic smoke. Those who pass through the 
  gas emerge in the sky far above Phlegethon and fall for 
  miles. In the minutes before striking the flinty slopes 
  below, plummeting mortals realize the Shriek isn’t one 
  scream, but the cacophony of millions of damned souls 
  working the mines and furnaces of Hell’s factory-plane.
  maGrEvorE
  Location: Darklands beneath the town of Khoka in Qadira
  Destination: Arsenic Vault in Malebolge
  Mardehzuk, a pit fiend servant of Moloch, guards a 
  portal to Malebolge in a magma pit deep beneath the 
  Qadiran desert. While posted there to prevent any but 
  Hell’s servants from using the portal, the devil doesn’t 
  bide his time in idleness. A network of wicked duergar 
  funnel him a stream of slave-sacrifices from the surface. 
  These souls undergo a trek through darkness before they 
  face the pit fiend and are impaled upon the horns of an 
  altar to Moloch. Their souls then become trapped in the 
  magma pool that hides the Magrevore. Those few who 
  have managed to pass through the portal enter the bolgia 
  known as the Arsenic Vault, a metallic mountain sculpted 
  by eons of diabolical work into a vast fortress. In Hell, 
  the Magrevore manifests as a geyser of magma that spills 
  from the mouth of a gigantic, diabolic bull sculpture. For 
  more details, see page 48 of Pathfinder Campaign Setting: 
  Hell Unleashed.
  rinG of frozEn sands
  Location: Near Aspenthar in Thuvia
  Destination: Tichaim in Cocytus
  A steep-sided sand pit, like the lair of some gigantic ant 
  lion, lies 40 miles southeast of the city of Aspenthar. 
  Besides the pit itself, only the skeleton of a mighty but 
  long-dead behir marks the strange sands. Those who 
  allow themselves to slide into the pit fall more than 
  60 feet into a hidden chamber below. Piled against 
  the wall of the chamber is a 20-foot-tall heap of sand, 
  upon which leans a ring of supernaturally frozen black 
  ice. This soulgate opens into the seventh layer of Hell, 
  Cocytus—specifically a tundra plain with whip-thin trees 
  that lash the air during the frequent, unpredictable gales. 
  Those who walk straight outward from the soulgate’s 
  mouth reach a strange sort of settlement, a community 
  of mortals allowed to survive—just barely—within the 
  icy hellscape. The residents call the ring of drafty huts 
  and igloos Tichaim. Most residents keep to themselves, 
  but a few—including Riga the Fly-Eater—struggle to 
  make more of their lives, hunting the monstrous, frozen-
  eyed insects that stalk the wastes. No sane person would 
  come to Tichaim—which is exactly what makes it such a 
  perfect hiding place.
  shattErGatE
  Location: Isle of Terror on Lake Encarthan
  Destination: Spire of Alistonach in Caina
  A vault beneath the ruins of Xin-Grafar, hidden within 
  the Isle of Terror, holds a soulgate that connects with the 
  prison realm of Caina. The gate takes the form of a savage 
  starburst, set in a wall of dark marble and ornamented 
  with lapis lazuli. Centuries-old bars of thick, magically 
  enhanced adamantine cover the gate, leaving openings 
  of no more than an inch. The seal to the room holding 
  the gate stands open, its massive chains burst as if by 
  some great force. The dust within is also frequently 
  disturbed. Most unsettling is the gate’s frequent, random 
  activation. None have witnessed what might toy with the 
  Shattergate, or know exactly what Tar-Baphon chose to 
  lock away behind the portal’s bars. In any case, something 
  powerful and foul has slipped through onto the Isle of 
  Terror, perhaps seeking to inspire that place’s fearful 
  name once more.
  67
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  Meet the VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads to hell
  MoloCh,  
  the asheN Bull
  PathFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  Bestiary
  
  68
  MOLOCH
  THE ASHEN BULL
  B
  efore he became the General of Hell, Moloch tended the furnaces of 
  Heaven: the Heresy Ovens hidden in the Vault of Correction beneath 
  Heaven’s Great Library. There black-robed archons and angels put to the torch 
  those ideas and knowledge too evil and dangerous to be allowed to exist. For 
  eons, the ancient archon who would one day become one of Heaven’s greatest 
  enemies tended the flames alongside legions of exscinders, entrusted with 
  disposing of the multiverse’s most profane secrets. In all those ages, not once 
  did the upstanding archon read a word of the forbidden texts. Neither pride 
  nor ambition led Moloch from his duty. Nor did some idle curiosity or stray 
  secret, or even the fell influence of some magical tome. In the end, Moloch’s 
  undoing was the same trait which had for so long garnered him Heaven’s 
  grace—his obedience. 
  
  I
  n the hours before Asmodeus’s rebellion against 
  Heaven, Baalzebul entered the Great Library and 
  used his station to force his way into the library’s 
  depths, reaching the repository of blasphemies due for 
  destruction.  Had he  asked  to view 
  some foul scripture or for possession 
  of an evil relic, the archons there 
  would have suspected some deceit. 
  Yet Baalzebul requested only a piece 
  of the Great Library’s flame.
  With no obvious evil in the 
  directive, there was no reason to deny 
  the angelic hero. Yet the power to 
  control the library’s flames was a boon 
  granted specifically to Heaven’s censors, 
  and could not merely be transferred 
  to another, even one as mighty and 
  demanding as Baalzebul. Angered but 
  unable to argue, Asmodeus’s champion 
  instead led one of the kiln-keepers 
  from the library, an archon who carried 
  with him a single cinder burning upon 
  an ancient page.
  Asmodeus was not pleased, but sought 
  advantage in the development. A legend 
  among the heavenly host, Asmodeus 
  knew no archon would deny him. He embraced his 
  captive, drawing him into his plots. Rather than Asmodeus 
  or Baalzebul wielding the blasphemy-tainted flames, the 
  archon himself became the bearer of that unconventional 
  weapon. Asmodeus armed the former censor and, when 
  the war began, sent him into battle.
  Perhaps it was simple obedience, or some corruption of 
  the flames he bore. Perhaps it was a longing for glorious 
  battle. Whatever the case, when Asmodeus commanded, 
  the archon fought—and, more impressively, won. It 
  would have been easy to dismiss his victories, attributing 
  them to the flame he wielded, yet the archon’s battle 
  prowess proved considerable, as did his mind for tactics. 
  In battle after battle, against foes celestial and otherwise, 
  his abilities kept his weapon well fed.
  Maybe the archon didn’t realize at first that the flames 
  were feeding off of his own essence. Maybe not even 
  Asmodeus did. Yet it soon became clear to Asmodeus 
  that the fire-bearer and his flame had become one and 
  the same. From the charred spoils of past victories, the 
  Archfiend produced plates of blackened armor and 
  girded the archon’s burning form. No longer merely one 
  among the ranks of Heaven’s rebels, the fallen soldier 
  earned the privilege of command, and, along with it, a 
  new name: Moloch.
  PERSONIFICATION AND REALM
  Easily the most martial of the archdevils, Moloch is 
  known as the General of Hell. His other epithets, such 
  as the Ashen Bull and God of Fires, originate from his 
  favored animal and his power over flames, respectively. 
  When personified, Moloch appears as a gigantic suit of 
  horned armor wielding a massive weapon in both hands. 
  His favorite weapons are the whip 
  Forest of Razors, the horned battleaxe 
  Goreletch, a warhammer of solid 
  flame called Halethate, the bloody 
  sword Ramithaine, and the javelin 
  Vothadiel’s Spine, any of which he can 
  produce at a moment’s notice. 
  Within Moloch’s armor blazes a 
  hellish inferno. If the former archon 
  ever had some other form, it burned 
  away ages ago. As with many who began 
  existence as angels, Moloch is genderless, 
  though most cultures around the Inner 
  Sea view him as male. He cares not how 
  his followers refer to him, so long as they 
  offer the proper obedience. 
  Moloch’s symbol is a tongue of flame 
  within the silhouette of a bull’s head. His 
  unholiest rituals and celebrations take 
  place around hollow metallic statues of 
  bulls and bull-headed humanoids, known 
  as molechs (see the sidebar on page 72). 
  Moloch dominates Malebolge, the sixth layer of Hell, 
  having reshaped the patchwork demesne into his own 
  impossible fortress. Countless disparate hellscapes, or 
  bolgias, cover Malebolge. Some are predictably infernal 
  vistas, like burning forests or broken mountains, 
  while others are more alien, like scorpions the size of 
  islands drifting upon seas of bile or gulfs wherein float 
  monstrous skulls. Many are wilderness, some untouched, 
  but others serve as training grounds for Hell’s diabolical 
  legions or breeding realms for slave-beasts like achaierais 
  and cerberi. Among the most dangerous are the lands of 
  foul divinities, such as the infernal dukes Caacrinolaas 
  and Eligos the Winged Rider, or the undead court of 
  Ruithvein, third of all vampires. Dividing these expanses 
  are massive walls patrolled by countless legions of 
  levalochs, Moloch’s favored devils. One viewing all of 
  Malebolge would realize that each bolgia is a courtyard 
  of an infinitely spiderwebbing fortress: Citadel Ba’al. 
  Within the depths of the layer hides the citadel’s heart, 
  Melqart Keep, a gigantic fortification from which Moloch 
  directs Hell’s endless campaigning. Impossible numbers 
  of devils congregate here, readying themselves for 
  initiatives on billions of fronts across the planes. Even 
  the burgeoning infernal dukes known as malebranche—
  Hell’s commanders, who persecute wars throughout the 
  Material Plane—take their commissions and orders from 
  the depths of Melqart Keep. This activity makes Moloch’s 
  citadel one of the most vital nerve centers in all of Hell, 
  and also one of the most viciously impregnable.
  What begins 
  in glory ends 
  in Hell. 
  —The Iron Script
  69
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  Meet the VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads to hell
  MoloCh, 
  the asheN Bull
  PathFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  Bestiary
  
  followers typically use their powers to solve such a 
  community’s problems, perhaps staving off a natural 
  disaster or defeating a monstrous foe. Responsibility for 
  the population’s salvation is then credited to Moloch, or 
  simply to the “God of Fires.” Once his faith has a foothold, 
  Moloch’s religion spreads, and his clergy seek to make 
  him the people’s sole deity. Only when firmly entrenched 
  do Moloch’s priests reveal the violent, burning rites the 
  archdevil favors.
  As a result of this approach, Moloch’s followers are 
  often warlike tribes and wild raiders. His faith rarely has 
  a place in more civilized lands, except in cultures with 
  dominant martial traditions.
  TEMPLES AND SHRINES
  Moloch has few temples. As a martial faith, the deity’s 
  worship is often conducted in the field or amid war 
  camps, making permanent structures impractical. The 
  rare temples of Moloch that exist are usually built around 
  molechs (see the sidebar) situated within massive caves, 
  hidden canyons, or open-air pavilions decorated with 
  brass. More typically, Moloch’s worship consists of stern 
  evangelists extolling the virtues of faith, obedience, and 
  giving one’s life in the god’s service. Only during festivals 
  and rituals do they raise the visage of Moloch over his 
  followers, erecting bull-headed totems, brazen bull idols, 
  or similar effigies.
  In times of war, Moloch’s armies carry images of their 
  god with them. Often a particular wagon bears a molech 
  or metal bull idol. When traveling through lands where 
  Moloch’s image might be met with hostility, such carts 
  are usually covered. These idols are often positioned at 
  the heart of a war camp; before battle, the army’s priests 
  gather the soldiers there to whip them into a frenzy and 
  bestow the god’s blessings upon them.
  In the Inner Sea region, Moloch’s faith is strongest 
  in the Realms of the Mammoth Lords, the Lands of 
  the Linnorm Kings, and the mountains of the Mwangi 
  Expanse. Numerous mercenary companies, like the Circle 
  of Flame and Company of Bakthatal, invoke Moloch’s 
  name before battle, as do many pious Hellknights.
  A PRIEST’S ROLE
  Some warriors will do anything to achieve victory, 
  wanting nothing more than glorious conquest. For these 
  fighters, the worship of Moloch seems a natural choice, 
  as Hell’s army stands among the strongest. Seeking to 
  embody the strength and discipline of Hell, Moloch’s 
  most martial followers attempt to emulate their god, 
  doing everything they can to become stronger and win 
  glory. These champions do little to spread Moloch’s faith, 
  except by furthering the archdevil’s conquests.
  The strategists and evangelists of Moloch’s religion 
  seek to raise devout, unquestioning armies. Through fiery 
  speeches, the threat of sacrifice, the weight of tradition, 
  MOLECHS
  Moloch’s most important rites involve sacrificial idols 
  called molechs. They’re usually made of metal, and some 
  molechs are even magical items, as detailed below.
  MOLECH
  PRICE
  10,000 GP
  SLOT none
  CL 12th
  WEIGHT 2,000 lbs.
  AURA strong enchantment and evocation [evil]
  This statue takes the form of a bull or a bull-headed 
  humanoid. A hatch in the idol’s chest or side allows access 
  to a hollow inside the statue—this hatch can be opened 
  only from the outside. This hollow is typically large 
  enough to accommodate one Medium creature, though 
  larger idols might accommodate more. One round after 
  a creature is placed inside, the idol’s interior blazes with 
  hellfire, which deals 6d6 points of damage per round to 
  any creature inside. Half the damage is fire damage, but 
  the other half results directly from unholy power and is 
  therefore not subject to reduction by resistance to fire-
  based attacks. Pipes inside the idol amplify the screams 
  of those within, making them sound like the bellows 
  of an enraged bull. A creature inside the idol can break 
  out through the locked door by succeeding at a DC 30 
  Strength check, or by dealing enough damage (hardness 
  15; hp 90; immune to fire damage). If a creature dies 
  within the idol, all lawful evil creatures within 100 feet 
  gain the benefits of the spell bless for 1 hour.
  CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
  COST 5,000 GP
  Craft Wondrous Item, bless, produce flame, unholy blight
  DOGMA AND WORSHIPERS
  For Moloch, there is only war—not as a blind, bloodthirsty 
  pursuit, but as a means to spread Hell’s order across 
  the planes. While his fellow archdevils might further 
  diabolical schemes through lies and manipulation, 
  Moloch favors the simple effectiveness of force. A master 
  strategist, the General of Hell is capable of sophisticated 
  strategies and might wait centuries for them to bear fruit.
  Moloch knows the necessity of maintaining troops 
  of various natures and origins, especially those familiar 
  with the lands he seeks to conquer. His armies are 
  filled with both devils of all kinds and his mortal 
  worshipers. The latter include not just Moloch’s clergy, 
  but whole communities brought into the archdevil’s 
  thrall. Followers of Moloch, whether devils or mortals, 
  seek vulnerable groups—typically those at or beyond 
  the frontiers of civilization—that know nothing of the 
  archdevil. They often target cultures with totemistic or 
  animistic beliefs or ancestor worship, or those that might 
  be open to the inclusion of one more fire spirit. Moloch’s 
  70
  
