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  Burnt
  Offerings
  A  GAMEMASTERY   ADVENTURE PATH
  By James Jacobs
  Rise of the Runelords
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  ADVENTURE PATH • PART 1 of 6
  Rise of the Runelords:
  Burnt
  Offerings
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  Credits
  Editor-in-Chief • James Jacobs
  Art Director • Sarah Robinson
  Associate Editor • F. Wesley Schneider
  Assistant Editor • James Sutter
  Senior Art Director • Sean Glenn
  Managing Art Director • James Davis
  Production Manager • Jeff Alvarez
  Brand Manager • Jason Bulmahn
  Marketing Director • Josh Frost
  Publisher • Erik Mona
  Cover Artist
  Wayne Reynolds
  Cartographer
  Rob Lazzaretti
  Contributing Artists
  Vincent Dutrait
  Andrew Hou
  Kyle Hunter
  Jeff Laubenstein
  Warren Mahy
  Arnold Tsang
  Contributing Authors
  Wolfgang Baur
  James Jacobs
  Erik Mona
  Richard Pett
  F. Wesley Schneider
  Paizo CEO • Lisa Stevens
  Corporate Accountant • Dave Erickson
  Technical Director • Vic Wertz
  Director of Operations •  Jeff Alvarez
  Special Thanks
  Mike McArtor
  •
  “Burnt Offerings” is a Pathfinder Adventure Path scenario designed for four 1st-level characters. By the end of this adventure, characters should reach 4th level. This adventure is compliant with the Open 
  Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the world’s most popular fantasy roleplaying game. The OGL can be found on page 97 of this product.
  The following text is Open Gaming Content: all game mechanics.
  Paizo Publishing, LLC
  2700 Richards Road, Suite 201
  Bellevue, WA 98005
  paizo.com
  Pathfinder © 2007, Paizo Publishing, LLC
  Paizo Publishing and the golem logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC. Pathfinder, Adventure Path, and GameMastery are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 
  The Book of Fiends is © 2003 Green Ronin Publishing. The Tome of Horrors is © 2002 Necromancer Games, Inc.
  Printed in China
  TM
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  table 
  of Contents
  • 
  Foreword	
  6
  • 
  Burnt	Offerings	
  8
  	
  by	James	Jacobs
  • 
  Sandpoint	
  58
  	
  by	James	Jacobs
  • 
  The	History	of	Thassilon	
  72
  	
  by	Wolfgang	Baur
  • 
  Pathfinder’s	Journal	
  80
  	
  by	Erik	Mona
  • 
  Bestiary	
  86
  	
  by	James	Jacobs,	Richard	Pett,	
  	
  F.	Wesley	Schneider
  • 
  Pregenerated	Characters	
  96
  • 
  Preview	
  97
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  6
  R i s e  o f  t h e  R u n e l o R d s
  T
  he town of Sandpoint needs you!
   
  Whatpoint? Sandwho? Whatwho? If the name of this 
  friendly little coastal town doesn’t mean anything to you 
  yet, never fear—the book you’re holding is here to fix that. Sand-
  point, in a nutshell, is your PCs’ new hometown. Here, they’ll 
  make friends, buy their first suit of armor, visit their first tavern, 
  and eventually tangle with monsters. It’s the start of a brand-new 
  campaign, one set in the equally brand-new world of Golarion, 
  the setting for the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting. The 
  adventures your PCs are about to embark on will determine the fate 
  of not just Sandpoint, but the surrounding region of Varisia as well. 
  If they fail, their friends and countrymen might well be doomed to 
  a new age of slavery and horror, but if they succeed, their triumphs 
  shall be recorded by sages and kings, their immortality assured. 
  They will become the latest entry into the Pathfinder Chronicles.
   
  That’s the idea behind the setting we’ve invented for Path-
  finder—a place where the triumphs of heroes and the workings 
  of villains are recorded in a constantly evolving codex of tales 
  spanning centuries. For much of written history, world events 
  followed charted routes. Oracles and seers mapped out the future 
  in the stars above, and their prophecies always gave a reliable view 
  of the ages to come. 
   
  Until a god died a century ago. No one saw that coming, and 
  now, the old prophecies are failing. Oracles go mad and seers des-
  perately try to account for the loss of the future. While some cry 
  out that the world is at an end, they’ve been doing so for 100 years 
  now. And the world’s still here. It’s just unclear where things are 
  going. The future of Golarion is open, ready to receive the tri-
  umphs and failures of a new generation of heroes.
  Welcome 
  to 
  Golarion!
   
  Because, as we all know, PCs have a knack for doing the unex-
  pected. How could any oracle or sage predict what they’ll get up 
  to next?
  finding the Path
  In Pathfinder, we’ll present entire campaigns. Each of these 
  Adventure Paths will run for six months, with each volume of 
  Pathfinder including a new chapter in the campaign, along with 
  additional advice and material to expand each adventure and 
  develop the new world of Golarion. You can also expect a steady 
  offering of at least six new monsters per volume in the Path-
  finder Bestiary. But the bulk of each volume focuses on one 
  expansive chapter of the current Adventure Path. We begin with 
  “Burnt Offerings,” an adventure for four 1st-level characters. In 
  this adventure, the PCs are faced with challenges ranging from 
  goblin chieftains and ancient fiends to the awkward social situ-
  ations that arise when suddenly cast into the roles of heroes in 
  a small town.
  DesiGner’s 
  notes
  Throughout “Burnt Offerings” and every Pathfinder adventure, 
  you’ll find notes and insights from the designers themselves. Marked 
  throughout the volume in sidebars like this one, these comments 
  offer “behind-the-scenes” glimpses into the writers’ intentions, 
  along with additional facts, suggestions for GMs, personal anec-
  dotes, and other ancillary information to make running the game 
  easier and reading the adventure more interesting.
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  f o R e w o R d
  7
   
  After you’ve read through “Burnt Offerings” and the addi-
  tional material in this volume, head on over to paizo.com, where 
  there are always lively and informative discussions about Paizo’s 
  Adventure Paths. I try to keep up with the threads personally, and 
  you’ll probably recognize a fair number of other names on the 
  boards as well. This is the best way to let us know what you think 
  of Pathfinder and the Adventure Paths, to share notes with other 
  GMs and players, and to check out reader-submitted suggestions 
  for how best to convert the Rise of the Runelords (and all of the 
  Adventure Paths to come in Pathfinder) to any number of campaign 
  settings. Also, check out our blog at paizo.com, which is where 
  we post previews of future products and talk more about the 
  operation here at Paizo Publishing. Long-time readers of the blog 
  are doubtless already familiar, for example, with the following ten 
  fun facts about goblins, but since the little menaces play such a 
  key role in “Burnt Offerings,” it made sense to reprint them here 
  as well. Think of this as the Ten Commandments of Goblining, if 
  you will. Although, of course, no goblin would ever think about 
  writing these down! That’s bad luck.
  ten fun facts  
  about goblins
  1:  
  Horse Hate: Goblins excel at riding animals, but they don’t 
  quite get horses. In fact, their hatred of all things horse is 
  matched only by their fear of horses, who tend to step on 
  goblins who get too close.
  2:  Dog Hate: Although goblins raise horrible rat-faced crea-
  tures called (creatively enough) goblin dogs to use as mounts 
  (and ride wolves or worgs if they can get them—goblins are 
  quick to explain that wolves are NOT dogs), their hatred of 
  plain old dogs nearly matches their hatred of horses. The 
  feeling is mutual. If your dog’s barking at the woodpile for 
  no reason, chances are he smells a frightened goblin hiding 
  in there somewhere.
  3:  
  Goblins Raid Junkyards: Garbage pits, gutters, sewers… any-
  where there’s garbage, you can bet goblins are nearby. Goblins 
  are weirdly adept at crafting weapons and armor from refuse, 
  and are fond of killing people with what they throw away.
  4:  
  Goblins Love to Sing: Unfortunately, as catchy as their lyrics 
  can be, goblin songs tend to be a bit too creepy and disturbing 
  to catch on in polite society.
  5:  
  They’re Sneaky: An excited or angry goblin is a noisy, chat-
  tering, toothy menace, but even then, he can drop into an 
  unsettling silence in a heartbeat. This, matched with their 
  diminutive size, makes them unnervingly adept at hiding in 
  places you’d never expect: stacks of firewood, rain barrels, 
  under logs, under chicken coops, in ovens…
  6:  They’re A Little Crazy: The fact that goblins 
  think of things like ovens as good hiding places 
  reveals much about their inability to think plans 
  through to the most likely outcome. That, and 
  they tend to be easily distracted, particularly 
  by shiny things and animals smaller than them 
  that might make good eating.
  7:  
  They’re Voracious: Given enough supplies, a goblin gen-
  erally takes nearly a dozen meals a day. Most goblin tribes 
  don’t have enough supplies to accommodate such ravenous 
  appetites, which is why the little menaces are so prone to 
  going on raids.
  8:  They Like Fire: Burning things is one of the great goblin pas-
  times, although they’re generally pretty careful about lighting 
  fires in their own lairs, especially since goblins tend to live in 
  large tangled thistle patches and sleep in beds of dried leaves 
  and grass. But give a goblin a torch and someone else’s home 
  and you’ve got trouble.
  9:  
  They Get Stuck Easily: Goblins have wiry frames but wide 
  heads. They live in cramped warrens. Sometimes too cramped.
  10:  Goblins Believe Writing Steals Your Soul: The walls of 
  goblin lairs and the ruins of towns goblins have raided are lit-
  tered with pictures of their exploits. They never use writing, 
  though. That’s not lucky. Writing steals words out of your 
  head. You can’t get them back.
  James Jacobs
  Editor-in-Chief
  james.jacobs@paizo.com
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  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  8
  BURNT OFFERINGS
  RISE OF THE RUNELORDS: CHAPTER ONE
  BURNT OFFERINGS
  The coastal town of Sandpoint has faced few trials and dangers over the course of its 
  forty-two year history, but unfortunately, that is all about to change. Unknown to the 
  town’s founders, they chose to build their community over the ruins of an ancient 
  stronghold once used as laboratory and prison, a place where horriﬁ c experiments and 
  unholy explorations into what divides man from monster took place. These are the 
  Catacombs of Wrath, one of several such sites used by Runelord Alaznist’s apprentices 
  during Thassilon’s height, a place where arcanists explored and perfected the stolen arts 
  of lifeshaping and ﬂ eshwarping. When Thassilon fell, these catacombs went dormant, 
  but the one buried under Sandpoint was not fated to stay that way.
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  B U R N T  O F F E R I N G S
  B U R N T  O F F E R I N G S
  9
  ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
  Five years ago and hundreds of miles from the Varisian coast, a 
  wicked and ambitious stone giant named Mokmurian awakened 
  a slumbering tyrant—Runelord Karzoug. In his time thousands of 
  years ago, at the height of Thassilon’s rule, Karzoug drew his magic 
  from the runes of the Sihedron—magical traditions closely tied to 
  the seven primal sins. After his centuries-long slumber, Karzoug 
  wasted no time in preparing his triumphant return by activating 
  an ancient Thassilonian artifact called a runewell, a device capable 
  of extracting magical essence from the souls of certain creatures 
  who, in life, exempliﬁ ed speciﬁ c spiritual traits—in this case, 
  greed. Only these souls were useful to Karzoug in completing his 
  return to life, and so he sent Mokmurian, now his puppet, back 
  into the world to make ready the harvest. Karzoug uses a potent 
  scrying device called a soul lens to focus on sacriﬁ ces prepared 
  with the proper rituals and marked with the Sihedron Rune (the 
  ancient symbol of all seven schools of Thassilonian magic). As the 
  sacriﬁ ce dies, the soul lens draws his soul across any intervening 
  distance to fuel the runewell. Karzoug’s growing need for greedy 
  souls has spurred Mokmurian and his stone giant kin to further 
  and further violence, and, in time, the PCs will be called upon 
  to stand before these giants. Yet for now, the activation of the 
  ancient runewell has had another, unanticipated, eﬀ ect. Other 
  runelords kept runewells of their own, and when Karzoug activated 
  his, these others ﬂ ared to dangerous life as well.
   
  In most cases, the other runewells were hidden deep underwater, 
  buried far underground, or lost in remote regions, and this sud-
  den ﬂ are of ancient magic had little noticeable eﬀ ect. Yet in the 
  Catacombs of Wrath below the sleepy town of Sandpoint, where 
  Runelord Alaznist kept a minor runewell keyed to the sin of wrath, 
  these eﬀ ects were not so isolated. The runewell sent a shockwave 
  of magical energy up through the town above, manifesting in the 
  form of violent nightmares from which many folk woke in a terrible 
  rage that vanished in the span of a heartbeat. In a few unfortunate 
  cases, however, the wrath found fertile soil.
   
  Lonjiku Kaijitsu, a bitter noble who still seethed with rage at being 
  cuckolded two decades before, woke in the middle of the night, 
  called his wife to the back porch of their cliﬀ side manor, and threw 
  her over the edge to die on the jagged rocks below.
   
  Jervas Stoot, an eccentric who channeled his rage from years 
  of paternal abuse into the creation of hauntingly beautiful wood-
  carvings of birds, began to lay his plans for the murder of nearly 
  two dozen folk who had wronged him over the years.
   
  Nualia Tobyn, left pregnant and abandoned by a local cur and 
  shamed in her foster father’s eyes, ﬁ nally succumbed to her anger 
  and forsook the goddess of dreams and stars for the goddess of 
  monsters and madness, promising herself that she would burn her 
  father and his church to the ground.
   
  These three unfortunates became consumed by their 
  wrath, and their actions over the course of the next sev-
  eral months came to be known as the Late Unpleasant-
  ness. Those days are over now, fresh in memory still, but 
  thankfully past. The people of Sandpoint now prepare to 
  consecrate a new cathedral to replace the old one Nualia burnt to the 
  ground, and are eager to put all reminders of the Late Unpleasant-
  ness behind them for good.
   
  Lonjiku’s murderous act has gone all but unnoticed, and Stoot is 
  long dead, yet Nualia has not been idle over the past ﬁ ve years. She 
  is ready to ﬁ nish what she started with that ﬁ rst ﬁ re. This time, all 
  of Sandpoint shall become burnt oﬀ erings to her insane goddess.
  Adventure Synopsis
  The PCs arrive in Sandpoint to attend the Swallowtail Festival (a rit-
  ual to consecrate the town’s new cathedral) and end up defending 
  the town from a goblin raid. In the days to follow, the PCs come to 
  terms with their newfound local fame, making friends and contacts 
  among Sandpoint’s citizens. As rumors of massing goblin armies 
  build, the disappearance of a local tavern owner leads the PCs to 
  uncover treachery within Sandpoint Glassworks and the existence 
  of an ancient catacomb below the town. An investigation of these 
  discoveries reveals two things; that monsters dwell below the city 
  and that the goblin raid on the town is but the ﬁ rst.
   
  In order to save Sandpoint, the PCs must travel to Thistletop, 
  the lair of the most powerful goblin tribe in the region, where they 
  can confront the woman whose madness and wrath presents such a 
  menace, yet who is herself the tip of a much larger conspiracy that 
  will soon threaten all of Varisia.
  Nualia’s Story
  The primary villain of “Burnt Oﬀ erings” is a bitter aasimar woman 
  named Nualia. A foundling raised by Sandpoint’s previous religious 
  leader, a man named Ezakien Tobyn, Nualia’s childhood was lonely 
  and sad. Her unearthly beauty made the other children either 
  jealous or shy, and many of them took to playing cruel jokes on her. 
  The adults in town weren’t much better—many of the superstitious 
  Varisians viewed Nualia as blessed by Desna, a sort of “reverse 
  deformity.” Rumors that her touch or proximity could cure warts 
  and rashes, that locks of her hair brewed into tea could increase 
  fertility, and that her voice could drive out evil spirits led to endless 
  awkward and humiliating requests over the years. Poor Nualia felt 
  more like a freak than a young girl by the time she came of age, so 
  when Delek Viskanta, a local Varisian youth, began to court her, 
  she practically fell into his arms in gratitdue.
   
  Knowing that her father wouldn’t approve of a relationship 
  with a Varisian (he wanted her to remain pure so that she could 
  join one of the prestigious Windsong Abbey convents), they kept 
  the aﬀ air secret. They met many times in hidden places, a favorite 
  being an abandoned smuggler’s tunnel under town that Delek 
  had discovered as a child. Before long, Nualia realized she was 
  pregnant. When she told Delek, he revealed his true colors and, 
  after calling her a slut and a harlot, ﬂ ed Sandpoint rather than 
  face her father’s wrath. Nualia’s shock quickly turned to rage, yet 
  she had nowhere to vent her anger. She bottled it up, and when 
  her father discovered her delicate condition, his reaction to her 
  indescretions only furthered her shame and anger.  He forbade 
  her to leave the church, lectured her nightly, and made her pray 
  to Desna for forigeness. In so doing, he unknowingly nurtured 
  her growing hate.
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  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  10
   
  When the runewell in the Catacombs of Wrath ﬂ ared to life, 
  Nualia’s own anger was a magnet to its magic. Seven months preg-
  nant, the wrathful energies suﬀ used her mind and she ﬂ ew into 
  a frenzy. She miscarried her child later that night, a child whose 
  monstrously deformed shape she only glimpsed before blanching 
  midwives stole it away to burn it in secret. As the child had been 
  concieved in the smuggler’s tunnels below town, in close proximity 
  to a hidden shrine to Lamashtu (the goddess of monstrous births), 
  the child itself was deformed and horriﬁ c. The double shock of 
  losing a child and the realization she had been carrying a ﬁ end in 
  her belly for seven months was too much. Nualia fell into a coma.
   
  As Nualia slept, she dreamed unhealthy dreams. Fueled by the 
  wrath from below and the taint of Lamashtu, Nualia became further 
  obsessed with the cruel demon goddess and the conviction that her 
  wretched life was inﬂ icted on her by those around her. She came 
  to see her angelic heritage as a curse, and the demon-sent dreams 
  showed her how to expunge this taint from her body and soul, 
  replacing it with chaos and cruelty. When she ﬁ nally woke, Nualia 
  was someone new, someone who didn’t ﬂ inch at what Lamashtu 
  asked of her. She jammed her father’s door shut as he slept, lit the 
  church on ﬁ re, and ﬂ ed Sandpoint.
   
  The locals assumed Nualia had burned in the ﬁ re, a tragedy made 
  all the worse by the death of Father Tobyn as well. Yet Nualia lived. 
  She ﬂ ed to Magnimar, where she enlisted the aid of a group of killers 
  known as the Skinsaw Men. With their aid, she tracked down Delek 
  and murdered him. Yet his death did not ﬁ ll her need for revenge. 
  Sandpoint and its hated citizens still lived.
   
  Seeing a kindred spirit in the tortured woman, the mysterious 
  leader of the Skinsaw Men gave Nualia a medallion bearing a carv-
  ing of a seven-pointed star called a “Sihedron medallion.” Nualia 
  learned that she had a larger role to play, and that her dreams were 
  a map to her destiny. Taking the advice to heart, Nualia returned to 
  Sandpoint, and found herself drawn to the brick wall in the smug-
  gler’s tunnels where she and Delek had conceived her deformed 
  child. Nualia bashed down the wall, and in so doing, discovered 
  the Catacombs of Wrath and the quasit Erylium, also a follower 
  of Lamashtu. For many months, Nualia studied under Erylium’s 
  tutelage. During this time, Nualia received another vision from 
  Lamashtu—a vision of a monstrous goblin wolf imprisoned in a tiny 
  room. In Nualia’s dreams, she learned that this creature, a barghest 
  named Malfeshnekor, was also one of Lamashtu’s chosen. If she 
  could ﬁ nd him and free him, he would not only help her achieve her 
  vengeance against the town of Sandpoint, but he would be the key 
  in cleansing her body of what she had come to see as her “celestial 
  taint.” Nualia wanted to be one of Lamashtu’s children now. She 
  wanted to become a monster herself.
  PART ONE: FESTIVAL AND FIRE
  For ﬁ ve years, the faithful of Sandpoint have attended church in 
  smaller wooden structures rebuilt after ﬁ re destroyed the previous 
  temple, and while their new pastor Abstalar was helpful, kind, and wise, 
  church wasn’t the same. Now, the new cathedral is ﬁ nally done. All that 
  remains is for the Swallowtail Festival to renew the site’s blessings from 
  the gods and it will be as if the Sandpoint Fire had never occurred.
   
  This adventure assumes the PCs are in attendance, for whatever 
  reason, at the Swallowtail Festival on the ﬁ rst day of autumn in 
  Sandpoint. The Rise of the Runelords Player’s Guide provides a wealth 
  of information for your players on how to create characters to ﬁ t 
  seamlessly into Varisia, yet you should encourage each player to 
  come up with a reason why his character has come to the Swal-
  lowtail Festival. A cleric PC might be asked by a superior to travel 
  to Sandpoint to witness the ceremony. A bard might be drawn by 
  the opportunity to perform before a new crowd. A rogue might be 
  tempted by the promise of networking with new contacts. A ﬁ ghter 
  might be hired to escort a merchant to town. And, of course, if the 
  PC is local, he needs no reason apart from the fact that everyone in 
  town will be there!
   
  Make sure to familiarize yourself with the town of Sandpoint, 
  detailed on pages 58–71 of this volume, before you begin this 
  adventure. Much of the ﬁ rst half of “Burnt Oﬀ erings” is left for 
  the PCs to experience in an organic order, and while they wait for 
  the next stage of the adventure to unfold, you should encourage 
  them to explore the town of Sandpoint.
  The Swallowtail Festival
  The Swallowtail Festival begins promptly, as scheduled, on 
  the ﬁ rst day of autumn. The square before the church quickly 
  becomes crowded as locals and travelers arrive, and several mer-
  chant tents featuring food, clothes, local crafts, and souvenirs 
  are there to meet them.
  Welcoming Speeches: The turnout for the opening speeches 
  is quite respectable, and the four keynote speakers each deliver 
  short but well-received welcomes to the festival. Mayor Deverin’s 
  friendly attitude and excitement prove contagious as she wel-
  comes visitors to town and jokes about how even Larz Rovanky, 
  the local tanner (and notorious workaholic) managed to tear 
  himself away from the tannery to attend, much to everyone’s but 
  Larz’s amusement. Sheriﬀ  Hemlock brings the crowd down a bit 
  with his dour mood, his reminder to be safe around the evening’s 
  bonﬁ re, and his request for a moment of silence to remember 
  those who lost their lives in the ﬁ re that claimed the town’s previ-
  ous church ﬁ ve years ago. Fortunately, Cyrdak Drokkus is more 
  than up to the challenge of bringing the crowd’s mood back up 
  with his rousing anecdotes as he delivers a not-completely-irrev-
  erent recap of the long process the town went through to ﬁ nance 
  and construct the new cathedral. He throws in a bit of self-pro-
  motion at the end, as is his wont, inviting everyone to stop by 
  the Sandpoint Theater the following evening to check out his 
  new production of “The Harpy’s Curse,” revealing that the lead 
  role of Avisera the harpy queen will be played by none other than 
  the famous Magnimarian diva Allishanda! Finally, Father Zantus 
  steps up give a short speech thanking everyone for coming before 
  declaring the Swallowtail Festival underway.
  Swallowtail Release: At noon, Father Zantus and his acolytes 
  wheel a large covered wagon into the square, and after recounting 
  the short parable of how Desna ﬁ rst fell to earth and was nursed 
  back to health by a blind child who she transformed into an immor-
  tal butterﬂ y as a reward for her aid, they pull aside the wagon’s 
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  cover, releasing the thousand children of Desna—a furious storm 
  of a thousand swallowtail butterﬂ ies that swarm into the air in a 
  spiraling riot of color to a great cheer from the crowd. Throughout 
  the rest of the day, children futilely chase butterﬂ ies, never quite 
  quick enough to catch them.
  Lunch: Lunch is provided free, at the expense of Sandpoint’s 
  taverns. Each brings its best dishes—this event is a marketing push 
  by the taverns as much to win new customers as it is to feed a hun-
  gry crowd. It soon becomes apparent that the darling of the lunch 
  is, once again, Ameiko Kaijitsu, whose remarkable curry-spiced 
  salmon and early winterdrop mead easily overshadow the other 
  oﬀ erings, such as the Hagﬁ sh’s lobster chowder or the White 
  Deer’s peppercorn venison.
  Consecration: Finally, as the sun begins to set, Father Zantus 
  takes the central podium, uses a thunderstone to attract everyone’s 
  attention, and clears his throat as he prepares to recite the Prayer 
  of First Dreaming. Unfortunately, the thunderstone’s detonation is 
  also the prearranged trigger for the goblins, who have slowly been 
  inﬁ ltrating the town while its citizens are merrily distracted.
  Goblins in the Streets!
  Goblins are sneaky little monsters, but even so, their inﬁ ltration 
  of Sandpoint required the aid of a few key assistants. Most nota-
  ble among these is local noble and businessman Lonjiku Kaijitsu. 
  Although Lonjiku’s involvement in the assault is far from willing, 
  it’s crucial to the goblins’ plans. Lonjiku’s been blackmailed, 
  and by his own son Tsuto, no less. Tsuto threatened to reveal 
  his father’s ties to local Varisian criminals known as the Sczarni 
  (SCAR-nee), promising to keep quiet if his father would simply 
  comply with a few “innocent” requests; namely, making sure that 
  someone leaves the north town gate open, that a ladder is left 
  against the wall in the cemetery, and that on the night before 
  the big festival no one would be at the Sandpoint Glassworks. 
  Shamed by his son’s knowledge of his ties to the Sczarni and his 
  own lack of courage to stand up to his oﬀ spring, and ignorant of 
  Tsuto’s alliance with the local goblins or his part in the plan to 
  raid Sandpoint, Lonjiku set things into motion and then feigned 
  illness—he remains in his home on the bluﬀ  overlooking Sand-
  point during the Swallowtail Festival.
   
  When the thunderstone detonates, three diﬀ erent groups of 
  goblins quickly mobilize. One group (smuggled in by Tsuto in a 
  covered wagon and left behind some buildings south of the festival 
  square) emerges and races north into the festival grounds. Another 
  band invades via the open northern gate. Both of these groups are 
  timed to throw the town into panic and distract the town guards 
  from realizing that a third band of goblins is inﬁ ltrating the city’s 
  cemetery to steal the remains of the town’s previous religious 
  leader, Ezakien Tobyn.
   
  Dozens of goblins take part in the raid, members of ﬁ ve diﬀ er-
  ent tribes scattered throughout the Sandpoint hinterlands who 
  have been organized into this strike by the most powerful local 
  goblin tribe of them all—the Thistletop goblins.
   
  When the goblins attack, they shriek and leap and race and 
  cackle, taking great joy in the panic and fear they spread among 
  the humans (whom most goblins insultingly call “longshanks”). 
  Some goblins wave torches and light tents on fire, while others 
  chase children and pets with ill intent. The entire time, goblin 
  warchanters sing a horrifically catchy and nerve-wracking goblin 
  song at the top of their lungs, further spurring their kin into mur-
  derous frenzy. Everywhere the PCs look, goblins tear through 
  merchant stalls, menace locals with their dogslicers, throw rocks 
  through windows, and otherwise make terrors of themselves.
   
  There are thirty goblins raiding Sandpoint, but there’s no need 
  to run combat with all of them. You can focus strictly on the gob-
  lins the PCs encounter, using the following three encounters to 
  introduce players to the kneebiting horror that is the goblin.
  Initial Assault (EL 1)
  As Father Zantus takes the stage to begin his speech, the PCs should 
  be nearby. The point of this encounter is to force the PCs, who might 
  or might not yet know each other, to work together to ﬁ ght against 
  a group of goblins.
  A sharp retort, like the crack of distant thunder, slices through the 
  excited crowd as the sun’s setting rays paint the western sky. A stray 
  dog that has crawled under a nearby wagon to sleep starts awake, and 
  the buzz of two dozen conversations quickly hushes as all heads turn 
  toward the central podium, where a beaming Father Zantus has taken 
  the stage. He clears his throat, takes a breath to speak, and suddenly a 
  woman’s scream slices through the air. A few moments later, another 
  scream rises, then another. Beyond them, a sudden surge of strange new 
  voices rises—high-pitched, tittering shrieks that sound not quite human. 
  The crowd parts and something low to the ground races by, giggling with 
  disturbing glee as the stray dog gives a pained yelp and then collapses 
  with a gurgle, its throat cut open from ear to ear. As blood pools around 
  its head, the raucous sound of a strange song begins, chanted from 
  shrill, scratchy voices.
   
  At this point, ask the PCs to make Spot checks. Those who make 
  a DC 12 check see that the shape that raced by and killed the dog 
  now hides at the edge of the wagon—a single goblin, licking the 
  blood from its dogslicer as it looks excitedly at the crowd, seeking 
  out a new target. Characters who make the check may act in the 
  surprise round.
   
  The song is a nameless goblin rhyme, performed by several gob-
  lin warchanters and intended to give the goblins a boost of bardic 
  music to spur them on.
  Creatures: In this initial battle, a group of three goblins 
  (including the one who just killed the dog) attacks the PCs.
  G (3) 
  CR 1/3
  Goblin warrior 1 (MM 133)
  hp 5 each
  Melee dogslicer +3 (1d4+1/19–20)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The goblins gain the beneﬁ ts of their warchanter’s inspire 
  courage, gaining a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against fear and 
  charm and on attack and damage rolls (included in the stats above).
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  GOBLIN 
  WARCHANTER
  During Combat One goblin might try to clamber up onto a nearby 
  table of food (DC 5 Climb) so he can gain a +1 bonus on attacks for 
  higher ground against a PC. Another might get distracted by a plate 
  of salmon and waste his action stuﬃ  ng his pockets with food for later. 
  A third could grab up a big carving knife if his dogslicer breaks. Each 
  time a goblin takes an action, he should interact in some way with the 
  environment, even if doing so wastes an opportunity to hurt a PC. The 
  point of this battle isn’t to test PC resources but to set the scene and 
  ﬂ avor for the insanity that is the goblin.
  Morale These goblins are convinced that the plan to raid Sandpoint 
  can’t fail and are far too excited to consider the possibility of losing 
  the battle. As such, they ﬁ ght to the death—but more by accident 
  than out of any real sense of bravery.
  Goblin Pyros (EL 2)
  After the PCs defeat the initial three 
  goblins, give them a few rounds to recover. 
  As they do, impress upon them the chaos 
  that has engulfed Sandpoint. Goblins race 
  everywhere, running amok and singing and 
  slashing indiscriminately. At the point the 
  PCs seem about ready to take action, a sudden 
  bloom of ﬁ re should grab their attention.
  Creatures: A group of goblins has found 
  the cart full of fuel for the bonﬁ re just south of 
  the festival grounds and have lit it on ﬁ re. Even 
  if the PCs don’t rush to investigate the burning 
  wagons, they are soon confronted with sev-
  eral cackling and shrieking goblins armed with 
  dogslicers and torches. As soon as the goblins 
  see the PCs, they shriek in delight and attack.
  G (4) 
  CR 1/3
  Goblin warrior 1 (MM 133)
  hp 5 each
  Melee dogslicer +3 (1d4/19–20) or
  torch –1 (1d2 plus 1 ﬁ re)
  TACTICS
  During Combat On the ﬁ rst round, the goblins gleefully try to 
  burn PCs with their torches, but as soon as one of them is slain, 
  the surviving goblins realize the ﬁ ght’s for real and switch to 
  their dogslicers.
  Morale If the warchanter dies, remaining goblin warriors panic
   and ﬂ ee.
  G W 
  CR 1
  Female goblin bard 1 (MM 133)
  NE Small humanoid
  Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +4, Spot +1
  DEFENSE
  AC 17, touch 14, ﬂ at-footed 14
  (+3 armor, +3 Dex, +1 size)
  hp 7 (1d6+1)
  Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +3; +1 vs fear/charm
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft.
  Melee whip +1 (1d2 nonlethal) or
  dogslicer +1 (1d4/19–20)
  Ranged shortbow +5 (1d4+1/×3)
  Spells Known (CL 1st)
  0 (2/day)—daze (DC 11), ghost sound (DC 11), mage hand, message
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The warchanter activates inspire courage, gaining a 
  +1 morale bonus on saving throws against fear and charm and on 
  weapon attack and damage rolls (included in the stats above).
  During Combat The warchanter continues to sing during combat, 
  using her whip to try to trip PCs. She casts daze on 
  any PC who seems to be particularly dangerous.
  Morale The warchanter ﬁ ghts to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 8, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 13
  Base Atk +0; Grp –5
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon 
  Proficiency (whip)
  Skills Concentration +5, Jump +3, Listen +4, 
  Move Silently +7, Perform (song) +5, Ride +7, 
  Tumble +7
  Languages Common, Goblin
  SQ bardic knowledge +0, bardic music 1/day 
  (countersong, fascinate, inspire courage +1)
  Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds; Other Gear
  studded leather, whip, short sword, 
  shortbow with 20 arrows, 20 gp
  THE 
  GOBLIN 
  SONG
  Goblins chew and goblins bite.
  Goblins cut and goblins fight.
  Stab the dog and cut the horse,
  Goblins eat and take by force!
  Goblins race and goblins jump.
  Goblins slash and goblins bump.
  Burn the skin and mash the head,
  Goblins here and you be dead!
  Chase the baby, catch the pup.
  Bonk the head to shut it up.
  Bones be cracked, flesh be stewed,
  We be goblins! You be food!
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  Development: After tangling with the ﬁ rst two groups of gob-
  lins, the PCs are likely to be wounded. Keep them on their toes by 
  describing goblin antics around them (perhaps a goblin leaps oﬀ  a 
  roof in an attempt to land on a victim but misses and breaks his neck, 
  or maybe a goblin throws a lit torch at a ﬂ eeing mother only to have 
  it land on another goblin and light his armor on ﬁ re), but allow them 
  a few rounds to catch their breath. If they’re particularly wounded, 
  Father Zantus rushes to their side. He thanks them for what they’re 
  doing to help ﬁ ght the goblins and can cast up to three cure light 
  wounds or three cure minor wounds spells on PCs to heal them.
   
  As soon as the PCs have mostly recovered, its time to spring the 
  big ﬁ ght on them.
  Die, Dog, Die! (EL 3)
  This ﬁ nal event during the goblin raid occurs after things at the 
  festival itself have calmed somewhat. Here and there, the sounds 
  of battle, clanging swords, calls of support by the town guard, and 
  shrieking and singing goblins echo through the streets, but at the 
  festival itself, most of the citizens have ﬂ ed. One or two goblins 
  remain behind to scavenge food, and many more lie dead (along 
  with a few unfortunate citizens). It should be obvious that the ﬁ ght 
  has moved on, especially when the sound of a scream and a frantic 
  barking comes from the north.
  Creatures: In front of the White Deer, a goblin commando 
  mounted on a goblin dog has bravely attacked a noble and his hunting 
  dog. The man in question is named Aldern Foxglove (CN male 
  human aristocrat 4/rogue 3), a noble destined to play an important 
  role in the next adventure, but whom for now is merely another 
  frightened citizen. Aldern cowers behind a rain barrel where he calls 
  for help, while his dog ﬁ ghts against the commando. As the PCs arrive 
  on the scene, they’re just in time to see the goblin commando kill the 
  dog with his horsechopper. The dog crashes dying to the ground as 
  the commando’s goblin kin (who were themselves cowering nearby 
  as the dog was handled) throw up a cheer and emerge from hiding.
   
