TEXT: An adventure for 4th to 7th level characters
  
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  The Lost Lexicon, Part II: Radiant Demise  is published by Kyoudai Games, LLC under the Open Game License version 1.0a Copyright 2000 Wizards of the 
  Coast, Inc. © 2014 Kyoudai Games, LLC
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  The World of Aden originAlly creATed by ShAne lAcy henSley
  The Lost Lexicon
  Part II of VI:
  Radiant Demise
  An adventure for 4th to 7th level characters
  ***
  Written by Rich Wulf
  1
  
  Credits
  Written by: Rich Wulf
  Editing: Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf
  Cover art: Jeff Porter
  Cartography: Mike Brodu (p. 25) and 
  Paul Meador (p. 5, 8) 
  Interior Artwork: Mike Brodu (p. 5, 
  11, 22, 31, 57; 58), Biagio D’Alessandro 
  (p. 34, 46), Dan Moenster (p. 17, 55), Jeff 
  Porter (p. 36, 50), and Tanyaporn Sangsnit 
  (p. 9, 56)
  Graphic Design: Mike Brodu
  Original Design: Robert Denton
  For Kyoudai Games
  Shawn Carman, Creative Direction
  Rich Wulf, Mechanical Design
  Ryan Carman, Brand Development
  Robert Dake, Logistics & Production
  Matthew Schenck, Art Director
  Butch Carman, CFO
  Table of Contents
  The Lost Lexicon, Part 2 of 6 - Radiant Demise
  Chapter 1  
    – To the Radiant North  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .3
  Recap - The Story So Far  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 3
  Picking Things Up  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 4
  What Happened to Dennison Walcroix? 4
  Does Walcroix Hate the Party? . . . . . . . . 4
  What Happened to the Cultists? . . . . . . . 4
  Where Is the Heart of Tarello? . . . . . . . . 5
  Chapter 2 – Arasteen 
    - The Path, the Order,  
    and the Code  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .6
  The Radiant Order  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 6
  The Radiant Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Religion in Arasteen  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 7
  The Radiant North  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 7
  Relations with Other Nations . . . . . . . . . 7
  Climate and Natural Hazards . . . . . . . . . 8
  Crime and Punishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Nocturnals  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Slurgithians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  The Grey Masters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Giants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Naga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Chapter 3 – Factions  
    in Murdoch’s Cove  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .10
  Option One - The Radiant Order  .  .  .  . 10
  History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Purpose and Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  The Radiant Order in Your Game . . . . . 11
  Option Two - The Underground  .  .  .  .  . 12
  History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
  Purpose and Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
  Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
  The Underground in Your Game  . . . . . 14
  Option Three - Going it Alone  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 14
  Chapter 4 – Radiant Demise,  
    Act 1 – A Long Road Ahead  .  .  .15
  Dinner at Dennison’s   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 15
  Dennison’s Deal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
  Of Course It’s a Trap  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
  Reporting to Cogswheel Station . . . . . . 18
  Preparing for the Journey  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 19
  Points of Interest  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 20
  Encounters on the Road  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 21
  The Fallen Soldiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
  The Burning Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
  Golem in Distress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
  Chapter 5 – Radiant Demise,  
    Act 2 – Secrets of the Swamp .  .24
  Exploring Murdoch’s Cove  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 24
  Important Locals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
  The Secret History 
    of Murdoch’s Cove  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 26
  Meeting Dram Hollister  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 27
  Murdoch’s Cove Rumors  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 28
  Lost in Translation  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 28
  History of thge Loireag Marsh . . . . . . . 29
  Sites of Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
  Other Secrets  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
  Other Encounters in Loireag Marsh . . . 37
  Chapter 6 – Radiant Demise,  
    Act 3 – The Siege of  
    Murdoch’s Cove  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .40
  The Final Battle .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 40
  Battle Rules  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
  Battle Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
  Ending the Siege . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
  The Final Confrontation   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 43
  Resolution  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 44
  Chapter 7 – Appendices  .  .  .  .  .  .  .45
  Appendix A - Who’s Who  
    in Radiant Demise  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 45
  Curator Dennison Walcroix . . . . . . . . . 45
  Sir Trask Calder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
  Sister Jinnisai “Jinny” Tonneson . . . . . 47
  Captain Dram Hollister. . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
  Old Willem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
  Rollimus Torth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
  Ceasg the Vigilant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
  Karloff Radool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
  Appendix B - New Monsters  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 51
  Radool Parasite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
  Manikin  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
  Appendix C - Pre-generated  
    Minor NPCs  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 53
  Untrained Conscript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
  Trained Infantry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
  Trained Archer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
  Hedge Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
  Wandering Gunslinger . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
  Elite Soldier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
  Loireag Slurgithians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
  Cosmopolitan Aden  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
  Appendix D - Random  
    Encounter Tables   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 57
  Encounters While Traveling . . . . . . . . . 57
  Camping in the Wilderness . . . . . . . . . . 59
  Appendix E - New Mechanics  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 59
  Swampboat (Basic Vehicle) . . . . . . . . . 59
  New Wondrous Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
  New Special Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
  New Unique Thaumaturge Legend. . . . 61
  2
  
  Radiant Demise is designed for a party of four characters of about 4th 
  level, though its encounters can easily be adapted for larger parties. The 
  party should gain a level at or near the end of each Act. If using a longer 
  mode of experience progression, sections featuring random encounters 
  are provided in each chapter so that you can modify the adventure’s 
  length according to your play style. By the end of the adventure, the 
  party should be approximately 7th level.
  This adventure places a focus on investigation and exploration. The 
  story is flexible and open within each act, allowing players to take 
  things at their own pace and discover the secrets of Radiant Demise in 
  any manner that suits them. As previously mentioned, it also includes 
  mechanics for quickly running random encounters so that it can flexibly 
  accommodate games with any rate of experience progression.
  The tale that began in the grim urban sprawl of Mekanus now 
  continues into the legendary home of the Radiant Order - Arasteen. In 
  Heart of the Machine, our indomitable player characters made their 
  names as agents of the Cogswheel Irregulars. In Radiant Demise, they 
  step forth into a much larger world. Traveling north through the deso-
  late wastelands of Urbana, they enter Arasteen. In stark contrast to the 
  industrialized landscape of Mekanus, much of Arasteen remains a lush 
  and vibrant wilderness. This peaceful first impression quickly proves to 
  be deceiving, as our heroes learn that the Radiant North has more than 
  its share of troubles - and their enemies are already here.
  If the characters have played Heart of the Machine, this adventure 
  picks up a few months after the climactic battle against the Circle of 
  Fire and Steel in the Lost Ghetto. Optimally, things should begin in the 
  spring or summer to facilitate travel to the Radiant North (if traveling 
  in fall or winter, adjust travel times and hazards accordingly). If the 
  party has not played Heart of the Machine - not to worry! Though all 
  chapters of The Lost Lexicon are designed to work as part of an over-
  arching storyline, they can also be played separately with only minor 
  adjustments. The only necessary preparation is to determine a reason 
  for the characters to be searching for mercenary work in the city of 
  Mekanus. Just keep in mind that some characters, alliances, enemies, 
  and ongoing subplots from the previous adventure continue to play a 
  part in this one, so it is recommended to play each chapter of The Lost 
  Lexicon for the full effect.
  - Recap - 
  The Story So Far
  The first part of this Adventure Path allows for a number of different 
  outcomes. This summary is not meant to ignore or overrule any actions 
  that the player characters took. It is only meant to be a summary of the 
  most likely course of events, intended for those who have not played the 
  first chapter or who merely wish to refresh their memory.
  The city of Mekanus has a problem. The threat of the Darkfall has 
  driven much of Urbana’s populace into its walled cities. Though Urbana 
  boasts the most highly-trained and well-equipped soldiers in Aden, 
  they are far too concerned with their supernatural enemy to deal with 
  mundane matters. It falls to the people to protect themselves from an 
  unprecedented surge in violent crimes.
  To this end, a secret organization of nobles, merchants, and retired 
  military have united to restore order. Calling themselves the Elders of 
  To the Radiant North!
  1
  3
  
  Mekanus, they have created a system by which freelance mercenaries 
  are deputized as agents of Urbanan law. These agents - the Cogswheel 
  Irregulars - deal with the worst of the city’s crimes for a fee. The player 
  characters are members of this controversial society of lawmen. 
  Over the course of several missions, the heroes built a reputation 
  and attracted attention from various powerful individuals in the city, 
  particularly the Eye and the Ghosts of Columbey. As Urbana’s secret 
  police, the Eye sought to use the characters to hunt out hidden agents 
  of the Darkfall and threats to Lord Urbane’s power. The Ghosts of 
  Columbey attempted to enlist the heroes’ aid in their ongoing quest to 
  overthrow the Iron Tyrant and restore the Tarello Dynasty to the throne. 
  Depending on the heroes’ actions, they might have allied with one of 
  these powerful factions.
  Later, the party’s aid was requested by Dennison Walcroix, curator of 
  the Urbanan Museum of History and member of the Elders of Mekanus. 
  Following Lord James Dex’s death, Walcroix became executor of Dex’s 
  estate. In life, Lord Dex had been a legendary adventurer and scholar, 
  but he had also been an outspoken political opponent of Lord Urbane. 
  As a result, Urbane’s soldiers spared only a small detail to protect Dex’s 
  hoard of priceless treasures until they could be sold at auction to pay off 
  his debts. Walcroix was unwilling to see his old friend’s legacy plun-
  dered by thieves - so he turned to the player characters for help with 
  security. 
  Days after the auction, the party came into conflict with the Circle 
  of Fire and Steel. These Darkfall cultists infiltrated the corrupted Lost 
  Ghetto of Mekanus and sought to plunder the lost treasures of Lord 
  Dex’s long-abandoned mansion. Upon reaching the basement, they 
  found they could not breach the massive vault doors. They kidnapped 
  Walcroix, intending to force him to reveal how to open the vault.
  Ironically, Dex had only shared this vault’s command word with 
  Walcroix himself. Rather than surrender the vault to the cult, Walcroix 
  hatched a desperate gambit. He told the cultists that only the player 
  characters had the information they sought. The cult attacked the party, 
  but only succeeded in drawing their attention. The heroes tracked the 
  Circle of Fire and Steel to their lair, defeated the cultists and their 
  nocturnal ally, Terabit, and rescued Dennison Walcroix. Upon opening 
  the vault of Lord Dex’s estate, they discovered that most of the tomes 
  within had been destroyed by the elements. Only a few items of value 
  remained. Among these was a unique and legendary relic - the Heart 
  of Tarello.
  Picking Things Up
  For the sake of simplicity, the written text of this adventure assumes 
  that Dennison Walcroix survived the first chapter and is on relatively 
  good terms with the party. As Heart of the Machine can end in a variety 
  of ways, things may require a bit of adjustment depending on what 
  the player characters did. While you should feel free to create your 
  own story organically as these things develop, the following section 
  is designed to help answer a few of the more common possible results 
  so that you will know what impact they have on the future plotline of 
  The Lost Lexicon.
  What Happened  
  to Dennison Walcroix?
  It is entirely possible that the curator perished in the final conflict. 
  If this is the case, his position (both as curator and as an important 
  supporting character in this adventure path) is filled by Lord Dex’s 
  niece, Amara Dex. When Sir Trask Calder arrives searching for Lord 
  Dex, he inevitably seeks out the deceased scholar’s only living kin.
  Though Amara followed in her uncle’s footsteps and studied his 
  work, she was never invited on any of his expeditions due to her rela-
  tive youth and inexperience. She still can’t shake the feeling that there 
  was something mysterious about Lord Dex, so she leaps at the chance 
  to investigate the goings-on in Murdoch’s Cove and perhaps find some 
  answers. 
  Amara knows the player characters only by reputation, but is aware 
  that they had something to do with the strange events surrounding 
  Dex’s estate auction. She turns to them, hoping they are willing to help 
  her find the truth. 
  Use Dennison Walcroix’s statistics from the Appendix to represent 
  Lord Dex’s adventurous niece (except for his gender, of course).
  Does Walcroix Hate the Party?
  Not all player characters are nice people. Maybe your heroes are 
  known to engage in a bit of graft or corruption. Maybe our ostensible 
  heroes got on Walcroix’s bad side at some point. Perhaps he caught 
  them stealing some of Dex’s treasures. Perhaps their repeated failures 
  to stop the thieves earned his ire. Perhaps they were simply rude. These 
  things happen.
  If any of these are the case, it may seem unlikely that Walcroix 
  would turn to the player characters for help, or that Commander Thale 
  would recommend them for such an important mission. In this scenario, 
  Walcroix is out of town on an expedition when Sir Trask Calder arrives. 
  Amara Dex, described above, happens to be visiting Mekanus and 
  crosses paths with the knight. Eager to learn more about her mysterious 
  uncle, Amara lies to Calder, claiming to be the foremost expert on her 
  uncle’s work. Calder is too eager to get back to Murdoch’s Cove to 
  question her claim. 
  Eager to leave town quickly, Amara Dex turns to the Cogswheel 
  Irregulars to hire a group of mercenaries for protection. Given that, in 
  this scenario, the characters probably have a reputation for failure and/
  or rudeness, it is only logical that Commander Thale would choose the 
  player characters, if only to get them out of her hair for a bit.
  This scenario’s version of Amara is more openly manipulative and 
  deceitful in her pursuit of her uncle’s secrets. If she discovers some 
  of the darker things her uncle was up to, she’s likely to keep them to 
  herself (leaving the heroes to stumble over the truth at some inoppor-
  tune moment). This could make for some interesting interactions later 
  in the adventure when and if the players discover that they have been 
  misled.
  What Happened to the Cultists?
  Unbeknownst to the player characters at this time, the Circle of Fire 
  and Steel was a small sect of the much larger Cult of Shermazza. Even 
  if no members of the Circle survived Heart of the Machine, Shermazza 
  has monitored events through the amulets the cult’s officers wear, and is 
  well aware that the player characters have interfered with his schemes. 
  What about surviving cult members? Low-ranking members of the 
  cult (those without the Blessings of Shermazza) aren’t a concern. They 
  don’t know enough about what’s going on to be a threat to the cult 
  or useful to the player characters. Higher ranking cult members are 
  another matter. 
  If Trina Varlen survived, she abandons her fellow cultists and uses 
  her magic to escape the city. Shermazza will eventually track her down, 
  through her blessing, and return her to the fold.
  If Grieve Warnaught survived, he will rally any of the other lower-
  ranking survivors and plan his revenge. This will most likely consist 
  of brazenly attacking the player characters on the road to Murdoch’s 
  Cove. Grieve isn’t the creative sort. You can easily resolve this with an 
  encounter during the journey, allowing the players a final confrontation 
  with Warnaught.
  If Magnus Steelfist survived (and Arnagaith Touches-Fire was killed 
  or captured), he goes into hiding in Shadowall in an attempt to escape 
  the cult. Shermazza’s assassins will track the jurak through his bless-
  4
  
  ings. If the players are allied with the Eye or the Grinvoj Syndicate, they 
  may learn that the jurak’s mangled body was found in a Shadowall alley 
  several days later, stripped of its manite implants. 
  If Arnagaith Touches-Fire survived, he overrules all of the above. 
  Touches-Fire will gather any other survivors not currently in captivity 
  and flee with them back to Le’Ciel. 
  Captive cultists are another matter. Most cultists don’t know much; 
  they can only reveal the information listed on page 41 of Heart of the 
  Machine. Steel and Fire know more, but are harder to crack. Under 
  most forms of interrogation, they remain silent. If interrogated by the 
  Eye (who insist on doing so in secret), the cult leaders are more forth-
  coming. Steel will reveal his debt to Fire. He knows that the rapacian 
  consorts with nocturnals and prays to an entity named Shermazza. 
  Fire viciously curses his interrogators and promises that Shermazza’s 
  vengeance will fall upon them all, and that “Shermazza will defy death 
  itself.” He will not, however, reveal who or what Shermazza is and 
  commits suicide in captivity at the first opportunity. The Eye will only 
  share the results of interrogations if the players are allied with them.
  If the party looted any Amulets of Shermazza, keep note of them. 
  Shermazza can monitor those who carry its symbol. This could poten-
  tially make things quite deadly later on, as Karloff Radool and his mani-
  kins will be able to track the party more easily. 
  Where Is the Heart of Tarello?
  This mysterious royal artifact can be found in Lord Dex’s vault, and 
  once belonged to the Tarello dynasty of Columbey. If the party gave the 
  amulet to Dennison Walcroix, he wears it throughout this adventure. If 
  the party gave the amulet to the Ghosts of Columbey, the Ghosts are 
  grateful for the artifact’s recovery. If the party calls on the Ghosts for 
  aid during the Siege of Murdoch’s Cove, they will gladly send aid (as 
  described later in this adventure). If the party gave the amulet to the 
  Eye, they take it to their tower in Mekanus for further study. (The Heart 
  of Tarello will play a larger part in later chapters, so keep track of what 
  happens to it.)
  5
  
  The ancient nation of Arasteen predates the Peace of the Rose by 
  at least a century. It has ever been a blessed land, rich in fertile soil 
  and mineral resources. It is protected on two sides by the sea and on a 
  third by the North Wall Mountains. Columbey, their sole neighbor to the 
  south, maintained robust trade and good relations with them from the 
  Peace of the Rose until the Darkfall. This combination of circumstances 
  left Arasteen free from strife, barring the occasional pirate attack, bandit 
  uprising, or incursion by Grey Isles necromancers.  Much like the 
  Beacon that emblazons their flag, Arasteen stood as a shining example 
  of prosperity for all of Aden.
  The Radiant Order
  Though Arasteen is often mistaken for a theocracy, the Radiant 
  Order (which governs Arasteen) and the Radiant Path (its national reli-
  gion) have been distinct and separate bodies for several centuries. In 
  many ways, the distinction is slim. Most Arastinians are adherents of 
  the Radiant faith, the tenets of which are, in turn, based heavily upon 
  the Order’s Radiant Code. The great Twin Virtues of Justice (also called 
  Judgment) and Compassion (also called Love) guide every aspect of 
  Arastinian law and culture. Further, many members of the Radiant Order 
  (including the King) frequently turn to Radiant priests for counsel. 
  What sets Arasteen apart from a true theocracy (such as Carraway) is 
  that while the leaders of its faith and government influence one another, 
  they are not the same individuals. Overall, Arastinian society is closer 
  to a traditional feudal system. Society is divided into distinct classes 
  and each class is expected to fulfill a unique role for the good of society. 
  Unlike in many feudal systems, Arasteen’s classes have greater social 
  mobility.
  The peasantry is Arasteen’s largest social class. These are common 
  folk - farmers, craftsmen, and soldiers. Peasants receive fair wages 
  for their labor and are free to relocate to another noble’s holdings if 
  they wish to seek better opportunities. Skilled merchants, craftsmen, 
  and artists can accrue considerable wealth and influence in Arasteen, 
  though they are expected to pay a portion of their income as taxes to 
  the nobility.
  Those who are born into land-owning families comprise the nobility. 
  Nobles hold titles, collect taxes, and protect their peasants with the 
  knights and soldiers in their employ. Within their territory, nobles 
  are the absolute authority so long as they obey the Radiant Code and 
  the King. An Arastinian’s class is determined by birth. However, the 
  King and Templars have the power to grant noble titles for meritorious 
  service or strip them for failure to perform one’s duties. A peasant who 
  marries a noble is promoted to noble status. 
  The Order stands apart from and above Arastinian society as a whole. 
  Those who join the Order give up their former social class, though 
  former nobles are allowed to retain their noble titles, if not always their 
  positions. In return, they dedicate themselves to the Radiant Code as 
  well as a lifetime of service to the Arastinian people. 
  The King of Arasteen does not hold absolute authority, as in many 
  other nations. He shares his duties with the Templar Council. Most 
  edicts require the Council’s approval to pass into law. The King does, 
  however, hold many unique powers. The King can declare war, tempo-
  rarily overrule existing laws, and grant criminal pardons. Only the King 
  can appoint a new Paladin. The King can bestow or strip noble titles. 
  The King can grant Arastinian citizenship to foreigners. Finally, only 
  the King can propose amendments to the Radiant Code (though these 
  must be approved by three quarters of the Templar Council).
  Though the King may choose to call upon the expertise of specific 
  Templars in certain situations, all members of the Council are otherwise 
  considered equal. There is, technically, a complex hierarchy of seniority 
  among them, but this only applies in the unusual event that the King and 
  Paladin perish before a successor can be named. In this case, the senior 
  Templar acts as King until the Council can vote to determine a new 
  King from among their number. 
  Arasteen
  The Path, the Order, and the Code
  2
  6
  
  The Radiant Code
  At its core, Arastinian philosophy might seem simple, as it can be 
  boiled down to the Twin Virtues - Compassion and Judgment. In prac-
  tice, things are more complex. The Radiant Code, first drafted by King 
  Tirrian, is a comprehensive analysis of these virtues and their applica-
  tion in all aspects of life. For members of the Radiant Order, adherence 
  to the Code is mandatory and legally binding. Any proven violation will 
  result in commensurate punishment. 
  Edicts of the Code are divided into Spiritual Edicts and Mortal 
  Edicts. Spiritual Edicts govern thought and behavior, while Mortal 
  Edicts govern action. As Spiritual Edicts are highly subjective, a knight 
  cannot be prosecuted for breaking them unless he faces related charges 
  for a Mortal Edict. Most, but not all, Mortal Edicts are part of Aras-
  tinian law and apply to all citizens. These include laws regarding theft, 
  violence, public decency, and other acts normally regarded as crimes in 
  civilized nations.
  Only knights (and, by extension, Templars) are legally obligated 
  to obey the entire Code, though hospitalers and devout followers of 
  the Radiant Path often do so voluntarily, even going so far as to seek 
  penance if they violate Spiritual Edicts. For many Arastinians, those 
  who obey the Code are seen as virtuous, moral, and worthy of respect. 
  A true knight should follow the Code not because he must, but because 
  he chooses to. While the Code is extensive and complex, a few of the 
  more important Spiritual Edicts are as follows:
  1) Be forthright and respectful in your dealings with others. 
  2) Demonstrate wisdom in thought and deed.
  3) Protect the innocent, the weak, and the helpless.
  4) Always offer mercy to a defeated foe; always accept an  
  honorable surrender.
  5) Always deliver justice to the wicked in accordance with the law.
  6) Never refuse a challenge from a worthy opponent.
  7) Spread the wisdom of the Radiant Path to those who will hear it.
  8) Obey those in authority and show respect for one’s host.
  9) Defend the honor of one’s comrades and brethren on the  
  Radiant Path.
  10) Always serve as a beacon of honor, courage, hope, and faith.
  Religion in Arasteen
  Described in detail in Chapter 5 of the Thunderscape Campaign 
  Setting, the Radiant Path is by far the dominant religion in Arasteen. 
  The Divine Miasma has begun to develop influence in Redbeach and 
  other settlements on the Urbanan border, and many settlements with 
  large goreaux or dwarven populations acknowledge the Divine Machi-
  nation, but even these individuals frequently adhere to the Twin Virtues 
  as well as their own belief systems.
  Membership in the Radiant clergy is open to all races, genders, 
  and social backgrounds. The only exception is that its members may 
  not also be members of the Radiant Order. Those accepted into the 
  clergy are entitled to education in any of the seven Radiant Cathedrals 
  throughout Arasteen, each of which also serve as the nation’s largest 
  libraries and archives of magical lore. The role of educator and priest 
  are one in the same in Arasteen; even humble village priests often serve 
  as the local schoolteacher.
  While priests technically retain their prior social standing, they are 
  expected to put aside their previous influence and responsibilities. A 
  large number priests are second sons or other children unlikely to inherit 
  their parents’ holdings and titles, but priests can come from all walks 
  of life. Radiant priests are bound to numerous vows governing their 
  behavior, including honesty, humility, celibacy, and chastity. Those who 
  break these vows are viewed with scorn, with the exception of those 
  who willingly leave the priesthood to marry. As love is one of the great 
  virtues, leaving the clergy to pursue it incurs no dishonor.
  Priests of the Radiant Path are forbidden to join the Radiant Order, 
  but they do not stand completely apart from the government and mili-
  tary. Priests often serve as chaplains and medical officers. Others serve 
  as counselors for influential bureaucrats. The best educated among 
  them find employment as royal ambassadors or advisors to the Templar 
  Council.
  The Radiant Path has a controversial reputation in foreign lands 
  due to its practice of vigorous proselytization. While the Path does not 
  require its worshippers to forsake other religions that do not conflict 
  with its edicts, some missionaries can be overzealous in interpreting 
  such conflicts (especially those thousands of miles from the Templar 
  Council’s oversight). A number of violent misunderstandings have 
  broken out over the centuries, instigated by arrogant missionaries and 
  intolerant heathens in equal number. As a result, Radiant priests are an 
  unwelcome sight in many nations.
  The Radiant North
  Relations with Other Nations
  Arasteen’s strongest allies have traditionally been Aramyst and 
  Columbey. Following the Darkfall, Aramyst lies in ruins and Columbey 
  has been replaced by the dystopian technocracy of Urbana, leaving the 
  Radiant North with no strong allies. 
  In matters of international diplomacy, the Radiant Order, Radiant 
  Path, and Arasteen itself are effectively one and the same. Most 
  foreigners see little distinction between Arasteen and other theocracies. 
  Though Arasteen’s missionaries and knights-errant mean well, they 
  sometimes clash with local authorities over differing ethics. Arastinians 
  are notorious for speaking out against corruption, prejudice, and abuse 
  of power no matter where they find it. Of course, the Radiant Order is 
  not always in the right. For example, Arastinian distrust of necromancy 
  and spirit summoning has led to violent conflicts with other nations. 
  Overall, these actions have earned Arasteen a reputation as a nation of 
  self-righteous meddlers. 
  Vanora remains on particularly icy terms due to an incident known 
  as the Night of Flames. Two hundred years ago, a group of Radiant 
  missionaries led by an arrogant priest named Solthan Nygaard declared 
  the Path of Ten Beasts heretical and obscene. The missionaries burned 
  three villages to the ground before they were crushed by an army of 
  Vanoran samurai. Though the King of Arasteen denounced the mission-
  aries and offered restitution to the Emperor, the incident has never been 
  forgiven. To this day, Arastinians are forbidden to preach the Radiant 
  Path on Vanoran soil on pain of death.
  Carraway and Ionara are more passively resentful, viewing any 
  attempt to spread the Path as pure cultural arrogance. Wild lands such as 
  the Rhanate and the High Steppes are openly distrustful, as they resent 
  any foreign attempts to assert order. Other nations, such as Yzeem and 
  Le’Ciel, can sometimes be too welcoming. They eagerly invite Radiant 
  knights to risk their lives fighting the bandits, pirates, and monsters that 
  plague their lands while their own soldiers remain safely uninvolved. 
  For knights in foreign lands, finding the balance between political pawn 
  and political outcast is difficult.
  In recent years, the greatest source of political tension has been Aras-
  teen’s former friend, Urbana. While Lord Urbane’s success in battling 
  the Darkfall cannot be denied, Arasteen cannot ignore the many injus-
  tices the Iron Tyrant has inflicted upon his people. That Urbana has 
  made little effort to renew Columbey’s friendship (outside of trading 
  with them) only makes the Templar Council nervous. They know that 
  the Urbanan war machine hunger’s for natural resources, and it is only 
  a matter of time before that hunger leads Lord Urbane north into the 
  7
  
  lush fields of Arasteen. Rumors of Urbana’s secret alliance with Ionara 
  paint a grim picture for Arasteen’s future, as they now stand between 
  two of the greatest armies on the face of Aden and have no strong allies.
  Climate and Natural Hazards
  Arasteen is largely temperate, tending toward colder temperatures 
  along the northern coast. Though the nation is named the Radiant 
  North for its warm summers and brilliant sunshine, it is also a rainy 
  place. Heavy rainfall is common along the western edge of the North 
  Wall Mountains. Fierce storms often roll in from Broken Bay, where 
  the warm ocean currents of the Green Sea meet with the colder Blue 
  Flows. Hurricanes in Arasteen’s port cities occur rarely, as well as the 
  occasional tornado in the lowland plains. Mudslides and avalanches 
  are constant dangers for those living beneath the North Wall. The most 
  common hazard is flooding. Spring thaws and the onset of the rainy 
  season often bring severe floods to Arasteen’s river communities, a 
  harsh reality that the inhabitants have learned to endure. 
  Crime and Punishment 
  Criminal activity is relatively low in Arasteen. Though the Radiant 
  Knights have a well-deserved reputation for swift justice, this is not 
  entirely the reason why. Arasteen is a land that takes care of its own. A 
  large part of Arastinian taxes go toward the welfare of its poor, sick, and 
  elderly. Though the lives of these dependents are not luxurious, they are 
  well cared for. As caring for the poor is a prized Spiritual Edict, many 
  wealthy Arastinian nobles make it a point to donate large portions of 
  their income to the unfortunate.
  Another factor in Arasteen’s low crime rate is that the Radiant Order 
  focuses on redemption, rather than punishment. Most criminals face 
  only a short prison sentence, during which Radiant priests provide spiri-
  tual counseling and attempt to rehabilitate the subject. Most sentences 
  are paired with mandatory education and work-release programs, where 
  criminals can learn a trade as they work earn their freedom. 
  This does not mean that the Order is soft on crime. Repeat offenders 
  and those guilty of truly heinous crimes face severe sentences, up to 
  and including life imprisonment. A handful of crimes, known as the 
  Obscenities, almost always meet with life imprisonment (and expul-
  sion from the Radiant Order, if one is a member). These crimes include 
  murder, treason, rape, and dark necromancy. A fourth obscenity - 
  consorting with the Darkfall - has been added in recent years. Arasteen 
  has not practiced any form of capital punishment in centuries, even for 
  crimes such as these. 
  Among nobles and members of the Radiant Order, duels (usually to 
  the first strike or first blood) are a common means of settling disagree-
  ments or matters of honor. A duel must be agreed to by both parties and 
  officially witnessed for the results to be legally binding. While duels 
  to the death are technically legal, they are considered barbaric and are 
  exceptionally rare.
  If there is a sole - and glaring - exception to the Radiant North’s 
  general lack of criminal activity, it is the Underground. This vast orga-
  nization specializes in contract espionage, smuggling, theft, and assas-
  sination. Though its roots are deep in Arasteen, it has extended its 
  influence through every nation in Aden. The Underground is described 
  in greater detail later in this section.
  Nocturnals
  Compared to other nations, Arasteen escaped the Darkfall relatively 
  unscathed. Though they faced their share of tragedies, such as the fall 
  of Rose and the destruction of Longou, the nocturnal presence was not 
  nearly as great as it was in other nations. Some theorize that the Darkfall 
  wished to avoid the Radiant Order, seeking instead to first gain a foot-
  hold in the more poorly defended nations of Columbey and Aramyst. 
  Others posit that to attempt to understand the machinations of the Dark-
  8
  
  fall is madness, and Arasteen’s relative good fortune is nothing more 
  than random chance.
  Though nocturnals are not as prevalent in Arasteen as they are in 
  Urbana, the Darkfall does maintain a presence. Only the brave and the 
  foolish brave the moors at night, for fear of nocturnal monsters. Espe-
  cially remote areas seem to be a magnet for corruption - such as the 
  sleepy village of Murdoch’s Cove, where our adventure takes place.
  Slurgithians
  Arasteen is home to the largest population of slurgithians in Aden. 
  Though a few live in secluded river or coastal settlements, most of these 
  creatures dwell deep in the waters of Tirrian’s Eye. In the depths of this 
  vast lake they have constructed the great city of Fuathan, as well as 
  many other smaller settlements, such as Loireag (the slurgithian village 
  near Murdoch’s Cove).
  The slurgithians of Arasteen are a peaceful and reclusive people. 
  They have little interest in the surface world, and prefer to spend 
  their days in quiet contemplation. It was Tirrian’s successor, Lugh the 
  Glorious, who first discovered the slurgithians and recognized their 
  gentle nature. Lugh befriended the creatures and brokered the Lake 
  Treaty with their King, Morool. This historic document officially 
  recognized the slurgithians as a free and sovereign people, and began a 
  lasting peace between the lake and surface dwellers. 
  The Radiant Order takes careful measures to protect slurgithian 
  culture from outside contamination. All areas where slurgithians 
  and surface dwellers live in close proximity are patrolled by Radiant 
  Knights, both to mediate conflict and monitor any intrusion into slur-
  githian territory. All sale and trade of slurgithians artifacts is tightly 
  regulated, to prevent dishonest merchants from exploiting the reclusive 
  lake dwellers.
  By the terms of the Lake Treaty, no Arastinian can take more fish 
  from the lake than he needs to feed himself and his immediate family. 
  In return, the slurgithians are expected to lend their aid to Arasteen in 
  time of war. (To date, the King has never called upon this vow, though 
  the slurgithians have never forgotten it.) 
  Though commercial fishing on any scale is prohibited on Tirrian’s 
  Eye, many settlements have risen around the coast (including Murdoch’s 
  Cove). These are not fishing villages in the traditional sense. Instead, 
  they serve as trading posts between the lake and surface dwellers, where 
  slurgithians trade fish and other treasures of the deep for human tech-
  nology and other resources. 
  The Grey Masters
  Arasteen was founded when King Tirrian united the scattered nomad 
  tribes to repulse an invasion by an army of barbarian raiders led by the 
  necromancer, Zeloch. Though Zeloch was crushed and his armies scat-
  tered, the Grey Isles have remained a haven for dark magic throughout 
  Arasteen’s history. The reclusive rulers of the islands call themselves 
  the Grey Masters, and are sworn enemies of the Radiant Order.
  Arasteen has conducted occasional crusades into the islands, hunting 
  the Grey Masters and their foul servants. These forays invariably result 
  in heavy casualties and little success. It has thus become an unspoken 
  agreement among the Templars that, so long as the Grey Masters remain 
  on their forsaken islands, Arasteen will ignore their presence.
  The Grey Masters and their minions occasionally attack the main-
  land - usually in the form of quick coastal raids followed by a swift 
  retreat. The most noteworthy attacks were in the year 126 and 1113. 
  Both times the Grey Masters stormed Arasteen in force, seeking to ally 
  themselves with the Lord of the Pale. It is not known what, if any, rela-
  tion the Grey Masters have with this mysterious entity.
  Since the Darkfall, small incursions by servants of the Grey Masters 
  have become more common. Some whisper that, through the power of 
  the Darkfall, Lord Zeloch has returned to lead his descendants as a lich.
  Giants
  Legend holds that many parts of Arasteen were once occupied by 
  cruel yet highly intelligent giant tribes. Shortly after their founding, the 
  Radiant Order led a campaign across Arasteen to cleanse the lands of 
  these foul beasts. Though giant civilization was crushed, a handful of 
  their descendants have survived.
  Arasteen’s giants are no longer the proud and brilliant creatures 
  they once were. Modern giants are a stupid, pitiful lot, wandering the 
  most desolate regions of the north alone or in small groups. These crea-
  tures are often hostile toward smaller races, though most of them have 
  learned to flee at the sight of a knight bearing the Beacon.
  (In Pathfinder RPG terms, Arastinian giants are represented by 
  ogres, trolls, ettins, cyclopes, and the occasional hill giant.) 
  Naga
  The small mountain range known as the Fangs is also home to many 
  nagas, a reclusive race of serpentine humanoids. The nagas worship 
  ancient snake spirits they call the Serpents, who view other races with 
  seething hatred. According to the Serpentine religion, the mortal world 
  as we know it is a mere “Coil,” one of many stages of existence that 
  loop upon one another, leading ultimately to paradise. This temporary 
  life is beset with ordeals meant to test the strength and conviction of 
  nagas, or as their religion refers to them, the True. 
  According to the naga faith, the naga are the only beings that truly 
  exist. All other races (or the Untrue) cannot be viewed as equals for they 
  are merely obstacles created by the Serpents to test the True. Advanced 
  technology is perceived as another test, a corruption in the natural order 
  intended to bring weakness and corruption to those who use it. For this 
  reason, nagas distrust technology - especially mechamagic. Those few 
  nagas who turn their back on the Serpents are hunted and killed as here-
  tics by their own kind. These naga rarely survive for long in the outside 
  world due to the fear and hatred other races hold for them. 
  The only small consolation that can be found in naga xenophobia is 
  that most naga fear and distrust the Darkfall, considering it a manifesta-
  tion of the Untrue. There are unfortunate exceptions, of course, such 
  as the tribe of corrupted naga that destroyed the Arastinian village of 
  Longou. The naga hold a special level of contempt for the slurgithians, 
  who they view as the most pathetic and detestable form of life in Aden.
  9
  