  and the lash, Moloch’s priests force the weak to raise 
  praises to the Ashen Bull. In times of war, they are crusader 
  generals, spurring their armies on to battle with promises 
  that victory brings glory, while cowardice brings the fires 
  of sacrifice. Priests with significant followings have the 
  opportunity to claim what they please, whether the spoils 
  of battle or the possessions of their congregations. Moloch 
  does not care how his servants indulge themselves, as long 
  as they remain competent soldiers. Those who fall prey to 
  vices and lose their edge, though, eventually face his wrath.
  Warpriests outnumber clerics among the ranks of 
  Moloch’s most faithful. Other martial classes, particularly 
  barbarians and bloodragers, are also common among his 
  followers, as are those who adopt the sentinel prestige class 
  (Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Gods 202). Regardless 
  of their class, many faithful take the Leadership feat to 
  attract contingents of soldiers and acolytes. Moloch’s true 
  followers are typically lawful evil, though those forced into 
  his religion might be of any alignment. Worshipers of 
  Moloch often excel at Bluff, Handle Animal, Intimidate, 
  Knowledge (religion), and Perform (oratory).
  HOLIDAYS
  Moloch’s worshipers—especially those who live close to 
  nature—celebrate a variety of seasonal changes, memorials 
  of great battles, and the accomplishments of great heroes. 
  One of these, often tied to the summer solstice, includes a 
  grisly display meant to avert Moloch’s wrath.
  Feast of Flame: At least once per year, every worshiper 
  of Moloch is expected to take part in an elaborate sacrifice. 
  Several hours of chanting, marching, drumming, and 
  dance evoking the motion of wild flames transpire before 
  a special statue called a molech (see page 72). This statue is 
  typically hollow, cast in metal, and situated over a sizable 
  fire. At the ceremony’s climax, a sentient humanoid is 
  sacrificed by entering (or being forced into) the molech. 
  Priests of Moloch claim to hear their god’s voice in the 
  resulting screams or crackling flames, which they interpret 
  to divine portents for the coming year.
  APHORISMS
  Moloch’s followers aren’t poets and don’t mince words.
  Obey or Burn: Moloch’s followers would forcibly 
  conscript every mortal soul into their master’s fell army. 
  Those who don’t yield and who refuse to serve have no 
  role in the Ashen Bull’s merciless vision of order—save 
  as kindling for his army’s war fires.
  HOLY TEXT
  Moloch’s holy text is The Iron Script, a series of dictums that 
  are typically etched on bars of blackened iron or pieces of 
  armor. The Iron Script, in its entirety, is as follows. 
  “What begins in glory ends in Hell. His tithe: five of 
  every seven. All blessings come in fire. Flesh burns, iron 
  bows. Victory begets victory. Consume cowardice. Obey.”
  71
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  Meet the VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads to hell
  MoloCh, 
  the asheN Bull
  PathFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  Bestiary
  
  RELATIONS WITH OTHER 
  RELIGIONS
  Moloch’s devotees often infiltrate ancestor- and nature-
  worshiping cultures, where his faith might be synthesized 
  with that of great heroes or forces of fire. While this 
  gradual process might take generations, those suffering 
  from hardship might accept increasingly warlike aspects 
  to their religion more quickly if victories follow displays 
  of faith. Moloch knows the importance of morale among 
  his followers, and might provide centuries of protection 
  and prosperity before demanding greater proof of faith.
  In Hell, Moloch’s greatest allies are Dispater and 
  Asmodeus himself. As two of the Prince of Darkness’s 
  oldest followers, Dispater and Moloch share the 
  experiences and resentments of ancient veterans. Dispater 
  knows he can call on Moloch to defend Dis, should the 
  need arise, while Moloch never wants for conscripts 
  or new war machines from Dispater’s garrisons and 
  prisons. As for Asmodeus, Moloch serves the Archfiend 
  with almost unquestioning obedience. He has never 
  expressed any dissent, and so Asmodeus trusts him with 
  command of nearly all Hell’s forces. Moloch is also one 
  of the few archdevils who willingly deals with the Lord 
  of the Flies, seemingly immune to Baalzebul’s stings and 
  barbs. Although Baalzebul once outranked Moloch, such 
  a hierarchy no longer exists, and today, Moloch might 
  be one of the only devils with the patience to listen to 
  Baalzebul’s endless, buzzing lies. 
  Torag openly loathes Moloch. Concerned with 
  strategy, protection, and the forge, the dwarven god sees 
  all he cares for corrupted by Moloch’s warmongering and 
  vicious flames. As a result, Torag’s servants often seek to 
  disrupt Moloch’s rites and campaigns. In return, Moloch 
  actively seeks dwarven followers and numbers Torag’s 
  dwarven priests among his favorite sacrifices.
  Moloch’s interests beyond Hell are in potential conquests, 
  with one exception. At seemingly random intervals, heavily 
  armed messengers carry missives from Malebolge to the 
  Cinder Furnace on Abaddon, domain of Szuriel, Horseman 
  of War. What their relations might entail remains a mystery.
  SPELLCASTING
  Clerics of Moloch can prepare pyrotechnics as a 2nd-
  level spell and flame arrow as a 3rd-level spell. Moloch’s 
  priests have created the following occult ritual.
  BURNING SACRIFICE
  School evocation [evil]; Level 6
  Casting Time 1 hour
  Components V, M (fire, a sentient being), F (a prominent 
  symbol or idol depicting either Moloch or a bull), SC (up 
  to the Charisma modifier of the primary caster)
  Skill Checks Knowledge (religion) DC 30, 3 successes; 
  Intimidation DC 30, 3 successes
  Range 10 ft. + 10 ft./caster level of the 
  primary caster
  Duration see text
  Saving Throw none; SR yes
  Backlash The primary caster takes 6d6 
  points of fire damage and catches fire 
  (Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook 444).
  Failure All evil creatures within range take a –2 
  penalty to Strength and Constitution, a –1 penalty on Will 
  saves, and a –2 penalty to AC for 24 hours.
  EFFECT
  The primary caster performs an elaborate public sacrifice 
  wherein a sentient being is burned to death. The sacrifice 
  must be killed by fire damage, usually a result of being 
  burned at the stake, by fire magic, or within a molech (see 
  page 72). Regardless of the method, the sacrifice’s body is 
  reduced to ashes and its soul is damned to Hell. A nonevil 
  spellcaster attempting to bring the sacrifice back from the 
  dead must succeed at a caster level check (DC = 10 + the 
  primary caster’s caster level) to succeed; failure means the 
  72
  
  spellcaster cannot try again for 1 day. Evil spellcasters can 
  raise the sacrifice normally, without a check.
  Upon the sacrifice’s death, all evil creatures within range 
  of the primary caster gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, 
  ability checks, skill checks, and saving throws for 10 minutes 
  per caster level (maximum 10 minutes per Hit Die the sacri-
  fice possessed). If the sacrifice had the chaotic or good sub-
  type, all evil creatures within range instead gain the benefits 
  of heroism for the same duration.
  OBEDIENCE
  The following describes the ritual a worshiper of Moloch 
  must perform to take full advantage of the Deific 
  Obedience feat, as well as the boons for the evangelist, 
  exalted, and sentinel prestige classes found in Pathfinder 
  Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Gods.
  OBEDIENCE (MOLOCH)
  Heat an iron bar, tool, or weapon in an open flame while 
  speaking prayers to Moloch. At the end of this time, snuff 
  the fire with your hand or let the fire burn your flesh before 
  extinguishing it (taking 1 point of fire damage). You gain a +4 
  profane bonus on saving throws against fire effects.
  EVANGELIST BOONS
  1: Enkindler (Sp) produce flame 3/day, pyrotechnics 2/day, 
  or rage 1/day
  2: Voice in Flames (Su) For a number of minutes per day 
  equal to your Hit Dice, you can gaze through a fire at least 
  the size of a torch in order to perceive the surroundings 
  of another flame of equal or greater size within line of 
  sight, as if using clairaudience/clairvoyance. While doing 
  so, you can cause your voice to emanate from that flame, 
  either as your normal voice or as a crackling, inhuman 
  one. Once per day while using this ability, you can cast 
  mass suggestion as a spell-like ability, but the spell 
  originates from the distant flame rather than from you.
  3: Face in Flames (Su) A number of times per day equal 
  to your Charisma modifier, you can reshape a campfire-
  sized flame to produce the effects of major image. 
  Whatever shape you create appears to be made of flame 
  and occupies roughly a 5-foot cube, even if it is part 
  of a larger fire. You can end the effect as a free action, 
  causing the flames to erupt in a 5-foot-radius burst that 
  deals 1d6 points of fire damage if you so choose. This 
  damage increases by 1d6 for every additional round you 
  maintained the major image, but can deal no more than 
  1d6 points of fire damage per Hit Die you have. Causing a 
  flame to erupt in this way extinguishes the flame. You can 
  use this ability in tandem with Voice in Flames.
  EXALTED BOONS
  1: Fire Starter (Sp) produce flame 3/day, heat metal 2/day, 
  or flame arrow 1/day
  2: Mark of Flame (Su) By dealing fire damage to a creature 
  using a spell or spell-like ability, you can temporarily 
  brand that creature with a coin-sized, smoldering image of 
  Moloch’s unholy symbol for 1 minute. While marked, the 
  creature takes a –2 penalty on saving throws against all 
  fire effects. A creature can remove this brand with erase or 
  remove curse.
  3: Accept the Flame (Su) Three times per day, you can gain 
  immunity to fire for a number of rounds per day equal to 
  your Wisdom modifier. Track any fire damage you take 
  during this time. For 1 minute after you end the effect, 
  your body becomes uncomfortably warm, and once as 
  a standard action you can use a melee touch attack to 
  deal an amount of fire damage equal to the damage your 
  immunity prevented (maximum 10 points of fire damage 
  for every Hit Die you have) and cause the attack’s target to 
  catch fire (Core Rulebook 444). A successful Fortitude save 
  halves the damage (DC = 10 + 1/2 your Hit Dice + your 
  Wisdom modifier). If you do not touch another creature 
  before the end of this minute, you take all of the damage 
  your immunity prevented—neither fire resistance nor fire 
  immunity can reduce this damage.
  SENTINEL BOONS
  1: Pyrebrand (Sp) produce flame 3/day, flame blade 
  2/day, or phantom steed 1/day
  2: Ceremonial Pyre (Su) Once per day as a swift action, you 
  can cause all creatures within 15 feet of you to catch fire 
  (DC = 10 + 1/2 your Hit Dice + your Charisma modifier, 
  Reflex negates); they burn for 1 minute or until the flames 
  are extinguished. Each round that they’re on fire, affected 
  creatures take an additional 1d6 points of fire damage 
  per 6 Hit Dice you have (maximum 4d6). If you begin your 
  turn within 15 feet of a creature taking damage from this 
  ability, you gain fast healing 10 for 1 round.
  3: Sacrificial Pyre (Su) When you confirm a critical hit 
  against a foe, it must succeed at a Reflex saving throw 
  (DC = 10 + your base attack bonus) or catch fire. While the 
  target is on fire, caustic smoke obscures its vision, and it 
  treats all other creatures as though they had concealment. 
  Creatures killed while on fire from this ability are 
  immediately reduced to ashes, leaving behind no remains.
  CUSTOMIZED SUMMON LIST
  Moloch’s priests can use summon monster spells to 
  summon the following creatures in addition to the 
  creatures listed in the spell. The creatures below have 
  bull-like features, such as horns or hooflike feet.
  Summon Monster III
  Phantom armor, guardian (always lawful evil; 
  Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 213)
  Summon Monster VI
  Devil, warmonger (Levaloch; Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 
  5 81)
  Summon Monster VIII
  Tophet (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 271)
  73
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  Meet the VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads to hell
  MoloCh, 
  the asheN Bull
  PathFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  Bestiary
  