  The goblins are still distracted by their kill, and as they turn 
  their attention to Foxglove, the PCs have the opportunity to 
  attack with surprise.
  G C 
  CR 1
  Goblin ranger 1 (MM 133)
  NE Small humanoid
  Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +5, Spot +5
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 12, ﬂ at-footed 12
  (+3 armor, +3 Dex,  –2 rage, +1 size)
  hp 10 (1d8+2)
  Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft.
  Melee mwk horsechopper +3 (1d8+2/×3)
  Ranged shortbow +5 (1d4/×3) or
  shortbow +1 (1d4/×3, mounted)
  Special Attacks favored enemy +2 (animal)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The goblin commando has already imbibed a potion of 
  rage for his ﬁ ght against the dog and has 2 rounds remaining on its 
  duration (likely the surprise round and the ﬁ rst round of combat).
  During Combat The commando makes sure to use his Mounted 
  Combat feat to try to negate an attack each round against his mount, 
  and uses his superior mobility to remain out of melee so he can 
  shoot at the PCs with his bow from dogback (taking the standard –4 
  penalty for using a ranged weapon while mounted). If all of his goblin 
  warriors are defeated, he drops his bow and races in to ﬁ ght the PCs 
  in melee.
  Morale The commando ﬁ ghts to the death.
  Base Statistics Once the goblin commando’s potion of rage expires, his 
  stats change as follows:
  AC 17, touch 14, ﬂ at-footed 14
  hp 9 (1d8+1)
  Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1
  Melee mwk horsechoper +2 (1d8+1/×3)
  Str 12, Con 13
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 8
  Base Atk +1; Grp –2
  Feats Mounted Combat, Track
  Skills Handle Animal +3, Listen +5, Move Silently +7, Ride +11, 
  Spot +5, Survival +5
  Languages Common, Goblin
  SQ wild empathy +0
  Combat Gearpotion of rage (already used); Other Gear studded leather, 
  masterwork horsechopper, small wooden shield, shortbow with 20 arrows
  G D 
  CR 1
  hp 10 each; see page 87
  G (4) 
  CR 1/3
  Goblin warrior 1 (MM 133)
  hp 5 each
  Melee dogslicer +2 (1d4/19–20)
  GOBLIN 
  WEAPONRY
  The goblins of the Sandpoint hinterlands wield 
  distinctive weapons called dogslicers and 
  horsechoppers, after their preferred uses. A dog-
  slicer is a length of junk metal tied to a handle with 
  holes punched in the blades to lighten it and pre-
  vent tired goblin arms. A dogslicer is a light martial 
  weapon that’s similar to a short sword in most ways, 
  save that it deals slashing damage rather than piercing 
  damage. Goblin commandos are instead armed with 
  halberds—called “horsechoppers” by them, but oth-
  erwise identical to Small halberds. Goblin weapons that 
  aren’t magic or masterwork are poorly made—on a natural 1, 
  they break. Goblins should really carry spare dogslicers, but they 
  don’t think that far ahead, and occasionally end up standing in front of 
  a hero without a weapon. Stupid little freaks.
  don’t think that far ahead, and occasionally end up standing in front of 
  horsechoppers, after their preferred uses. A dog-
  slicer is a length of junk metal tied to a handle with 
  weapon that’s similar to a short sword in most ways, 
  save that it deals slashing damage rather than piercing 
  damage. Goblin commandos are instead armed with 
  halberds—called “horsechoppers” by them, but oth-
  erwise identical to Small halberds. Goblin weapons that 
  aren’t magic or masterwork are poorly made—on a natural 1, 
  they break. Goblins should really carry spare dogslicers, but they 
  don’t think that far ahead, and occasionally end up standing in front of 
  slicer is a length of junk metal tied to a handle with 
  weapon that’s similar to a short sword in most ways, 
  save that it deals slashing damage rather than piercing 
  damage. Goblin commandos are instead armed with 
  halberds—called “horsechoppers” by them, but oth-
  erwise identical to Small halberds. Goblin weapons that 
  aren’t magic or masterwork are poorly made—on a natural 1, 
  they break. Goblins should really carry spare dogslicers, but they 
  don’t think that far ahead, and occasionally end up standing in front of 
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  Development: Once the goblins are dealt with, Aldern thanks 
  the PCs profusely. If one of the PCs is an attractive female human, 
  elf, or half-elf, he focuses his attentions on her, complimenting her 
  on her skills in the ﬁ ght and on her beauty. Otherwise, he focuses 
  his attention on the PC who seemed to do the most damage in 
  the ﬁ ght, complimenting him on his skill at arms and bravery. 
  As he glances about nervously for more goblins, he informs the 
  PCs that he’ll be in town for a few more days; he’s staying at the 
  Rusty Dragon to the south, and when they get a chance, he’d 
  love to talk with them more and perhaps reward them properly 
  for saving his life.
   
  By this time, the battle has been decided. Surviving goblins ﬂ ee 
  north in droves, in some cases preferring to leap to their certain 
  death oﬀ  cliﬀ s rather than be captured. Several of the little men-
  aces are in fact caught alive, but they prove useless when interro-
  gated; none of these goblins know much more than that they were 
  given orders to kill everyone in town and burn down the place. 
  None of the captured goblins can even remember their leader’s 
  name, apart from the fact that he was one of “you longshanks.” 
  Their leader was on a secret mission to the town’s graveyard—that 
  much most goblins can say, but none of them know what that mis-
  sion was. It was secret, after all!
   
  In fact, this was Tsuto Kaijitsu. He led a group of Thistletop 
  goblins into the cemetery, stole Ezakien Tobyn’s remains, and then 
  returned to Thistletop so his lover Nualia could oﬀ er the remains 
  to Lamashtu in return for the ﬁ rst stage of her transformation into 
  a demon. When Father Zantus discovers the theft, he reports it to 
  Sheriﬀ  Hemlock (who might mention it at some point to the PCs) 
  but tries to keep it quiet, hoping to avoid further distress to the 
  people of Sandpoint.
  PART TWO: LOCAL HEROES
  As Sandpoint recovers from the attack and buries its (thankfully 
  few) dead, the citizens do their best to get on with their lives. The 
  cathedral is consecrated the next day during a much more subdued 
  and indoor ceremony, but by the end of the week, the goblin attack 
  is remembered mostly with chuckles. Now that the terror of the 
  raid is over, memories of goblins accidentally lighting themselves 
  on ﬁ re, getting stepped on by horses, or drowning in rain barrels 
  that were only half full in the ﬁ rst place render memories of the 
  raid in an almost comical light. But one thing the locals haven’t 
  forgotten is their new heroes.
   
  Unless a PC takes extra care to hide it, his name soon becomes 
  household knowledge. Everywhere the PCs go in town, locals 
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  15
  welcome them. A simple walk down Main Street might result in 
  local baker Alma Avertin charging out into the street and press 
  a fresh-baked loaf of bread into the arms of the skinniest PC 
  with worried comments that he must be starving. A visit to the 
  Hagfish brings an immediate round of cheers, applause, and a 
  round of drinks on the house (and likely a challenge to drink 
  from Norah’s tank). A trip to the Sandpoint Theater might have 
  Cyrdak Drokkus trying to talk the PC with the highest Cha-
  risma into auditioning for his new play. A stop at Savah’s Armory 
  is greeted with an instantaneous offer of 20% off anything in 
  stock. Certainly not everyone in Sandpoint wants to be the PCs’ 
  new best friend, but they should feel more than welcome.
   
  The events detailed in this part can happen in any order—feel 
  free to mix things up as you wish, or to ﬁ t logically with the PCs’ 
  actions in town. These events can even continue to occur after 
  the PCs have turned their attention to the Catacombs of Wrath, 
  Thistletop, or even well into the next adventure.
  The Shopkeep’s Daughter
  Pick a PC, preferably one who fancies himself a ladies’ man or a popu-
  lar fellow. The combination of his good looks, fame, and heroic quali-
  ties sends ripples through town, and now and then the PCs should 
  overhear rumors and whispers about this PC’s “availability.” The PC 
  should catch local young women giggling or blushing as he walks by, 
  and he might receive a few anonymous love letters or other minor 
  trinkets left as gifts at wherever he’s been staying the night.
   
  At some point before these idle fancies have a chance to develop 
  into real relationships, one of Sandpoint’s most brazen citizens 
  makes her move. Daughter of the owner of the Sandpoint General 
  Store, Shayliss Vinder (CN female human commoner 1) is cer-
  tainly an attractive young woman, but it’s her older sister who’s 
  been in the gossip lately. Rumor holds that Katrine Vinder’s been 
  “shacking up” with one of the men who works at the lumber mill, 
  and her overly protective father’s been up in arms about it.
   
  So when Shayliss bashfully approaches a PC, her claim that 
  her father has been too distracted with her sister’s private life 
  to keep up with the store’s pest problem should seem plausible. 
  Shayliss explains that the store has rats. Why, just yesterday, she’s 
  sure she saw one the size of a goblin hiding behind a barrel at the 
  far end of the basement. Her father doesn’t believe her, but she 
  knows he’s just more distracted by what Katrine might or might 
  not be up to at the lumber mill. And since there’s this handy new 
  hero in town, well, Shayliss just thought maybe said hero could 
  come back with her to kill a few rats in the store’s basement. 
  She stresses that there’s not many rats, certainly not enough to 
  warrant having more than one hero to take care of them. If other 
  PCs insist on coming along, she throws her hands up in the air in 
  disgust and says, “Never mind, I’ll take care of them some other 
  way” and walks oﬀ  in a huﬀ , hoping her hero comes with her alone 
  anyway. If he doesn’t she simply approaches him again when he’s 
  alone and repeats her request.
   
  Of course, there are no dire rats in the general store basement. 
  Shayliss is, if anything, even more of a troubleseeker than her sister, 
  something that a DC 20 Gather Information or Knowledge (local) 
  check can warn a PC about. Any refusal to accompany Shayliss back 
  to the store must be handled delicately; without a successful Bluﬀ  
  check or a DC 20 Diplomacy check, her infatuation with the PC 
  quickly turns into bitter hate, and she could become a recurring foil 
  as she spreads slanderous rumors about the PC and his friends.
   
  Shayliss reveals her true intentions as soon as she has her chosen 
  PC alone in the basement of her father’s store; her bodice comes oﬀ  
  and she slides herself into an embrace as she tries to guide the PC 
  over to a convenient  cot someone’s set up in the back of the room.
   
  Whatever develops from this awkward interlude, Shayliss’ 
  father Ven Vinder (LN male human commoner 7) is destined to 
  head down into the basement not long after Shayliss makes her 
  move. Allow both Shayliss and the PC a DC 15 Listen check to 
  hear her father coming down the stairs at the far end of the base-
  ment. If neither notices his approach, they certainly will when he 
  ﬁ nds them, roars in rage, and threatens the PC with his large and 
  meaty ﬁ sts.
   
  If the PC ﬂ ees, Ven won’t follow, but neither will he allow the 
  PC or his friends to shop in his store any more. Being a well-liked 
  man in town, Ven’s displeasure with the PCs incurs a –2 penalty on 
  all Diplomacy and Gather Information checks made in town until 
  the PCs ﬁ nd some way to make things right with him.
   
  A PC who tries to talk his way out of the situation can do so 
  with a successful Bluﬀ  check or a DC 20 Diplomacy check; suc-
  cess with a roll 10 higher than the required DC indicates that the 
  character has not only extricated himself, but has done so in a 
  way that leaves no hard feelings with Shayliss, who might try to 
  seduce the PC again at a later date.
   
  This encounter is not meant to be physically ruinous to the 
  PCs, but it can certainly head that way—Ven might be a com-
  moner, but he knows his way around a ﬁ stﬁ ght. If the PC retali-
  ates with lethal force, Ven tries to ﬂ ee with his daughter to call 
  the sheriﬀ , at which point the PC’s reputation in town immedi-
  ately falls under scrutiny. If either Ven or Shayliss are killed, the 
  PC faces a murder charge, spends 1d3 days in jail, and is then sent 
  to Magnimar for trial.
  Ad Hoc Experience Award: If the PCs manage to navigate this 
  delicate encounter without hurting anyone and without disrupting 
  Vinder’s family, award them a CR 2 experience award.
  The Boar Hunt
  This event occurs whenever the PCs decide to pay a visit to the 
  Rusty Dragon to take up Aldern Foxglove’s invitation after they 
  saved him from certain “goblining.” If they don’t visit him, he seeks 
  them out 1d3 days after the goblin raid. Before he returns to his 
  townhouse in Magnimar in a few more days, he was hoping to go on 
  a boar hunt in nearby Tickwood, and would like to invite along the 
  PCs. If they decline the oﬀ er, he seems disappointed but covers it 
  quickly with a shrug. True to his word, he gives the PCs a reward of 
  50 gp for saving his life, then invites them to stop by his home in 
  Magnimar the next time they’re in town.
   
  If the PCs agree to the boar hunt, Aldern claps his hands in 
  delight. Aldern gladly buys each PC his own mount from Goblin 
  Squash Stables, then eagerly leads the PCs and his three manservants 
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  16
  ALDERN 
  FOXGLOVE
  west over Tanner’s Bridge and along the southern banks of the 
  Turandarok River.
   
  It’s a two mile ride to the Tickwood Ford, just north of the 
  upthrust limestone escarpment known as the Devil’s Platter. 
  Despite its ominous name, Tickwood is actually a relatively safe 
  woodland, one well known to be the home of wild boars, deer, and 
  perhaps one or two ﬁ repelt cougars—no goblin tribes dwell within 
  its boundaries.
  The ride to Tickwood takes about a half hour, 
  but you should take advantage of this time 
  to build up Aldern’s character. He’s a 
  charming conversationalist, well-read 
  and with a seemingly endless cache of 
  stories about the high life in Magnimar. 
  He’s more interested in the PCs, 
  though. Who are they? Where are they 
  from? How long have they been ﬁ ghting 
  goblins? Do they have any harrowing tales 
  of their adventures? In particular, Aldern 
  should be particularly interested in the PC 
  he was taken with in their previous encounter. 
  Preferably, this should be an attractive female 
  character, in which case his attention should 
  seem like friendly ﬂ irting. If instead his attentions 
  are on a character who seemed particularly good 
  at ﬁ ghting goblins, his attention should almost 
  seem like a desperate attempt to “learn how to be a 
  hero.” Play up his attention as friendly at ﬁ rst, but 
  by the time the PCs ﬁ nish the hunt, they should 
  feel a little bit annoyed or disturbed at Aldern’s 
  seemingly growing obsession.
   
  The object of Aldern’s obsession is destined to 
  learn just how dangerous this man is during the 
  course of the next adventure. For now, just make 
  sure the PCs know who Aldern is and that they 
  know he seemed to be a little bit too eager to make 
  friends with one of them.
   
  Feel free to make as much or as little of the 
  actual boar hunt as you wish. The boars of Tick-
  wood aren’t all that ﬁ erce—use stats for a dog 
  for the encounter, or simply describe the hunt 
  and the catch. Aldern invites them back to the 
  Rusty Dragon that evening, where he hands the 
  boar over to Ameiko to cook for a big dinner. You 
  can use this dinner to further build the doomed 
  noble’s obsession with his chosen PC as you see 
  ﬁ t. Of course, you can also use this dinner to 
  introduce the PCs to Ameiko, since she plays an important role 
  in the next part of this adventure.
  Monster in the Closet (EL 1)
  Alergast and Amele Barett are a typical Sandpoint family, with 
  two children (little Aeren and baby Verah) and a loyal family 
  dog named Petal. They were present at the Swallowtail Festival, 
  where Aeren saw a goblin light a cat on fire and then caper 
  around the burning remains—the poor boy really hasn’t been 
  the same since. Every night, his howls of terror send Petal into 
  a barking fit, and when his parents investigate, Aeren claims 
  a goblin came out of his closet. Alergast checked the closet 
  dutifully but found nothing, and ever since the kid’s complaints 
  about the “closet goblin” have grown more and more tiresome 
  to his parents. Yesterday, Alergast threatened to make Aeren 
  sleep in the woodshed if he couldn’t learn to “be a man” 
  and sleep through an entire night without crying and 
  telling stories.
  All of this is told to the PCs by a tearful 
  Amele Barett 2d4 evenings  after the gob-
  lin raid; she approaches the PCs in a panic, 
  clutching baby Verah to her chest with one 
  hand and clinging to the back of Aeren’s shirt 
  with the other. She goes on to say that, last 
  night, Alergast didn’t go to soothe Aeren when 
  he had his night terrors. But then, a few 
  moments later, they heard poor Petal cry 
  out in pain and Aeren’s screams turn shrill. 
  This time Aeren wasn’t just having night-
  mares. Amele pauses, takes a breath, and 
  then shows the PCs Aeren’s arms. They’re 
  covered with fresh goblin bites.
  When Alergast burst into the room, 
  he found a goblin crouched on his son’s 
  chest. Petal was dead, a knife deep in 
  his ear, and the goblin was frantically 
  trying to chew oﬀ  Aeren’s arm. Alergast 
  attacked the goblin and chased it back into 
  the closet, where it clambered into a hole 
  it had cleverly hidden under an old fur. 
  Alergast ﬂ ew into a rage, and as he started 
  tearing apart the closet in an attempt to 
  get at the goblin, Amele panicked and ﬂ ed 
  the house with her children to seek out the 
  PCs for aid.
  Creature: The goblin in the Barett 
  house is a commando named Gresgurt 
  who snuck into the building after the 
  raid turned sour. He found a loose floor-
  board in the closet, frantically hacked 
  an opening large enough for him to fit 
  into the enclosed crawlspace under the 
  house, and pulled a fur over the hole to 
  hide. He only intended to stay there for 
  a few hours until things died down outside, then planned on 
  sneaking out of town, but the exhaustion of the raid caught 
  up with him and he fell asleep. When he woke the next night 
  and tried to sneak out, he woke Petal and Aeren. As frightened 
  by the dog as the kid was of him, Gresgurt fled back into the 
  crawlspace, visions of the hateful and frightening dog filling 
  his little goblin mind. It seemed like every time Gresgurt peeked 
  SEEDS 
  OF 
  OBSESSION
  In “The Skinsaw Murders,” Aldern 
  is destined to become a monstrous 
  undead murderer, one who leaves 
  notes for the PC he’s become 
  obsessed with in this adventure. 
  Kudos to Richard Pett for coming up 
  with this creepy link between adven-
  tures, and rest assured that the more 
  you establish Aldern as a harmless 
  noble from the big city, the better. 
  The PCs shouldn’t expect him to 
  be a major part of the campaign, so 
  when they discover he is in fact one 
  of the primary villains of the next 
  adventure, the shock will be all the 
  more delightful.
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  out, that dog was there, ready to bark. Unable to escape for fear of 
  the dog, Gresgurt subsisted on spiders and worms plucked from 
  the dirt floor of the small crawlspace for days, and over those 
  days, his fear turned to anger. His driving desire shifted from 
  escape to a burning need to kill the dog. And yet, he had no 
  real weapons; he’d broken his horsechopper in his efforts to get 
  into the crawlspace below the house. All he had left were 
  fragments of the blade, one of which he used to build a crude 
  knife. Tonight, he emerged, killed Petal, and in his nearly 
  starved state tried to eat Aeren alive.
   
  When the PCs arrive at the Barett house, they ﬁ nd it disturbingly 
  silent. Upon reaching Aeren’s room, they ﬁ nd Alergast Barett on 
  his belly, as if he had crawled into the closet. In truth, he did just 
  that. In an attempt to kill the goblin, Alergast underestimated 
  the creature. When he reached down into the hole to try to grab 
  Gresgurt, the goblin jumped up and cut his throat. Ravenous, the 
  commando tried to haul Alergast’s body into the crawlspace to 
  eat it, but the body got stuck once he got the upper torso through 
  the hole.
   
  If the PCs pull back Alergast’s body, they find him to be 
  quite dead, the flesh of his face and upper torso eaten away. 
  An instant later, the insane goblin shrieks in rage at its stolen 
  dinner and leaps up out of the hole to attack. By this point, 
  Gresgurt’s long captivity in the crawlspace has left him almost 
  feral with hunger and fear, and he’s come to view the entire 
  house as his.
  GOING 
  TOO 
  FAR?
  Up to now, the goblins have been as much comic relief as they have 
  menaces. While the fate of the Baretts is grim and depressing, it serves 
  an important role: putting some fear into the game. It establishes 
  the goblins not only as dangerous creatures, but as remorselessly evil 
  little bastards. As the adventure progresses, the PCs should come to 
  think of goblins with equal parts dark humor and worry; sure, they’re 
  comedic in some ways, but they also eat babies. They’re vile monsters, 
  and it’s no good to have the primary villains of an adventure be nothing 
  more than a laughing stock.
   Nevertheless, for some game groups, this event might be a bit too 
  gruesome and depressing. In this case, feel free to have the PCs arrive 
  just in time as Alergast is being pulled into the goblin’s hole. He’s at –1 
  hit points, but if the PCs act fast, they can still save him from a tragic 
  fate. In the end, as long as the PCs remember that the goblins are as 
  dangerous as they are anything else, this encounter serves its purpose 
  regardless of how many NPCs you kill off.
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  G 
  CR 1
  Goblin ranger 1 (MM 133)
  AC 17, touch 14, ﬂ at-footed 14
  (+3 armor, +3 Dex, +1 size)
  hp 9; see page 13
  Melee knife +3 (1d3+1)
  Development: If the PCs kill Gresgurt, Amele is thankful until 
  she discovers her husband’s fate, whereupon she has a complete 
  breakdown. The PCs might be at a loss as to what to do with 
  the situation, but fortunately the commotion quickly summons 
  Sheriﬀ  Hemlock, who takes in the scene with his customary grim 
  expression. He thanks the PCs for helping and arranges to have 
  the Barett family stay at the cathedral for a few days. Amele’s 
  sister from Magnimar soon arrives in Sandpoint to take the dis-
  traught family back south to live with her. If the PCs are present 
  when she collects her sister’s broken family, she shoots them a 
  cold glare and mutters, “Too bad you heroes weren’t a bit more 
  thorough in your ‘heroing.’”
  Grim News from Mosswood
  Run this event when you feel the PCs have recovered from their 
  ordeal with the goblins and are ready to move on with the adven-
  ture. Shalelu Andosana (CG female elf ranger 2/ﬁ ghter 1) isn’t 
  quite a bounty hunter, a survivalist, or a mercenary, but a mix of all 
  three. The elven woman passes through town once or twice a sea-
  son to buy supplies and never remains more than a few days, always 
  staying at the same room at the Rusty Dragon free of charge. Near 
  the end of each visit, she meets with Sheriﬀ  Hemlock and Mayor 
  Deverin for a few hours at the garrison to give a report on the state 
  of the hinterlands before she leaves town again, a pouch of gold at 
  her side. Both Hemlock and Deverin value Shalelu’s reports, since 
  they provide a non-biased insight into how the local farmlands are 
  faring and keep the town council abreast of burgeoning dangers 
  in the region.
   
  Shalelu’s visit today to Sandpoint is unexpected—she last 
  passed through town only a month ago and wasn’t expected 
  until the last week of autumn. She dispenses with her visit to the 
  Sandpoint Market and the Rusty Dragon, instead requesting an 
  immediate meeting with Sheriﬀ  Hemlock and Mayor Deverin. 
  The unusual meeting and Shalelu’s ragged look combine to make 
  an already jumpy populace suspect that the woman brings news 
  of a new goblin threat.
   
  Sheriﬀ  Hemlock seeks out the PCs and asks them to join himself, 
  Mayor Deverin, and Shalelu at the town hall, explaining that he’s 
  got some news that might interest them. The meeting takes place 
  in a comfortable oﬃ  ce on the second ﬂ oor of the town hall. If they 
  haven’t met Kendra Deverin yet, Hemlock introduces the PCs to 
  the mayor and she gratefully thanks each of them for the help they 
  provided Sandpoint during the raid.
   
  Hemlock introduces Shalelu to the PCs as an “unoﬃ  cial mem-
  ber of Sandpoint’s town guard” (an introduction that causes the 
  elven woman to smirk) and the PCs to Shalelu as “Sandpoint’s 
  newest crop of heroes.” Hemlock explains that Shalelu has been 
  a thorn in the side of the local goblin tribes for years, and that 
  few in the region know more about them than her. He goes on 
  to recap her report that Sandpoint hasn’t been the only place in 
  the region that’s had goblin troubles. In short, there’s been an 
  increase in goblin-related raids along the Lost Coast Road, par-
  ticularly in the dale between Nettlewood and Mosswood. Only 
  a day ago, a farm south of Mosswood was burnt to the ground by 
  a group of goblins. Shalelu was thankfully nearby, and while the 
  farm couldn’t be saved, she did rescue the family and drive oﬀ  
  the goblins; the family is staying at a nearby farm for now, but the 
  goblin problem is obviously not going away.
   
  At this point, Hemlock cedes the ﬂ oor to Shalelu, asking her to 
  tell the PCs what she told him.
  “Belor’s told me of your work against the goblins—well done. 
  I’ve dedicated the last several years of my life to keeping 
  them from causing too much trouble around these parts, but 
  they’re tenacious and fecund little runts. Like weeds that bite.
  “Anyway, there’s ﬁ ve major goblin tribes in the region, and, traditionally, 
  they’re pretty good at keeping each other in line with intertribal squabbles 
  and the like. Yet from what I’ve been able to piece together, members of 
  all ﬁ ve tribes were involved in the raid on Sandpoint. A fair amount of the 
  Mosswood tribe goblins I dealt with yesterday were already pretty beat up, 
  and there was a lot of chatter about the ‘longshanks’ who killed so many 
  of them. Now that I’ve met you, it seems obvious from their descriptions 
  who they were talking about. Seems like you’ve made an impression.
  “In any event, the fact that the ﬁ ve tribes are working together disturbs 
  me. Goblin tribes don’t get along unless they’ve got something big 
  planned, and big plans require big bosses. I’m afraid that someone’s moved 
  in on the goblins and organized them. And judging by these recent raids, 
  what they’re organizing seems like bad news for all of us.”
   
  After Shalelu’s speech, Sheriﬀ  Hemlock announces that he’s taking 
  a few of his men south to Magnimar to see about securing additional 
  soldiers to station at Sandpoint for a few weeks, at least until the extent 
  of the goblin threat can be determined. While he’s out of town, he’s 
  asked Shalelu to sniﬀ  around Shank’s Wood, Devil’s Platter, and other 
  places where goblins live to see if she can discover anything else about 
  what’s going on. He would also like the PCs to maintain a public pres-
  ence in Sandpoint over the next few days, if they don’t mind. “The 
  locals seem to have taken to you,” he says, “And seeing you around 
  town will do a lot for keeping worries down over the next few days.” 
  Hemlock’s destined to run into a lot of red tape in Magnimar, and after 
  several days of frustrated dealings with city bueracracy, he returns to 
  Sandpoint with only a dozen green soldiers.
   
  Once the meeting is over, Shalelu asks to join the PCs for dinner 
  at the Rusty Dragon (or wherever else they may be staying); she’d 
  like to hear more from them about the Sandpoint raid, and in return 
  she’s got a fair amount of goblin lore she can impart to the PCs. 
  Beyond the “Ten Fun Facts about Goblins” listed in the foreword, 
  the elven ranger can reveal the following important tidbits about 
  local goblinoids.
  • Goblin Tribes: As she mentioned earlier, there are ﬁ ve major 
  goblin tribes in the region. The closest to Sandpoint are the 
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  SHALELU 
  ANDOSANA
  Birdcruncher goblins that live in caves along the western edge 
  of the Devil’s Platter, although traditionally these goblins are 
  the least aggressive of the ﬁ ve. To the south are the Licktoad
  goblins of the Brinestump Marsh, pests that are excellent 
  swimmers. East are the Seven Tooth goblins of Shank’s Wood, 
  goblins who’ve secured a place for themselves by raiding 
  Sandpoint’s junkyard and rebuilding the stolen refuse into 
  armor and weapons. Further east are the 
  Mosswood goblins, likely the largest 
  tribe but one traditionally held back by 
  feuding families within their own ranks. 
  And ﬁ nally, there are the 
  Thistletop goblins, who 
  live on the Nettlewood 
  coast atop a small island 
  that some say holds a 
  passing resemblance to 
  a decapitated head.
  • Goblin Heroes: Shalelu notes 
  that goblins generally live short, 
  violent lives. It’s unusual for a 
  single goblin to achieve any real 
  measure of notoriety, but when 
  one does, it’s well-earned. 
  Currently, ﬁ ve goblins 
  enjoy the status of “hero.” 
  Big Gugmut is an unusually 
  muscular and tall goblin from 
  Mosswood who, it is said, had a 
  hobgoblin for a mother and a wild boar 
  for a father. Koruvus was a champion 
  of the Seven Tooth tribe, who was as well 
  known for his short temper as he was for his prized 
  possession—a magic longsword sized for a human that the 
  goblin stubbornly kept as his own (despite the fact that it was 
  too large for him to properly wield). Koruvus vanished several 
  months ago after he supposedly discovered a “secret hideout” 
  in a cave along the cliﬀ s, but the Seven Tooth goblins remain 
  convinced that he’s out there still, a ghost or worse, waiting 
  to murder any goblin who tries to discover his hideout. Vorka
  is a notorious goblin cannibal who lives in the Brinestump 
  marsh, a “hero” mostly to goblins other than the Licktoad 
  tribe. Ripnugget is the current leader of the Thistletop 
  goblins and controls what the ﬁ ve tribes agree is the best lair. 
  And then there’s Bruthazmus, an infamous bugbear ranger 
  who lives in northern Nettlewood and often visits the ﬁ ve 
  tribes to trade things he’s stolen from caravans for alcohol, 
  news, or magic arrows. Shalelu notes that Bruthazmus has a 
  particular hatred of elves, and that they have fought on several 
  occasions. To date, neither of them has managed to get the 
  upper hand on the other, but Shalelu bitterly vows that she 
  won’t be the ﬁ rst to fall in their private war.
   
  Shalelu continues to have a presence throughout the Rise of 
  the Runelords Adventure Path; as with Sheriﬀ  Hemlock, Ameiko 
  Kaijitsu, and Father Zantus, you should use her as a recurring NPC 
  to keep the PCs invested in the region. She can become an ally of 
  the group, even joining them in their eﬀ orts against the goblins for 
  a time if you think they need a little extra help. She might develop 
  a romantic relationship with one of the PCs, especially if one of 
  them is of a like mind and shares her love of the natural world and 
  hatred of the goblins who squat in its tangled places.
  It’s likely that, after this event, the PCs will want to start 
  scouring the region for goblins and reasons for their 
  increased aggression, but you should use Hemlock’s 
  request for them to stay in town as an anchor for 
  now. Once the next chapter begins, the PCs will 
  have plenty to keep them busy in town before they 
  turn their attentions to the hinterlands.
  The Missing 
  Bartender
  Run this event in the morn-
  ing at some point after Sheriﬀ  
  Hemlock has left town to request 
  more soldiers from Magnimar. The 
  PCs are approached by a timid elderly 
  halﬂ ing woman named Bethana Corwin
  (NG female halﬂ ing commoner 1), a maid 
  who works for Ameiko Kaijitsu at the Rusty 
  Dragon. She’s obviously upset and asks to 
  speak to the PCs somewhere in private.
   
  In short, her employer has gone 
  missing. Bethana woke earlier this morning to 
  ﬁ nd that Ameiko hadn’t started breakfast for the 
  first time Bethana could remember. Worried, 
  she knocked on Ameiko’s door but didn’t get a 
  response. Against her better judgment, Bethana 
  entered Ameiko’s room to ﬁ nd it empty and the 
  bed un-slept in. Worse, she found a crumpled piece of parchment 
  near the bed—a note from Ameiko’s older brother Tsuto.
   
  At this point, Bethana hands the PCs the note. Although 
  it was written in Kaijitsu’s native tongue (likely to keep prying 
  eyes from reading it, Bethana muses), Ameiko had been teaching 
  Bethana the language over the last few years. The halﬂ ing has 
  helpfully translated the note’s message on the opposite side—this 
  note is reproduced as Handout #1.
   
  Bethana explains that Tsuto was something of a scandal when he 
  was born 21 years ago, since he’s a half-elf. Bethana sagely notes, 
  with big eyes, that neither of Ameiko’s parents are elves. It was 
  obvious that old Lonjiku wasn’t the boy’s father, and his rage at 
  the discovery of his wife’s indiscretion was the talk of the town for 
  months. Lonjiku’s wife Atsuii never revealed who the father was, 
  and it’s a testament to Lonjiku’s stubbornness that they remained 
  married. Tsuto was handed over to the Turandarok Academy to 
  be raised outside of the Kaijitsu family, ignored by his father and 
  forbidden visits from his mother. His older sister Ameiko visited 
  him in secret a few times a month to keep him company, bring him 
  some food, and promise him that someday things would get all 
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  sorted out. That all changed six years ago, when they had a terrible 
  argument in which Tsuto struck Ameiko. Bethana doesn’t know 
  what the argument was about, but whatever it was is what sent 
  Ameiko away from Sandpoint for a year, during which time she 
  made a living as an adventurer. She returned to Sandpoint ﬁ ve years 
  ago to attend her mother’s funeral. Tsuto was quite public in his 
  opinions that his father had pushed Atsuii oﬀ  the cliﬀ  to her death, 
  and during the funeral there was a confrontation. Lonjiku nearly 
  broke Tsuto’s jaw with his cane, after which Tsuto cursed him and 
  left Sandpoint. Ameiko’s tried to reestablish contact with him ever 
  since, but was never able to track him down.
   
  Bethana’s worried that Tsuto’s up to no good. Since Sheriﬀ  
  Hemlock’s out of town, the PCs are the only ones she can turn to. 
  She begs them to head over to the Glassworks and ﬁ nd out what 
  happened to Ameiko as soon as possible.
  PART THREE: GLASS AND 
  WRATH
  The process of glassmaking is as much an art as it is a craft, and one 
  that the Kaijitsu family has held pride in for several generations. After 
  the family was exiled from Tian Xia and made the perilous journey 
  over the crown of the world, they ﬁ nally settled in Magnimar, where 
  the family trade played a key role in their acceptance into society. 
  When the Sandpoint Mercantile League was established, the Kaijit-
  sus were there, and not long after Sandpoint was founded, they began 
  construction of what would become one of the town’s most unique 
  and proﬁ table businesses—the Sandpoint Glassworks.
   
  The three main components of glass are all found in abun-
  dance locally: sand, seaweed, and salt-resistant plants (the 
  ashes of which form an important reagent in the process), and 
  lime extracted from stone quarried from the cliffs of Devil’s 
  Platter and the Ashen Rise. All that remained was the technical 
  proficiency to work these components into glass. The fact that 
  the building’s basement once doubled as a smuggler’s base is 
  one of the Kaijitsu family’s best-kept secrets. Lonjiku’s more 
  scrupulous father put a stop to the smuggling operation and 
  bricked up the offending chambers in the basement not long 
  after he inherited the Glassworks 34 years ago, but knowledge 
  that the Glassworks was once a smuggling operation persisted 
  in the town’s hidden lore.
   