  The village of Murdoch’s Cove is not the same hotbed of intrigue 
  and political infighting that the characters faced in Heart of the 
  Machine. However, this is not to say that there are no powerful factions 
  in play. The Radiant Order and the Underground both hold a measure of 
  influence in Murdoch’s Cove, and can serve as powerful allies during 
  this adventure and beyond. As the heroes prove themselves against the 
  enemies of Arasteen, it is likely that these groups will take a vested 
  interest. Either or both might approach the player characters, offering a 
  more permanent alliance. 
  Like the factions introduced in Heart of the Machine, how you 
  choose to present these groups is up to you. Is the Radiant Order a 
  brotherhood of heroic champions or self-righteous crusading meddlers? 
  Is the Underground a thieves’ guild with delusions of grandeur or a 
  network of heroic free thinkers unrestricted by antiquated dogma?
  Once you have presented an offer of alliance, do not compel the 
  players to pick a side if they don’t want to. Perhaps the party fears a 
  conflict of interests with their allies from the previous chapter. Perhaps 
  they’re avoiding political entanglements altogether. Perhaps they want 
  to try to play both sides against each other. Once the options are avail-
  able, feel free to let things develop organically and let the players deter-
  mine their own course for good or ill. Unlike in Heart of the Machine, 
  where the Eye and the Ghosts were liable to treat a neutral party as an 
  enemy, the Radiant Order is likely to remain friendly as long as the 
  party doesn’t seem to be a danger to Arasteen and the Underground is 
  content to ignore them.
  - Option One - 
  The Radiant Order
  History
  The history of the Radiant Order is described in detail in the Thun-
  derscape Campaign Setting. 
  Purpose and Methods
  The Radiant Order’s main purpose is to govern and defend the nation 
  of Arasteen, but they also stand as living examples of the Twin Virtues 
  for the world. How a member of the Order interprets this duty varies 
  by the individual. While most at least aspire to be heroes, a handful are 
  corrupt hypocrites who only seek personal power.
  The Darkfall changed the world forever. Arasteen now stands 
  without strong allies. They are besieged from within and without by 
  supernatural creatures. The Templar Council is broken, and torn on 
  how to react. Many believe that Arasteen was fortunate to survive the 
  Darkfall relatively unscathed. Some believe the Order should take this 
  opportunity to look to their own, secure their borders, and simply try to 
  survive. Others believe that now, more than ever, the world needs the 
  Order. A small, but growing, minority take this philosophy to a radical 
  extreme. These knights counsel that Arasteen’s current strength is proof 
  that their faith in the Path protects them from evil. The only way to 
  save the world is to spread Justice and Compassion to the wastelands - 
  whether they want help or not.
  Organization
  Membership in the Radiant Order is divided into three distinct ranks 
  - hospitaler, knight, and Templar.
  Hospitalers, also called squires, are the largest and most diverse 
  rank of the Order. A squire might function as a knight’s servant, a game 
  warden overseeing a preserve, or even an official advisor to the King. 
  The only unifying factor among hospitalers is that their positions require 
  no combat training. Some career hospitalers never aspire to knighthood, 
  most of these serving as bureaucrats, barristers, and diplomats.
  All hospitalers are entitled to use the formal rank “Esquire” after 
  their name. If a particular hospitaler held a more prestigious rank 
  before joining the Order, he may be referred to by that rank instead. 
  This can create awkward situations for high-ranking former peasants, 
  who, according to the Code, must show polite deference to the former 
  nobles that are legally bound to obey them. To avoid such confusing 
  situations, few former peasants are assigned to positions of command. 
  Many (particularly in the Underground) point to this as an inherent flaw 
  in Arasteen’s purported social mobility. 
  Knights are promoted from among the hospitalers, but are not inher-
  ently superior to hospitalers. All knights require martial training, hold 
  a military rank, and are more restricted in their behavior. Only knights 
  Factions in
  Murdoch’s Cove
  3
  10
  
  may become Templars.  As the protectors of Arasteen, most knights 
  are assigned to military or law enforcement positions. All officers 
  in the Arastinian army and navy are knights, as are most city watch 
  commanders. Other knights might serve as bodyguards to important 
  diplomats, missionaries, or nobles. All knights are entitled to use the 
  formal “Sir” or “Lady” title before their name. 
  Templars are the most esteemed members of the Radiant Order. 
  Whereas any Arastinian can aspire to become a hospitaler or knight, the 
  only way to join the Templar council is to be invited. There are only one 
  hundred members of the Templar Council at any time. A new Templar 
  can only be appointed only if an existing Templar dies or retires, and 
  a prospective candidate can only be chosen by the King. At least two-
  thirds of the council must approve of the candidate’s promotion.
  The Templar Council drafts and approves Arastinian law. They also 
  approve all amendments to the Radiant Code. This is relatively rare, as 
  at least three-fourths of the council must agree to any such amendments. 
  The Council can also vote to remove the King from power, though this 
  requires a unanimous decision by all members of the Council and has 
  only happened twice in Arasteen’s history. 
  The Templars also serve as official councilors (called rectors) to the 
  king. Dozens of specific offices exist to serve the king, such as Rectory 
  of Finance, Rectory of War, and Rectory of Magic. Each is led by a 
  single Templar and staffed by knights, hospitalers, and civilians. The 
  King can create or dismiss these positions as he needed. A knight or 
  squire who serves a rectory is referred to by that rector’s area of exper-
  tise - Knight of War, Squire of Law, Knight of Purification, and so forth.
  King Corben has only created one Rectory during his reign - the 
  Rectory of Purification. This office (currently held by Rector Belana 
  Schroder, a rapacian wizard) is charged with advising the king on 
  matters regarding the Darkfall as well as seeking any survivors of the 
  Seer Order. 
  The King of Arasteen and his Paladin (the King’s chosen successor) 
  are selected from the Templar Council. The Paladin acts as moderator 
  during all Council meetings, a first among equals, and has the power to 
  break ties when the Council is deadlocked. The Paladin also serves as 
  general of the King’s army and the King’s most trusted advisor. Though 
  the King is technically the leader of the Radiant Order, the duties of 
  monarchy often cause many lesser administration duties to fall to the 
  Paladin.
  The Radiant Order in Your Game
  Any player character who is an Arastinian citizen could already be 
  a member of the Order. An Arastinian knight-errant or a hospitaler are 
  completely appropriate choices for a player character. (Templars are 
  simply too rare and important to run about the world adventuring, at 
  least in campaigns such this one.)
  The only thing to keep in mind with such characters is that all 
  members of the Radiant Order have a purpose. All of them have been 
  given a mission to serve Arasteen in some capacity. So what about 
  campaigns (like this one) that roam beyond the Radiant North? If the 
  character is a hospitaler, perhaps he’s been assigned to study foreign 
  lands and improve the world’s perceptions of his homeland. Perhaps 
  he’s a scholar, sent out into the world to learn about the Darkfall. If 
  the character is a knight, he’s likely a knight-errant seeking fame and 
  adventure.  
  Wandering knights quickly learn that they are cut off from their 
  homeland with no hope of reinforcements. Though a knight is required 
  to be brave, he is also required to be wise. Knights-errant thus have 
  a well-earned reputation for cleverness and resourcefulness that belies 
  the stereotypical image of the reckless paladin. They are not above 
  recruiting allies, or even working as an adventurer to make ends meet.
  Actual membership in the Radiant Order is exclusive to Arastinians 
  who follow the Radiant Path, but the Order is not so closed-minded 
  as to refuse help from allies of other nations. Many rectories, such as 
  the Rectory of Intelligence, Rectory of Purification, and the Rectory of 
  Diplomacy, make frequent use of foreign agents. 
  Foreigners who have proven their friendship can be awarded the 
  title knight-brother (or knight-sister) by the Templar Council. This 
  title recognizes them as honorary citizens of Arasteen and allies to 
  the crown. Knight-brothers are awarded a bronze seal bearing the 
  Arastinian Beacon. They are entitled to claim sanctuary in Arasteen’s 
  foreign embassies and can rely upon wandering knights or missionaries 
  to provide aid. A knight-brother is likewise expected to offer sanctuary, 
  support, and information to other members of the Order when they 
  cross paths.
  A knight of Captain rank or higher (such as Dram Hollister in this 
  adventure) can temporarily deputize other individuals as representa-
  tives of the Order. As deputies, they are hospitalers in all but name, 
  empowered to enforce the law on the Order’s behalf. Though this is 
  a great boon, the party can expect to face Hollister’s wrath if they 
  abuse it. If the party remains on good terms with the Order and saves 
  Murdoch’s Cove, Hollister will entreat the Council to bestow the title 
  of knight-brother to party members he finds worthy (if they desire it). 
  The Radiant Order as Allies
  The knights of the Radiant Order make powerful allies, especially 
  within the borders of Arasteen. So long as their cause is just, any Radiant 
  knight will eagerly assist a brother in need. Any Diplomacy checks with 
  Radiant knights or priests will receive a +4 bonus if a player can prove 
  he is a deputy or knight-brother (player characters who are actually 
  members of the Radiant Order receive the same bonus). 
  Exploration missions in the vicinity of Murdoch’s Cove are also 
  somewhat easier with the Order’s help. On any given expedition, the 
  player characters can request assistance from Dram Hollister. He will 
  usually offer a junior knight or two, though in extraordinary circum-
  stances he may allow Trask Calder or Jinny Tonneson to aid them, or 
  even come along himself. Don’t overdo this; you don’t want the party 
  to take the knights for granted and you certainly don’t want the knights 
  to overshadow the player characters.
  The Radiant Order as Enemies
  If the party openly joins the Underground, endangers the lives of Aras-
  tinian citizens, or repeatedly antagonizes Hollister or his troops, they may 
  earn the Order’s ire. Hollister knows he only has a handful of men and 
  expects no reinforcements, so he’ll avoid direct conflict with the party 
  unless innocent lives are in danger (in which case he will deputize any 
  able-bodied citizens he can find and attempt to arrest them).
  11
  
  As enemies, the Order doesn’t pose much of a threat to the party as 
  long as they don’t go back to Arasteen. They simply have too many 
  other enemies to bother with such vendettas. The only exception is if 
  the party joins the Underground - in which case they will be regarded as 
  a dangerous subversive influence.
  Player Contact - Captain Dram Hollister
  Captain Hollister is described in detail in the Appendix. If the players 
  become allies of the Order, he remains their official contact. Things 
  grow rather boring in Murdoch’s Cove once Radool is defeated, so 
  he’s only too happy to maintain correspondence with them. Though 
  contacting Hollister can be difficult in foreign lands, he is a loyal friend 
  and resourceful ally. He can serve as a potential source of information 
  or put the players in contact with wandering knights-errant if they need 
  reinforcements.
  Hollister has little use for the Underground, and does not buy into 
  their romantic image as defenders of Arasteen. To him, they are nothing 
  more than a gang of thieves. If Hollister learns that the party has will-
  ingly associated with the Underground, he will become more suspicious 
  of them. If he learns that they have actually joined the Underground, 
  he will revoke their deputy status and will not name them as knight-
  brothers, even if they save the village. (Although given the nature of the 
  Underground, concealing this from him is not impossible.)
  - Option Two -  
  The Underground
  History
  Though Arasteen has always portrayed itself as a land of Love and 
  Justice, there have been periods in history when they failed to uphold 
  this standard. Beginning at the end of the seventh century, Arasteen’s 
  rule passed through the hands of several weak and corrupt kings. These 
  kings filled their respective Templar councils with cronies and abused 
  the prosperity of Arasteen to amass wealth and power.
  During this time, Marit Poulson, an influential merchant captain, 
  began to organize Arasteen’s criminal underworld into a unified network. 
  She approached Arasteen’s assorted thieves’ guilds and freelance crimi-
  nals with an offer of alliance. Those who complied were absorbed into 
  the organization and shared the wealth. Those who refused were forced 
  out of business or eliminated - either by Poulson’s enforcers, or by the 
  Radiant Order. As it so happened, Poulson’s elder brother Lukas was a 
  member of the Templar Council, and was not above helping his sister 
  eliminate the competition in return for a discreet bribe now and then. 
  Poulson soon controlled the most powerful network of smugglers 
  and thieves that Arasteen had ever known. This group came to call itself 
  the Underground. Though powerful and well-organized, their aspira-
  12
  
  tions were the same as any other criminal gang - profit. Under the rule 
  of Oldarus the Blue, things changed dramatically.
  King Oldarus of Arasteen, who ruled from 732 until 773, vowed to 
  return to Arasteen’s traditions. He was not just King, but also Lord-
  Bishop, leader of the Radiant Path. He also happened to be insane. 
  Oldarus used his influence as King and Lord-Bishop to pass cruel and 
  draconian laws intended to restore order. Instead, he created an environ-
  ment of terror. Executions were commonplace, especially among those 
  who opposed him.
  Oldarus also abused his authority to intimidate the Templar Council 
  into passing strict and invasive laws. His edicts came to be known as 
  the Scathing Perversions. These were acts which he felt brewed a conta-
  gious desire for sin in the souls of the youth. Some of the more outra-
  geous examples included forbiddance of alcohol, theater, public displays 
  of affection, spicy foods, and artwork depicting the female form. He 
  enforced strict taxes upon trade that destroyed Arasteen’s economy and 
  brought them to the brink of war with Columbey, their oldest ally. The 
  Templar Council were bound by their oaths to the Church and could do 
  little to oppose him. Eventually only one senior member of Oldarus’ 
  Templar still dared to openly lobby for reform. This was Sir Henrik 
  Poulson, cousin to current Underground leader Inge Poulson.
  The Underground’s smuggling operations prospered during this 
  time but its leaders, still proud citizens of Arasteen, refused to watch 
  madness consume their homeland. Over the course of two weeks, four-
  teen members of the Templar Council perished in mysterious accidents, 
  culminating in the deaths of Oldarus and his Paladin during a hunting 
  trip. When the dust settled, Henrik Poulson was in direct line to the 
  throne. The new Templar Council later permanently voted him into 
  power as King.
  Though several assassins were found and officially brought to justice, 
  no connection between them was ever determined. Privately, the King 
  of Arasteen extended his gratitude to the Underground for delivering 
  its nation through a dark time. Under Henrik’s reign the Radiant Path 
  and Radiant Order became two distinct and independent bodies. Capital 
  punishment was abolished. The Scathing Perversions were repealed 
  and Arasteen returned to its former grandeur. King Henrik went on to 
  become one of the most beloved rulers Arasteen has ever known.
   Though their part in history is not officially recognized, the Under-
  ground’s actions have taken root in Arastinian legend. They are heroes 
  unbound by honor, willing to do what is necessary not because the 
  Code demands it, but because it must be done. The Underground feel 
  that they are a necessary balance upon the system. Arasteen’s noble 
  class has abused the Radiant Code to oppress and exploit the common 
  folk. While most of the Grounders consider themselves followers of the 
  Radiant Path, they eschew the mindless dogma that they feel constrains 
  many of their kinsmen. They instead follow their own unique interpre-
  tation of the Twin Virtues, one in which Justice is embodied by personal 
  freedom and Compassion is embodied by a love of one’s common man.
  Granted, this image is highly romanticized and often used to ratio-
  nalize the Underground’s activities. They are, first and foremost, a crim-
  inal organization and count thieves and assassins among their number. 
  Many of their number eschew highbrow philosophy and nationalism in 
  the name of simple profit. Regardless, some members of the Radiant 
  Order have come to quietly recognize the Underground as an ally and a 
  necessary evil. The Rectory of Intelligence frequently uses Grounders 
  as spies or informants, and more than one knight-errant in danger far 
  from home has received unexpected aid from an Underground smug-
  gler. 
  In recent years, the Underground has vastly reduced their involve-
  ment in assassination and theft and placed a greater focus on smug-
  gling. Their most common adversary is not the law, but the Darkfall. 
  Already practiced at evading detection and eluding pursuit, Grounders 
  continued to maintain a thriving black market despite the nocturnals. 
  The Thunder Scouts, glad to have any ally in the wastelands, frequently 
  worked beside Grounders to maintain some semblance of trade between 
  Aden’s besieged nations until the Thunder Trains were fully operational.
  In the modern day, the Underground has become the most powerful 
  criminal black market in all of Aden. 
  Purpose and Methods
  Underground agents (also called Grounders) value two principles 
  over all else: profit and freedom.
  To the first end, the Underground will provide nearly anything for 
  a price. While their primary sphere of influence is in black market 
  goods, they also engage in contracted services both legal and illegal. 
  Their guilds count thieves, assassins, wizards-for-hire, and professional 
  mercenaries among their number. All of their services are negotiable.
  That being said, there are a few caveats - the Underground will 
  not willingly trade in artifacts of the Darkfall, nor will they sell their 
  services to the corrupted or any enemies of Arasteen. While they may 
  be criminals, Grounders have some principles. At the end of the day, 
  the Underground is a business. Dealing with the Darkfall and betraying 
  Arasteen are bad for business. (That being said, they have no morals 
  whatsoever about smuggling Arastinian or slurgithian cultural artifacts 
  to other lands.)
  Additionally, the Underground will avoid exploiting the poor. 
  Though some guilds are less bound by such morality than others, the 
  Underground generally focuses its thieving attentions on those who can 
  afford to lose some of their wealth. 
  The Grounders are staunch believers in personal freedom and can 
  sometimes be quite political in their exploits. While they recognize a 
  general need for order (it keeps people safe and eliminates competi-
  tion), they believe that they are above such constraints. The most ideal-
  istic Grounders claim that they exist as a necessary balance against 
  tyrants everywhere, and that it is their duty to undermine the corrupt 
  and wealthy. Grounders have developed something of a heroic image 
  among Aden’s poor and oppressed. This only makes them that much 
  more difficult to catch, as a Grounder on the run can often find sanc-
  tuary among the downtrodden.  
  When profit and freedom intersect, the Grounders choose freedom. 
  They absolutely refuse to indulge in slave trade of any kind, and have 
  been known to unleash brutal street justice upon those who engage in 
  such activity.
  Organization
  The Underground is a complex affiliation of small, compartmen-
  talized guilds. Each is led by a Guild Master. Though these guilds 
  frequently communicate, direct interaction with one another is kept 
  to a minimum. If one guild is exposed, the others can quickly sever 
  contact and fade into the shadows. Each of these guilds specializes in 
  some aspect of the Underground’s smuggled goods or illicit services. If 
  a prospective client requires something that another guild can provide, 
  a message is sent through the Underground network so that a deal can 
  be made. 
  Unknown to most of Aden, the Underground has appropriated 
  much of the Herald’s Guild’s lost technology. Prior to the Darkfall, 
  the Heralds used their mechamagic to allow communication over vast 
  distances. Aden’s near-apocalypse killed many of the Heralds and left 
  their delicate network destroyed. The Underground has spent several 
  years recruiting former Heralds and adapting their lost mechamagic. 
  Though the Underground communication network is not nearly as 
  advanced as the Herald’s, it is impressive. An Underground herald can 
  dispatch a message to nearly any major city in Aden within minutes, 
  whereupon a courier (usually equipped with a thunder cycle or similar 
  vehicle) can then speed the message on to wherever it needs to be. 
  The Underground is circuitous in its dealings with outsiders. Until 
  they can safely determine that a prospective client is not an agent of the 
  law, they communicate through a complex web of proxies, dead drops, 
  coded messages, and other such enigmatic methods so that they can cut 
  off all communication in the event that the situation grows too hot. In 
  many cases, a customer may never even be aware that they have dealt 
  with the Underground.
  13
  
  The Underground is led by seven talented criminals known as the 
  Chromatic Circle. These individuals each adopt pseudonyms based on 
  a particular color, and each govern a different aspect of the network’s 
  operations. If any one of them can be said to lead the network, it is the 
  mysterious woman known only as Violet, guild master of Sea Reach.
  It was Violet who first broached an alliance with the Thunder Scouts 
  as they established the future Thunder Trail, despite the fact that the rise 
  of the Thunder Trains would cut deeply into the Underground’s smug-
  gling profits. Violet is pragmatic enough to realize she cannot continue 
  to profit without a world to operate in, and having allies entrenched 
  among the Thunder Scouts has proven to be an incredibly valuable 
  asset.
  Aden’s’ major law enforcement agencies are well aware of the 
  Underground, though they have had little success in effectively 
  curtailing their operations. Its members have a strict policy of avoiding 
  violent conflict with the authorities, preferring to cut their losses and 
  flee, or use their political connections to arrange the release of their 
  agents, rather than engage law enforcement in direct combat. Due to the 
  guild’s loose organization, even those members who are caught by the 
  authorities can do little to harm the Underground as a whole. 
  In some areas, particularly Balaquim, the authorities make only a 
  token effort to combat the Underground. After all, the Underground 
  presence tends to keep lesser criminals - like the pirates of Rook’s 
  Roost - away. At least Grounders have a sense of integrity.
  The Underground in Your Game
  Grounder guilds can vary dramatically. One might be a band of 
  altruistic rogues who surrender a share of their profits to the poor. 
  Another guild might be a band of cutthroat marauders and bandits. In 
  this manner, the Underground might serve as heroic allies one day and 
  enemies the next. Due to their loose affiliation, even a party member 
  who has joined the Underground may find himself crossing blades 
  with other Grounders from time to time. The organization frowns upon 
  infighting, but sees such conflicts as an inevitable part of their lawless 
  existence. Occasional conflict insures that only the strongest continue 
  to serve. So long as it does not threaten the Chromatic Circle or the 
  network as a whole, a bit of internal warfare is not only tolerated but 
  expected.
  The Underground dabbles in countless enterprises throughout Aden, 
  and has constant need of freelancers. If the party befriends Rollimus, it 
  is likely he will take advantage of their potential as freelancers. He is 
  willing to purchase any interesting artifacts the party discovers in their 
  adventures (see below), but, through his own research into the history 
  of Murdoch’s Cove, he can provide the occasional lead in their quest. 
  (Naturally he does so with the understanding that they will provide him 
  with access to any items of interest that they discover). 
  If the party conducts several of Rollimus’ missions professionally 
  and discreetly, he may reveal his true affiliations and approach 
  the player characters with an offer of employment with 
  the Underground. Once any prospective members 
  have proven themselves, he will provide them with a 
  silver ring inscribed with his own invisible arcane 
  mark - a grinning carp - to be used to identify 
  themselves as allies to other Grounders.
  The Underground as Allies
  If the party is a bit on the lawless side, the Underground can make for 
  excellent allies. If the party has access to even a small guild headquar-
  ters (such as Rollimus’ tower in Murdoch’s Cove) they can turn to the 
  Underground for assistance.
  First and foremost, the Underground can offer employment. While 
  they don’t engage in much theft in an area like Murdoch’s Cove, the 
  Underground is interested in any mechamagical lore and artifacts that 
  the party can secure from the surrounding ruins. However, Rollimus 
  will not pay for any of Radool’s corrupted creations and will strongly 
  recommend that the party destroy all such monstrous mechamagic.
  Rollimus will buy and sell items of interest. He can purchase up to 
  4,000 gold crowns worth of valuable items per week, and generally has 
  1d4+1 minor magical items as well as an equal number of scrolls and 
  potions to sell or trade to fellow guild members. He can also arrange 
  the delivery of specific items up to 4,000 gold crowns in value, to be 
  delivered in 1-2 weeks, with payment in advance. (Naturally, as GM 
  you may deem that certain items are unavailable).
  The Underground as Enemies
  While Rollimus does his best to avoid violent conflict with the party, 
  the fact remains that he is a criminal. Depending on the party’s ethics, 
  they may refuse to work with him or even seek to bring him to justice if 
  they discover his affiliation and activities. This could prove difficult, as 
  Rollimus is careful to conceal all evidence of his wrongdoings.
  If the players make it clear that they are enemies of the Underground, 
  Rollimus will try to lie low and simply avoid them. If they continue to 
  prove themselves a nuisance, he will spread word of the party’s unpro-
  fessional behavior and alert other Underground guilds to their actions. If 
  they uncover evidence of Rollimus’ shady activities and seek to expose 
  him, he will try to flee Murdoch’s Cove at the first sign of trouble.
  Once word gets out, other Underground guilds will be more cautious 
  about dealing with the party. Some may be openly hostile. That being 
  said, most Grounders are smart enough not to cause trouble if they 
  can avoid it, and most will react to a belligerent thief-hunting party by 
  staying out of their way.  
  Player Contact - Rollimus Torth
  The players may have prior, if indirect, contact with Rollimus Torth. 
  If they played Heart of the Machine, Rollimus was the mechamage who 
  sent his apprentice, Kozark, to purchase Samwark Rattlecleave’s manite 
  ore. The results of that mission will, in part, determine how Rollimus 
  perceives the player characters. 
  If the player characters allowed the ore to be stolen, Rollimus will 
  assume they are incompetent. If the party arrested or attacked Kozark, 
  Rollimus will be negatively predisposed toward them and will double 
  the rates for any of his services. If they killed Kozark, he will be outright 
  hostile and refuse to deal with them at all. If the party allowed Kozark to 
  leave peacefully, Rollimus will be positively disposed toward them. If 
  they brought Samwark Rattlecleave to justice for attempting to swindle 
  Kozark, Rollimus will be friendly, gracious, and eager to recruit them 
  as allies.
  Rollimus Torth is described in more detail in the Appendix.
  - Option Three -  
  Going it Alone
  Refusing political entanglements in this chapter of the adventure is 
  not as much of an obstacle as it could be in Heart of the Machine. As 
  long as the players are willing to help Murdoch’s Cove, the Radiant 
  Order will at least provide passive assistance. If the party doesn’t want 
  the Underground’s help, the Grounders are content to ignore them. 
  14
  
  The adventure begins in Mekanus, capital city of Urbana, a few 
  months after the conclusion of Heart of the Machine. You may wish 
  to fill in the empty months with a few random Cogswheel Irregular 
  missions, as detailed in Heart of the Machine.
  The player characters continue to serve under Commander Shara 
  Thale as respected members of the Irregulars. When the party reports 
  to Cogswheel Station, they find Dennison Walcroix’s butler, Harmon, 
  waiting for them. Harmon is an elderly human, perhaps in his early 
  sixties, but still quite spry. He has replaced his normal servant’s livery 
  with simple and nondescript clothing.
  The old man appears nervous and exhausted, but brightens consider-
  ably when he recognizes the party approaching. He rises from his seat 
  in the station lobby and hurries toward them. Harmon bows and greets 
  the player characters by name. Once the formalities are out of the way, 
  he gets directly to business. 
  “My master invites you to attend him at his estate in Honor’s Foundry 
  for dinner this evening,” he says. “He prepares to undertake a journey 
  within the next few days, and requires protection in this endeavor. Your 
  group has proven your bravery, honor, and strength in the past. He 
  would be honored if you would consider joining him in this endeavor. 
  There will be ample compensation, of course. He has already taken the 
  liberty of clearing the matter with his fellow Elders of Mekanus and 
  Commander Thale, so the choice is yours. Master Walcroix would be 
  pleased to share the specifics over dinner.”
  Harmon has no ulterior motives and isn’t hiding anything. He only 
  appears nervous because he doesn’t like leaving the safety of Honor’s 
  Foundry. That Walcroix sent his personal butler rather than a courier 
  suggests that this is an important matter and that Walcroix is being very 
  careful who he trusts. 
  Harmon prefers not to discuss his master’s business, but if pressed, 
  he will reveal that his master is currently entertaining a visitor from 
  Arasteen, a ferran who wears the Beacon of the Radiant Order. Harmon 
  is certain that his master’s business must be related.
  Dinner at Dennison’s
  The party can report to Walcroix’s home in Honor’s Foundry at any 
  point during the evening. As usual, the Rusters guards strictly monitor 
  all prospective visitors to the district. Walcroix has sent word ahead, so 
  the Ruster guards are only moderately dismissive as long as the player 
  characters identify themselves. Harmon greets the player characters at 
  the door and invites them inside. 
  Perceptive party members may notice subtle changes in Walcroix’s 
  home. Many historical artifacts that were prominently displayed during 
  the party’s last visit are now gone. Some have been replaced with obvi-
  ously less valuable items. In other cases, shelves or display stands are 
  merely empty. 
  The party is admitted to the dining room, where Dennison Walcroix 
  waits for them. His guest is a massive wolf ferran dressed in black 
  leather armor and a white cloak, emblazoned with the Beacon of Aras-
  teen. He currently sits quietly facing the entrance. The curator rises 
  from his seat and warmly greets the party while the ferran remains 
  seated, studying the party without speaking.
  “Welcome, my friends,” Walcroix says. He shakes their hands if 
  possible. “It is good to see you again. Please, sit, eat, drink, and tell me 
  of your adventures. This is my new friend, Sir Trask Calder, guardian 
  of Murdoch’s Cove.”
  Sir Calder rises from his seat and nods gruffly. 
  Walcroix invites everyone to be seated. Harmon serves food and 
  drink to the party. The dinner is expertly prepared but relatively modest, 
  another subtle sign that Walcroix’s finances are not what they once were. 
  The curator engages everyone in small talk, inquiring about their recent 
  Radiant Demise
  Act 1 - A Long Road Ahead
  4
  15
  
  exploits. If the party shares tales of their adventures, Walcroix is sure to 
  turn to Trask and make such comments as “You see? These fellows know 
  what they’re doing,” or “I shouldn’t have expected anything less from 
  this lot. Just as I told you, Sir Calder.”
  Trask avoids engaging in small talk with the party, answering most 
  questions with yes or no answers or not at all. He is uncertain, as of 
  yet, whether to trust the party. Until Walcroix explains the job in detail, 
  Trask will confirm only that he is a Knight of Arasteen, and that he is 
  in the city seeking information. If the player characters describe their 
  adventures, he will ask for details on occasion. In particular, he will 
  always inquire further in regard to any sorts of nocturnals the party 
  encountered and how they defeated them. If the party establishes itself 
  as staunch enemies of the Darkfall, he seems to respect them a bit more.
  Walcroix will avoid getting to the point as long as possible, as 
  he knows he is about to ask a great deal of the party and fears that 
  they might refuse. If the party demands to know why they have been 
  summoned, he will clear his throat nervously and proceed. 
  “Perhaps some of you might remember my late friend and teacher, 
  Sir James Dex,” Dennison continues. “It was his estate you so capably 
  protected from thieves on my behalf, and it was his vaults that those 
  wretched Darkfall cultists intended to plunder when they kidnapped me 
  that dark night so long ago.”
  “Lord James Dex’s research took him throughout the lands of Aden, 
  and he was somewhat notorious for stashing bits of his discoveries 
  and research everywhere he went. Recently, Sir Calder and his fellow 
  knights discovered a trove of encoded documents that bore his seal. 
  Look, here is a sample!”
  Walcroix produces a scroll case with shaking hands, unfurling its 
  contents and displaying them to the party. The parchment within is 
  covered with neat, orderly, and utterly unintelligible writing. 
  “It’s code,” Dennison explains. “One of Lord Dex’s many personal 
  ciphers, with which I am familiar. Languages were something of his 
  hobby. Learning them, studying them, creating them… This is just an 
  example.”
  “There’s more where that came from,” Trask adds. “Lots more. Also - 
  we’re very interested to know what your old friend’s journal was doing 
  in a ruin full of undead monsters.”
  “I’m curious to know as well!” Walcroix replies. “Sir Calder’s 
  commander believes that these documents contain information that is 
  of crucial importance for the security of Arasteen, so they dispatched 
  Trask to Mekanus in search of someone who could break this code. With 
  all modesty, I can imagine no one more adequately suited to decipher 
  Dex’s writings than myself - and no one more adequately suited to 
  protect me in this endeavor than you, my friends.” 
  “Murdoch’s Cove is a dangerous area,” Trask explains. “We’ve had 
  a lot of trouble with nocturnals lately, and now the local slurg popula-
  tion has started to get aggressive as well. We’ve only got a handful of 
  knights to protect the place - two fewer after our battle in the cave. 
  Captain Hollister put in a request for reinforcements, but the cove isn’t 
  what you’d call a high priority location. We aren’t hopeful that aid will 
  arrive in time. The Order is spread pretty thin these days.” The ferran 
  pauses and fixes the party with a grim stare. “I’ll be frank - I don’t 
  think much of Urbanan mercenaries, but Murdoch’s Cove needs all the 
  help it can get. If you’re as good as the Master Walcroix says you are, 
  Commander Hollister will definitely have more work for you after you 
  help me get the curator to the village safely. Assuming you’re willing to 
  fight nocturnals, of course.” 
  Walcroix offers the player characters 1,500 gold crowns each if they 
  accompany him on the trip to Arasteen. If the players do not agree to 
  this deal, feel free to haggle on the price a bit, so long as the payment is 
  not unreasonable. If they refuse to take the job, Walcroix will plead with 
  them as friends. If left with no other options, Walcroix will remind them 
  that he is a member of the Elders of Mekanus in good standing. If the 
  players refuse to help him, they may find an inordinate number of their 
  future assignments involve the Mekanus sewers. (Leave such threats as 
  a last resort so that the players do not feel railroaded.) 
  Dennison’s Deal
  Once the initial business is out of the way, Walcroix has another 
  favor to ask. 
  “To tell the truth,” the curator says, “I was about to request your 
  aid even before Sir Trask arrived in Mekanus. In the months since our 
  last encounter, I have come to realize that Lord Dex’s work holds a 
  greater significance than I ever realized. I suspected as much prior to 
  the auction - those thieves that you faced were far more numerous and 
  well organized than I expected, but when those cultists captured me 
  there could be no further doubt. They were searching for something 
  specific. Unfortunately, Dex’s vault was largely ruined by the flood, so 
  we may never know what they sought. But I believe that there must be 
  some clue remaining out there, somewhere. For the past few months I 
  have made it my quest to recover the items we were forced to sell in the 
  estate auction. I have called in every favor I am owed and expended a 
  great deal of my personal fortune to that end.”
  “Recently, I received an anonymous message from an individual 
  who claims to have come into possession of several of Dex’s historical 
  artifacts. He wishes to meet with me tonight, in Shadowall, to arrange 
  a deal. Normally, I would find such a claim highly suspicious, but he 
  named several details that only someone intimately familiar with Lord 
  Dex and his work could know. I cannot miss this opportunity, but like-
  wise I do not intend to stumble blindly into a trap. Will you help me, 
  my friends?”
  If the players have played Heart of the Machine or can succeed at 
  even a cursory Knowledge (local) check vs. DC 10, they know that 
  Shadowall is one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Mekanus. 
  It is virtually unpoliced and ruled by the criminal Grinvoj Syndicate. 
  If the player characters refuse to allow Walcroix to attend the meeting, 
  he reluctantly lets the matter go. Trask says that it is unfortunate that 
  he will not have a chance to see the vaunted Irregulars in action, but he 
  agrees that the deal seems too dangerous to be legitimate. 
  (Note: The Grinvoj don’t just give up if the players avoid this initial 
  ambush. Instead, they’ll wait until Walcroix leaves the city and ambush 
  him somewhere during the trip to Murdoch’s Cove - preferably close 
  enough to the city for safety but far enough away not to draw the Shadow 
  Army’s attention. Use the same statistics as the groups described below. 
  The party’s caution and foresight will make for a much easier battle, 
  as the Grinvoj won’t have the luxury of a complex ambush or call for 
  reinforcements.)
  If the party agrees to escort Walcroix to his meeting, Trask offers to 
  accompany the party, both so that he can help protect Walcroix and so 
  that he can observe how the party performs. Walcroix reveals that he 
  has made arrangements to meet with a rapacian scholar named Aklos in 
  an inn called The Shed Scale. He has arranged to trade his rare book of 
  Arastinian poetry for several Carrite runestones that were sold in Lord 
  Dex’s estate auction.
  The party can make whatever preparations they like in the few hours 
  they have before the scheduled meeting. Shadowall is a rough neigh-
  borhood, rife with poverty and ruled by the Grinvoj. Traveling through 
  the area at night should never be taken lightly, especially when there’s a 
  chance the whole thing could be a trap.
  Of Course it’s a Trap…
  The following combat can be difficult; the players are fighting an 
  entrenched enemy in their own territory, one who most likely has the 
  element of surprise. That being said, they did have plenty of warning 
  to avoid this fight altogether and should be coming into the encounter 
  fresh and at full strength.
  If the party does not supply transportation, Walcroix will drive them 
  to Shadowall in his steamwagon (a basic vehicle of its type as described 
  in the Thunderscape Campaign Setting). Walcroix prefers to drive, 
  but will defer to a pilot-trained player character if they insist. Trask 
  will stop by Walcroix’s stable to retrieve his riding horse and his wolf 
  companion before setting off with the party.
  16
  