  K
  hem grumbled as I walked up. “This is 
  humiliating.”
  I flashed a grin, trying to allay 
  my own trepidations about our upcoming 
  journey by keeping his spirits aloft. “How 
  did you think I was going to keep you 
  from falling into the dust along the way? 
  Strap you over the back of a horse or 
  hoist you onto my shoulders?”
  The boy grunted as he shifted in 
  place, trying to get comfortable despite 
  swollen joints. With Jevlia’s coin, I’d 
  secured a tiny cart and mule, which now 
  stood out in front of the small provisions store 
  I’d just exited. 
  A few supply bundles sat under a tarpaulin 
  along one side, and Khem took up the 
  rest of the space in the back. He sulked, 
  looking like an old tomcat, 
  ready to hiss at every little 
  disturbance. I imagined he 
  had wanted to stride out 
  from the city gates, head 
  held high as he ventured 
  forth in rescue. Well, beggars 
  couldn’t be picky about their 
  bearings, and our dealings with Jevlia definitely put us in 
  that category.
  “It’s either this or walk.” I patted the side of the rickety 
  cart, trying not to dislodge a splintered board. “And at 
  the rate you waddle, it’d be well into winter before we got 
  outside the settlement. Speaking of which...” I gestured 
  vaguely north. “I reread your friend’s message, but 
  it doesn’t seem to contain any clue as to where she or 
  your mother might actually be—assuming they’re even 
  together still. The Anferita Wood holds plenty of room 
  for two lugs like us to get lost. I’m guessing you’ve an idea 
  as to how we might divine their location?”
  Khem pulled out the raven figurine again. It glinted in 
  the afternoon sun, a blend of harsh angles and smooth 
  surfaces. 
  “This is designed to deliver messages back and forth,” 
  he said. “It got to me and now should be ready to return 
  to the sender.”
  “So all you have to say is ‘please’?”
  “In essence. Liset was the original messenger, so it 
  should be a simple matter of activating it.”
  He tied one end of a leather strap around the raven’s 
  talons and the other end around his own wrist. Then he 
  held the bird close to his lips and whispered something 
  I couldn’t quite catch.
  With a shimmer, the statuette fluttered to life and 
  took flight—but the cord went taut as the enchanted 
  statuette reached the end of its makeshift leash. It 
  pointed north, a direction that’d take us across 
  the waters beneath the Arch of Aroden, through 
  Corentyn, and beyond, into the heart of the 
  Anferita Wood. I’d already secured cheap passage 
  across the narrow strait. The trader’s boat would 
  leave within the hour, with or without us.
  Silver feathers fluttered in the corner of 
  my vision as I thought of venturing out 
  beyond Khari, leaving the safety of the 
  life I’d built up around myself there. 
  A false life, I had to admit. 
  Yet comfortable enough. Had I 
  softened so much that I couldn’t 
  even go beyond the walls 
  without bolting for the 
  nearest latrine?
  Khem reeled the bird 
  back in. He turned it 
  inanimate with another 
  whisper. “We’ll check again 
  every so often to make sure 
  we’re on the right path.”
  “Should work well,” I said. “It’s not the strangest 
  compass I’ve ever used.”
  He looked at me questioningly, but I left the options 
  up to his imagination. I checked over the supplies once 
  more, including the daggers under my vest. Pity to be 
  traveling in my finer set of clothes, but I didn’t dare go 
  home to change in case anyone watched for my return, 
  which was likely. 
  Satisfied we wouldn’t die of thirst or starvation—
  though I could hardly rule out other possible causes—I 
  sat on the wooden slat in front of the cart and slapped 
  the reins to set the mule in motion. We trundled through 
  the streets of Khari, beggars and urchins darting 
  from our path while I navigated carefully around any 
  guard patrols. Few took notice of one old man hauling 
  another along.
  As we swung around the corner to the nearest dockside 
  gate, I spotted two figures waiting just down the road.
  I groaned, trying to pull us to a stop—but it was too late.
  “What is it?” Khem asked. 
  A soot-covered halfling pointed at me. His companion, 
  a muscled man covered in wriggling tattoos, grinned 
  IN SPIDER’S SILK
  Pathfinder’s Journal: Cowards and Crows 3 of 6
  Thugs such as Ewitt like to get 
  tattoos to look more threatening. 
  Yet whenever he talks or moves, 
  the effect is more distracting than 
  intimidating to me.
  74
  
  nastily as he fixed on me. Garrol and Ewitt, Tolomuk’s 
  enforcers who’d been hounding me just that morning. 
  How did they know to wait for me here? It couldn’t be 
  mere luck on their part.
  They’d already singled me out, so attempts to disguise 
  or hide myself wouldn’t help. This whole situation 
  must’ve addled my wits, thrown off my instincts 
  for slipping away unnoticed. If I’d thought 
  through our exit properly, I would’ve 
  had Khem drive us out of town while I 
  disguised myself as just another sack 
  of supplies. 
  The two debt collectors darted my 
  way, looking determined. I remained 
  seated, back straight so I could slip out a 
  dagger or two if absolutely necessary. The 
  gate guards at the far end of the street 
  paid us no heed, though this also meant 
  Tolomuk’s boys could cause a decent 
  ruckus before they stood any chance of 
  being interrupted. 
  “Master Atrius?” Khem 
  rocked the cart as he 
  shuffled. “What’s wrong? 
  Why’ve we stopped?”
  “I’ve... er... spotted a 
  couple friends I didn’t 
  expect to bump into. 
  Hopefully this should only take a minute or two.”
  “Friends?”
  “Just let me do the talking, hear?”
  Garrol and Ewitt arrived, closing in on either side of 
  me, within easy reach of the reins I still held. 
  “Hello, boys,” I said. “Didn’t get lost earlier, did you?”
  Ewitt crossed his arms, making them look like twining 
  tree roots. “Atrius. Not thinking of skipping town before 
  you’re paid up, are you?”
  I pressed a palm over my heart. “Me? Attempting 
  to swindle Tolomuk, whose graciousness knows no 
  bounds? It wounds me you’d think I’d ever stoop to such 
  deplorable depths.” I cocked my head Khem’s way. “This 
  is merely an outing for the boy and me, heading off on 
  a little adventure. But don’t fear. We’ll be back as soon as 
  we can to settle matters.”
  “Boy?” Garrol peered at Khem. 
  “Ah, forgive my lack of introductions.” I reached back 
  to pat Khem’s shoulder. “Surely you’ve heard of Khem the 
  Cursed. Worker of enchantments and maker of majestic 
  trinkets and fabulous finery. A powerful wizard in his 
  own right who’s not to be trifled with. I am currently in 
  his employ as both guide and bodyguard, so I must be 
  about my business.” 
  Ewitt snorted. “All I see’s a man shuffling to his grave. 
  And we’ve business of our own with you unless you want 
  to end up in one as well. So get down off that cart and 
  let’s go talk to the boss.” A hand went to the long dagger 
  at his waist.
  “Nonsense,” I said. “Abandon my client when he’s 
  obviously unfit to fend for himself? What sort of 
  scoundrel do you take me for?”
  “A shifty one,” Garrol said as he snatched the reins 
  from me. I let him guide the cart out of the middle of 
  the road, over beside a squat home. It took us out of 
  sight of the main thoroughfare, which I assumed 
  they thought would cow my defiant spirit. 
  Perhaps they didn’t consider what it might let 
  me get away with as well.
  Ewitt tapped his dagger hilt. “Down. Now. 
  No tricks.”
  How could I resist fooling with two such 
  fools? I thought. 
  A mutter snagged my ear and I glanced 
  back to see Khem flexing crooked 
  fingers while speaking to himself. The 
  hair on my forearms prickled. The boy 
  must be attempting a spell 
  of some sort! But his pained 
  expression suggested the 
  casting might not be going 
  quite right.
  “Wait, boy, that might 
  not—”
  Khem growled and flung 
  out his hands. One of his elbows popped loud enough 
  that I winced. He cried out and snatched his arm back. 
  A puff of smoke and flash of lightning burst into being 
  in front of him, making Garrol and Ewitt jump back, but 
  otherwise nothing happened.
  Khem moaned as he clutched his arm to his chest. 
  Tolomuk’s thugs scowled and both drew daggers.
  “What’d I say about no tricks?” Ewitt produced another 
  blade from somewhere within his shirt, this dagger with 
  nasty hooks protruding from the edge. “The boss said to 
  bring you to him alive. Didn’t say you had to be all in one 
  piece. Wonder how much I can carve up and still keep 
  you breathing.”
  I reached to tug at my vest, fingers brushing my 
  punching daggers. I didn’t want more blood on my hands, 
  if it could be helped. But if it came down to survival...
  A soft voice wove between us. “Is this any way for 
  gentlemen to behave in front of a lady?”
  A slim figure in a purple robe stepped in behind Ewitt. 
  A deep hood hid the newcomer’s features.
  Ewitt spun, daggers raised. “Now who—”
  Golden-gloved hands caught his wrists and continued 
  his spin, throwing him off balance so he spiraled down to 
  one knee. He let go of one dagger to catch himself. 
  In a surprisingly acrobatic move, Garrol vaulted over 
  the back of the mule. Fortunately for him, it paid him 
  no heed. 
  This devious halfling often disguises 
  himself with grime and rags to blend 
  in with the urchins running through 
  the streets, avoiding extra attention 
  from town guards.
  75
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  The halfling lashed out at the stranger, who 
  shifted back and to the side as if floating over the 
  ground rather than walking. Ewitt rose and came 
  alongside Garrol, and the pair worked to back the 
  robed figure into a corner. However, the person 
  moved in a fluid manner unlike any I’d 
  ever seen before. Each dagger slash parted 
  nothing but air. Pale blue ribbons secured 
  the person’s robe, keeping the cloth tight to the 
  body so it moved freely but didn’t trail any material 
  enemies could snatch. 
  The stranger struck with presses of the palms, 
  brushes of the forearms, bumps of the hips, and 
  other subtler moves to turn the attackers’ cuts 
  aside or avoid them altogether. Then the newcomer 
  redirected a more violent motion in a whole new 
  direction, leaving Ewitt and Garrol stumbling 
  about like drunken fools.
  I felt odd, perched on the cart while the fight 
  went on just a pace away. Should I add a blade or 
  two to the exchange? 
  Better to ensure our squabble wasn’t drawing 
  too much undue attention, I decided. Fortunately, a look 
  about showed no one else but Khem paying attention. 
  The boy looked amazed, injured arm utterly forgotten as 
  he watched.
  When I refocused on the fight, Ewitt and Garrol had 
  managed to get on either side of our helper. The halfling 
  hacked at the lower legs while Ewitt stabbed at the chest. 
  Yet it looked like the person dodged in two directions at 
  once. The stranger then glided out from between the two 
  men, spun, and caught their wrists in either hand just 
  as they lunged for twin attacks. Their momentum drove 
  them in so Ewitt’s blade took Garrol in the shoulder 
  while Garrol’s caught the meat of Ewitt’s thigh. 
  The men lurched away, shouting, but their cries grew 
  hoarse within moments, and then abruptly ceased. They 
  mirrored one another in a slow collapse that left them 
  facedown in the dirt.
  The robed figure stood over them and sighed. 
  “Poisoned blades. A temporary paralytic, it seems, meant 
  to keep one breathing while removing any chance of 
  resistance.”
  I at last recognized her voice. And dare I say, for the 
  first time, I stared entirely out of disbelief rather than 
  any admiration. 
  “Jevlia.”
  Jevlia drew her hood back to reveal her dusky features 
  and spiky hair—though the latter had been washed of its 
  chalky accents from earlier.
  “I didn’t intend to intervene so soon,” she said, “but I 
  did say I’d need to protect my investments in you.”
  The cart rattled as Khem tried to rise. “Lady Jevlia? 
  What’re you doing here?” His gaze went to the bodies. 
  “What did you do to them?”
  “I’m here because you boys obviously need help 
  keeping to a schedule,” she said. “As for them, you might 
  call it a form of persuasive discouragement. They’ve been 
  looking for you.”
  Still trying to recover from her befuddling presence, I 
  nudged Ewitt’s body with a boot toe. “I don’t understand. 
  How did they know where to find me? With the way I 
  threw them off my trail, they should’ve been on the other 
  side of Khari until nightfall.”
  “I told them,” said Jevlia. “That is, I had one of my 
  contacts alert Tolomuk to a likely route you might be 
  taking out of Khari this evening.”
  I once more stared at her. 
  “Why’d you do that?” Khem asked.
  “Hold on, boy.” I held a hand up. “This is between me 
  and her, so if you don’t mind...” I cleared my throat and 
  leaned in to murmur. “Why in the name of Lamashtu did 
  you do that?”
  She replied in a stage whisper. “I know how many 
  credit slips you’ve signed your name to, Atrius, and the 
  rather impressive debt you’ve tallied. Do you realize 
  how many times those two or their associates have come 
  calling, wanting to use your parlor visits to entrap you? 
  They promised me bountiful favors if we’d help them 
  carve coin out of your flesh.”
  I frowned at Ewitt’s prone form. “I hardly think him 
  the sort to use phrasings such as ‘bountiful favors.’”
  She chuckled. “True. But I wanted to spare your 
  delicate ears.”
  “But if they’ve been trying so long, why sic them on 
  us now?”
  “Because now I can be assured they won’t follow you 
  out of the city and ambush you on the road.” Jevlia swept 
  a hand at the scene. “This prodded them to confront you 
  so they could be dealt with more directly, and in more 
  manageable confines. Now they’re out of the way and 
  you won’t have to keep checking over your shoulder the 
  whole journey.”
  Logical, I had to admit. Devious, but logical. Help me, 
  but I might truly love this woman after all.
  “Let’s get moving,” she said. “I can explain more as 
  we go. Don’t want more of Tolomuk’s men to find you. 
  Besides.” She eyed Khem. “Your friend wouldn’t want 
  you wasting a minute if she’s to be helped. We’ve a ways 
  before we reach the wood.”
  Depending on what poison laces 
  the thugs' blades, a single 
  cut could leave you sickened, 
  paralyzed, or breathing your 
  last. And even if you survive 
  the fight, an infected wound 
  could still prove deadly.
  76
  