  Now the Glassworks is little more than a front for the machina-
  tions of a bitter, vengeful son. When Tsuto Kaijitsu joined Nualia’s 
  group in Magnimar a year ago, he was already in love with her. 
  He’d seen her on the streets of Sandpoint many times, but never 
  had the courage to approach the mysterious beauty. So when she 
  approached him with an oﬀ er of a job, he felt as if fate had ﬁ nally 
  dealt him a good hand. When he learned that her plans involved 
  burning his hometown as an oﬀ ering to her goddess, Lamashtu, 
  Tsuto was even more thrilled—not at the opportunity to serve the 
  goddess of monsters (Tsuto doesn’t have much interest in religion) 
  but as an opportunity to get revenge on the town he blamed for his 
  bitter and joyless childhood.
   
  Tsuto’s primary job was to serve as the link between Sand-
  point and Thistletop, since not only did he know the town the 
  best, but he had links to one of its most important citizens—his 
  father. After blackmailing Lonjiku into aiding the preparation 
  of Sandpoint for the goblin raid, Tsuto had his father right 
  where he wanted him. A few days after the raid, he sent his 
  father a note demanding a payment of 2,000 gp or Tsuto would 
  reveal his role in the raid. Infuriated, Lonjiku decided it was 
  time to take care of his son. He agreed to the payment, and 
  when he arrived at the Glassworks late one night several days 
  after the raid, he attempted to murder Tsuto. Unfortunately for 
  Lonjiku, Tsuto had come up with the same plan.  Before Lonjiku 
  arrived, the goblins killed all of the workers who lived on site. 
  Tsuto and a half-dozen goblins ambushed Lonjiku as he entered 
  the Glassworks, murdered him, and put his body on display 
  in area A17.
   
  His father dealt with, Tsuto sent a note to his sister, Ameiko, 
  the one person in Sandpoint he didn’t hate. He asked her to meet 
  him at the Glassworks the night after he murdered his father, 
  hoping to convince Ameiko to join Nualia’s band. Unfortunately, 
  he miscalculated his sister’s loyalty to Sandpoint, and when she 
  refused to join with him, he had his goblins beat her unconscious, 
  bound her, and locked her in area A21 below the Glassworks. He’s 
  not quite sure what to do with her and plans on heading back 
  north to Thistletop with her to ask Nualia for advice, intending 
  to leave the Glassworks an abattoir to further throw fear in to the 
  hearts of Sandpoint’s citizens.
  Hello, sis!
   
  I hope this letter ﬁ nds you well, and with 
  some free time on your hands, because we’ve got 
  something of a problem. It’s to do with father. 
  Seems that he might have had something to do 
  with Sandpoint’s recent troubles with the gob-
  lins, and I didn’t want to bring the matter to the 
  authorities because we both know he’d just weasel 
  his way out of it. You’ve got some pull here in 
  town, though. If you can meet me at the Glass-
  works at midnight tonight, maybe we can ﬁ gure 
  out how to make sure he faces the punishment he 
  deserves. Knock twice and then three times more 
  and then once more at the delivery entrance and 
  I’ll let you in.
   
  In any case, I don’t have to impress upon 
  you the delicate nature of this request. If news 
  got out, you know these local rubes would assume 
  that you and I were in on the whole thing too, 
  don’t you? They’ve got no honor at all around 
  these parts. I still don’t understand how you can 
  stand to stay here.
   
  Anyway, don’t tell anyone about this. 
  There are other complications as well, ones 
  I’d rather talk to you in person about tonight. 
  Don’t be late.
  Tsuto
  Handout 1
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  Investigating the Glassworks
  When the PCs arrive at the Glassworks, they ﬁ nd the building curi-
  ously silent. Neighbors have noticed the lack of traﬃ  c into and 
  from the building, but since the furnace chimney still plumes with 
  smoke, most assume that the building was simply closed to allow 
  Lonjiku and his workers some privacy while they worked on a big 
  project. A quick investigation of the building perimeter reveals 
  that curtains have been drawn over the windows and all the doors 
  are locked. The skylights above that look into areas A1 and A17 are 
  unobscured, and a character who makes a DC 20 Climb check to 
  get on the roof can look through them (which, in the case of A17, 
  reveals a gruesome sight indeed). The rumble of the Glassworks’ 
  furnace is plainly audible from within, but a character who listens 
  at any of the curtained windows along area A17 and makes a DC 12 
  Listen check can also hear what sounds like high-pitched giggles, 
  shrieks, and breaking glass.
   
  All of the external doors can be picked with a DC 20 Open Lock 
  check; battering them down takes a bit more work (Hardness 5, 
  hp 20, Break DC 23). In either case, such acts are quick to draw 
  gawkers eager to ﬁ nd out what Sandpoint’s new heroes are doing 
  trying to break into the Glassworks. A DC 15 Diplomacy check or 
  a successful Bluﬀ  or Intimidate check are more than enough to 
  calm the locals, especially given the odd fact that the Glassworks 
  should be open for business anyway. Several locals suggest that the 
  PCs head up to Kaijitsu Manor to talk to Lonjiku or his servants 
  rather than breaking into the place, but a trip up Schooner Gulch 
  Road to the manor reveals that none of the servants there have 
  seen Lonjiku since yesterday evening. They assume he’s working 
  down in the Glassworks and point to the smoke pouring out of its 
  chimney as proof. In fact, the Glassworks are now under the control 
  of Lonjiku’s treacherous son and his goblin allies.
  A1.  Display Room: This room contains a shop where customers 
  can browse the various glassware produced here. Bottles, 
  windowpanes, and glasswork art are the primary contents.
  A2.  Storeroom: Finished glassware products are stored here.
  A3.  Cleaning Closet: Cleaning supplies and tools like brooms 
  are kept here.
  A4.  Storeroom: Tools, clothing for servants, ﬁ rewood, and 
  other miscellaneous supplies are kept here.
  A5. Servant’s Quarters: Lonjiku’s staﬀ  of skilled laborers lives on 
  site; the eight workers sleep here. The beds are all in various 
  states of disarray and blood is spattered over the walls and 
  sheets. No bodies are apparent—they’ve been taken by the 
  goblins to area A17 after they murdered the sleeping workers 
  the night before.
  A6. Dining Room: The staﬀ  used this room to relax, eat, and 
  play cards in their oﬀ  hours. The room is a wreck—when 
  Tsuto’s goblins came through here, they made a mess of it.
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  A7.  Washroom: Contains several washtubs for bathing and 
  laundry; the small room nearby is a toilet.
  A8.  Kitchen: This is where the staﬀ  prepared their meals; the 
  goblins tore this place apart looking for food, and the room 
  is in disarray as a result.
  A9.  Pantry: This room is a mess; barrels and sacks of grain 
  and crates of dried ﬁ sh and venison have been completely 
  demolished, and most of the food is missing. A broken 
  dogslicer lies near the northern corner, discarded by one of 
  the goblins who ruined it trying to get at the food.
  A10.  Storeroom: This room contains several mounds of ﬁ rewood 
  for the kitchen stove.
  A11.  Meeting Room: The staﬀ  meets here to discuss work 
  schedules or large projects.
  A12.  Reception: Customers seeking custom glass jobs or 
  looking for business opportunities to export glass meet with 
  a representative here to arrange business.
  A13.  Oﬃ  ce: A smaller oﬃ  ce for more private meetings with 
  important customers.
  A14. Files: Several cabinets and shelves containing ﬁ les and 
  contracts with dozens of exporters and businesses from 
  Magnimar, Korvosa, and other local towns ﬁ ll this room.
  A15. Preparation: The primary agents for glassmaking (sand, soda 
  ash, and lime) are prepared here for use in area A17.
  A16. Loading Room: A wheelbarrow sits against a wall here, and 
  shelves on the walls contain additional reagents to create 
  diﬀ erent colors of glass (manganese for clear glass, cobalt 
  for blue, and tin for white glass; untreated glass is green, 
  while too much of any reagent makes black glass). A safe 
  on the ﬂ oor hangs open after Tsuto used his father’s key to 
  open it and stole the gold and silver used to make red and 
  yellow glass.
  A17.  Glassworking Room: A long furnace burns along the 
  southeast wall of this equally long room. Marble tables 
  sit throughout the chamber, used to work raw glass into 
  usable shapes, with nearby wooden tables cluttered with 
  various tools of the trade. The building’s furnace rumbles 
  loudly, causing any Listen checks made in this room to 
  take a –4 penalty. The main furnace burns at the northeast 
  end, a large chamber that utilizes alchemically treated 
  wood that burns with a hot blue light. The workers use 
  this room to melt glass, but Lonjiku also periodically 
  “rented” the furnace to Sczarni thugs for the disposal 
  of evidence, as the fires are hot enough to burn bones 
  and teeth. A creature pushed into the furnace takes 6d6 
  fire damage per round; fortunately the opening is narrow 
  enough to prevent a Medium creature from being pushed 
  inside too easily. As the furnace’s stone pipes run to the 
  southwest, they reach smaller and progressively cooler 
  furnaces used to keep glassworking projects at the 
  proper temperature; glass shatters if it’s allowed to cool 
  too quickly.
   
   
  When the PCs arrive, this room is a gruesome display 
  of goblin boredom. The bodies of the eight murdered 
  staﬀ ers lie in various stages of dismemberment; the goblins 
  have been burning legs and arms in the furnace with glee, 
  and pouring melted glass on the remains in an attempt to 
  duplicate Tsuto’s masterpiece. This would be his father’s 
  body, propped up in a chair in the central alcove and encased 
  in thick runny sheets of hardened glass.
   
   
  This is where the PCs are most likely to encounter 
  Tsuto’s goblins; see “Against the Goblins” for details on 
  this ﬁ ght.
  A18.  Stairs: This ﬂ ight of stairs leads down to the beach below.
  A19. Underground Storage: Crates and barrels. Used to store 
  sand and other raw materials. Two wheelbarrows sit against 
  the wall. Just east of the stairs up to area A18, a brick wall has 
  been dismantled to reveal an older passageway leading south.
  A20. Storage: This room is used to store glassware, windows, and 
  other ﬁ nished goods.
  A21.  Storage: The door to this room is locked. Although used as 
  a secondary storage room, Tsuto Kaijitsu has recently turned 
  it into an impromptu holding cell. His sister, Ameiko, lies on 
  her side on the ﬂ oor in here, bound at the wrists and ankles 
  with rope and blindfolded and gagged with strips of leather. 
  For more information about her reaction to being rescued, 
  see “Rescuing Ameiko.”
  A22.  Secret Oﬃ  ce: Once used by smugglers to track their illicit 
  businesses, this room has served Tsuto Kaijitsu for the past few 
  days as a place to orchestrate his actions in Sandpoint. After 
  murdering his father and imprisoning his sister, Tsuto drank 
  himself to sleep in this room. He likely wakes when a goblin 
  ﬂ eeing from the PCs races down here to warn him of trouble 
  (see “Against the Goblins”).
  A23. Smuggler’s Entrance: The long tunnel leading north from 
  this room winds through the bedrock below Sandpoint. 
  Built decades ago by smugglers, the tunnel remains stable 
  and serviceable as it winds on a lazy northeasterly route 
  for just over 1,750 feet before reaching a dead end. A DC 
  20 Search check reveals a secret door that opens into a 
  30-foot-diameter cave on the side of the cliﬀ  overlooking 
  the Varisian Bay. The cave mouth slopes down to a narrow 
  beach; no Survival check is required to note the crude 
  collection of goblin beds or remnants of their meals 
  strewn about the cave.
   
  Along the tunnel’s southern half, two side tunnels branch oﬀ . 
  One of these leads east to a collapse after 400 feet (it once led all 
  the way to the Turandarok River), but the one to the west seems 
  to have once been bricked over at the point where it diverges 
  from the main tunnel. This westerly passageway winds for 50 
  feet before turning north for another 100 feet. This tunnel was 
  an attempt to break into what the smugglers assumed would be 
  the garrison basement, so that they could smuggle prisoners out 
  for great proﬁ t. Yet what they discovered were the Catacombs of 
  Wrath, and what the smugglers found there convinced them to 
  brick up the tunnel and never speak of it again. The brick wall was 
  torn down recently on Nualia’s return to the area, after which she 
  established contact with the quasit queen of the catacombs.
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  23
  TSUTO 
  KAIJITSU
  Against the Goblins (EL 3)
  In all, there are eight goblins in the Glassworks. If the PCs follow 
  the sound of breaking glass and their evil little shrieks, they ﬁ nd 
  them capering and deﬁ ling the bodies of the murdered workers in 
  area A17. Unless the PCs are particularly noisy, they should be able 
  to reach area A17 without alerting the goblins. Give the PCs the 
  advantage of a surprise round against the little monsters, because 
  once the battle begins, things can get ugly quickly.
   
  Keep in mind that this ﬁ ght is in a glassworking factory. The gob-
  lins are masters of improvisational ﬁ ghting, and are quick to use the 
  environs of the room to their advantage in the following ways.
  • Some goblins use tongs dripping with molten glass as improvised 
  weapons to burn the PCs.
  • A goblin might attempt to trip a PC; if he falls prone, three goblins 
  pile onto him and attempt to carry him into the furnace. Chances 
  of this succeeding are nil as long as the PC isn’t helpless, but it 
  should give the PCs a bit of a hair-raising time nevertheless—
  especially if the PC being fed into the furnace is unconscious.
  • Goblins who can’t reach a PC in melee throw bottles or sling 
  panes of glass at them as improvised ranged attacks.
  • As the battle progresses, feel free to mark certain squares 
  as containing broken glass. Treat these squares as if they 
  contained caltrops.
  G (8) 
  CR 1/3
  Goblin warrior 1 (MM 133)
  hp 5 each
  Melee dogslicer +2 (1d4+1/19–20) or
  tongs of molten glass –2 touch (1d4 ﬁ re)
  Ranged hurled glassware –1 (1d3)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The goblins are still riding the high from killing the 
  staﬀ , and react to the PCs’ arrival with excitement. Most of them 
  ﬁ ght with dogslicers, but one or two goblins attack the PCs using  
  tongs dripping with molten glass.
  Morale Once at least ﬁ ve are dead, one of the surviving goblins 
  recognizes the PCs, drops his weapon, and shrieks out (in Goblin), 
  “Wait! It’s those longshanks what stopped the raid! Run for your 
  lives!” The remaining goblins panic and ﬂ ee for the basement, 
  seeking to regroup below with Tsuto. Once at his side, the goblins 
  ﬁ ght until he is defeated, at which point any surviving goblins ﬂ ee 
  down the smuggler’s tunnel or cower and beg for mercy.
  T K 
  CR 3
  Male half-elf rogue 1/monk 2
  LE Medium humanoid (elf)
  Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Listen +3, Spot +3
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 15, ﬂ at-footed 13
  (+2 Dex, +1 deﬂ ection, +2 Wis)
  hp 12 (1d6+2d8–3)
  Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +5; +2 vs. enchantment
  Defensive Abilities Dodge, evasion; Immune sleep
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft.
  Melee unarmed strike +3 (1d6+1) or
  ﬂ urry of blows +1/+1 (1d6+1)
  Ranged composite shortbow +3 (1d6+1/×3)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6
  TACTICS
  During Combat Tsuto’s main advantage in battle is his mobility. He 
  uses Tumble to move around the battleﬁ eld and ﬂ anks foes with his 
  goblins as he can. When facing spellcasters, he uses his stunning ﬁ st 
  to keep them occupied. He only resorts to a ﬂ urry of blows when 
  he’s surrounded or backed into a corner.
  Morale If brought below 8 hit points, or if all of his goblins are slain, 
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  Tsuto runs for his life down the smuggler’s tunnel, abandoning all 
  thought of returning to Nualia with his sister in tow and ﬂ eeing back 
  to Thistletop.
  STATISTICS
  Str 12, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 10
  Base Atk +1; Grp +2
  Feats Deﬂ ect Arrows, Dodge, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse
  Skills Balance +4, Bluﬀ  +5, Diplomacy +8, Disable Device +6, Disguise 
  +4 (+6 acting), Gather Information +6, Intimidate +6, Jump +3, 
  Open Lock +6, Perform (wind instruments) +6, Search +5, Tumble +8
  Languages Common, Elven, Goblin
  SQ trapﬁ nding
  Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds; Other Gear composite 
  shortbow (+1 Strength), ring of protection +1, masterwork thieves’ 
  tools, masterwork ﬂ ute, silver earrings (25 gp for the pair), journal, 
  6 pouches of gold dust worth 50 gp each, 8 pouches of silver dust 
  worth 5 gp each, 10 pp
  Interrogating Tsuto
  Although the goblins know close to nothing if captured and inter-
  rogated, Tsuto is a diﬀ erent story. His loyalty to Nualia is unwav-
  ering, and unless the PCs use magical means like charm person to 
  secure his cooperation, he remains silent in the face of any attempt 
  to get him to talk. He attempts to escape at the ﬁ rst opportunity, 
  but if faced with no other option, tries to take his own life, trusting 
  (erroneously) that when she grows powerful enough, Nualia will 
  bring him back from the dead.
   
  Tsuto’s journal likely proves a better source of information. This 
  small, leather-bound booklet contains two dozen parchment pages, 
  most of which Tsuto has ﬁ lled with maps of Sandpoint or erotic 
  drawings of Nualia (who can be recognized as the presumed-dead 
  adopted daughter of Father Tobyn with a DC 15 Knowledge [local] 
  check). The maps each depict diﬀ erent attack plans. The ﬁ rst set 
  shows the attack plans for a group of thirty goblins—one of these 
  battle maps is circled, and the PCs should recognize it as the attack 
  the goblins made on Sandpoint at the start of the adventure. Of 
  more pressing concern are the next several pages, which illus-
  trate an assault on Sandpoint by a force of what appears to be two 
  hundred goblins. None of these are circled, and while many are 
  scratched out as if they’ve been rejected, the implications should 
  be ominous nonetheless.
   
  Most of the drawings of Nualia do not depict her with her demonic 
  hand, although one on the last pages of the book depicts her with 
  demonic hands, bat wings, horns, a forked tail, and fangs.
   
  Three short passages in the notebook contain information of 
  particular interest to the PCs—these are reproduced on page 25 
  as Handout #2. 
   
  If the PCs secure Tsuto’s cooperation via magic, he can be 
  a font of information, revealing the entirety of Nualia’s plans, 
  her current location, and even information on Thistletop’s 
  layout and defenses. If asked about his journal, he confirms 
  that Nualia plans to offer Sandpoint as a burning sacrifice to 
  Lamashtu in return for a transformation from the angelic to 
  demonic, a ritual she’s already begun by burning Father Tobyn’s 
  remains. He doesn’t know much about the creature she calls 
  “Malfeshnekor,” only that it’s some monster that she believes 
  is imprisoned somewhere below Thistletop and that releasing 
  and recruiting it will make their coming raid on Sandpoint a 
  guaranteed success.
  Rescuing Ameiko
  If for some reason the PCs wait until after sunset to investigate 
  the Glassworks, Tsuto and his goblins have returned to Thistletop; 
  Ameiko is placed in a cell in area D9 and if the PCs don’t rescue her 
  in a few days, she is eventually sacriﬁ ced to Lamashtu in area D12, 
  yet another burnt oﬀ ering to appease Nualia’s wrath.
   
  Ameiko is conscious but badly wounded, stable at –2 hit 
  points and in no shape to aid the PCs unless they can heal her. 
  Even if healed, though, she remains distraught at her brother’s 
  treachery. Tsuto revealed to Ameiko that he and several other 
  mercenaries were led by Nualia and hinted that she’s got big 
  plans for Sandpoint’s future. Tsuto warned Ameiko that she 
  didn’t want to be in town when those plans came through, and 
  offered her a chance to join his group at Thistletop. Ameiko 
  recoiled at the suggestion and slapped her brother in shock 
  that he’d sunk to such a low. He responded by unleashing his 
  goblins on her. They overwhelmed her and left her here. She’s 
  grateful for the PCs’ rescue, but is eager to leave and warn her 
  father. If the PCs don’t break the bad news to her, she learns 
  soon enough, taking the news stoically.
   
  In adventures to come, as Ameiko becomes the heritor of 
  the Kaijitsu holdings in Sandpoint, how the PCs treat her in this 
  encounter can spell the diﬀ erence between having an ally or enemy 
  among Sandpoint’s nobility.
  Catacombs of Wrath
  This site was originally a laboratory and prison run by a cruel 
  man named Xaliasa, a man who had given his soul to the demon 
  Lamashtu in return for eldritch and dark powers. He was a thau-
  maturge in the service of Runelord Alaznist, but unknown to her, 
  Xaliasa was also a secret assassin pledged to Karzoug. Working as 
  a double agent eventually drove Xaliasa mad, and he came to be 
  known to his minions as the Scribbler. He perished in the now 
  inaccessable lower levels of the Catacombs when Thassilon fell 
  and Alaznist’s empire sank under the sea. Yet not all of his minions 
  perished—his quasit familiar Erylium survived.
   
  After spending centuries alone and trapped in the dark cata-
  combs, the quasit Erylium went somewhat insane. Originally 
  obsessed with escaping, she eventually came to see the complex 
  as her own private empire. The zombies imprisoned in area B9
  became her subjects, and the vargouille guardian of area B4 her 
  pet. She poured over the crumbling texts and notes left behind 
  by her thaumaturge master, and eventually became a thaumaturge 
  herself, selecting Lamashtu as her demonic patron as had her 
  master so long ago. And for thousands of years more, Erylium 
  ruled her tiny realm with petty cruelty and glee.
   
  When smugglers broke into the Catacombs four decades ago, 
  they caught Erylium off guard. Rather than attempt to trick the 
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  25
  25
  ERYLIUM
  intruders into serving her, she attacked them and scared them 
  off. By the time she’d recovered from her triumphant celebra-
  tions, they’d already bricked up her escape route. Yet the event 
  had done the trick and broken the quasit out of her madness.
   
  Over the next four decades, she listened for countless hours 
  at the top of the ruined stairs, eager to learn more of those 
  whom she soon came to think of as the Enemy Above. Every 
  week, Erylium used her commune ability to learn more and more 
  about Sandpoint from her demonic patron. As the years wore 
  on, Lamashtu’s cryptic responses led Erylium to believe that 
  something was coming, something that would provide her with 
  a real army, and that her general was even now being groomed 
  by Lamashtu for her glory.
   Five years ago, the runewell of wrath mysteriously reactivated. 
  Erylium saw this as a sign, and used the runewell to call forth several 
  monsters called sinspawn to aid her in the times to come. Soon 
  thereafter, Lamashtu revealed that Erylium’s general was nearly 
  ready, but that it fell to Erylium to recruit her. She would know her 
  by her silver hair and violet eyes, a rarity in the world above. When 
  Nualia arrived not long thereafter, a fresh convert to Lamashtu’s 
  side, Erylium took to the role of mentor with pride. The quasit 
  knows that soon her empire shall grow.
  B1. Guard Cave (EL 2)
  Creature: A sinspawn dwells in this cave, charged by Erylium to 
  guard the approach to her realm. The sinspawn does its job admirably, 
  standing at its post for hours at a time until it is relieved by another.
  S 
  CR 2
  hp 19; see page 90
  After the circled battle map:
  The raid went about as planned. Few Thistletop goblins perished, and we were able to secure 
  Tobyn’s casket with ease while the rubes were distracted by the rest. I can’t wait until the real 
  raid. This town deserves a burning, that’s for sure.
  After the last of the second batch of maps:
  Ripnugget seems to favor the overwhelming land approach, but I don’t think it’s the best plan. 
  We should get the quasit’s aid. Send her freaks up from below via the smuggling tunnel in my 
  father’s Glassworks, and then invade from the river and from the Glassworks in smaller but more 
  focused strikes. The rest except Bruthazmus agree, and I’m pretty sure the bugbear’s just being 
  contrary to annoy me. My love’s too distracted with the lower chambers to make a decision. Says 
  that once Malfeshnekor’s released and under her command, we won’t need to worry about being 
  subtle. I hope she’s right.
  Before the last illustration depicting Nualia as a succubus:
  My love seems bent on going through with it—nothing I can say convinces her of her beauty. 
  She remains obsessed with removing what she calls her ‘celestial taint’ and replacing it with her 
  Mother’s grace. Burning her father’s remains at the Thistletop shrine seems to have started the 
  transformation, but I can’t say her new hand is pleasing to me. Hopefully 
  when she offers Sandpoint to Lamashtu’s ﬁ res, her new body won’t be as 
  hideous. Maybe I’ll luck out. Succubi are demons too, aren’t they?
  Handout 2
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  B2. Old Storeroom
  The original purpose of this chamber is unclear, but large mounds of rubble 
  lie strewn on its ﬂ oor. The wall to the west has been torn down to reveal 
  a tunnel leading to the west.
   
  An investigation of the rubble reveals that most of it seems to 
  have consisted of broken urns and other pottery containers that 
  once held food stores, long since crumbled to dust.
  B3. Welcoming Chamber
  A red marble statue of a strikingly beautiful but, at the same 
  time, monstrously enraged human woman stands in the middle 
  of this room, her stony expression twisted in fury. The woman 
  wears flowing robes, and her long hair is held back from her 
  face by an intricate headdress of hooks and blades. In her left 
  hand she carries a large book, the face of which is inscribed 
  with a seven-pointed star. Her right hand holds a glittering metal 
  and ivory ranseur.
   
  The statue depicts Runelord Alaznist, identiﬁ able as such with 
  a DC 35 Knowledge (history) check.
  Treasure: The masterwork ranseur can be removed with a little 
  tugging. As a replica of Runelord Alaznist’s signature weapon, the 
  ranseur is a work of art as much as a weapon. It’s worth 400 gp.
  B4. Washing Pool (EL 2)
  Water ripples quietly in a circular stone pool lined with skulls here. Smears 
  of what looks like blood mar the pool’s rim in places.
   
  This pool was once used as a place to wash the grime of the world 
  above from the feet of visitors to the Catacombs of Wrath. Once an 
  hour, the waters of the pool magically replenish and are puriﬁ ed. 
  The blood on the pool’s rim was left by several of the sinspawn that 
  have taken to using the pool as a watering hole.
  Creature: This approach to the Catacombs of Wrath is still 
  guarded by an ancient creature, a hideous vargouille that generally 
  rests in the shadows near the wall. The monster was placed here by 
  the Scribbler, and over the centuries has remained, patiently waiting 
  for a release from its duties and eager to attack anything that enters 
  the room that doesn’t bear the stink of Lamashtu on its skin.
  V 
  CR 2
  hp 5; (MM 254)
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  B5. Stairs
  A ﬂ ight of spiral stairs winds up around a circular pillar into darkness above.
   
  These stairs once led up to a small vault on the surface, but 
  when Thassilon fell, that structure collapsed. If the PCs somehow 
  manage to dig their way up through the 30 feet of rock between 
  the top of the stairs and the surface, they ﬁ nd themselves 
  emerging in an alley in the cluster of buildings between Tower 
  Street and Junker’s Way.
  B6. Ancient Prison (EL 4)
  This large chamber was obviously once a prison, as testified by the 
  nearly two dozen cells that line the room’s perimeter. A rickety wooden 
  platform overlooks the room, with two flights of stairs descending to 
  the prison floor ten feet below. A five-foot-wide wooden walkway runs 
  from the northern edge of the platform to a passageway to the east.
   
  As its appearance suggests, this room was indeed used to keep 
  prisoners, mostly agents of Shalast who ventured too close to 
  Bakrakhani holdings. Skeletons lie in most of the cells, prisoners 
  who starved to death ages ago. Although the walkway above the 
  room looks rickety, it’s actually quite stable.
  Creatures: Two sinspawn wait here. If the alarm is raised, 
  they’ve hidden themselves in the rafters just under the plat-
  form, waiting to reach up and attack anyone who comes too 
  close to the edge. If the alarm isn’t raised, the sinspawn are 
  bickering in the eastern part of the room over a collection of 
  skulls, tearing and biting at each other enough to cause wounds 
  but never so much that their fast healing can’t keep them alive 
  and conscious.
  S (2) 
  CR 2
  hp 19; see page 90
  B7. Interrogation Chamber
  This room contains several ancient relics of what appear to be torture 
  implements, although their function and style seem strange and archaic. 
  In one corner sits a spherical cage with spikes protruding inward from its 
  iron bars. In another stands what appears to be a star-shaped wooden 
  frame, its surface studded with hooks. And in the center of the room is a 
  long table covered with leather straps and a number of cranks that seem 
  designed to rotate and swivel.
   
  All of the torture devices here saw plenty of use back in Thassi-
  lon’s day, but are far too decayed or rusted to be much use today.
  B8. Ancient Study
  The crumbling remnants of several chairs and a long table clutter the ﬂ oor 
  of this room. To the south stand three stone doors, each bearing a strange 
  symbol that resembles a seven-pointed star.
   
  This room once served as a study, but time (and Erylium’s centu-
  ries of frustration) have taken their toll here. A search of the rubble 
  uncovers the fragments of countless books and scrolls with bits of 
  spiky writing in a strange language all over them. These were once 
  part of the Scribbler’s library, and taught Erylium much of what she 
  knows today as a thaumaturge, but are now useless.
   
  The three doors to the south were once prison cells. Within each 
  is a single skeleton of a badly deformed humanoid; one has three 
  arms, another has an enormous misshapen skull, and the third has 
  a ribcage that goes all the way down to its pelvis—a pelvis with 
  stunted legbones strewn below its strangely ﬂ at girth.
  Treasure: A DC 20 Search of the torn-up pages uncovers a 
  single intact scroll under a broken chair. The writing on this scroll 
  seems strange and archaic, and attempts to decipher the spell via 
  a Spellcraft check suﬀ er a –10 penalty unless the reader can read 
  Thassilonian. Read magic works normally to reveal the fact that it’s 
  a scroll of ﬂ aming sphere (CL 5th).
  B9. Prisoner Pits (EL 4)
  The ceiling of this strangely cold chamber arches to a vaulted height of 
  twenty feet. The floor contains eleven wooden lids strewn haphazardly 
  over eleven five-foot-wide pits in the ground. From the darkness within 
  these pits echo up strange shuffling sounds and, every so often, a 
  low moan.
   
  Each of the pits is 20 feet deep. The wooden covers over the 
  top of each are quite fragile, and collapse if anyone walks on 
  them. A DC 15 Reﬂ ex save allows a character to leap to safety in an 
  adjacent square, otherwise a 20-foot fall into the pit below is only 
  the beginning of the victim’s problems.
  Creatures: Each of these pits contains a single human zombie, 
  a pitiful creature left over from an age thousands of years in the 
  past, their ﬂ esh maintained by necromantic magic. These zombie 
  pits once served as yet another way the Bakrakhani tormented their 
  prisoners, yet now, they serve only as Erylium’s playthings.
  A 
  SEMI-OPTIONAL 
  DUNGEON
  It’s possible for your PCs to completely miss the Catacombs 
  of Wrath and to move on to Thistletop after dealing with Tsuto. 
  If they do, don’t worry. As presented here, player curiosity is 
  expected to compel your PCs into this dungeon, but if they 
  don’t take the bait, information they uncover later in the adven-
  ture should send them back here. In the end, the Catacombs of 
  Wrath are optional; they play a much more important role in the 
  fifth chapter of Rise of the Runelords, and exploring them now 
  is a great way to foreshadow “Sins of the Saviors.” It’s also a 
  great way to give your PCs a little bit more XP so that Thistletop 
  doesn’t completely murder them.
   If your PCs miss the catacombs, consider having one or two 
  sinspawn clamber up into Sandpoint later in the adventure to raise 
  a little hell. When the PCs defeat them, tracking the strange mon-
  sters back to the Glassworks and thence to the catacombs should 
  lead the PCs into these chambers with ease.
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  After Nualia opened the Catacombs of Wrath, very few creatures 
  wandered into the dungeon from the hidden smuggler’s tunnel 
  entrance. One of them, though, was a goblin hero of the Seven 
  Tooth tribe named Koruvus. When he discovered the secret tun-
  nel, he brashly declared to the other goblins that he was going to 
  explore it, loot the pirate treasure doubtless hidden within, and 
  come back to take over the Seven Tooth tribe. He never returned, 
  but the Seven Tooth goblins expect him to do so any day.
   
  In fact, Koruvus stumbled into the Catacombs of Wrath and 
  drank from the waters atop the altar at B12, whereupon he 
  was twisted into a monstrous, insane mockery by the fickle 
  cruelty of Lamashtu’s whims. He’s come to see Erylium as his 
  new queen, and follows her orders slavishly. The quasit was 
  initially amused by this development, but it didn’t take her long 
  to grow tired of Koruvus’s loud nature and she ordered him to 
  guard her flock in area B9. Koruvus does so obsessively, leaving 
  only to drink from the fountain at B4 or to scavenge rats in the 
  smuggler’s tunnels for food when he can’t stand the hunger 
  pangs any longer.
  K 
  CR 3
  Male mutated goblin ﬁ ghter 2
  CE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen –1, Spot –1
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 11, ﬂ at-footed 14
  (+4 natural, +1 Dex)
  hp 24 (2d10+9); fast healing 1
  Fort +6, Ref +1, Will –1
  Immune acid, mind-aﬀ ecting eﬀ ects, paralysis, poison
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft.
  Melee +1 longsword +3 (1d8+5/19–20) and
   
  mwk handaxe +3 (1d6+2/×3) and
   
  silver dagger +2 (1d4+1/19–20)
  Special Attack breath weapon
  TACTICS
  During Combat Koruvus takes his duty as guardian of this chamber 
  seriously, and immediately attacks anyone who enters the room. 
  He uses his breath weapon on the ﬁ rst round of combat, then 
  moves in to engage the largest, most dangerous-looking foe with 
  his weapons.
  Morale Koruvus ﬁ ghts to the death, and pursues foes all the way to the 
  glassworks or the northern exit if necessary before returning here.
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  29
  29
  KORUVUS
  STATISTICS
  Str 19, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 3, Wis 8, Cha 10
  Base Atk +2; Grp +6
  Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Toughness
  Skills Intimidate +5
  Languages Common, Goblin
  Other Gear +1 longsword, masterwork handaxe, silver dagger
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Breath Weapon (Su) Once every 1d4 rounds, Koruvus can spew a 20-
  foot-long line of foul-smelling and acidic blood from his mouth.  Any 
  creatures in this area take 2d4 points of acid damage (DC 13 Reﬂ ex 
  half). A creature that takes damage from the foul-smelling acid must 
  also make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The 
  save DCs are Constitution-based.
  Z (11) 
  CR 1/2
  hp 16 each; (MM 266)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The zombies cannot escape their pits, but if they sense 
  life in the room above, they wail and cry out.
  Morale Zombies ﬁ ght to the death.
  Ad Hoc Experience Award: Characters can kill the 
  zombies with ease using ranged weapons, and as such 
  should be awarded a CR 1 experience award in all for 
  killing them.
  B10. Blocked Stairs
  This ﬂ ight of spiral stairs once led down to even deeper 
  complexes below Sandpoint, but like the ﬂ ight of stairs 
  leading up from area B5, the ancient cataclysm has 
  closed this route.
  B11. Meditation Chamber
  This strange room consists of a fifteen-foot-diameter sphere. 
  Several objects float in the room, spinning lazily in space—a 
  ragged book, a scroll, a bottle of wine, a dead raven surrounded 
  by a halo of floating and writhing maggots, and a twisted iron wand 
  with a forked tip. Yet perhaps the most unnerving aspect of the 
  room is the walls, for they are plated in sheets of strange red metal 
  that ripple every once in a while with silent black electricity that seems 
  to coalesce into strange runes or even words far too often for the 
  effect to be chance.
   