  Shadowall is unusually still this evening. Only the occasional vagrant 
  crosses their path. The intermittent shriek or moan from the depths 
  of the Lost Ghetto only makes the unnatural silence that much more 
  unnerving. Players familiar with Shadowall (or who make a Knowledge 
  (local) check vs. DC 18) should be on edge. Night time is normally a 
  busy time in this seedy district, with hustlers, ladies of the evening, and 
  shady merchants on every street corner. None of them are out tonight. 
  Someone wanted the streets clear. In Shadowall, only one group has 
  that sort of power - the Grinvoj Syndicate. Unbeknownst to the party, 
  the Grinvoj have been hired by the Cult of Shermazza to kill Dennison 
  Walcroix before his quest for knowledge becomes a threat to them.
  The party doesn’t even make it to the rendezvous before things get 
  ugly. The Grinvoj have set up an ambush on each of the three major 
  streets leading directly to the inn. A half-dozen rapacian gangsters lie 
  in wait in each of these locations, hiding within homes and businesses. 
  Once Walcroix’s vehicle enters the ambush zone, the Grinvoj unleash a 
  wagon full of oil barrels on either end of the street in an attempt to block 
  in Walcroix’s steamwagon. Astute player characters actively searching 
  for an ambush can make a Perception check vs. DC 22 to notice this 
  (the Grinvoj have had a while to prepare and have concealed their pres-
  ence well).
  If the players spot the ambush, or were paranoid and approached the 
  inn from an indirect route, the Grinvoj are forced to compensate. They 
  will move to attack the party directly, using magic to disable the party’s 
  vehicle as soon as possible. Walcroix is their main goal and the rapa-
  cians will do their best to kill him. (Fortunately Walcroix is no hero and 
  will hide in the steamwagon at the first sign of trouble.) If the curator 
  is killed, any remaining rapacians will attempt to flee, fighting only 
  if there is no other option. Grinvoj warriors attack the party directly 
  in melee, while the sorcerer and gunmen attack from nearby rooftops 
  (generally one or two stories above street level). 
  The Grinvoj gangsters blow shrill signal whistles periodically during 
  the combat, calling for reinforcements from elsewhere in the district. 
  If the party cannot overcome their foes quickly, it may behoove them 
  to clear the oil barrels and try to retreat. Otherwise, a second Grinvoj 
  ambush group arrives in six rounds and a third arrives in ten rounds.
  Each of the three ambush groups is functionally identical and uses 
  the following statistics.
  Grinvoj Warriors (2)
  Rapacian barbarian 2 - CR 1 (each) - XP 400
  NE Medium humanoid (reptilian)
  Init +4; Senses low-light vision, Perception +4
  Defense
  AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +2 Dex, +1 natural), (16, 
  touch 10, flat-footed 14)
  hp 21 (2d12+8) (25)
  Fort +5 (+7), Ref +2, Will +1 (+3)
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee greatsword +5 (2d6+4) (+7 (2d6+7)), bite +0 (1d6+1) (+2 
  (1d6+2))
  Ranged dagger +4 (1d4+3) (+4, 1d4+5))
  Special defenses uncanny dodge
  Statistics
  Str 17 (21), Dex 15, Con 14 (18), Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10
  Base Atk +2; CMB +5 (+7); CMD 17 (19)
  Feats Power Attack
  Traits Ruffian (+2 hp), Reactionary (+2 initiative)
  Skills Acrobatics 2 (+3), Perception 3 (+7), Survival 3 (+7)
  Languages Rapacian, Western Common
  SQ fast movement, rage (8 rounds/day – stats when raging are given 
  above in parentheses), reckless abandon (can take -1 AC for +1 to hit 
  while raging)
  Equipment greatsword, 3 daggers, scale mail, 10 gold crests
  Grinvoj Gunmen (2)
  Rapacian fighter 2 - CR 1 (each) - XP 400
  NE Medium humanoid (reptilian)
  Init +3; Senses low-light vision, Perception +1
  Defense
  AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +3 Dex, +1 natural)
  hp 17 (2d10+6)
  Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1
  Special Defenses bravery +1
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee bite +4 (1d6+2)
  Ranged rifle +4 (1d10+2)
  Statistics
  Str 15, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
  Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 16
  Feats Point Blank Shot, Rapid Reload (rifle)
  Traits Folk Magic (dancing lights, 3/day), Cosmopolitan Education 
  (+1 Stealth and counts as class skill)
  Skills Stealth 2 (+9), Survival 2 (+6)
  Languages Rapacian, Western Common
  Equipment rifle, 10 heavy ammunition, studded leather armor, 
  10 gold crests
  17
  
  Grinvoj Sorcerer
  Rapacian sorcerer (fire elemental) 3 - CR 2 - XP 800
  NE Medium humanoid (reptilian)
  Init +6; Senses low-light vision, Perception +1
  Defense
  AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +1 natural)
  hp 16 (3d6+6)
  Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +4
  Special Defenses fire resistance 10
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee dagger +1 (1d4)
  Special Attacks fire ray +3 ranged touch (1d6+1 fire) 6/day
  Sorcerer Spells Known
  0-Level - dancing lights, detect magic, message, prestidigitation, read 
  magic
  1st Level (6/day) - burning hands (DC 15), grease (DC 14), mage 
  armor*, magic missile, sleep (DC 14), 
  *This spell has been cast prior to combat, and is calculated into the 
  sorcerer’s stats.
  Statistics
  Str 10, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 17
  Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 13
  Feats Improved Initiative, Elemental Focus (fire)
  Traits Folk Magic (grease added to spells known), Cosmopolitan 
  Education (+1 Diplomacy and counts as class skill)
  Skills Diplomacy 3 (+12), Use Magic Device 3 (+9)
  Languages Rapacian, Western Common
  SQ Feathered (alternate racial trait)
  Equipment dagger, potion of cure light wounds, 57 gold crowns
  Grinvoj Elite Warrior
  Rapacian golemoid 3 - CR 2 - XP 800
  NE Medium humanoid (reptilian)
  Init +1; Senses low-light vision, Perception +7
  Defense
  AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 17 (+6 armor, +1 Dex, +1 natural)
  hp 30 (3d10+14) 
  Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +3
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee slam (1d10), bite +0 (1d6+1) 
  Ranged scattergun +4 (3d4+1)
  Manite Implants (Steam Reserve: 7)
  Juggernaut Combat Specialization 
  Minor Implants chest spikes, internal toolkit (Disable Device), minor 
  resistance generator (Will) momentum manipulator
  Basic Implants integrated armor (banded mail), manite injector
  Statistics
  Str 17, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 10
  Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 17
  Feats Extra Steam, Power Attack, Toughness
  Traits Ruffian (+2 hp), Implanted (bonus minor implant)
  Skills Disable Device 3 (+8), Intimidate 3 (+10), Perception 3 (+7), 
  Survival 3 (+7)
  Languages Rapacian, Western Common
  SQ steam mastery
  Equipment scattergun, 12 standard ammunition, potion of cure 
  moderate wounds (currently loaded in manite injector), 37 gold 
  crowns
  If the players stubbornly press on to the Shed Scale, they find it 
  closed and empty. If the party somehow overcomes all three groups of 
  Grinvoj gangsters, the Syndicate will continue to send progressively 
  larger groups. The only wise course of action here is to get out of enemy 
  territory - the Syndicate is not foolish enough to attack a noble and a 
  band of Irregulars outside of Shadowall. 
  If the players manage to capture a Grinvoj for questioning, there isn’t 
  much to learn from those involved in the ambush. All they can say is 
  that someone paid the Syndicate handsomely to end the curator’s life. 
  If the player characters report the incident to the authorities, they’ll 
  simply caution Lord Walcroix to stay in Honor’s Foundry where it’s 
  safe and for everyone else to avoid Shadowall. 
  Following the attack, Walcroix is more eager than ever to leave for 
  Murdoch’s Cove. After all, if someone is so afraid of his knowledge 
  that they are willing to hire the Syndicate to kill him, he must be on to 
  something.
  If Walcroix dies in this encounter, all is not lost. The player charac-
  ters will simply need to find another linguist - such as Amara Dex (as 
  described in the Introduction). If you were already using Amara Dex, 
  and she was killed... well do what you have to do, but the players really 
  should take better care of their companions...
  Reporting to Cogswheel Station
  If the party reports the ambush to Commander Thale, she is incensed. 
  The Grinvoj are too large and well-established for the Irregulars to 
  challenge directly, but she does not intend to let them go unpunished. 
  “We’ve been willing to look the other way for too long while those 
  monsters dominate Shadowall,” she says. “That’s over now. I’m not 
  going to stand for attacks on my men. I’m placing a bounty on their 
  entire gang. Any Grinvoj who steps out of Shadowall is going to find 
  a band of Irregulars ready to drag him to Fort Blight on charges of 
  18
  
  attempted murder and conspiracy against the welfare of the city. Maybe 
  after a few weeks of being blockaded in that hellhole they call a district, 
  they’ll be ready to sue for peace. In the meantime, maybe you’d better 
  take the curator somewhere safe and wait until this blows over. Those 
  rapacians aren’t going to be happy that you escaped their meanest 
  thugs. Maybe you should take that trip to Arasteen after all.”
  As Walcroix said, he already cleared the trip to Arasteen with Thale. 
  She approves of the idea. Relations between Urbana and Arasteen have 
  been strained of late. Though many Urbanans would readily support a 
  war with the Radiant North, she is not among them. She gives the party 
  her blessing. 
  Preparing  
  for the Journey
  Murdoch’s Cove is a small village situated along the southwestern 
  coast of Tirrian’s Eye, deep in the heart of Arasteen. This is quite a 
  journey from Mekanus and much of the intervening territory is plagued 
  by nocturnals and other dangers. This is why Dennison Walcroix is 
  paying the party so well for their protection. Sir Trask Calder made his 
  original journey to Mekanus on horseback. As a skilled ranger moving 
  quickly by himself, he was able to evade or avoid most of the dangers. 
  Even so, he reports that the trip to Mekanus was harrowing and there 
  were many points where he expected not to survive. 
  Here are a few options for the upcoming journey. Note that Sir Trask 
  Calder and Dennison Walcroix each cover their own travel expenses. 
  The player characters only need to pay for themselves, when applicable. 
  ● Land Travel - Traveling on foot from Mekanus to Murdoch’s Cove 
  would entail a journey of roughly 900 miles. The intervening terrain 
  varies between open plains, marshes, and hilly highlands but is rela-
  tively flat and even. The first 600 miles venture through the dangerous 
  wastelands of Urbana, while the rest of the journey passes through the 
  somewhat safer plains of Arasteen.
  If the party loads into Walcroix’s steamwagon (which has a speed 
  of 40) they can travel an average of 32 miles per day, allowing them to 
  reach the village in about 28 days. If the party is using faster vehicles 
  or horses, they would gain 8 miles a day per 10 speed over 40. For 
  instance, a 4th level thunder scout with a 60 speed steamwagon could 
  cover 48 miles a day and reach the village in 19 days. Naturally the 
  party must travel at the speed of the slowest participant. Sir Calder is 
  willing to leave his horse behind, if he must, but not his wolf.
  The player characters will also require supplies for their journey, and 
  would have a greater chance of running into trouble on the trip, but this 
  option is otherwise potentially the least expensive.
  Pros: Inexpensive, more opportunity for adventure.
  Cons: Time consuming (unless the party possesses a quality vehicle), 
  dangerous.
  ● Sea Travel - Mekanus is a bustling harbor; the player characters 
  could book passage on a galley bound for Redbeach, the closest large 
  port to Murdoch’s Cove. Locating a ship headed for the appropriate 
  destination is the tricky part. After a few hours of asking around Tarello 
  Landing, the party finds the next ship bound for that destination is 
  leaving in 3d6-2 days. 
  Party members can attempt to make Diplomacy checks to reduce 
  this number (this represents either convincing a captain to leave earlier 
  or simply canvassing the docks in search of alternate transportation). A 
  result of 10 or more will reduce the departure date by one day, plus an 
  extra day for every 5 by which this check exceeds the DC (minimum 
  1 day). Only one party member should make this check, though others 
  can use the aid another action to improve the result. Paying double the 
  normal fare reduces the departure time by a week.
  Passage from Mekanus to Redbeach costs 30 gold crowns per 
  Medium-sized passenger, animal, or cargo (such as a golem minion). 
  Large mounts or vehicles cost 60 gold crowns each, while huge vehicles 
  cost 100 gold crowns to transport. Any unusual pets (such as Trasks’ 
  pet wolf) require cages, muzzles, and sturdy leashes or the sailors will 
  refuse to deal with them. Party members who are skilled sailors or can 
  provide services useful to a sailing vessel can negotiate their passage, 
  reducing the price by half if they are willing to work during the trip. 
  Food and lodging during the journey is included in the price of passage.
  If the party is allied with the Ghosts of Columbey and seeks their 
  help arranging passage, the delay is reduced by six days and all travel 
  fees are reduced by 25% due to their influence in Tarello Landing.
  The waters between Mekanus to Redbeach are heavily patrolled by 
  Urbana’s navy, and as such are relatively safe from pirates, nocturnals, 
  or other dangers. The merchant captains that make this journey have 
  reputations to uphold and are likewise generally trustworthy. The trip to 
  Redbeach by sea takes roughly four days. 
  Obviously the sea journey will only take the party part of the way. 
  Once they make land, the party will still have 500 miles of land travel 
  from Redbeach to Murdoch’s Cove. (See Land Travel option for general 
  land speeds. With Walcroix’s steamwagon the remaining distance will 
  require roughly 16 days of land travel.) Fortunately this leg of the land 
  journey is exclusively in Arasteen and is therefore much less dangerous 
  than Urbana.
  Pros: Safer and quicker than land travel (especially with help from 
  the Ghosts of Columbey).
  Cons: Costly; time advantage depends on if a boat is available.
  ● Thunder Train - The Urbanan capital is also home to Mekanus 
  Central Station, which means the players could book passage on one of 
  the legendary Thunder Trains to shorten their journey. These vehicles 
  leave enter and leave Mekanus with clockwork efficiency. The trains 
  don’t visit backwoods villages like Murdoch’s Cove, but like sea travel, 
  a ride on the Thunder Trail can cut down on the party’s travel time 
  considerably. While most of the Thunder Trains travel slightly faster 
  than a man can run, they do not have to rest.
  The closest Thunder Trail runs directly from Mekanus through Smult, 
  where it stops to unload cargo and refresh its crew for twelve hours 
  before continuing north to the village of Rose. In Rose, it stops for only 
  19
  
  an hour so that passengers can board or disembark before continuing 
  west. The line doesn’t stop again until Redbeach, so the party will need 
  to disembark at Rose (the Iron Guard does not permit passengers to leap 
  off the moving trains for everyone’s safety). 
  Unfortunately, riding a Thunder Train isn’t cheap. A trip to Rose will 
  cost 180 gold crowns per person. Cargo of up to Large size costs 300 
  gold crowns to transport, with an additional 100 gold crown fee for 
  living cargo. Huge cargo costs 500 gold crowns to transport. Members 
  of the Urbanan military receive a fifty percent discount when traveling 
  on by Thunder Train (this applies only to themselves and their personal 
  cargo). The trip includes food and lodging within the train.
  For one third of the normal cost, the player characters can ride in 
  one of the “common cars.” These cars pack passengers into unoccupied 
  cargo barges. These rides allow no cargo other than what the passengers 
  can carry on their person - steeds, animals, or other cargo must book 
  passage separately. Common cars are cramped, with no food or other 
  amenities supplied (the characters can try to sleep on a patch of floor if 
  they want). Riding in a common car carries a 25% chance per day that 
  the party will be attacked or robbed by other passengers (treat this as an 
  encounter with 2d4 untrained conscripts, see Appendix for statistics). 
  Discounts are cumulative for Urbanan military - it costs 45 gold, rather 
  than 180, for an Urbanan soldier to ride in a common car.
  If the party is allied with the Eye and turn to them for aid, Beldar 
  Calsheen can arrange for discounted passage for the party, their allies, 
  and their cargo as if they were all military. This is with the understanding 
  that he expects the party to repay the favor by finding something useful 
  to the Eye in Murdoch’s Cove. Beldar Calsheen will not assist players 
  who want to ride in the common cars - it’s unseemly.
   The trip to the village of Rose takes about four days (it arrives in 
  Smult after three). After the party is done sightseeing in the ancient 
  village of the Seers, they must cover the final 200 miles to Murdoch’s 
  cove on foot. (See Land Travel for general land speeds. Walcroix’s 
  steamwagon can cover this distance in a little over six days.)
  Pros: Extremely safe and fast, more economical for allies of the Eye.
  Cons: Very expensive, especially for parties with lots of cargo.
  ● The Thunder Trail - The routes utilized by the mighty Thunder 
  Trains - known as the Thunder Trails - are well patrolled and protected 
  by Urbana’s Shadow Army (in Urbana) and the Radiant Order (in Aras-
  teen). Many caravans, known as remoras, follow these routes, searching 
  for safety in the shadow of the Thunder Trains. While this is much 
  cheaper than riding within the trains, the indirect route means that the 
  trip will be much longer. Following the Thunder Trail to Rose and then 
  making for Murdoch’s Cove will be safer, but is 250 miles longer than 
  the route proposed under Land Travel (adding an extra week to travel 
  times if Walcroix’s steamwagon is used).
  Pros: Relatively safe and inexpensive.
  Cons: Extremely time consuming.
  Points of Interest
  Depending on the route the party chooses, they can potentially pass 
  through various major settlements. Though they probably won’t spend 
  long in any of them, here is a brief description of the most significant ones.
  ● Mekanus (Major Metropolis, Population 1,000,000) - Described in 
  great detail in Heart of the Machine, this city is where the party’s journey 
  begins. This bustling metropolis offers a variety of travel options for 
  reaching Murdoch’s Cove, as well as numerous markets where the party 
  can acquire whatever supplies they might need on their journey.
  ● Smult (Metropolis, Population 340,000) - Situated near the great 
  volcano, Infernus, Smult is the center of Urbana’s mining industry. The 
  people of Smult are a passionate lot, driven by their work by day and 
  prone to raucous celebration in the evenings. Combined with the rela-
  tively lax law enforcement in this area, Smult has earned a reputation as 
  a wild and lawless city. 
  As long as the miners meet their material quotas the Shadow Army 
  is content to tolerate their eccentricities and instead focus on containing 
  the salamanders who occasionally assault the city from the depths of 
  Infernus. While ample supplies, particularly industrial goods, can be 
  acquired here, Smult has little in the way of creature comforts. Most 
  travelers consider this scorched city little more than another stop on the 
  Thunder Trail to Arasteen. 
  ● Rose (Small Town, Population 1,500) - Though Rose is only a 
  small settlement that has no particular strategic significance its cultural 
  importance is unparalleled. It was here that the Seers first brought 
  together representatives of Aden’s various major nations and drafted 
  the Rose Accords, heralding the end of the Great War and the beginning 
  of Aden’s Golden Age. It was also here that the Seers once made their 
  central headquarters. 
  The Seers made no secret of their belief that Arasteen and Columbey 
  would each play a crucial role in Aden’s destiny, so they built their main 
  monastery here to be close to both nations. Though an Arastinian settle-
  ment, Columbey and Arasteen both maintained a presence in the city. 
  The Seers remained on close terms with both nations. 
  The first night of the Darkfall, nocturnal demons slaughtered every 
  seer in Rose Monastery and sacked the village. Rose fell under Darkfall 
  for control for six years, until it was finally reclaimed by the Shadow 
  Army. Urbana has taken great pains to fortify the village against 
  future attack, nocturnal or otherwise. The local architecture is unique, 
  featuring ancient styles from every nation juxtaposed beside cold 
  Urbanan fortifications.  
  Though Rose is a small settlement, it has become something of a 
  tourist trap due to its cultural significance. Goods and services in the 
  area cost up to 30% more than they would elsewhere, and lodging can 
  sometimes be difficult to find.
  ● Redbeach (Small City, Population 9,000) - This bustling port is 
  a center of trade between Arasteen and Urbana, and sees occasional 
  vessels from Yzeem and the Misland Republics. Though not as large 
  as Sea Reach, it is much closer to Mekanus and does not require travel 
  through the dangerously haunted Grey Isles, and is thus a preferred port 
  of call for many merchants. 
  Redbeach is so named for the scarlet tides that wash into the beach 
  periodically, causing the seas to become mildly acidic and poisonous. 
  Legend has it that these are caused by necromantic rituals practiced by 
  the undead inhabitants of the Grey Isles. In fact, they are merely due to 
  a natural anomaly in the local plankton. 
  20
  
  Encounters 
  on the Road
  Most encounters during the journey will be random. Use the Random 
  Encounter Tables in the Appendix of this adventure to determine the 
  nature of these encounters. The following section describes a few more 
  elaborate specific encounters that can also crop up during the party’s 
  long journey. Use these as you please, scattering them in among the 
  random encounters for variety.
  The Fallen Soldiers
  This simple encounter occurs near the border between Arasteen and 
  Urbana. The party comes across the scene of a vicious battle. The corpse 
  of an enormous, horned reptilian creature covered with gaping wounds 
  lies dead in the middle of a clearing. Around it, the corpses of a dozen 
  soldiers wearing Shadow Army and Radiant Order uniforms lay scat-
  tered about. Some are burned beyond recognition, while others were 
  clearly clawed apart by the monster. The battle seems to have taken 
  place several days ago, and looters have already stripped the corpses of 
  anything worthwhile.
  One Radiant Knight, however, has not been looted. His body leans 
  against a nearby tree, a scroll clutched tightly in his hand, eyes staring 
  into the distance. Before he bled to death, the knight scrawled the Aras-
  teen Beacon and the Urbanan Gauntlet side by side above the following 
  words, in blood:
  “IN THE END, WE STOOD TOGETHER.” 
  Knowledge (nobility) vs. DC 15 can identify the dead knight by his 
  sword and uniform. He is Robert Loudain, a captain in the Arastinian 
  military. He wears the gear of an elite soldier (see Appendix). Whether 
  the party dares to loot him, buries him, or leaves him be is up to them.
  The Burning Inn
  A plume of smoke on the horizon is the first obvious sign that things 
  are awry. If the party chooses to investigate, they find a fortified road-
  side inn being consumed by flame. Four faerkin civilians (use conscript 
  statistics for all but the leader, who is trained infantry, see Appendix) 
  dash back and forth between the structure and a stream some 300 yards 
  away, desperately tossing buckets onto the conflagration but making 
  little headway. 
  When the party arrives, Gerber Halcene, the inn’s owner, calls out 
  for help. Two hours ago, the building was attacked by a flying black 
  lizard (a corrupted flame drake) that set the building aflame with its 
  breath. The faerkin tried to fight the creature off, but their weapons were 
  unequal to the task. They were forced to take cover until it grew bored 
  and flew away. Now Gerber, his wife, and his sons are struggling to 
  put out the fire. Even worse - Gerber’s oldest son, Ryel, is still trapped 
  inside.
  Ryel is currently on the third floor, still alive and stable but uncon-
  scious. If he is not rescued within minutes, the flames will spread to his 
  bedroom and kill him. 
  The inn’s interior is a horrifying conflagration. Entering flaming 
  areas (such as the stairs) inflicts 4d6 fire damage each round as well as 
  requiring Reflex save vs. DC 15 to avoid catching on fire. Characters 
  within the inn who inhale the smoke must also make a Fortitude save 
  each round (DC 15+1 per previous check) or spend the round choking, 
  unable to act. Two consecutive rounds of choking inflicts 1d6 nonlethal 
  damage. 
  Rather than rush through the fire, someone could attempt to scale the 
  wall to Ryel’s room and rescue him. Scaling the bare wall is a DC 25 
  Climb check, though appropriate gear or magic can make things easier. 
  Once inside, the rescuers will still have to deal with smoke, though the 
  fire has not yet entered Ryel’s room. 
  (These are by no means the only possible solutions; if your players 
  come up with something creative, by all means go with it.)
  The inn also needs to be saved. Joining the bucket brigade is the most 
  obvious option. To successfully put out the fire, the party must deposit a 
  total of seventy five-gallon buckets of water on the fire within the next 
  half hour (this is in addition to the faerkin family’s efforts; keep track of 
  the progress privately with occasional descriptive updates such as “you 
  aren’t gaining much ground” or “the fires are beginning to recede”). 
  Running back and forth to the stream is the most obvious way to 
  do it - though each trip there and back will require 15 rounds (or 90 
  seconds) of running from a character with 30 speed. The faerkin only 
  have three spare buckets, though the party can use their own vessels if 
  they possess them. Astute player characters who are faster than the (20 
  speed) faerkin can borrow their buckets. A faster character who replaces 
  a faerkin gains an effective +25% to the amount of water he puts on 
  the fire.
  (As per the usual movement rules, a character can run for a number 
  of rounds equal to his Constitution, after which he must make a Consti-
  tution check vs. DC 10, +1 for each additional round he runs. Failure 
  reduces the character’s speed to a move action per round until he rests 
  for one full minute. Keep in mind that a full bucket weighs forty pounds, 
  potentially encumbering some characters.)
  Create water or similar effects can be used directly on the fire, 
  making things immensely easier. Again, invite the players to be creative 
  in their solutions. Any effect that could logically help extinguish the fire 
  should count as an appropriate amount of water. 
  If the fire is not extinguished within thirty minutes, the fire grows 
  out of control and irreparably damages the inn. The quicker the heroes 
  douse the fire, the less damage there is. If they douse it within twenty 
  minutes, the inn is ruined but enough is left standing for the faerkin to 
  retrieve some of their personal possessions. If it is doused within fifteen 
  minutes, it is still stable enough to potentially be repaired with a few 
  months of work. If it is doused within five minutes, Gerber and his 
  family are amazed to find that the overall damage is mostly cosmetic, 
  and the inn can open again once it is thoroughly cleaned. The faerkin 
  are extremely grateful for the party’s help, and invite them to stay for 
  free as guests anytime (assuming the inn survives).
  If the players try to track down that rampaging drake before it causes 
  trouble again, that may prove difficult but not impossible. Simply 
  patrolling the area long enough grants the possibility of spotting the 
  drake (25% chance per day, with a Perception check vs. DC 18 to 
  spot the hunting drake in the sky) and either attacking it outright or 
  following it to its lair. Alternately, if the party is patient, they can just 
  wait at the faerkin inn for a week and the beast will return to muse upon 
  its handiwork or try to finish the job. 
  Flame Drake
  CR 5 - XP 1,600
  hp 57 (See Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2)
  If the players can track down the drake’s lair, they find a small hoard 
  gathered from the drake’s victims: 575 gold crowns, a ruby necklace 
  worth 200 crowns, a masterwork scattergun, and a wand of obscuring 
  mist with 32 charges remaining. 
  Golem in Distress
  This encounter is most appropriate if it recently rained in the area. 
  The party hears the sound of metallic clanking and muddy sloshing 
  from some distance away, punctuated by a hollow voice repeating the 
  same word, over and over: “Return…” If the party seeks out the source 
  of this noise, they find a muscular, pale grey figure sunk hip deep in a 
  patch of muddy quagmire. It is riddled with bullet wounds. The creature 
  21
  
  stares directly ahead with hollow black eyes and takes no notice of the 
  party as it struggles to free itself.
  A character that makes a Knowledge (arcana) check vs. DC 12 (or 
  any mechamage) can identify this creature as a heavily damaged corpse 
  golem struggling to return to the mechamage who controls it. The 
  golem is currently stuck in a shallow end of the quagmire, so its head 
  and shoulders remain above the surface. If the party ignores the golem, 
  it will gradually stumble deeper into the mud and be trapped forever. 
  What Happened?
  A thorough search of the area (Perception vs. DC 20) shows recent 
  signs of an armed conflict on a nearby ridge. Grass scorched by fire, 
  gunshot impacts to nearby trees and stones, and at least one pool of 
  blood several hours dry serve as evidence. A dead horse lies on the 
  ground, killed by a precise gunshot. The horse’s saddle bags have been 
  looted of all valuables. The tracks of a Huge vehicle lead into the area, 
  and then off to the west again, skirting around the quagmire. (These 
  tracks can easily be followed with a Survival check vs. DC 9.) The 
  golem’s tracks lead directly from the battle site into the quicksand, 
  following the vehicle’s path directly.
  The trapped corpse golem belongs to a brave but reckless jurak 
  bounty hunter named Reddek “Red Claw” Karsh. A day before this 
  encounter, Reddek was tracking a bandit named Karghulf Renmeyer. 
  Unfortunately, Karghulf (who turned out not to be alone) noticed 
  Reddek following him and attacked. Reddek was beaten within an inch 
  of his life, his horse was killed, and his golem was nearly destroyed 
  (and would have been destroyed if not for its Steadfast writ). The 
  mechamage was able to surreptitiously cast a mend construct spell on 
  his inert golem before the bandits took him prisoner, but they were 
  already in their steamwagon and out of the area before the golem 
  revived. Then it immediately stumbled into the mud. 
  The bandits haven’t decided what to do with Reddek yet. 
  They are considering ransoming him, but aren’t sure who 
  would pay for him.
  Freeing the Golem
  Rescuing the golem is tricky. The pit is forty feet 
  wide and considered quicksand (see Chapter 13, 
  Pathfinder Core Rulebook).  The golem is stuck 
  in the mud fifteen feet from the eastern end, 
  and is attempting to move directly across 
  the center of the patch toward the western 
  end. While the golem takes no offensive 
  actions against the party (not even to 
  defend itself), it also will not aid 
  them in freeing it. All it wants to 
  do is return to its master, heed-
  less of any obstacles. The DC 
  to swim in quicksand within 
  ten feet of the golem is 
  increased by 5 due to its 
  constant thrashing. 
  If the party wishes to attempt to free the golem, encourage them to 
  be creative with their solutions. The most obvious solution, dragging 
  the golem free, can be quite difficult. This will require securing a sturdy 
  rope, chain, or similar implement capable of supporting the 300 lb. 
  construct and then dragging it free. 
  Dragging the golem (once it is secured) requires a DC 20 Strength 
  check to initially dislodge it from the mud and move it five feet. Addi-
  tional successful checks move the golem five feet per round. This DC 
  begins at 15. If the party drags the golem in any direction but directly 
  east, this DC increases by +2 each round as the golem sinks deeper in 
  the mud. If the party attempts to drag the golem in any other direction 
  but directly west, the golem will immediately take notice of this attempt 
  to interfere with its movement and try to break its bonds. In any case, 
  once the golem is free, it will continue heading west toward its master. 
  Following the Golem
  Once free, the golem strides forward at its normal movement (speed 
  40), continuing to ignore the player characters. The bandits are in no 
  particular hurry (they don’t think anyone is following them) and are 
  only thirty miles ahead of the party and traveling at roughly the same 
  speed. If the party follows the golem’s lead, they won’t catch up with 
  the bandits until well after they make camp in the evening (they have 
  the same random chance of finding shelter that the party does). If the 
  party is swift and confident in their tracking abilities, they may be able 
  to set off on their own and catch up before the bandits can dig into 
  camp.
  Karghulf Renmeyer is accompanied by five other bandits (3 soldiers 
  and 2 archers, see Appendix) and travels in a rusty old steamwagon. 
  Reddek Karsh is currently bound and gagged in the back of the steam-
  wagon. If the party attempts to parlay, Karghulf claims that the jurak is 
  a known bandit and he is bringing him to the nearest settlement for a 
  bounty. (Unfortunately for him, he’s a terrible liar, with +0 to Bluff). 
  If the party engages in combat, Karghulf will immediately deploy his 
  turret, move behind his men, and open fire on any obvious spellcasters. 
  If outclassed, he will command the others to charge while he attempts 
  to hop in his steamwagon and escape. If all else fails, he will drop his 
  weapons and beg for mercy.
  Reddek Karsh is severely injured but not helpless. If he catches sight 
  of his golem, he will mentally command it to rescue him, or, if that is 
  impractical, to aid the party in combat.
  If the party rescues Reddek, he is effusively grateful (especially if 
  they heal his injuries and give him his equipment back). He reveals that 
  Karghulf is a known bandit with a 1200 gold crown bounty on his head, 
  dead or alive, for the murder of an Urbanan scout. The bounty can be 
  collected in Mekanus or Smult. The party can collect the bounty them-
  selves, or just turn Karghulf over to Reddek to do it. The jurak promises 
  to give the entire bounty to his new friends the next time he sees them. 
  If the party lets the mechamage have Karghulf’s steamwagon, he’ll set 
  off for Mekanus or Smult (whichever is closer) as soon as he and his 
  golem are back in fighting shape. Otherwise he’ll tag along until the 
  party reaches a Shadow Army encampment and arrange his own trans-
  port from there.
  If the party gives Reddek the steamwagon, heals him, and returns 
  his gear, he swears eternal friendship with them. If they also tell him 
  they are headed to Murdoch’s Cove, he’ll meet them there to deliver 
  their reward, perhaps showing up just in time to help defend the village 
  against the climactic siege.
  22
  
  Reddek “Redclaw” Karsh
  Male jurak mechamage 4 - CR 3 - XP 1,200
  CN Medium humanoid (orc)
  Init +2; Senses darkvision, low-light vision; Perception -1
  Defense
  AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex) 
  hp 30 (4d6+12) (has 2 hp remaining when first encountered)
  Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +3
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft. 
  Melee masterwork greataxe +7 (1d12+4) (currently unarmed +5 (1d3+3))
  Ranged pistol +4 (1d8+1) (currently unarmed)
  Typical Mechamage Spells Prepared
  0-Level - acid splash, arcane mark, detect magic, everheat rune, read magic
  1st Level - burning hands*, mage armor X2, mend construct
  2nd Level - bull’s strength, ghoul touch, glitterdust
  Mechamage Writs Known - Destructive, Durable, Mighty, 
  Reinforced, Steadfast, Swift, Tactical
  *Reddek typically casts mage armor on himself and his golem but 
  when he is first encountered, his last mage armor has long since 
  expired and he only has the marked spells remaining in memory. 
  Statistics
  Str 16, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 8, Cha 10
  Base Atk +2; CMB +5; CMD 17
  Feats Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Toughness, Weapon Focus 
  (greataxe)
  Traits Cosmopolitan Education (+1 Survival and counts as class skill), 
  Natural Pilot
  Skills Knowledge (arcana) 4 (+10), Knowledge (engineering) 4 (+10), 
  Linguistics 4 (+10), Survival 4 (+9), Use Magic Device 4 (+7)
  Languages Eastern Common, Earthtongue, Fundamental, Giant, 
  Jurak, Lowland, Nocturine, Planar, Western Common
  SQ orc blood, golem minion, call minion (distress), throwback 
  (alternate racial trait), tinkering, wastelander, weapon familiarity
  Equipment (all of Reddek’s equipment except for his clothing is 
  currently in the possession of Karghulf Renmeyer) 10 standard pistol 
  ammunition, masterwork greataxe, pistol, mithral buckler, spell 
  component pouch, spellbook (contains all prepared spells and known 
  writs plus hydraulic push, identify, shield, and pyrotechnics), 12 gold 
  crests. 
  Chunk, Corpse Golem Minion
  N Medium construct
  Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +6
  Defense
  AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13 (+1 armor, +1 Dex, +2 natural)
  hp 41 (3d10+23) (has 4 hp remaining when encountered)
  Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +1
  Offense
  Speed 40 ft.
  Melee 2 slams +7 (1d6+4, 19-20 crit)
  Special defenses construct traits
  Current Writs (Loyalty 4) 
  Mighty, Reinforced, Steadfast, Swift (already added into stats)
  Statistics
  Str 18, Dex 12, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1
  Base Atk +3; CMB +7; CMD 18
  Skills Perception 3 (+6)
  SQ link, share spells
  Karghulf Renmeyer
  Male Half-elf steamwright 4 - CR 3 - XP 1,200
  NE Medium humanoid (elf, human)
  Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
  Defense
  AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +3 Dex)
  hp 34 (4d8+12)
  Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +3
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft. 
  Melee spiked gauntlet +1 (1d4-1)
  Ranged thundershot pistol +7 (1d8+1)
  Special attacks booby trap
  Special defenses elven immunities
  Steamwright Inventions (2d8 Firepower)
  Primary Inventions
  Thundershot: Mods - Custom Stock (pistol), Deadly, Efficient, Quick 
  Reload; Uses/day: 10
  Turret: AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 20 (+3 armor, +2 deflection, 
  +1 size); Mods: Accurate; hp 17; Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4; Attacks: 
  ranged shot +5 (1d8+2)
  Secondary Inventions
  Grappleshot: Mods: Swift; Uses/day: 5
  Entangler sphere launcher (DC 14); Uses/day: 5
  Statistics
  Str 8, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 12
  Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 15
  Feats Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Skill Focus - Knowledge 
  (engineering)
  Traits folk magic (everheat rune - 3/day), Implanted (internal toolkit 
  - thieves tools)
  Skills Craft (alchemy) 0* (+14), Craft (machinery) 4 (+10), Disable 
  Device 4 (+14), Knowledge (engineering) 4 (+14), Knowledge 
  (local) 4 (+9), Perception 4 (+9), Sleight of Hand 4 (+10),  
  *boosted by handy class ability
  Languages Jurak, Lowland, Sylfanic, Western Common
  SQ jury-rig, masterworking 
  Equipment 20 standard pistol ammunition, +1 chain shirt, masterwork 
  crafting tools, pistol, 2 smokesticks, 3 alchemist fires, 35 gold crests
  23
  