  “Hold on.” I took her elbow. She tugged back just 
  enough for me to sense the strength in her frame. I’d 
  felt it there before in the brief touches and embraces 
  we’d enjoyed while chatting over tea and cakes, but now 
  I noted it in a whole new context. “We? Since when are 
  you going with us?”
  “Since I’ve decided you boys can’t look after yourselves. 
  And,” she pulled free and looked to the docks, “there’s a 
  devil to attend to. I doubt you could handle it on your 
  own.”
  “But you can?” I asked.
  Her smirk had enough guile in it to accomplish 
  another stunning thing: render me speechless. First she 
  became our patron, then she hinted at my bloodstained 
  past and dredged up a name I’d not used in ages. Then 
  she became our rescuer, and now an apparent hunter of 
  devils. I prided myself on keeping secrets—especially 
  my own—but now almost felt out of my league. I at least 
  realized if she meant to join us, there was little I could 
  do to stop her.
  I stepped aside and swept a bow.
  “After you, m’lady.”
  “As it should be.” Jevlia led the way as I once more got 
  the mule in motion. 
  Khem gave me a curious look, but I just shrugged. 
  “Another lesson to learn,” I said. “Know when arguing is 
  just going to be a waste of breath.” 
  Instead of driving, I walked alongside her, guiding 
  with the reins as we made our way to the docks. I noticed 
  something new to her. 
  Oh, the robe and fearsome fighting skills were readily 
  evident surprises. No. This other thing shifted about 
  her. If I could read auras, I’d bet hers would’ve had a 
  thorny look to it. She possessed a sharpness in the way 
  she walked. The way she kept shooting glances like barbs 
  to all sides.
  She’s nervous, I realized. And whatever could make the 
  slightest crack in her flawless poise... well... it didn’t help 
  the prickling in my gut one bit. 
  Fortunately, aside from the buffoons she’d dispatched, 
  no troubles materialized as we boarded the small cargo 
  ship. We were to take it to Corentyn, disembarking before 
  the crew continued along their coastal trading route.
  Night crept over our heads by the time we set off. Khem 
  slept in the cart, which had been lashed to the deck. His 
  snores buzzed faintly above the splash and slosh of our 
  progress. 
  I, for one, stood vigilant by the railing, a tireless guard 
  defending my pride against the moment when my 
  stomach might empty itself of what little food I’d had 
  that day. Let’s just leave it that I traveled via water as little 
  as possible in my younger years.
  Jevlia joined me at my post, though I doubted for the 
  same reason.
  I noted how the faintest lines around her eyes eased 
  as Khari drew farther away across the waves. Twilight 
  dusted the air purple as torch and lantern lights dotted 
  the shoreline in both directions. 
  “Something sticking a bramble in places that would 
  get me slapped if I mentioned them?” I asked.
  To my surprise, she only looked more serious. “I risked 
  more than you realize saving you back there. It’s possible, 
  after this, I may not be able to return.” She sighed and 
  braced hands on the railing. “At least not as anyone 
  recognizable as Jevlia.”
  I turned to her. “Whatever do you mean, as Jevlia? You 
  can’t return as yourself?”
  That got me a mocking glance. 
  Not the noblest of steeds or kingliest 
  of chariots, but sometimes one must 
  eschew comfort and grace for the sake of 
  reliability... as well as the regrettable lack 
  of coin.
  77
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  You’re a coward and a fool, Atrius, I thought. Sometimes 
  tea houses and brothels ran informant networks for extra 
  coin... and sometimes informant networks posed as the 
  former. I should’ve realized the game was being played 
  both ways far earlier. 
  The revelation rushed out in a whisper. “You’re a spy.”
  She bowed her head so the hood covered her face 
  again. “Not like you’re thinking.”
  “And how do you know the inconceivable ways of my 
  thinking?”
  “With lots and lots of tea.” She straightened, eyes dark 
  under the hood. “I’m no Andoren anti-slavery dissident 
  or running any political cloak-and-kukri operation. I’m 
  dealing with devils.”
  “That happens a lot in Cheliax, you realize? Seems 
  like these days, you can’t even empty your chamber pot 
  without hitting a devil in the street. Accidentally, of 
  course. So why the secrecy?”
  “I once belonged to an order known as the Sisters of 
  the Golden Erinyes.”
  I tugged at my chin. “I’ve heard of it. The Devil Nuns. 
  Part of the Church of Asmodeus.”
  She hummed in agreement, still gripping the railing. 
  “Have you then heard of the Children of the Upper 
  Reach?”
  After trying to strike a pose of deep musing, I 
  surrendered with a shrug. “That knowledge, I fear, is 
  beyond even my vast intellect.”
  She made the daintiest snort I’d ever heard. “The Devil 
  Nuns train in the art of hamatulatsu, mimicking the 
  deadly fighting of barbed devils. My parents left me with 
  them when I was a girl. A sacrifice of sorts, I think, either 
  to pay off a debt or perhaps to further their fortune and 
  status.” She held a hand out, fingers crooked to look like 
  talons. “So training and fighting to maim and cripple 
  and destroy became my life.”
  “The way you fought back there,” I pointed back to 
  Khari, “wasn’t anything like I’ve heard hamatulatsu to 
  be.”
  That elicited a soft smile. “Let’s leave it that I had a 
  crisis of faith. I tried to escape the monastery three times. 
  Three times I was caught and punished. But each failure 
  only made me more determined.
  “One night, while recuperating from my latest 
  punishment, I woke to find a woman in purple standing 
  over me. I lashed out, thinking her another tormentor. 
  Yet she turned my every blow aside and never once 
  struck me back. Once I exhausted myself, she told me she 
  belonged to the Children of the Upper Reach, founded to 
  combat the Devil Nuns themselves. And she could get me 
  out if I swore to join their order as well.” 
   “So you traded one master for another?” I asked. 
  Her glare cut as sharp as ever. “I couldn’t stay there. I 
  would’ve rather died. But if I escaped, I needed protection. 
  Anyone who abandons the Church of Asmodeus is 
  hunted down mercilessly and made an example of. On 
  my own, I would’ve been helpless. With them, I could 
  gain a new sort of strength.”
  She spun and suddenly stood behind me, her voice 
  stirring my neck hairs. “Children of the Upper Reach 
  practice melekatha, designed specifically to counter 
  hamatulatsu. For a time, I trained with them, abandoning 
  my former teachings. Yet I couldn’t hide forever, and 
  my new order needed my help in return. They were not 
  strong enough yet to risk direct confrontations.”
  I turned to face her again, closer than ever. She met my 
  gaze, unflinching.
  “So I became Jevlia. Slipped into silk and sipped dainty 
  drinks while learning every dark secret I could and 
  passing it on to my masters. I helped uncover devils of 
  all sorts and exposed their dealings so they could be...” 
  She smirked. “Dealt with.” 
  Before I could conjure a response, Khem’s voice floated 
  over, bleary in sleep and confusion.
  “Master Atrius? Where are we?”
  Jevlia caught my arm as I moved to the boy. 
  “You’re going to have to tell him sooner or later,” she 
  said. “He trusts you.”
  I frowned and pulled free. “Then why don’t we let him 
  keep that trust as long as possible, hear?”
  After docking the next morning, we prepared to push 
  on as fast as we could. Khem woke, bleary-eyed, as we 
  disembarked and headed into Corentyn. He soon went 
  wide-eyed at all the new sights, and I realized he’d not seen 
  anything beyond Khari his whole life. The sheer size of the 
  place must’ve been overwhelming, and I wished I could’ve 
  given him a grand tour, but we couldn’t spare the time. 
  “I know it’s quite a lot to take in at once,” I told 
  him, “but try not to gawk overly much. That sort of 
  overwhelmed look is quick to attract those who’d like to 
  take advantage of strangers in the city. I’d rather not deal 
  with any more delays.”
  He closed his mouth and grinned wryly. “It’s that 
  obvious, is it?”
  “I’m afraid so,” said Jevlia. “You look like a fresh-faced 
  acolyte visiting Calistria’s temple for your first joyful 
  communion.”
  He flushed, but she winked, which drew his smile back 
  out. Khem patted his sagging cheeks. “Not quite as fresh-
  faced as I’d like to be.”
  I waved at the road ahead. “Which path do we tread 
  today?”
  He performed his quick trick with the raven, which 
  pointed us to the northern gate. We passed as swiftly 
  as we could through trading caravans from across 
  the continent. Diabolic priests shrieked prayers from 
  atop bloody pillars. A slaver hollered out the virtues 
  of various captives who stood naked and chained atop 
  an auction block. Khem’s expression darkened as we 
  passed by this, but he held his tongue. 
  78
  
  Fishermen and farmers hawked their wares in vast 
  open markets, while noble processions flounced by with 
  lavish shows of wealth—most likely accrued through 
  the mercantilism that made the city famous. I pointed 
  out a minor temple to Abadar as we passed, its arch 
  marked with a key motif.
  Fortunately, the gate guards quickly saw we had no 
  goods to be taxed and let us out into the fertile fields 
  beyond the city’s fifty-foot limestone walls.
  Khem stared behind us for a long while until I poked 
  his shoulder to make sure he hadn’t died sitting upright 
  from shock.
  A day’s journey brought us within sight of the Anferita 
  Wood. As we followed the main road into the first thick 
  groves, I knew if I continued, there was a good chance I 
  wouldn’t come back. None of us might.
  My pace slowed. Did I dare this? Was it worth it? 
  Would I simply be leading others to their deaths again?
  Then Khem interrupted my thoughts. “Do you smell 
  smoke?”
  Jevlia sniffed about. Her nostrils flared. “You’re right. 
  Something reeks of sulfur. Don’t know why I didn’t 
  notice before.”
  An angry rasp made us halt. A woman stepped out 
  from behind a tree just up ahead. She wore a crimson 
  dress, patterned with black-and-white sigils of Asmodeus. 
  An emerald cowl lay on her shoulders, revealing her thin 
  face, pale blond hair, and a pair of horns curling from 
  her forehead.
  The devilborn poised like a noble, hands on hips, head 
  tilted at an angle that let her stare down at us in jilted 
  fury.
  “Are you savages? Do you know nothing of manners? 
  You’re supposed to compliment a lady’s perfume.”
  Her voice. She was the woman who’d been outside 
  Khem’s shop—the one who’d kept launching fiery attacks 
  at us. The one who’d stolen his amulet.
  Clearing my throat, I stepped forward and bowed, 
  though not deep enough that I’d throw my back out. 
  “M’lady, forgive our discourtesy. We are but a 
  humble lot of travelers, simply stunned to behold such 
  beauty here in the wild woods. Pray, grace us with your 
  mercy.”
  The heat in her eyes contrasted with her icy smile.
  “Oh, since you’ve been so sweet, I think I’ll grant you 
  a kiss.”
  She flared her hands and thrust her head forward, 
  mouth gaping. A crackling grew behind her catlike 
  hiss and a wisp of smoke escaped her nostrils. A flame 
  appeared in the back of her throat, growing bigger and 
  brighter.
  Fire spewed from between her lips, straight at me.
  While offering a few of the more direct trade routes out of Corentyn, 
  and populated by lumber teams, small settlements, and druids alike, the 
  Anferita Wood has swallowed its share of souls who wandered beneath 
  its boughs unprepared. I hope we don’t encounter one of the packs of 
  fiend hounds for which the forest is infamous.
  79
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  80
  BESTIARY
  W
  hen I was a kid, I never put much stock in the stories. A bad 
  man comes to hurt little ones who don’t listen to their parents, 
  dragging them from their homes and cooking them in stews and all 
  that. It was just a way to get us to behave, right? Well, I’ve seen a lot of 
  things since I became a guard, but I never thought I’d see those stories 
  come to life. I figured the boy had just run away—but when I rounded 
  the forest path and saw that greasy thing standing over what was left 
  of his body, I knew it wasn’t just a fairy tale. It was real, and by the 
  looks of the disgusting, quivering pile of fat beside the creature, not to 
  mention the number of poor children who had gone missing from the 
  area, it had been going on for a long time.”
  —Guard Captain Merina Woolum
  
  Iron Snarl
  d%	 	
  Encounter	
  Avg.	CR	
  Source
  1–2	 	
  No	encounter	
  —	
  —
  3–13		
  1d4	owlbears	
  6	
  Bestiary	224
  14–24	
  1	shambling	mound	
  6	
  Bestiary	246
  25–35	
  1d4	boars	and	
  7	
  Bestiary	36	
  	
  	 	
  1d4	dire	boars
  36–46	
  1	dire	bear	
  7	
  Bestiary	31
  47–57	
  1d6+2	dire	wolves	
  8	
  Bestiary	278
  58–68	
  1	quickwood	
  8	
  Bestiary 2	228
  69–78	
  1	aurumvorax	
  9	
  Bestiary 2	35
  79–89	
  1d4+2	leucrottas	
  9	
  Bestiary 2	178
  90–100	 8	twigjacks	
  9	
  Bestiary 2	274
  The MurMurS
  d%	 	
  Encounter	
  Avg.	CR	
  Source
  1–10		
  No	encounter	
  —	
  —
  11–20	
  1d4	boars	and	
  7	
  Bestiary	36	
  	
  	 	
  1d4	dire	boars
  21–30	
  1	dire	bear	
  7	
  Bestiary	31
  31–39	
  1d4+2	unicorns	
  7	
  Bestiary	269
  40–49	
  1d6+2	dire	wolves	
  8	
  Bestiary	278
  50–58	
  1d6+2	dryads	
  8	
  Bestiary	116
  59–68	
  4	ettercaps	and	
  8	
  Bestiary	129,	258	
  	
  	 	
  1d8	giant	spiders
  69–82	
  Feign	Prince’s	Brigands	
  8	
  See	above
  83–91	
  1	bogeyman	
  10	
  Bestiary 3	42
  92–100	 1d4	treants	
  10	
  Bestiary	266
  PerdITIon reach
  d%	 	
  Encounter	
  Avg.	CR	
  Source
  1–5	 	
  No	encounter	
  —	
  —
  6–12		
  1d4	boars	and	
  7	
  Bestiary	36	
  	
  	 	
  1d4	dire	boars
  13–19	
  1	dire	bear	
  7	
  Bestiary	31
  20–34	
  1d4	cerberi	
  8	
  Bestiary 3	51
  35–41	
  1d4+2	korreds	
  8	
  Bestiary 2	173
  42–56	
  Lost	Knights	
  8	
  See	page	37
  57–63	
  1d6+5	bog	nixies	
  9	
  Bestiary 3	201
  64–70	
  2	hangman	trees	
  9	
  Bestiary 2	152
  71–85	
  2	warmonger	devils	
  9	
  Bestiary 5	81
  86–100	 2	erinyes	
  10	
  Bestiary	75
  ScarhurST
  d%	 	
  Encounter	
  Avg.	CR	
  Source
  1–5	 	
  No	encounter	
  —	
  —
  6–15		
  1	shambling	mound	
  6	
  Bestiary	246
  16–25	
  1d4	boars	and	
  7	
  Bestiary	36	
  	