  This unusual room still bears a magical eﬀ ect placed here long 
  ago. Any creature or object that enters the room is immediately 
  aﬀ ected by a levitate spell and ﬂ oats in the air. The Scribbler found 
  levitation to be an excellent way to relax, but was unable to cast the 
  spell himself and so hired one of Alaznist’s apprentices to create 
  this room for him.
   
  Erylium spends a few hours a day here, drinking and snacking 
  on maggots while she reads her favorite book, but she is currently 
  located in area B13.
   
  This room was important to the Scribbler in life, and in his 
  unquiet rest, his spirit still manifests here as the crackling light-
  ing. Someone who can read Thassilonian script may recognize 
  snatches of words here and there in these shapes, words having 
  to do with anger, wrath, and a need for revenge, but never any-
  thing close to a full thought. The Scribbler’s spirit was stirred 
  to wakefulness by the reactivation of the runewell in area B13, 
  and while his spirit is not fully aware or able to interact with the 
  world of the living yet, it will be soon enough. More informa-
  tion about the Scribbler can be found in chapter five of Rise 
  of the Runelords, “Sins of the Saviors”—for now, the lightning 
  should seem like nothing more than one more strange feature 
  of these peculiar chambers.
  Treasure: The bottle of wine was brought to Erylium by Tsuto 
  several hours ago as a gift. The scroll is an arcane scroll of burning 
  hands (CL 3rd). As with the scroll in area B8, this scroll is archaic 
  and diﬃ  cult to decipher without magic.
   
  The book is a magically preserved but still ancient prayer book 
  dedicated to the worship of Lamashtu, the Mother of Monsters. 
  Written in Abyssal, this well-read tome is Erylium’s pride and joy, 
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  the most important of her belongings. The book reads as much like 
  a bestiary of the world’s most horriﬁ c and cruel monsters (along 
  with numerous woodcut illustrations of how they kill) as it does a 
  religious text. The book is worth 100 gp.
   
  The iron wand is a wand of shocking grasp (28 charges) that Erylium 
  knows is magic but can’t use—she plans on someday using it to 
  bargain for a magic wand that she can use.
  B12. Shrine to Lamashtu
  The tunnel widens here into what appears to have once been a small shrine, 
  for to the northeast steps lead up to a platform of gray stone. Sitting atop 
  the platform is an ancient altar, little more than a jagged block of black 
  marble with a shallow concavity on top of it. This basin is ﬁ lled with what 
  appears to be ﬁ lthy water.
   
  Unlike the other Runelords, Alaznist was a woman of faith—faith 
  in ruin, devastation, and wrath. She did not worship one demon, 
  but drew inspiration from all of them. She encouraged her minions 
  to venerate demons as well—she cared not who they revered, as 
  long as they were destructive. 
   
  The demon queen Lamashtu, then not quite ascended to full 
  divinity, was a favorite choice—she was certainly the Scribbler’s 
  patron. The Scribbler used this altar to commune with Lamashtu—
  Erylium uses the altar for the same purpose, and it was here that she 
  baptized Nualia and began to teach her.
   
  The liquid pooled atop the altar is an unholy manifestation that 
  appears on altars sacred to Lamashtu under the right conditions. 
  Known as the Waters of Lamashtu, this liquid can be bottled and 
  used as unholy water. If a creature drinks directly from the altar, he 
  must make a DC 14 Fortitude save. Success indicates the creature 
  becomes violently ill, vomits the ﬂ uid, and is sickened for 2d4 
  hours. Failure indicates the water takes root and drives the vic-
  tim mad, inﬂ icting 2d6 points of Intelligence damage. A creature 
  reduced to 0 Intelligence undergoes a horriﬁ c transformation as 
  the Waters of Lamashtu unmake him and then reform him into a 
  monstrous, deformed parody of his previous form. His Intelligence 
  score heals normally, but his new maximum Intelligence is 3. Each 
  of these deformities is unique, representing the victim’s “inner 
  monster;” an example of what the waters have wrought on a par-
  ticularly violent goblin are presented above in Koruvus’s stat block. 
  This condition can be removed with a remove curse or break enchant-
  ment spell against CL 14th. In any event, a creature transformed by 
  this remains a feral puppet of Lamashtu until cured or slain.
   
  There’s enough water to aﬀ ect one drinker or to bottle 4 vials of 
  unholy water. As long as a thaumaturge of Lamashtu performs the 
  correct daily rituals at the altar, the ﬂ uid replenishes at the rate of 
  one vial’s worth per 2d6 months.
  B13. Cathedral of Wrath (EL 5)
  This huge room looks like nothing more than an immense underground cathe-
  dral. Stone doors stand to either side of the main entrance, but beyond this, 
  the walls are carved with strange, spiky runes. In the center of the room is a 
  large pool, a ring of polished human skulls balanced on stone spikes arranged 
  in a circle around the deeper midsection. At the far end of the room, a pair 
  of stone stairways leads up to a pulpit on which sits a second pool, this one 
  triangular and ﬁ lled with churning, bubbling water that looks almost like 
  translucent lava. Yet while wisps of what look like heat and steam rise from 
  the strange orange liquid, the room itself is deathly cold.
   
  While Runelord Alaznist encouraged the veneration of demons, 
  her true faith lay in the purity of wrath. And thus, at each of her 
  most important holdings, she made sure to place a “shrine” to her 
  favored sin in the form of a minor runewell. Less potent than those 
  used by the other runelords, but more numerous, the runewells of 
  wrath allowed communication between those stationed at distant 
  locations. In addition, they were empowered with the capacity to 
  harvest wrath from the souls of the dead so as to create her favored 
  shock troops—sinspawn. When Karzoug activated his much more 
  powerful runewell ﬁ ve years ago, the lesser runewell in this room 
  ﬂ ared back to life. Ever since, Erylium has taken care to nurture it. 
  Its magic had been waning, but the recent slaughter of so many gob-
  lins above has done wonders to recharge the pool’s wrath, and now 
  it glows and bubbles nearly as much as when it was ﬁ rst reactivated 
  years ago. Erylium hopes that when Nualia leads the second, “real” 
  assault on Sandpoint—the number of goblins slaughtered alone 
  will give Erylium enough sinspawn to expand her own army into 
  the world above and begin harvesting more victims to transform 
  into new sinspawn.
   
  When the runewell was reactivated, it became infused with ambi-
  ent wrath. Every time a creature with a wrathful soul (including 
  most goblins and quite a few of the victims murdered years ago by 
  Stoot) dies within a mile of the runewell, it gains one “wrath point.” 
  There’s no limit to the number of wrath points the well can store, 
  but it currently contains only 20. Each time the well’s waters are 
  tapped (as detailed below) it expends a number of wrath points. 
  If enough points are expended to put its total at zero or nega-
  tive wrath points, the runewell deactivates, its waters fading away. 
  Reactivating the runewell requires long-lost rituals that are certainly 
  beyond Erylium’s ability to replicate.
   
  The lesser runewell of wrath itself is only 3 feet deep, yet any 
  living creature that enters its freezing orange waters immediately 
  takes 2d6 points of cold damage and must make a DC 15 Will save 
  or be overcome with wrath. Failure indicates the creature becomes 
  enraged (identical to the barbarian rage ability) and immediately 
  attacks the nearest living creature. If no living creatures are in sight, 
  the enraged creature is compelled to seek out a victim, moving at 
  full speed in his search. This rage persists for 2d6 minutes, after 
  which point the character becomes fatigued. Each use of the 
  runewell in this manner costs 3 wrath points
   
  The runewell can also be commanded to disgorge a sinspawn. To 
  manifest a sinspawn, a creature need only allow a few drops of its 
  blood to fall into the pool—one round later, a sinspawn emerges 
  from the well and immediately attacks the closest creature in 
  which it cannot scent wrath (as deﬁ ned in the sinspawn’s monster 
  entry on page 90). Each use of the runewell in this manner costs 6 
  wrath points.
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  Creature: Although the Catacombs of Wrath are now open, and 
  technically Erylium is free to leave at any time, her thousands of 
  years spent as the catacombs’ queen have left her with a bit of ago-
  raphobia and the senseless worry that if she leaves her catacombs, 
  someone could move in and steal her crown. As a result, she still 
  spends nearly all of her time here.
   
  When the PCs enter the room, the quasit ﬂ ies into a rage. She 
  shrieks, accuses the PCs of “Daring to intrude upon the Mother’s 
  sanctum,” and slashes her own wrist with her dagger, allowing some of 
  her blood to drip into the runewell and form a sinspawn. As she does, the 
  runewell’s glow diminishes noticeably. A DC 20 Sense Motive allows a 
  character to note the sudden look of worry that Erylium gets when she 
  sees this. She does not create any more sinspawn after the ﬁ rst one.
  E 
  CR 4
  Female quasit thaumaturge of Lamashtu 3 (MM 46; Book of Fiends, 11)
  CE Tiny outsider (chaotic, extraplanar, evil)
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +6, Spot +6
  DEFENSE
  AC 22, touch 17, ﬂ at-footed 17
  (+5 Dex, +5 natural, +2 size)
  hp 30 (3d8+3d6+6); fast healing 2
  Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +6
  DR 5/cold iron or good; Immune poison; Resist ﬁ re 10
  OFFENSE
  Spd 20 ft., ﬂ y 50 ft. (perfect)
  Melee 2 claws +11 (1d3–1 plus poison) and
  bite +6 (1d4–1)
  Ranged +1 returning dagger +12 (1d2/19–20)
  Space 2–1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
  Special Atk hideous spittle
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th)
  At will—detect good, detect magic, invisibility (self only)
  1/day—cause fear (30-foot radius, DC 14)
  1/week—commune (6 questions, CL 12)
  Spells Prepared (CL 3rd)
  2nd—inﬂ ict moderate wounds (DC 15), shatterD (DC 15), summon 
  monster II
  1st—bane (DC 14) disguise selfD (DC 14), shield of faith, summon 
  monster I
  0—guidance, inﬂ ict minor wounds (DC 13), mending, resistance
  D domain spell; Domains Chaos, Trickery
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Erylium becomes invisible and casts shield of faith as 
  soon as she hears enemies approaching.
  During Combat Although tough to hit and capable of healing wounds 
  quickly, Erylium remains something of a coward in a ﬁ ght. She uses 
  ﬂ ight to maintain ranged superiority over foes, using spells like 
  summon monster or shatter (aimed at the largest weapon carried 
  by her foes) in the ﬁ rst few rounds of combat. She uses her Tiny 
  +1 returning dagger against foes once she runs out of spells, but if 
  cornered, she ﬁ ghts with her claws and bite. She saves her hideous 
  spittle for use against a particularly powerful foe that corners her in 
  melee combat.
  Morale If reduced to 10 hit points or less, Erylium becomes invisible 
  and ﬂ ees, waiting for her fast healing to ﬁ x her up before returning 
  here to attack the PCs again.
  STATISTICS
  Str 8, Dex 20, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 16
  Base Atk +4; Grp –5
  Feats Adept Summoner, Master Summoner, Weapon Finesse
  Skills Bluﬀ  +10, Hide +19, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (arcana) 
  +10, Knowledge (the planes) +10, Listen +6, Move Silently +11, 
  Spellcraft +12, Spot +6
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Thassilonian
  SQ alternate form (raven), corruptions, summon familiar (black wren 
  named Orm)
  Gear+1 returning dagger, miniature tiara worth 50 gp, miniature black silk 
  gown worth 25 gp, obsidian unholy symbol of Lamashtu worth 10 gp
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Poison (Ex) Injury, Fortitude DC 14, 1d4 Dex/2d4 Dex.
  Corruptions (Ex) Erylium’s close association with Lamashtu and 
  thaumaturgical magic have corrupted her even more than a normal 
  quasit. These corruptions are as follows:
  Raspy Voice: Erylium’s voice is raspy and harsh, granting her a +3 
  bonus on Intimidate checks but a –3 penalty on Perform (oratory 
  or sing) checks.
  Scaly Skin: Erylium’s skin is much more scaly than that of a normal 
  quasit, increasing her natural armor by +2.
  Terrible Breath: Something inside of Erylium is rotten, and it makes 
  itself known every time she speaks. She suﬀ ers a –2 penalty on 
  Bluﬀ  and Diplomacy checks, but may belch a hideous wad of 
  phlegm once per day as detailed under Hideous Spittle.
  Hideous Spittle (Ex) Once per day, Erylium can belch a wad of foul 
  phlegm at any living target within 20 feet as a +11 ranged touch 
  attack. If she hits, the creature must make a DC 12 Fortitude save or 
  be nauseated for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Feats Adept Summoner (The Book of Fiends, 15) grants Erylium 
  abnormal command over her summoned creatures, but further twists 
  her body and causes her to suﬀ er an additional lesser corruption. 
  The duration of any summon monster spell she casts is extended 
  by a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modiﬁ er (3 rounds). 
  Master Summoner (The Book of Fiends, 16) increases the range of 
  her summon monster spells to Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level), but 
  aﬄ  icts her with a greater corruption.
  S 
  CR 2
  hp 19; see page 90
  Ad Hoc Experience Award: If the PCs create and then kill 
  enough sinspawn, they can remove the menace the runewell poses 
  to the Sandpoint region. Grant them a CR 3 experience award if 
  they accomplish this.
  PART FOUR: THISTLETOP
  Eventually, the PCs need to confront the Thistletop goblins. Most 
  likely, Tsuto’s notebook provides the primary lead to this section of 
  the adventure, but the PCs might turn their attention to Thistletop 
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  for any number of reasons. If they get to this point and still haven’t 
  decided to mount an expedition to Thistletop, fell free to have one 
  of their NPC allies approach them with just such a plan. Shalelu 
  Andosana may have discovered that Bruthazmus the bugbear has 
  joined forces with several humanoids and moved into Thistletop, 
  and might want the PCs to accompany her on an investigation of the 
  lair. Ameiko might discover further evidence about her brother’s 
  involvement, or if Tsuto escaped, he might even try to abduct her 
  again—tracking the goblins he hired to nab her should be relatively 
  easy. A pair of bedraggled merchants could stumble into town 
  with a tale of how goblins jumped them and stole their prize horse 
  Shadowmist. They oﬀ er a reward of 250 gp for the horse’s return 
  (see area C18). Finally, if all else fails, you can have Father Zantus 
  approach the PCs with news; he’s used several divination spells to 
  determine that the goblins that stole Father Tobyn’s remains took 
  them to Thistletop. He asks the PCs to travel to the goblin lair to 
  discover the fate of the beloved cleric’s remains, and, if possible, 
  to return them to Sandpoint.
   
  The map of the Sandpoint hinterlands on page 33 shows the 
  location of Thistletop, and also reveals a large number of other 
  locations that can serve as the sites for future adventures in the 
  region. Several are featured in the central portion of the next 
  adventure in Rise of the Runelords—“The Skinsaw Murders” 
  contains more information about the hinterlands you can use to 
  expand your campaign. For now, though, it’s the trip to Thistle-
  top that matters.
   
  If the PCs follow the Lost Coast Road east, they can reach the 
  Thistle River crossing relatively quickly—it’s a six mile journey 
  (two hours by foot), and unless you want to spring an attack on 
  the PCs by a group of six goblin warriors (a CR 2 encounter), they 
  shouldn’t run into much trouble along the way.
   
  Thistletop is located on the Varisian coast—approaching the gob-
  lin lair by land is a little diﬃ  cult since the tangles of Nettlewood 
  are in the way. A DC 14 Survival check ﬁ nds a route through the 
  woods. If the check exceeds this roll by 10, the PCs come across 
  one of several narrow goblin trails that eventually lead to area C1. 
  Each attempted Survival check takes 1d4 hours of wandering in the 
  woods, and for each hour of wandering there’s a 30% chance that 1d4 
  PCs stumble into a patch of poison-thorned plants, either stinging 
  nettles (Fortitude DC 12 to avoid 1 point of Dexterity damage) or 
  a goblinberry patch (Fortitude DC 12 to avoid 1 point of Strength 
  damage). A character can substitute a Knowledge (nature) check for 
  these saving throws to avoid damage.
   
  Thistletop itself is a curiously round island about 60 feet oﬀ  
  shore, connected to the mainland by a rope bridge. The island 
  itself has an unusual genesis—it was in fact once the head of 
  one of Karzoug’s sentinel statues that stood upon the ridge of 
  land called the Rasp before the nation of Bakrakhan became 
  the Varisian Gulf. The statue itself has long since crumbled and 
  become overgrown by the Nettlewood, but the head escaped 
  such obscurement by landing in the surf. The magical nature of 
  the statue’s construction drasticaly slowed the process of ero-
  sion on the head’s features, and when the sun hits the western 
  cliﬀ  of the isle just right, one can just make out a shadow of the 
  statue’s face. The head once contained a small complex, but today 
  only a few of the original rooms remain.
   
  One of these rooms contains a barghest named Malfeshnekor. 
  An ancient agent of Alaznist, the monster was captured by Karzoug’s 
  minions and imprisoned here for interrogation. Yet the end came too 
  soon, and when the statue’s head tumbled into the sea, Malfeshnekor 
  found itself one of the few surviving creatures. And yet, the outsider 
  remained trapped. For the next several centuries it waited. For a time, 
  a group of Lamashtu cultists settled in the rooms above. Himself a 
  loyal minion of Lamashtu, Malfeshnekor quickly discovered he was 
  able to communicate empathically with any priest who stood before 
  the altar. In so doing, he was able to lead the cultists to discover the 
  small complex in which he waited, but the cultists were slaughtered by 
  a hellcat guardian before they reached him.
   
  It was well over a century later that Malfeshnekor sensed new 
  creatures settling nearby—goblins. Like the Lamashtu cultists, with 
  these goblins, the barghest had a crude empathic link. Malfeshnekor 
  couldn’t quite communicate with them as he had with the clerics of 
  Lamashtu, but the goblins could still sense him. Drawn to Thistletop 
  for reasons the goblins didn’t quite comprehend, it quickly became 
  the most coveted tribal land among their kind. Traditionally, the 
  Thistletop goblins were led by clerics who could sense the barghest’s 
  empathic urgings during their rituals. These urgings encouraged the 
  goblins to explore the lower levels of their lair, yet goblins are frag-
  ile and stupid creatures. None of them ever found the secret door 
  that led to Malfeshnekor’s level, and now that the current leader of 
  Thistletop is himself too unwise to receive Malfeshnekor’s empathic 
  sendings, the barghest had begun to ﬁ nally despair.
   
  And then, with Nualia’s arrival and the reconsecration of the 
  temple, Malfeshnekor  knew his time of freedom was close. Nualia 
  is his salvation, and he her path to becoming a true demon.
  C1. Hidden Entrance
  The briars and thistles that grow so rampantly in Nettlewood grow even 
  more dense and tangled here, close to the shore. Although not quite 
  dense enough to block the sound of waves crashing on the unseen shores 
  to the west, the undergrowth is certainly thick enough to block sight and 
  access to the coast. Few trees grow this close to the edge of the sea, but 
  the briars themselves often reach heights to rival them; here, the patch is 
  nearly twenty feet high.
   
  The thorns that comprise the walls here are quite damp; the fog 
  every morning and evening ensures that. As a result, the brambles 
  don’t burn well. An attempt to smoke out the goblins or burn down 
  their thistle maze only results in a slow-burning smoky ﬁ re that 
  alerts the goblins to the PCs’ precise location.
   
  While the PCs can certainly attempt to reach Thistletop by the sea 
  or by traveling along the beaches, the goblins themselves have cre-
  ated this small network of tunnels and chambers in the briars to make 
  it easier for them to come and go. If the PCs discover these tunnels, 
  they can certainly use them as well. A cleverly constructed rigid mat of 
  thistles and nettles hides the entrance to the tunnels. A DC 12 Search 
  check is enough to notice that the briars here can be lifted aside to 
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  reveal a four-foot-high tunnel leading into the briars. Similar “thistle 
  doors” are within the tunnels beyond—they can be discovered with 
  a DC 12 Search check as well. Opening a thistle door is a full-round 
  action, although a character can try to open them quickly as a move 
  action. Doing so requires a DC 15 Reﬂ ex save to avoid being scratched 
  and jabbed by thorns for 1 point of damage. A character wearing gaunt-
  lets or heavy armor automatically makes this saving throw.
  C2. Thistle Tunnels
  A four-foot-high tunnel winds through the dense briars and nettles. The 
  ﬂ oor is hard-packed earth, with patches of wiry plants growing stubbornly 
  here and there.
   
  Large creatures must crawl to navigate the thistle tunnels. 
  Bipedal Medium creatures can navigate them by stooping over and 
  hunkering down, eﬀ ectively squeezing to move, and thus taking a 
  –4 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to AC; such characters 
  must spend 2 squares of movement for each square traveled. Small 
  and smaller creatures can move about normally, as can most qua-
  drupedal Medium creatures (including goblin dogs). The larger 
  chambers within all have higher ceilings, wherein these penalties 
  do not apply to Medium creatures.
   
  Although the ceilings and walls of these tunnels consist of tan-
  gled, thorny vines, a character that brushes against them need not 
  worry about damage. A character pushed into a wall must make a 
  DC 15 Reﬂ ex save to avoid taking a point of damage (characters in 
  heavy armor automatically make this save). 
   
  A creature with the woodland stride ability (such as any druid of 
  at least 2nd level) can move through these tunnels without penalty, 
  despite size, and can even pass through the tangled briars with ease, 
  eﬀ ectively “walking through the walls” of this area. Gogmurt the 
  goblin druid uses this ability to great eﬀ ect when defending the 
  area, but certainly doesn’t expect to ever face enemy druids who 
  can do the same.
   
  It’s possible to hack a new path through the briars with any slash-
  ing weapon. A ﬁ ve-foot-square section of briars has hardness 1 and 
  40 hp. Hacking at briars counts as being pushed into a wall for 
  chances of taking damage from the nettles and thorns.
  C3. The Howling Hole
  Three thistle tunnels open into a large cave-like chamber. Above, the 
  thorny canopy grows thin enough that tiny slivers of the sky above can be 
  seen, while below, the ground consists of trampled dirt. To the west, the 
  distant sound of sloshing waves echoes up from a hole.
   
  The Thistletop goblins use this chamber as a staging room for 
  raids, gathering here to receive ﬁ nal pep-talks from the comman-
  dos. The hole drops down into area C27 below, a sea cave inhabited 
  by a dangerous tidal predator known as a bunyip. It’s a DC 20 Climb 
  check to navigate the 70-foot shaft, which opens into the sea cave 
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  below 10 feet above sea level. The water is deep enough that a fall 
  deals 2d3 nonlethal plus 4d6 lethal damage.
   
  The goblins know something monstrous lives down below—the 
  bunyip’s roars drive them into a panic on a daily basis, but none of 
  the goblins have actually seen the bunyip up close. At best, they’ve 
  had brief glimpses of something big and gray swimming in the water 
  now and then. Depending on the goblin interrogated, the shape 
  is that of a ﬁ sh, an octopus, a ghost, or an enormous crab. The 
  goblins have taken to dropping prisoners (and unruly goblins) into 
  the hole, since the “Howling Hole,” as they call it, usually remains 
  quiet for a few days after such a sacriﬁ ce.
  C4. Refugee Nest (EL 4)
  This thirty-foot-diameter, low-ceilinged chamber stinks of smoke. A shal-
  low ﬁ re pit smolders in the center of the ﬂ oor, while nine tangled reed and 
  leaf nests line the walls.
  Creatures: After the assault on Sandpoint, the Birdcruncher gob-
  lins were left leaderless. Many of them ﬂ ed into the wilderness, but 
  nearly two dozen of them ﬂ ed north to throw themselves upon Chief 
  Ripnugget’s mercy. The Thistletop chieftain is a hard goblin to please, 
  and he’s forced the Birdcruncher refugees to live here for the past 
  several days while he decides what to do with them. So far, half of their 
  number have been tossed down the Howling Hole or handed over to Nualia 
  for living sacriﬁ ces. The remaining goblin refugees huddle here in fear that 
  one of them may be next. Nonetheless, if presented with intruders, the 
  ten goblin refugees launch into a frenzy of shrieks and fury in a desperate 
  attempt to gain Ripnugget’s favor by killing longshank intruders.
  G R (10) 
  CR 1/3
  Goblin warrior 1 (MM 133)
  hp 5 each
  C5. Goblin Dog Kennel (EL 3)
  The ﬂ oor and walls of this musty-smelling chamber are covered with mat-
  ted, wiry fur. Well-gnawed bones lie scattered about the ﬂ oor, and a dozen 
  wooden stakes have been driven into the ground near the walls.
  Creatures: The Thistletop goblins kennel their twelve goblin 
  dogs here, keeping them tied to the stakes via leashes of hairy, 
  fraying rope. Currently, only four goblin dogs are here; the other 
  eight can be found to the north in areas C10 and C16.
  G D (4) 
   
  CR 1
  hp 10 each; see page 87
  C6. Tangletooth’s Den (EL 2)
  A cloying musky scent lies heavy in the air here. A matted nest of red and 
  black hair sits to the east.
  Creature: Tangletooth, Gogmurt’s ﬁ re pelt animal companion, 
  spends the majority of her time sleeping here, periodically snarling at 
  goblins that wander by the tunnel to the northwest. A ﬁ re pelt is a cou-
  gar native to the region, its silky fur a mix of red and black stripes.
  T, F P A C 
  CR —
  hp 19; (MM 274, leopard)
  C7. Gogmurt’s Lair (EL 4)
  A tangle of vines hang from the thorny ceiling of this chamber, each 
  suspending a clattering collection of bird skulls, rib bones, teeth, and 
  other bits of gruesome decor. In a few places the vines droop all the way 
  to the ﬂ oor. A large nest of nettles and thorny vines sits to the south, 
  a halo of half-eaten dead birds and rats indicating that whatever sleeps 
  there eats in its bed.
  Creature: Gogmurt has served Warchief Ripnugget as an advisor 
  and the Thistletop goblins as a spiritual leader for many years, but 
  over the last few months, the presence of the “longshanks” (Nualia 
  and her allies) have been an unwelcome thorn in Gogmurt’s side. He 
  argued against the attack on Sandpoint, reasoning it would only rile 
  up the humans and visit eventual retaliation in the form of hunting 
  dogs, horse-mounted soldiers, and adventurers. Yet Nualia’s words 
  made more sense to Ripnugget, who for the ﬁ rst time chose to ignore 
  Gogmurt’s advice. The bitter goblin druid has all but washed his 
  hands of the tribe as a result, and in his foul mood has ordered more 
  goblin refugees than necessary into the Howling Hole.
   
  Gogmurt has been brooding here for days, and has been 
  expecting adventurers to strike at Thistletop at any time, day or 
  night. While he doesn’t agree with Ripnugget’s current tactics, 
  he remains loyal to the idea of the Thistletop goblin tribe, and 
  reacts swiftly to defend this area once he hears intruders. His 
  woodland stride ability gives him incredible mobility in this area; 
  he can step though the thorny walls with ease during ﬁ ghts. He 
  hasn’t been sleeping at all lately, and has taken to daily castings 
  of lesser restoration to ﬁ ght oﬀ  fatigue.
  G 
  CR 4
  Male goblin druid 4 (MM 133)
  NE Small humanoid
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +2, Spot +2
  DEFENSE
  AC 16, touch 13, ﬂ at-footed 14
  (+3 armor, +2 Dex, +1 size)
  hp 29 (4d8+8)
  Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +6; resist nature’s lure
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft.
  Melee ﬂ ame blade +3 touch (1d8+2 ﬁ re) or
  spear +3 (1d6–1/×3) or
  Ranged produce ﬂ ame +6 (1d6+4 ﬁ re) or
  sling +6 (1d3–1)
  Druid Spells Prepared (CL 4th)
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  2nd (3/day)—animal messenger, ﬂ ame blade, lesser restoration 
  (already cast)
  1st (4/day)—charm animal (DC 13), cure light wounds (2), entangle 
  (DC 13)
  0 (5/day)—cure minor wounds, ﬂ are (2, DC 12), guidance, mending
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Gogmurt drinks a potion ofspeak with animals andcasts 
  ﬂ ame blade, then activates his wand of produce ﬂ ame before investigating. 
  These spell eﬀ ects have been incorporated into the stat block. If he 
  thinks there’s time, he also casts animal messenger to send a thrush out to 
  the island to deliver a bloodstained goblin tooth to Warchief Ripnugget; 
  a pre-arranged code to warn him that the adventurers have ﬁ nally arrived 
  to murder them all. He calls Tangletooth to his side and directs her in 
  combat using speak with animals.
  During Combat Gogmurt casts entangle on the ﬁ rst round of combat, 
  taking care to place the spell so that it blocks access to area C9
  but doesn’t block his own possible escape routes. If the PCs have 
  animal minions, he casts charm animal on one of them. On following 
  rounds, he ﬁ ghts with his ﬂ ame blade in one hand, throwing ﬁ re from 
  produce ﬂ ame in the other when he needs to make ranged attacks. 
  As soon as he’s brought below 20 hit points, he retreats by ﬂ eeing 
  into the brambles, heals himself as best he can, and then returns to 
  ambush the PCs from behind by swapping out a remaining ﬁ rst-level 
  spell to summon nature’s ally I.
  Morale If ever brought below 10 hit points and he has no healing left, 
  Gogmurt attempts to ﬂ ee north to warn Warchief Ripnugget about 
  the PCs. If surrounded or captured, Gogmurt’s resolve breaks and he 
  sobs for mercy.
  STATISTICS
  Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 12
  Base Atk +3; Grp –2
  Feats Brew Potion, Combat Casting
  Skills Handle Animal +8, Knowledge (nature) +8, Survival +11
  Languages Common, Druidic, Goblin
  SQ animal companion, nature sense, trackless step, wild empathy +7, 
  woodland stride
  Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds (2), potion of speak with 
  animals (2), potion of tree shape (2), wand of produce ﬂ ame (34 
  charges); Other Gear +1 leather armor, spear, sling, cloak of 
  resistance +1
  Development: If the PCs capture Gogmurt alive, he responds to 
  interrogation attempts with cursing and spitting unless he’s made 
  friendly (his initial attitude is hostile) with a Diplomacy check, suc-
  cessfully Intimidated, or reduced to 5 or fewer hit points. At this point, 
  the craven druid sobs for mercy. He knows that the PCs are here for 
  what the goblins did to Sandpoint, and tries to justify the assault by 
  saying it was all the “longshank’s” fault before clapping a hand over his 
  mouth as he realizes he probably just insulted his captors.
   
  Gogmurt knows that Warchief Ripnugget has become enthralled 
  with several taller folk of late, in particular a “very angry woman with 
  weird eyes and a torn-up belly” whom he suspects Ripnugget has 
  become infatuated with. The chieftain has certainly been placing a 
  lot of trust in this strange woman’s advice—it was at her urging that 
  the assault on Sandpoint took place. Gogmurt has distanced himself 
  from the chieftain and his new allies, not wanting to be tainted by 
  her bad ideas. He does know that she has four dangerous allies of her 
  own, a brutish bugbear mercenary named Bruthazmus who lived for 
  many years in a hut on the northeastern side of Nettlewood, a quiet 
  human man who wears lots of metal armor, a dark-skinned violent 
  human woman who’s used ﬁ re to scorch several goblins who got too 
  close to her, and a male half-elf who seems too happy all the time and 
  who sometimes plays the ﬂ ute. Gogmurt suspects that the half-elf 
  and the angry woman with the torn-up belly are lovers, because he’s 
  seen them “going at it like donkey rats” in the woods at times. He 
  woefully mutters that this news only made Chief Ripnugget angrier 
  when the druid tried to use it in an attempt to win back his chieftain’s 
  favor. “Worse than a harpy, that one!” Gogmurt spits. Then quickly 
  clariﬁ es his accusation: “The woman. Not Chief Ripnugget. Don’t 
  tell him I called her a harpy!”
   
  Gogmurt begs the PCs not to hurt any more goblins, pointing 
  out that the angry lady and her friends are the real troublemakers. 
  If they can get into Ripnugget’s fort to the north and get rid of 
  them, Gogmurt promises that no goblin will ever bother Sand-
  point again—a promise he can’t possibly honor, but he’s desperate 
  enough to say anything. He refuses to accompany the PCs north. If 
  forced to come with them, his piteous sobbing and sniﬄ  ing should 
  make stealth close to impossible.
  C8. Watchposts
  Three of these passageways, closed oﬀ  at either end by a thistle door, 
  allow goblins to keep an eye on the sea surrounding their main lair 
  to the north. The assault on Sandpoint left the goblins a little under-
  populated, though, and currently no one mans these posts.
  C9. Rope Bridge (EL 2)
  A rope bridge spans the gulf between the cliﬀ  and a roundish, ﬂ at-topped 
  island sixty some feet to the north. Thick patches of nettles and briars grow 
  here and there atop the island, but its most impressive feature is a wooden 
  one-story stockade. Two thirty-foot-tall watchtowers guard the stockade’s 
  southern facade. The rope bridge itself is made of  hairy rope and thick 
  wooden planks; the whole thing creaks and sways in the wind above the 
  churning surf eighty feet below.
  Trap: This rope bridge might seem treacherous, and it is. The 
  goblins have rigged it so that if more than three Medium creatures 
  (with a Small creature counting as 1/3 a Medium creature and a Large 
  creature as three Medium ones) attempt to cross, the western sup-
  ports tear free, dropping the planks down to hang vertically from 
  the eastern rope and dumping anyone on the bridge into the waters 
  below. A DC 13 Reﬂ ex save allows a creature on the bridge to grab 
  at the remaining ropes or leap to safety (if he’s within 5 feet of either 
  shore). A series of knotted ropes at the base of the northern posts 
  allow one to tie oﬀ  the trap so that it can support four times the 
  weight, or alternately, allowing one to manually trigger the trap.
   
  Originally, the goblins rigged the bridge so that it would fall 
  completely into the water below, but when they tested it and 
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  realized that they’d stranded themselves on the island, they rebuilt 
  the bridge so it would be easier to repair.
  R R B 
  CR 2
  Type mechanical
  Search DC 15; Disable Device DC 15
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location or manual; Reset manual
  Eﬀ ect 80-foot fall into water (2d3 nonlethal plus 4d6 lethal); multiple 
  targets (all creatures on rope bridge); DC 13 Reﬂ ex save avoids.
  C10. Thistletop (EL 5)
  The stockade is made of thick wood. Closer inspection reveals that most 
  of the wood seems to have been scavenged from ships—a few nameplates 
  remain aﬃ  xed to some of the timbers, while others look like they might 
  have once been masts.
   