  At the end of their long journey, the party finally arrives in Murdoch’s 
  Cove. Sir Trask Calder will want to report to Captain Hollister and 
  introduce the party to his fellow knights. However, he invites the party 
  to explore the town, find lodgings (which, he adds, will be paid for by 
  the Order) and get situated. They can meet with the knights when they 
  are ready. 
  Exploring  
  Murdoch’s Cove
  This tiny village is nestled on the southwestern shores of Tirrian’s 
  Eye. It stands at the edge of Loireag Marsh, a dense wetland covering 
  nearly 100 square miles directly west of the village. Most residents 
  make their living hunting or collecting peat, which they sell to passing 
  merchants. The village also has a reputation for being the home of 
  Murdoch Swampshine, a potent corn whiskey from which the village 
  takes its name. Murdoch’s Cove serves as a trading post with the 
  Loireag slurgithians. A handful of local merchants make a permanent 
  living acting as middle-men between the amphibians and traveling 
  merchant caravans.
  The village has a population of about sixty people at any given time. 
  Merchants frequently pass through the area, looking for peat, whiskey, 
  or trade with the slurgs. The population booms to perhaps eighty or so 
  in the summer months (when peat harvest is at its peak) as transient 
  workers arrive looking for temporary labor. Like all Arastinian villages 
  in slurgithian territory, this village also houses a small complement of 
  Radiant Order knights. These knights also serve as city watch and train 
  the village militia. 
  The settlement is protected by the Knights of the Radiant Order under 
  Captain Dram Hollister, as well as a rotating detachment of volunteer 
  city militia. Hollister commands six more novice Radiant Knights (all 
  of these count as trained infantry, see Appendix). The village has eight 
  to ten active militia members at a time (all of these count as untrained 
  conscripts). In an emergency, about twenty more such individuals can 
  be called into action. These are civilians using their own weapons or 
  equipment from the Radiant Order armory. The rest of the villagers are 
  elderly, children, or unfit for combat.
  The village is laid out in a rough circle, centered on the Radiant 
  church. Its buildings are humble but sturdy, mostly constructed of 
  blackstone (see Appendix) scavenged from the local ruins. There is a 
  solid outer wall, twelve feet high, a foot thick, and also constructed of 
  solid blackstone. A second perimeter of spiked palisades encircles this 
  wall, though they are fragile and in constant need of repair. There is a 
  simple dock outside the city walls, where a handful of small lake craft 
  and a battered swampboat are moored.
  Stout wooden gates stand at the north and south roads. A twenty-
  foot high guard tower stands beside each gate. Each tower provides 
  cover to its occupants and is equipped with an alarm bell that can be 
  used to rouse the village. Under normal circumstances, these towers 
  are manned only at night. Since the recent troubles, Dram Hollister has 
  kept two civilian guards in each tower at all times, and placed one of his 
  knights in each tower at night.
  Important Locals 
  Other than those who have volunteered to serve as militia, few of 
  the other villagers possess any sort of combat training so full statistics 
  are not provided for them. Most of those presented without stats are 
  simply 1st level commoners (or, if you are feeling generous, use the 
  soldier or archer statistics provided in the Appendix). Any noteworthy 
  skill bonuses that are likely to arise during interaction with the player 
  characters have been included. 
  ● Squire Klaus Hansen (human male): The mayor of Murdoch’s 
  cove is a plump, nervous man with thinning brown hair and a perpetu-
  ally sweaty complexion. Hansen is a minor noble and hospitaler of the 
  Radiant Order. He is embarrassed of his duties here, and openly loathes 
  being surrounded by dirt farmers and swampshiners. Hansen is a fretful 
  man who wants nothing more than to be promoted out of this back-
  woods village. 
  Such promotion seems unlikely, as Hansen is an indecisive and 
  incompetent leader. He resents Dram Hollister’s constant challenges to 
  his authority and refuses to believe the nocturnals in the swamp are 
  an organized menace unless presented with irrefutable evidence. In the 
  Radiant Demise
  Act 2 - Secrets of the Swamp
  5
  24
  
  event of a crisis, he tends to panic, leaving more competent city resi-
  dents (like Hollister) in charge. The militia has little respect for Hansen 
  and prefers to follow Hollister’s lead. Hansen may attempt to curry the 
  party’s favor (offering up to 1,000 gold crowns in bribes) in an attempt 
  to remove Dram Hollister from authority.
  Relevant Skills: Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Knowledge (nobility) +4, 
  Knowledge (local) +4, Sense Motive +3.
  ● Dagfinn Murdoch (rapacian): This elderly rapacian owns the 
  Murdoch distillery. He has lived in the village his entire life (over 
  seventy years), and takes pride in producing the same trademark 
  Murdoch Swampshine that was brewed by his ancestors for genera-
  tions. Though old even by rapacian standards, the crotchety brewer 
  still rises at dawn to help his children and grandchildren work in the 
  distillery. 
  Though nearly blind and lame in one leg, Dagfinn’s mind is as keen 
  as ever. He remains one of the most well-respected and influential 
  members of the village. He has little love for Mayor Hansen, and takes 
  a great deal of joy in repeatedly reminding the human whose family the 
  village is named for.
  Dagfinn was good friends with Brother Arais, the last seer of 
  Murdoch’s Cove. (The man had his share of troubles and liked his 
  drink.) The Murdochs made sure Arais was buried with his brethren 
  at the ruins of the old seer monastery. Dagfinn visits his old friend’s 
  grave regularly, though he hasn’t gone in a few months due to the recent 
  troubles.
  Relevant Skills: Intimidate +10, Knowledge (local) +9, Perception 
  +11, Profession (brewer) +15, Sense Motive +11.
  ● Eimhir Patton (female human): For travelers looking for a place to 
  stay, the Smokefall Inn is the only option. The Smokefall is an unusu-
  ally large inn for such a small settlement, as it has been equipped to 
  house the various transient workers that come to the village for work. 
  Eimhir Patton owns the place, and she brooks no nonsense from her 
  clientele. Guests that stumble in after ten at night or who wake other 
  guests with excessive noise can expect a sharp lecture from this fearless 
  old widow. Patton is well-known for her foul mouth, her keen ability to 
  sniff out trouble, and her excellent cooking, traits that make her a fine 
  innkeeper (maybe not the first one). 
  W
  E
  S
  1
  2
  3
  5
  6
  8
  7
  9
  4
  Tirrian’s Eye
  1 - Church of the Radiant Path
  2 - Radiant Order Barracks
  3 - Smokefall Inn
  4 - Murdoch’s Distillery
  5 - Mayor’s Home
  6 - Merchant Council
  7 - MacCallum’s Peat Warehouse
  8 - Dinkers Smithy 
  9 - Old Willem’s Shack
  25
  
  ● Rollimus Torth (male goreaux): This relative newcomer lives on the 
  second floor of the Smokefall Inn. He makes his trade as a merchant, 
  surgeon, and collector of rare and esoteric objects. He has shown a 
  particular interest in items from the local ruins. Rollimus is secretly a 
  representative of the Underground, and is described in greater detail in 
  the appendix.
  Relevant Skills: See Appendix for full stats.
  ● Jinny Tonneson (female elf): This cheerful young priestess serves as 
  the village pastor, schoolteacher, and assistant to Captain Hollister. She 
  is described in greater detail in the appendix.
  Relevant Skills: See Appendix for full stats.
  ● Captain Dram Hollister (male dwarf): Captain Hollister serves as 
  commander for the local Radiant Order garrison, such as it is, and is 
  Trask Calder’s commanding officer. He is described in greater detail 
  in the appendix. 
  Relevant Skills: See Appendix for full stats.
  The Secret History 
  of Murdoch’s Cove
  The troubles brewing in this small village aren’t entirely a recent 
  development. While Karloff Radool is a new arrival, he draws upon an 
  ancient power that no one in all of Arasteen (including Radool) truly 
  understands. The full implications of these events will be revealed as 
  the Adventure Path continues, but at GM you should be aware of the 
  following timeline. Many of these revelations are not apparent until 
  later chapters of this Adventure Path and could be major spoilers if 
  revealed to the players to soon.
  ● Year 120: Members of the nascent Radiant Order encounter the city 
  of Formori, a stronghold of aggressive giants, the southwestern shore 
  of Tirrian’s Eye. These giants are one of the final holdouts of a once 
  mighty civilization that once ruled the lands that are now Arasteen. The 
  Formori giants wield foul magic that allows them to animate the dead 
  through the use of parasitic constructs. A brutal war begins between the 
  Formori and the Arastinians.
  ● Year 135: After years of bloody conflict, the inhabitants of Formori 
  are wiped out. Believing the city to be permanently cursed by dark 
  magic, Tirrian orders the Formori city to be put to the torch.
  ● Year 140: After investigating reports of supernatural incidents in the 
  area, the Seer Order constructs Loireag Monastery in the heart of the 
  Formori ruins. They begin to excavate the lost city, transferring large 
  amounts of relics and other materials to Rose or other Seer strongholds. 
  The Seers receive special permission from King Tirrian to perform 
  this project, and discuss their findings with no one outside their order. 
  ● 2nd to 10th centuries: Throughout this time, the Seers quietly 
  remove all mention of Formori from Arasteen’s histories in an attempt 
  to bury any knowledge of what they have discovered. The Seers turn 
  to the Loireag slurgithians for aid in concealing what they cannot hide. 
  Despite her gruff exterior, she is respected throughout her village. 
  Dram Hollister fought beside her late husband, Donald, at the Battle 
  of Redbeach and is a close friend. His knights frequently visit Eimhir’s 
  establishment and are quick to toss out any transients or adventurers 
  who make trouble for her.
  Relevant Skills: Appraise +9, Intimidate +11, Perception +7, Sense 
  Motive +7.
  ● Fredrik Aiken (male faerkin): Aiken is tall and thin by faerkin stan-
  dards. His glossy brown skin has a faint grainy texture, a symbol of 
  his dryad blood. Aiken leads the Murdoch’s Cove Merchant Council, a 
  group comprised of four other local merchants and about a half dozen 
  caravan masters who pass through the village regularly. The Council 
  sets local trade policies and mediates disputes between the various 
  merchants.
  Though normally charming and friendly, Aiken has been tense of 
  late due to lack of communication from the Loireag slurgithians. If 
  the slurgs remain hidden in their swamps much longer, his business is 
  going to suffer. He has several contacts with the Loireag, with whom 
  he normally meets once a week, but they have been disturbingly silent. 
  Anything the players can do to restore relations with the slurgs would 
  be greatly appreciated (and may earn them a small discount buying and 
  selling items in the village).
  Aiken is good friends with Squire Hansen, though Vendic Hansen’s 
  foolishness has strained their relationship. He dislikes Petra MacCallum, 
  whom he considers a boorish and rustic lout who refuses to haggle like 
  a decent person. 
  Relevant Skills: Appraise +9, Bluff +11, Diplomacy +11, Knowl-
  edge (local) +9, Knowledge (nature) +9, Linguistics +9, Profession 
  (merchant) +9, Sense Motive +9, Survival +11.
  ● Petra MacCallum (female ferran brute): This imposing bison ferran 
  speaks with a surprisingly soft and musical voice. She is the most 
  experienced peat farmer in the village, and generally speaks for the 
  other farmers in the area. In the summer, she coordinates the village’s 
  transient worker population. She helps them to find temporary homes, 
  teaches them to avoid the hazards of the marsh, and buys their harvest 
  for a fair price (which she then sells to traveling merchants throughout 
  the rest of the year at a modest profit).
  Petra is frugal, patient, and kind most of the time, though when 
  roused her temper is something to behold. She particularly dislikes 
  Fredrik Aiken, who she considers a worthless swindler. He insists on 
  calling her “Pete of the Peat,” a nickname she finds intensely annoying.
  Relevant Skills: Appraise +6, Diplomacy +7, Intimidate +7, Knowl-
  edge (local) +4, Knowledge (nature) +6, Profession (farmer) +9, Sense 
  Motive +9, Survival +11.
  ● Britta Dinkers (female dwarf): This perky and inquisitive young 
  blacksmith moved to the village a year ago, after the previous smith 
  retired. Though quite talented, Dinkers has had a great deal of diffi-
  culty finding customers. After she spurned Fredrik Aiken’s unsettling 
  romantic advances, the faerkin turned the merchant council against 
  her and began charging unfair amounts for new supplies. She has been 
  forced to make do with run-down tools and lesser quality materials. She 
  is too proud to ask for help (though if someone did help her, she’d be 
  grateful and offer a permanent discount on her crafting services). Her 
  inability to obtain decent tools has given her a reputation as an incom-
  petent, which irritates her to no end. 
  Relevant Skills: Appraise +8, Craft (armorer) +8, Craft (blacksmithing) 
  +11, Craft (weaponsmithing) +11, Perception +8.
  ● Old Willem (male dwarf): Willem is a wilderness scout that lives in a 
  ramshackle hovel at the edge of the lake. He spends his days drinking or 
  hiring himself out as a swamp guide for merchants and other travelers. 
  He generally avoids most of the townsfolk. He is described in greater 
  detail in the Appendix.
  Relevant Skills: See Appendix for full stats.
  26
  
  continues searching for more Formori obelisks, increasing his power 
  and knowledge with each one he discovers.
  ● Year 1120 (present day): Using Formori magic, Radool creates 
  a new breed of mechamagical parasite. He pillages the Loireag burial 
  grounds and uses slurgithian corpses as his first test subjects. He sends 
  these undead deeper into the marshes, seeking more obelisks. Radool 
  reasons that if his minions should be forced to harm any surface 
  dwellers, they’ll blame the Loireag. 
  The Loireag, in turn, blame the surface dwellers for the desecration 
  of their dead. Following Vendic Hansen’s attack on their people, they 
  retreat beneath the lake and plan their next move.
  Meeting 
  Dram Hollister 
  At long last the party has arrived in Murdoch’s Cove and is ready 
  to find out what it is, exactly, that they’re doing here. When they are 
  ready, Trask Calder will escort them to the grim black slab of a building 
  that serves as a barracks for the Radiant Order. Captain Hollister awaits 
  them inside, along with Sister Jinny and a few of the novice knights. 
  Hollister and Trask will begin to conduct introductions until Curator 
  Walcroix’s patience can hold out no longer.
  (The dialogue here is, of course a guideline. Please encourage the 
  player characters to participate in the following exchange.)
  “So where is it?” Walcroix asks eagerly, his sharp eyes searching the 
  stark headquarters. “Do you have the book here? I’d like to get started 
  right away.”
  “Of course,” Hollister replies with a wary look. He leads the party 
  toward a back room. “You lot showed up just in time. That quack 
  Rollimus found out about the book somehow and has been sniffing 
  around for a chance to see it. Probably got tipped off by one of those 
  farmers that helped us crack open the ruins. If you’d taken a few days 
  longer I might have let him take a look.”
  If the party inquires about Rollimus, Hollister replies: “He’s just a 
  nosy mechamage from out of town. He won’t leave well enough alone. 
  I don’t trust him one bit.”
  The dwarf unlocks a heavy wooden door, revealing the Order’s 
  armory. The party’s warriors will immediately recognize that the 
  weapons and armor within are nothing extraordinary, but are neatly 
  organized and kept in good condition. A junior knight sits on a bench 
  nearby, sharpening one of the many blades. 
  In the center of the room an enormous leather-bound book rests on 
  a table. The cover is marked with unique seal - a hart on a field of 
  blue, the personal crest of Sir James Dex. The book is nearly two feet 
  by two feet and half as thick. Dennison Walcroix stares at the book 
  openmouthed for several seconds before carefully opening the cover. 
  The pages are filled with dense, mechanical writing in a language none 
  of you have seen. 
  “There’s so much of it,” Walcroix whispers. “All in code. I don’t 
  know this particular cipher, but I know Lord Dex and his methods. I can 
  decipher it, but it will take some time. I can’t even begin to imagine what 
  he could have been searching for here.”
  “Was it giant undead fish people?” Hollister asks dryly. “Because 
  that’s what we found.”
  When asked to explain, Hollister elaborates. “One of the Murdoch 
  kids claimed he’d seen some strange creatures in one of the old ruins at 
  the edge of the swamp. When we went to check it out, we found a pack of 
  slurgs. They were huge, strong, and undead. They attacked us on sight. 
  Killed Akro and Cecilia, two of our best knights, before Calder brought 
  the last of them down. We thought those things had been hiding in the 
  Using their druidic magic, the Loireag transform the area from lush 
  forest into flooded wetlands over the course of many generations. The 
  Loireag establish a village near the edge of the lake.
  ● Year 835: Arastinian settlers construct a small settlement in the 
  shadow of Loireag Monastery. The inhabitants are mostly peat farmers 
  and merchants come to trade with the Loireag slurgithians. Though the 
  Seers are wary of these newcomers at first, they eventually conclude 
  that the secrets of Formori are no longer a threat to the world. 
  ● Year 860: Gillek Murdoch, a rapacian entrepreneur, settles in 
  the village and creates a powerful whiskey with a distinctive flavor, 
  drawing curious travelers from throughout Arasteen. The previously 
  unnamed village is named Murdoch’s Cove in his honor. 
  ● Year 970: Skadra Radool, an Aramystian scholar, is expelled from 
  the Celestial College for his bizarre and unorthodox experiments to 
  combine living flesh with golemoid machinery. After wandering Aden 
  for several months, he finally settles in Murdoch’s Cove and sets up 
  shop as a blacksmith under an assumed name. Not long afterward, 
  Radool accidentally uncovers a lost Formori ruin filled with ancient 
  lore. He hides his discovery from the world as he delves into lost 
  magical rituals, using them to empower his forbidden experiments in 
  golemoid technology. 
  ● Year 977: Driven mad by his studies, Skadra Radool attacks Loireag 
  Monastery outside Murdoch’s Cove with a small army of golemoid 
  undead. The Radiant Order move to stop him, but the monastery burns 
  to the ground. Many seers are killed 
  Investigators later discover that Radool had been quietly kidnapping 
  travelers for years, murdering them with foul magic and transforming 
  them into mechanized undead. Radool lives out the rest of his days in 
  the dungeons of Sea Reach and his foul creations are destroyed.
  The Seers are reluctant to draw attention to the area by rebuilding 
  their monastery. Instead, they assign one of their own, a young half-elf 
  seer named Arais, to watch the village for any suspicious activity. Arais 
  maintains his solitary vigil for well over a century. 
  ● Year 1090: Renowned Columbite scholar James Dex contracts a 
  wasting illness that he knows will one day kill him. In return for dark 
  blessings that will prolong his life, he agrees to aid the mysterious Cult 
  of Shermazza in their search for an artifact known as the Lost Lexicon. 
  ● Year 1095: James Dex arrives in Murdoch’s Cove, sent by the Cult 
  of Shermazza to investigate the lost Seer monastery. His mission finds 
  unexpected success when he discovers a network of magical obelisks 
  that bestow knowledge of ancient Formori lore. He is horrified by the 
  lost magic’s terrible potential. Dex finds that he cannot bring himself 
  to deliver such power to the cult. He is unable to destroy the Formori 
  obelisks, only temporarily nullify them. 
  He records encoded instructions for how to disable them again in 
  his journal, intending to teach one of his students how to stave off the 
  menace in the future. He hides this journal in one of the Formori ruins 
  so that the cult will not recover it. 
  Though he reports that the site holds nothing of any interest to the 
  cult, one cult member in particular, a young Karloff Radool, does not 
  believe him. Due to Dex’s other successes, Radool’s suspicions are 
  overruled.
  ● Year 1111: Brother Arais is attacked by nocturnals as the Darkfall 
  begins. Realizing the monsters have come only for him, he leads them 
  away from the village until the people can muster a defense. The ancient 
  seer is later found dead in the ruins of Loireag Monastery, surrounded 
  by the corpses of several orcs, goblins, and unidentifiable creatures.
  ● Year 1119: Karloff Radool arrives in Loireag Marsh as part of 
  the Cult of Shermazza’s worldwide search for the Lexicon. Though 
  James Dex’s hoped that the cult would not uncover the lost Formori 
  mechamagic, Radool soon locates one of his ancestor Skadra Radool’s 
  undiscovered laboratories. He eagerly begins his own experiments and 
  27
  
  8) Rollimus the surgeon will buy artifacts from the old ruins, as long as 
  the knights don’t know about it. (True.)
  9) Urbana is preparing for war with Arasteen. (Probably true.)
  10) Some sort of illness is brewing in the north, and the Order doesn’t 
  know how to cure it. (True. See the next chapter in this adventure path, 
  Through Plague and Fire, for details.)
  11) Some of the transients aren’t what they seem to be; they’re shape-
  shifting nocturnal spies. (False. Though, if you want to complicate 
  matters, a few of the transients may be innocent echoes looking for 
  work.)
  12) The slurgs haven’t traded with the village in almost a year. The 
  Merchant Council is worried they’re still mad about Vendic Hansen. 
  (True.)
  13) The nocturnals are angry because there’s a seer hiding in the 
  village. If we can find it and turn it over to them, the Darkfall will leave 
  us be. (False. Though this rumor could make things interesting for any 
  seers in the party.)
  14) Some of the transient peat farmers have gone missing - they never 
  left town, they just disappeared. (True. Radool has begun to capture 
  travelers in the swamp and use them in his experiments.)
  15) It’s obvious that the slurgs are behind all this. They’re preparing for 
  war, and the only way to save the village is to attack them first. (False, 
  though a popular opinion in the village, especially among Hansen’s 
  supporters.)
  16) I heard one of the merchants bragging that Fred Aiken put that 
  snobby young dwarf blacksmith in her place. Serves her right. That 
  dwarf can’t even forge a decent sword. (Complicated - see Fred Aiken 
  and Britta Dinkers in the Important Locals section.)
  17) Captain Hollister is a damn coward. Word has it he hid in a pile 
  of corpses to escape the nocturnals back in Redbeach. The Templar 
  Council didn’t have the heart to kick him out of the Order, so they stuck 
  him out here. (True, except for the first sentence.)
  18) The church in Murdoch’s Cove is special, ancient, and was once 
  blessed by Tirrian himself. They say that sometimes the spirit of the 
  First King descends from the heavens and suffuses the church with 
  light. (True, though the light, last seen twenty five years ago, was actu-
  ally the result of Lord James Dex activating the Final Nexus.)
  19) Mayor Hansen and Hollister are fighting again. Word has it Hansen 
  is angry at Hollister for sending his son off for trial in Redbeach. (True.)
  Lost in Translation
  Deciphering James Dex’s journal will keep Dennison Walcroix occu-
  pied for much of this adventure. The book requires a DC 30 Linguistics 
  check per thirty minutes of study (or ten hours if you take 20), and 
  requires twenty successful checks to fully decipher. Though Walcroix’s 
  unique knowledge of Sir James Dex’s cryptography is necessary for any 
  progress, characters with the Linguistics skill can attempt to aid him. 
  Whoever has the highest Linguistics should make the roll. The others 
  should roll vs. DC 10 to use the aid other action. No more than three 
  characters can aid Walcroix; too many people just get in the way. After 
  a character has helped Walcroix make ten successful checks, they now 
  know enough about Dex’s codes to make checks without the curator’s 
  assistance. 
  Deciphering the journal is exhausting as well as time consuming. 
  After ten hours of reading, Walcroix must make a successful Constitu-
  tion check vs. DC 15+1 per each additional check before each skill 
  check. If this check fails, he is mentally exhausted and must rest for at 
  least eight hours before he can continue reading. 
  ruins, but they weren’t - they were trying to break into them. We brought 
  out a crew to crack open a few of the floor tiles...” He gestures at the 
  book. “That’s what we found sealed inside, perfectly preserved. I’d love 
  to know what’s in that book that’s worth the lives of two knights - espe-
  cially because we’ve had more sightings of those undead slurgs out in 
  the swamp. They’re getting closer to the village every day.”
  Dennison Walcroix becomes quite occupied with studying the book. 
  Deciphering the journal will take quite some time, during which the 
  players are free to do as they wish. Hollister tells them that over the past 
  few nights, the guards on night watch have seen strange lurking about 
  the forest. The Captain admits that, beyond himself and Trask, most of 
  his remaining fighters are too young and inexperienced to risk hunting 
  the marsh for those things, so he’s commanded them to hold their posi-
  tions for now. 
  If the party can turn up any information about what these creatures 
  are or where they’re coming from, he’s willing to reward them. At the 
  very least, he can pay them 100 gold for each undead slurg they bring 
  down, taking their heads as proof. At this point, the knights don’t realize 
  that the undead slurgithians are animated by golemoid parasites. The 
  knights cremated the first ones they fought, their standard practice when 
  disposing of undead creatures. Once the players begin encountering the 
  manikins, it won’t be long before they discover their true nature.
  Murdoch’s  
  Cove Rumors
  Whenever the player characters spend any length of time speaking 
  with the locals, they can learn one or more rumors about the area. 
  Though several of the following rumors are false, they can potentially 
  lead to interesting encounters. Distribute these rumors in whatever 
  manner you feel is appropriate, as part of natural conversation with the 
  locals or as the result of downtime in the village. 
  Perhaps after an evening dining at the Smokefall Inn, you might 
  reveal one of the following rumors as something a party member over-
  heard. If the players wish to actively investigate, you might allow them 
  to conduct Diplomacy checks to periodically canvass the village for 
  more information, rewarding them with one or more rumors depending 
  on the result of their skill check. 
  1) There are ruins in the marsh from a city older than Arasteen. Nobody 
  remembers who lived here, but some of the ruins are far too large to 
  have been used by humans. That’s where the blackstone comes from. 
  (True.)
  2) Word has it the naga up in the Fangs are growing restless again, and 
  readying for a raid on the highlands. (True.)
  3) Old innkeeper Eimhir is a witch, and hexed her good husband to 
  die when his eye wandered to another woman. (False. Though Eimhir 
  knows a bit of folk magic, she didn’t murder her husband.)
  4) The tower guards have been sneaking swampshine from the inn and 
  drinking it while on watch. (True.)
  5) Old Willem went crazy during his time on the Thunder Trail. Some-
  times the people he takes into the swamp don’t come back. (Inaccu-
  rate. Willem is eccentric but he doesn’t intentionally harm any of his 
  customers. He has, on occasion, dropped off travelers in the marsh 
  only to find nothing but blood and bones on his return - but that’s just 
  because the swamp is terribly dangerous.) 
  6) There used to be a seer monastery in the marsh, but it burned down 
  over a century ago. (True.)
  7) The dead are waking up because the ghosts of dead Seers want 
  revenge on the Radiant Order for failing to protect them. (False.)
  28
  
  Initial Findings
  This is the first secret that is revealed.
  Curator Walcroix greets the party with a tired smile as he prepares 
  his report. “I’ve been trying to organize some of Lord Dex’s writings. 
  I feel quite certain that he intended for this book to fall into the proper 
  hands - mine or another of his students - so that we would understand 
  what’s going on here. I’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what he 
  was trying to tell us, but I think I’ve got the basics.
  “Apparently this area is an extremely powerful magical network. 
  There are lines of power everywhere, and where they cross, they create 
  powerful nexuses. It looks like the ancient civilization that once lived 
  here tried to tap these nexuses. The magical machinery they created 
  has seen better days, but it’s still very much active. Lord Dex warns 
  that someone who exploits the nexuses can gain extraordinary power 
  and knowledge.
  “I suspect that whoever is out there creating these monsters is using 
  these nexuses to do so. If we can find the ones they haven’t accessed yet, 
  we may be able to figure out what they’re up to - or at least stop them 
  from getting any stronger. 
  “I’m sure that information is in the book. I’ll get back to deciphering 
  more of it right away. In the meantime, it sounds like what we’re looking 
  for will be big and obvious - maybe one of those obelisks or standing 
  stones that are all over the marsh? I get the feeling they’re hard to miss, 
  and they’re likely to be made out of that strange blackstone you see all 
  over the place here. Oh, and their long-term exposure to this level of 
  magic has probably rendered them more or less indestructible.”
  Book One - The Fallen Temple
  Dennison shuffles through his notes on the latest volume and 
  attempts to organize his thoughts. “Apparently Lord Dex originally 
  came here in search of Loireag Monastery - an ancient seer cloister 
  that was destroyed about one hundred and fifty years ago. The Seers 
  intended to study the magical phenomena in the area. It sounds like they 
  documented thirteen nexuses of magical power in the area.”
  “Lord Dex was afraid that if the nexuses fell into the wrong hands, 
  they would be used to create horrible weapons. In the past, appar-
  ently they’ve been used to make undead, golems, all sorts of nastiness. 
  According to his findings, these sites of power could not be permanently 
  destroyed - but their power can be temporarily drained. Each time you 
  drain one of these things, they’ll stay inactive for about a decade. All 
  you need is some modicum of spellcasting ability... and to be prepared 
  for the massive magical backlash that follows. Apparently Lord Dex 
  drained them all the last time he was here... and now they’re waking 
  up again.”
  Book Two - Land of the Giants
  Curator Walcroix looks very excited as he prepares to share the 
  results of his latest translations.
  “I have some extraordinary news,” he says. “You know those black-
  stone ruins that are all over the marsh? No one remembers where they 
  came from. Well Lord Dex’s journal has the answer! They were built 
  by giants!”
  “According to Lord Dex, this area was once dominated by an 
  advanced race of giants who called this area Formori. The Arastinians 
  have no record of any of that - but apparently the naga do. I’m not sure 
  how Lord Dex talked those maniac snakes into sharing their knowl-
  edge, but it adds up, given the proportions of some of the intact artifacts 
  we’ve discovered. The trolls and ogres that still live in this area must 
  be their descendants.”
  Book Three - Tirrian’s Conquest
  The normally upbeat curator looks nervous and somewhat shaken as 
  he prepares his report. 
  “So you know that ancient civilization that once lived here?” he 
  asks. “Well I found out what happened to them. Apparently they were 
  If left to his own devices, Walcroix prefers to analyze the book 
  slowly and meticulously (taking 20 to guarantee one successful check 
  per day, getting plenty of rest). As the curator has +10 to his Linguistics, 
  taking 20 is the most reliable option unless the party has access to large 
  skill buffs or finds themselves caught in a time crunch and are willing 
  to gamble.
  Each successful check reveals something of interest - the location of 
  one of the twelve Formori sites of power, part of the history of Loireag 
  Marsh, or a secret regarding the obelisks. Unfortunately, many of the 
  Formori obelisks (see Appendix) found in the sites of power have 
  already been discovered by Karloff Radool and used to increase his 
  diabolical knowledge. At first, the only way to tell if a site is still active 
  is to go there and investigate personally. The twelve are each located 
  on lines of magical power that pass through the site where Murdoch’s 
  Cove stands now. Though varying distances from the village, they are 
  arranged methodically around it like numbers on a clock and referred 
  to thusly in this section. Site 8, for example, is west-southwest of 
  Murdoch’s Cove, in the 8 o’clock position. The thirteenth site is hidden 
  within the village - but more on that later. (Avoid referring to the sites 
  in this manner until the players figure out the pattern on their own.)
  The first secret Dennison Walcroix recovers is always “Initial Find-
  ings” (see the History of Loireag Marsh section). Whenever Walcroix 
  deciphers another section, roll 1d20 to determine what he has discov-
  ered. If you receive a result identical to a previous roll, pick another 
  history result to insure the players get as much of this background infor-
  mation as possible.
  Journal Research Results
  1d20 
  Result
  1 
  History of Loireag Marsh, Book One
  2 
  History of Loireag Marsh, Book Two
  3 
  History of Loireag Marsh, Book Three
  4 
  History of Loireag Marsh, Book Four
  5 
  History of Loireag Marsh, Book Five
  6 
  History of Loireag Marsh, Book Six
  7 
  Site 1 (Active) - Isle of Bones
  8 
  Site 2 (Inactive) - Abandoned Laboratory
  9 
  Site 3 (Inactive) - Ruined Farmhouse
  10 
  Site 4 (Active) - Valley of the Dead
  11 
  Site 5 (Inactive) - Standing Stones
  12 
  Site 6 (Inactive) - Hydra’s Lair
  13 
  Site 7 (Inactive) - Goblin Camp
  14 
  Site 8 (Active) - Ruins of Loireag Monastery
  15 
  Site 9 (Active) - McGinnis Farm
  16 
  Site 10 (Inactive) - Manticore Hunting Grounds
  17 
  Site 11 (Active) - Attorcroppe’s Tomb
  18 
  Site 12 (Active) - Cattail Isle
  19 
  Formori Secret - Manite Grounding
  20 
  Formori Secret - Nexus Tracing Stone 
  History of Loireag Marsh
  While these discoveries do not reveal the locations of any sites of 
  power, they give valuable insight into the history of the Formori and 
  Loireag Marsh. Read the italicized sections whenever Walcroix reports 
  his findings after discovering one of these secrets.
  Some of these secrets refer to “the ancient civilization.” If the party 
  already knows about Formori, then use that name.)
  29
  
  “I have bad news,” Walcroix says. “Apparently the thirteenth site 
  of power, or the Final Nexus as Lord Dex calls it, isn’t like the others. 
  When the other twelve obelisks are all drained, an intense power surge, 
  much greater than any of the others, will result in the final site. Last 
  time it happened, it lasted for seven days.” 
  “Once the final site activates, anything with any sort of magical 
  awareness within a hundred miles is going to home in on the Final 
  Nexus. The last time Lord Dex did this, it was before the Darkfall. He 
  just waited out the power surge and everyone just thought the display 
  of magic was just some sort of weird miracle. But this time, every 
  nocturnal in the swamp is going to be drawn to it.”
  “If we don’t keep the Final Nexus safe, everything we’ve done here 
  will have been for nothing.”
  Sites of Power
  Each of the following sites of power houses a Formori Nexus. Active 
  sites have not yet been tapped by Karloff Radool. The players have a 
  chance to find these sites and drain them first, preventing the mad alche-
  mist from increasing his power. Even inactive sites, however, some-
  times contain interesting encounters and treasure.
  All sites of power feature potential bonus treasure - Formori relics. 
  These relics are considered Arastinian historic treasures, and are illegal 
  to sell or take from the Radiant North. Of course, the Underground 
  mage, Rollimus, is quite happy to discreetly buy them for their full 
  value. Alternately, the party can donate the artifacts to the Radiant 
  priesthood. Sister Jinny is happy to accept them. She will provide 
  healing services and 1d3 bottles of holy water per week to any party 
  member who donates such artifacts. This gesture will also earn Captain 
  Hollister’s respect and admiration if the party wishes to ally itself with 
  the Radiant Order.
  exterminated...” he pauses before continuing, “by King Tirrian and the 
  Radiant Order. Apparently they used their magic to create unimagi-
  nable horrors and unleashed them against the Arastinians. The Order 
  was forced to destroy their entire civilization.”
  “I’m sure the Knights didn’t do that lightly,” he says, though he 
  clearly has his doubts. “I can’t imagine how awful that must have been. 
  Some of the tools they used to create their nightmares might still be out 
  there...”
  Book Four - Rise of the Marsh
  Dennison Walcroix hardly looks up from his notes as he approaches, 
  still poring over them with an intense frown.
  “So it seems I’ve learned why no one remembers the ancient civiliza-
  tion that once dwelled in Loireag Marsh,” he says. “Lord Dex theorizes 
  that the seers built Loireag Monastery not just to study this place - they 
  also used their political influence to excise all memory of the ancients. 
  They just... wrote them out of history. I didn’t think seers did that sort 
  of thing.”
  “It gets weirder,” he continues. “Lord Dex quotes: ‘The power under 
  Murdoch’s Cove is no mere magic - it is something greater. It lives. It 
  breathes. It desires to be found. The seers thought they could contain 
  it, but they were wrong. We used our magic as they asked, to transform 
  these fertile lands into a swamp, to help them hide the truth. But it 
  cannot be hidden forever.’”
  The curator looks at the party, confused. “He doesn’t give any source 
  for that quote,” he says, “but it isn’t written in Common. It’s in the 
  slurgithian language. Could the slurgs have created Loireag Marsh just 
  to keep people away?”
  Book Five - The Mad Mechamage
  Walcroix looks exhausted but full of nervous energy. He has clearly 
  discovered something of interest.
  “The latest translations revealed quite a bit,” he says. “I learned what 
  happened to the seer monastery that used to be here. Apparently there 
  was an exiled Aramystian mechamage named Skadra Radool who came 
  to the village in the late 10th Century. He was deep into body modifica-
  tion, what we would now call golemization. Keep in mind that this was 
  long before Urbana wiped away the taboos for that sort of thing. This 
  stuff was highly illegal at the time - not to mention dangerous.”
  “Apparently Radool tapped into the sites of power without the 
  seers realizing it and created a bunch of golemoid monsters. It says 
  that Radool even experimented on himself, making himself virtually 
  immortal. The Radiant Order captured Radool and he eventually died 
  in a Sea Reach prison... so I suppose his immortality was connected to 
  the nexuses somehow. Before they stopped him, his monsters burned 
  Loireag Monastery to the ground.”
  “The important part is - this has all happened before, in almost 
  exactly the same way,” Walcroix continues. “It can’t be a coincidence.”
  Book Six - Dark Premonition
  Curator Dennison Walcroix looks morose but determined as he 
  prepares to give his report. 
  “I’m afraid I don’t have good news,” he says. “This part was mostly 
  warnings from Lord Dex to use the obelisks responsibly... but he warns 
  about something else. He says that the power under Murdoch’s Cove 
  isn’t alone - there are others, just like it, all over Aden. Though this 
  one is contained, he says it’s only a matter of time before one of the 
  others breaks loose of its confinement and starts turning nightmares 
  into reality.” He looks at the party with fear in his eyes. “Those were 
  his exact words. This book was written three years before the Darkfall. 
  Could Lord Dex have predicted it?”
  Book Seven - The Final Nexus
  This secret does not require a successful translation. Walcroix reveals 
  the following after the player characters drain all but two Formori 
  obelisks, even if he has to follow them into the field to warn them. (In 
  this case he will bring Sir Trask along for protection.)
  30
  