  	 	
  1d4	dire	boars	
  26–35	
  1	dire	bear	
  7	
  Bestiary	31
  36–45	
  Vegepygmy	Tribe	
  7	
  See	above
  46–55	
  1d4	cave	giants	
  8	
  Bestiary 3	127
  56–65	
  1d6+2	dire	wolves	
  8	
  Bestiary	278
  66–75	
  2d8	fungus	leshys	
  8	
  Bestiary 3	177
  76–90	
  Hounds	of	Heaven	
  8	
  See	page	30
  91–100	 1d4+2	redcaps	
  10	
  Bestiary 2	233
  T
  his volume of the Hell’s Vengeance Adventure 
  Path takes the player character villains into the 
  depths of Cheliax’s Whisperwood in search of 
  components for the ritual to close the Inferno Gate. 
  ENCOUNTERS IN THE 
  WHISPERWOOD
  The random encounter tables presented here feature 
  dangers the PCs can encounter as they explore the five 
  regions of the Whisperwood. See page 25 for more details 
  on these regions and rolling for random encounters. 
  The following are descriptions of the relevant entries 
  listed in the Whisperwood Encounters tables.
  Feign Prince’s Brigands (CR 8): Rogues loyal to the 
  brigand-sorcerer Lairsaph, the Feign Prince of the 
  Whisperwood, waylay travelers along the Remesiana Road 
  and Whisperwood Way. Four Feign Prince’s brigands (see 
  page 33) mounted on combat-trained horses (Pathfinder 
  RPG Bestiary 177) attack anyone they come across, doing 
  whatever’s necessary to rob their victims of their hard-
  earned coin. Fleeing bandits can be followed back 
  to their lair in the Murmurs (area L), or the PCs can 
  interrogate a captured bandit to learn the location of the 
  Feign Prince’s hideout, as well as details of the hideout’s 
  secret entrance (see area L1).
  Glorious Reclamation Patrol (CR 9): The Glorious 
  Reclamation regularly patrols Hellspawn Dale from its 
  base in Senara. A typical patrol consists of two Knights 
  Inheritor of the Glorious Reclamation, each mounted 
  on a combat-trained heavy horse (see page 41), along 
  with four Glorious Reclamation sergeants (see page 37) 
  on foot.
  Vegepygmy Tribe (CR 7): Several large tribes of 
  vegepygmies inhabit the fungus-choked Scar Thicket in 
  Scarhurst. This tribe consists of 14 vegepygmies (Bestiary 
  273) led by an advanced vegepygmy chieftain infested 
  with russet mold spores (Bestiary 273). The vegepygmies 
  try to capture any intruders in their territory and infect 
  them with russet mold to spawn more vegepygmies and 
  grow their tribe.
  hellSPawn dale
  d%	 	
  Encounter	
  Avg.	CR	
  Source
  1–25		
  No	encounter	
  —	
  —
  26–35	
  1d4	boars	and	
  7	
  Bestiary	36	
  	
  	 	
  1d4	dire	boars
  36–45	
  1	dire	bear	
  7	
  Bestiary	31
  46–52	
  2	giant	owls	
  7	
  Bestiary 3	213
  53–59	
  Issaya	
  7	
  See	page	30
  60–64	
  1	kirin	
  7	
  Bestiary 3	168
  65–74	
  1d6+2	dire	wolves	
  8	
  Bestiary	278
  75–80	
  2	swan	maidens	
  8	
  Bestiary 4	257
  81–90	
  Glorious	Reclamation		 9	
  See	above		
  	
  	 	
  Patrol
  91–100	
  2	legion	archons	
  9	
  Bestiary 3	19
  81
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  AZATA, NUALIDU
  Clear, flowing water forms the arms and the lower half of this 
  angelic, elflike being. 
  NUALIDU	
  CR	5
  XP	1,600
  CG	Medium	outsider	(azata,	chaotic,	extraplanar,	good,	water)
  Init	+3;	Senses	darkvision	60	ft.,	low-light	vision;	
  Perception	+11
  DEFENSE
  AC	18,	touch	14,	flat-footed	14	(+3	Dex,	+1	dodge,	
  +4	natural)
  hp	51	(6d10+18)
  Fort	+8,	Ref	+8,	Will	+4
  DR	5/cold	iron	or	evil;	Immune	electricity,	petrification;	
  Resist	cold	10,	fire	10
  OFFENSE
  Speed	40	ft.,	swim	30	ft.,	jet	150	ft.
  Melee	2	slams	+10	(1d6+4)
  Ranged	cascade	+9	ranged	touch	(3d6)	
  Special	Attacks	cascade,	drench
  Spell-Like	Abilities	(CL	5th;	concentration	+7)
  At	will—create water,	hydraulic pushAPG,	purify food and 
  drink	(water	only)
  3/day—slipstreamAPG
  1/day—control water,	hydraulic torrentAPG
  STATISTICS
  Str	19,	Dex	16,	Con	16,	Int	13,	Wis	14,	Cha	15
  Base	Atk	+6;	CMB	+9;	CMD	24
  Feats	Agile	Maneuvers,	Dodge,	Mobility
  Skills	Acrobatics	+12	(+16	when	jumping),	Escape	Artist	+12,	
  Knowledge	(nature)	+10,	Perception	+11,	Sense	
  Motive	+11,	Survival	+8,	Swim	+21;	Racial	Modifiers	+4	
  Acrobatics	when	jumping
  Languages	Aquan,	Celestial,	Draconic,	Infernal;	truespeech
  SQ	aqueous	
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	any	water	(Elysium)
  Organization	solitary,	pair,	or	pod	(3–6)
  Treasure	standard
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Aqueous	(Ex)	Because	of	nualidus’	partially	elemental	
  nature,	whenever	a	critical	hit	or	sneak	attack	is	scored	
  against	a	nualidu,	there	is	a	25%	chance	that	the	extra	
  damage	is	negated	and	damage	is	rolled	normally.
  Cascade	(Su)	As	a	full-round	action,	a	nualidu	can	expel	a	
  cascade	of	water	from	their	body	to	batter	an	opponent	
  within	80	feet	as	a	ranged	touch	attack	that	deals	3d6	
  points	of	bludgeoning	damage.	Creatures	struck	by	this	
  disorienting	attack	must	also	succeed	at	a	DC	16	Reflex	
  save	or	be	unable	to	make	attacks	of	opportunity	for	one	
  round.	Whether	or	not	the	target	succeeds	at	this	saving	
  throw,	the	nualidu	can	ride	this	cascade	of	water	forward,	
  immediately	appearing	in	the	nearest	unoccupied	square	
  adjacent	to	the	target,	as	if	using	dimension door.
  Drench	(Ex)	The	nualidu’s	touch	puts	out	Large	or	smaller	
  nonmagical	flames.	The	outsider	can	dispel	magical	fire	
  they	touch	as per dispel magic (caster	level	is	equal	to	
  the	nualidu’s	Hit	Dice).
  	
  Though among the most capricious and mercurial 
  of azatas, nualidus are strongly protective of natural 
  waterways across the multiverse. They despise polluters 
  and those who use water to cause pain and suffering, 
  such as the captains of slave ships. This attitude remains 
  constant, despite nualidus’ tendency to make and break 
  relationships with others in moments.
  These azatas are constantly on the move, rarely staying 
  in one place for very long. Their persistent need to travel 
  makes it difficult for nualidus to complete any but the 
  simplest of tasks in an amount of time most mortals 
  would find acceptable, but nualidus have long memories. 
  An individual nualidu might return to a location hundreds 
  of years later to finish a job they started, even if everyone 
  else involved long ago forgot or died of old age. Nualidus 
  also act similarly in combat, flowing between opponents 
  and across the terrain, only to flee if they become bored. 
  They rely heavily on their natural powers and spell-like 
  abilities to shove foes around the battlefield. 
  Nualidus are made recognizable by the elemental water 
  making up much of their lithe, sylvan forms, which draw 
  down into long, serpentine tails. This water constantly 
  churns; no matter what kind of surface a nualidu travels 
  across, their waters remain clean and fresh. A nualidu’s 
  hair color ranges from the sparkling blue of tropical 
  waters to seafoam green, and matches that of their 
  twinkling eyes. A typical nualidu stands a little over 5 feet 
  tall and is quite slender, weighing only 130 pounds. 
  ecology
  Nualidus form from the souls of virtuous members of 
  aquatic races, or else from the souls of moral people who 
  spent the majority of their lives near or on water, such as 
  kind dockworkers, sailors, and lighthouse keepers. Little 
  remains of their mortal traits or memories upon their 
  creation, aside from hazy memories of sunsets upon the 
  waves and familiar ports of call, which nualidus might 
  spend the entirety of their immortal existences trying to 
  locate. Their bodies are clear and cool upon creation, but 
  darken considerably with age, until their roiling forms 
  resemble the blackest oceanic trenches. 
  Nualidus generally spring from the waters of Elysium, 
  in the strongest concentrations of chaotic influence, and 
  it is no coincidence they are extremely capricious and 
  impermanent. From their personalities to their long 
  tails, the aquatic outsiders resemble proteans as much 
  as they do their fellow celestials, and whispers up and 
  down the planes claim that they are the children of some 
  ancient god’s dalliance with a protean lord. Proteans are 
  widely varied in their relations to the curious azatas, with 
  82
  
  many considering nualidus distant kin while others see 
  them as a mockery of proteans’ ideally chaotic forms. 
  habITaT and SocIeTy
  When not on Elysium, nualidus travel natural waterways 
  and oceans, experiencing the extremes of the natural 
  world. They tolerate manufactured canals to a much 
  lesser extent, as such courses are often polluted by 
  the mortals who created them. If the source of the 
  contamination seems readily apparent, a nualidu usually 
  attempts to rectify the problem regardless of locals’ needs 
  or wishes. In most cases, though, the issue is endemic of 
  civilization, and no nualidu can stand to remain in one 
  place long enough to change an entire society.
  A nualidu has no permanent place of residence and 
  generally eschews shelter, preferring to rest under the 
  stars on beaches or in underwater caves. Despite their 
  mercurial and transient nature, these celestials are 
  very community-oriented, forming small pods of 
  like-minded individuals who travel together to 
  pursue a common interest or goal. Nualidu 
  pods fluctuate constantly as members find 
  other interests or new members join, but when 
  together, pods are as protective as any human 
  family. To threaten or insult one nualidu in a 
  group is to threaten or insult the entire pod.
  More so than other azatas, nualidus relish 
  courtly titles, and often invent grandiose new 
  ones, accumulating a long list of honorifics 
  as time passes. Most eventually grow 
  bored with titles they’re accrued and 
  shed them without a second thought, 
  only to collect new ones during their next 
  journeys. The more bombastic and flamboyant a title, 
  the longer it holds a nualidu’s interest and remains part 
  of their name. While their epithets tend to reference 
  their exploits and triumphs, nualidus are no strangers 
  to exaggeration. Some particularly pretentious titles 
  include “the Marquis of a Thousand Waves,” “the Exalted 
  Maharajah of the Unstoppable Current,” “the Jubilant 
  Savior of the Laughing Stream,” and “the Grand Caliph of 
  Inundations, Bane of Droughts.” A nualidu’s titles might 
  be both masculine and feminine, as their attitudes 
  toward gender are as fluid as their personalities.
  Nualidus despise anything they see as 
  a perversion of their treasured water, 
  especially human drinks such as coffee, 
  tea, and alcohol. They look down on all 
  who drink such abominations, considering 
  them classless at best, and directly insulting 
  at worst. Depending on the nualidu’s mood, 
  the outsider might either politely refuse such an 
  offered libation or launch into a screed demonizing the 
  substance and all the harm it has caused mortalkind. A 
  particularly incensed nualidu may even go so far as to 
  seek out the nearest brewery or winery and destroy it. 
  This attitude rarely extends to naturally derived fluids, 
  such as fruit juices and plant nectar.
  callIng a nualIdu
  A nualidu can be called with lesser planar ally, although 
  it is very difficult to call the same nualidu more than 
  once. The azatas prefer tasks that contribute in some 
  way to the protection or cleaning of a body of water, 
  and generally accept payment with gems or valuable 
  stones that have been eroded by flowing water into 
  unique and organic shapes. They also demand at least 
  a token amount of respect from their callers, and most 
  nualidus require their callers to treat them politely and 
  to memorize, if not directly use, at least a handful of 
  their myriad titles.
  83
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  BAGMAN
  This pale, pudgy humanoid is clad in a greasy traveling cloak 
  and a wide-brimmed hat. A bloodstained burlap sack hangs 
  over its shoulder.
  BAGMAN		
  	