  The front doors leading into area C11 are barred from the inside 
  if the alarm is raised; otherwise they hang ajar. The walls of the 
  stockade itself can be scaled with a DC 20 Climb check.
  Creatures: Four goblins mounted on goblin dogs patrol the 
  grounds surrounding the stockade, but being goblins, they are eas-
  ily distracted. Unless the alarm has been raised, the four goblins are 
  gathered to the northwest of the stockade, enraptured by a game of 
  “Killgull,” a mean-spirited pastime in which a sea gull is caught and a 
  length of 30-foot-long twine tied to its leg while the other end is held 
  by a goblin. The other goblins take turns trying to pelt the gull out of 
  the sky with thrown rocks, while the goblin holding the twine tries to 
  help the gull avoid being hit by tugging and yanking the twine. Each 
  goblin gets three throws. If the gull still lives at the end, the goblin 
  holding the twine wins. Otherwise, the goblin whose stone kills the 
  gull wins. Whoever wins gets to eat the sea gull. Whatever’s left over 
  is then used to attract new sea gulls. While the goblins play, they let 
  their goblin dogs wander around as they will, although the creatures 
  generally run around the goblins and shriek and yap at the gulls.
   
  Note that additional goblin guards watch from the towers (area 
  C13 and C15); see those areas for details on how closely they’re 
  paying attention.
  T G (4) 
  CR 1/3
  Goblin warrior 1 (MM 133)
  hp 5 each
  G D (4) 
  CR 1
  hp 10 each; see page 87
  C11. Trophy Hall
  The ﬂ oor of this room is hard-packed soil, as if the builders either ran out of 
  lumber after building the walls and roof, or as if they simply never thought 
  about building a ﬂ oor. A number of poorly preserved horse and dog heads 
  are mounted along the eastern wall, while along the southern wall hangs a 
  pair of large batlike wings tacked to the wall with daggers.
   
  The wall-hangings represent the greatest trophies of Warchief 
  Ripnugget. The horses and dogs are farm animals that Thistletop’s 
  commandos have caught over the years and brought back here for 
  Ripnugget to kill in area C16. The bat wings once belonged to 
  a harpy named Bristanch that dwelt a half-mile down the coast. 
  Ripnugget’s triumph over the harpy is perhaps the single greatest 
  triumph the goblin can boast of, since Bristanch murdered nearly 
  half the Thistletop tribe (including two of the previous chieftains) 
  before Ripnugget killed her.
  Treasure: One of the daggers used to display Bristanch’s wings 
  once belonged to the harpy herself—this dagger has a pearl handle, 
  a treasure worth 100 gp. The other six daggers are mundane.
  Development: If the alarm is raised, the six goblins from area 
  C14 are found here, ready to defend the room from any intruders.
  C12. Food Stores
  This door has been nailed shut; it can be opened with a DC 24 
  Strength check, or by a DC 10 Disable Device check and 1d4 min-
  utes of work.
  This storeroom is half-ﬁ lled with crates, barrels, and large sacks of grain. 
  A small hole has been chopped into the lower side of one of the bar-
  rels, allowing pickles and brine to drain out to give the room a singular 
  stink of vinegar.
   
  Like all goblins, the Thistletop goblins enjoy eating. The broken 
  pickle barrel is something of a recent scandal here; none of the 
  goblins are confessing to the crime, and Warchief Ripnugget has 
  become ﬂ ustered enough by the vandalism that he’s threatened to 
  lock whoever’s responsible in with the “monster” in area C18 once 
  he ﬁ nds out who’s responsible. Until then, Ripnugget has had the 
  door nailed shut to prevent future crimes.
  C13. Pickle Thieves (EL 1)
  An open ﬂ ight of wooden stairs winds up to a trap door in the ceiling, 
  thirty feet above.
  WALKING 
  THROUGH 
  WALLS
  Astute readers will quickly note that Gogmurt’s advantage of being 
  able to effectively “walk through the walls” of areas C1–C9 is also 
  shared by any PC druid. Does this give a party with a druid in its 
  ranks an unfair advantage? Perhaps, but at the same point, that is 
  by design. Most encounters feature fights with monsters, and yet 
  not all character classes excel at fighting monsters. A character 
  with potent social skills, like a bard, has a good chance at defusing 
  several encounters in “Burnt Offerings” before they proceed to 
  fights. Rogues can undo traps with ease. Clerics can turn battles 
  with undead into cakewalks. Designing encounters where specific 
  character classes can shine is important, since it gives players who 
  chose those classes a moment to shine and validates their choice. 
  If the encounter lets a character use an ability that rarely matters 
  in most encounters (such as a druid’s wilderness stride ability), 
  so much the better!
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  Creatures: Two goblins are, in theory, on guard duty atop this 
  tower, but they’ve both fallen asleep. These goblins are responsible 
  for raiding the pickle barrel in area C12, as a search of a bag hidden 
  in the northeast corner of the watchtower conﬁ rms. This bag can 
  be found with a DC 15 Search check; within are a few half-eaten 
  pickles. The goblins were planning on eating the evidence, but 
  after eating most of their stolen pickles they collapsed into a food 
  coma. If wakened by the sound of battle (remember that sleeping 
  creatures have a –10 penalty on Listen checks) or a raised alarm, 
  these two goblins assume that they’ve been caught and, in a panic, 
  hurl their remaining stolen pickles out of the tower into the thistle 
  patch to the west, and only then move to support any ﬁ ghts down 
  below with hurled javelins.
  T G (2) 
  CR 1/3
  Goblin warrior 1 (MM 133)
  hp 5 each
  C14. Barracks (EL 2)
  Six poorly constructed bunk beds, little more than hammocks slung from 
  rickety frames, stand along the walls of this room. Each is heaped with a ver-
  min-infested blanket and a lump of straw that serves as a frustrating pillow.
  Creatures: Each of these bunk beds sleeps three goblins—
  the Thistletop tribe numbers 18 in all (not counting Warchief 
  Ripnugget, his wives, or Gogmurt), although twelve of them 
  are on duty elsewhere. As long as the alarm hasn’t been raised, 
  the remaining six goblins are here, sleeping. If the alarm is 
  raised, these six goblins move into area C11 to help guard the 
  trophy hall.
  T G (6) 
  CR 1/3
  Goblin warrior 1 (MM 133)
  hp 5 each
  C15. Eastern Guard Tower (EL 2)
  An open ﬂ ight of wooden stairs winds up to a trap door in the ceiling, 
  thirty feet above.
  Creatures: Like area C13, this open-air tower gives a great view 
  of the surrounding area. The goblins guarding this tower aren’t 
  quite as irresponsible as the pickle thieves there, but neither are 
  they paragons of observation. Habitual card-players, these two 
  play with a deck of forty-three cards cobbled together from three 
  diﬀ erent sets of cards, making up the rules as they go along. Their 
  games are generally more argument than anything else, but if they 
  hear battle or other signs of intrusion, they abandon their cards at 
  once to join the ﬁ ght.
  T C (2) 
  CR 1
  Goblin ranger 1(MM 133)
  hp 9 each; see page 13
  C16. Exercise Yard (EL 3)
  This large courtyard is open to the sky. Tenacious clumps of partially 
  trampled grass grow fitfully here and there in the hard-packed earth, 
  in places stained with blood or scratched with furrows. To the north, 
  what looks to be two dead goblins lie slumped at the entrance to 
  an outbuilding.
   
  This yard serves the goblins as a place to exercise, to train their 
  goblin dogs, and as an impromptu arena. Warchief Ripnugget 
  often uses this area to challenge creatures and prisoners brought 
  back by raiders (typically horses and dogs, but sometimes actual 
  humanoid prisoners).
  Creatures: Four goblin dogs have been left to run free in this 
  yard. The slavering creatures often scratch at the walls around area 
  C18 to torment the creature within, but otherwise have fun chasing 
  each other and ﬁ ghting.
  G D (4) 
  CR 1
  hp 10 each; see page 87
  C17. Storage Shed
  Shelves lined with crude tools, nets, and tack and harness line the walls 
  here. To the northeast stands a large L-shaped wooden cage that contains 
  dozens of rabbits.
   
  The rabbits are used to feed the goblin dogs, while the other 
  tools here are used to train the creatures. In emergencies, the rab-
  bits can serve the goblins as backup food supplies, but goblins who 
  snack on rabbits before the rest of the food runs out are generally 
  thrown into the Howling Hole, under Chief Ripnugget’s, “Steal 
  food, become food” policy.
  C18. Caged Horse (EL 2)
  The door to this outbuilding has been nailed shut, and additional boards 
  have been nailed over these nails. The door itself is cracked and splintered 
  in places. Two dead goblins, their heads crushed in by something heavy, lie 
  in the dirt by the door, their ripening bodies covered with ﬂ ies.
   
  The door to this outbuilding can be opened with a DC 25 
  Strength check, or by a DC 15 Disable Device check and 2d4 min-
  utes of work. A DC 20 Heal check can establish that both goblins 
  were slain when a large hoofed animal, likely a horse, stepped on 
  their heads.
  Creature: The Thistletop goblins have captured horses many 
  times before, bringing them back here for their chieftain to kill 
  during cruel bloodsports in the exercise yard. Yet always before, 
  these captured horses were light riding horses. Locked inside this 
  room is a terrible mistake—a heavy warhorse named Shadowmist, 
  stolen several days ago from traveling merchants. The goblins 
  murdered the two caravan guards (but the merchants escaped on 
  horseback to Sandpoint) and one of the two remaining horses, 
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  but Shadowmist proved to be more than a match for the goblins. 
  Through a mixture of luck and false bravado, the goblins managed 
  to catch Shadowmist while only losing four of their own. They 
  bound up the horse’s legs, loaded it into the merchants’ wagon, 
  and hauled it back here as a prize for Chief Ripnugget.
   
  Tragedy struck when the excited goblins dumped the horse in the 
  exercise yard and cut its bonds. Shadowmist had fallen into a torpor 
  during the journey, but once his bonds were free he leapt to his feet 
  and began racing in circles in the yard. The goblins panicked and ﬂ ed, 
  calling on Chief Ripnugget to kill the creature, but when he tried to 
  do so, the horse proved even tougher than Ripnugget was expecting. 
  The chief took a crushing blow to the arm, breaking it and forcing him 
  to ﬂ ee. Enraged, he accused the goblins who had caught the horse of 
  trying to assassinate him, then told them to trap the monster in the 
  shed while he ﬁ gured out what to do with it. Mortiﬁ ed, the goblins 
  managed to lure the horse into the shed (losing three of their number 
  in the process—two outside, one inside), but in the end managed to 
  nail the door shut while Shadowmist stomped and raged inside.
   
  Since then, Ripnugget has asked Gogmurt several times to come 
  “take care of the monster horse,” but the druid has refused to help 
  as long as Ripnugget allows Nualia to stay in Thistletop. Enraged 
  at his stubborn druid’s answer, the equally stubborn goblin chief 
  has decided to let Shadowmist reach the verge of starvation before 
  attempting to kill him again.
   
  Shadowmist is a magniﬁ cent creature, yet his days in captivity 
  have begun to take their toll. Slowly starving, the wild-eyed horse 
  can be a great asset for the PCs if they can calm him down with a 
  DC 25 wild empathy or Handle Animal check or magic like charm 
  animal. If the PCs oﬀ er Shadowmist food, they gain a +10 bonus on 
  their checks to calm the horse down.
  S 
  CR 2
  Heavy warhorse (MM 273)
  hp 30 (currently has 22 nonlethal damage from starvation)
  C19. Throne Room (EL 6)
  If the alarm is raised, all of the doors into this room are closed 
  tightly and locked. Ripnugget carries the keys, but the doors can 
  be picked with a DC 20 Open Lock check.
  This large throne room is decorated with hanging furs along its walls, mostly 
  black and red-striped ﬁ repelt skins, various dog pelts, and in some cases, 
  what look like horse hides. Four square timbers support the ceiling, their 
  faces studded with dozens of iron spikes, with the lower reaches decorated 
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  with dozens of impaled and severed hands in various stages of decay. To 
  the northeast, a wooden platform supports a throne heaped with dog pelts 
  and horse hides. Dog skulls adorn the armrests and a horse skull leers over 
  the throne’s back.
   
  The hands are all that remain of the last several dozen human victims 
  of the Thistletop goblins; the rest of these victims have long since been 
  eaten or smoked and put into storage in area C20. The spikes make it 
  relatively easy to climb the pillars with a DC 5 Climb check.
   
  Warchief Ripnugget, lord of the Thistletop goblins, has been 
  spending an increasing amount of time here in his throne hall. His 
  favorite pastimes include watching his commandos stage mock bat-
  tles, being entertained by warchanters, or plotting additional raids 
  on Sandpoint to present to his new obsession—Nualia. His interest 
  in his wives has all but vanished, so enthralled has he become by the 
  exotic aasimar.
   
  While most of the Thistletop goblins personally feel that 
  Ripnugget’s obsession with Nualia is embarrassing and even trai-
  torous, none of them are brave enough to confront their leader 
  with their feelings (with the exception of the druid Gogmurt).
   
  In truth, Ripnugget’s obsession with Nualia has nothing to do with 
  sexual attraction—her skin is too smooth, ears too small, and she’s 
  just too tall to interest the goblin in that way, but it makes a conve-
  nient cover to hide his real interest—he believes that she may well 
  be the key to unraveling the mystery of what Malfeshnekor really is. 
  When she arrived with her entourage and an oﬀ er of alliance, Ripnug-
  get (in a rare display of common sense) realized that they were more 
  than a match for he and his goblins, and, instead of ﬁ ghting, chose 
  to listen to what she had to say. When she revealed her holy symbol 
  and spoke of Malfeshnekor, Ripnugget was shocked but recovered 
  his wits quickly enough. He came to believe that this strange woman 
  was in fact Malfeshnekor’s mouthpiece, and that she had been sent to 
  Thistletop to usher the goblins into a new age of triumph. Certainly, 
  her plan to assault Sandpoint seemed like a good idea at the time, 
  and even though it didn’t quite go through like she promised, the 
  fact that she’s managed to awaken the temple (area D12), establish 
  a link with Malfeshnekor, and has slowly but surely opened up the 
  ancient chambers deep below (and in so doing increased the size 
  of the Thistletop holdings) has been more than enough proof to 
  Ripnugget that Nualia is the best hope for his tribe’s future.
  Creatures: Even if the alarm is raised, Warchief Ripnugget can 
  be found here. If caught by surprise, he’s in the middle of watching 
  his commandos re-enact the raid on Sandpoint as they ﬁ ght against 
  a silent image provided by the warchanter. If the alarm is raised, his 
  commandos clamber up the three pillars closest to the throne and 
  hide, while the warchanter ducks behind the throne. In either case, 
  his pet gecko Stickfoot waits loyally at his side.
   
  Assuming the PCs don’t immediately attack when they enter 
  the room, Warchief Ripnugget is willing to parley in the same way 
  that he spoke to Nualia several months ago. This time, though, he 
  doesn’t have any intentions of allying with his visitors; he merely 
  wants time to size the PCs up before he orders them slain. He 
  certainly recognizes them from their heroic stand at Sandpoint—
  although he wasn’t present at the assault, he’s heard plenty of 
  stories about the longshanks who proved so key in the town’s 
  defense. He knows the PCs are formidable foes, especially since 
  they’ve reached his throne room alive. In any case, he refuses to 
  let the PCs step more than 5 feet into his throne room, informing 
  them that they have not yet earned the right to approach him.
   
  If the PCs agree to talk, he picks the least-armored PC, com-
  pliments that character on being someone who looks like they 
  understand the value of the spoken word over battle, and allows 
  that one PC to approach. Of course, Ripnugget doesn’t really have 
  any intention of talking. As soon as that PC is within 5 feet of the 
  northeast pillar, he gives the order to attack.
  W R 
  CR 4
  Male goblin ﬁ ghter 4 (MM 133)
  NE Small humanoid
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen –1, Spot –1
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 13, ﬂ at-footed 18
  (+5 armor, +2 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)
  hp 34 (4d10+8)
  Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +0; racial save modiﬁ ers
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft.
  Melee +1 dogslicer +7 (1d4+4/19–20)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Ripnugget drinks his potion of barkskin +2 as soon 
  as he hears anyone about to enter his throne hall if the alarm has 
  been raised.
  During Combat Ripnugget mounts up on Stickfoot the ﬁ rst chance 
  he gets, so he can take advantage of his Mounted Combat feats 
  in battle. He prefers to use a combination of Spirited Charge and 
  Ride-By attacks.
  Morale Ripnugget ﬁ ghts to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 12, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 13
  Base Atk +4; Grp +1
  Feats Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge, Weapon 
  Focus (dogslicer), Weapon Specialization (dogslicer)
  Skills Handle Animal +6, Intimidate +5, Move Silently +6, Ride +13
  Languages Common, Goblin
  Combat Gear potion of barkskin +2, potion of cure moderate wounds (2); 
  Other Gear mwk breastplate, +1 dogslicer, dented crown worth 20 
  gp, key ring for all locks in areas C11–C24 and areas D1–D3
  S, G G 
  CR 1
  hp 11; see page 89
  T C (3) 
  CR 1
  Goblin ranger 1(MM 133)
  hp 9 each; see page 13
  T W (1) 
   
  CR 1
  Goblin bard 1(MM 133)
  hp 7; see page 12
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  TACTICS
  During Combat The warchanter inspires courage in all of her allies on the 
  ﬁ rst round of combat. On round two, she abandons her bardic music 
  to support the ﬁ ght, ﬁ rst with daze, then a ghost sound of more goblins 
  approaching from one of the southern doors to trick PCs into wasting 
  time reacting to that illusory threat. She may also use her wand of silent 
  images to create an illusion of a curtain dropping down between her 
  and the rest of the room, providing herself cover she can use to shoot 
  arrows through against anyone who fails to see through the illusion.
  STATISTICS
  Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, wand of silent image (5 
  charges); Other Gear studded leather, whip, short sword, shortbow 
  with 20 arrows, 20 gp
  Development: Warchief Ripnugget ﬁ ghts to the death, but it’s 
  still possible to catch him alive. In this case, he tries to buﬀ  the PCs 
  into thinking that he was responsible for the raid on Sandpoint, and 
  that he should be brought back to town for a trial, because “isn’t 
  that what you longshanks do?” This is, of course, a stalling tactic; 
  he hopes to escape at the ﬁ rst opportunity to seek aid from Nualia 
  or, if he’s really desperate, from Gogmurt the druid. Only if he’s 
  charmed or otherwise magically compelled can he be made helpful, 
  in which case he knows the layout of the rooms on level one below 
  (but not level two), and can tell the PCs much about Nualia, her 
  plans, her allies, and Malfeshnekor (whom he suspects is a goblin 
  god imprisoned somewhere on the level below).
  C20. Food Storage
  The door to this room is locked; the key is carried by Chief Ripnug-
  get. The lock can be picked with a DC 20 Open Lock check.
  This foul-smelling butchery is a horrifying aﬀ ront to all the senses. 
  Haunches of poorly smoked meat hang from hooks along the ceiling or lie 
  heaped in and atop crates. In some cases, the meat seems to be dog or 
  horse, but in many other cases, the meat has all-too-recognizable features, 
  like feet, hands, or grimacing faces.
   
  This food store contains the goblins’ favorite food—the meat of 
  their vanquished enemies. The fate of several missing travelers and 
  merchants is revealed here, although no single body is in an intact 
  enough state that they are easily recognizable.
  C21. Armory
  This room contains a small armory of crudely made weapons (mostly dogslic-
  ers and shortbows) and several small goblin-sized suits of studded leather 
  armor and dented shields. To the south stand a pair of workbenches.
  Treasure: The workbenches are where the goblins cobble 
  together weapons for their tribe. All of the weapons and suits of 
  armor here are Small sized. In all, there are twenty-three dogslicers, 
  eleven shortbows, eighty arrows, eleven suits of studded leather, 
  six light wooden shields, and two coiled whips. On the north wall 
  hangs a single masterwork dogslicer. With the exception of this 
  lone dogslicer, the gear stored here is of poor quality, bespeaking 
  typical goblin crafting expertise.
  C22. Meeting Room
  A round table and a few chairs are this room’s only furnishings.
   
  Warchief Ripnugget uses this room to meet with his comman-
  dos, issuing orders or receiving reports from the ﬁ eld.
  C23. Chieftain’s Room
  Several rugs made from dog or horse hide lie strewn over the dirt ﬂ oor 
  of this room. Against the north wall stands an impressive collection of 
  horseshoes, each nailed to the wall. To the east sits a ragged padded 
  chair next to a rickety desk that may have once been an expensive antique. 
  To the west sits a canopied bed covered with silk sheets and sporting a 
  once-impressive headboard that featured nymphs and satyrs cavorting in 
  a forest. The bed’s sheets are stained with dirt, while the headboard is 
  bashed and battered.
   
  Warchief Ripnugget lives in style—even if his furniture has been 
  mostly scavenged from shipwrecks or Junk Beach in Sandpoint, 
  it’s the best junk a goblin can ﬁ nd. The horseshoe collection is 
  one hundred twenty-two shoes strong, although none of them are 
  intrinsically valuable.
  Treasure: Although Ripnugget keeps most of the tribe’s trea-
  sure in area C24, he keeps one item to himself—a silver holy 
  symbol of Lamashtu that looks like a three-eyed fanged jackal 
  head with tiny garnets for eyes given him by Nualia. Worth 40 
  gp, Ripnugget keeps this symbol under his pillow, where a DC 15 
  Search check can uncover it.
   
  A DC 20 Search of the chair to the east ﬁ nds a large iron key wedged 
  under the seat; this key opens the treasure chest in area C24.
  C24. Treasury (EL 3)
  This small, foul-smelling room features little more than a reeking hole in 
  the ground, its rim stained with refuse and waste.
   
  Although goblins are prone to relieving themselves in the wild 
  or oﬀ  the edge of the cliﬀ  outside, some of them sometimes 
  remember that they’re supposed to keep this latrine looking 
  used. In fact, the west wall of this nasty-smelling room hides a 
  secret door that can be discovered with a DC 20 Search check. 
  Beyond is another small room, this one much less foul-smelling 
  and containing a single extra-large sea chest with a heavy iron 
  padlock. The key to this lock is hidden in Chief Ripnugget’s room 
  (area C23).
  Trap: The sea chest is trapped, courtesy of one of Chief Ripnugget’s 
  predecessors who had a great talent for such devices. The trap triggers 
  if the chest is attacked, if the lock is attempted with a pick, or even if 
  the lock is tried with the proper key and turned left instead of right. 
  When triggered, a rusty blade of jagged metal springs out of the chest’s 
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  42
  42
  WARCHIEF 
  RIPNUGGET 
  AND 
  STICKFOOT
  lid. The blade was once poisoned, and while the poison has long since 
  decayed, the blade still has a great chance of giving victims tetanus.
  F S T 
  CR 3
  Type mechanical
  Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 22
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset manual
  Eﬀ ect Atk +8 melee (scything blade; 1d8/19–20); Fortitude DC 14 
  to resist catching tetanus (see sidebar)
  Treasure: Inside of the chest is the accumulated wealth of the 
  Thistletop tribe, culled from junkyards, shipwrecks, ambushed 
  merchants, and unfortunate rival goblin tribes over the past decade 
  or so. This collection consists of an unorganized pile of 7,432 cp, 
  2,490 sp, 89 gp, 3 pp, a leather pouch of 34 badly ﬂ awed malachites 
  worth 1 gp each, a Medium chain shirt, a Medium masterwork scim-
  itar, a pair of masterwork manacles,  a gold holy symbol of Sarenrae 
  worth 100 gp, a jade necklace worth 60 gp, and a ﬁ ne blue silk gown 
  with silver trim worth 150 gp.
  C25. Submerged Sea Cave
  This entrance to the sea caves under the thistle maze is underwater, 
  but can be noticed from above with a DC 20 Spot check. Navigating 
  the waters is tough, requiring a DC 20 Swim check due to the surf’s 
  strong undertow. The cliﬀ s leading up from the beaches here are 80 
  feet high; and can be scaled with a DC 10 Climb check.
  C26. Sea Cave
  Unlike the entrance at C25, this sea cave entrance remains 
  above water even at high tide, although there are no ledges 
  leading into the cave beyond. It’s a DC 20 Swim check to navi-
  gate the churning surf leading south.
  C27. Bunyip Lair (EL 3)
  A glittering grotto sparkles here, its walls drip-
  ping with moisture and alive with sea urchins, 
  anemones, and other tidal life. The cave’s roof rises 
  to a natural dome ten feet above the water where a ﬁ ve-
  foot-wide chimney rises through the roof in a shaft. The 
  waters here are less choppy, but they are far from still. 
  A ﬁ ve-foot-wide, ﬁ fteen-foot-long ledge sits just above 
  the water level to the south.
   
  Navigating the sheltered waters here 
  is somewhat easier than at the 
  entrances to the sea cave—it’s 
  only a DC 15 Swim check 
  to move around in here. 
  The western entrance 
  remains underwater 
  even at low tide; the 
  water in the cave itself 
  is 20 feet deep at its 
  deepest point directly under the shaft, but never gets shallower 
  than 10 feet.
  Creature: This cave is the lair of a dangerous coastal preda-
  tor called a bunyip. A sleek aquatic hunter that looks some-
  thing like a seal with fins and a mouth full of several rows of 
  sharklike teeth, the bunyip has learned that food often falls 
  down from the hole above, especially when it roars. It’s grown 
  somewhat lazy in its hunting as a result, and rarely leaves this 
  cave anymore, spending much of its time sleeping on the 
  southern ledge.
  B 
  CR 3
  Tome of Horrors I, 31
  Medium magical beast
  Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., keen scent, low-light vision; Listen 
  +4, Spot +4
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 13, ﬂ at-footed 12
  (+3 Dex, +2 natural)
  hp 32 (5d10+5)
  Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +1
  OFFENSE
  Spd 10 ft., swim 50 ft.
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  TETANUS
  This disease, also called “lockjaw,” is typically introuduced via deep 
  wounds from contaminated objects like rusty metal. Tetanus victims 
  become more and more prone to violent muscle spasms, splitting 
  headaches, fever, and difficulty swallowing. Stiffness of the jaw is a 
  common result of tetanus infection.
   Infection—injury; Fortitude DC 14; Incubation 1d6 days; Damage 
  1d4 Dex. Each time someone takes Dexterity damage from tetanus, 
  there’s a 50% chance his jaw muscles stiffen, preventing speech and 
  the use of spells with verbal components for the next 24 hours.
  B U R N T  O F F E R I N G S
  43
  Melee bite +9 (1d6+1/18–20/×3)
  Special Attacks augmented critical, frenzy, roar
  TACTICS
  During Combat The bunyip roars as soon as it sees intruders, then dives 
  into the water to attack the closest foe. Once it selects a target, 
  it only switches to another foe only when its current foe is dead or 
  when another target hits it for more than 8 points of damage.
  Morale Although the bunyip is territorial, it still ﬂ ees into the open sea 
  if brought below 8 hit points. It returns 3d6 hours later to try to 
  reclaim its lair.
  STATISTICS
  Str 13, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 7
  Base Atk +5; Grp +6
  Feats Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (bite)
  Skills Listen +4, Spot +4, Swim +9
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Augmented Critical (Ex) A bunyip threatens a critical hit with its bite 
  on a roll of 18–20, and inﬂ icts triple damage on a successful critical 
  hit. Creatures killed by a critical hit are typically dismembered or 
  beheaded, making it diﬃ  cult or impossible to aﬀ ect the remaining 
  body with spells like speak with dead or raise dead that require a 
  relatively intact corpse.
  Frenzy (Ex) A bunyip that detects blood in the water has a 50% chance 
  of ﬂ ying into a frenzy the following round. While in a frenzy, the 
  bunyip gains a +4 morale bonus to its Strength, but takes a –4 
  penalty to its AC. The bunyip cannot end its frenzy voluntarily, and 
  remains frenzied as long as prey remains nearby.
  Keen Scent (Ex) A bunyip can notice creatures by scent in a 180-foot 
  radius and can detect blood in the water at a range of up to a mile.
  Roar (Su) A bunyip’s roar is supernaturally loud and horrifying. All 
  creatures with 4 HD or less within a 100-foot spread of a roaring 
  bunyip must make a DC 13 Will save or become panicked for 2d4 
  rounds. Whether or not the save is successful, an aﬀ ected creature 
  is immune to that bunyip’s roar for 24 hours. This is a sonic, mind-
  aﬀ ecting, fear eﬀ ect. The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Treasure: A search of the cave pool’s bed quickly turns up an 
  incredible tangle of bones, all that remains of the bunyip’s meals. 
  Many of the bones are from goblins, but a fair amount are larger 
  and human-sized. Several items of value lie scattered down here 
  as well; each DC 20 Search of the area randomly turns up one of 
  the following: 3d6 gp (to a maximum of 100 gp), a deep green 
  spinel worth 100 gp, a rusted masterwork kukri with an intact 
  violet garnet in its hilt worth 200 gp, a rotted quiver containing 
  3 +1 arrows, and a bone wand of shield with 9 charges remaining.
  Thistletop Dungeon: Level One
  Two hundred years ago that a Varisian cult of Lamashtu ﬂ ed here 
  from the east to avoid being slaughtered by the advancing Chelish 
  army. Taken with the unique shape of this small island, the cultists 
  established a church of Lamashtu atop it, expanding into the ground 
  below and excavating the chambers on this level. Near the end of 
  that excavation, they discovered the intact second level below, 
  but in opening it, they also unwittingly released a hellcat that had 
  been trapped in area E2 for thousands of years. The cultists were 
  quickly slaughtered by the outsider, which had gone insane after 
  its long imprisonment. The monster has long since ﬂ ed into the 
  world, leaving the complex roughly in its current condition when 
  the Thistletop goblins ﬁ rst came to dwell here.
   
  Although goblins can see in the dark, several of Nualia’s followers 
  cannot, and so hooded lanterns hang in each hallway and in most 
  rooms throughout the complex; these lanterns are generally left 
  lit only during daylight hours. Ceiling height averages at 8 feet in 
  most rooms, and doors are generally rickety wooden aﬀ airs rigged 
  by the goblins.
  D1. Feast Hall
  A single lantern hangs from a hook on the wall next to where the stairs enter 
  this room from the north. Several rickety doors open into this room, and a 
  few discarded dog pelt rugs lie forgotten in the northeast corner.
   
  Before Nualia arrived, the goblins used this room as a feast hall. 
  Ripnugget let Nualia move the table and chairs that once stood in 
  here up north to area D14, and since then the goblins have taken 
  to having their meals wherever they want.
  D2. Chieftain’s Harem (EL 2)
  Dozens of ratty cushions, lumpy pillows, and rumpled dogskin furs lie 
  heaped in the south half of this chamber, which smells of a nauseating 
  mixture of vinegar and rotten ﬂ owers.
  Creatures: The stink in the air is, horrifyingly enough, perfume 
  worn by the four hideous goblin women who lounge about in this 
  chamber. These four are Warchief Ripnugget’s wives, although he 
  hasn’t had time to visit them in weeks. Starved for attention, the 
  goblins have taken to one of Nualia’s allies with an obscene and dis-
  turbing glee. This is Bruthazmus the bugbear, and unless he suspects 
  intruders have reached this level, he’s 80% likely to be encountered 
  here (he’s otherwise to be found in his lair at area D4d).
   
  For many years, Bruthazmus lived a lonely life as a trapper in the 
  northern reaches of Nettlewood, periodically stalking the Lost Coast 
  Road for merchants and couriers to jump. The day he met Nualia, he 
  thought the exotic-looking woman was some sort of nature spirit. 
  He tried to catch her to sell her to pirates from Riddleport, but she 
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  handily defeated him without taking a wound herself. So when she 
  oﬀ ered him a job as her bodyguard rather than executing him, the 
  bugbear seized the chance. He’s long coveted the prime location 
  claimed by the Thistletop tribe, and now that he’s here, he knows he 
  has Nualia to thank for his turn in fortunes. He remains cruel and abu-
  sive to most others he meets (including Nualia’s other allies, whom 
  he does not enjoy the company of, but excluding these delightful 
  goblin wives), but has taken to treating Nualia almost as a mother.
   
  Bruthazmus hasn’t quite gotten over the fact that he hasn’t been 
  given permission to go down to Sandpoint and cause problems. He’s 
  bitterly jealous of Tsuto as a result, whom he suspects has been razing 
  Sandpoint all the time Bruthazmus has been caged up here. His cloying 
  hatred of elves doesn’t help the bugbear’s attitude toward Tsuto, and he 
  often fantasizes about adding Tsuto’s ears to his elf-ear necklace, even 
  though the half-elf’s ears aren’t nearly as pointed as he would like.
  B 
  CR 3
  Male bugbear ranger 1 (MM 29)
  CE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)
  Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +1, Spot +1
  DEFENSE
  AC 18, touch 13, ﬂ at-footed 15
  (+2 armor, +3 Dex, +3 natural)
  hp 37 (4d8+16)
  Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +2
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft.
  Melee heavy ﬂ ail +6 (1d10+6/19–20)
  Ranged mwk composite longbow +6 (1d8+4/×3)
  Special Attacks favored enemy +1 (elf)
  TACTICS
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  BRUTHAZMUS
  During Combat Bruthazmus reacts to intrusions on his personal time 
  with roars and curses. There’s a 50% chance he’s not wearing his 
  armor if encountered in area D2; in any event, he ﬂ ies into combat 
  with his heavy ﬂ ail with a murderous glee. He attacks elves in 
  preference to any other target. 
  Morale If brought below 15 hit points, Bruthazmus attempts to ﬂ ee to 
  area D15, where he barricades the door and then races downstairs to 
  area E4 to join Nualia, hoping to get some healing and then remaining 
  at her side as a bodyguard until the PCs are no longer a threat.
  STATISTICS
  Abilities Str 17, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 8
  Base Atk +3; Grp +6
  Feats Point Blank Shot, Track, Weapon Focus (longbow)
  Skills Hide +8, Move Silently +7, Survival +6
  Languages Common, Goblin
  SQ wild empathy +0
  Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds; Other Gear studded 
  leather armor, heavy ﬂ ail, masterwork composite longbow (+4 
  Strength) with 20 arrows and 4 +1 elf-bane arrows, 4 pp
  T G W (4) 
  CR 1/3
  Goblin warrior 1 (MM 133)
  hp 5 each
  D3. Goblin Nursery
  The walls of this room are lined with small wooden cages. Inside each cage 
  is a dirty mound of straw.
   
  Horrifyingly, this is the Thistletop nursery. Most goblin tribes 
  have equally reprehensible methods of raising children—very 
  few tribes actually coddle and protect their young, since the theory 
  is that such activity only results in adult goblins who can’t defend 
  themselves. Goblin wisdom instead supports methods like these 
  cages, where fast-growing goblin babies and children are raised 
  like animals on daily regimens of raw meat and abuse so they grow 
  up properly mean and strong.
   
  There are no babies kept here currently—the Thistletop goblins 
  have had other things (such as planning the raid on Sandpoint) 
  on their mind lately. GMs seeking to confront their players with 
  awkward social situations might want to put a few sharp-toothed 
  feral goblin children and babies in these cages for the unsuspecting 
  adventurers to discover.
  D4a. Tsuto’s Chambers
  This room is clean and well-organized. A low dresser to the southwest has a 
  stack of papers sitting atop it, weighted down by a large chunk of obsidian, 
  while to the northwest sits a well-made bed.
   
  If Tsuto escaped from death in part three of this adventure, 
  there’s a 30% chance he’s here, sleeping. Otherwise, he’s encoun-
  tered at area D15. If he’s here, the half-elf does everything in his 
  power to escape to area D15.
   