  Tough Slurgithian Manikins (2)
  CR 3 each (see Appendix) - XP 800 each
  hp 28 each
  SQ tenacious mutation instead of toughened mutation
  Formori Relics: A piece of curved black glass on a four-inch thick 
  handle, worth 120 gold crowns.
  Site 3 (Inactive) - Ruined Farmhouse
  This site is located twenty miles due east of Murdoch’s Cove, in a 
  small farmhouse built upon the foundations of a Formori ruin. Unfor-
  tunately, when the players arrive, they find that Radool has long since 
  discovered this obelisk. Though there is a large amount of dried blood 
  in the house, there is no sign of the family that lived here. The floor 
  is torn open, revealing a small cavern underneath where the dormant 
  obelisk stands.  
  Formori Relics: A half dozen fragments of broken pottery, worth about 
  15 gold crowns each.
  Site 4 (Active) - Valley of the Dead
  This site is located roughly 100 miles east-southeast of Murdoch’s 
  Cove (the most distant of all the sites of power), well outside the 
  marsh and situated in a low valley in the Arastinian highlands. Several 
  Formori standing stones are scattered about the clearing, most of them 
  sunk almost entirely into the earth. The location might be difficult to 
  pick out among the terrain, if someone else wasn’t already there. 
  A small camp is set up within the valley. A half-dozen 
  masked figures roam the camp, excavating the area 
  with picks and shovels. This is Grey Master Connach, 
  a necromancer from the Grey Isles, and a pack of his 
  undead minions. Connach has used tattered clothing 
  and filthy bandages to disguise his undead slaves as 
  plague victims. Recognizing them for what they 
  are requires a Perception and Knowledge (reli-
  gion) check vs. DC 10, + 2 for every 10 feet 
  between the undead and their observer. 
  Site 1 (Active) - Isle of Bones
  This site is located on an island 36 miles north-northeast of 
  Murdoch’s Cove, deep in the marshy regions of Tirrian’s Eye. The 
  island is covered with crumbling ruins and mounds of rotting bones, 
  some of which are fresh. It is currently home to a pair of nocturnal 
  ankhegs, who have constructed an elaborate lair of tunnels beneath 
  the island. These Darkfall-empowered insects will attack anyone who 
  invades their territory - including Radool’s manikins, if any of them 
  have followed the party here. 
  Their preferred tactic is to burst out of the earth beneath an unsus-
  pecting foe and drag them into the tunnels so that they can kill their 
  foes one at a time. 
  Nocturnal Ankhegs (2)
  CR 4 each - XP 1,200 each (see ankheg in Pathfinder Bestiary RPG 
  and Nocturnal Creature template in the Thunderscape Campaign 
  Setting)
  CE Large magical beast
  AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (+9 natural, -1 size)
  hp 28 (3d10+12)
  Defensive Abilities +4 vs. mind-affecting, disease, and poison; SR 15; 
  DR 5/magic
  Once the ankhegs are dealt with, the party will find the Formori 
  obelisk half-buried deep in the ankheg tunnels. They will also find a 
  dozen ankheg eggs (the Eye will pay 50 gold crowns each for these 
  specimens) as well as an impressive treasure hoard buried among the 
  filth and debris: a potion of expeditious retreat, several scrolls (blur, 
  golemguard, and magic weapon), an efficient quiver, 526 gold crowns, 
  a set of masterwork thieves tools, and a portable chess set carved of 
  obsidian and ivory (missing a few pieces but still worth about 100 gold 
  crowns).
  Formori Relics: A sacrificial dagger of Formori make is also among 
  the treasure. This counts as a masterwork dagger crafted for a Large 
  creature, and is worth 500 gold crowns.
  Site 2 (Inactive) - Abandoned Laboratory
  This site is located on an island 56 miles east-northeast of Murdoch’s 
  Cove, at the edge of the marsh but within sight of the shores of Tirrian’s 
  Eye. The obelisk is within a crumbling tower of Formori blackstone. As 
  one of the first sites Karloff Radool discovered, this location now serves 
  as storage for one of Radool’s backup clones. If the characters explore, 
  they will find a naked corpse that has undergone extensive mechamag-
  ical modification to resemble the mad alchemist.
  There are also a pair of manikins here, left behind to guard the site.
  31
  
  Guide), disguise kit, unholy symbol of Zeloch, Radiant priest robes, 
  245 gold crowns
  Barrowgrinder
  Wight (See Pathfinder RPG Bestiary) - CR 3 - XP 800
  AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+2 armor, +1 Dex, +4 natural)
  hp 26
  Equipment leather armor, hooded cloak
  Zombie Minions (4)
  Medium Humanoid Zombies (See Pathfinder RPG Bestiary) - 
  CR 1/2 e - XP 200 each 
  AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, +2 natural)
  hp 12 each 
  Equipment tattered leather armor, bandages, shovels
  Connach relies heavily on his minions in combat, and is not afraid to 
  use animate dead to create reinforcements if his zombies fare poorly. 
  If he is badly injured, he will surrender, even going so far as to directly 
  beg any Radiant Knights for mercy. If questioned, he tells them (truth-
  fully) that he was in the area looking for anything of interest to the 
  Grey Masters for their eventual conquest of Arasteen. “It’s coming, you 
  know,” he adds, “but if you let me go, I’ll put in a good word and see 
  that they spare you when the dead legions arrive.” (Again, he is lying - 
  he would never spare his enemies after they humiliated him.)
  In addition to the above listed gear and treasure, Connach has a large 
  black palanquin which his minions usually use to carry him and his 
  spare corpses. 
  The obelisk is still buried under roughly a dozen feet of earth and 
  will take some time to dig up. Fortunately, Connach’s zombies left 
  behind plenty of shovels for the party to use. Once the arch is even 
  partially exposed, it can be drained normally.
  The players must decide what to do with Connach, if he survived. If 
  they let him go, the necromancer flees (perhaps taking his place among 
  the party’s growing rogues’ gallery, if they’re in the habit of doing this). 
  If they bring him back to Murdoch’s Cove, Hollister binds, gags, and 
  imprisons Connach in the barrack’s sole jail cell, uncertain what else 
  to do with him. 
  Connach can be a dangerous person to have around - though he’s not 
  foolish enough to start a fight he can’t win, he’s powerful, resourceful, 
  and certain to attempt an escape if given a chance. Hollister refuses 
  to kill the Grey Master - Radiant Knights do not murder prisoners. 
  Connach knows this, and is willing to bide his time rather than take 
  foolish risks.
  Formori Relics: Connach carries a Formori fertility statue worth 165 
  gold crowns, recovered by his zombies during their digging.
  Site 5 (Inactive) - Standing Stones
  This site is located 56 miles south-southwest of Murdoch’s Cove. 
  The Formori obelisk is quite obvious, as it stands in the center of a 
  large clearing surrounded by a circle of black standing stones. Radool 
  has long since drained and forgotten this site, and there is nothing else 
  of interest here.
  Site 6 (Inactive) - Hydra’s Lair
  This site is located in a cave 43 miles due south of Murdoch’s Cove. 
  Karloff Radool has already drained the obelisk and moved on, but the 
  latent dark energies of this place have since attracted a nocturnal hydra, 
  which has made its lair here. 
  Connach wears the robes of a Radiant priest over his armor, disguising 
  his true allegiance to Zeloch.
  The Grey Master knows nothing about the Formori, but he sensed 
  the obelisk’s necromantic aura while traveling through the area and has 
  set his zombies to the task of digging it up. Connach is not here to scrap 
  with a band of adventurers; if he detects the party, or they approach 
  openly, he will call out to them from a distance. The zombies continue 
  to mindlessly dig while Connach’s wight stands by its master’s side, 
  also disguised, waiting patiently.
  “Careful,” Connach warns. “Don’t get to close to us. They have the 
  plague. I am a priest of the Radiant Path. I’d move on if I were you. 
  These poor souls are just digging graves for some of their brethren.” 
  (Four bandaged corpses do lie nearby, but those are just spares Connach 
  usually carries in his palanquin, laid out by the dig site to help cover 
  his lie.)
  Connach is a talented deceiver, but far from perfect. Suspicious char-
  acters can make Sense Motive or Perception checks to pierce his lies 
  and disguises. If the party approaches too closely, Connach will grow 
  nervous and order his minions to attack.
  Grey Master Connach
  Male ferran (hyena) predator cleric 6 - CR 5 - XP 1,600 
  LE Medium humanoid (ferran) 
  Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
  Defense
  AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 20 (+7 armor, +2 shield, +1 natural) 
  hp 39 (6d8+6) 
  Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +8
  Special Defenses leathery hide, copycat 6/day
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft. 
  Melee masterwork morningstar +8 (1d8+1), bite +2 (1d6+1) 
  Ranged pistol +4 (1d8+1)
  Special Attacks channel negative energy (3d6, DC 18), bleeding 
  touch (1d6 bleed for 3 rounds, 6/day)
  Cleric Spells Prepared
  0-Level - detect magic, guidance, light, mending, purify food and 
  drink
  1st Level - bless, command (DC 14), divine favor, sanctuary, cause 
  fear (domain, DC 14)
  2nd Level - communal protection from good, desecrate, hold person 
  (DC 15), sound burst, shatter (DC 15)
  3rd Level - bestow curse (DC 16), dispel magic, summon monster III, 
  animate dead (domain)
  Statistics
  Str 16, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 14
  Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 18
  Feats Channel Smite, Command Undead, Improved Channel
  Traits Reactionary (+2 initiative), sacred conduit (+1 channel DC)
  Skills Bluff 3 (+8), Disguise (+8), Knowledge (religion) 6 (+9), 
  Perception 6 (+12), Sense Motive 6 (+12)
  Languages Nocturine, Western Common
  SQ predatory mobility (40 base speed), scent, domains (death, 
  trickery), spontaneous casting (inflict)
  Equipment pistol, 10 standard pistol ammunition, large steel shield, 
  +1 breastplate, pearl of power (1st level), masterwork cold iron 
  morningstar, potion of cure moderate wounds, spell component pouch, 
  traveler’s journal (including a recent copy of the Iron Guard Field 
  32
  
  Slurgithian Manikins (3)
  CR 3 each (see Appendix) - XP 800 each
  hp 22 each 
  The door leading to the basement is well hidden (Perception vs. 
  DC 20). However, there are also a number of slurgithian tracks in the 
  area that lead directly to the entry and do not emerge (Survival vs. 
  DC 19 to follow). The door is old and heavy, but not locked, and will 
  eventually open to a determined party. As soon as the door opens, a chill 
  wind emerges from below, accompanied by a vague sense of dread. 
  As the party descends, they find several dead slurgithians on the stairs. 
  The steps lead into a large, half-collapsed chamber where the seers 
  once gathered to meditate upon the mysteries of the nexus. A Formori 
  obelisk looms in the center of the chamber. The ghostly figure of 
  Brother Arais paces the room. If he detects the player characters (which 
  is likely, given his ridiculously high Perception), he drifts toward them 
  with a piteous moan. 
  “Leave this cursed place, or join me in my vigil,” the spirit demands. 
  “The power entombed in this place brings only ruin...” 
  Brother Arais
  Male half-elf seer 4 - CR 6 - XP 2,400
  CG Medium undead (incorporeal) 
  Init +6; Senses darkvision - 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +30
  Defense
  AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+3 deflection, +2 Dex) 
  hp 26 (4d8+8) 
  Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +8
  Special Defenses elven immunities, channel resistance +4, undead 
  traits, rejuvenation
  Offense
  Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect)
  Melee incorporeal corrupting touch +5 (4d6, Fort vs. DC 15 for half 
  damage)
  Special attacks malevolence (Will vs. DC 15)
  Seer Spells Prepared
  1st Level - divine favor
  Statistics
  Str -, Dex 14, Con -, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 16
  Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 16
  Feats Alertness, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Perception), 
  Weapon Finesse 
  Traits Indomitable Faith (+1 to will saves), Folk Magic (detect evil - 
  1/day)
  Skills Fly 0 (+10), Knowledge (history) 4 (+9), Knowledge (religion) 4 
  (+7), Perception 4 (+30), Sense Motive 4 (+12), Stealth 0 (+10)
  Languages Sylfanic, Western Common
  SQ second sight (+1, 11/day), fatebender aura, aura of lethargy 
  (DC 15), farsight (recall spell by expending second sight), prophecies 
  (aura of watchfulness*, improved second sight)
  *Arais uses this fatebender aura by default, switching to other auras as 
  appropriate.
  Equipment Arais carries no equipment, though his spirit seems to be 
  garbed in a seer’s ceremonial armor.
  Special: Because Arais is bound to protect the ruins from those who 
  would misuse Formori magic, his ghostly abilities function normally 
  against Radool’s undead manikins.
  Nocturnal Hydra (4 heads)
  CR 6 - XP 2,400 each (see hydra in Pathfinder Bestiary RPG and 
  Nocturnal Creature template in the Thunderscape Campaign 
  Setting)
  CE Huge magical beast
  AC 17, touch 9, flat-footed 16 (+1 Dex, +8 natural, -2 size)
  hp 47 (5d10+20)
  Defensive Abilities +4 vs. mind-affecting, disease, and poison; SR 17; 
  DR 5/magic
  Special Abilities dark jaunt (teleport up to 50 feet as move action 
  every 1d4 rounds)
  The hydra’s treasure (scattered in a heap of filth and remains from 
  past meals) includes a mithral buckler, 223 gold crowns, and a potion 
  of protection from evil.
  Formori Relics: The hydra’s hoard also includes twenty blackstone 
  coins the size of saucers, marked with ancient runes. These are worth 
  about 5 gold crowns each.
  Site 7 (Inactive) - Goblin Camp
  This site is located 70 miles south-southwest of Murdoch’s Cove, 
  in another field surrounded by black standing obelisks. Radool drained 
  this site and left several months ago, but the area has become a camp for 
  a band of Darkfall-worshipping goblins. These creatures are viciously 
  territorial, and will attack the moment they sense the party’s presence.
  Goblins (10)
  CR 1/3 each - XP 135 each (see Pathfinder RPG Bestiary)
  hp 6 each
  If defeated, the band’s belongings include their weapons and armor 
  as well as 230 gold crowns, 2 alchemist fires, and a wand of entangle 
  with 12 charges remaining.
  Formori Relics: The goblin leader wears a necklace cobbled together 
  of black Formori stone shards, worth 50 gold crowns. 
  Site 8 (Active) - Ruins of Loireag Monastery
  (Note: if you have a thaumaturge in your party, you may want to 
  consider letting the party find this site early, so that they can get more 
  use out of this adventure’s unique legend.)
  This site is located roughly 35 miles southwest of Murdoch’s Cove, 
  in the remnants of a large stone building. Much of the rubble has been 
  carted away to build homes in Murdoch’s Cove over the generations. 
  Only the foundations and a few ruined walls remain. Many of the ruined 
  structures are still badly scorched from some ancient fire.
  A small clearing stands in the area before the ruin’s entrance. There 
  is a single, well-tended grave site here, with a few withered roses scat-
  tered upon it. The tombstone reads “Here lies Brother Arais, Last Seer 
  of Murdoch’s Cove, beloved friend. May you find the peace at last.”
  The obelisk is tucked away in a basement of the ruins, accessible 
  via a well-hidden door (more on that later). Karloff Radool’s manikins 
  have already discovered this obelisk, but have not drained it. They’ve 
  been having trouble getting to the obelisk because the restless spirit 
  of Brother Arais has returned to haunt the ruins. A pair of slurgithian 
  manikins linger in the area, keeping an eye on things until reinforce-
  ments can arrive.
  When the players approach the area, the manikins attack.
  33
  
  Arais will warn the players of the dangers of Formori magic, and 
  implore them to leave. If they tell him of the current situation and their 
  plan, he reluctantly admits that draining the obelisks is probably the 
  only course of action. To aid them, he tells them how to use manite to 
  limit the damage when draining an obelisk, and even offers to possess 
  one of the characters and drain the obelisk for them. In so doing, Arais 
  will absorb the brunt of all effects inflicted by the obelisk and the 
  possessed character will suffer no harm. 
  If the players drain the obelisk successfully, Arais’ ghost becomes 
  dormant. Any thaumaturge in the party will sense that Arais’ extraor-
  dinary dedication to his vigil now lingers heavily in the vicinity of his 
  grave, and may use the importune class ability to bond with the dead 
  seer’s legend (see Appendix). 
  Further, if the party managed to overcome the seer’s madness 
  without violence, he leaves a shimmering blue rose behind. “Find my 
  disciple, the Vigilant,” he whispers as he departs. “She is stronger than 
  she knows, and the people of the Cove need her now more than ever...”
  Formori Relics: Six broken stone plates worth 50 gold crowns each 
  and a large Formori drinking vessel (about the size of a wash basin) 
  worth 75 gold crowns. These are found on a small table in the chamber 
  containing the Formori Obelisk.
  Brother Arais is bound to this chamber and will attack if the players 
  do not leave. If defeated, Arais will vanish from the ruins, only to reju-
  venate twenty-four hours later (giving the players plenty of time to 
  drain the obelisk and leave). For those who do not wish to attack the 
  seer, there are other options.
  ● A Diplomacy check is not enough, as Arais is driven by his ghostly 
  nature to protect this place. However, a successful speak with dead spell 
  will give him pause and compel him to answer the required questions. 
  ● If any player characters are seers, and identify themselves as such, 
  he will recognize them and hear them out. 
  ● If anyone mentions his student, Ceasg, that will also jar him to 
  lucidity. 
  ● If the party presents a bottle of Murdoch Swampshine and claims 
  that Dagfinn Murdoch sent them, memories of his old friend will briefly 
  restore the seer’s sanity enough for him to communicate.
  (Any of these effects end if anyone attacks Arais or approaches the 
  obelisk.)
  34
  
  As it turns out, the brothers served in the Arastinian army in their youth, 
  so Hollister is glad to have them. The McGinnis brothers have the 
  statistics of elite soldiers (see Appendix).
  Formori Relics: 12 strangely carved stone figurines that depict various 
  creatures - either works of art or the playing pieces in some strange 
  game. They are worth 80 gold crowns each, and are found in the farm’s 
  hidden basement near the obelisk.
  Site 10 (Active) - Manticore Hunting Grounds
  This site is located 80 miles west-northwest of Murdoch’s Cove, 
  deep in the marsh but not in an area that requires a boat to reach. The 
  obelisk stands in an open area surrounded by standing stones, and has 
  already been activated by Karloff Radool. The area for at least a mile 
  around is littered with the corpses of animals, some recently killed. 
  Most of these have barely been eaten, victims of a cruel manticore who 
  was attracted to the standing stones and now amuses itself by stalking 
  and killing anything in the area. The longer the party remains in the 
  area, the more likely they are to draw its attention.
  Manticore
  CR 5 - XP 1,600 (see Pathfinder RPG Bestiary)
  hp 57
  The manticore’s lair is in a secluded cave less than a mile from the 
  nexus. It contains the body of a long-dead Radiant Knight, clothed in 
  a +1 chain shirt. There is also a handful of discarded manticore spikes 
  worth a total of 75 gold crowns.
  Formori Relics: The manticore’s lair also contains a hollow broken 
  stone sphere about the size of a watermelon, worth about 150 gold 
  crowns.
  Site 11 (Active) - Attorcroppe’s Tomb
  This site is located roughly 40 miles to the northwest of Murdoch’s 
  Cove, on a small island dominated by an enormous tomb constructed 
  of blackstone. Behind the thick moss that covers the surface, the stone 
  is engraved with an intricate web of serpentine runes. For those who 
  can read the naga tongue, this is a burial site marking an ancient battle 
  between the naga and their sworn enemies, the slurgithians. The tomb 
  warns: “The great Attorcroppe has left this Coil victorious. His Truth is 
  proven. Let the Untrue devour their own hearts in envy.” 
  The entrance is sealed by heavy stone doors (Strength check vs. 
  DC 23 to force open). The chamber within features six naga sarcophagi 
  arranged around a Formori obelisk. When the doors open, the sarcophagi 
  burst open and the occupants lurch to unlife. Due to their proximity to 
  the Formori obelisk for so long, the ancient naga warrior Attorcroppe’s 
  remains have been reanimated as a mummy. His five comrades are now 
  mindless skeletons. They immediately attack.
  Attorcroppe
  Mummy (see Pathfinder RPG Bestiary) - CR 5 - XP 1,600 each
  hp 60
  SQ cannot be tripped 
  Naga Skeletons
  Medium humanoid skeletons (see Pathfinder RPG Bestiary) -  
  CR 1/3 each - XP 135 each
  hp 4 each
  Melee shortspear +2 (1d6+3), bite -3 (1d6+1)
  SQ cannot be tripped
  Site 9 (Active) - McGinnis Farm
  This site of power is roughly 25 miles to the west of Murdoch’s 
  Cove, beneath a farmhouse built out of blackstone. It is the home of 
  two elven brothers, Boyd and Barclay McGinnis, who make their living 
  as shepherds. 
  When they are within five miles of the house, the party encounters 
  Barclay on horseback, galloping toward Murdoch’s Cove in a panic. If 
  he spots the party, he rides toward them and cries out for help. Barclay 
  tells the players that his brother never returned from the fields the day 
  before, and that when he went out to look for him this morning, he 
  found their sheep had been slaughtered. 
  Karloff Radool has surmised that a Formori obelisk is somewhere in 
  this area, but does not know where. Radool’s manikins kidnapped Boyd 
  McGinnis and are currently interrogating him. Boyd knows nothing 
  about the obelisk, of course, but he has already revealed that his house 
  is built upon old ruins - which is all Radool needs to know. His slurgs 
  are now headed toward the farmhouse with the captive shepherd in tow. 
  Barclay can lead the party to the dead flock, if they wish. The mani-
  kins made no effort to hide their tracks, and can be followed with a 
  Survival check vs. DC 10. The trail leads to a nearby cavern. Pools 
  of blood stain the floor and manacles are fastened to one wall. (Boyd 
  was tortured here.) The tracks then lead out once more, toward the 
  McGinnis farm. 
  The obelisk is buried in a sealed cave beneath the McGinnis home, 
  beneath six inches of solid stone (just thin enough for the artifact’s aura 
  to be visible through the floor via detect magic and other such effects). 
  If the player characters came here directly and are faster than the 
  (30 speed) manikins, they get to the house first and have a few minutes 
  before the manikins arrive. If the party stopped to track the manikins, 
  they arrive last. The manikins have already torn the farmhouse apart 
  and are digging at the floor with picks. Otherwise, determine who 
  arrives first randomly.
  Three manikins are present - an ogre and two humans. The ogre 
  pounds at the floor of the house while the other two keep watch. Boyd 
  McGinnis is still alive, but barely. He is bound in chains and currently 
  lies on the floor near one of the manikins. When the undead detect the 
  player characters, they cease digging and Radool attempts to parlay 
  through one of the manikins. (If this is the first encounter between 
  Radool and the party, he is proud to introduce himself, though he will 
  give no further details about who he is or what his plans may be.)
  “Hold your blades, heroes,” Radool demands, his voice echoing 
  mechanically through one of the undead manikins. “Is stopping me 
  from reaching one paltry nexus worth the life of this man? Turn around. 
  Go back to your village. I will spare the shepherd as thanks. Or inter-
  fere with me - and watch another innocent perish at the hands of my 
  manikins.”
  Surprisingly, Radool is as good as his word. If he is allowed to dig up 
  the obelisk and drain it, he will leave Boyd McGinnis alive. If the party 
  attacks, the manikin closest Boyd will coup de grace the helpless farmer 
  as its first action (unless the player characters can stop it). 
  Human Manikins (2)
  CR 3 each (see Appendix) - XP 800 each
  hp 22 each 
  Ogre Manikin
  CR 6 (see Appendix) - XP 2,400
  hp 53
  If the party rescues Boyd, the brothers are extremely grateful. They 
  offer to let the players take whatever relics they want out of the nexus 
  cavern. Afterward, they will accompany the party back to the village. 
  35
  
  Giant Slurgithian Manikins (3)
  CR 3 each (see Appendix) - XP 800 each
  CE Large undead (augmented)
  Init -1
  AC 16, touch 9, flat-footed 16 (+7 natural -1 size)
  hp 22 each 
  Ref +0
  Melee bite +9 (2d6 +10 plus grab)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Str 24, Dex 8,
  Base Atk +3, CMB +11, CMD 20
  Feats Toughness
  SQ hulking mutation instead of toughened mutation
  If prevented from leaving, the Loireag cautiously surrender. The 
  slurgithians are wary of the players, especially if the party drains the 
  obelisk, and neither one speaks Common. 
  If they can communicate, the party can attempt a Diplomacy check 
  to calm the situation (DC 20). Alternately, the party can provide some 
  proof that they are not enemies - the jade serpent carried by the naga 
  killers, or mentioning Lokla or Ceasg are sufficient. 
  If the party gains their trust, the Loireag warn the party that the 
  obelisk is incredibly dangerous and should not be trifled. They then 
  escape into the lake. If the party listens to their advice, Radool will send 
  more manikins later to drain the obelisk for himself. If Diplomacy fails, 
  the slurgs beg for mercy and ask to be released.
  Formori Relics: Three of the smaller stone obelisks, while heavy 
  (about 50 lbs. each) can be pried out of the earth and are worth 200 
  gold crowns each.
  Attorcroppe’s sarcophagus holds the great warrior’s treasure - a +1 
  greatsword, masterwork chain shirt, and masterwork crystal bow (+2 
  Strength rating).
  Formori relics: Attorcroppe wears a Formori bracelet as a crown. It is 
  worth 125 gold crowns.
  Site 12 (Active) - Cattail Isle
  This site is on a small island far out on Tirrian’s Eye, roughly ten 
  miles due north of Murdoch’s Cove. Though it is not far, the party will 
  need to arrange water transportation (most likely with Old Willem).  
  Upon arrival, the island is covered with thick reeds and other vegeta-
  tion and has clearly not been inhabited in some time. As the players 
  begin to explore, they find a great deal of ancient stonework hidden 
  among the plant life - remnants of ancient ruins. 
  As it happens, the players are not the only ones here. As the players 
  approach the site indicated by Walcroix, they hear the sounds of fierce 
  combat. Two groups of slurgithians are battling - Loireag warriors and 
  Radool’s manikins. The Loireag are outnumbered and at the brink of 
  defeat. In the midst of the battle stands the Formori Obelisk.
  If the players do not interfere, Radool’s manikins kill the Loireag 
  within a few rounds and then move to drain the obelisk. If the players 
  enter the fight, the Loireag attempt to withdraw into the lake, while the 
  slurg manikins split their attention between both groups. 
  Loireag Warriors (2)
  CR 2 each (see Appendix) - XP 600 each
  hp 17 (on is already injured with 9 hp remaining)
  36
  
  The guards can confirm that they have sighted hulking figures in 
  the shadows on several evenings over the past month. These beasts 
  have grown bolder, recently, sometimes standing right at the edge of 
  the firelight before retreating into the shadows, daring the guards to 
  attack. Captain Hollister knows that the watchmen are no match for 
  the undead, and has commanded the guards not to attack. Their orders 
  are to stand their ground and ring the alarm if the creatures approach 
  the village.
  Radool’s manikins are indeed hoping to draw the city guard into a 
  suicidal confrontation. They are also keeping an eye on the village to 
  see if anyone wanders off alone. There is a 40% chance that a group of 
  manikins will stalk the towers on any given night. This increases by 
  10% for each week that passes. 
  The manikins, under Radool’s control, are intelligent enough to 
  retreat if faced by superior numbers, and will simply return another 
  night. If a single character wanders into the darkness alone, the mani-
  kins will stalk them and attack (perhaps allowing the party to use one 
  of their own as bait). 
  Slurgithian Manikins (2)
  CR 3 each (see Appendix) - XP 800 each
  hp 22 each
  SQ skulking mutation instead of toughened mutation
  If the players kill at least one of the monsters, the manikins stop 
  stalking the towers. They might still lurk in the darkness and watch, but 
  they will no longer openly taunt the guards. Even such a small victory 
  improves morale. The guards don’t really have much to offer in way of 
  reward beyond the usual bounty, but would gladly share some of their 
  swampshine.
  Encounter: Naga Killers
  This encounter is most likely to occur while exploring the marsh, 
  perhaps while traveling to or returning from a site of power. 
  The naga who dwell in the Fangs north of Tirrian’s Eye are known 
  for their violent xenophobia - especially toward slurgs. A hunting party 
  of murderous naga has descended from the mountains, hoping to prove 
  their superiority against the Untrue. 
  The party first discovers the site of a bloody battle, where a pair of 
  slurgithian warriors have been killed, stripped clean, and ritually muti-
  lated. The party can track the naga with a Survival check vs. DC 14 
  (though they make some efforts to hide their trail, the marshy terrain 
  makes things difficult). They soon come upon a small camp where four 
  naga warriors are gathered. They are currently torturing a bound slur-
  githian prisoner by holding a lit torch near the slurg’s gills, forcing him 
  to slowly asphyxiate. The naga are uninterested in parley or diplomacy 
  with Untrue races; if they sense the party’s presence, they attack.
  Naga Killers (4)
  Naga Ranger 2 - CR 1 each - XP 400 each
  Medium humanoid (reptilian)
  Init +3; Senses darkvision - 60 ft.; Perception +8
  Defense
  AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +3 Dex, +1 natural) 
  hp 19 (2d10+8)
  Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +1
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
  Melee greatsword +4 (2d6+3)
  Ranged longbow +5 (1d8)
  Special Attacks hatred, favored enemy (human, +2)
  Other Secrets
  The following discoveries can also be divined from James Dex’s 
  journal, which can make dealing with the remaining obelisks much easier.
  Manite Grounding
  With this discovery, Walcroix reveals that manite can be used 
  to reduce the negative effects of draining a Formori obelisk (see the 
  description of these artifacts in the Appendix for details). He feels 
  slightly crestfallen if the party has already figured this out or learned 
  it from Brother Arais.
  Nexus Tracing Stone
  With this discovery, Walcroix draws up the instructions for creating 
  a nexus tracing stone, a magic item that can determine whether or not 
  a Formori obelisk is still active. While he cannot create such an item 
  himself, the party can hire Rollimus Torth or Reddek Karsh to do so (or 
  make it themselves, if the party has a skilled magic item crafter). See 
  the Appendix for details regarding this item.
  Other Encounters in Loireag Marsh
  This stage of the adventure is extremely flexible. The players are free 
  to how and when they plan to approach the troubles in the cove. They 
  can wait for Dennison Walcroix to turn up a clue. They can speak to the 
  villagers to learn more about what’s going on. They can go straight out 
  into the marsh and begin hunting for nocturnals. They might attempt to 
  pursue objectives on behalf of the Eye or the Ghosts of Columbey and 
  simply stumble over important clues as they do so.
  If you desire more structure, you could open things with a small 
  attack on the village shortly after the players arrive (perhaps an attempt 
  by Radool to recover Dex’s journal), to illustrate the stakes involved 
  and the danger these people are in. 
  The following special encounters can happen at any time, regardless 
  of Dennison Walcroix’s progress in decoding the journal.
  Encounter: Stakeout
  The players may decide to speak with the watchmen on the city 
  guard towers at Captain Hollister’s suggestion, or simply investigate 
  the towers on their own. Hollister keeps two civilian guards stationed 
  at these towers at all times, rotating them out every six hours. Lately, 
  the guards have begun sneaking moonshine into the tower and drinking 
  heavily. Hollister is aware of this, but there’s only so much he can do 
  to discipline the civilian volunteers. Lately, he has taken to posting one 
  of his novice knights at each tower during the night shift, so at least 
  someone will be sober during the most vulnerable hours.
  37
  