  CR	4XP	1,200
  NE	Medium	fey	
  Init	+2;	Senses	find	children,	low-light	vision;	Perception	+11
  DEFENSE
  AC	17,	touch	12,	flat-footed	15	(+2	Dex,	+5	natural)
  hp	45	(7d6+21)
  Fort	+5,	Ref	+7,	Will	+6
  DR	5/cold	iron
  OFFENSE
  Speed	40	ft.
  Melee	2	claws	+8	(1d4+4	plus	grab)	or
  handaxe	+7	(1d6+6/×3)
  Special	Attacks	bag	prey
  STATISTICS
  Str	19,	Dex	14,	Con	16,	Int	15,	Wis	12,	Cha	17
  Base	Atk	+3;	CMB	+7	(+9	bull	rush,	+11	grapple);	CMD	19	
  (21	vs.	bull	rush)
  Feats	Improved	Bull	Rush,	Power	Attack,	Step	Up,	Weapon	
  Focus	(claw)
  Skills	Acrobatics	+5,	Bluff	+13,	Craft	(alchemy)	+12,	
  Disguise	+13	(+17	to	appear	human),	Knowledge	
  (local)	+12,	Knowledge	(nature)	+12,	Perception	+11,	
  Spellcraft	+9,	Use	Magic	Device	+13;	Racial	Modifiers	
  +4	Disguise	to	appear	human
  Languages	Common,	Sylvan
  SQ	fat	extractor
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	any	urban
  Organization	solitary,	pair,	or	gang	(3–5)
  Treasure	standard	(potion of infernal healingISWG, potion of 
  youthful appearanceUM,	cauldron,	flint	and	steel,	sack,	
  sewing	needle,	other	treasure)
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Bag	Prey	(Su)	If	a	bagman	begins	its	turn	with	a	creature	
  grappled	in	its	claws,	as	long	as	the	creature	is	size	Small	
  or	smaller,	it	can	stuff	the	target	into	its	sack	as	a	swift	
  action	that	does	not	provoke	attacks	of	opportunity.	A	
  bagman	can	stuff	a	grappled	Medium	creature	in	the	sack,	
  but	doing	so	is	a	standard	action	that	provokes	attacks	of	
  opportunity.	A	creature	in	the	sack	can	try	to	cut	its	way	
  free	with	any	light	slashing	or	piercing	weapon.	The	sack	
  has	AC	12	and	15	hit	points.	If	a	creature	cuts	its	way	out	of	
  the	sack	or	the	sack	is	damaged	enough	to	allow	a	victim	
  to	escape,	the	bagman	cannot	use	the	sack	to	bag	prey	
  again	until	it	has	spent	1	hour	mending	it.	
  The	sack	has	other	special	qualities	while	in	the	
  bagman’s	possession.	The	weight	of	creatures	in	the	sack	
  do	not	count	against	the	bagman’s	carrying	capacity,	
  and	the	bagman	can	fit	up	to	two	Small	creatures	or	
  one	Medium	creature	in	the	sack	at	a	time.	If	used	by	
  any	creature	other	than	the	bagman	that	owns	it,	this	
  container	functions	as	a	mundane	sack.	If	a	bagman’s	
  sack	is	lost	or	destroyed,	it	can	craft	a	new	sack	with	
  proper	materials	and	a	week	of	work.
  Fat	Extractor	(Su)	A	bagman	can	use	the	fat	of	intelligent	
  humanoid	creatures	to	create	potions of infernal healing 
  and	potions of youthful appearance	as	if	it	had	the	Brew	
  Potion	feat.	These	potions	are	created	at	caster	level	3rd,	
  and	the	fat	from	one	humanoid	creature	of	any	size	is	
  enough	to	make	a	single	potion.	Creating	each	potion	
  takes	2	hours,	and	requires	the	bagman	to	flense	the	
  fat	from	its	victims’	flesh	with	its	claws,	place	the	fat	in	
  a	cauldron	over	an	open	fire,	and	mix	it	with	whatever	
  free	ingredients	are	at	hand.	Unlike	brewing	a	potion	
  normally,	creating	these	potions	has	no	cost.	A	bagman	
  can	carry	only	four	potions	created	in	this	way	at	a	time,	
  even	if	another	bagman	made	them,	but	it	can	sell	or	
  give	away	an	unlimited	number	of	potions.	Knowingly	
  consuming	one	of	these	potions	is	an	evil	act.	
  Find	Children	(Ex)	A	bagman	has	the	scent	ability,	but	only	
  with	respect	to	humanoid	children.	Thus,	it	could	sniff	out	
  a	human	child’s	hiding	place,	but	not	the	child’s	parents.	
  Some monsters feed on humans, while others torture 
  humans for their own sadistic pleasure, but few creatures 
  go to such perverse lengths as to murder humans and 
  then sell the processed remains back to their victims’ 
  unwitting families. Bagmen are such monsters—
  degenerate fey creatures who specialize in kidnapping 
  humanoid victims and harvesting their fat to produce 
  potions. Bagmen disguise themselves as traveling 
  peddlers and apothecaries, often selling the products of 
  their depredations to the very communities from which 
  they steal their victims. An average bagman stands 5-1/2 
  feet tall and weighs close to 300 pounds. 
  ecology
  Bagmen are nomadic creatures, traveling from town to 
  town to peddle their disgusting wares. They prefer to 
  travel by lesser-used roads, or even through stretches 
  of wilderness, the better to happen upon lone travelers. 
  Bagmen are opportunistic hunters, and rarely bother 
  to set up ambushes or execute convoluted plans. If one 
  happens upon an individual it thinks it can kidnap 
  without repercussions—especially if that individual 
  is sleeping or otherwise unable to properly defend 
  himself—it simply snatches that person up and adjourns 
  to a more private location to kill the person and harvest 
  his fat. 
  Children are an exception to this rule. Bagmen greatly 
  value the fat of children, and employ a variety of tricks 
  and threats to lure children away from the safety of their 
  homes and families. When a group of children is traveling 
  with just one or two adults, bagmen delight in attacking 
  the group and bull rushing the weakest children away 
  84
  
  from their protectors; once the children have scattered, 
  the bagmen find it much easier to snatch them and 
  abscond with them to their lairs. Despite being far 
  stronger and tougher than the average human, bagmen 
  are quite cowardly. They eschew fighting with armed 
  creatures, and hesitate to attack when outnumbered 
  by combatants. 
  Many claim that bagmen consume the fat they harvest 
  from their victims for sustenance, and in many cultures 
  the name for bagmen directly translates to “fat-eater” or 
  “fat-stealer.” However, this accusation is largely false, and 
  is most likely based on bagmen’s waxen flesh and greasy 
  complexions. In truth, fat is the one part of a creature a 
  bagman almost never eats, having far greater use for it as 
  an ingredient in horrifying potions it lures unsuspecting 
  customers to imbibe. The rest—muscles, bones, organs, 
  and all—the bagman consumes with unnatural rapidity 
  in order to dispose of any evidence of its crime.
  It is unclear whether bagmen are capable of 
  reproduction, or even how new bagmen come into being 
  in the first place. Some scholars suggest that bagmen are 
  the result of unnatural unions among fey, or between 
  fey and a variety of evil outsiders. A few believe that new 
  bagmen arise when evil energies permeate a bagman’s 
  cache of humanoid fat that hasn’t already been turned 
  into potions. Others claim that bagmen spontaneously 
  manifest as a representation of the society’s willingness 
  to consume itself, such as when the rich and powerful 
  profit at the expense of the poor and meek. 
  habITaT and SocIeTy
  Bagmen are adept at disguising themselves as humans, 
  and they use this ability to spend prolonged periods of 
  time in human settlements. Here, they sell the potions 
  they’ve produced using the fat of their victims. The gold 
  they earn from these sales is less important to bagmen 
  than the perverse pleasure they gain from revealing the 
  nature of their wares to their horrified customers. Of 
  course, customers’ disgust is usually short lived; those 
  who discover a bagman’s terrible secret are usually the 
  next ones into its bag. Bagmen who worry that their 
  secret has spread throughout a populace, or that the 
  public is suspicious of their activities, usually flee the 
  area immediately. This has led to more than a few 
  hastily abandoned merchant stalls, leaving 
  the requisite authorities to eventually 
  discover, to their horror, the true nature 
  of the strange being who was once living and 
  committing terrible crimes in their midst. 
  While bagmen primarily delight in 
  horrifying customers, they don’t scorn the 
  profits they garner. Indeed, bagmen are 
  profligate spenders, and exploit their ability 
  to pass for human to partake in all the pleasures of the 
  flesh available in human cities. Bagmen’s proclivity for 
  gluttony often brings them into contact with cultists of 
  Urgathoa, and alliances between bagmen and Urgathoans 
  can be particularly fruitful. Bagmen provide potions and 
  scouting services to Urgathoans at a steep discount, and 
  in return they get to join the cultists in their dark feasts 
  and rituals. 
  Associating with Urgathoans has other benefits for 
  bagmen, as well. Those who are afflicted by plagues 
  sometimes make pleas to the Pallid Princess, and 
  bagmen are happy to answer those prayers, albeit for 
  a price. Bagmen relish this chance to offer potions of 
  infernal healingISWG or potions of youthful appearanceUM as 
  false cures; many potential victims see through the ruse 
  immediately, but some of the most desperate fall for the 
  bagmen’s lies. The unluckiest ones are even willing to 
  give in to the bagmen’s demands, which may go so far as 
  to include the lives of the afflicted person’s loved ones or 
  children, taken by the person’s own hands at the bagman’s 
  urging. Other times, bagmen simply request information 
  about their customers’ families, and eventually use that 
  information to terrible effect. 
  85
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  LYTHIRIUM
  This wolflike creature’s body is composed of thick vines, fine 
  vegetation that almost resembles fur, and enormous thorns. 
  Its eyes shine with a green glow, and prickly vines cover the 
  immense, antlerlike growths on its head.
  LYTHIRIUM	
  CR	11
  XP	12,800
  NG	Large	plant	
  Init	+4;	Senses	darkvision	60	ft.,	low-light	vision,	scent;	
  Perception	+22
  DEFENSE
  AC	26,	touch	14,	flat-footed	21	(+4	Dex,	+1	dodge,	+12	natural,	
  –1	size)
  hp	136	(16d8+64)
  Fort	+14,	Ref	+11,	Will	+8
  Immune	plant	traits;	Resist	cold	10
  Weaknesses	vulnerable	to	fire
  OFFENSE
  Speed	40	ft.
  Melee	gore	+21	(2d8+9	plus	rampant	growth),	bite	+21	
  (2d8+9)
  Space	10	ft.;	Reach	10	ft.
  Special	Attacks	powerful	charge	(gore,	4d8+13),	rampant	
  growth
  Spell-Like	Abilities	(CL	13th;	concentration	+15)
  Constant—speak with plants
  At	will—detect evil
  3/day—command plants	(DC	16)
  1/day—tree stride, wall of thorns
  STATISTICS
  Str	28,	Dex	19,	Con	18,	Int	12,	Wis	17,	Cha	15
  Base	Atk	+12;	CMB	+22;	CMD	37
  Feats	Combat	Reflexes,	Dodge,	Lightning	Reflexes,	Mobility,	
  Power	Attack,	Spring	Attack,	Weapon	Focus	(bite),	
  Weapon	Focus	(gore)	
  Skills	Acrobatics	+8	(+12	when	jumping),	Diplomacy	+10,	
  Intimidate	+10,	Knowledge	(nature)	+5,	Perception	+22,	
  Sense	Motive	+7,	Stealth	+5,	Survival	+5;	Racial	Modifiers	
  +4	Acrobatics	when	jumping
  Languages	Common,	Sylvan
  SQ	thorny	body,	verdant	glide
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	cold	or	temperate	forests
  Organization	solitary,	pair,	or	pack
  Treasure	standard
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Rampant	Growth	(Ex)	A	lythirium’s	antlers	teem	with	
  constantly	growing	thorny	vines	that	can	entangle	
  creatures	and	make	them	bleed.	When	a	lythirium	hits	a	
  creature	with	its	gore	attack,	that	creature	is	entangled	
  for	1d4	rounds	and	takes	1d6	points	of	bleed	damage.	
  A	successful	DC	22	Reflex	saving	throw	negates	the	
  entangled	condition	and	reduces	the	bleed	damage	to	
  1d3	points.	The	save	is	Constitution-based.
  Thorny	Body	(Ex)	A	creature	that	strikes	a	lythirium	with	
  a	natural	weapon	or	an	unarmed	strike	takes	2d8	points	
  of	piercing	damage	and	is	exposed	to	the	lythirium’s	
  rampant	growth.	A	creature	that	successfully	grapples	a	
  lythirium	takes	2d8	points	of	damage	and	is	exposed	to	
  its	rampant	growth	at	the	start	of	the	grapple	each	round	
  it	maintains	the	grapple.
  Verdant	Glide	(Ex)	A	lythirium	can	move	through	any	
  sort	of	undergrowth	(such	as	natural	thorns,	briars,	
  overgrown	areas,	and	similar	terrain)	at	its	normal	
  speed	and	without	taking	damage	or	suffering	any	
  other	impairment.	It	ignores	any	magically	manipulated	
  overgrowth	with	thorns,	briars,	or	other	natural	growth	
  that	would	normally	impede	its	motion.
  Savage hunters of those who would harm their habitats, 
  lythiriums prowl Golarion’s densest forests, seeking to 
  protect the wild, untouched natural growth they hold 
  sacred. While they have lived on the Material Plane 
  for millennia, lythiriums are actually descended from 
  primordial beasts native to the First World—creatures 
  that fused plant and animal so seamlessly they seemed 
  both and neither simultaneously. Peering out of 
  seedpod eyes that radiate a soft green glow, lythiriums 
  have exceptionally keen senses; they are not shy about 
  preserving their forests, and they deliver their warnings 
  in rasping voices reminiscent of leaves blowing across 
  the earth.
  At its haunches, a lythirium measures 6 feet in height, 
  with thorns, vines, and flowering blossoms inching ever 
  higher. Its massive body is a matrix of vines, roots, and 
  fine, furry moss and lichens. Immense branches shape 
  its powerful chest and limbs. From thorny head to tail, a 
  lythirium measures 9 feet in length; it can weigh as much 
  as 900 pounds.
  ecology
  Scholars believe the first lythiriums wandered onto 
  Golarion through a breach to the First World in the 
  nation now known as Kyonin or through a long-healed 
  breach in the Barrowood or Whisperwood in what 
  is now Cheliax (though the latter is considered less 
  likely). Lythiriums’ First World progenitors are believed 
  to have been even more massive than the beasts that 
  exist today. Most posit that they had even stranger 
  physical qualities than do Golarion’s lythiriums, such 
  as the ability to infuse victims of their gore attacks 
  with various poisons or diseases. The folktales that 
  tell of such creatures in the First World are ancient 
  and contradictory indeed, but one detail never wavers: 
  these creatures were always said to take the forms of 
  antler-bearing wolves, and to have senses appropriate to 
  such pack hunters, despite having features of both elks 
  and plants. These tales have died out among modern 
  peoples, though, leading scholars to believe that—for 
  86
  