  The notes on the nightstand are mostly rough drafts of Tsuto’s 
  plans to blackmail his father and to use the Sandpoint Glassworks as 
  a staging ground for the coming investigation of the Catacombs of 
  Wrath—it’s unlikely that there’s anything here that’s news to the PCs 
  by this point, although if they haven’t discovered the Catacombs of 
  Wrath yet, these notes should point them in that direction.
  D4b. Orik’s Chambers (EL 3)
  This one-person bedroom shows many signs of having been lived in. The 
  bed itself is rumpled and unmade, and a half-eaten meal of bread and 
  smoked salmon sits on the nightstand. A few articles of dirty clothing sit 
  at the foot of the bed.
  Creature: This is the current home of Orik Vancaskerkin, a 
  down-on-his-luck mercenary from the lawless city of Riddleport 
  to the north. After a scam involving a tieﬂ ing prostitute, a shifty 
  alchemist, and an elixir of love, Orik was forced to ﬂ ee Riddleport. 
  He’s pretty sure that Clegg Zincher, the now dead alchemist’s 
  powerful brother, still carries a grudge for what Orik did to the 
  alchemist when he discovered, to his horror, that the elixir of love
  was actually just cheap ale laced with lavender. While Orik bears 
  no regrets for murdering the alchemist, he does regret the fact that 
  Clegg Zincher eﬀ ectively made it impossible for Orik to continue 
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  ORIK 
  VANCASKERKIN
  living in Riddleport. He misses his home town greatly, despite the 
  fact that little good ever came of living there, and has several half-
  formed plans to return there some day to face Clegg and perhaps 
  seize control of Zincher’s Arena for himself.
   
  But doing something like that requires allies and money, and 
  when a strange but beautiful woman approached him in the seedy 
  Magnimar bar he’d taken up in, he accepted her oﬀ er to serve as her 
  bodyguard without question. Since then, and since helping plan the 
  assault on Sandpoint, Orik has come to think that his allegiance to 
  Nualia may be just the latest in a long string of bad choices. Still, 
  she pays regularly in platinum, and to date he hasn’t really had to do 
  much actual body guarding, since she’s remained here at Thistletop 
  for some time. He knows she’s after something in the chambers 
  below, but doesn’t know (or care) what it is. Orik has also developed 
  something of an infatuation with another of Nualia’s henchman, the 
  foul-tempered (charmingly so, to Orik) Lyrie Akenja. Unfortunately, 
  Lyrie seems more obsessed with Tsuto than anything else. Orik’s 
  considered murdering Tsuto to remove him from the picture, but 
  since the half-elf is currently Nualia’s lover, he’s avoided such drastic 
  moves to this point. Things have become so unbearably complicated 
  for Orik that he’s considering giving up on the whole thing and 
  heading east to Korvosa to try his luck there.
   
  Orik is ruggedly handsome, with a visage and demeanor that 
  doesn’t mesh well with smiles and laughter. Of late, he’s spent most 
  of his time here, waiting for something, anything, to develop down in 
  the chambers below or with the Sandpoint situation so he can collect 
  his ﬁ nal payment from Nualia. The raid on Sandpoint has left him 
  somewhat conﬂ icted, since on his one visit to the town on his way 
  south to Magnimar several months ago, he found the place friendly 
  and charming.
  O V 
  CR 3
  Male human ﬁ ghter 3
  CN Medium humanoid
  Init +1; Senses Listen +1, Spot +1
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 11, ﬂ at-footed 19
  (+7 armor, +1 Dex, +2 shield)
  hp 27 (3d10+6)
  Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +2
  OFFENSE
  Spd 20 ft. (base 30 ft. without armor)
  Melee mwk bastard sword +7 (1d10+2/19–20) or
  mwk bastard sword +4 (1d10+5/19–20, 3-point Power Attack)
  Ranged composite longbow +4 (1d8/×3)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Orik relies on his strength in battle, focusing his 
  attacks on taking down one target at a time and preferring to ﬁ ght 
  with his back to a wall or an ally. He generally ﬁ ghts with a 3-point 
  Power Attack, which changes his attack as detailed above.
  Morale If reduced to less than 5 hit points, Orik throws down his 
  weapons and begs for mercy. He promises to help the PCs 
  however he can if given his life—this promise is mostly 
  legitimate, as detailed in Development below.
  STATISTICS
  Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, 
  Cha 8
  Base Atk +3; Grp +5
  Feats Athletic, Blind Fight, 
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  Exotic Weapon Proﬁ ciency (bastard sword), Power Attack, Weapon 
  Focus (bastard sword)
  Skills Climb +2, Intimidate +5, Swim –2
  Languages Common, Goblin
  Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds; Other Gear +1 banded 
  mail, masterwork heavy steel shield, masterwork bastard sword, 
  composite longbow with 20 arrows, everburning torch, 2 pp
  Development: If Orik surrenders, he does what he can to 
  ensure his continued well-being. If that includes giving his wealth 
  to the PCs or even aiding them against Nualia and her other 
  allies, so be it. Unfortunately, Orik hasn’t explored much of the 
  dungeon here, and can say nothing about areas D7–D9 (except 
  that there’s some kind of wriggly monster in there), areas D9–
  D10, or any of the chambers on level two (although he does know 
  that the lower level is much older than this one). He’s only been 
  in the temple of Lamashtu (area D12) once, enough to know that 
  he doesn’t want to go back if he can help it; that religion kind of 
  gives him the chills. He knows that the temple is guarded by a 
  pair of “monster dogs,” but beyond knowing that their howls are 
  horrifying, he isn’t sure what they are.
  D4c. Lyrie’s Chambers
  While this bedroom is clean and brightly lit by an everburning torch lying on the 
  nightstand, the room’s spartan decor makes it unclear if it’s actually lived in.
   
  In fact, this chamber does belong to another of Nualia’s minions, 
  but since Lyrie spends most of her time researching the tentamort 
  in area D7 or studying the various artifacts and relics recovered 
  from the dungeons below, she’s only encountered here during the 
  night as she sleeps.
  Treasure: The everburning torch belongs to Lyrie, a spare in 
  case the one she carries is lost.
  D4d. Bruthazmus’s Chambers
  This bedroom has a faint, musty odor. The bed is covered with matted gray 
  and black hair, and bloodstains mar the stone ﬂ oor, while a morbid stack of 
  birds’ feet lies heaped on the ﬂ oor by the side of the bed.
   
  Bruthazmus the bugbear has taken to sleeping in area D2 of 
  late, and hasn’t been back to this room in days. The bloodstains 
  are all that remain of his last meal taken here—the bugbear pre-
  fers his food still alive and wriggling as he eats, and has taken a 
  liking to seagull (although he detests the texture of their feet and 
  won’t eat them).
  D5: Nualia’s Chambers
  This large chamber seems to serve a dual purpose. To the north is a ﬁ ne 
  bed with silk sheets, while to the south, a desk and chair under a hanging 
  lantern make a comfortable-looking study.
   
  This large room serves Nualia as a bedchamber, although she’s 
  not spent much time here recently. She had the ﬁ ne bed to the 
  north brought in piece by piece from Magnimar, one of her few 
  concessions toward luxury.
  D6. Workroom
  Crates, barrels, and mounds of miscellaneous refuse lie heaped against the 
  walls here. To the north, the sound of crashing surf echoes in.
   
  Most of the junk scavenged from Junk Beach by the Seven 
  Tooth goblins ends up here, tribute sent north to the Thistletop 
  goblins to keep them on the greater tribe’s good side. While the 
  raw materials here can be turned into furniture, dogslicers, or 
  even armor, at this point only a goblin is likely to see value in the 
  mounds of refuse.
  D7. Tentamort Hunting Grounds (EL 4)
  The ﬂ oor of this cavern seems strangely polished and smooth. To the 
  east, a thick curtain of vines and nettles hangs down over a wide opening 
  overlooking the Varisian Gulf.
  Creature: This cavern has been the lair of a deadly monster 
  called a tentamort for many years. The monster looks something 
  like a leathery, eyeless squid with a squat body the size of a rain 
  barrel. Its lower body splits into a tangle of tentacles the creature 
  uses to slowly move on, while two longer tentacles, one thick and 
  muscular and the other lithe and tipped with a bone stinger, emerge 
  from either side. Exceptionally long-lived, the nearly mindless 
  predator has fed on sea birds for years and has grown quite adept 
  at snatching them out of the sky from its perch overlooking the 
  sea to the east. When the goblins moved in, they lost several to the 
  tentamort’s tentacles (including one of their best ﬁ ghters) before 
  they decided to leave the monster alone.
   
  Lyrie spent several days studying the monster after she arrived, 
  going so far as to lure several goblins in here so she could watch 
  the monster eat them, but she’s learned all she can of the creature 
  and grew bored with it a few days ago.
  T 
  CR 4
  Tome of Horrors I, 252
  N Medium aberration
  Init +5; Senses blindsense 30 ft.; Listen +0, Spot +0
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 11, ﬂ at-footed 18
  (+1 Dex, +8 natural)
  hp 22 (4d8+4)
  Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +4
  OFFENSE
  Spd 5 ft., climb 5 ft.
  Melee tentacle +5 (1d4+2) and
  sting +0 (1d4+1 plus liquefy organs)
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with sting)
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  Special Attacks constrict 1d4+2, improved grab
  TACTICS
  During Combat The tentamort is relatively stupid; it won’t attack 
  anyone beyond the range of its blindsense, and tends to ignore 
  creatures aside from the closest target.
  Morale The tentamort ﬁ ghts to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 15, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 6
  Base Atk +3; Grp +9
  Feats Improved Initiative, Stealthy
  Skills Climb +11, Hide +6, Move Silently +6
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, a tentamort must hit an 
  opponent no larger than one size category larger than itself (Large 
  foes for most tentamorts) with its tentacle attack. It can then 
  attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an 
  attack of opportunity. If it establishes a hold, it can constrict and 
  gains a +4 bonus on sting attacks made against the grappled foe. A 
  tentamort has a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks. 
  Liquefy Organs (Su) A creature stung by a tentamort is injected 
  with an acidic enzyme that quickly dissolves internal organs. The 
  victim must make a successful DC 13 Fortitude save or take 1d6 
  points of Constitution damage on the round he is stung, and 
  again on the following round.  A victim stung more than once 
  never has to save more than once per round, and despite the 
  total number of stings, the lingering danger persists only for one 
  additional round.
  D8. Tentamort Lair
  Dozens of strange dead bodies lie scattered about this room. Most are 
  of sea birds and ospreys, but there are six dead goblins here as well. Each 
  body is literally skin and bones, as if all of the interior organs and muscles 
  have somehow been drained away, leaving behind skeletons draped with 
  leathery, slowly rotting skin.
  Treasure: The goblins who fell victim to the tentamort were 
  never recovered by their kin, and their armor and weapons lie in 
  rotting, rusty heaps where they fell. One of the bodies belongs to 
  the ex-goblin hero Tiovunk; his carcass still wears a suit of +1 hide 
  armor (made from dogs) and wields a ruined (but once masterwork) 
  horsechopper and a masterwork short bow. The armor and weapons 
  are both Small.
  D9. Prison
  The southern wall of this room is a bank of cells with iron doors, six in all. 
  The rest of the room is obviously a torture chamber; a rack sits against the 
  far wall, an iron maiden stands to the north, and a ﬁ re pit smolders below 
  a spiky cage dangling from a chain in the ceiling to the east.
   
  If the goblins have captured any prisoners during the adventure 
  they’re kept here. Since their jailer and torturer, Brunkel, went 
  missing during the raid on Sandpoint, this area has been neglected 
  by the goblins, who often forgot to come down to check on pris-
  oners for several days anyway, leaving the prisoners to ration their 
  already meager food and water to avoid thirst and hunger.
   
  Each of the iron doors enclosing the cells can be broken with a 
  DC 26 Strength check, or the locks picked with a DC 25 Open Lock 
  check. Keys for the cells can be found in area D10.
  D10. Brunkel’s Lair
  A dusty nest of rags, dog hides, and straw sits in the northeast corner of this 
  room. To the south, a long workbench cluttered with pliers, hooks, tongs, 
  saws, and knives runs along the wall.
   
  Brunkel, a goblin ﬁ ghter/rogue and the second-toughest gob-
  lin in the tibe, once lived here where he served as a torturer 
  and jailer. The Thistletop goblins assumed that if anyone could 
  survive the raid on Sandpoint, it would be Brunkel. They were 
  wrong—Brunkel died on the sheriﬀ ’s sword within minutes of 
  the raid’s beginning.
   
  Keys to the cells in area D9 can be found scattered among the 
  torture implements on the southern workbench.
  D11. Chapel Entrance
  Two large stone doors sit in the western walls here, their faces carved with 
  images of horriﬁ c, deformed monsters clawing their way out of pregnant 
  women of all races.
   
  These two stone doors are well-maintained, and open easily. A 
  DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check identiﬁ es the scene depicted 
  on the doors as one common to churches of Lamashtu.
  D12. Chapel to Lamashtu (EL 5)
  Stone fonts containing frothy dark water sit to the north and south of 
  the eastern entrance to the room, and twin banks of stone pillars run 
  the length of the long chamber. At the western end, shallow stairs rise 
  to a platform about two feet oﬀ  the ground. The walls surrounding this 
  platform are lit by hanging braziers that emit glowing red smoke, giving 
  the place an unnerving crimson lighting that throws the bas-relief carv-
  ings of countless monsters feasting on ﬂ eeing humans into lurid display. 
  A black marble altar stone, its surface heaped with ashes and bone 
  fragments, squats before a ten-foot-tall statue. The sculpture depicts 
  a very pregnant but otherwise shapely naked woman who wields a kukri 
  in each taloned hand and has a long reptilian tail, bird-like taloned feet, 
  and the snarling head of a three-eyed jackal with a forked tongue. Its 
  left kukri ﬂ ickers with ﬁ ery orange light while the right one glows with 
  a cold blue radiance.
   
  Recently reconsecrated by Nualia, this shrine to Lamashtu had 
  lain dormant for many years, ever since the previous chieftain 
  succumbed to rabies and left Ripnugget in charge. Ripnugget has 
  always viewed his inability to recieve Malfeshnekor’s empathic 
  sendings as a ﬂ aw, but after he threw several goblins who dared 
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  question this ﬂ aw into the Howling Hole, no one at Thistletop talks 
  about it. Ripnugget has come to view Nualia’s arrival as Lamashtu’s 
  blessing, and her weekly sermons have become mandatory for the 
  goblins despite the fact that one or two of them end up sacriﬁ ced 
  on the altar if they can’t oﬀ er up other goblins or prisoners in their 
  place. A DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check identiﬁ es the temple 
  and statue as being sacred to Lamashtu. The glowing eﬀ ects on the 
  statue’s kukris are continual ﬂ ames.
   
  Every day that Nualia leads a service here, she prepares a desecrate
  spell instead of a bull’s strength spell, and casts it at the start of her 
  sermon. If the PCs wish to time their inﬁ ltration of Thistletop to 
  coincide with one of her ceremonies, they’ll ﬁ nd the upper reaches 
  of the fortress empty and easy to inﬁ ltrate, but if they come upon this 
  room they may well encounter more than they can handle.
   
  An examination of the altar reveals smears of ash and bits of 
  bone; a body was burned here recently (the remains of Nualia’s 
  foster father).
  Creatures: When Nualia arrived here, drawn by her dreams, 
  she quickly re-dedicated this chapel to Lamashtu in much the same 
  way Sandpoint would re-dedicate their own chapel several months 
  later. In reward, Lamashtu sent her three of her minions as a reward, 
  lean creatures that look like jackals with smoking red eyes and 
  black fangs—yeth hounds. Two lurk in the shadows of the chamber 
  while the other remains at Nualia’s side—all three are completely 
  loyal to her. When she performs sacriﬁ ces to Lamashtu, Nualia does 
  so with her bastard sword, beheading the victim and then inviting 
  the yeth hounds to feast on the body while she holds the decapi-
  tated head over the altar so it can watch its body be consumed.
   
  When no one else is here, the yeth hounds hover near the ceiling 
  to the north and south. If they sense any intruders, they quickly 
  race down through the air to attack, their howls quickly putting 
  the complex on alert.
   
  During rituals, all of the goblins in the complex, as well as 
  Tsuto, Lyrie, and Bruthazmus, gather here to watch and pray. Orik 
  attended the ﬁ rst service, but has since bowed out, claiming that 
  someone needs to guard the complex during ceremony. To his 
  relief, Nualia agreed. In any event, taking on a room of goblins and 
  cultists is not a good plan for low-level PCs.
  Y H (2) 
  CR 3
  hp 19 each (MM 260)
  D13. Goblin Art Gallery
  The lower four feet of the walls in this empty room are covered with crude 
  drawings in mud, blood, and paint. Most of the drawings show goblins 
  engaged in some sort of violence against humans, horses, or dogs. One 
  picture on the north wall is at least three times the size and complexity of 
  the other scrawlings. This image shows Thistletop from the side, the goblin 
  stockade perched atop it like a crown. A cave has been drawn into the 
  center of the image, and looming inside is what appears to be an immense, 
  muscular goblin with snake-like eyes and a dogslicer in each taloned hand. 
  If the scale compared to the rest of the drawing is to be believed, this 
  goblin must be at least thirty feet tall.
   
  Fortunately for the PCs, the depiction of Malfeshnekor here is 
  based on nothing more than goblin hopes and dreams.
  D14. War Room
  A large table surrounded by chairs ﬁ lls much of this room. A slateboard to 
  the north is covered with scribblings in chalk, but the map of Sandpoint 
  that has been carefully inscribed on it leaves no doubt as to the purpose of 
  this room—this is doubtless where the recent raid was planned.
   
  An investigation of the slate and the notes written there can 
  conﬁ rm this and more. Namely, that once “the whispering beast is 
  tamed,” the architects of the plan intend to mount a second raid on 
  the town, one that incorporates not only additional goblin tribes 
  culled from as far as the Fogscar mountains to the north, but crea-
  tures referred to as “sinspawn” who shall invade Sandpoint from 
  below. If the PCs have fought sinspawn already, they recognize these 
  dangerous monsters as the ones mentioned here. No exact timetable 
  is given for when this second raid is to happen, but close examination 
  reveals that it is scheduled for only a few months away.
  D15. Research Room
  A large wooden worktable sits in the middle of this room, its surface clut-
  tered with scrolls, books, stone tablets covered with dense, spiky runes, 
  and fragments of carvings that appear to have been chipped oﬀ  of statues 
  or bas-reliefs. To the north, a ﬂ oor-to-ceiling set of wooden shelves sag 
  with picks, shovels, brushes, lanterns, and other equipment one might 
  expect to see at an archeological site.
   
  This chamber has been claimed by Nualia and her minions as a place 
  to study and research the artifacts that they’ve recovered from the 
  chambers below and from other ancient Thassilonian sites they’ve 
  raided. The secret door to the east was built by the cult of Lamashtu 
  that once dwelt here after their excavations uncovered a sealed stair-
  way leading down to the chambers below; they installed this door to 
  prevent the discovery of the chambers by their enemies. The door’s 
  been used often recently, and if the alarm isn’t raised, it actually hangs 
  ajar. If it’s closed, it’s only a DC 18 Search check to ﬁ nd it due to the 
  heavy traﬃ  c that’s been passing through it over the past few weeks.
  Creatures: Although all ﬁ ve of the bandits have spent time in 
  this room, only Lyrie Akenja and Nualia have the obsessive interest 
  in these ruins to spend much time here. And since Nualia’s been 
  spending more and more of her time in the observation chamber 
  below (area E4), Lyrie’s been able to study here in peace and quiet, 
  a luxury she’s quite enjoyed.
   
  Nualia hired Lyrie primarily for her knowledge of arcana and 
  architecture, her ability to read Thassilonian, and for her arcane 
  magic. Lyrie was in a desperate place when Nualia encountered her 
  in Magnimar. Lyrie had recently been informed that she was no lon-
  ger under consideration to join an organization of explorers called 
  the Pathﬁ nders as an initiate. She suspects bitterly that they kept 
  copies of her notes and applicant thesis, and that their rejection of 
  her application had more to do with the fact that they suspect she 
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  LYRIE 
  AKENJA
  murdered two of the competing initiates. That this is true doesn’t 
  matter to Lyrie. When Nualia oﬀ ered to pay her in platinum to study 
  Thassilonian relics, she gratefully accepted.
   
  Lyrie is in her early twenties, with dark skin and long hair braided 
  tightly into cornrows. She’s always had a poor self-image about 
  herself, a quality that has left her bitter and cruel, quick to assume 
  insult in innocent comments or to look at things in the bleakest 
  possible manner. Her only true friend is her cat familiar, Skivver, 
  and he has a bad habit of scratching and marking his territory.
  L A 
  CR 3
  Female human wizard 3
  CE Medium humanoid
  Init +2; Senses Listen +2, Spot +2
  DEFENSE
  AC 16, touch 12, ﬂ at-footed 14
  (+2 Dex, +4 armor)
  hp 12 (3d4+3)
  Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +3
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft.
  Melee dagger +0 (1d4–1/19–20)
  Spells Known (CL 3rd)
  2nd—mirror image, shatter (DC 15)
  1st—burning hands (DC 14), mage armor, ray 
  of enfeeblement
  0—acid splash, detect magic, 
  prestidigitation, ray of frost
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If she has a few rounds before 
  combat starts, Lyrie casts mirror image and 
  mage armor.
  During Combat Lyrie knows she’s outclassed 
  in most ﬁ ghts, and prefers to avoid combat 
  when alone if possible. If forced into 
  combat, she focuses most of her spells on 
  heavily armored characters, casting shatter
  on a weapon and ray of enfeeblement in an 
  attempt to get them to suﬀ er for wearing 
  such heavy armor. She relies heavily on her 
  wand of magic missile in combat.
  Morale Lyrie is a coward at heart, and as soon 
  as she’s hit for damage, she attempts to 
  ﬂ ee to the closest ally for help. If she 
  believes the PCs have harmed Tsuto, 
  though, her anger takes over and she 
  ﬁ ghts to the death in an attempt to 
  avenge him.
  STATISTICS
  Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 15, Wis
  10, Cha 13
  Base Atk +1; Grp +0
  Feats Alertness (as long as Skivver’s in 
  arm’s reach), Dodge, Mobility, Scribe 
  Scroll, Spell Focus (evocation)
  Skills Concentration +7, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge 
  (architecture and engineering) +8, Knowledge (local) +8, Move 
  Silently +5, Spellcraft +10
  Languages Common, Goblin, Thassilonian
  SQ summon familiar (cat named Skivver)
  Combat Gear wand of magic missile (CL 1st, 38 charges), potion 
  of cure light wounds, scroll of sleep, scroll of comprehend 
  languages, scroll of minor image, scroll of see invisibility, scroll 
  of whispering wind; Other Gear dagger, cloak of resistance 
  +1, silver comb (25 gp), fine silk gown (60 gp), everburning 
  torch, small pouch of artifacts (hair, fingernail clippings, used 
  handkerchiefs, and a pearl earring worth 50 gp) stolen from 
  Tsuto Kaijitsu, 3 pp
  Spellbook 0—all; 1st—comprehend languages, detect secret 
  doors, ﬂ oating disc, identify, obscuring mist, sleep, 2nd—
  locate object, minor image, see invisibility, spider climb
  Development: If Tsuto escaped 
  from the PCs earlier and the alarm is 
  raised, he’s encountered again here. 
  He and Lyrie have pushed the table 
  up against he eastern door, making it a 
  DC 22 Strength check to push the door 
  open. If Bruthazmus escaped the PCs as 
  well, he too is waiting here, hoping to hold 
  them oﬀ  from reaching the lower level.
  Thistletop Dungeon: 
  Level Two
  Cracks line the walls here and there, 
  and while the ﬁ rst few rooms are fairly 
  clean, dust and rubble clutter areas E6–E10. 
  Spider webs clutter the corners of the room. 
  Areas E1–E4 are lit by lanterns left on the ﬂ oor 
  by Nualia and her minions, but areas E5–E10 are 
  unlit unless otherwise indicated.
   
  This level is part of the original complex 
  that was  hidden in the head of Karzoug’s senti-
  nel statue. When the statue collapsed, the head 
  came to rest at an angle; as a result, the entire 
  level is sloped downward toward the west, as this 
  level existed before the sentinel of Karzoug’s 
  head fell and came to rest at a slight angle. 
  While the canted floor doesn’t appreciably 
  impact movement, it does grant creatures a 
  +1 bonus on attack rolls made against 
  foes who stand in squares west of the 
  attacker’s square.
   
  Air quality in these chambers 
  is surprisingly good, and tempera-
  ture never varies from a comfort-
  able 60ºF. Both of these conditions 
  are remnants of what once were several 
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  magical concessions toward comfort from long ago; most 
  of the other effects (such as lighting) have long since failed, 
  but the replenishment of air and temperature maintenance 
  remain functional. Detect magic reveals this as a faint 
  transmutation aura.
  E1. Ancient Door
  A stone door just around the corner from the steps hangs slightly ajar, the 
  detailed carvings that once covered its surface defaced by chisel marks 
  and hammer blows to the extent that only a few remnants of images 
  (mostly of gemstones and crowns) remain. The ﬂ oor here is slanted 
  toward the west.
   
  This door was damaged hundreds of years ago when the cultists 
  of Lamashtu tried to batter it open, only to release the monster that 
  once lurked in the room beyond.
  E2. The Hellcat’s Hall
  Two pillars support the ceiling in here. In many places the stone walls, 
  ﬂ oor, and ceiling are caked with ancient grime and soot. Alcoves in the 
  north and south wall contain partially damaged statues of a man in robes 
  clutching a book and a glaive. The entire room is canted toward the west, 
  and whatever ancient upheaval caused the complex to tilt knocked the 
  statues from their bases so that now they lean against the southern walls 
  of their alcoves.
   
  The statues once depicted Runelord Karzoug, although time and 
  the hellcat’s endless anger have left them too damaged to be recog-
  nizable beyond their basic shapes. The hellcat is long gone, having 
  been released hundreds of years ago by the clerics of Lamashtu that 
  settled in the chambers above.
  E3. Trapped Hall (EL 3)
  This short hallway rises in a slope to the east. Five feet from the west-
  ern door, the floor is polished and shiny, unlike the dusty floor else-
  where. A pair of stone statues depicting stern men wielding glaives 
  stand in alcoves north and south of this section of the hallway. At the 
  eastern end stand two stone doors, their faces carved with strange 
  runes. Between the doors is a third alcove in which a partially col-
  lapsed statue sits. The top half of the statue is missing, leaving behind 
  a ragged stump of a torso.
   
  The eastern statue broke long ago, tumbling down the hallway to 
  come to a rest against the western door, which made it diﬃ  cult to 
  open for Nualia and her minions on their ﬁ rst visit. They’ve cleared 
  away the rubble since then.
  Trap: Two hidden iron portcullises are recessed into the ceil-
  ing around the polished section of ﬂ oor, as indicated on the map. 
  When a creature steps between them, a pressure plate causes 
  them to both drop with a clang; one round later, the two statues 
  began slashing at the space between them, cutting the trapped 
  intruder to ribbons. A lever that raises and lowers the portcullises 
  and switches the trap on and oﬀ  can be found in area E4.
   
  When Nualia first explored this area with her allies, one of 
  her bodyguards (a stoic Shoanti barbarian named Jagen) trig-
  gered the trap and was killed by it. Since then, she and her 
  remaining allies have taken the exploration of these chambers 
  very slowly, with Tsuto checking for traps extensively before 
  they move on to new areas. The polished section of floor is all 
  that remains of the mess Jagen made after the survivors cleaned 
  the place up—Nualia burnt his remains in the temple (area D12) 
  as an offering to Lamashtu and sold his gear during a trip to 
  Magnimar a few days later.
   
  While she’s working in area E4, Nualia keeps the trap activated; 
  when her allies wish to visit her, they call out from the doorway to 
  area E2 to have her turn the trap oﬀ . If the PCs trigger the trap, 
  Nualia hears the noise and prepares for trouble. Once the trap is 
  triggered, the glaives continue slashing whoever stands in the room 
  as long as pressure remains on the square between them. Both 
  glaives are standard glaives and can be sundered against the traps 
  attack roll of +8 (attempts to sunder the glaives do not provoke 
  attacks of opportunity from the trap). Two rounds after the trap 
  activates, a 10-foot-deep pit opens in the square, dumping what 
  remains of the victim into the area below before the whole thing 
  resets itself. A still-living victim can attempt a DC 20 Reﬂ ex save 
  to avoid falling into the pit by either clinging to the portcullises 
  or the statue alcoves, but when the pit closes automatically one 
  round later, the victim’s weight on the lid could start the cycle all 
  over again.
  S C T 
  CR 3
  Type magical
  Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Reset automatic
  Eﬀ ect portcullises drop to seal target in 5-foot area between them 
  (Reﬂ ex DC 15 to jump to an adjacent 5-foot-square as they drop); 
  1 round later, both statues slash at the area with their glaives for 2 
  rounds; 2 glaives +8 (1d10/ ×3); 10-foot fall after 2 rounds (2d6 
  damage, fall, Reﬂ ex DC 20 negates).
  E4. Observation Deck (EL 6)
  A wide stone ledge of red marble lines the curving walls of this room, which 
  is well-lit by four burning skulls that sit in each corner. Three chairs rest in 
  the room, and both stone ledges are covered with books, scrolls, teeth, 
  bones, scrimshaw artwork, jars of deformed creatures soaking in brine, 
  taxidermied animals and limbs, and other strange objects. To the north, 
  a large round fountain ﬁ lled with frothy blue water ﬁ lls the room with the 
  gentle sound of bubbling.
   
  The bubbling font of water used to allow those who drank from it the 
  ability to view the surrounding terrain from the sentinel statue’s eyes. 
  Now, the fountain merely functions as a perpetually full container of 
  drinking water. The burning skulls bear continual ﬂ ames.
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  The objects on the shelves are various holy texts, scrolls, relics, 
  and objects sacred to the worship of Lamashtu, identiﬁ able as such 
  with a DC 20 Knowledge (religion) check.
  Creature: The primary villain of this adventure is likely encoun-
  tered here. Nualia’s recent success with the ritual to oﬀ er her foster 
  father’s corporeal remains to Lamashtu (a sacriﬁ ce more symbolic 
  than anything else) saw her rewarded with a promise of things to 
  come—her left hand has been transformed into a demonic red talon. 
  With the exception of her demonic hand and her scarred belly, the 
  rest of her body is incongruously beautiful. Yet in her madness, 
  Nualia has come to view her silver hair, violet eyes, and shapely ﬁ g-
  ure as a curse, a scar visited upon her by her angelic heritage. She 
  wants to shed this part of her, to become fully monstrous to bet-
  ter serve her new mistress. She wears the mark of her devotion to 
  Lamashtu proudly, keeping her midriﬀ  bare to expose the ugly scars 
  and wounds across her belly. A DC 20 Knowledge (religion) check 
  is enough to recognize this as the Mark of Lamashtu, denoting the 
  carrier not only as one devoted to the Mother of Monsters, but one 
  capable of birthing monsters from her own body.
   
  The transformation of her hand into talon is not the only reward 
  Lamashtu has sent Nualia. Her third yeth hound is a constant com-
  panion, loyal and eager to please her.
  N 
  CR 5
  Female aasimar ﬁ ghter 2/cleric 3 (Lamashtu)
  CE Medium outsider (native)
  Init –1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +2, Spot +2
  DEFENSE
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  53
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  NUALIA
  AC 15, touch 9, ﬂ at-footed 15
  (+6 armor, –1 Dex)
  hp 39 (2d10+3d8+10)
  Fort +9, Ref +1, Will +6
  Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5
  OFFENSE
  Spd 20 ft. (30 ft. base)
  Melee +1 bastard sword +9 (1d10+4/18–20) and
  claw +2 (1d6+1)
  Ranged composite longbow +3 (1d8/×3)
  Special Attacks rebuke/command undead 5/day (+2, 2d6+5)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th)
  1/day—daylight
  Spells Prepared (CL 3rd)
  2nd—bull’s strengthD, death knell (DC 14), shatter (DC 14)
  1st—cause fear (DC 13), cure light wounds, divine favor, protection 
  from goodD, shield of faith
  0—cure minor wounds (2), detect magic, mending
  D domain spell; Domains Evil, Strength
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If Nualia suspects combat is imminent, she casts bull’s 
  strength and shield of faith on herself.
  During Combat Nualia activates her Sihedron medallion as a free 
  action at the start of combat to gain false life and casts divine favor. 
  She prefers to ﬁ ght her ﬁ ghts with her bastard sword, her face an 
  impassive mask save for her eyes, which blaze with anger. She saves 
  shatter to use on any weapon that seems to be particularly dangerous 
  in an enemy’s hands. 
  Morale Nualia ﬁ ghts to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 16, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 15
  Base Atk +4; Grp +7
  Feats Exotic Weapon Proﬁ ciency (bastard sword), Lamashtu’s Mark 
  (p 56), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bastard sword)
  Skills Concentrate +5, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (religion) +3, Ride +2
  Languages Common, Celestial, Goblin
  SQ spontaneous casting (inﬂ ict spells)
  Other Gear +1 breastplate, +1 bastard sword, Sihedron medallion
  (p 55), masterwork composite longbow with 20 arrows, gold 
  holy symbol (100 gp), 7 pp, 5 gp
  Y H 
  CR 3
  hp 19; (MM 260)
  Treasure: Nualia’s notes and several journals lie on 
  the tables here. Sorting through these notes takes 
  several hours, but reveals the entirity of Nualia’s 
  story, as detailed on pages 9–10. The notes also 
  outline her plans to send an army of goblins against 
  Sandpoint and to burn the town to the ground, not 
  only to oﬀ er it all as a burnt oﬀ ering to Lamashtu in hopes of being 
  made a half-ﬁ end, but to fuel the runewell in the catacombs below. 
  The notes go on to detail how to cause sinspawn to manifest from 
  the runewell, and that if one were to overextend the runewell’s
  stores, it would be deactivated. Nualia isn’t sure how to reactivate 
  it, and several times stresses that the runewell shouldn’t be used 
  much until after Sandpoint is razed and the deaths of hundreds of 
  angry citizens and goblins have reﬁ lled the well.
  E5. Portal of Greed
  The southern wing of this L-shaped hallway ends at a pair of stone doors 
  carved with the depictions of two skeletons reaching out to clutch a skull 
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  between them, while to the east the hallway narrows down to frame a 
  circular carving of what seems to be an immense stack of gold coins 
  that rises from ﬂ oor to ceiling. The edges of these coins are carved with 
  tiny, spiky runes.
   
  The stack of oversized coins is actually a pillar that can be trig-
  gered to sink into the ﬂ oor to provide access to the rooms beyond. 
  Nualia and her allies have not yet discovered the method to trigger 
  the pillar—hidden in the wall to the left and right are tiny, coin-
  sized slots. A DC 28 Search check reveals the coin slots and the fact 
  that there’s a hollow space beyond the pillar. Inserting at least 1 gp 
  into each slot causes the pillar to noisily grind down into the ﬂ oor. 
  The coins themselves vanish, transported to Karzoug’s treasury 
  hundreds of miles away in legendary Xin-Shalast.
   