  despite their proximity to Murdoch’s Cove by avoiding attention and 
  feeding only on animals. When Karloff Radool discovered the troll 
  lair, he attacked in force, hoping to acquire the troll corpses for his 
  experiments. To the alchemist’s surprise, one of the trolls held her 
  ground at the mouth of the cavern, sacrificing herself so her mate could 
  escape. The remaining troll returned to the cave later and has since been 
  consumed by grief.
  The troll is absorbed in sorrow, but will rise and curse threateningly 
  at the player characters when he notices them. If they speak Giant, they 
  understand: “Be gone from here and let me waste away, little ones. You 
  have already taken the light.”
  If the players do not comply, the troll will attack. They do have 
  a brief period, however, in which to try to reason with the creature.  
  If they can quickly prove that they are enemies of the manikins (by 
  presenting one of their heads or the like), or make an impressive Diplo-
  macy check, the troll will stay his wrath. A Diplomacy result of DC 23 
  will make the troll unfriendly, giving the party a few more moments to 
  leave before the troll attacks. DC 28 will make the troll indifferent - he 
  will identify himself as D’garr and tolerate their presence if they make 
  no threatening moves. A Diplomacy result of 18 or less immediately 
  sends the troll into a murderous rage.
  Assuming D’garr does not become violent, the party has a chance to 
  ask a few questions before he demands they leave him to his grief. If 
  they ask what happened, D’garr tells them the following: “K’jehr and 
  I lived here for many of your lifetimes. You little ones never knew. We 
  could have devoured you any time - but you never knew. We knew better 
  than to tempt the Beacon’s flame,” he growls. “We thought we were 
  safe. The Dark came, long ago, and offered us the power to rend the 
  little ones. K’jehr laughed and said we did not need the Dark. We were 
  already safe. She was wise...”
  “Until the fishmen came. They were dead but not dead - and a little 
  one led them. A man. He wielded fire and smoke. The Dark was in his 
  eyes, I saw it. We could not fight him... but K’jehr stood so that I could 
  flee... like the coward that I am. He took her. I can feel that she is dead. 
  He has made her one of his creatures.”
  “Now I wait here, until he returns for me.”
  D’garr will angrily demand that the party leaves, and attack if they 
  fail to comply. The troll has nothing to lose, so he will gladly leap into 
  battle even if he has no hope of success.
  D’garr
  Troll (see Pathfinder RPG Bestiary) - CR 5 - XP 1,600
  hp 63
  D’garr has 350 gold crowns in assorted gems stashed away under a 
  stone in his lair, as well as an everburning torch and an elixir of hiding. 
  He will not allow the party to take his treasures while he lives.
  Encounter: Finding Ceasg
  This encounter will not happen randomly - it depends entirely on the 
  player characters making an effort to find the Loireag slurgithians and 
  determine why they have cut off trade with Murdoch’s Cove. This can 
  happen in a number of ways. Perhaps the party has a random encounter 
  with a group of slurgithian warriors that ends with peaceful negotia-
  tion. Perhaps they rescued Lokla the slurgithian from the naga killers. 
  Perhaps they tracked down Rollimus’ slurgithian contact and paid him 
  to arrange a meeting with his people.
  Any of the above slurg contacts can arrange a meeting between the 
  party and their leader, Ceasg. This meeting will take place on the shores 
  of the lake, at least ten miles away from Murdoch’s Cove. The slurg 
  party will consist of Ceasg, one Loireag Warpriest, and four Loireag 
  warriors. Ceasg introduces herself as “Ceasg the Vigilant, chieftain of 
  the Loireag.”
  Statistics
  Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 6
  Base Atk +2; CMB +4; CMD 17 (immune to trip)
  Feats Power Attack, Precise Shot
  Traits Reactionary (+2 initiative), Ruffian (+2 hp)
  Skills Handle Animal 2 (+3), Knowledge (nature) 2 (+5), Perception 2 
  (+8), Stealth 2 (+7), Survival 2 (+6), Swim 2 (+6)
  Languages Naga, Western Common
  SQ track, wild empathy
  Equipment 20 arrows, longbow, dagger, greatsword, studded leather 
  armor. The naga also have 210 gold crowns in assorted coins, a jade 
  serpent figurine worth 50 gold crowns, and a cloak of resistance +1. 
  A Knowledge (religion) check vs. DC 16 identifies the serpent as a 
  symbol of Vimirra, one of their race’s sacred Serpents.
  The slurgithian prisoner is currently conscious but disabled at -3 hp. 
  If the party frees and heals him, he is extremely grateful. He cannot 
  speak Common, but he identifies himself as Lokla. (Lokla’s stats are 
  those of a typical Loireag warrior, see Appendix.) Lokla will attempt to 
  invite the party to meet with his people (leading to the Finding Ceasg 
  encounter), but if they refuse (or simply do not understand him) he will 
  bid a final good-bye and swim back home. 
  Encounter: Under Attack!
  This encounter involves a much more brazen attack upon the village. 
  This is most likely to occur after the party has already drained several 
  obelisks, or after the party has successfully overcome Radool’s mani-
  kins on multiple occasions. (It will definitely occur if the party manages 
  to defeat Radool personally.) In a frustrated display of rage, Radool 
  sends some of his most powerful minions to attack an outlying farm-
  house. The players might be in the area by sheer chance, or hear a 
  desperate cry from a survivor who has fled to the village for aid. Radool 
  really has no objective here other than to terrify the villagers and gather 
  a few corpses.
  If Hollister, Jinny, or Trask are present during this event, they offer to 
  lend their aid for this difficult battle. 
  Slurgithian Manikins (3)
  CR 3 each (see Appendix) - XP 800 each
  hp 22 each 
  Ogre Manikin
  CR 6 (see Appendix) - XP 2,400
  hp 53
  Encounter: The Mourning Troll
  This brief encounter serves to warn the party about the existence of 
  Radool’s troll manikin, as well as giving the heroes a chance to hear an 
  eyewitness account of their true enemy. Like the previous encounter, 
  this encounter can take place any time the party is exploring the wilder-
  ness near Murdoch’s Cove. 
  The party hears a strange, howling cacophony from the depths of a 
  cave. Upon investigation, the cave is lined with animal bones, appar-
  ently the lair of a large creature that has dwelled here for a long time. 
  The cavern is humid and reeks with a rotten, musky odor. In the depths 
  of the cavern, the party discovers a monstrous creature - a troll, huddled 
  in the darkness, howling madly. The corpses of several recently killed 
  manikins lie scattered about the cave.
  This pathetic beast was one of a mated pair that dwelled in the marsh. 
  While they have no love for the smaller races, they know better than 
  to make enemies of them. The troll and his mate survived for decades 
  38
  
  will attempt to hide in any large vehicles that the party is likely to use, 
  particularly Willem’s boat or any party thunder scout vehicles, so that 
  Radool can keep an eye on them. (If the party is carrying an Eye of 
  Shermazza, this is unnecessary, as Radool can use his own amulet and 
  his connection to Shermazza to scry upon them.)
  The next time the party leaves town, Radool sends a pack of slurgs, 
  built for speed and stealth, to pursue the party and attempt to drain any 
  obelisks they find.
  If the party enters open water, the undead slurgs may attempt to 
  capsize their vessel or grab player characters and drag them overboard.
  Stealthy Slurgithian Manikins (3)
  CR 3 each (see Appendix) - XP 800 each
  AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 14 (+4 natural)
  hp 22 each 
  Speed 50 ft., swim 50 ft.
  Melee bite +6 (1d8+4 plus grab)
  Str 16
  SQ skulking and fast mutations instead of standard mutations
  Radool’s Hideouts
  Karloff Radool has roughly a dozen hidden hideouts throughout the 
  marsh, where he stores extra corpses, hides his clones, and conducts 
  his research. It is possible that the party might stumble over one of 
  these during their exploration. These buildings can be simple shacks or 
  Formori blackstone ruins, but they are always guarded by at least two 
  slurg or human manikins.
  If the party is lucky, they might even catch Radool while he is present. 
  This gives the party the chance to interact with the main villain directly 
  before the final confrontation, and make things personal. Radool will 
  laugh and taunt the players during such an encounter, confident that 
  they cannot permanently kill him.
  “The Radiant Order sent all of you heroes to kill one of me?” he 
  laughs. “They should have sent more - for I am Karloff Radool! I am 
  ETERNAL! You cannot understand the legacy of magic, power, and 
  secrets you now face. Your ignorance can only cloud my glorious future. 
  That is why you must burn!”
  As Karloff Radool is the ultimate nemesis of the adventure, any 
  encounter where the party faces him should be extremely difficult. Add 
  more manikins if you feel he is too much of a pushover. If Radool is 
  killed, his body immediately disintegrates to be reincarnated elsewhere 
  by his immortality module. Though this means he can repeatedly return 
  to harass the party, take care not to overuse this as a plot device. Radool 
  should be used sparingly, lest constant battles with him begin to grow 
  tiresome or even trivial.
  Slurgithian Manikins (3)
  CR 3 each (see Appendix) - XP 800 each
  hp 22 each 
  Karloff Radool
  CR 6 - XP 2,400
  hp 41
  Radool’s lairs have a 50% chance to contain one or more prisoners 
  (usually transients, farmers, or travelers). He has invariably been 
  torturing these individuals, either to determine if they know anything 
  about the sites of power or merely for his own amusement.
  Ceasg is cold but polite toward the player characters. She tells them 
  the following:
  “If you wish to know why the Loireag have been silent, it is because 
  you no longer honor the Lake Treaty,” she says. “The surface dwellers 
  have desecrated our sacred burial marsh, stolen our dead, and attacked 
  our people without provocation. We of the Loireag do not desire war, 
  but neither will we turn away from it. My order is bound by sacred oaths 
  to protect these lands, and I will honor them, even unto death.”
  Any four of the following can help convince her that the Arastinians 
  continue to honor the Lake Treaty. 
  ● If any party members can prove that they are seers and are willing to 
  vouch for the people of Murdoch’s Cove (Ceasg will admit to being a 
  fellow seer if a party member does.)
  ● If the party convinces Ceasg that Vendic Hansen has faced justice 
  for his crimes. 
  ● If the party convinces Ceasg that it was Karloff Radool who stole 
  her dead, and not the people of Murdoch’s Cove. (She already has her 
  doubts, so this is not difficult.)
  ● If the party rescued Lokla.
  ● If the party healed and aided the Loireag slurgithians at Cattail Isle.
  ● If the party put the spirit of Brother Arais to present his rose and final 
  words to Ceasg (this counts as two items; Ceasg takes the blue rose and 
  excuses herself for a few moments to contemplate her teacher’s final 
  message).
  ● A Diplomacy check vs. DC 21 (this counts as two items if the result 
  is 26+).
  If convinced of the party’s sincerity, Ceasg bows in respect. 
  “I commend you for your bravery, honor, and friendship. That 
  you sought to bring us the truth means much to me. I apologize for 
  misjudging your kind, surface dweller. The Loireag will honor the Lake 
  Treaty - though I warn your people that it would be safer to wait until 
  our mutual enemy has been dealt with before we begin trade again. 
  Until then, take this...”
  Loireag offers the party a waterproof satchel containing the 
  following: a healer’s kit (10 uses remaining), a masterwork kukri, and 
  four potions of cure moderate wounds. She also offers them a conch 
  shell fashioned into a horn that, when blown, can be heard clearly up 
  to a mile away. 
  The horn is not magical, but is of a special design unique to the 
  Loireag tribe. If blown three times in succession, any Loireag slurgi-
  thians in the area will recognize the call. They will arrive within ten 
  minutes to investigate, and will lend their aid to the party if required.
  If the party rescued Lokla earlier, Ceasg is even more generous. She 
  will give the party 2 random 1st level potions and 3 1st level scrolls as 
  a reward for saving her kinsman. 
  All potions offered by Ceasg are contained in sealed fish bladders, 
  rather than bottles, allowing them to be used underwater.
  Encounter: Filthy Parasites
  Eventually, Radool will realize that the players know how to find the 
  Formori sites of power. After the party has drained at least two obelisks, 
  Radool begins to send his parasites into the village to act as spies. They 
  39
  
  The Final Battle
  If the player characters have been marking down the locations of 
  each site of power on a map, they may notice how they are arranged. 
  If one draws the lines between the opposing sites, the point directly 
  in the center of the obelisks is Murdoch’s Cove - specifically the 
  Murdoch’s Cove church. If the players don’t catch this on their own, 
  and you’re feeling merciful, allow someone with Knowledge (geog-
  raphy) a check vs. DC 20 to notice and anyone with the Knowledge 
  (arcana) or Spellcraft skill a check vs. DC 15 to realize the implications. 
  Simply knowing that the village will be Radool’s final target before 
  Radool does is a huge advantage - the party can begin rallying allies and 
  bolstering defenses in advance.
  Searching the church reveals little of interest - except that the door to 
  the church tower is sealed. From the outside, the tower is not a typical 
  bell tower or clock tower - it’s merely a sealed tower with no openings 
  of any kind (other than the closed stone door). If asked, Sister Jinny 
  admits that she was asked by her predecessor to keep the tower sealed, 
  and has never been inside. She does not know why, only that the priests 
  have promised to do so since the days when the seers watched over the 
  village.
  The tower’s only entrance is a stout stone door sealed with an arcane 
  lock by some long-forgotten mage. The door can be picked (Disable 
  Device vs. DC 20), forced open (Strength vs. DC 28), or dispelled (the 
  arcane lock’s original caster was 6th level). There are no other doors or 
  windows leading into the tower. The final Formori obelisk stands alone 
  in a small (by Formori standards) room at the top of the tower, choked 
  with dust and cobwebs.
  If the other Formori obelisks have already been drained, finding the 
  Final Nexus is easy - the church tower will be suffused by a column 
  of blazing violet white that extends straight into the sky, churning the 
  clouds in a furious maelstrom that blots out the sun. This effect persists 
  until the obelisk becomes dormant one week later.
  Once it has been activated, the Final Nexus will immediately draw 
  attention. Nocturnals will be instinctively drawn to the light, as will 
  many curious travelers. Most importantly, Karloff Radool will realize 
  that this is his last chance to claim the power of the Formori and will 
  attack Murdoch’s Cove with all of his remaining minions. Not long 
  after the tower lights up, the villagers will cry out at the sight of 
  monstrous creatures surrounding the village. Most of these, of course, 
  will be Radool’s manikins.
  Battle Rules
  As playing out a large scale siege of this magnitude would be time 
  consuming and cumbersome, the following rules will allow you to deal 
  with the final battle in a more abstract manner. For the purposes of this 
  scenario you only need to deal with two things - the advantages the 
  players have gathered for the village and the skirmishes that the party 
  participates in directly (which can be played out as normal encounters). 
  This allows the players to have direct control over the outcome of a 
  large siege without getting bogged down in a lot of new mass combat 
  rules.
  Each side of the conflict begins with a pool of Victory Points, which 
  represent the overall strength of that side’s forces. 
  Karloff Radool’s army begins with 100 points, representing his vast 
  undead horde and opportunistic nocturnal allies. 
  Murdoch’s Cove begins with 50 points, representing their default 
  troops and defenses. 
  The party can bolster the village’s Victory Points by recruiting allies 
  or seeking other advantages (they’ve probably done quite a bit of this 
  so far in the adventure without realizing it). They can reduce Radool’s 
  Victory Points by participating directly in encounters (see Strategy).  
  Defending the Village
  If there is any advantage to post-Darkfall Aden, it is that its settle-
  ments are built to survive. If Murdoch’s Cove was unable to repel the 
  occasional nocturnal attack, it wouldn’t exist anymore. The walls and 
  palisades offer impressive defenses - at least enough that Radool can’t 
  just overwhelm the village and take what he wants. That being said, 
  the odds don’t look good. Murdoch’s Cove is isolated and has only a 
  handful of defenders; most of them are inexperienced.
  Fortunately, the player characters are here.
  Radiant Demise
  Act 3 - The Siege of Murdoch’s Cove
  6
  40
  
  Not only are they the village’s most powerful defenders, but, 
  depending on their accomplishments during this adventure, they may be 
  able to recruit other allies and advantages. The final siege on Murdoch’s 
  Cove depends not only on what the heroes do - but on what they’ve 
  already done.
  The following are a few options the players can take advantage of 
  to protect the village. This should not be considered a comprehensive 
  list. Players are extremely creative, and each game takes a different 
  path. Your players are likely to come up with good ideas that are not 
  described here. If you feel that something your players suggest would 
  benefit the village, award them an appropriate amount of Victory Points. 
  When in doubt as to how many points to award, compare their idea to 
  others on Table: Defenses and pick something similar. Just don’t award 
  Victory Points excessively or the battle will be trivial.
  Unique Allies
  ● Default Allies: As long as Sir Trask Calder, Captain Dram Hollister, 
  Sister Jinny Tonneson, and Dennison Walcroix are alive and present, 
  they will help defend the village even if they are currently on bad terms 
  with the party. Their presence is accounted for in Murdoch’s Cove’s 
  starting Victory Points, so if they are not present, reduce the pool 
  accordingly. (Each of these unique allies is worth 2 points. If Dram 
  Hollister is not present, the village loses 2 additional points due to poor 
  morale.)
  ● Rollimus Torth: If Rollimus is aware of the consequences should the 
  village be overcome, he will stay to help defend the village. Otherwise, 
  he will cast fly on his golem, command it to pick up his herald’s horn, 
  and ride it out of town as soon as Radool’s army shows up.
  ● Old Willem: This crusty wilderness scout has a nose for trouble, and 
  will flee the village before Radool’s army ever arrives unless the party 
  has earned his friendship. 
  ● Ceasg the Vigilant: If the party has made peace with the Loireag 
  slurgs and uses the conch to summon their aid, Ceasg will arrive in the 
  village the next day. 
  ● Reddek “Redclaw” Karsh: If the party saved Redclaw, healed him, 
  returned his gear, and gave him a vehicle or mount, this foolhardy but 
  honorable bounty hunter will make his way to Murdoch’s Cove and 
  stand beside them in battle.
  ● D’garr: If the party spared D’garr, the grieving troll will see the Final 
  Nexus and make his way to the village to battle the monsters that killed 
  his mate. He will eventually be overwhelmed and killed unless the party 
  allows him through the gates, in which case he will reluctantly aid the 
  village so that he can see that Radool is killed. D’garr is worth 3 Victory 
  Points, rather than 2.
  ● Grey Master Connach: This Grey Isles necromancer may be evil 
  but he isn’t stupid. If he is currently being held in Murdoch’s Cove’s 
  prison, he will offer to help defend the village in return for his freedom. 
  If the party doesn’t keep an eye on him or assign one of their other 
  allies to do so, he’ll try to flee or sneak into the Final Nexus and claim 
  its power.
  ● The McGinnis Brothers: Though not quite as powerful as the other 
  potential allies, the shepherd twins are veteran soldiers and work well 
  as a team. If the heroes saved both Boyd and Barclay, they count as a 
  single unique ally.
  Troops
  These large groups of reinforcements are defined in terms of squads. 
  A small squad consists of 3-5 individuals. A medium squad is 6-8. A 
  large squad is about a dozen. Use the pre-generated Minor NPC statis-
  tics in the Appendix for these soldiers, as directed. Veteran squads 
  are more experienced, equipped, and worth more Victory Points. Any 
  member of these squads that is higher than 1st level counts as an officer, 
  and adds additional Victory Points.
  ● Default Troops: Murdoch’s Cove has a small veteran squad of 
  Radiant Knights (trained infantry) and three large squads of militia 
  (untrained conscripts). These are accounted for in the village’s Victory 
  Points. 
  ● The Eye: If the party is allied with the Eye and uses their Urbanan 
  pigeon to call for help, Beldar Calsheen will contact his agents in Rose 
  and arrange for reinforcements. A medium veteran squad of Shadow 
  Army soldiers in a steamwagon (trained infantry and a hedge wizard, 
  led by an elite soldier) will arrive in Murdoch’s Cove four days later. 
  ● Ghosts of Columbey: If the party is allied with the Ghosts of 
  Columbey and send word to Olgen Castbar in the village of Rose, he 
  will muster a medium veteran squad of mercenaries on thunder cycles 
  (trained archers with one gunslinger led by an elite soldier) and ride for 
  Murdoch’s Cove to help them, arriving four days after he is notified.
  ● Loireag Tribe: if the party uses Ceasg’s conch shell, a small veteran 
  squad of slurgs (warriors led by a warpriest) will arrive within one hour. 
  After being informed of the situation, one of the warriors will leave and 
  return a day later with Ceasg and enough reinforcements to turn the 
  original squad into a large veteran squad 
  ● The Radiant Order: The nearest Radiant Order watchpost is fifty 
  miles away along to the east. If the party can contact them, they will 
  send a small veteran squad of mounted knights (trained infantry and 
  archers with an elite soldier), with medium veteran squad arriving four 
  days later (trained infantry and archers led by an elite soldier). 
  ● The Underground: If Rollimus Torth remains in the village, he 
  will use his herald’s horn to call a medium veteran squad of mounted 
  Grounder mercenaries (trained archers led by a gunslinger) to help the 
  village. They arrive five days later. If the party is not allied with the 
  Grounders, these individuals will not identify themselves as Grounders, 
  and will claim merely to be helpful passersby. If the party is allied with 
  the Grounders, Rollimus allows the player characters to use his herald’s 
  horn. The Grounders in Rose will pass their message on to any other 
  allies they wish to contact. 
  ● Transients: During the spring and summer months, Murdoch’s Cove 
  houses a number of temporary laborers. These count as a medium squad 
  (untrained conscripts). Be warned that these individuals have no partic-
  ular attachment to Murdoch’s Cove beyond their own survival. If they 
  learn of the attack before Radool arrives, they will attempt to desert 
  the village.
  Defenses
  The following are examples of improvised defenses that can have an 
  effect on the battle. 
  ● Swampshine: Murdoch’s Cove has a large supply of this potent 
  and highly flammable whiskey. If the players can convince Dagfinn 
  Murdoch to distribute it, it can be used to create improvised incendiary 
  weapons. 
  ● Smithing Tools: If the party provided the village smith with replace-
  ment tools, she can keep the defenders’ weapons and armors in good 
  repair and produce more ammunition.
  ● Harsh Weather: Heavy rain or snow will generally grant the 
  defenders an advantage on that day. (If the party is doing poorly and 
  you are feeling merciful, a chance downpour could buy them time.)
  ● Morale: A particularly stirring speech or display of bravery can 
  improve Victory Points, at your discretion. Likewise, a demoralizing 
  defeat can reduce Victory Points. 
  ● Using the Final Nexus: The heroes may be tempted to use the dark 
  power of the Final Nexus against Radool. If they do, any troops exposed 
  to the nexus are worth double Victory Points. Any player character 
  exposed to the nexus is worth 5 Victory Points, as Radool’s undead are 
  visibly intimidated by their transmogrified forms. (See Appendix for 
  full details regarding the nexus and its powers.)
  41
  
  ● Aggressive: The villagers fight recklessly, frequently taking great 
  risks and occasionally conducting daring counterstrikes beyond the 
  walls. The party must personally address at least 1d4+3 encounters, but 
  no more than 7. They gain a +10 bonus on all random encounter table 
  rolls as the party seeks out more dangerous opponents. This strategy 
  is best if players are currently winning and want to press their advan-
  tage, but can be risky if the party cannot deal with all the encounters 
  (7 combat encounters in a single day is quite a lot) and begin to lose 
  Victory Points.
  ● Retreat: A last ditch attempt when all is lost. The defenders attempt 
  to fight their way free of the village and flee. The village is lost, but any 
  defenders have a 25% chance of surviving to escape Murdoch’s Cove. 
  This does not apply to the player characters. The party must personally 
  address a minimum of 1d6+3 encounters to cover the villagers’ escape. 
  If they deal with at least half of these encounters, they can either escape 
  or return to confront Radool as he reaches the church.
  Battle Encounters
  These random events depict events in the battle where the party 
  participates directly. If the party resolves an encounter successfully, 
  they gain Victory Points depending on the CR of the encounter (see 
  table). If the party fails to overcome an encounter, Murdoch’s Cove 
  loses Victory Points equal to double the encounter’s CR. (Monsters 
  who flee Murdoch’s Cove are considered to be defeated.)
  Many of these encounters involve nocturnals that have been drawn to 
  the Final Nexus instinctively. Feel free to replace any of the suggested 
  nocturnals with equivalent CR nocturnals of your choice. (For variety, 
  avoid using undead, as Radool’s army already has plenty of those). 
  Though these nocturnals are not under Radool’s control, they seem to 
  Defenses
  Benefit 
  Victory Points
  Unique Allies (each) 
  2
  Reinforcements - Small Squad 
  1
  Reinforcements - Medium Squad 
  2
  Reinforcements - Large Squad 
  3
  Veteran Squads  
  X2 base value
  Officers (each) 
  1
  Swampshine 
  2
  Smithing Tools 
  2
  Harsh Weather 
  4
  Morale Event 
  1-3
  Using the Final Nexus 
  5 or double
  Resting
  At the end of each day, the party may rest and recover if they wish. 
  They will regain their spells, abilities, and hit points as they normally 
  would for a night’s rest plus 3d8 points of additional healing that can 
  be distributed among the party members, representing the attention of 
  village medics and healers. 
  If the player characters (or at least four of them, if it is a large party) 
  choose not to rest, their constant vigil inspires the defenders and helps 
  keep the manikins at bay. This reduces the enemy’s Victory Points by 
  the same amount as a normal encounter. However, any party member 
  that goes without sleep during the tense siege must make a Constitution 
  check vs. DC 12 + 2 per day of sleep deprivation or become fatigued. 
  Strategy
  Each day of the siege, the party can choose the village’s battle 
  strategy. The choices are as follows:
  ● Cautious: The defenders hunker down and take few risks. They 
  ignore all but the most serious threats in favor of simply bolstering the 
  village’s defenses. During attrition, Victory Point losses are halved. 
  The party must personally address at least 1d3 encounters but no more 
  than 3. They suffer a -10 penalty on all random encounter table rolls as 
  the party avoids dangerous confrontations. This strategy is best if the 
  players are at a disadvantage.
  ● Standard: The villagers will hold their ground but take moderate 
  risks when the opportunity arises. If the party does not choose a strategy, 
  this is the default. This strategy is best if the players wish to maintain 
  the current balance of power. The party must personally address at least 
  1d3+2 encounters, but no more than 5.
  Encounter Table
   d100 
   
   
  Victory
   Roll 
  Encounter 
    CR 
  Points
   01-20 
  Minor Manikin (one slurg or human manikin) 
  3 
  1
   21-30 
  Minor Nocturnal (accuser devil, nocturnal crocodile, hell hound, ettercap, shanker swarm, medium elemental)  
  3 
  1
   31-40 
  Minor Nocturnal Pack (8 orcs or goblins, 3 lemures or krenshars, 2 vargouilles) 
  4 
  2
   41-50 
  Medium Nocturnal (gargoyle, barghest, nocturnal dire ape, mimic, sea hag, wasted) 
  4 
  2
   51-60 
  Medium Nocturnal Pack (2 minor nocturnals, 4 giant spiders, 3 imps or nocturnal hyenas) 
  5 
  3
   61-70 
  Major Nocturnal (flame drake, large elemental, basilisk, nightmare, cloaker) 
  5 
  3
   71-80 
  Medium Manikin (2 slurg or human manikins) 
  5 
  3
   81-90 
  Large Manikin (ogre manikin, 3 slurg or human manikins) 
  6 
  4
   91-00 
  Powerful Nocturnal (flesh golem, nocturnal owlbear, chimera, succubus, aboleth) 
  7 
  5
  42
  
  Weathering the Storm
  If the village survives without losing all of its Victory Points for 
  seven days, Radool desperately breaches the wall and rushes the church 
  near the end of the last day, hoping to take the Final Nexus before it 
  becomes inactive. He is accompanied by a medium manikin encounter.
  Total Victory
  If Murdoch’s Cove reduces Karloff Radool’s Victory Points to zero, 
  the undead army takes severe losses. Radool’s pride will not allow 
  him to miss his chance to claim his ancestor’s legacy, and he inter-
  venes personally. In this case, he attacks the gates with a small manikin 
  encounter. 
  The Final 
  Confrontation
  When Karloff Radool has had enough, he will drink his experimental 
  Formori mutagen before entering the battle. (If you have a sense of 
  drama, you can always have him to drink it in the party’s presence 
  before the battle begins so that they can witness his transformation.) 
  This mutagen allows him to physically merge with his most powerful 
  minion - a troll manikin. (This is D’garr the troll’s murdered mate.) 
  This mutagen essentially has the same effect as a magic jar, except that 
  Radool’s body physically merges with the troll while it is possessed. 
  Karloff has the foresight to keep his bombs and extracts separate before 
  he merges - his troll body now carries them in a sling over one shoulder.
  Karloff Radool is incredibly strong and is always encountered with 
  a group of manikins proportionate to how his army has fared in the 
  siege (see above). For this reason, you may wish to allow some of the 
  party’s valued allies to participate in the battle for this dramatic final 
  showdown. 
  Radool is not accustomed to melee combat and prefers to use his 
  minions as a distraction while he heads for the Final Nexus. If he is 
  blocked from accessing it, he will use bombs to support his minions at 
  range until they are dead or he is engaged directly. 
  acknowledge him as an ally of convenience, Radool is content to allow 
  these creatures to aid him - if they attempt to bar him from the Final 
  Nexus he can deal with them later. 
  Each encounter has a 20% chance of coinciding with some dramatic 
  event that the players will need to deal with. Some possibilities include 
  a breach in the wall, a fire in the village, or a group of soldiers losing 
  morale and attempting to flee. The party must deal with this event as 
  well as the enemies or the encounter is considered a failure.
  Try to integrate these encounters in a way that increases the drama 
  of the situation. If it’s a nocturnal attack, perhaps the creature suddenly 
  rises out of the marsh and leaps over the wall near where the players are 
  stationed. The players should deal with these encounters more or less on 
  their own, but not to the point where it seems that they’re fighting this 
  battle alone. You might allow a few NPC allies join the party in their 
  fight and increase the enemy CR appropriately. Alternately, you might 
  simply describe the party’s encounter as part of a larger whole, with 
  defenders participating in simultaneous chaotic conflicts all around 
  them.
  Attrition
  Each day ends with attrition, where overall losses for each side are 
  determined. Compare the amount of Victory Points currently held by 
  each side. Whoever has the higher amount currently is considered to 
  be winning. (In the case of a tie, Radool’s army is considered to be 
  winning.) Determine the difference between these numbers and then 
  consult the Attrition table. 
  Attrition
   
  Difference 
  Losing Army
   
  up to 10 
  -1d10 Victory Points
   
  10 to 20 
  -2d6 Victory Points
   
  21 to 30 
  -3d6 Victory Points
   
  31 to 40 
  -4d6 Victory Points
   
  41 to 50 
  -6d6 Victory Points
   
  51 to 100 
  -10d6 Victory Points
   
  101+ 
  -10d12 Victory Points
  Casualties
  This system is intended to be quick, simple, and abstract. In deter-
  mining how poorly the village is faring, simply look at how many Victory 
  Points are remaining. If the village is doing badly, report that many 
  soldiers are dead or injured. On a particularly bad day, you may even 
  consider killing one of the Unique Allies. (Try to avoid killing Dennison 
  Walcroix, as he plays a role in future chapters of the adventure.) 
  Ending the Siege
  There are three ways the siege on Murdoch’s Cove can end.
  Defeat
  If Karloff Radool’s army reduces Murdoch’s Cove’s Victory Points 
  to zero, the village’s defenses are shattered and the area is overrun with 
  undead. Radool will advance on the church and attempt to take the Final 
  Nexus. The players can either make their escape or make their final 
  stand in the church, where they will face Radool and a large manikin 
  encounter simultaneously. Even if they win this difficult final confron-
  tation, it is a pyrrhic victory, as most of the villagers will die. Any given 
  NPC not with the party when this happens only has a 5% chance to 
  survive. (Using the retreat strategy when defeat seems imminent can 
  save lives.)
  43
  
  Resolution
  Once Radool is slain, his body is expelled from the now dead troll’s 
  in a gruesome display. All parasites under his control lose their Intel-
  ligence score permanently. All manikins within one hundred feet of 
  Radool instantly die, their parasites destroyed from the shock of their 
  master’s passing. The remaining survivors are still dangerous, but are 
  no longer intelligent or organized. Most will attempt to wander back 
  into the marsh. At this point, even a small group of defenders should 
  be able to hold Murdoch’s Cove until help arrives. The survivors might 
  even attempt to hunt the manikins down and destroy them once and 
  for all. 
  The most startling revelation upon searching Radool’s corpse is likely 
  to be his amulet of Shermazza. This is the first real connection between 
  Radool and the Circle of Fire and Steel that the players are likely to 
  find. Dennison Walcroix is particularly disturbed by this revelation, as 
  it reminds him of his past abuse at the cult’s hands. Unfortunately, with 
  Radool dead, the full implications of this connection remain unclear.
  Captain Dram Hollister makes a special point of addressing the 
  player characters in the presence of any survivors.
  “I just want to thank you for everything you’ve done here,” he says. 
  “On behalf of all of us. You didn’t just save a village. You showed us 
  how to save ourselves. In this ruined mess of a world, I think that’s the 
  greatest gift. I’ve written a report to the Templar Council telling them 
  what’s happened here. I think you should stick around - they’re likely 
  to want to reward you for all that you’ve done. And I think you could 
  use the rest.”
  If the party failed miserably, he’s less optimistic, obviously.
  Two weeks after the Final Nexus becomes dormant, a group of sixty 
  Radiant Knights gallop into Murdoch’s Cove. The soldiers dismount 
  and spread out across the village, scouting the area’s defenses. They are 
  led by Sir Kirkstaan, a tall paladin garbed in shining silver armor that 
  stands in sharp contrast to the hideous scars upon his face. He curtly 
  demands for someone to fetch the player characters as he paces the 
  village.
  “Good you’re here,” he says impatiently, once the party arrives. 
  “You’re the mercenaries that sorted out this awful mess, right?”
  When they confirm, he nods to a pair of squires who bring an iron-
  bound chest marked with the Beacon before the party. They open it to 
  reveal a gleaming hoard of treasure: 3,000 gold crowns, 500 crowns’ 
  worth of assorted jewelry, a +1 weapon appropriate for one of the party’s 
  melee characters, a small bag of holding, and a ring of protection +1. If 
  the party routed Radool’s army and saved most of the villagers, there is 
  an additional 1,000 gold and a suit of custom +1 armor appropriate for 
  one of the player characters.
  “I trust that will be adequate for your fine services?” he says, barely 
  waiting for the players to take in the reward. “If that will be all, then 
  take it, and thank you again for your service. With all due respect, 
  please move somewhere out of traffic.”
  If the party replies in confusion or anger, as they are likely to do, 
  Kirkstaan just looks annoyed.
  “Love and Justice, did no one tell you?” he asks with a sigh. “Of 
  course they didn’t. That sort of job would fall on me, wouldn’t it? I’m 
  sure you know how that feels. Anyway, my men and I are shoring up 
  defenses here in Murdoch’s Cove. A contingent of investigators from the 
  capital is on its way to study this near-catastrophe. King Corben of Sea 
  Reach is among them - and he wants to meet you.”
  The knight smiles with grim respect. “If I were you, I’d stay in town 
  and see what His Majesty wants. Just, please, stay out of my men’s way. 
  Let someone else do the cleaning up, for once.”
  This is a final, desperate attack on Radool’s part. His immortality 
  module is inert while he is bonded to the troll manikin, allowing him 
  to be killed permanently. As the module relies upon the ambient power 
  of the Murdoch’s Cove obelisks the module is about to become inert 
  anyway, so he sees this as an acceptable risk.
  Karloff Radool will not surrender under any circumstances, prefer-
  ring to die gloriously than be captured like his ancestor. 
  If everything goes horribly and Radool touches the Final Nexus, he 
  vanishes in an explosion of light and his minions are affected as if he 
  died. An eerie silence fills Murdoch’s Cove, echoing with the certainty 
  that you have not seen the last of Karloff Radool. Any surviving 
  defenders will conclude that the alchemist is dead and that the day, 
  somehow, was won. The true implications of Radool’s ascension, if it 
  occurs, will be dealt with in later chapters.
  Monstrous Karloff Radool
  CR 10 - XP 6,400
  CE Large undead (augmented)
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception 
  +8
  Defense
  AC 20, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (+2 Dex, +9 natural, -1 size)
  hp 101 (9d8+27); regeneration (acid or fire)
  Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +4
  Special Defenses DR 5/magic
  Special Weaknesses mechamagic vulnerability
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee bite +13 (2d6+13 plus grab), 2 claws +13 (1d6+9)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special attacks bomb +10 ranged touch (4d6+5 fire damage plus 9 
  splash damage, DC 17, 11/day), swift poisoning
  Typical Alchemist Extracts Prepared
  1st Level (5/day) - cure light wounds X2, expeditious retreat,  shield, 
  touch of the sea
  2nd level (4/day) - barkskin, blur, invisibility, see invisibility 
  3rd level (2/day) - cure serious wounds, haste 
  Statistics
  Str 29, Dex 14, Con -, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 10
  Base Atk +5, CMB +14, CMD 26
  Feats Toughness, Power Attack, Brew Potion, Improved Initiative, 
  Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Throw Anything, Weapon 
  Finesse
  Skills Craft (alchemy) 7 (+14), Craft (machinery) 7 (+14), Heal 7 
  (+10), Knowledge (arcana) 7 (+14), Knowledge (engineering) 4 (+11), 
  Knowledge (nature) 3 (+10), Perception 7 (+10), Spellcraft 7 (+14), 
  Stealth 7 (+9), Survival 7 (+10), Use Magic Device 7 (+9)
  Languages Western Common, Arcadian, Lowland, Nocturine, Planar
  SQ mutations (brutish, tenacious)
  Treasure See Karloff’s entry in the Appendix. His normal gear has no 
  effect while merged with the troll manikin, but he still carries it.
  Note: Karloff Radool’s normal statistics are described in the Appendix.
  44
  