  whatever reason—lythiriums native to the First World 
  no longer  exist. However, the creatures’ descendants 
  live on in the densest forests of Golarion, patrolling 
  their territories and acting as friends and allies to those 
  who share their goals of keeping forests safe. 
  Perhaps owing to their odd origins on the First 
  World, lythiriums have a strange physiology. Foliage 
  and reedy roots intertwine to form the creatures’ shape 
  and size, and their central roots pump greenish, saplike 
  fluid throughout their bodies. The small seedpods that 
  constitute a lythirium’s eyes are opaque, fluid-filled sacs 
  that emit a greenish glow. These give the creatures sharp 
  vision, even in the dimmest light. In extreme darkness, 
  the pod-eyes extend outward from the sockets like 
  antennae, and sense subtle vibrations in the air. This 
  allows lythiriums to see even in total darkness.
  Lythiriums survive by absorbing 
  sunlight 
  through 
  their 
  leaves 
  and by scavenging the meat 
  of animals that died naturally. 
  However, despite their canine 
  appearances, lythiriums don’t hunt 
  creatures for food, and kill only if they 
  are attacked first.
  habITaT and SocIeTy
  Considering their immense size, 
  lythiriums are able to move swiftly 
  through 
  the underbrush and 
  foliage of the forested regions 
  they inhabit. Though their native 
  habitats are full of thick, dense 
  forest that would impede the 
  movement of any other beast of 
  a similarly bulky size, lythiriums’ 
  unique ability to pass through 
  plants unhindered enables them 
  to continue their unyielding hunts 
  against those who would harm their 
  homes. It also ensures that they can 
  use their own nature-manipulating 
  abilities without being negatively 
  affected themselves.
  When the season changes and 
  temperatures drop, lythiriums’ colors 
  deepen to fiery red, burnt orange, 
  and plum. Their leaves begin to 
  fall as winter approaches, and lone 
  lythiriums seek out caves or other 
  sheltered places in which to 
  hibernate during the winter, 
  when they go dormant. 
  Perhaps 
  driven 
  by 
  instincts 
  their 
  kind 
  developed on the First 
  World, lythiriums often seek out wolf companions 
  and sometimes even attempt to supplant an entire 
  pack’s hierarchy. Despite their peaceful nature, though, 
  lythiriums are shunned by most wolf packs because of 
  their disturbing appearance and pungent scent of earth 
  and vegetation, which wolves tend to find both strange 
  and unappealing.
  Lythiriums are rare and seldom encounter others of 
  their kind. When chance meetings occur, lythiriums 
  bond quickly. Although they seek to dominate the few 
  wolf packs that accept them, lythiriums are remarkably 
  egalitarian when living among their own. They have a 
  complex communication system ranging from barks 
  and whines to growls and howls, all tinged with the 
  sound of rustling leaves. 
  While in its territory, a lythirium assists good-aligned 
  adventurers and creatures against evil foes when it sees 
  such fights break out. If adventurers 
  approach a lythirium 
  respectfully with news 
  of threats against its 
  territory, the creature 
  does 
  whatever 
  is 
  necessary to help end 
  the menace. Lythiriums’ 
  intelligence and protective nature 
  make them useful confederates for good fey 
  creatures, though they also usually consider elves 
  and gnomes to be natural allies. 
  Though the dense terrain in which lythiriums 
  live is enough to keep most intruders away, 
  they constantly patrol their surroundings. A 
  lythirium’s vigilance grows if virtuous folk 
  make their homes within its territory. 
  Many 
  communities 
  of 
  forest-
  dwelling elves refer to lythiriums 
  as 
  vinewolves 
  and 
  usually 
  welcome their presence when 
  settling a new region, going 
  as far as to hollow out dead, 
  massive trees in the hope that 
  lythiriums 
  might 
  hibernate 
  nearby and protect them.
  87
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  MEDERACH
  This towering spider has multifaceted, shining eyes, eight legs 
  that are each tipped with silver, and massive mandibles.
  MEDERACH	
  CR	9
  XP	6,400
  CG	Large	outsider	(chaotic,	extraplanar,	good)
  Init	+0;	Senses	darkvision	60	ft.,	detect evil;	Perception	+22
  DEFENSE
  AC	23,	touch	9,	flat-footed	23	(+14	natural,	–1	size)
  hp	114	(12d10+48)
  Fort	+12,	Ref	+6,	Will	+11
  DR	10/evil;	SR	20
  OFFENSE
  Speed	40	ft.,	climb	20	ft.
  Melee	bite	+17	(1d8+5	plus	poison),	2	claws	+16	(1d6+5)
  Space	10	ft.;	Reach	10	ft.
  Special	Attacks	poison,	web	(+11	ranged,	DC	20,	12	hp)
  Spell-Like	Abilities	(CL	12th;	concentration	+16)
  Constant—detect evil
  At	will—plane shift	(self	only)
  3/day—calm emotions	(DC	16), glitterdust	(DC	16)
  1/day—break enchantment	(DC	18),	hold monster	(DC	18)
  STATISTICS
  Str	21,	Dex	10,	Con	18,	Int	13,	Wis	16,	Cha	19
  Base	Atk	+12;	CMB	+18;	CMD	28
  Feats	Alertness,	Cleave,	Great	Cleave,	Lightning	Reflexes,	
  Power	Attack,	Weapon	Focus	(bite)
  Skills	Acrobatics	+15	(+19	when	jumping),	Climb	+28,	
  Diplomacy	+19,	Heal	+12,	Intimidate	+10,	Knowledge	
  (planes)	+10,	Perception	+22,	Sense	Motive	+22,	
  Stealth	+5
  Languages	Celestial,	Common,	Infernal
  SQ	change	shape	(Medium	or	Large	animal	only;	beast 
  shape II),	peaceful	intent,	silver	claws
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	any	(Elysium)
  Organization	solitary,	pair,	or	team	(3–6)
  Treasure	standard
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Peaceful	Intent	(Su)	A	mederach	seeks	peaceful	and	
  nonviolent	solutions	to	confrontation	unless	facing	
  mindless	undead	or	evil	arachnids.	For	all	other	
  creatures,	the	DC	of	saving	throws	attempted	against	
  a	mederach’s	calm emotions	and	sanctuary spell-like	
  abilities	increases	by	2	(this	increase	is	not	included	in	
  the	DCs	listed	above).	A	mederach	can	use	its	claws	to	
  deal	nonlethal	damage	without	taking	a	penalty	on	its	
  attack	rolls.
  Poison	(Ex)	Bite—injury; save	Fort	DC	20;	frequency 
  1/round	for	6	rounds;	effect	daze;	cure	1	save.	The	save	
  DC	is	Constitution-based.
  Silver	Claws	(Ex)	Because	of	the	coating	on	them,	a	
  mederach’s	claws	count	as	both	silver	and	good	for	
  purposes	of	overcoming	damage	reduction.
  Natives of Elysium, mederachs are the kind and good 
  counterparts to the bebiliths that lurk in the Abyss and 
  prey upon demonic flesh. Mederachs once spent all 
  of their time on their home plane, serving as healers 
  and teachers to the azatas, angels, titans, and others 
  creatures alongside which they lived; among themselves, 
  mederachs delighted in discussing the nuances of the 
  honest virtues they held in such high esteem, including 
  kindness, charity, and mercy. 
  As societies formed on the Material Plane, mederachs 
  heard tales of mortals’ changeable morality with 
  interest and concern. Mortals, they came to believe, 
  have souls that are inherently good, but that are also 
  easily corrupted when exposed to prolonged suffering 
  or extraplanar evil forces. During the Age of Darkness, 
  mederachs heard of the various misfortunes and 
  evils that had descended upon the lands of Golarion, 
  including the falling of the Starstone, the collapse of 
  major empires, and the rampages of the nascent demon 
  lord Treerazer. Believing that these events would 
  imperil the souls of all the world’s mortals, mederachs 
  began experimenting with plane-shifting; once they 
  honed this ability, they began making regular forays 
  to Golarion to aid good creatures in the fight against 
  overwhelming evil. Now, in addition to embarking on 
  these missions, mederachs also sometimes travel to the 
  source of such evil plots—often the Abyss—and work 
  on mortals’ behalf there. However, no matter where 
  their journeys take them, mederachs always keep in 
  mind their belief that most evil can be redeemed, and 
  so they seek to subdue their enemies and turn them 
  toward good whenever possible instead of destroying 
  them outright.
  Mederachs are typically 10 feet tall and weigh about 
  2,000 pounds.
  ecology
  On Elysium, mederachs still occasionally serve as 
  teachers and mentors for their native neighbors. In 
  recent millennia, however, they’ve spent their time at 
  home honing their hunting skills, for their experiences 
  working with virtuous partners on the Material 
  Plane has taught them they must be skilled hunters 
  and combatants if they wish to effectively fight evil. 
  They find plenty of creatures on Elysium willing to 
  participate as the prey in mock hunts. Mederachs rarely 
  remain in Elysium for extended periods, preferring to 
  put their skills to use on the Material Plane or even in 
  the Abyss once they feel comfortable doing so.
  To their credit, mederachs use peaceful methods to 
  subdue their targets whenever they can. However, they 
  have an instinctive, burning hatred for evil arachnid 
  creatures, reserving the greatest enmity for bebiliths, 
  whose malevolence mederachs believe is a mockery of 
  the good they themselves try so ardently to accomplish. 
  88
  
  They also have no qualms about destroying unintelligent 
  evil creatures, especially mindless undead, reasoning 
  that these monsters serve as mere shells for the forces 
  of evil and deserve no quarter.
  Mederachs hunt like typical web-spinning spiders, 
  leaving a nigh-invisible web in the path of potential 
  targets. They often elect to deal nonlethal damage to foes 
  they think they can reach through dialog. During combat 
  with such foes, they relate grand tales of supposedly 
  irredeemable tyrants who saw the error of their ways and 
  became benign rulers.
  Mederachs acquired the ability to change their 
  appearance, which they use when they travel among 
  those who might fear their true forms, or who might 
  mistake them for evil bebiliths. Although they can 
  change shape into many types of animals, they tend to 
  choose familiar forms, such as horses with golden manes 
  or riding dogs with golden coats. Their arachnid nature 
  subtly manifests while they’re in alternate forms, usually 
  represented by eight toes on each paw, or scarlet dots on 
  their heads representing extra eyes.
  habITaT and SocIeTy
  Around others of their kind, mederachs are especially 
  conversational and friendly; a convening of mederachs 
  is often a talkative and somewhat disorderly, if polite, 
  affair. They enjoy relating tales of their journeys to 
  other planes and of creatures they have turned from 
  evil or, regrettably, destroyed. Mederachs also enjoy 
  discussing intricate web patterns based on designs they 
  have witnessed in the stars or on other planes. They 
  establish no formal hierarchy among themselves and 
  regard each other as equals.
  Mederachs’ egalitarianism extends to their fellow 
  good-aligned outsiders. Of course, they have their 
  own biases and preferences regarding such 
  creatures. They view many lawful good 
  outsiders, especially archons, as too rigid in 
  their pursuit of righteousness. Archons, 
  on the other hand, view mederachs 
  as powerful but overly idealistic 
  and optimistic fighters. The lawful 
  good celestials still seek alliances 
  with mederachs, however, when 
  doing so would benefit their plans. 
  Mederachs are usually open to such 
  offers, but these collaborations tend 
  to dissolve quickly once the creatures 
  achieve their mutual goal.
  Mederachs find many neutral good outsiders to 
  be eminently helpful when the need arises; in their 
  own pursuit of good, agathions in particular are 
  open to assisting mederachs with nonviolent plans. 
  When agathions embark on ambassadorial missions 
  to other planes, mederachs often accompany them, 
  both to further their own schemes and to cement the 
  friendships they often have with their allies. Mederachs 
  also frequently work with angels, although when they 
  do, it usually involves the angels intimidating the 
  powerful evil creatures mederachs hope to turn to 
  good. Of course, their angel allies tend to have their 
  own inscrutable aims in mind when they go along with 
  mederachs’ plans, which can sometimes lead to minor 
  discord between the celestials. 
  Of all the other good outsiders, mederachs have the 
  most in common with azatas, who are also natives of 
  Elysium. While azatas can be aimless in their pursuit 
  of championing good wherever they tread, mederachs 
  are more focused architects of such plans, and so the 
  two make excellent partners in many situations. In 
  such relationships, the strong-willed azatas may insist 
  on taking the lead when carrying out plans or suddenly 
  change their minds about the best ways to achieve the 
  partnership’s collective goals. Yet they are surprisingly 
  willing to admit their errors in judgment or personality 
  flaws, leading to friendships and partnerships that rarely 
  truly sour despite minor setbacks. Beyond threatening 
  one of their own, the best way to truly rile mederachs is 
  to harm their azata companions.
  89
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  WALDGEIST
  An expression of intense malevolence crosses the face of this 
  small, insubstantial spirit, which looks unsettlingly like that of 
  a gnome.
  WALDGEIST	
  CR	8
  XP	4,800
  NE	Small	undead	(incorporeal)
  Init	+9;	Senses	darkvision	60	ft.,	greensight	60	ft.;	
  Perception	+19
  DEFENSE
  AC	21,	touch	21,	flat-footed	16	(+5	deflection,	+5	Dex,	+1	size)
  hp	104	(11d8+55)
  Fort	+8,	Ref	+8,	Will	+10
  Defensive	Abilities	incorporeal;	Immune	undead	traits;	
  SR	19
  Weaknesses	compelling	knock,	nature	dependent
  OFFENSE
  Speed	30	ft.
  Melee	incorporeal	touch	+15	(6d8	negative	energy	plus	lignify)
  Spell-Like	Abilities	(CL	8th;	concentration	+13)
  3/day—entangle (DC	16)
  1/day—plant growth
  STATISTICS
  Str	—,	Dex	20,	Con	—,	Int	13,	Wis	13,	Cha	21
  Base	Atk	+8;	CMB	+12;	CMD	27
  Feats	Alertness,	Combat	Reflexes,	Flyby	Attack,	Improved	
  Initiative,	Iron	Will,	Weapon	Focus	(touch)
  Skills	Fly	+21,	Intimidate	+19,	Knowledge	(nature)	+12,	
  Perception	+19,	Sense	Motive	+12,	Stealth	+17
  Languages	Common,	Gnome,	Sylvan
  SQ	possess	tree
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	any	forests
  Organization	solitary
  Treasure	standard
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Compelling	Knock	(Su)	A	waldgeist	is	preternaturally	
  drawn	to	the	sound	of	knocking	on	wood.	If	a	waldgeist	
  is	within	15	feet	of	a	creature	that	knocks	on	a	wooden	
  object	(for	example,	a	tree	or	an	item	primarily	made	of	
  wood,	such	as	a	wooden	shield),	it	must	succeed	at	a	DC	
  20	Will	saving	throw	or	it	is	compelled	to	move	toward	
  the	creature	for	as	long	as	the	knocking	persists.	While	
  the	waldgeist	is	moving	toward	the	knocking	creature,	
  each	time	the	waldgeist	is	attacked	or	is	the	target	of	a	
  harmful	effect,	it	receives	a	new	saving	throw.	Once	it	is	
  adjacent	to	the	knocking	creature,	the	waldgeist	can	act	
  freely.	Whether	it	succeeds	at	or	fails	its	initial	Will	saving	
  throw,	a	waldgeist	is	immune	to	that	creature’s	knocking	
  for	24	hours.	Knocking	on	wood	can	draw	a	waldgeist	out	
  of	a	possessed	tree,	but	not	more	than	50	feet	from	the	
  edge	of	a	forest	or	other	large,	wooded	area.
  Lignify	(Su)	When	a	waldgeist	deals	damage	to	a	living	
  non-plant	creature	with	its	incorporeal	touch,	it	also	deals	
  1d4	points	of	Dexterity	damage	as	it	begins	to	transform	
  the	target	to	wood.	A	creature	reduced	to	0	Dexterity	in	
  this	way	is	permanently	transformed	into	a	nonmagical	
  tree,	as	per	the	flesh to stone	spell,	but	the	wooden	
  creature	has	hardness	5	and	vulnerability	to	fire.	In	
  addition	to	stone to flesh,	a	restoration	spell	can	reverse	
  this	effect.
  Nature	Dependent	(Su)	A	waldgeist	cannot	travel	more	
  than	50	feet	from	the	edge	of	a	forest	or	other	large,	
  wooded	area.	A	waldgeist	that	is	forced	outside	of	this	
  boundary	is	instantly	destroyed.	A	waldgeist	receives	a	
  +4	racial	bonus	on	saving	throws	to	resist	teleportation	or	
  other	effects	that	would	force	it	outside	of	its	forest.	
  Possess	Tree	(Su)	Once	per	minute	as	a	standard	action,	
  a	waldgeist	can	possess	a	Large	or	smaller	nonmagical	
  tree	and	animate	it	as	if	using	animate objects,	except	
  the	waldgeist	merges	with	and	controls	the	tree.	The	
  waldgeist	cannot	speak,	move,	or	use	its	own	attacks	or	
  special	abilities	while	possessing	the	tree.	When	the	tree	
  is	destroyed,	or	when	the	waldgeist	ends	the	possession	
  as	a	free	action	that	provokes	attacks	of	opportunity,	the	
  waldgeist	appears	in	a	square	of	its	choice	adjacent	to	
  the	tree.	(See	page	91	for	an	example	of	a	tree	animated	
  in	this	way.)
  A waldgeist arises when a gnome who was a woodlands 
  dweller or who had a deep spiritual connection with such 
  an area dies while in a large forest. The gnome’s spirit 
  is twisted and bound to the trees, infused with hatred 
  of living intruders and a need to protect the area that 
  sustains it. A waldgeist appears as a translucent gnome-
  like figure surrounded by a faint, green glow, its facial 
  features full of anger and malice.
  Waldgeists become incredibly violent when faced with 
  creatures that intrude upon their homes or that they see 
  as threats. In combat, waldgeists attack using the forest 
  itself, entwining despoilers’ legs with roots and vines, 
  and animating nearby trees to smash intruders with 
  thick branches. A waldgeist is typically 3-1/2 feet tall.
  ecology
  Gnomes who exult in woodland life are often just as 
  fascinated with new and exciting experiences within their 
  demesnes as others of their kind. Unfortunately, given 
  the dangers inherent in many primeval forests, such an 
  outlook can be dangerous. When a woodland gnome’s 
  fanciful tree-climbing expeditions or unprepared 
  sylvan explorations lead to disaster, sometimes her soul 
  becomes heavy with melancholy and bitterness, and 
  she arises again as a waldgeist. If a gnome’s death can 
  be blamed on an intruder—perhaps she was tracking 
  an interloper when her fatal accident occurred—this 
  undead fate is nearly assured.
  Though animated by negative energy, a waldgeist must 
  constantly remain within its forest home to maintain 
  90
  