  The pillar itself bears a permanent image (CL 15th) to make it look 
  as if it were made of gold—it is in fact made of stone.
  E6. Crypt (EL 6)
  Four pillars support the domed ceiling of this room. Several alcoves con-
  taining standing sarcophaguses grace the walls, and a statue of a stern 
  man wielding a glaive and holding a book stands at the far end of the 
  chamber.
   
  This small crypt was used to inter the bodies of the complex’s 
  architects, as was tradition in Karzoug’s time. The architects, in 
  this case, were interred alive, but now, only bones remain inside.
   
  The secret door can be found with a DC 25 Search check.
  Creatures: Although the architects willingly allowed themselves 
  to be buried alive here, three of the six were not able to maintain 
  their devotion for long. They died in horror, and now their shadows 
  haunt the chamber. These three shadows emerge to attack any intrud-
  ers 1d6 rounds after the room is entered. Nualia and her allies haven’t 
  discovered the secret door here yet, and have largely left the room 
  alone for now.
  S (3) 
  CR 3
  hp 19 each (MM 221)
  TACTICS
  During Combat These shadows do not pursue foes out of the room. 
  Morale The shadows ﬁ ght to the death.
  E7. Collapsed Treasury (EL 5)
  The sound of sloshing water ﬁ lls this room, which has nearly collapsed 
  entirely into a large tide pool. What few walls do remain intact here 
  bear detailed and impressive carvings of incredible treasuries ﬁ lled to 
  overﬂ owing with coins, gems, jewelry, and other items of value. To 
  the east, the walls depict a carving of a towering mountain, its peak 
  carved in the shape of a stern face just above a great palace. Below, 
  the side of the mountain’s valley cradles an immense city of spires.
   
  In the pool, the remains of what must have once been an incredible 
  treasury lie in the sloshing waters. Shattered urns, crumbled stone chests, 
  rusted bits of once beautiful armor and weapons, and other long-ruined 
  treasures from an ancient past lie below. Most impressive of them all is a 
  large, coral-encrusted helmet sized for a giant; the helm measures nearly 
  ﬁ ve feet across, and its full-face guard bears an expression of twisted rage 
  and fangs. The helm itself appears to be made of gold.
   
  A DC 30 Knowledge (history) check identiﬁ es the city depicted 
  as legendary Xin-Shalast, a city rumored to be hidden somewhere 
  in the Kodar Mountains. Tales speak of the city as having streets of 
  gold and buildings carved from immense gems, but although count-
  less explorers have sought it (and many have died or vanished), 
  none have ever managed to locate this fabled city. Most scholars 
  agree that it never existed at all, that it was a ﬁ ctitious location 
  invented by the ancients.
   
  The pool is connected to the sea via an underwater 10-foot-wide 
  tunnel. The tunnel is 20 feet long in all, and the powerful riptide 
  within makes navigating it possible only with a DC 20 Swim check. 
  It emerges at the base of the island, about 30 feet underwater, an 
  entrance hidden by coral growth and seaweed that can be discov-
  ered from outside by a DC 25 Search check.
  Creature: Only 1d3 rounds after the PCs enter this room, the 
  gold helmet down below suddenly shifts and moves, as if it were 
  rotating to look at them. While paranoid PCs might suspect the hel-
  met is the head of a golem, it is in fact nothing more than a helmet 
  for one of the now long-dead giant soldiers once enslaved by the 
  runelords. The helm itself has become the home of a 450 pound 
  hermit crab, and it reacts poorly to any attempts to enter what it’s 
  come to think of as its pool. When it attacks, the helm suddenly 
  rises up to release a pair of immense claws and spindly legs.
  G H C 
  CR 5
  Advanced monstrous crab (Tome of Horrors I, 46)
  Large vermin (aquatic)
  Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +0, Spot +0
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 10, ﬂ at-footed 18
  (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +5 natural, –1 size)
  hp 59 (7d8+28)
  Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +2
  Immune mind-aﬀ ecting eﬀ ects
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft., climb 5 ft.
  Melee 2 claws +10 (1d6+6)
  Special Attacks constrict 1d6+6, improved grab
  TACTICS
  During Combat The crab pursues foes who ﬂ ee no farther than the top 
  of the stairs or the underwater exit to the sea bed.
  Morale The crab ﬁ ghts to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 22, Dex 10, Con 18, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
  Base Atk +5; Grp +15
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, a giant hermit crab must hit 
  an opponent at least one size category smaller than itself with a 
  claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action 
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  without provoking an attack 
  of opportunity. If it establishes a hold, it can constrict. 
  Treasure: Although this was once a treasury, the loot gathered 
  here didn’t stay long before it was transported to Xin-Shalast. A 
  search of the pool takes 3d6 minutes, but uncovers 3,500 sp, 630 
  gp, 40 precious stones worth 10 gp each, and a jade amulet of natural 
  armor +1. The greatest treasure in the room is the ancient helm. The 
  helm isn’t solid gold (much of it is bronze) but it’s still worth 200 
  gp if the PCs can haul its 300 pound weight up out of the hole it’s 
  been resting in for hundreds of years.
  E8. Communication Room
  This barren room contains an upraised dais on which sits a marble throne. 
  To either side stand statues of a man clutching a book and a glaive. A 
  ghostly ﬁ gure seems to be seated in the throne, an image of the same 
  man who appears in the statues. He seems to be addressing an audience 
  as he moves his hands about, ﬁ ngers decorated with hooked rings, but the 
  words issuing form his phantom mouth are diﬃ  cult to make out and in a 
  strange language.
   
  This room once allowed the agents stationed here to communi-
  cate with a projected image of Karzoug. When the statue collapsed, 
  the magic here was damaged, and now a short loop of Karzoug’s 
  last message plays endlessly; over the ages, the illusion has slowly 
  faded, so that all that remains is this ghostly echo.
   
  His spoken words are in Thassilonian, and repeat the following 
  short message over and over: “…is upon us, but I command you 
  remain. Witness my power, how Alaznist’s petty wrath is but a ﬂ ash 
  compared to my strength. Take my ﬁ nal work to your graves, and let 
  its memory be the last thing you…”.
   
  The image is harmless, and functions at CL 17th.
  E9. Transmutation Room
  This room contains three low tables, their tops covered with a strange 
  and chilling selection of tools, saws, long bladed knives, and objects 
  whose purpose is not readily apparent. A strange collection of bones 
  lies near the southern table—too many to be one skeleton, but too 
  few to be two.
   
  The working of transmutation magic went beyond the 
  classic transformation of lead into gold for the wiz-
  ards of Shalast—they worked the magic of change 
  upon every matrix they could shape. This room was 
  used to change and modify living ﬂ esh; the tools 
  remaining on the tables being used for quick 
  adjustments where magic wasn’t necessary, or to 
  cut away extraneous tissue. The skeleton seems 
  to have belonged to a two-headed man with what seems to be 
  an additional partial skeleton of a smaller man growing from the 
  small of his back—all that remains of the last poor soul worked 
  on here before the end came.
  Treasure: The surgical tools on the tables are exquisitely made, 
  and are worth 100 gp in all. Sitting on the easternmost table is an 
  object that, upon closer examination, isn’t a tool at all. It appears 
  to be a silver and gold seven-pointed star, one surface studded with 
  nodules and blades, and the other featuring a thin curved handle. 
  This is the only remaining key to area E10.
  E10. Malfeshnekor’s Prison (EL 7)
  The doors to this room are made of stone but bear no handles. An 
  indented outline of a seven-pointed star, its shape covered by hollows 
  and slits, graces the spot where handles should be.
   
  This door is sealed with an arcane lock spell (CL 17th), but the key 
  in area E9 can be used to easily twist and open the doors.
  This room is lit by a ten-foot-wide pit of ﬂ ickering ﬁ re that ﬁ lls the room 
  with a strange humid heat and the smell of burning hair. In he northern cor-
  ners of the room, wooden risers each hold several dozen golden candles 
  SIHEDRON MEDALLION
  Aura faint necromancy; CL 5th
  Slot neck; Price 3,500 gp
  DESCRIPTION
  This medallion hangs on a leather cord, a silver disc inscribed 
  with a seven-pointed star. Although few know the actual 
  signiﬁ cance of the star today, it was once a very important 
  symbol in ancient Thassilon, for this star symbolized the seven 
  virtues of rule and the seven schools of Thassilonian magic. 
  These medallions were given to favored agents of the runelords; 
  the medallions granted some minor beneﬁ ts to the wearer, 
  but also allowed the runelords to use those who wore them as 
  proxies. By concentrating on a scrying device, a runelord could 
  sense the world through the Sihedron medallion wearer’s senses, 
  and could speak through her voice.
  At this time, Karzoug does not know of the existence of this 
  medallion, but a PC wearing one of these items might ﬁ nd himself 
  in trouble at a later point in the campaign. For now, though, the 
  medallion serves as a thematic link to the next adventure, and can 
  serve as a valuable piece of protection.
  While worn, a Sihedron medallion grants its wearer a +1 
  resistance bonus on all saving throws. Once per day, it may be 
  commanded to bestow the eﬀ ects of 
  false life on the wearer—activating this 
  function is a free action. Placed 
  on the neck of a dead body, 
  the Sihedron medallion 
  preserves the body 
  indeﬁ nitely via a gentle 
  repose eﬀ ect.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, false 
  life, gentle repose, resistance; 
  Cost 1,750 gp, 140 XP
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  that burn without melting, while to the south the wall bears an immense 
  carving of a seven-pointed star.
   
  The ﬁ re pit is 10 feet deep—any creature that falls in takes appro-
  priate falling damage and suﬀ ers 1d6 ﬁ re damage per round. The 
  ﬂ ames themselves are magically sustained, and can burn forever 
  without going out.
   
  Two alcoves to the south are hidden by secret doors. A DC 
  25 Search check discovers the doors (one check per door)—the 
  alcoves beyond were once used to store valuable supplies for the 
  conjuration and entrapment of magical creatures, but when the 
  end came to Thassilon, one of the wizards stationed here raided the 
  chambers and ﬂ ed with most of the contents. Each alcove contains 
  little more than dusty shelves today, although a bit of treasure still 
  remains in the western one (see Treasure, below).
  Creature: The powerful barghest Malfeshnekor, once one of 
  Alaznist’s lieutenants and the commander of a legion of sinspawn, 
  spent the last several thousand years imprisoned in this room. 
  Karzoug’s agents captured the barghest and transported him here, 
  using a binding spell (hedged prison) to imprison him here so that 
  he could be interrogated at a leisurely pace. Yet when the end of 
  Thassilon came, it happened fast. Malfeshnekor was forgotten, 
  survived the sentinel statue’s collapse, and has now gone nearly 
  insane with rage and hunger—despite the fact that he need not 
  eat, his supernatural hunger has not abated. Although the binding
  keeps him from physically leaving this room, nothing prevents him 
  from assaulting anyone who enter it.
  M 
  CR 7
  Male advanced elite greater barghest (MM 23)
  NE Large outsider
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Listen +16, Spot +16
  DEFENSE
  AC 23, touch 13, ﬂ at-footed 19
  (+4 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size)
  hp 85 (10d8+40)
  Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +10
  DR 10/magic
  OFFENSE
  Spd 40 ft.
  Melee bite +17 (2d6+8) and
  2 claws +12 (1d6+4)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
  Special Attacks feed
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th)
  At will—blink, invisibility sphere, levitate, misdirection (DC 17), rage
  (DC 18)
  1/day—charm monster (DC 19), crushing despair (DC 19), dimension 
  door, mass bull’s strength, mass enlarge
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If Malfeshnekor hears activity outside, he casts 
  invisibility sphere on himself. In the following rounds, he casts blink
  and mass bull’s strength, then waits for his intruders to enter.
  During Combat Malfeshnekor prefers to engage foes inside of his 
  prison in melee, casting rage on the ﬁ rst round of combat. He saves 
  crushing despair and charm monster to use against foes who attack 
  him with ranged attacks beyond the limits of this room.
  Morale Malfeshnekor has no choice but to ﬁ ght to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 26, Dex 18, Con 19, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 21
  Base Atk +10; Grp +22
  Feats Combat Reﬂ exes, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack 
  (bite), Power Attack
  Skills Bluﬀ  +18, Climb +21, Diplomacy +18, Hide +13 (+17 in 
  wolf form), Intimidate +20, Jump +25, Knowledge (history) +10, 
  Listen +16, Move Silently +18, Sense Motive +16, Spot +16, 
  Tumble +17
  Languages Common, Giant, Goblin, Worg, Infernal
  SQ change shape
  Treasure: Each of the racks in the northern corners contains 30 
  eternal candles, minor magic candles that burn eternally without 
  heat, similar to a continual ﬂ ame spell but shedding only shadowy 
  light in a ﬁ ve-foot radius. Each eternal candle is worth 25 gp.
   
  A single silver coﬀ er sits on its side on one of the shelves in 
  the western alcove. The coﬀ er itself is worth 100 gp, but the real 
  treasure sits inside, buried in a bed of ﬁ ne white sand—a ring of 
  force shield. When activated, the shieldlike pane of force generated 
  manifests as a seven-pointed star—the Sihedron rune. 
  CONCLUDING THE 
  ADVENTURE
  Relatively little involving the metaplot of Rise of the Runelords 
  occurs during the course of “Burnt Oﬀ erings.” Although its events 
  are closely tied to Karzoug’s awakening, and certain characters in 
  the adventure have ties to characters who the PCs are destined to 
  meet later in the campaign, the adventure’s primary purpose is to 
  introduce them to their new home of Sandpoint and to instill in 
  them a desire to protect it and its citizens.
  LAMASHTU’S MARK
  You have been marked as one of Lamashtu’s favored minions.
  Prerequisites: Con 13, Lamashtu as patron deity.
  Benefit: Your abdomen bears several ugly scars, as if your belly had 
  been torn open by a clawed hand. Lamashtu’s Mark identifies you as 
  favored of the Mother of Monsters, and if it is visible, you gain a +2 
  bonus on Intimidate checks but a –2 penalty on Diplomacy checks.
   Once per day as a free action, you may invoke Lamashtu’s name as 
  you strike a non-evil foe with any melee attack. As you do, you cause 
  the creature struck to become deformed in some hideous manner 
  (cloven hoof, horns, forked tongues, and vestigal limbs like wings and 
  tails are common deformities). The deformity imparts a penalty of 1d4 
  points to the target’s Charisma score for 1 hour; the target can resist 
  this effect by making a Fortitude save (DC 10 + your character level 
  + your Charisma modifier). The physical deformity vanishes as soon 
  as the Charisma penalty fades.
   Any offspring you sire or give birth to gain the fiendish template.
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  In the short term, the goblin menace facing Sandpoint is 
  most easily dealt with by defeating Nualia; with her out of the 
  picture, her surviving minions quickly fall to bickering among 
  themselves. Of them all, only Tsuto might harbor enough of a 
  need for revenge against the PCs that he might become a recur-
  ring problem. Defeating Malfeshnekor is purely optional; doing 
  so causes the Thistletop goblins to fall apart as a tribe over the 
  course of a few months. Without Nualia to lead all ﬁ ve tribes, the 
  goblins return to being only a minor menace at the fringes of the 
  wild lands.
   
  The second danger facing Sandpoint is, of course, Erylium 
  and the runewell in the Catacombs of Wrath. Defeating the qua-
  sit certainly robs the area of an organizing force, but unless the 
  PCs also defuse the runewell, sinspawn periodically emerge from 
  below to cause problems for the town. Without a major source 
  of wrathful souls, they never become a signiﬁ cant threat, but the 
  place remains a peril. Eventually, the PCs will be returning to the 
  Catacombs of Wrath, but for now, let them think that deactivating 
  the runewell closes the book on this particular dungeon.
   
  In any event, once the PCs have stopped Nualia’s plans for 
  good, they deserve a rest and a chance to relax in Sandpoint. 
  Give them some time to craft magic items, bolster relation-
  ships with NPCs, and perhaps meet new characters in town. 
  They might even have a few additional encounters with local 
  creatures; a lost goblin snake (p 88) that ends up in the har-
  bor can rile things up pretty good, and the appearance of an 
  attic whisperer (p 92) might give the PCs a creepy bit of fore
  shadowing for the inevitable Skinsaw Murders.
  EXTRA 
  XP?
  You might find that once your players have gone through everything in 
  this adventure, including the Catacombs of Wrath and the lower level 
  of Thistletop, they’re well into 4th level, and may even be pushing 
  5th. But before you panic and begin worrying that the PCs are going 
  to be too high-level for “The Skinsaw Murders” (which assumes PCs 
  start at 4th level), keep in mind the fact that not all of the encounters 
  in “Burnt Offerings” need to be completed in order for the PCs to 
  rescue Sandpoint from Nualia and her goblin army.
   In fact, it’s probably best to consider starting “The Skinsaw Murders” 
  at about the point where the PCs defeat Nualia, even if they haven’t 
  reached Malfeshnekor or set foot in the Catacombs of Wrath. Erylium 
  and Malfeshnekor have languished in their respective dungeons for cen-
  turies and they can wait for the PCs to get to them! 
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  SANDPOINT
  L I G H T  O F  T H E  L O S T  C O A S T
  SANDPOINT
  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  Those who head north from Magnimar along the rocky coastline quickly ﬁ nd themselves 
  in a peculiar country. Fog drapes the rolling landscape, ﬂ oating spectrally along damp 
  and lonely moors. Small woodlands grace the region, their tangled depths redolent of 
  nettles and pepperwood and pine sap, while further inland, river valleys lined by majes-
  tic redwoods wind between ragged tors and limestone escarpments. This vastness and 
  the sense of isolation have earned the region its local name. This is the Lost Coast.
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  S A N D P O I N T
   
  Yet there are pockets of civilization along the Lost Coast. Tra-
  ditional Varisian campsites can be found in nearly every gulch and 
  hollow along the cliﬀ -lined reaches, and lonely houses sit upon 
  bluﬀ s now and then—domiciles for eccentrics or the rich seeking 
  a bit of peace far from the bustle of Magnimar’s streets. Roadside 
  inns grace the Lost Coast road every 24 miles or so, placed by 
  virtue of the distance most travelers can walk given a day’s travel. 
  Low stone shrines to Desna, goddess of wanderers and patron of 
  the Varisians, give further opportunities for shelter should one of 
  the all-too-common rainstorms catch the traveler unaware. Given 
  time, any of these seeds of civilization could bloom into a full-
  grown town, or even a city. It’s happened once already, along the 
  shores of a natural harbor nestled among the cliﬀ s some 50 miles 
  northeast of Magnimar. What was once a larger-than-normal Vari-
  sian campsite in the shadow of an ancient ruined tower has become 
  the Lost Coast’s largest town: Sandpoint.
  SANDPOINT
  As one approaches the town of Sandpoint, the footprint of civi-
  lization upon the Lost Coast grows more clear. Farmlands in the 
  outlying moors and river valleys grow more numerous, and the 
  blue-green waters of the Varisian Gulf bear more and more ﬁ shing 
  vessels upon its surface. Passage over creeks and rivers is more 
  often accomplished by wooden bridge than ford, and the Lost 
  Coast Road itself grows wider and better-kept. Sight of Sandpoint 
  from either approach (south or east) is kept hidden by the large 
  upthrust limestone pavements known as the Devil’s Platter or the 
  arc of rocky outcroppings known as Whistler’s Tors, but as the ﬁ nal 
  bend in the road is rounded, Sandpoint’s smoking chimneys and 
  bustling streets greet the traveler with open arms and the promise 
  of warm beds, a welcome sight indeed for those who have spent the 
  last few days alone on the Lost Coast Road.
   
  From the south, entrance to Sandpoint is governed by a wooden 
  bridge, while from the north a low stone wall gives the town a bit 
  of protection. Here, the Lost Coast Road passes through a stone 
  gatehouse that is generally watched by one or two guards—the 
  southern bridge is typically unattended. Aside from the occasional 
  goblin, the citizens of Sandpoint have traditionally had little wor-
  ries about invasion or banditry—the region simply isn’t populated 
  enough to make theft a lucrative business. Hanging from a bent nail 
  at both the gatehouse and the southern bridge is a sign and a mir-
  ror—painted on each sign is the message: “Welcome to Sandpoint! 
  Please stop to see yourself as we see you!”
  S
  Small Town conventional (mayor); AL NG
  GP Limit 800 gp; Assets 49,600 gp
  DEMOGRAPHICS
  Population 1,240
  Type isolated (90% human, 3% halﬂ ing, 2% dwarf, 2% elf, 1% half-elf, 
  1% gnome, 1% half-orc)
  AUTHORITY FIGURES
  Kendra Deverin mayor (NG female human aristocrat 4/expert 3); 
  Belor Hemlock, sheriﬀ  (CG human male ﬁ ghter 4); Abstalar 
  Zantus, town priest (CG male human cleric 4); Titus Scarnetti,
  nobleman (LN male human aristocrat 6); Ethram Valdemar, 
  nobleman (NG male human aristocrat 5/expert 2); Lonjiku 
  Kaijitsu, nobleman (LN aristocrat 3/expert 2)
  Sandpoint’s History
  Millennia ago, before the fall of Thassilon, what is known today as 
  the Lost Coast was not a coast at all. It was a series of rocky bluﬀ s 
  and cliﬀ s that ran through a vast moor that stretched between the 
  end of the Fogscar Mountains south to the Mushfens. Called the 
  Rasp, this ridge of stony tors and limestone escarpments marked 
  the boundary between the nations of Shalast and Bakrakhan. When 
  Thassilon fell, the nation of Bakrakhan collapsed and slid into the 
  sea, forming what is called today the Varisian Gulf—the Rasp 
  became the region’s new coastline.
   
  Before these cataclysmic events, the Rasp was heavily patrolled 
  by the armies of Shalast and Bakrakhan. Violent clashes between the 
  two were common. Karzoug, leader of Shalast, used his impressive 
  magic and giant slaves to erect immense statues in his image along 
  the Rasp, granite sentinels that stood hundreds of feet in height 
  and from whose stony eyes he could look out upon the nation of 
  Bakrakhan from the safety of his throne in distant Xin-Shalast. 
  In response, Alaznist, leader of Bakrakhan, built several destruc-
  tive watchtowers called Hellstorm Flumes along the Rasp. Each of 
  these towers housed a contingent of her soldiers, commanded by 
  sorcerers and thaumaturges hand-picked from her personal guard. 
  Atop each Flume burned a constant vortex of arcane ﬁ re, one that 
  its commander could direct to scorch intruding armies for miles 
  around. The Flumes did a remarkable job at keeping Karzoug’s 
  forces from eﬀ ectively invading Bakrakhan, while his own Sentinel 
  Statues prevented Alaznist from launching any surprise invasions of 
  her own. And so the two nations existed in tenuous balance until 
  the cataclysmic fall of their world.
   
  After Thassilon’s fall and Bakrakhan’s destruction, the Rasp 
  became the new coastline. Karzoug’s Sentinel Statues collapsed, 
  although here and there fragments of these once mighty guardians 
  still stand. Bakrakhan’s Hellstorm Flumes fared no better—most 
  of these watch towers fell into the sea during the cataclysm. Only 
  one remained above the waves, and even it crumbled to less than 
  a quarter of its original height. Varisian travelers preserved in 
  their oral traditions stories of how ruined towers once cast ﬁ re 
  down upon the surrounding lands, but over the generations, these 
  tales evolved. The ruin’s location at the edge of the sea seemed to 
  indicate that it was once a lighthouse, and in time, beams of ﬁ re 
  became beams of light. Today, the Varisians view the last Hellstorm 
  Flume as nothing more than an ancient ruined lighthouse, a land-
  mark they call the Old Light. No record of the tower’s destruc-
  tive purpose remains in the modern mind, yet clues to its violent 
  legacy remain unsuspected in catacombs that once connected to 
  the tower’s dungeons.
   
  More recently, settlers from the southern nation of Cheliax 
  have come to Varisia. The city of Magnimar was settled by colo-
  nists dissatisﬁ ed with the strong reliance on Chelish support in 
  Eastern Varisia, and before long the need for additional farmland 
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  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  grew apparent. To the south, the sloppy expanse of the Mushfens 
  made farming diﬃ  cult, so the settlers turned their eyes northward 
  along the Lost Coast. For much of its length, the coast oﬀ ered little 
  shelter, with one exception—a perfect cove about 50 miles away. A 
  cove overlooked by a curious stone ruin.
   
  The foundation of a new town is not a matter to be taken lightly, 
  nor one to be funded by one man. Four powerful families from 
  Magnimar had designs on the region, and rather than work against 
  each other, they consolidated their eﬀ orts and formed the Sand-
  point Mercantile League. These four families, the Kaijitsus (glass-
  makers and jewelers), the Valdemars (shipbuilders), the Scarnettis 
  (loggers), and the Deverins (farmers and brewers), sailed north to 
  claim their land after securing the rights from the Charterhouse 
  in Magnimar. Yet when they arrived, they found the place already 
  settled by a large tribe of Varisians.
   
  Refusing to be set back, the Sandpoint Mercantile League began 
  a series of talks with the Varisians, promising them an important 
  place in the new township. Unfortunately, after a week of talks that 
  seemed to be going nowhere, an impatient man named Alamon 
  Scarnetti took matters into his own hands. Rounding up a group 
  of his brothers and cousins, the Scarnettis mounted a murderous 
  raid on the Varisian camp, intent on killing them all and leaving 
  evidence to blame local goblins for the deed. Yet the Scarnettis, 
  too drunk and overconﬁ dent, managed to kill only ﬁ ve Varisians 
  before they were themselves forced to ﬂ ee, leaving behind three 
  of their own.
   
  The Sandpoint Mercantile League ﬂ ed back to Magnimar, and 
  in the months to follow were embroiled in the repercussions of 
  Alamon’s assault. Magnimar’s Varisian Council demanded punish-
  ment for all four families, but the High Court arbitrated a peace 
  between them, in no small thanks to the remarkable diplomatic 
  skills of a young bard and member of one of the families accused—
  Almah Deverin. Not only did she manage to assuage the Varisians’ 
  call for blood payment, she also managed to salvage the plans for 
  Sandpoint by promising not only to incorporate the worship of 
  Desna into the new town’s cathedral, but to pay the Varisian Coun-
  cil a generous share of any proﬁ ts made by Sandpoint businesses 
  over the course of the next 40 years. One year later, the Sandpoint 
  Mercantile League began construction on several buildings with 
  the full cooperation of the Varisian people. In the 42 years since 
  Sandpoint’s foundation, it has ﬂ ourished. Although the initial term 
  of the compact with the Varisian Council has passed, Sandpoint’s 
  government has elected to extend the compact another 20 years, 
  much to the consternation of a few locals.
   
  Today, Sandpoint is a thriving community. Many industries, includ-
  ing ﬁ shing, lumber, farming, hunting, brewing, tanning, shipbuild-
  ing, and Kaijitsu’s own legacy of glassmaking, have ﬂ ourished, luring 
  skilled laborers from as far as Korvosa and Riddleport to relocate 
  here. Yet Sandpoint’s location on the Lost Coast has also recently 
  drawn settlers of another bent. As explorers and adventurers begin 
  to piece together the fragments of ancient Thassilon’s inﬂ uence over 
  the region so long ago, the presence of Thassilonian ruins have acted 
  as a magnet. The Old Light is no exception, and a few of Sandpoint’s 
  recent arrivals are more interested in this ruin than anything else.
   
  Over its four decade history, Sandpoint has been thankfully free 
  of major disasters. Every winter brings its share of strong storms, 
  yet the natural harbor, sandbars, and cliﬀ s do a remarkable job of 
  blunting the force of wind and wave, leaving the town relatively 
  untouched. Elders in town spin yarns of a few really big storms, but 
  apart from the town’s somewhat rocky beginning with the Varisians, 
  only two events have really qualiﬁ ed as disasters: the Sandpoint 
  Fire and Chopper. These two events, occurring in such close and 
  recent proximity as they have, are generally lumped together as 
  the “Late Unpleasantness,” even though the two events didn’t have 
  any obvious links. Natives of Sandpoint are reluctant to talk about 
  either event, preferring to look ahead to brighter times.
  The Late Unpleasantness
  When Jervis Stoot made clear his intentions to build a home on the 
  island just north of the Old Light, locals paid him no mind. Jervis had 
  already garnered something of a reputation for eccentricity when 
  he began his one-man crusade to carve depictions of birds on every 
  building in town. Stoot never made a carving without securing per-
  mission, but his incredible skill at woodcarving made it a given that, if 
  Stoot picked your building as the site of his latest project, you seized 
  the opportunity. “Sporting a Stoot” soon grew to be something of 
  a bragging point, and Jervis eventually extended his gift to include 
  ship ﬁ gureheads and carriages. Those who asked or tried to pay him 
  for his skill were rebuﬀ ed—Stoot told them, “There ain’t no birds in 
  that wood for me t’set free,” and went on his way, often wandering 
  the streets for days before noticing a hidden bird in a fencepost, 
  lintel, steeple, or doorframe, which he’d then secure permission to 
  “release” with his trusty hatchets and carving knives.
   
  Stoot’s excuse for wanting to move onto the isle seemed inno-
  cent enough—the place was a haven for local birdlife, and his claim 
  of “Wantin’ ta be with th’ birds” seemed to make sense. So much 
  so, in fact, that the guild of carpenters (with whom Stoot had main-
  tained a friendly competition for several years) volunteered to 
  build a staircase, free of charge, along the southern cliﬀ  face so 
  that Stoot could come and go from his new home with ease. For 15 
  years, Stoot lived on the island. His trips into town grew less and 
  less frequent, making it something of an event when he chose a 
  building to host a new Stoot.
   
  Sandpoint was no stranger to crime, or even to murder. Once 
  or twice a year, passions ﬂ ared, robberies went bad, jealousy grew 
  too much to bear, or one too many drinks were drunk, and someone 
  would end up dead. But when the bodies began to mount ﬁ ve years 
  ago, the town initially had no idea how to react. Sandpoint’s sheriﬀ  
  at the time was a no-nonsense man named Casp Avertin, a retired 
  city watch oﬃ  cer from Magnimar. Yet even he was ill-prepared for 
  the murderer who came to be known as Chopper. Over the course 
  of one long winter month, it seemed that every day brought a new 
  victim to light. Each was found in the same terrible state: bodies 
  bearing deep cuts to the neck and torso, hands and feet severed and 
  stacked nearby, and the eyes and tongue plucked crudely from the 
  head and missing entirely.
   
  Over the course of that terrible month, Chopper claimed 25 
  victims. His uncanny knack at eluding traps and pursuit quickly 
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  S A N D P O I N T
  wore on the town guard, taking particular toll on Sherrif Avertin, 
  who increasingly took to drinking. In any event, Sherrif Avertin 
  himself became Chopper’s last victim, slain upon catching the 
  murderer in a narrow lane—known now as Chopper’s Alley—as 
  he was mutilating his latest victim. Yet in the battle that followed, 
  Avertin managed a telling blow against the killer. When the town 
  guard found both bodies several minutes later, they were able to 
  follow the killer’s bloody trail.
   
  A trail that led straight to the stairs of Stoot’s Rock.
   
  At ﬁ rst, the town guard refused to believe the implications, and 
  feared that Chopper had come to claim poor Jervis Stoot as his 
  26th victim. Yet what the guards found in the modest home atop 
  the isle, and in the larger complex of rooms that had been carved 
  into the bedrock below, left no room for doubt. Jervis Stoot and 
  Chopper were the same, and the eyes and tongues of all 25 victims 
  were found upon a horriﬁ c altar to a birdlike demon whose name 
  none dared speak aloud. Stoot himself was found dead at the base 
  of the altar, having plucked his own eyes and tongue loose in a 
  ﬁ nal oﬀ ering. The guards collapsed the entrance to the chambers, 
  burned Stoot’s house, tore down the stairs, and did their best to 
  forget. Stoot himself was burned on the beach in a pyre, his ashes 
  blessed and then scattered in an attempt to stave oﬀ  an unholy 
  return of his evil spirit. 
   
  As fate would have it, the people of Sandpoint would soon have a 
  new tragedy to bear, one that almost eclipsed Chopper’s rampage. 
  A month after the murderer was slain, a terrible ﬁ re struck Sand-
  point. The ﬁ re started in the Sandpoint Chapel and spread quickly. 
  As the town rallied to save the church, the ﬁ re spread, consuming 
  the North Coast Stables, the White Deer Inn, and three homes. In 
  the end, the church burnt to the ground, leaving the town’s beloved 
  priest Ezakien Tobyn dead. 
   
  All that remains today of the once-loved Stoot carvings are 
  ragged scars on buildings and ﬁ gureheads where owners used 
  hatchets to remove what had become a haunting reminder of a 
  wolf in their fold. The homes and businesses ravaged by the ﬁ re 
  have been reconstructed, and the Sandpoint Chapel has ﬁ nally 
  been rebuilt as well. With the consecration of this new cathedral, 
  Sandpoint can ﬁ nally put the dark times of the Late Unpleasantness 
  in the past.
  SANDPOINT AT A GLANCE
  Most of the buildings in Sandpoint are made of wood, with 
  stone foundations and wood shingle roofs. The majority are sin-
  gle-story structures, with a few noted exceptions. The town is 
  often thought of as two districts by the locals. Uptown consists 
  of areas 1–12. Most of these buildings are relatively new, and the 
  streets are open and less crowded. This section of town is also 
  physically above the rest, situated on a level bluff overlooking 
  the southern half of town, which consists of areas 13–46. The 
  majority of the town’s buildings can be found downtown, which 
  grows increasingly crowded as available space is claimed by new 
  arrivals. Downtown is built on a gentle slope that runs from a 
  height of about 60 feet above sea level to the west down to only 
  a few feet above the waterline to the east and south.
   
  Sandpoint Harbor is a fairly deep natural harbor, 30 feet for 
  most of its expanse, with sharply rising slopes near the shore. The 
  languid waters of the Turandarok River wind down from the hin-
  terlands, skirting Devil’s Platter to empty into the harbor—the 
  river is often used to transport lumber harvested far upriver down 
  to the local saw mill. South of town rises another bluﬀ  on which 
  Sandpoint’s most aﬄ  uent landowners have staked their claims.
   
  Only a few hundred feet north of town rises an upthrust spur of 
  rocky land topped with a few trees—this is known now as Chop-
  per’s Isle, once the home to Sandpoint’s most notorious crimi-
  nal. A remote outcropping accessible only by ﬂ ight or by a skilled 
  climber, locals now believe the isle to be haunted by Chopper’s 
  ghost. Children often dare each other to go out to the isle’s base 
  at low tide and touch the barren cliﬀ  face that surrounds it, but no 
  one’s visited the top in years.
   
  The sight that strikes all visitors to Sandpoint at ﬁ rst is the ruins 
  of the Old Light. The original height of this tower is unknown, 
  but those who have studied the ancient architecture of the crum-
  bling remains estimate it might have stood more than 700 feet tall. 
  Today, less than a quarter of that remains. The Old Light rises from 
  sea level and is built into the face of a 120-foot-tall cliﬀ , the tower 
  extending another 50 feet above that level to culminate in ragged 
  ruins. The remaining shell is yet another reminder that neither the 
  Chelaxians nor the Varisians are the ﬁ rst settlers of this land, yet 
  apart from a few badly weathered carvings signifying that the peak 
  of this tower once held a brilliant light, no insight to the tower’s 
  true purpose remains.
  1. Sandpoint Cathedral
  Easily the largest building in Sandpoint, this impressive cathedral 
  is also the town’s newest structure. Built over the foundations of 
  the previous chapel, Sandpoint Cathedral is not dedicated to the 
  worship of a single deity. Rather, it gathers under its eaves the six 
  most commonly worshiped deities in the region, providing chapels 
  for all of these deities in a communal forum. In a way, Sandpoint 
  Cathedral is six diﬀ erent churches under one impressive roof.
   