  - Appendix A -
  Who’s Who in 
  Radiant Demise
  The following section presents statistics and character backgrounds 
  for important NPCs in this adventure. 
  Curator Dennison Walcroix
  Dennison Walcroix is a bookish middle-aged Urbanan gentleman. 
  Though friendly and amiable, he often becomes distracted and is 
  obsessed with mysteries of the past. He is a pacifist at heart and despises 
  conflict, but would charge boldly into the most dangerous situations in 
  the name of learning.
  Walcroix grew up the pampered youngest son of a minor Columbey 
  noble family. It wasn’t until he met his mentor, Sir James Dex, that he 
  found his purpose. At Dex’s side, he gained a deep appreciation for 
  Aden’s history, and learned that he could be more than just a vapid, 
  idle noble. He went on to become an accomplished scholar as well as 
  the curator of the Urbanan Museum of History (formerly the Columbey 
  Archives).
  Dennison reveres Lord Dex and believes, on some level, that he 
  would never have survived the Darkfall without the strength he learned 
  adventuring at the old man’s side. Of late, Dennison’s recent experi-
  ences have begun to disturb him. Though he would not speak his 
  suspicions aloud, he suspects that there was a great deal more to Sir 
  James Dex than anyone knew. He wonders what the old man was really 
  searching for all those years - and if he ever found it.
  Curator Dennison Walcroix 
  Male human bard (archaeologist) 4
  LG Male humanoid (human)
  Init +2; Perception +13
  Defense
  AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +2 Dex) 
  hp 22 (4d8+4)
  Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +6
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee masterwork shortsword +6 (1d6)
  Ranged masterwork pistol +6 (1d8+1)
  Special defenses uncanny dodge
  Bard Spells Known
  0-Level - detect magic, everheat rune, know direction, mending, 
  prestidigitation, read magic
  1st Level (4/day) - alarm, cure light wounds, disguise self, identify, 
  remove fear
  2nd level (2/day) - heroism, tongues
  Statistics
  Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 14
  Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 16
  Feats Alertness, Skill Focus - Knowledge (history), Weapon Finesse 
  Traits Folk Magic (identify added to bard spells known), Natural Pilot
  Skills Diplomacy 4 (+9), Disable Device 4 (+14), Knowledge 
  (arcana) 4 (+12), Knowledge (history) 4 (+15), Knowledge (local) 4 
  (+12), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) 4 (+12), Linguistics 4 (+10), 
  Perception 4 (+13, +17 with canny observer), Sense Motive 4 (+11), 
  Spellcraft 4 (+10), Use Magic Device 4 (+9) 
  Languages Earthtongue, Fundamental, Eastern Common, Kyall, 
  Lowland, Sylfanic, Vanoran, Western Common
  SQ archaeologist’s luck (+1 luck bonus to attack rolls, saving throws, 
  skill checks, and weapon damage rolls as swift action, 7 rounds/day), 
  clever explorer (can disable devices in half the normal time), rogue 
  talent - canny observer
  Equipment 10 standard ammunition, fine scholar’s outfit, masterwork 
  pistol, masterwork shortsword, masterwork thieves’ tools, +1 chain 
  shirt, 125 gold crests 
  Sir Trask Calder
  This gruff, muscular wolf-ferran comes from a secluded village 
  populated mostly by ferrans and juraks. His home stood undisturbed by 
  outsiders in the forests of Arasteen for generations. For as long as Trask 
  could remember, he wanted to see the world. As soon as he came of age, 
  Trask left his family to join a passing caravan. His family warned him 
  that the “human” world would treat him as a beast, but Trask would not 
  be dissuaded. 
  Though Trask encountered his share of prejudice, the outside world 
  was not nearly as terrible as his sheltered family believed. With each 
  strange new land he visited, he found he looked forward to returning 
  home with greater anticipation. He wanted to tell his brothers of the 
  wonders he had seen. He wanted to tell them how wrong they had been 
  to stand apart.
  When the Darkfall came, Trask was in the Arastinian capital of Sea 
  Reach. Though part of him wanted to remain in the safety of the city, he 
  knew he must return home and protect his family. When the Knights of 
  the Radiant Order stopped him at the gates, he feared they would forbid 
  him from leaving. Trask told them his tale and pleaded for them to show 
  mercy. The Knights did forbid him to leave - without help.
  Trask rode back into his village with a squadron of Radiant knights 
  at his side. They smote down the nocturnals who had besieged the small 
  Appendices
  7
  45
  
  community and escorted the survivors back to the safety of Sea Reach. 
  Calder’s family survived in no small part due to the selfless bravery of 
  the Radiant Order. 
  Calder became a hospitaler that very day. After years of training, he 
  took his vows as a knight. 
  Though he may seem cynical and more than a little grouchy, Trask 
  Calder’s faith in the Radiant Path is unshakable. He has personally 
  seen generations of hatred and prejudice washed away by the warmth 
  of Compassion. He has seen terrible nocturnals defeated by the power 
  of Justice.
  Calder is resourceful and pragmatic. He is not afraid to use uncon-
  ventional tactics or seek allies outside the Order if he must. On that day 
  in Sea Reach he learned that outsiders can sometimes become great 
  friends. Though he is sometimes slow to trust, he has never forgotten 
  that lesson. By Captain Hollister’s standards, Calder can be too ideal-
  istic and trusting. Nonetheless, he is the grim dwarf’s most trusted 
  friend and comrade.
  Calder harbors romantic feelings for Sister Jinny, and suspects that 
  she returns them, but pretends to be unaware. He fears she is too intel-
  ligent to have much use for a simple man like himself, and he would 
  never force her to choose between him and her vows to the Path. In the 
  end, they are simply too different.
  Trask is almost always accompanied by Justice, his wolf companion.
  Sir Trask Calder 
  Male ferran (wolf) predator ranger 4
  CG Medium humanoid (ferran)
  Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +9
  Defense
  AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +3 Dex) 
  hp 42 (4d10+14)
  Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +3
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee bite +6 (1d6+3)
  Ranged masterwork composite longbow +8 (1d8+2)
  Special attacks favored enemy (undead: +1) 
  Typical Ranger Spells Prepared
  1st Level (1/day) - longstrider
  Statistics
  Str 14, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 9
  Base Atk +4; CMB +6; CMD 19
  Feats Endurance, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot
  Traits resilient (+1 Fortitude), ruffian (+2 hp)
  Skills Handle Animal 4 (+6), Knowledge (geography) 4 (+7), 
  Perception 4 (+9), Stealth 4 (+10), Survival 4 (+9), Swim 4 (+9), 
  Languages Western Common, Feral Speech (canines)
  SQ track, wild empathy, favored terrain (swamp), scent
  Equipment masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str modifier), +1 
  studded leather armor, dagger, spell component pouch, assorted 
  survival gear, Radiant Order cloak, Radiant Order amulet
  Justice (Calder’s wolf companion)
  N Medium animal
  Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +5
  Defense
  AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, +2 Dex, +2 natural)
  hp 17 (2d8+7)
  Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1
  Offense
  Speed 50 ft.
  Melee bite +2 (1d6+1 plus trip)
  46
  
  Statistics
  Str 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
  Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 14 (18 vs. trip)
  Feats Toughness
  Skills Perception 1 (+5), Survival 1 (+2)
  Tricks attack, attack any target, come, guard, heel, stay, track
  SQ +4 to Survival when tracking by Scent.
  Equipment leather barding
  Sister Jinnasai “Jinny” Tonneson
  Jinny Tonneson is a soft-spoken, polite, highly intelligent priestess 
  of the Radiant Path.  She serves the knights as their healer and moral 
  compass. Though she has little skill in combat, the other knights have 
  come to appreciate her quick mind and keen eye for detail. Jinny 
  provides her healing services to the local community free of charge and 
  serves as the village pastor and schoolteacher. She is generally well-
  liked and knows everyone in the village.
  Tonneson comes from a family of humble social standing, who 
  arranged for her to be educated and inducted into the Radiant Order 
  in hopes that he would use her influence to find a good husband and 
  increase her family’s social standing. To their great disappointment, she 
  followed the call of the Radiant Path instead and became a priest. Her 
  family has disowned her, but she takes solace in her faith and in helping 
  others. Unfortunately, her eagerness to please often causes her to appear 
  nervous and insecure, belying her true wisdom.
  As the Order’s healer, Dram Hollister has personally seen to it that 
  Jinny has a basic level of combat training and has been equipped with 
  adequate weapons. While she has absorbed these lessons dutifully and 
  maintains her gear judiciously, she despises violence and knows she 
  has little talent in the martial arena. She fears the day that she might be 
  required to take a life. If she was forced to do so to defend her people, 
  she would do so without hesitation, but such an act would deeply affect 
  the idealistic young priestess.
  Jinny has developed romantic feelings for Sir Trask Calder over the 
  years, but she fears that the dashing ranger would never have time for 
  a simple backwoods elf and the village needs her too much for her to 
  abandon her vows. She keeps these feelings carefully private.
  Sister Jinny Tonneson 
  Female elf cleric 3
  LG Medium humanoid (elf)
  Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
  Defense
  AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 shield, +2 Dex) 
  hp 18 (3d8)
  Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +6
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee dagger +1 (1d4-1)
  Ranged masterwork pistol +5 (1d8+1)
  Typical Cleric Spells Prepared
  0-Level (any) - create water, detect magic, guidance, light, mending
  1st Level - bless, cure light wounds (domain), obscuring mist, remove 
  fear 
  2nd Level - communal protection from evil, cure moderate wounds 
  (domain), hold person (DC 15)
  Statistics
  Str 8, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 12
  Base Atk +2; CMB +1; CMD 13
  Feats Cosmopolitan (Perception, Survival), Studied
  Traits sacred conduit (+1 DC to channel), surgeon (+4 to extended 
  care)
  Skills Heal 3 (+9), Knowledge (arcana) 2 (+8), Knowledge (history) 
  2 (+8), Knowledge (local) 3 (+9), Knowledge (religion) 3 (+9), 
  Linguistics 2 (+8), Perception 3 (+9), Spellcraft 3 (+9)
  Languages Arcadian, Earthtongue, Fundamental, Western Common, 
  Nocturine, Planar, Slurg, Sylfanic
  SQ aura, channel energy (2d6 hp, 4/day, DC 13), domains (glory, 
  healing), touch of glory (+3 bonus to Charisma roll by touch, 6/day), 
  rebuke death (heal dying character 1d4+1, 6/day), spontaneous cures
  Equipment dagger, masterwork pistol, 20 standard ammunition, 
  buckler, chain shirt, cleric’s robes, healer’s kit, wand of cure light 
  wounds (17 charges), Radiant Order amulet, Radiant Order cloak
  Captain Dram Hollister
  Dram Hollister commands the small group of knights currently 
  assigned to Murdoch’s Cove. He is curt, short-tempered, and prone 
  to bouts of deep uncertainty. He cannot abide failure in others or in 
  himself. The deaths of his knights, Akro and Cecilia, weigh particularly 
  heavily on him. When he can be encouraged to rise above his doubts, he 
  is a selfless, honorable man and a resourceful leader.
  Hollister has mixed feelings regarding the arrival of the player char-
  acters. Though he recognizes that the village needs whatever help it 
  can get, he doesn’t like relying on mercenaries - especially Urbanan 
  mercenaries. The only exception he will make, at least early on, is for 
  any party members who are members of the Radiant Order.
  If the players prove themselves to be honorable allies by helping the 
  villagers or exterminating the nocturnal menace, Dram’s gruff demeanor 
  softens. Anyone who would risk their life to defend innocents, he feels, is 
  at least worthy of some respect.
  Sir Dram blames himself for the current desperate state of the village. 
  Though he has sent for reinforcements, he fears that none are coming. 
  He knows he has fallen out of favor with the Radiant Order due to his 
  failure during the Battle of Redbeach. The situation has made him even 
  more melancholy and depressed than normal. 
  Hollister utterly despises the Underground. In his experience, they 
  are nothing but a band of exploitative thieves and criminals. Should 
  he discover that the party has allied with them, he will immediately 
  become standoffish. While he won’t deny their help (he’s too desperate 
  to turn anyone away) the player characters will no longer have his trust.
  47
  
  Captain Dram Hollister 
  Male dwarf paladin 6
  NG Medium humanoid (dwarf)
  Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
  Defense
  AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 20 (+10 armor) 
  hp 52 (6d10+12)
  Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +8
  Special defenses aura of courage
  Offense
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee +1 earthbreaker +11/+5 (2d6+5)
  Ranged masterwork scattergun +7 (3d3 armor piercing)
  Special attacks smite evil 2/day (+2 hit, +6 dam)
  Typical Paladin Spells Prepared
  1st Level (2/day) - bless, divine favor
  Statistics
  Str 17, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14
  Base Atk +6; CMB +9; CMD 19
  Feats Power Attack, Furious Focus, Weapon Focus (earthbreaker)
  Traits indomitable faith (+1 Will saves), cosmopolitan education 
  (+1 Perception and counts as class skill)
  Skills Knowledge (religion) 6 (+9); Perception 6 (+10); Sense Motive 
  6 (+9)
  Languages Earthtongue, Western Common
  SQ detect evil, divine bond (weapon), divine health, lay on hands 
  (2d6 hp, 5/day, DC 15), mercy (fatigued, staggered)
  Equipment +1 earthbreaker, +1 full plate, spiked gauntlets, dagger, 
  Radiant Order cloak, Radiant Order amulet, masterwork scattergun, 
  10 armor-piercing scattergun ammunition 
  Old Willem
  Old Willem is a crusty, surly, frequently drunk Thunder Scout 
  who has taken up residence in Murdoch’s Cove. He spent eight years 
  charting the Thunder Trails for the Shadow Army following the Dark-
  fall, and during that time saw no end of horrors. Given the chance to 
  retire, he immediately settled down in Murdoch’s Cove for no other 
  reason than that Arasteen is prettier than Urbana and the Murdochs 
  make his favorite whiskey.
  Willem lives off of a modest pension from the Shadow Army, deliv-
  ered twice a year by courier. He supplements his income by working as 
  a wilderness guide, ferrying merchants and travelers into the marsh in 
  his customized swampboat. 
  Though Willem has more experience fighting the Darkfall than 
  anyone else in town, he prefers to keep to himself. He has seen too 
  many friends die and prefers not to get close to anyone. If the Darkfall 
  comes to Murdoch’s Cove, he plans to hop on his boat and move on. Of 
  course, the players may be able to change his mind. Anyone who takes 
  the time to treat him as anything more than an old drunk will gain his 
  trust - anyone respects him for his knowledge and experience will gain 
  his friendship.
  Old Willem
  Male dwarf thunder scout (iron scout) 4
  CG Medium humanoid (dwarf) 
  Init +5; Senses darkvision - 60 ft.; Perception +8
  Defense
  AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +3 Dex) 
  hp 29 (4d8+8) 
  Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +2
  Special Defenses defensive training
  Offense
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee masterwork rifle +7 (1d8+1)
  Ranged battle axe +4 melee (1d8+1)
  Special Attacks hatred, hardy, scout’s mobility
  Manite Implants (Steam Reserve: 4)
  Igniter implant power mechamagical vehicle at will
  Minor Implants grapnel launcher, skill booster (+2 Survival)
  Statistics
  Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 9
  Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 17 (21 vs. bull rush/trip)
  Feats Expert Gunner, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Reload - Rifle
  Traits reactionary (+2 initiative), implanted
  Skills Craft (machinery) 4 (+11), Disable Device 4 (+10), Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) 2 (+7), Knowledge (engineering) 4 (+9), Knowledge 
  (nature) 2 (+7), Perception 4 (+8), Stealth 4 (+9), Survival 4 (+10), 
  Swim 4 (+7)
  Languages Earthtongue, Nocturine, Slurg, Western Common
  SQ stonecunning, pilot training, scout techniques (favored terrain - 
  swamp, steady hand), golemoid pilot
  Equipment masterwork rifle, 20 standard rifle ammunition, battle axe, 
  dagger, studded leather armor, masterwork repair tools, masterwork 
  thieves tools, driving goggles, jug of swampshine, 37 gold crowns
  Willem’s Signature Vehicle – Swampboat
  Huge Manite-Powered Vehicle 
  Caster Level 5th
  AC 15, touch 9, flat-footed 14 (+6 armor, +1 Dex, -2 size)
  Hit Points: 35 (3d10+23)
  Speed 60 ft. (water movement only); Speeding 10 ft.
  Bonus Features High Speed, Superior Materials
  Rollimus Torth
  Rollimus Torth was born to a poor family in the city of Sea Reach. At 
  an early age, he showed talent in the magical arts and joined the clergy 
  in hopes of studying in their libraries. Instead, Torth was assigned to 
  a remote fishing village where his talents languished. To this day, he 
  believes it was his family’s status that led to his talents being wasted. 
  Bitter and resentful, Torth abused his positon. He accepted bribes 
  from smugglers in return for using his position as a priest to circulate 
  their goods without drawing suspicion. After a time, his profit from 
  these endeavors allowed him to cultivate a small library of magical 
  tomes and hired tutors. He became a self-made mechamage.
  Torth’s resourcefulness (and generally questionable morals) eventu-
  ally drew the Underground’s attention. He was officially inducted into 
  the organization, left the priesthood (on claims that he had found love) 
  and moved to Redbeach. From there, he began directing smuggling 
  operations into Urbana, Le’Ciel, and the Rhanate. He deals mostly in 
  mechamagic and minor magical items. He also has a number of appren-
  tices (such as Kozark Vull, introduced in Heart of the Machine) that 
  attend to his business throughout Aden in return for instruction. All of 
  these students come from poor Arastinian families, men and women 
  whose potential he believes would otherwise be ignored.
  After acquiring a rare tome of arcane history from the Grey Isles, 
  he discovered references to ancient magical power in the village of 
  Murdoch’s Cove. Almost one year ago, Torth journeyed there to inves-
  48
  
  tigate the matter personally. He now lives in a large room in the Smoke-
  fall in, undercover as a traveling surgeon and merchant. He conducts a 
  modest trade in illegal slurgithian artifacts, which he purchases once a 
  month from a slurg thief named Boac. 
  Rollimus will discreetly purchase any Formori artifacts discovered 
  in the local ruins, though he is cautious not to mention this around any 
  Radiant Knights. He stores all such contraband in his golem’s extradi-
  mensional storage space until he can send it back to Sea Reach via one 
  of his apprentices.
  Though an unrepentant smuggler, Torth is not without honor. He will 
  not buy or sell items of a cursed or corrupted nature. If given a Formori 
  parasite sample, he can study it and comment on its capabilities, but 
  will destroy the remains as soon as he is done. He abhors violence and 
  will not condone any theft from the local villagers - except for Fred 
  Aiken and Squire Hansen. Both men are fools who abuse a corrupt 
  system, in his opinion. He has a grudging respect for Captain Hollister, 
  without whom the village would have no protection from the terrors of 
  the swamp.
  Rollimus has access to a herald’s horn, which he uses to keep in 
  contact with the Underground. He keeps this item hidden in the closet 
  of his inn room.
  Rollimus is never seen in public without his golem minion, a 
  gleaming marble giant named Precipice.
  Rollimus Torth 
  Male goreaux mechamage 6
  CG Small humanoid (goblin)
  Init +8; Senses darkvision – 60 ft.; Perception +10
  Defense
  AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +1 shield, +2 Dex, +1 
  size) (+2 cover if mounted on golem)
  hp 32 (6d6+6) plus 1d10+6 temp hp
  Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +7
  Offense
  Speed 20 ft. 
  Melee dagger +2 (1d3-1)
  Ranged masterwork pistol +6 (1d8+1)
  Special defenses +4 ac vs. constructs, mechamagic resistance (+2)
  Typical Mechamage Spells Prepared
  0-Level - detect magic, detect mechamagic, everheat rune, mending, 
  prestidigitation
  1st Level - enlarge person, grease (DC 15), mage armor X2*
  2nd Level - construct servant, false life*, levitate, web (DC 16)
  3rd Level - construct servant II, haste, repair construct
  Mechamage Writs Known Capacious, Durable, Elemental, 
  Enchanted, Mighty, Reinforced, Steadfast, Steed, Swift, and Talented 
  writs
  *Rollimus typically casts these spells on himself, as well as mage 
  armor on his golem, before attending to important business. This is 
  accounted for in his stats and those of his golem minion.
  Statistics
  Str 9, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 12
  Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 14
  Feats Cosmopolitan (Perception, Sense Motive), Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, Craft Wondrous Items, Improved Initiative, Inspiring 
  Mechamagic
  Traits Implanted (Skill Booster - Sense Motive), Surgeon
  Skills Appraise 3 (+10), Bluff 6 (+10), Disable Device 6 (+15), Heal 6 
  (+12), Knowledge (arcana) 3 (+10), Knowledge (local) 3 (+10), 
  Perception 6 (+10), Sense Motive 6 (+12), Spellcraft 3 (+10)
  Languages Arcadian, Eastern Common, Fundamental, Jurakti, 
  Lowland, Planar, Sylfanic, Western Common
  SQ golem minion, call minion (distress), mechamagic mastery, 
  Equipment 10 standard pistol ammunition, cold iron dagger, 
  masterwork pistol, wand of mend construct (27 charges remaining), 
  cloak of resistance +1, masterwork thieves tools, mithral buckler, ring 
  of manite analysis (see Heart of the Machine for details), healer’s 
  kit, spell component pouch, spellbook (contains all prepared spells 
  and writs plus alarm, burning hands, crafter’s fortune, identify, mend 
  construct, protection from evil, arcane lock, fox’s cunning, summon 
  monster II, dispel magic, fly and shrink item), 75 gold crests. Torth 
  also usually carries the following items, affected by previously cast 
  shrink item spells: burning campfire, a barrel full of gravel, a 6 X 6 
  foot steel cage with good lock, a wheelbarrow, and a rowboat.
  Precipice (Rollimus’ Rock Golem)
  Rollimus’ Rock Golem Minion
  N Medium construct
  Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8
  Defense
  AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +2 natural)
  hp 47 (5d10+25)
  Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +1
  Special defenses construct traits, evasion
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee 2 slams +10 (1d6+3 plus 1d6 acid damage)
  Current Writs (Loyalty 7) 
  Capacious, Elemental, Enchanted, Mighty, Steed, Swift, Talented 
  (already added into stats)
  Statistics
  Str 16, Dex 12, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1
  Base Atk +5; CMB +8; CMD 19
  Feats Weapon Focus (slam)
  Skills Perception 5 (+8)
  SQ link, share spells
  Ceasg the Vigilant
  During Brother Arais’ long vigil over the lonely marshes it was part of 
  his duties to maintain the Seer Order’s ancient alliance with the Loireag 
  Slurgithians. It came as some surprise to him when a young slurgithian 
  named Ceasg began to demonstrate the gift of prophecy. Though he sent 
  word of this development to his brethren in Rose, no one ever came to 
  collect her for training. So he trained her himself. Under the patient old 
  elf’s guidance, Ceasg became a brilliant and insightful young seer. In 
  time, she was chosen to lead the Loireag tribe.
  When the Darkfall came, the nocturnals did not hunt Ceasg as they 
  did most other seers. She still does not know why. In her heart she 
  fears perhaps she was too weak, and they did not find her a threat. She 
  blames herself for not being there to protect Arais when the nocturnals 
  murdered him. Over the years, her guilt, doubt, and regret have slowly 
  festered into a deep distrust for all surface dwellers. 
  In her eyes, the surface folk are the ones who failed to protect Arais. 
  This distrust has made her quick to judge all for the actions of a few. 
  Now she prepares her tribe for war against the people of Murdoch’s 
  Cove. 
  It is not too late for Ceasg. In her heart, she is a good person and not 
  beyond reason. If the party can prove to her distrust is misguided, she 
  can turn the Loireag back from their current course and join the people 
  of Murdoch’s Cove in their fight against the Darkfall.
  49
  
  Ceasg 
  Female slurgithian seer 6
  NG Medium humanoid (aquatic) 
  Init +3; Senses darkvision - 60 ft.; Perception +16
  Defense
  AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 17 (+5 armor, +2 shield, +1 Dex) 
  hp (6d8+12) 
  Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +9
  Special Defenses uncanny dodge
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
  Melee +1 trident +8 (1d8+3), bite +2 (1d6+1) or bite +7 (1d6+3) and 
  2 claws +2 (1d4+1)
  Ranged javelin +5 (1d6+3)
  Seer Spells Prepared
  1st Level - timely maneuver
  Statistics
  Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 12
  Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 18
  Feats Alertness, Improved Initiative, Toughness 
  Traits Indomitable Faith (+1 to will saves), Folk Magic (shield - 1/day)
  Skills Knowledge (nature) 6 (+11), Perception 6 (+16), Sense 
  Motive 6 (+16), Knowledge (history) 6 (+9), Swim 6 (+16)
  Languages Slurgithian, Western Common
  SQ amphibious, second sight (+1 to roll, 15/day), fatebender aura, 
  aura of alacrity*, farsight (recall spell by expending second sight), 
  prophecies (rejuvenating strike, moment of truth)
  *Ceasg uses this fatebender aura by default. If combat begins, she 
  switches to aura of weakness (DC 16)
  Equipment +1 hide armor, masterwork buckler, +1 trident, holy 
  symbol, 4 javelins
  Karloff Radool
  Karloff Radool is the great-great-grandson of Skadra Radool, the 
  insane mechamage who destroyed the Loireag Monastery. The Radools 
  never forgave the Celestial College for rejecting Skadra’s genius or the 
  Radiant Order for imprisoning him. 
  This resentment has festered for generations. Viewing the Celestial 
  College and their ilk as pawns of the Seers, the Radools turned their 
  back on the academic community. They turned instead to those who 
  walked in the shadows, those who embraced secrets the world refused 
  to acknowledge. They became founders of a bizarre sect of the Divine 
  Machination, religious extremists who believe that no form of knowl-
  edge is taboo and that men of learning cannot be bound by the morality 
  of the ignorant. Karloff Radool’s beliefs - and intellect - eventually 
  made him allies with the Cult of Shermazza.
  When the cult began its search for ancient sites of power, it was 
  Radool who first suggested Murdoch’s Cove. He suspected that his 
  ancestor had discovered some powerful magic there. Unfortunately, the 
  cult chose not to send him to investigate, relying instead on the services 
  of Sir James Dex. Radool never forgave the slight. He never believed 
  that Dex found nothing of interest in the swamp.
  It has taken him years, but Radool has finally gathered enough influ-
  ence for the cult to permit him to operate alone and unrestricted. He 
  immediately returned to Murdoch’s Cove and began following in the 
  footsteps of Skadra Radool. He was not surprised to discover that he 
  was right, that Dex was a traitor all along, and that there truly is unimag-
  inable power in the swamp. He keeps this knowledge to himself, for 
  now, until he can return to the cult in triumph. It’s only a matter of time 
  before he perfects his creations - and shows the world the true genius 
  of the Radool bloodline.
  Radool is a nervous, fidgety man who speaks with a pronounced 
  stutter. Though normally calm and methodical, he tends to lose his 
  temper and act irrationally when his intellect or the dignity of his ances-
  tors are called into question.
  In combat, Radool prefers to stay at range and use his bombs tacti-
  cally. As his undead manikins are immune to the poison effect of his 
  stink bombs, he will frequently target the clouds where opponents will 
  be forced to enter them to deal with his minions. As long as his immor-
  tality module remains functional, Radool is not afraid to fight to the 
  death, confident he will return to fight again.
  Karloff Radool
  Male human alchemist (scientist) 7 - CR 6 - XP 2,400 
  CE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +8; Perception +10
  Defense
  AC 20, touch 15; flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 shield, +4 Dexterity, 
  +1 deflection) 
  hp 41 (7d8+7)
  Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +5
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee masterwork cold iron dagger +10 (1d6 plus poison)
  Ranged masterwork pistol +10 (1d8+1)
  Special attacks bomb +10 ranged touch (4d6+5 fire damage plus 9 
  splash damage, DC 17, 11/day), swift poisoning
  Special defenses poison resistance +4
  50
  
  Typical Alchemist Extracts Prepared
  1st Level (5/day) - cure light wounds, expeditious retreat, reduce 
  person, shield, touch of the sea
  2nd level (4/day) - barkskin, blur, levitate, invisibility 
  3rd level (2/day) - cure serious wounds, haste 
  Manite Implants (Steam Reserve: 8)
  Minor Implants adrenalin booster (spend steam point to reroll 
  initiative)
  Basic Implants Immortality Module (special, see sidebar)
  Statistics
  Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 10
  Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 19
  Feats Brew Potion, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, 
  Precise Shot, Throw Anything, Weapon Finesse
  Traits folk magic (detect magic - 3/day), surgeon (+4 to extended 
  care)
  Skills Craft (alchemy) 7 (+14), Craft (machinery) 7 (+14), Heal 7 
  (+10), Knowledge (arcana) 7 (+14), Knowledge (engineering) 4 (+11), 
  Knowledge (nature) 3 (+10), Perception 7 (+10), Spellcraft 7 (+14), 
  Stealth 7 (+13), Survival 7 (+10), Use Magic Device 7 (+9)
  Languages Western Common, Arcadian, Lowland, Nocturine, Planar
  SQ alchemy, mutagen, poison use, swift alchemy, discoveries (self-
  modification, smoke bombs, stink bombs)
  Equipment 2 potions of cure moderate wounds, alchemist’s kit, 
  belt of dexterity +2, healer’s kit, improved amulet of Shermazza, 
  masterwork buckler, masterwork chain shirt, masterwork cold iron 
  dagger, masterwork pistol and 6 standard ammunition, 3 alchemist 
  fires, medium spider venom (3 doses - injury; Save: Fortitude DC 14; 
  Frequency: 1/round for 4 founds; Effect: 1d2 Strength damage; Cure: 
  1 save), ring of protection +1, wand of obscuring mist (10 charges), 
  Karloff’s formulae book (contains ant haul, crafter’s fortune, cure 
  light wounds, expeditious retreat, identify, reduce person, shield, 
  touch of the sea, barkskin, blur, false life, invisibility, levitate, see 
  invisibility, cure serious wounds, and haste), and 237 gold crowns.
  - Appendix B -
  New Monsters
  This section describes the new monsters introduced in this adven-
  ture - Radool’s undead manikins and the golemoid parasites that control 
  them.
  Radool Parasite
  Just as the creature seems to be dead, a sickly tearing sound erupts 
  from its back. A twisted coil of leathery flesh and rusted metal cable 
  tears itself from the corpse’s spine. It rears back like a serpent and 
  turns toward you, its face split by a wide, circular mouth lined with 
  hundreds of jagged metal teeth. It releases an unearthly metallic 
  squeal before slithering into the shadows.
  Radool Parasite
  CR 1/2 - XP 200
  CE Tiny Construct
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5
  Defense
  AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural, +2 size)
  hp 11 (2d10)
  Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +0
  Immune construct traits
  Offense
  Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.
  Melee bite +4 (1d3-5)
  Space 2 1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
  Special Attacks manikin conversion
  Statistics
  Str 1, Dex 14, Con -, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 1
  Base Atk +2, CMB +0, CMD 12 (can’t be tripped)
  Feats Weapon Finesse 
  Skills Perception +5, Stealth +10 (+14 in marshy terrain)
  Languages Western Common, Nocturine (cannot speak)
  SQ hive mind, symbiosis
  Special Abilities
  ● Manikin Conversion (Ex) A Radool parasite can merge with the 
  spine of a dead or helpless humanoid as a full round action. This 
  process immediately kills the target (if it was alive) and applies the 
  manikin template to it. The newborn manikin is completely under 
  the parasite’s control as long as they remain bound to one another. If 
  the parasite is removed from the manikin, the manikin immediately 
  dies. A Radool manikin that is killed or abandoned can no longer be 
  animated by a parasite.
  ● Hive Mind (Su) A Radool parasite shares a telepathic bond with 
  all other Radool parasites within 100 yards, allowing them to silently 
  communicate with one another at all times.
  ● Symbiosis (Ex) While bound to a manikin, a parasite can take 
  no action other than to leave the host (which kills it immediately). 
  A parasite is immune to all damage while bound to its host. If a 
  parasite’s manikin perishes, there is a 75% chance that the parasite 
  dies as well. If it survives, the parasite will flee or find a new host as 
  quickly as possible.
  51
  
  Ecology 
  Environment temperate lakes and marshes
  Organization solitary or pack (2-5), with manikins
  Treasure none
  Manikin
  A foul-smelling creature lurches forward out of the muck. Its limbs 
  bulge with grotesque, misshapen muscles. Its eyes are dead, black, 
  and lifeless. Its jaw hangs open in an expression of rage and horror. 
  It rushes forward at a speed that belies its lumbering appearance.
  Creating a Manikin 
  “Manikin” is an acquired template that can be applied to any Large 
  or smaller corporeal humanoid that undergoes manikin conversion by 
  a Radool parasite, referred to hereafter as the base creature. A manikin 
  retains its base statistics except as noted here.
  ● Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +3
  ● Alignment: Always chaotic evil.
  ● Type: The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented). 
  ● Armor Class: The creature gains a +4 bonus to natural armor. This 
  stacks with any natural armor possessed by the base creature.
  ● Hit Dice: Drop HD gained from class levels and change racial HD 
  to d8s. Increase the base hit dice by 3d8. Manikins use their Charisma 
  modifiers to determine bonus hit points instead of Constitution.
  ● Saves: Base save bonuses are Fort +1/3 HD, Ref +1/3 HD, and Will 
  +1/2 HD +2.
  ● Defensive Abilities: Manikins retain their natural defensive abilities 
  and gain all the qualities and immunities granted by the undead type. 
  Manikins gain DR 5/magic.
  ● Weaknesses: Manikins gain mechamagic vulnerability. 
  ● Mechamagic Vulnerability: A manikin is vulnerable to spells and 
  effects that specifically affect constructs, as well as those that affect 
  undead.
  ● Attacks: Manikins retain all of the natural weapons of the base 
  creature. It also gains a bite attack that deals damage as a creature one 
  size category larger (if the creature already had a bite attack, only the 
  one that does more damage remains).
  ● Special Attacks: A manikin retains none of the base creature’s 
  special attacks, but gains a grab special attack associated with its bite.
  ● Abilities: +4 Str. A manikin has no Con or Int score. Its Wis and 
  Cha become 10.
  ● BAB: A manikin’s base attack is equal to 3/4 its Hit Dice.
  ● Skills: A manikin has no skill ranks.
  ● Feats: A manikin loses all feats, but gains Toughness as a bonus 
  feat.
  ● Special Qualities: A manikin loses most special qualities of the 
  base creature. It retains any extraordinary special qualities that 
  improve its melee or ranged attacks. A manikin gains the symbiosis 
  special quality.
  ● Symbiosis (Ex): Each manikin is controlled by a Radool parasite. If 
  this connection is severed, the manikin immediately dies.
  ● Mutations (Ex): Additionally, a manikin gains two Manikin 
  Mutations, plus one additional mutation per 3 HD (not counting the 
  hit dice added by this template). See the “Manikin Mutations” sidebar 
  for details.
  Typical Slurgithian Manikin
  CR 3 - XP 800
  CE Medium undead (augmented)
  Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
  Defense
  AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 18 (+8 natural)
  hp 22 (4d8+4)
  Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4
  Defensive Abilities undead traits
  Weaknesses mechamagic vulnerability
  DR 5/slashing
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
  Melee bite +8 (1d8 +7 plus grab)
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
  Statistics
  Str 20, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 10
  Base Atk +3, CMB +8, CMD 18
  Feats Power Attack, Toughness
  SQ symbiosis, mutations (brutish, toughened)
  Ecology
  Environment temperate lakes and marshes
  Organization solitary or pack (2-5)
  Treasure none
  52
  
  Typical Human Manikin
  CR3 - XP 800
  CE Medium undead (augmented)
  Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
  Defense
  AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 14 (+4 natural)
  hp 22 (4d8+4)
  Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4
  Defensive Abilities undead traits
  Weaknesses mechamagic vulnerability
  DR 5/slashing
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
  Melee bite +6 (1d8 +4 plus grab and poison)
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
  Statistics
  Str 16, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 10
  Base Atk +3, CMB +6, CMD 16
  Feats Toughness
  SQ symbiosis, mutations (venomous, bloated)
  Ecology
  Environment temperate lakes and marshes
  Organization solitary or pack (2-5)
  Treasure none
  Typical Ogre Manikin 
  CR6 - XP 2,400
  CE Large undead (augmented)
  Init -1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
  Defense
  AC 17, touch 8, flat-footed 17 (+9 natural, -1 Dex, -1 size)
  hp 53 (7d8+21)
  Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +5
  Defensive Abilities undead traits
  Weaknesses mechamagic vulnerability
  DR 5/slashing
  Offense
  Speed 60 ft.
  Melee bite +13 (2d6+13 plus grab)
  Space 10 ft., reach 10 ft.
  Statistics
  Str 29, Dex 8, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 10
  Base Atk +5, CMB +13, CMD 22
  Feats Toughness
  SQ symbiosis, mutations (brutish, fast, tenacious)
  Ecology
  Environment temperate lakes and marshes
  Organization solitary or pack (2-5)
  Treasure none
  - Appendix C -
  Pre-generated  
  Minor NPCs
  Many encounters in this adventure, particularly random encounters 
  and the siege in Murdoch’s Cove, involve the participation of numerous 
  unnamed civilians, bandits, knights, and military personnel. The 
  following stat blocks can be used to quickly generate these individuals. 
  The statistics presented are, by default, human. For greater variety 
  please use the Cosmopolitan Aden tables at the end of this section to 
  better represent Thunderscape’s diverse racial makeup. Alignments 
  are not listed in these statistics, as they should vary depending on the 
  particular NPC.
  Untrained Conscript
  These statistics represent untrained soldiers. They can be used for 
  Mekanus city guard, wasteland frontiersmen, desperate bandits, or the 
  militia in Murdoch’s Cove.
  Untrained Conscript
  Human Warrior 1 - CR 1/3
  Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +0; Perception +4
  Defense
  AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +1 shield) 
  hp 7 (1d10+2)
  Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee shortsword +4 (1d8+2)
  Ranged light crossbow +1 (1d8)
  Statistics
  Str 14, Dex 11, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 8
  Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 12
  Feats Endurance, Weapon Focus (shortsword) 
  Traits Folk Magic (light 3/day), Cosmopolitan Education 
  (+1 Perception and counts as class skill)
  Skills Perception 1 (+5), Profession (guard) 1 (+4)
  Languages Western Common
  SQ none
  Equipment dagger, light wooden shield, studded leather, shortsword, 
  light crossbow, 10 bolts
  Trained Infantry
  These statistics represent soldiers who have received a greater degree 
  of training and higher quality equipment. They can represent excep-
  tional militia members and frontier civilians, bandit ruffians, Shadow 
  Army grunts, Arastinian military, Grounder thugs, or Dram Hollister’s 
  junior knights.
  53
  