  its form. To a waldgeist, nothing exists outside of the 
  forest in which it died. If it is somehow transported away 
  from a wooded environment, it completely disintegrates 
  with an anguished howl. A waldgeist’s connection to 
  the forest grants the spirit a measure of power over its 
  surroundings, including the ability to possess trees and 
  bring to them a measure of life.
  habITaT and SocIeTy
  Because of the highly specific circumstances required 
  for their formation, waldgeists are rare and found only 
  in large, old-growth forests, where the trees grow tall 
  enough to block out the sun. Even more rarely, a tragedy of 
  unthinkable proportions happens to a group of gnomes, 
  and multiple waldgeists arise simultaneously. When this 
  happens, the spirits often drift away from one another to 
  haunt separate areas of the forest. Waldgeists are solitary 
  creatures, hiding their presences from the other creatures 
  of the woods, especially fey such as dryads. Although 
  both creatures exhibit a certain protective possessiveness 
  over nature, dryads see the undead waldgeists’ capacity 
  for violence as terribly brutish.
  While waldgeists tend to shun forest natives, they hate 
  and hunt down creatures they see as intruders in their 
  woods. In reality, such individuals might be innocent 
  travelers simply passing through the forest, or they may 
  be loggers who pose a legitimate threat to the natural 
  surroundings. To waldgeists, such distinctions are 
  nonexistent; they view any creatures not native to their 
  homes as enemies. In battle, waldgeists are cunning. If a 
  waldgeist faces a group of enemies, it tends to use 
  its magic to enhance the surrounding foliage, 
  entangling creatures with the plants that heed 
  its call. While its enemies are distracted, the 
  waldgeist then possesses the nearest tree 
  and uses its branches to wreak havoc on any 
  within its reach.
  Luckily for most adventurers, though, 
  these wicked creatures can be easily 
  distracted. Waldgeists are attracted to 
  sound of knocking on wood, as it reminds 
  them of the possibilities of interesting 
  visitors, opening doors, or other 
  things that once intrigued them 
  in life. A waldgeist that fails 
  to resist the temptation of 
  this noise ceases its current 
  actions in order to “greet” 
  the knocker, even going as 
  far as abandoning the tree it 
  had been possessing. Usually, 
  this allows the other individual 
  whom the waldgeist was previously 
  harassing a chance to escape. In rural 
  communities near forests haunted by 
  waldgeists, the practice of knocking on wood for luck 
  arises from ancient tales of waldgeist encounters.
  PoSSeSSed TreeS
  The following is an example of a possessed tree under 
  the control of a waldgeist. For more information, see the 
  text of the animate objects spell.
  POSSESSED	TREE	
  CR	5
  N	Large	construct
  Init	–1;	Senses	darkvision	60	ft.,	low-light	vision;	
  Perception	–5
  DEFENSE
  AC	14,	touch	8,	flat-footed	14	(–1	Dex,	+6	natural,	–1	size)
  hp	52	(4d10+30)	
  Fort	+1,	Ref	+0,	Will	–4
  Defensive	Abilities	hardness	5;	Immune	construct	traits
  Weaknesses	vulnerable	to	fire
  OFFENSE
  Speed	0	ft.	
  Melee	2	slams	+9	(2d6+6	plus	grab)
  Space	10	ft.;	Reach	15	ft.
  Special	Attacks	constrict	(2d6+6)
  STATISTICS
  Str	22,	Dex	8,	Con	—,	Int	—,	Wis	1,	Cha	1
  Base	Atk	+4;	CMB	+11;	CMD	20
  SQ	construction	points	(additional	attack,	grab,	constrict)
  91
  The  
  INFERNO 
  GATE
  Foreword
  Part 1:  
  City of 
  HellsPawn
  Part 2:  
  ritual 
  PreParations
  Part 3:  
  tHe Devil’s 
  Gate
  NPC Gallery
  MeeT The VillaiN:  
  eMil KoVKoriN
  roads To hell
  MoloCh,  
  The asheN Bull
  PaThFiNder’s 
  JourNal
  BesTiary
  
  92
  Next Month
  Open Game License Version 1.0a
  FOr Queen & empire
  By Stephen Radney-MacFarland
  To address the threat of the Glorious Reclamation, 
  Queen Abrogail II summons her Thrune agents to the 
  city of Egorian, where the nefarious adventurers soon 
  find themselves swept up in the cutthroat politics of 
  the imperial court. To impress the queen, the wicked 
  characters must scour Egorian to eradicate the Bellflower 
  Network, a secret organization that works to free halfling 
  slaves. And to truly earn Queen Abrogail’s trust, the 
  villains must perform a sacrifice to renew House Thrune’s 
  contract with Hell. But there are many—both within the 
  court and without—who wish to see the queen dethroned.
  eGOrian
  By Dave Gross
  Explore Egorian, the City of Thorns, seat of power of the 
  Thrice-Damned House of Thrune. Find out how this 
  simple fishing village became the bustling capital of the 
  Empire of Cheliax and learn more about its inhabitants, 
  society, and sites of interest.
  The BeLLFLOwer neTwOrk
  By Crystal Frasier
  Find out more about the Bellflower Network, the secret 
  society dedicated to freeing Cheliax’s halfling slaves, 
  including its organization and clandestine operations.
  and mOre!
  Face down fire-wielding foes in the Anferita Wood in 
  the Pathfinder’s Journal, by Josh Vogt! Plus, an exciting 
  selection of all-new monsters in the Hell’s Vengeance 
  Adventure Path bestiary.
  suBscriBe TO paThFinder advenTure paTh
  The Hell’s Vengeance Adventure Path continues! 
  Don’t miss out on a single exciting volume—visit 
  paizo.com/pathfinder and subscribe today to have each 
  Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, 
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  Pathfinder Tales, and Pathfinder Accessories product 
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  M
  irian Raas comes from a long line of salvagers—adventurers who use magic to 
  dive for sunken ships off the coast of tropical Sargava. With her father dead 
  and her family in debt, Mirian has no choice but to take over his last job: a dangerous 
  expedition into deep jungle pools, helping a tribe of lizardfolk reclaim the lost treasures 
  of their people. Yet this isn’t any ordinary dive, as the same colonial government that 
  looks down on Mirian for her half-native heritage has an interest in the treasure, and the 
  survival of the entire nation may depend on the outcome.
  From critically acclaimed author Howard Andrew Jones comes an adventure of sunken cities 
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  arsa is a dhampir—half vampire, half human. In 
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  she’s an agent for the royal spymaster, keeping peace 
  between the capital’s secret vampire population 
  and its huddled human masses. Meanwhile, in 
  the cathedral of Maiden’s Choir, Jadain is a young 
  priestess of the death goddess, in trouble with her 
  superiors for being too soft on the 
  living. When a noblewoman’s entire 
  house is massacred by vampiric 
  invaders, the unlikely pair is drawn 
  into a deadly mystery that will reveal far more 
  about both of them than they ever wanted to know.
  From Pathﬁ nder co-creator and veteran game 
  designer F. Wesley Schneider comes a new adventure 
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  UlTImaTe 
  INTr¹gUe
  UlTImaTe 
  INTr¹gUe
  Be the Life 
  Be the Life 
  Party
  Party
  of the
  of the
  Behind the scenes of heroic battles and 
  magical realms lies a seething underbelly of 
  danger and deception. In the pages of Ultimate 
  Intrigue, heroes duel with words instead of steel, 
  plot daring heists, and pit their wills against relentless 
  nemeses. This hardcover rules reference for the Pathfinder 
  RPG includes tons of intriguing new subsystems, spells, feats, 
  and magic items perfect for skullduggery and high society. The 
  new vigilante class puts players under the mask, with a secret 
  identity mechanic that allows players to take on two distinct personas! 
  AVAILABLE  NOW!
  
  Most plentiful in Stygia, 
  osyluths serve as tireless 
  inquisitors. They are skilled 
  torturers and excel at 
  upholding Hell's laws, but 
  beware their way of subtly 
  twisting words should you 
  call upon them. Osyluths 
  recall everything, and show 
  no loyalty to mortals.
  one Devil
  B
  Fond of art and music, these 
  celestials claim to be muses 
  of a sort. They are adept at 
  bolstering their allies through 
  song, so when you encounter 
  these azatas, the best tactic 
  to use is silencing them, either 
  with magic or permanently 
  with a blade. 
  illend
  L
  
  T
  he Thrice-Damned House of Thrune wants to seal the Inferno Gate, an 
  uncontrolled portal to Hell, and the villainous adventurers are called to 
  accomplish the task. To acquire the components and perform the ritual, they 
  must first face down a hellspawn thieves’ guild, the Hellknight Order of the Pike, and 
  the knights of the Glorious Reclamation and their celestial allies. But before they can 
  complete the ritual, the characters may be forced to examine their options—is closing 
  the gate the best plan for the future? Will the villains obey their orders to close the gate to 
  Hell—or might they make a deal with a devil for control of the portal? Or will they only 
  become the latest in a long line of sacrifices to the Inferno Gate?  
  This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path continues the Hell’s Vengeance 
  Adventure Path and includes:
  •  “The Inferno Gate,” a Pathfinder adventure for 7th-level characters, 
  by Patrick Renie.
  •  A foray into the faith of the archdevil Moloch, by F. Wesley Schneider.
  •  Details on various types of magical portals, by F. Wesley Schneider.
  •  A last-second rescue reveals an unexpected ally in the 
  Pathfinder’s Journal, by Josh Vogt.
  •  Five dangerous new monsters, by Benjamin Bruck, Jason Keeley, 
  Jeffrey Swank, and Mike Welham.
  Highway to Hell
  Printed in China. PZO90105
  paizo.com/pathfinder
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pathfinder/1st Edition/Adventure Paths/PF103-108 - Hells Vengeance/Hell's Vengeance - 03 - The Inferno Gate.pdf