  Trained Infantry
  Human Fighter 2 - CR 1
  Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +3; Perception +0
  Defense
  AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 shield, +1 Dex) 
  hp 22 (2d10+11)
  Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +2
  Special defenses bravery
  Offense
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee shortsword +3 (1d8+1)
  Ranged pistol +1 (1d8+1)
  Statistics
  Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8
  Base Atk +2; CMB +5; CMD 16
  Feats Iron Will, Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (longsword)
  Traits Reactionary (+2 initiative), Ruffian (+2 hp)
  Skills Climb 2 (+4), Profession (soldier) 2 (+5), Survival 2 (+5)
  Languages Western Common
  SQ none
  Equipment 10 standard pistol ammunition, dagger, light wooden 
  shield, shortsword, pistol, scale mail
  Trained Archer
  These statistics represent soldiers who place greater focus on stealth 
  and ranged combat. They can represent militia sharpshooters, waste-
  land hunters, bandit snipers, Shadow Army and Radiant Order archers, 
  or Grounder thieves.
  Trained Archer
  Human Rogue 2 - CR 1
  Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +5; Perception +0
  Defense
  AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +3 Dex) 
  hp 17 (2d8+8)
  Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +0
  Special defenses evasion
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee shortsword +2 (1d6+1)
  Ranged shortbow +6 (1d6)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6
  Statistics
  Str 12, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8
  Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 15
  Feats Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
  Traits Reactionary (+2 initiative), Ruffian (+2 hp)
  Skills Acrobatics 2 (+7), Appraise 2 (+5), Bluff (+4), Climb 2 (+5), 
  Disable Device 2 (+6), Knowledge (local) 2 (+5), Perception 2 (+5), 
  Stealth 2 (+7), Use Magic Device 2 (+4)
  Languages Western Common
  SQ fast stealth, trapfinding
  Equipment 20 arrows, shortbow, dagger, shortsword, studded leather 
  armor, thieves tools
  Hedge Wizard
  Magic is common in Aden. These statistics represent minor spell-
  casters and can be used for wandering adventurers, bandit wizards, 
  Shadow Army mages, or Radiant Path scholars. Though the following 
  statistics represent a conjurer, but these are by no means the only mages 
  who wander Aden. Feel free to vary a hedge wizard’s spell selection and 
  specialization as needed.
  Hedge Wizard
  Human Wizard (conjurer) 3 - CR 2
  Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +8; Perception +7
  Defense
  AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +2 Dex) 
  hp 22 (3d6+12)
  Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +4
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee dagger +0 (1d4-1)
  Ranged masterwork pistol +4 (1d8+1)
  Typical Wizard Spells Prepared
  0-Level - dancing lights, detect magic, message, prestidigitation, read 
  magic
  1st Level - grease (DC 15), mage armor, summon monster I, vanish
  2nd Level - glitterdust (DC 16), summon monster II (X2)
  *hedge wizards typically cast mage armor prior to an encounter. This 
  is accounted for in their stats.
  Statistics
  Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 10
  Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 12
  Feats Improved Initiative, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (conjuration), 
  Toughness
  Traits Cosmopolitan Education (+1 Perception and counts as class 
  skill), Reactionary (+2 initiative)
  Skills Craft (alchemy) 3 (+9), Knowledge (arcana) 3 (+9), Knowledge 
  (nature) 3 (+9), Linguistics 3 (+9), Perception 3 (+7), Spellcraft 3 (+9)
  Languages Arcadian, Fundamental, Jurakti, Lowand, Planar, Sylfanic, 
  Western Common
  SQ arcane bond, barred schools (necromancy, enchantment)
  Equipment arcane bond ring, dagger, 20 standard pistol ammunition, 
  masterwork pistol, scrolls (shield, vanish, mage armor), spellbook 
  (contains all prepared spells plus feather fall, identify, mount, and 
  shield)
  54
  
  Wandering Gunslinger
  These statistics represent experienced individuals with an emphasis 
  on firearms and skill use and can represent military scouts, expert 
  adventurers, frontier lawmen, or Grounder assassins.
  Wandering Gunslinger
  Human Rogue 4 - CR 3
  Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +6; Perception +7
  Defense
  AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +1 shield, +4 Dex) 
  hp 26 (4d8+8)
  Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +1
  Special Defenses evasion
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee shortsword +7 (1d6+2)
  Ranged masterwork pistol +8 (1d8+1)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6
  Statistics
  Str 14, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
  Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 19
  Feats Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Reload (pistol), Weapon 
  Finesse
  Traits Folk Magic (dancing lights, 3/day), Reactionary (+2 initiative)
  Skills Acrobatics 4 (+11), Appraise 4 (+7), Bluff 4 (+7), Disable 
  Device 4 (+8), Escape Artist 4 (+11), Perception 4 (+7), Sense 
  Motive 4 (+7), Stealth 4 (+11), Use Magic Device 4 (+7) 
  Languages Western Common
  SQ fast stealth, trapfinding, trap sense +1
  Equipment 20 standard pistol ammunition, shortsword, masterwork 
  pistol, masterwork buckler, masterwork studded leather armor, thieves 
  tools
  Elite Soldier
  These statistics represent highly trained and well equipped foot 
  soldiers and can represent low-ranking military commanders, Ruster 
  guards, experienced Knights of the Radiant Order, or Grounder 
  specialist mercenaries.
  Elite Soldier
  Human Fighter 5 - CR 4
  Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +5; Perception +10
  Defense
  AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 20 (+9 armor, +1 Dex) 
  hp 52 (5d10+25)
  Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +4
  Special Defenses bravery
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee masterwork greatsword +12 (2d6+9, +15 with Power Attack)
  Ranged masterwork pistol +7 (1d8+1)
  Statistics
  Str 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
  Base Atk +5; CMB +9; CMD 20
  Feats Furious Focus, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, 
  Toughness, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization 
  (greatsword), 
  Traits Folk Magic (detect magic 3/day), Cosmopolitan Education (+1 
  Perception and counts as class skill)
  Skills Climb +4, Perception +10, Profession (soldier) +5, Ride +2, 
  Survival +9
  Languages Western Common
  SQ armor training, weapon training (blades)
  Equipment 20 standard pistol ammunition, masterwork greatsword, 
  masterwork pistol, masterwork full plate
  55
  
  Loireag Slurgithians
  Any Loireag slurgithians encountered in the wilderness during 
  this adventure are likely to be highly trained warriors. Until the party 
  can broker a peace with the Loireag, these individuals will blame any 
  surface dwellers they see for their tribe’s recent troubles and either 
  demand surrender or attack on sight. Though most slurgithians speak 
  only their native tongue, most large groups will include at least one 
  member fluent in Western Common.
  Groups of four or more slurgithians warriors are always led by a 
  Loireag warpriest (with animal companion).
  Loireag Warrior
  Slurgithian Ranger 3 - CR 2
  N Medium humanoid (aquatic)
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8
  Defense
  AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +2 Dex) 
  hp 17 (3d8+8)
  Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
  Melee masterwork spear +7 (1d8+3), bite +0 (1d6+1), or bite +5 
  (1d6+2), 2 claws +0 (1d4+1)
  Ranged masterwork spear +7 (1d8+2) or javelin +5 (1d6+2)
  Special Attacks favored enemy (undead)
  Statistics
  Str 14, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 14, Cha 8
  Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 17
  Feats Endurance, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (spear)
  Traits Folk Magic (create water, 3/day), Ruffian (+2 hp)
  Skills Climb 3 (+7), Handle Animal 3 (+7), Knowledge (nature) 3 
  (+7), Perception 3 (+8), Stealth 3 (+7), Survival 3 (+8), Swim 3 (+15)
  Languages Slurgithian
  SQ amphibious, favored terrain (swamp), combat style (thrown), track 
  (+1), wild empathy
  Equipment masterwork spear, 4 javelins, dagger, studded leather armor
  Loireag Warpriest
  Slurgithian Druid 5 - CR 4
  N Medium humanoid (aquatic)
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11
  Defense
  AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +1 shield, +2 Dex) 
  hp 26 (4d8+8)
  Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +8
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
  Melee masterwork shortspear +6 (1d6+2)
  Ranged masterwork shortspear +6 (1d6+2)
  Typical Druid Spells Prepared
  0-Level - create water, detect magic, know direction, light, mending
  1st Level - cure light wounds, entangle, faerie fire, obscuring mist
  2nd Level - barkskin, bull’s strength, heat metal
  3rd Level - call lightning, sleet storm
  Statistics
  Str 14, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 10
  Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 17
  Feats Improved Initiative, Natural Spell, Toughness
  Traits Indomitable Faith (+1 Will), Cosmopolitan Education 
  (+1 Stealth and counts as class skill)
  Skills Handle Animal 2 (+7), Knowledge (nature) 5 (+10), 
  Perception 5 (+11), Stealth 5 (+8), Survival 5 (+11), Swim 3 (+14)
  Languages Slurgithian, Western Common
  SQ amphibious, nature bond (animal companion), wild empathy, 
  woodland stride, trackless step, resist nature’s lure, spontaneous 
  casting (summon nature’s ally), wild shape (small or medium animal, 
  1/day)
  Equipment masterwork shortspear, light wooden shield, studded 
  leather, cure light wounds potion
  Giant Crab
  (Loireag Warpriest’s Animal Companion)
  N Medium vermin (aquatic)
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
  Defense
  AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (+1 Dex, +8 natural)
  hp 37 (5d8+15)
  Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +1
  Defensive Abilities evasion
  Weakness water dependency
  Offense
  Speed 30 ft., swim 20 ft.
  Melee 2 claws +7 (1d4+3 plus grab)
  Special Attacks constrict (1d4+3)
  Statistics
  Str 16, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 11, Cha 4
  Base Atk +3; CMB +6 (+10 grapple); CMD 17 (29 vs. trip)
  Feats Improved Natural Armor, Toughness, Weapon Focus (claw)
  Skills Perception 4 (+4), Swim 1 (+15)
  Tricks attack, attack any target, heel
  56
  
  Cosmopolitan Aden
  Humans are far from the dominant race in Aden. Please use the 
  following tables to create more believable randomly generated NPCs. 
  Remember to replace human racial bonuses (a bonus feat, a bonus skill, 
  and +2 to the highest ability score) with appropriate racial abilities. 
  Racial demographics vary by nation, and certain races gravitate 
  toward military professions so we have provided both military and 
  civilian tables for Urbana and Arasteen. (Though certain races excel as 
  soldiers, randomly generated adventurers are more diverse and should 
  use the civilian table.)
  - Appendix D -
  Random  
  Encounter Tables
  Encounters While Traveling
  The world outside Aden’s walled cities is incredibly dangerous 
  since the Darkfall. Nocturnal monsters are an obvious danger, but so 
  are opportunistic bandits and other desperate survivors. The following 
  tables should be used for determining random encounters in the wilder-
  ness. 
  For each day of travel, roll 1d10. A result of 0 indicates a random 
  encounter that day. Proceed to roll on the table appropriate to the party’s 
  current location. If a “nocturnals” result occurs, reroll on the noctur-
  nals column. Nocturnal encounters indicate the presence of creatures 
  empowered or created by the Darkfall. These entities are always aggres-
  sive and evil in alignment, even if creatures of their type normally are 
  not.
  Keep in mind that not all encounters need to be combat-related. 
  Even in the case of nocturnal encounters, the party might simply come 
  across an unsettling set of tracks or the grisly remains of some abomina-
  tion’s recent feeding. While the players could turn such encounters into 
  combat (by tracking down the beast, for example), this is not manda-
  tory. Likewise, encounters that seem peaceful could become hostile, at 
  your option. Perhaps those civilians mistake the party for a known crim-
  inal, or are merely so distrustful of strangers that they attack on sight. 
  The “Travel Encounters” table is intended for use on the road 
  between Mekanus and Murdoch’s Cove, where much of Act 1 takes 
  place. Urbanan and Arastinian encounters are separated by table 
  to better indicate the general populace, tone, and level of safety of 
  those respective nations, but all nocturnal results use the same table. 
  The “Murdoch’s Cove” table is intended for use in the marshlands 
  surrounding Murdoch’s Cove, where later acts of the adventure occur, 
  and has its own nocturnals table to better indicate the specific sorts of 
  creatures that dwell in that area (like Karloff Radool’s manikins).
  These encounter tables are meant purely as a GM tool, so feel free to 
  reroll if you receive repetitive or undesirable results. Likewise, feel free 
  to skip directly to the nocturnals column if you just want a challenging 
  monster combat.
  Encounters on these tables range from CR 2 (an easy encounter for 
  a 4th level party) up to CR 9 (a challenging encounter for a 7th level 
  party, the maximum level intended for this adventure). Aden can be a 
  dangerous place, and the party should be prepared to retreat from fights 
  they are not prepared to handle. 
  d100 
  Urbana (civilian)
  01-20 
  Human
  21-40 
  Goreaux
  41-50 
  Dwarf
  51-60 
  Elf
  61-70 
  Ferran (sneak)
  71-75 
  Ferran (brute)
  76-80 
  Ferran (predator)
  81-85 
  Jurak
  86-90 
  Rapacian
  91-95 
  Faerkin
  96-00 
  Half-elf
  d100 
  Urbana (military)
  01-10 
  Dwarf
  11-20 
  Elf
  21-25 
  Faerkin
  26-30 
  Ferran (sneak)
  31-40 
  Ferran (predator)
  41-45 
  Ferran (brute)
  46-50 
  Goreaux
  51-55 
  Half-Elf
  56-75 
  Human
  76-85 
  Jurak
  86-00 
  Rapacian
  d100 
  Arasteen (civilian)
  01-20 
  Human
  21-35 
  Dwarf
  36-50 
  Elf
  51-60 
  Half-elf
  61-70 
  Jurak
  71-75 
  Ferran (sneak)
  76-80 
  Ferran (brute)
  81-85 
  Ferran (predator)
  86-90 
  Goreaux
  91-95 
  Faerkin
  96-00 
  Rapacian
  d100 
  Arasteen (military)
  01-15 
  Human
  16-30 
  Dwarf
  31-45 
  Elf
  46-55 
  Half-elf
  56-65 
  Jurak
  66-75 
  Rapacian
  76-80 
  Ferran (predator)
  81-85 
  Ferran (brute)
  86-90 
  Ferran (sneak)
  91-95 
  Faerkin
  96-00 
  Goreaux
  57
  
  Travel Encounters
  d100 Roll Urbanan Wastelands 
  Highlands of Arasteen 
  Nocturnals
  01-05 
  Civilians, 1d6 
  Civilians, 1d6 
  Zombie pack (1d4+2)
  06-10 
  Militia, 1d4+1 (conscripts) 
  Wild Dogs, 1d4+1 
  Goblin bandits (1d4+4)
  11-15 
  Stirges (3) 
  Radiant priest (hedge wizard) 
  Hell hound
  16-20 
  Traveling merchant (noncombatant) 
  Small air elementals (pair) 
  Vargouille (1d3) 
   
  and 2 bodyguards (soldiers)
  21-25 
  Shadow Army scout (gunslinger) 
  Giant Wasp 
  Wasted golemoid
  26-30 
  Lion (mountain lion) 
  Traveling merchant noncombatant 
  Giant crawling hand
   
   
  and 2 bodyguards (soldiers)
  31-35 
  Shadow Army Patrol (3 soldiers) 
  Arastinian scouts (3 archers) 
  Barghest
  36-40 
  Giant Spiders (3) 
  Hippogriffs (pair) 
  Green hag
  41-45 
  Boars (pair) 
  Dire boar 
  Wraith
  46-50 
  Bounty Hunter (elite soldier) 
  Brown bear 
  Will o’ Wisp
  51-55 
  Owlbear 
  Radiant knight (elite soldier) 
  Otyughs (pair)
  56-60 
  Giant Scorpions (pair) 
  Ankheg (Pair) 
  Nightmare
  61-65 
  Wolves (pack of four) 
  Military patrol (4 soldiers/archers) 
  Mephit swarm (4-6, any type)
  66-70 
  Bandits (4 soldiers/archers) 
  Bandits (4 soldiers/archers) 
  Darkfall cultists (6 soldiers or archers)
  71-75 
  Manticore 
  Ogres (pair) 
  Ettin
  76-80 
  Giant Stag Beetles (pair) 
  Griffons (paired) 
  Ettercaps (3-4)
  81-85 
  Nocturnals 
  Ursax (electric) 
  Ghost
  86-90 
  Nocturnals 
  Bulette 
  Dire lion (nocturnal template)
  91-95 
  Nocturnals 
  Nocturnals 
  Cackler pack (1d4+4)
  96-00 
  Nocturnals 
  Nocturnals 
  Erinyes
  Encounters around Murdoch’s Cove
  d100 Roll 
  Murdoch’s Cove and Loireag Marsh 
  Nocturnals
  01-05 
  Crocodiles (2) 
  Hobgoblins (4-5)
  06-10 
  Giant flies (3)  
  Ghouls (2-3)
  11-15 
  Medium water elementals (pair) 
  Imps (pair)
  16-20 
  Basilisk 
  Barghest
  21-25 
  Naga hunting party (1d4+4 rangers)  
  Wasted golemoid
  26-30 
  Dire wolves (Pair) 
  Cockatrice (nocturnal template)
  31-35 
  Bat swarms (3) 
  Phase spider
  36-40 
  Slurgithian patrol (4 warriors) 
  Slurgithian manikins (pair)
  41-45 
  Shambling mound 
  Gargoyles (1d3)
  46-50 
  Arastinian scouts (3 gunslingers)  
  Will o’ Wisp
  51-55 
  Bandit gang (1 hedge wizard, 4 archers/soldiers) 
  Demon, babau
  56-60 
  Giant wasps (1d3+1) 
  Allips (3)
  61-65 
  Dire lion (pair) 
  Werebear
  66-70 
  Bulette 
  Gibbering mouthers (1d3)
  71-75 
  Adventurers (3 elite soldiers/gunslingers) 
  Slurgithian manikins (4-6)
  76-80 
  Nymph 
  Ogre manikin
  81-85 
  Slurgithian war party (battle priest and 4 warriors) 
  Mohrg
  86-90 
  Treant 
  Zombie swarm (1d12+20 medium zombies)
  91-95 
  Nocturnals 
  Manikin swarm (6-8 manikins, possibly Karloff Radool himself)
  96-00 
  Nocturnals 
  Bone devil
  58
  
  Camping in the Wilderness
  Given the dangers of traveling Aden at night, finding a safe place to 
  rest can critical. It can also be difficult. 
  In Urbana, there is only a 20% chance each night that the party 
  finds some manner of shelter. This chance increases to 40% in Aras-
  teen. Without shelter, the party must make camp as best they can in the 
  wilderness. This chance decreases to 10% in the desolate marsh within 
  approximately seventy-five miles of Murdoch’s Cove. Given that the 
  party is likely to be exploring the Murdoch’s Cove area for some time, 
  keep track of any safe locations, their direction, and distance from the 
  village in case the party wishes to reuse one of them. Murdoch’s Cove 
  locations will not be found in an Iron Guard Field Guide (though enter-
  prising players may want to record the ones they find for submission to 
  a future edition).
  Roll a 1d10 to determine whether the party’s camp draws attention 
  during the night - a result of 1 or 0 indicates a random encounter. Roll 
  on the appropriate encounter table; if the first result is not a nocturnal 
  encounter, roll a second time and use that result. Treat this encounter 
  logically - if the party has taken measures to hide or defend their 
  camp, take that into account. Intelligent foes will not sacrifice them-
  selves pointlessly against an entrenched enemy, and may move on to 
  seek easier prey. For a party camped in a large military settlement, a 
  potentially hostile encounter may result in a beast howling angrily at the 
  walls before retreating into the night. A party camped in a remote ruin 
  might find itself under siege by a pack of hungry undead and be grateful 
  for the defenses they constructed. 
  A character with the Survival skill can spend two hours of searching 
  and make a skill check to find natural shelter. The DC of this check is 
  DC 14 + 2 per each additional Small or Medium sized creature requiring 
  shelter. A result of 14 or more is always successful, but will only accom-
  modate the indicated number of people at one time. This natural shelter 
  has a 50% chance of being inhabited.
  Finding Shelter in the Wilderness
  d100 
  Result
  01-20 
  Natural shelter
  21-35 
  Natural shelter (inhabited)
  36-50 
  Ruin
  51-60 
  Ruin (inhabited)
  61-75 
  Small Settlement (civilian)
  76-85 
  Small Settlement (military)
  86-95 
  Large Settlement (civilian)
  96-00 
  Large Settlement (military)
  ● Natural Shelter: This can be anything from a cave to a narrow 
  canyon to a large, hollow tree as long as it is capable of housing the 
  party. This shelter offers protection on at least two sides and some 
  protection from the elements. 
  ● Ruins: This result indicates some sort of abandoned structure. This 
  might be an ancient temple, a burnt-out way station, an abandoned inn, 
  or any other partially destroyed structure. Ruins are generally sturdy 
  and easily defensible shelter. 
  ● Inhabited Natural Shelter/Ruin: If these results are inhabited, 
  roll on the appropriate random encounter table to determine what is 
  already present. Bestial or monstrous occupants are most likely using 
  the location as a permanent lair. Intelligent occupants are probably just 
  taking shelter for the evening. The current occupants may or may not be 
  willing to share the space.
  ● Small Settlement: This is generally a small fort, roadside inn, farm-
  house, or watchtower with up to a dozen occupants. These buildings are 
  well-fortified and in good condition. 
  ● Large Settlement: This settlement consists of several small build-
  ings, usually with a protective outer wall. This might be a small village, 
  a ranch, or a military encampment. These settlements have anywhere 
  from thirty to one hundred occupants and are extremely well-fortified. 
  Reroll any large settlement results in the vicinity of Murdoch’s Cove.
  ● Civilian Settlements: The occupants are not skilled warriors, but 
  at least half of those present are armed and able to defend themselves 
  (conscripts, soldiers, or archers). Peaceful civilian settlements will feed 
  and shelter the party for the same rates as a common inn.
  ● Military Settlements: The occupants are members of either the 
  Shadow Army (in Urbana) or the Radiant Order (in Arasteen). These 
  individuals are well-organized, trained warriors that will actively 
  pursue threats when reasonable to do so. As long as the player char-
  acters are not aggressive and don’t cause any trouble, most military 
  settlements will allow the party to camp near (or even within) their 
  walls and may be willing to trade supplies or information. Occupants 
  are mostly soldiers and archers, perhaps a hedge wizard or two, with an 
  elite soldier in command. Reroll any military results in the vicinity of 
  Murdoch’s Cove.
  - Appendix E -
  New Mechanics
  Swampboat (Basic Vehicle)
  The swampboat is part cargo ferry, part high-speed wilderness trans-
  port. Its design is simple, consisting of a large open deck, a shielded 
  passenger’s seat, and a large, manite-powered paddle in the rear, 
  designed to propel the vehicle across water. The boat rests upon two 
  large metal pontoons to provide floatation and balance. Sturdy metal 
  bitts are mounted around the deck, intended for the securing of cargo 
  and/or passengers. 
  Swampboats are capable of incredible speed and maneuverability 
  within their environment, but also leave their crew relatively exposed. 
  These vehicles are typically unarmed save for a token gunner tripod on 
  the helm, preferring to outrun their enemies than fight them head-on.
  Huge Manite-Powered Vehicle
  Caster Level 5th
  AC 13 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, -2 size)
  Hit Points 32 (3d10+20)
  Speed 40 ft. (water mov. only) 
  Speeding 10 ft.
  Space 15 ft. X 20 ft.
  Strength 16 
  Dexterity 12
  CMB +5 
  CMD 16
  Crew Stations pilot 
  Maximum Weapons 4
  Cover partial (pilot only) 
  Engine Type basic
  Creation: Craft DC 15; Time required 1 month; Craft interval 1 week
  Cost: 1,500 gold crowns
  59
  
  Standard Features
  Armor (light): The vehicle gains a +4 armor bonus to AC.
  Increased Hauling: This vehicle is designed to be a cargo vehicle, and 
  can carry twice the normal weight for a vehicle of its size and strength 
  before becoming encumbered.
  Secured Harness: This vehicle features secured harnesses that protect 
  it crew from impact and prevent them from falling out of the vehicle. 
  Removing or securing the harness requires a full round action (though 
  the harness can be cut with a slashing weapon as a move action).
  Standard Weapons: gunner tripod (pilot’s seat)
  Special
  Advanced All-Terrain: As with the normal all-terrain features, 
  swampboats can ignore 2 squares of difficult terrain per turn. 
  Swampboats ignore up to 10 squares of difficult terrain per turn in a 
  swamp or jungle environment (so if a swampboat travels slowly enough 
  it can ignore such terrain altogether). They can also use these difficult 
  terrain squares to move over solid land, but must move in a straight line 
  and end their turn in water or the vehicle suffers collision damage as if 
  it struck a solid object.
  New Wondrous Items
  Herald’s Horn
  Aura strong transmutation; CL 12th
  Slot none; Price 10,000 gold crowns; Weight 75 lbs.
  Description: This item resembles an enormous, curved ivory horn 
  encircling a manite plate, mounted on a heavy steel pedestal. These 
  items were once the signature creation of the now defunct Herald’s 
  Guild, who guarded the secrets of their creation jealously. Since the 
  Darkfall many herald’s horns have been recovered and put to use by 
  members of the Underground.
  The function of this item is simple. Once per day, it allows the user to 
  cast sending, targeting any other herald’s horn in existence. If no one is 
  present at the other horn when the message is received the message is 
  inscribed upon the plate, where it remains until read.
  Construction Requirements: Craft wondrous item, sending; Cost 
  5,000 gold crowns
  Nexus Tracing Stone
  Aura moderate divination; CL 6th
  Slot none; Price 1,000 gold crowns; Weight 1 lb.
  Description: This item is a simple sphere crafted of blackstone. When 
  the user holds it in one hand and concentrates as a standard action, the 
  stone glows warmly if there is an active Formori obelisk in the direction 
  the user is facing. It has a range of 100 miles. The stone does not reveal 
  the distance or exact location of the obelisk. This item may be useful for 
  detecting other places of magical power as well.
  Construction Requirements: Craft wondrous item, detect magic; 
  Cost 500 gold crowns (the secret of this item’s construction must be 
  learned from Sir James Dex’s journal)
  Note: If Formori relics are used in the creation of this 
  item, their effective value is doubled. 
  New Special Material
  Blackstone
  This strange shadowy stone does not appear to be of natural origin, 
  but rather was created via techniques long lost when the Formori civi-
  lization was destroyed. Blackstone is 20% lighter but slightly harder 
  than an equivalent amount of granite (hardness 10 and 20 hp/in. of 
  thickness). Blackstone retains heat better than most stone, making it 
  an excellent housing material in cold or wet areas (such as Murdoch’s 
  Cove).
  Blackstone holds an edge better than stone, allowing it to be fash-
  ioned into blades as well as blunt weapons. Weapons crafted of Formori 
  stone ignore the damage reduction of good-aligned outsiders.
  Weapons made of blackstone cost twice as much as their normal 
  counterparts (not counting masterwork costs). Adding any magical 
  enhancements to a blackstone weapon increases its cost by 2,000 gold 
  crowns the first time it is enchanted.
  Formori Obelisk * Major Artifact
  Aura strong transmutation and necromancy; CL 20th
  Slot none; Weight 20,000 lbs.
  Description
  These fifteen-foot blackstone obelisks are the only remaining mortal 
  connection to the dark power that once guided the Formori civiliza-
  tion. There are thirteen of these obelisks distributed throughout Loireag 
  Marsh in central Arasteen, all located on sites of powerful magical 
  nexuses. Though their power is greatly reduced in the modern age, they 
  are still quite dangerous. 
  The original means of using an obelisk has been long forgotten. 
  However, an obelisk can easily be drained by touch, causing it to release 
  a massive burst of magical energy. To drain an obelisk, one must have 
  at least a rudimentary understanding of magic (any spellcasting ability, 
  even folk magic, will do) or make a successful Use Magic Device check 
  vs. DC 20. 
  When activated, roll on the Obelisk Drain Table to determine which 
  random effects will occur.
  A user that touches an obelisk with manite (or who is composed of 
  large amounts of manite, such as any true golemoid) can attempt to 
  channel the results of the drain. If the user succeeds on a Fortitude save 
  vs. DC 15, he may roll twice and select the preferred result or simply 
  take 5d10 negative energy damage and suffer no other effects (he must 
  decide which of these he desires before he rolls). If the user is a gole-
  moid, the drain always refills his steam reserve and has no other effect.
  Fallen characters cannot drain a Formori obelisk, and can touch 
  one (including the Final Nexus) without effect. The power within the 
  obelisks simply has no interest in them.
  Once an obelisk has been drained, it becomes dormant for 5 + 2d10 
  years. 
  The Final Nexus
  The thirteenth Formori obelisk, also called the Final Nexus (located 
  in Murdoch’s Cove’s church) remains dormant as long as any other 
  obelisks are active. Long ago, the Seers ensorcelled the chamber 
  containing the obelisk with a permanent nondetection spell to prevent 
  60
  
  the artifact’s detection. However, once all twelve obelisks have been 
  drained, the Final Nexus becomes suffused in an aura of incredible 
  power for one week, after which it becomes dormant again. Once 
  active, the nondetection spell is no longer adequate to mask its power 
  (and the effects are quite obvious even if that were not the case).
  All creatures that touch the obelisk during this time suffer a random 
  drain affect (limit one per day) and permanently gain the half-fiend 
  template (see Pathfinder RPG Bestiary). This template can be removed 
  as if it were a curse cast by the nexus. Each day the template is not 
  removed, a character must make a Will save vs. DC 12 + 1 per day or 
  permanently shift to a chaotic evil alignment and become an NPC as 
  dark forces assume control of his mind.
  Destruction
  There is currently no known way to permanently destroy a Formori 
  Nexus. 
  New Unique Thaumaturge Legend
  The Vigilant Seer
  Once the party has drained the obelisk at Loireag Monastery, Brother 
  Arais’ grave begins to resonate with the dead seer’s legend. A thauma-
  turge can importune a reflection of this brave seer to aid him in the quest 
  to stop Karloff Radool. The Vigilant Seer will permanently abandon a 
  thaumaturge if he purposefully aids the Darkfall, whether or not the 
  legend is active at the time.
  Base Attack: Medium
  Good Saves: Fortitude, Reflex, Will
  Weapon Proficiencies: One martial or exotic weapon of choice.
  Armor Proficiency: Light armor, medium armor, and shields (except 
  tower shields)
  Feats: Alertness
  Spirit Points: 2 + 1 per level after 1st.
  Special: You gain the seer’s fatebender aura ability. You may only 
  choose between aura of alacrity, aura of swiftness, and aura of 
  weakness. You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Wisdom while this 
  legend is active.
  Legendary Ability: Once per week, you suffer no effects (good or ill) 
  when draining a Formori obelisk. After using this ability, the legend 
  withdraws for the day. You must declare the use of this ability before 
  draining the obelisk.
  Obelisk Drain Table
  d100 Roll 
  Random Effect
  01-10 
  One item carried by the user is randomly and permanently enchanted (roll as a minor magic item, rerolling inappropriate results). 
   
  This item is physically altered, gaining a twisted and sinister appearance similar to blackstone. It is otherwise a normal item of its type.
  11-20 
  The user takes 3d10 negative energy damage and is stricken blind and deaf. 
  21-30 
  The user is charged with magical energies. He gains 2d12 Formori Power Charges. These charges may be used as an immediate 
   
  action at any time go gain a +4 profane bonus to a single die roll. Once used, they are gone. As long as the user has any charges 
   
  remaining, he radiates an aura of powerful necromancy and his eyes glow an eerie shade of violet.
  31-40 
  Up to 2d4 random spells known by the user are immediately cast with the user as the target. The user cannot cast these spells for 
   
  one week.
  41-50 
  The user is charged with magical energies. He gains 2d4 Formori Warp Charges. These charges may be used to cast dimension 
   
  door as a swift action, at a caster level equal to the user’s hit dice. Each time this ability is used, the user must make a Will save vs. 
   
  DC 16 or be shaken for one hour. Whether or not this save is successful, the user will have terrifying nightmares for the next 1d6 
   
  days, of which he has no memory upon awakening.
  51-60 
  A shadowy version of the user materializes and attacks. This duplicate is identical to the original in all ways, except for a chaotic 
   
  evil alignment and a manic desire to kill the original. The duplicate wears shadowy copies of all of the user’s equipment, but any 
   
  magic items function only for the duplicate. If the duplicate is killed, it ceases to exist, along with everything it carried.
  61-70 
  The user’s consciousness is scattered to an alternate plane. He is knocked unconscious for three days, during which time he cannot 
   
  be roused. Upon awakening, the user remembers nothing but bears some permanent mark of his terrifying experience, such as 
   
  white hair, a hoarse voice, or inexplicable scars. The user permanently gains the ability to speak Giant and Nocturine.
  71-80 
  The user becomes immune to poison and no longer needs to eat or drink, but must feed on the blood of an intelligent being no 
   
  more than an hour dead at least once a week or suffer the effects of starvation. This effect can be removed as if it were a curse cast 
   
  by the obelisk.
  81-90 
  The user is inspired by dark intelligence. For the next week, he gains a +10 bonus to all craft checks to create magic items. The 
   
  time and cost required to create constructs, golemoid implants, and undead created by the character during this time is reduced by 
   
  50%. All resulting items permanently radiate a strong aura of necromancy. 
  91-00 
  The user is teleported 1d100 miles in a random direction, arriving at its destination safely. (Roll for a random encounter upon 
   
  arrival.)
  (GMs feel free to invent your own drain effects; while the above table avoids effects that unavoidably kill  
  or irrevocably damage a character, whether or not you wish to add such effects is your own business.)
  61
  
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1 .0a
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1 .0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc .
  System Reference Document. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by  
  E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
  Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. Copyright 2009, Paizo Inc.; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
  The Book of Experimental Might. Copyright 2008, Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.
  Tome of Horrors. Copyright 2002, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Authors: Scott Greene, with Clark Peterson, Erica Balsley, Kevin Baase, Casey Christofferson, 
  Lance Hawvermale, Travis Hawvermale, Patrick Lawinger, and Bill Webb; Based on original content from TSR.Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary. © 
  2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
  Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Player’s Guide. © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn
  Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Magic. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jason Bulmahn, Tim Hitchcock, Colin McComb, Rob McCreary, 
  Jason Nelson, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, Owen K.C. Stephens, and Russ Taylor.
  Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Combat.  © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, 
  Brian J. Cortijo, Jim Groves, Tim Hitchcock, Richard A. Hunt, Colin McComb, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, and Russ Taylor.
  Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Equipment. © 2012 Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Benjamin Bruck, Ross Byers, 
  Brian J. Cortijo, Ryan Costello, Mike Ferguson, Matt Goetz, Jim Groves, Tracy Hurley, Matt James, Jonathan H. Keith, Michael Kenway, Hal MacLean, 
  Jason Nelson, Tork Shaw, Owen KC Stephens, and Russ Taylor.
  Thunderscape: The World of Aden. © 2013 Kyoudai Games, LLC; Authors: Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf.
  The Lost Lexicon, Part II: Radiant Demise. © 2014 Kyoudai Games, LLC; Author: Rich Wulf.
  62
  
  Product # KYG020002
  ©2014 Kyoudai Games. All rights reserved.
  The sleepy little village of Murdoch’s Cove has a secret. Foul 
  monsters stalk the swamp, haunting ancient ruins and preying 
  upon the villagers. The Knights of the Radiant Order are sworn 
  to protect the cove, but they can barely protect themselves from 
  this mysterious new threat. A strange journal holds the key to the 
  truth, but its contents are cloaked in impenetrable code. The player 
  characters - along with an old friend - are soon dragged into the 
  center of this mystery. Can they find the truth and save the village 
  from a mad scientist’s vengeance before it’s too late?
  Radiant Demise includes the following:
     
    An open world adventure for 4th to 7th level characters!
     
    History and background for Arasteen and the Radiant Order!
     
    New factions to serve as allies - or enemies - in the party’s 
          epic quest!
     
    New monsters, magic items, and character options!
     
    And much more!
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pathfinder/1st Edition/3rd Party/Kyoudai/Lost Lexicon II - Radiant Demise.pdf