  Yet even the previous chapel wasn’t the ﬁ rst holy site in this loca-
  tion. The core of both the original chapel and the new cathedral is an 
  open-air courtyard surrounding a set of seven standing stones them-
  selves surrounding a circular stone altar. These stones served the 
  Varisians for centuries as a place of worship; although they generally 
  venerated Desna at these stones, the stones themselves have a much 
  older tradition. Unknown to anyone alive today, the seven standing 
  stones once represented the seven Thassilonian schools of magic 
  and served as a focus for wizards who wished to direct the destructive 
  power of the nearby Hellstorm Flume. No one in Sandpoint suspects 
  the standing stones are anything more than an ancient site of wor-
  ship. Varisian oral tradition maintains that the seven stones represent 
  the seven towers of Desna’s otherworldly palace, but this is merely 
  a story perpetuated by early Varisian seers eager to hide yet another 
  bit of their homeland’s destructive history.
   
  The original chapel built here was a collection of six diﬀ er-
  ent shrines, each its own building and connected to the others 
  by open-air walkways. Desna’s worship was incorporated into 
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  S A N D P O I N T
  these shrines as part of the peace accord with the local Varisians, 
  but the original builders also incorporated ﬁ ve other deities as 
  well. Four of these (Abadar, Sarenrae, Shelyn, and Gozreh) were 
  patrons of the original founders of the Sandpoint Mercantile 
  Consortium, while the ﬁ fth, Erastil, was the most popular among 
  the initial settlers.
   
  When the chapel burnt to the ground ﬁ ve years ago, Mayor 
  Deverin set into motion a bold initiative. Not only would the cha-
  pel be rebuilt, but it would be done on a grand scale. A cathedral 
  would be built in place of the chapel, and it would be made of stone 
  and glass. Funding for this project came partially from the founding 
  families, partially from Sandpoint businesses eager to earn favor in 
  the eyes of the gods, and partially from the respective churches. 
  It took years to ﬁ nish the cathedral, but the end result is truly 
  impressive. To the south, facing Sandpoint’s heart, are the shrines 
  of civilization: Erastil and Abadar. To the west, oﬀ ering a view of 
  the Old Light and the sea beyond, are the shrines of Shelyn and 
  Gozreh. And to the east, oﬀ ering a view of the Sandpoint Boneyard 
  and the rising sun, are the shrines of Sarenrae and Desna.
   
  The previous chapel hosted less than a dozen acolytes, led by 
  a well-loved cleric named Ezakien Tobyn, who sadly perished in 
  the fire that claimed the church. The new high-priest of Sand-
  point is his most accomplished student, a pleasant man named 
  Abstalar Zantus (CG male human cleric 4). Himself a wor-
  shiper of Desna, Abstalar is very open about matters of faith and 
  has slipped into the role of adviser for worshipers of other gods 
  of Sandpoint with ease.
   
  More information about the six gods and goddesses of Sand-
  point can be found in the Rise of the Runelords Player’s Guide.
  2. Sandpoint Boneyard
  Set in the shadow of the Sandpoint Cathedral and accessible via a 
  gate to the north or from several doors leading into the cathedral 
  itself, this expansive cemetery overlooks the Turandarok River. 
  Stone vaults owned by aﬄ  uent members of the town stand near 
  the cemetery’s edges or at its center, while dozens of humble plots, 
  each marked with a simple gravestone, sit amid trees and shrub-
  beries. The boneyard is well-maintained, kept by a man named 
  Naﬀ er Vosk (NG male human rogue 1/cleric 2), a deformed smug-
  gler Father Tobyn took pity on after his ship wrecked just north of 
  town a decade ago. Naﬀ er has found redemption in Sarenrae, and 
  despite a twisted spine that, from birth, has given him a sinister 
  lurching gait, he’s one of the town’s most devout citizens. He keeps 
  the boneyard meticulously clean and is also responsible for ringing 
  the church bells every day at dawn, noon, and dusk.
  3. The White Deer
  A pair of wooden life-sized deer, carved with painstaking care from 
  white birch, stand astride the entrance to this sizable tavern and 
  inn. The White Deer commands an impressive view of the Varisian 
  Gulf to the north. The building is new, recently rebuilt after the 
  previous inn at this location burnt to the ground ﬁ ve years ago 
  in the same ﬁ re that destroyed the Sandpoint Chapel. The new 
  building is a grand aﬀ air, three stories tall with a stone ﬁ rst ﬂ oor 
  and wooden upper ﬂ oors with a dozen large rooms that can accom-
  modate two to three guests each.
   
  A somber and quiet Shoanti man named Garridan Viskalai (LN 
  male human expert 4) owns the White Deer and runs the place with 
  the aid of his family and a few local girls. Although his parents were 
  members of the Shriikirri-Quah tribe, they abandoned their ties to 
  settle in Sandpoint. Garridan regrets their choice, but his love for 
  his wife and family keeps him rooted ﬁ rmly in town.
   
  Eager to encourage visitors to stay at his inn, Garridan keeps 
  the prices of his rooms and board low, matching those of the 
  Rusty Dragon (area 37) despite the fact that his accommoda-
  tions are much cleaner and more spacious. Still, his gruff atti-
  tude tends to make his establishment less popular than the 
  Dragon. Garridan is the brother of Sandpoint’s sheriff, Belor 
  Hemlock, although the two of them are in a long-running feud 
  stemming from what Garridan sees as his brother’s complete 
  abandonment of Shoanti tradition.
  4. The Way North
  As with several other buildings in the vicinity, this one-story struc-
  ture was recently rebuilt after the Sandpoint Fire. Originally a stable, 
  the building has been converted by its owner, an aged but spry gnome 
  named Veznutt Parooh (NG male gnome wizard 2/expert 4), into 
  a cramped and cluttered library to house his tremendous collection 
  of maps and sea charts. Maps of local regions, from the immediate 
  vicinity up to the whole of Varisia and the Storval Plateau, can be 
  purchased from him for prices ranging from 5 gp to 100 gp, depend-
  ing on the size and level of detail. When not here crafting copies of 
  old maps, Veznutt can usually be found arguing over history with his 
  best friend Ilsoari at Turandarok Academy (area 27).
  5. Jeweler
  This squat stone building escaped the ﬁ re that ravaged northern 
  Sandpoint, much to the relief of its owner, a wild-haired jeweler 
  named Maver Kesk (LG male human expert 3). Maver retains a half-
  dozen local toughs (LN human warrior 3) as guards, but he has a habit 
  of leaving doors and vaults open—a trait his wife Pennae Kesk (LN 
  female human commoner 2) often berates him for publicly.
  6. Junker’s Edge
  Garbage gathered by Gorvi’s boys (see area 7) is routinely dumped 
  over the edge of this cliﬀ  to gather on the beach below. Several of 
  the town’s Gozreh worshipers (in particular Hannah Velerin; see 
  area 45) rankle at this practice, but until an equally cost-eﬀ ective 
  and convenient option is presented, the town council is reticent 
  to change its ways. In any event, the sea generally makes short work 
  of the junk, ensuring it never piles up too high.
   
  Unknown to the citizens of Sandpoint, another reason the 
  garbage never grows too high is the fact that goblins from the 
  Seven Tooth Tribe regularly sneak along the coast to raid the 
  beach for bits of metal, scraps of food, not-quite-broken tools, 
  and other “valuable” prizes. The Seven Tooth goblins have made 
  a name for themselves among the local goblin tribes as the best 
  traders as a result.
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  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  7. Gorvi’s Shack
  This dilapidated shack is home to one of Sandpoint’s few half-
  orcs, a fat, heavily tattooed lummox named Gorvi (CN male half-
  orc warrior 3). Despite the ramshackle look of his home, Gorvi’s 
  made quite a pretty penny for himself serving as Sandpoint’s dung-
  sweeper, enough that he employs about two dozen vagrants and 
  curs who would otherwise be causing trouble along the boardwalk, 
  paying them regularly in copper to haul one of his distinctive red 
  wheelbarrows through the streets to collect refuse and garbage. 
  Sandpoint pays him handsomely for his services, a job that no one 
  else really wants but everyone wants to see done. Lately, Gorvi’s 
  been making a menace of himself more than usual, spending eve-
  nings down on the boardwalk, harassing ladies, and raising hackles 
  at the Hagﬁ sh (area 33). Mayor Kendra has had to ask him to ease 
  up on the drinking and carousing more often lately, but Gorvi has 
  grown content in the belief that he won’t be run out of town as long 
  as he continues to ensure the streets are clean.
  8. Sage
  The sole occupant of this ancient building is a cantankerous old 
  man named Brodert Quink (NG male human expert 7), a bald-
  ing expert on Varisian history and engineering. Brodert claims 
  to have spent two decades of his youth studying with dwarven 
  engineers at Janderhoﬀ  and three decades as a cataloger at the 
  Great Library of Magnimar, and is continually baﬄ  ed and enraged 
  that his learning and obvious intelligence haven’t aﬀ orded him 
  more prestige. Brodert has been studying ancient Thassilonian 
  ruins for the past several years and has recently become obsessed 
  with the Old Light. No one believes his theories that the tower 
  was once a war machine capable of spewing ﬁ re to a range of 
  more than a mile.
  9. Locksmith
  A ﬂ amboyant dwarf named Volioker Briskalberd (LG male dwarf 
  rogue 2/expert 3) has owned and operated Sandpoint’s locksmith 
  business since the town’s founding. Something of an institution, 
  most of the town’s locks were built by Volioker. He’s long been an 
  enemy of the Sczarni (see area 43), who have used both diplomacy 
  and intimidation in their attempts to recruit him to their side. 
  Volioker’s distaste for thievery and scoundrels may have its genesis 
  in his childhood as a street orphan in Magnimar, although he’s tra-
  ditionally close-mouthed about his past. He’s a tremendous fan of 
  the arts, and never misses a new show at the playhouse.
  10. Sandpoint Garrison
  This stone fortress serves double duty as Sandpoint’s militia bar-
  racks and its jail. The jail itself is located in an underground wing, 
  while the above-ground portion houses the town’s guard. Sand-
  point’s town guard consists of a dozen full-time watchmen (human 
  warrior 2); about twice this many servants and other experts 
  (smiths, cooks, bookkeepers, couriers, and the like) dwell here 
  as well. Guards patrol the city alone; there’s generally not much 
  trouble beyond the odd drunk for them to handle, so usually only 
  three or four are on duty at any one time.
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  DAS 
  KORVUT
  S A N D P O I N T
   
  Sandpoint also maintains a militia of 62 able-bodied men and 
  women (human warrior 1) who are expected to attend training and 
  exercise here at least once a week. This militia can be brought to 
  service in 1d3 hours.
   
  The garrison is currently under the watchful eye of Sheriﬀ  Belor 
  Hemlock (CG male human ﬁ ghter 4), a native Shoanti who inher-
  ited the post of sheriﬀ  when the previous holder, Casp Avertin, was 
  murdered by Chopper. Belor saw the town through that last terrible 
  night and is generally held to be the man who stopped 
  Chopper’s rampage. In the emergency 
  election that followed a week later, 
  the people of Sandpoint oﬃ  cial-
  ized his role, and Belor became the 
  ﬁ rst Shoanti sheriﬀ  of Sandpoint. 
  Honored and eager to live up to 
  Casp’s legacy, Belor changed his 
  last name to its Chelish translation, from 
  Viskalai to Hemlock, a choice that has 
  endeared him to Sandpoint’s mostly 
  Chelish populace but hasn’t sat well 
  with his brother Garridan (see 
  area 3). Belor’s not-as-secret-
  as-he’d-like romance with 
  Kaye Tesarani (see area 43) 
  has put further strains on his 
  relationship with his family.
   
  The jail below the garrison is 
  generally empty save for a few drunks or 
  Sczarni doing time for some minor crime. 
  Murderers and other hardened criminals gener-
  ally stay for only a few days before an escort from Mag-
  nimar arrives to bring them to the high court for trial in 
  the big city. The garrison’s jailor is a heavily scarred brute 
  named Vachedi (CG male human barbarian 3), a Shoanti 
  tribesman who hopes someday to earn enough money to buy 
  back his two sons from Kaer Magan slavers.
  11. Sandpoint Town Hall
  The majority of the ground ﬂ oor of this two-story building con-
  sists of a meeting hall large enough to seat most of Sandpoint’s 
  adults, although town meetings have rarely been even half so well 
  attended. The upper ﬂ oor contains oﬃ  ces and storerooms, while 
  a vault in the basement below has been functioning as the town 
  bank for decades. Plans to build a proper bank have been stalled 
  for various reasons since the town was founded. Sandpoint’s mayor, 
  Kendra Deverin (NG female human aristocrat 4/expert 3), can 
  often be found in this building, tending to the town’s needs.
  12. Savah’s Armory
  The northeast corner of this building bears a few scars from the 
  Sandpoint Fire, but fortunately for its owner, Savah Bevaniky
  (NG female human ﬁ ghter 2/rogue 1), the building escaped sig-
  niﬁ cant damage. Savah’s shop sells all manner of weapons and 
  armor, including several masterwork items and exotic weapons 
  like a spiked chain, a dozen masterwork shuriken, and a +1 repeat-
  ing crossbow with a darkwood and ivory stock that bears the name 
  “Vansaya.” She’s not sure what the name means—she bought the 
  weapon from an adventurer on the way to Riddleport a year ago, 
  and the combination of its high price and complexity has ensured 
  its semi-permanent stay in her shop.
  13. Risa’s Place
  Risa Magravi (NG female human sorcerer 4) operated this tav-
  ern for the ﬁ rst 30 years of Sandpoint’s history, and even now 
  that she’s gone mostly blind in her old age and 
  has left the day-to-day aﬀ airs of the job to her 
  three children Besk, Lanalee, and Vodger
  (NG human commoner 2), the mysteri-
  ous Varisian sorcereress remains a ﬁ x-
  ture of the tavern. Known as much for 
  Risa’s tales of ancient legends and 
  myths as for its spiced potatoes 
  and cider, this tavern is a favorite 
  of the locals if only becuase its 
  out-of-the-way location ensures 
  strangers rarely come by.
  14. Rovanky Tannery
  Situated at the edge of town, Larz 
  Rovanky (LG male human expert 3) 
  runs Sandpoint’s tannery with ruth-
  less eﬃ  ciency. He expects perfection 
  from his workers and his products, and as a 
  result often works long hours on his own dur-
  ing the stretches when he’s temporarily ﬁ red the 
  help. His leather and fur goods are of high quality, 
  enough so that locals generally don’t mind the extra 
  wait for custom orders while Larz fusses with getting 
  things perfect.
  15. Red Dog Smithy
  Named for its owner’s aﬀ ection for large red mastiﬀ s, two to three 
  of which can always be seen lounging about nearby, Red Dog Smithy 
  is owned by a bald and powerfully muscled man named DasKorvut 
  (LN male human ﬁ ghter 1/expert 3). Das’s temper is, perhaps, his 
  true claim to fame—he has little patience for customers, and even 
  less for everyone else. Sandpoint suﬀ ers his foul-mouthed atti-
  tude and frequent drunken midnight rants because he really does 
  know his job. And as long as he’s busy hammering metal, he stays 
  relatively calm and conﬁ ned to his smithy. The local children have 
  recently been circulating a somewhat cruel rhyme about Das that 
  they’ve taken to chanting at hopsquares, a rhyme sure to come to 
  an end once the smith hears it.
   
  “Here comes crazy-man Das Korvut,
   
  Mad as a cut snake in a wagon rut.
   
  See how his chops go bouncity-bounce?
   
  How many people has he trounced?
   
  One! Two! Three! Four...”
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  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  16. The Pillbug’s Pantry
  Nestled at the base of a cliff and tucked between several old ten-
  ements, nothing but a painting of a pillbug perched on a mush-
  room indicates this building’s anything more than yet another 
  home. The proprietor of this establishment is a short, rotund 
  man named Aliver “Pillbug” Podiker (LE male human adept 
  5), an accomplished herbalist, gardener, and secret poisoner. 
  Although he’s of mixed Chelish/Varisian blood, the Sczarni (see 
  area 43) have taken to treating him as a full-blooded Varisian. 
  While his primary source of income is from legitimate sales of 
  medicine and potions, he maintains a healthy side-business sell-
  ing poison to Sczarni locals as well. Before he’ll even admit to 
  being a poison merchant, though, a potential customer first has 
  to ask him, “Have any happy pillbugs turned up lately?”
  17. Bottled Solutions
  This cluttered shop is filled with shelves upon shelves of bottles, 
  bags, and other alchemical containers, some covered with dust 
  and others so new that the pungent stink of their brewing still 
  fills the air. Nisk Tander (NG male half-elf wizard 1/expert 2) 
  fancies himself a more gifted alchemist than he really is—items 
  purchased from this shop have a 5% chance of not working as 
  intended, either being subdued, inert, or wildly unpredictable 
  in their actual effects (such as a flask of alchemist’s fire bursting 
  in a flash of light that acts as a daze spell in a five-foot-radius, 
  or a vial of antitoxin functioning instead as a vial of acid). A 
  DC 25 Craft (alchemy) check is good enough to determine if 
  something purchased at Bottled Solutions is good or not, but 
  Nisk doesn’t take kindly to people looking too closely at his 
  wares before they buy.
  18. Cracktooth’s Tavern
  A particular favorite of patrons of the Sandpoint Theater, Crack-
  tooth’s Tavern is always full after the latest show at the nearby 
  playhouse lets out. A large stage gives actors, singers, and anyone 
  else the opportunity to show their stuﬀ . Every night a crowd of 
  would-be entertainers packs the taproom in the hopes of being 
  discovered. Owner Jesk “Cracktooth” Berinni (NG human male 
  half-orc expert 3) might look like a thug, but he’s actually quite 
  well-read and possesses a scathing wit—nights when he takes the 
  stage to deliver his observations on the political situations in Mag-
  nimar are quite popular.
  19. House of Blue Stones
  This long stone building is primarily a single large chamber, the 
  ﬂ oor decorated with polished blue stones set within winding 
  pathways of reed mats. This structure was built 10 years after 
  Sandpoint was founded by a wandering monk named Enderaki 
  Sorn—today, the monastery is tended by Enderaki’s daughter, 
  Sabyl (LN female human monk 4), her father having passed away 
  seven years ago. A worshiper of Irori, the god of self-perfection 
  and knowledge, Sabyl maintains a large collection of old books 
  and scrolls in the basement chambers below. She opens both 
  the meditation ﬂ oor and her library to fellow worshipers, but 
  others must convince her of their good intentions with a DC 25 
  Diplomacy check before she’ll let them in. Use of Sabyl’s library 
  grants a +4 bonus on Knowledge (history) and Knowledge (the 
  planes) checks.
  20. Sandpoint Glassworks
  One of the oldest industries in Sandpoint, the Glassworks has been 
  owned by the Kaijitsu family from the town’s inception. The glass-
  working trade has been in the family for generations, and many of 
  their techniques—perfected in distant Minkai—result in dazzling 
  and impressive works that fetch top price among the nobles of Mag-
  nimar, Korvosa, and beyond. The Sandpoint Glassworks is detailed 
  in full in “Burnt Oﬀ erings.”
  21. Sandpoint Savories
  The smells issuing from this bakery ﬁ ght against the salty tang of 
  the sea every morning except on Sunday. Owned and operated by 
  the Avertin family for the past two decades, Alma Avertin (LG 
  female human expert 7) still hasn’t quite recovered from the brutal 
  death of her son Casp ﬁ ve years ago under Chopper’s blade. Her 
  twin daughters Arika and Aneka (LG female human expert 2) all 
  but run the business these days.
  22. The Curious Goblin
  The sign out in front of this shop shows a wide-eyed goblin reading 
  a book nearly as tall as him. Inside, this bookshop is a testament to 
  one man’s obsession with the printed word. Chask Haladan (CG 
  male human bard 3/expert 3) has maintained his love aﬀ air with 
  books for nearly 70 years and shows no sign of giving it up any time 
  soon. His store is surprisingly complete, and while almost all of his 
  wares are far too pricy for any of the locals to shop here with any 
  frequency, a nest egg gathered in his adventurous youth combined 
  with a frugal lifestyle makes the success of his business secondary 
  to his own satisfaction. Several locals, including Brodert Quink 
  (area 8), Sabyl Sorn (area 19), and Ilsorai Gandethus (area 27) can 
  often be found here, either chatting with Chask or sitting in one 
  of several large chairs, reading.
  23. Sandpoint Theater
  Brand-new cathedrals and ancient ruins aren’t the only incongrui-
  ties Sandpoint boasts. This massive playhouse, ﬁ nanced entirely 
  by its larger-than-life owner, Cyrdak Drokkus (CN male human 
  bard 6), features one of the most impressive theaters on this side 
  of Varisia—it certainly competes with the playhouses of Magnimar, 
  a fact that Cyrdak takes great pride in, since he was forced to ﬂ ee 
  that city for mysterious reasons he’s eager to hint at but reticent 
  to expound upon (although they certainly involve another local of 
  note—Jasper Korvaski). The Sandpoint Theater often showcases 
  local talent, but it’s the three weekend shows that locals generally 
  look forward to. Cyrdak uses his contacts in Magnimar to great 
  extent, ensuring that the most exciting new productions in the big 
  city are available here as well. Although Cyrdak enjoys ﬂ irting with 
  all of Sandpoint’s young women, his romantic relationship with 
  Jasper (area 40) is one of the town’s worst-kept secrets.
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  S A N D P O I N T
  24. Carpenter’s Guild
  The vast majority of the buildings in Sandpoint were erected by 
  members of the town’s large and eternally-busy Carpenter’s Guild. 
  Currently overseen by Guildmaster Aesrick Battlehorn (LG male 
  dwarf expert 5), a dwarf who left his homeland with a near hereti-
  cal fondness for working with wood rather than stone, the Sand-
  point Carpenter’s Guild has recently been 
  accepting a growing number of projects 
  in the outlying farmlands as well 
  as work about town. The guild 
  has been in a minor feud with the 
  Sandpoint Shipyard (area 46) 
  for years, one that most often 
  ﬂ ares up over which guild has 
  claim to the best lumber 
  from the mill.
  25. Sandpoint 
  Lumber Mill
  This long building was one of the 
  ﬁ rst to be built when Sandpoint was 
  founded. Owned by the industrious 
  Scarnetti family, daily operation of the 
  mill has recently been left more and 
  more to a penny-pinching business-
  man named Banny Harker (NG male 
  human expert 3) and his partner Ibor 
  Thorn (NG male human expert 2). Neigh-
  bors have been complaining that the two have 
  been running their insidiously noisy logsplit-
  ter into the wee hours of the night as they rush to keep 
  up with demand in the face of an increased availability of 
  lumber from Magnimar, but Harker’s inﬂ uence with the Scarnet-
  tis has so far kept any mandates against operating the logsplitter 
  from coming to pass.
  26. General Store
  Owned and operated by Ven Vinder (LN male human commoner 
  7) and his familiy, Sandpoint’s oldest and best-stocked general 
  store has a little bit of everything—farm equipment, weapons, 
  tack, tools, furniture, food, and even homemade pies by Ven’s 
  wife Solsta (LG female human commoner 4). Ven even keeps a 
  shocking supply of alcohol in his basement, although a customer 
  has to ask to see the “wine cellar” before Ven’ll admit to his 
  special stock. Ven has a particular fondness for harsh bitter grog 
  and rotgut imported from places as far as the orc city of Urglin. 
  His true pride, though, is his daughters, whom he dotes upon. 
  Lately, he’s been increasingly distracted by what he believes is 
  a budding romance between his daughter Katrine (NG female 
  human commoner 1) and that no-good Harker from the lumber 
  mill. Unfortunately, Ven’s obsession with Katrine’s nightlife has 
  rendered him all but blind to the actions of his other daughter 
  Shayliss (CN female human commoner 1), whose reputation as 
  “easy” is growing by the month.
  27. Turandarok Academy
  As families thronged to Sandpoint, the town founders quickly 
  came to realize that they needed somewhere to handle the educa-
  tion of children, a place to house unfortunate orphans, and some-
  where to busy older children to keep them from becoming delin-
  quents. The answer was the Turandarok Academy. Part school, 
  part orphanage, retired adventurer Ilsoari Gandethus
  (LN male human wizard 4/rogue 2) 
  volunteered to be the academy’s 
  headmaster if he could have the 
  basement of the two-story 
  building to himself. The 
  town agreed, and today, the 
  rooms below the Academy are 
  almost a museum of the strange 
  things and trophies Ilsoari has 
  collected over his years. He 
  keeps these chambers locked, but 
  the children who attend classes on 
  the ground ﬂ oor and the orphans who 
  live on the upper floor have countless 
  stories about what’s down there, ranging 
  from a goblin farm to a nest of phantom 
  spiders to the Sandpoint Devil itself. 
  Although the contents are much less sin-
  ister (Ilsoari is all too happy to show oﬀ  
  his collection of exotic weapons, strange 
  maps, and monster trophies to anyone who 
  asks nicely), the old wizard does nothing to 
  dissuade the children’s tales.
  28. Madame Mvashti’s House
  Although from outside this appears to be an ancient, decrepit 
  manor house with several rooms, only one person lives in this 
  old building—ancient and mysterious Niska Mvashti (N female 
  human druid 3/sorcerer 4/mystic theurge 1). Old even when Sand-
  point was founded some 40 years ago, Madame Mvashti (as she 
  prefers to be called) is a Varisian historian and seer, part of a long 
  tradition of oracles in her family. As with many seers, the current 
  age’s unexpected departures from established prophecies have left 
  her with a lifelong sense of brooding worry. She performs most of 
  her readings with cards or carved bones but seems only very rarely 
  to enjoy casting her predictions.
   
  Madame Mvashti had long complained that the yearly travels of her 
  extended family hurt her bones, and when Sandpoint was founded, as 
  part of the accord with the Sandpoint Mercantile League, the local 
  Varisians demanded a large manor house be built for their respected 
  elder. Once she passed away, the house was to revert to the town’s 
  property, but Madame Mvashti has proven exceptionally tenacious 
  and long-lived. She survives primarily on support and volunteer help 
  from local Varisians, although she spits and curses at those she knows 
  belong to the Sczarni. Druids from the hinterlands make weekly 
  visits to her home, often helping her along on the long walks she still 
  enjoys in the nearby countryside.
  NISKA 
  MVASHTI
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  29. Grocer’s Hall
  This building’s facade is open to the air where it faces the market. 
  During the day, bins and trays and tables here are heaped with 
  produce brought in that morning from the outlying farms. Near 
  the back of the store are tools, seeds, feed, tack, and other supplies 
  useful for farming. The other half of this building is ﬁ lled with liv-
  ing quarters, meeting halls, ﬁ le rooms, and storage. Olmur Dan-
  vakus (LG male halﬂ ing expert 4) took up the post of guildmaster 
  here after the previous guildmaster was murdered by Chopper.
  30. Vernah’s Fine Clothing
  Rynshinn Povalli (NG female half-elf expert 5) has owned and 
  operated this clothing shop for the last ﬁ ve years. The only daugh-
  ter of a kindly woman named Vernah, Rynshinn never knew her 
  father, Iremiel, only that he was 
  killed by goblins less than a 
  week after she was born. At 
  the time, Vernah’s tempestu-
  ous aﬀ air with the mysteri-
  ous elven bard was the talk 
  of the town. Every year 
  on the anniversary of Ryn-
  shinn’s birth, a small pack-
  age of elven coins, medicine, 
  and toys mysteriously appeared 
  somewhere in the upper ﬂ oors of this build-
  ing. Vernah always claimed the gifts were 
  placed by Iremiel’s ghost, but locals gen-
  erally believe the gifts were granted 
  by one of his living relatives. 
  Rynshinn, for her part, holds out 
  against hope that her father some-
  how survived and that it’s not his 
  ghost but him who leaves these 
  mysterious birthday presents.
   
  Since her mother’s death five years ago 
  during Chopper’s murder spree, Rynshinn has 
  used much of the money from those gifts to expand 
  her mother’s tailoring business, and even founded a guild that 
  brings together dozens of quilters, crafters, sewers, and tailors 
  so they can sell their wares here. She’s looking into opening a 
  shop in Magnimar as well, but has yet to find a partner there 
  whom she trusts. A number of Sandpoint’s young men idly court 
  Rynshinn, who many hold to be the town’s most beautiful citi-
  zen, but to date, the lonely woman has politely eschewed all 
  possible suitors for reasons she has not shared.
  31. Wheen’s Wagons
  A lanky man named Bilivar Wheen (N male human expert 3) owns 
  this workshop. Bilivar is a down-on-his-luck wheelwright who’s 
  lately been spending more time at various taverns (especially the 
  Hagﬁ sh—area 33) than here working—ever since his daughter 
  Tanethia drowned in the Mill Pond last year, his wife Vorah (LN 
  female human commoner 1) has grown more and more shrill and 
  paranoid that her remaining two children’s days are numbered as 
  well. Bilivar’s been heard to mutter about packing up and skipping 
  town to some of his drinking buddies at the Hagﬁ sh, but no one 
  thinks he’ll really follow through on this plan.
  32. Scarnetti Mill
  As with the Sandpoint Lumber Mill, this building is owned by 
  the Scarnettis. All of the ﬂ ower and grain produced here is sup-
  plied by local farmers. Mysterious ﬁ res have claimed the Soggy 
  River Mill, the Biston Pond Mill, and most recently the Cougar 
  Creek Mill, leaving this mill the only functioning grain mill in 
  the region. Accusations of Scarnetti-sponsered arson have been 
  ﬂ ying high, but the manager of this mill, constantly worried and 
  sneezing Courrin Whesterwill
  (NG male human expert 2), has 
  gracefully lowered the prices for 
  its use to record lows until the 
  outlying mills can be rebuilt, 
  a gracious move that has 
  alleviated, to some extent, 
  extensive public outcry.
  33. The Hagﬁ sh
  One of Sandpoint’s most popular 
  taverns, especially among ﬁ sher-
  men and gamblers, the Hagfish 
  is also Sandpoint’s best bet for a 
  good old-fashioned seafood meal. 
  Owned by a gregarious one-legged 
  man named Jargie Quinn (CG 
  male human rogue 2/expert 
  2), the Hagﬁ sh gets its name 
  from the large glass aquarium 
  that sits behind the bar, the home 
  of a repellent hagﬁ sh that Jargie aﬀ ec-
  tionately calls Norah (despite the fact that 
  he’s had “Norah” replaced dozens of times—hagﬁ sh 
  don’t live all that long in Quinn’s aquarium). Hanging from a nail 
  next to Norah’s tank is a leather pouch bulging with coins: prize 
  money for anyone who can drink down a single tankard of “water” 
  scooped from Norah’s tank. It’s a single silver coin to try, but the 
  trick is that, since she’s a hagﬁ sh, the water in Norah’s tank is thick 
  and horriﬁ cally slimy and foul-tasting. Few can stomach the stuﬀ , 
  but those who do get to keep however many coins have accumu-
  lated in the pouch, and then get to carve their names in the ceiling 
  beam above the bar. To date, there are only 28 names carved there, 
  and the Hagﬁ sh has been in business for nearly 10 years.
   
  But there’s certainly more to this tavern than Norah. Jargie’s 
  game tables are always well-attended, with games ranging from 
  cards to checkers to dice to darts. Tall tales are a favorite pastime 
  here, with one popular game called “yarning” involving seeing 
  how long a local can string along an impromptu fable without 
  contradicting himself. The most popular subject of these tales 
  is traditionally Old Murdermaw, the legendary giant red snapper 
  AMEIKO 
  KAIJITSU
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  S A N D P O I N T
  who might or might not dwell in the depths of the Varisian Gulf. 
  Jargie himself is quite an accomplished yarner, with the ever-
  changing story of how he lost his leg being his favorite starting 
  point for his tales.
  34. Valdemar Fishmarket
  Like the Grocer’s Guild across the market, the facade of this long 
  building is open to the air. Here, locals can shop among the day’s 
  catch, picking out cod, salmon, tuna, shellﬁ sh, and even the odd 
  octopus for the evening’s meal. Turch Sterglus (LG male human 
  rogue 1/expert 5), a retired ﬁ sherman with a lazy eye and a wild white 
  beard, runs the ﬁ shmarket in a lovably crochety manner, constantly 
  complaining about the weather or the day’s catch or the antics of 
  local youth, but always packaging his customers’ purchases with a 
  smile and a wink. The ﬁ shmarket itself is owned by the Valdemar fam-
  ily, but most locals act as if the building and business were Turch’s, 
  often tipping the loveable old man a few extra coins. Turch’s ﬁ ve 
  sons, each smarter than the next, have made a career working for 
  their father as ﬁ sh cleaners, haulers, and even cooks.
  35. Sandpoint Market
  On most days, Sandpoint’s marketplace is empty save for the odd 
  group of children who enjoy using the wide-open area to play whis-
  tleball or other games. Twice a week, the market ﬁ lls with vendors. 
  At the start of each week, the farmer’s market radically increases 
  the daily selection of goods available at the Grocer’s Hall, while 
  all day at the end of the week merchants from Magnimar, Galduria, 
  Nybor, Wartle, and beyond take part in the Town Market. Goods 
  purchased at the Town Market adhere to Sandpoint’s 800 gp limit, 
  but prices are generally 75% of the regular asking price.
  36. Sandpoint Meat Market
  Local butcher Chod Bevuk (NG male human expert 3) runs the 
  Sandpoint Meat Market. Half of this building doubles as a slaugh-
  terhouse, with the meat itself put on display for sale in the front half 
  of the market. Most of the meat processed here is from livestock 
  or animals caught by hunters. Chod still claims to this day that he 
  encountered Chopper several days before he was ultimately caught 
  and that the two of them fought, leaving Chod with one less ﬁ n-
  ger, but most locals believe that the wound was self-inﬂ icted in an 
  attempt to get attention. Chod’s penchant for lies and exaggeration 
  in all matters not relating to his business don’t help lend credence to 
  his version of how he lost the little ﬁ nger of his left hand.
  37. The Rusty Dragon
  This large structure is Sandpoint’s oldest inn, notable for the impres-
  sive (and quite rusty) iron dragon that looms on the building’s roof, 
  doubling as a lightning rod and decoration. Owned and operated 
  for the past six years by the lovely and popular Ameiko Kaijitsu
  (CG female human aristocrat 1/bard 3/rogue 1), the Rusty Dragon is 
  not only one of the town’s most popular eateries (made so, in large 
  part, by the spicy and exotic food served here), but also a great 
  place to meet visitors from out of town, since most newcomers 
  to Sandpoint come upon this inn ﬁ rst, the north Lost Coast Road 
  being less traveled. It certainly doesn’t hurt that Ameiko’s exotic 
  beauty is more than matched by her skill at music, and few are the 
  evenings that pass without at least two or three songs by the tal-
  ented woman. Some bad blood exists between Ameiko and Cyrdak, 
  and one never seems to miss a chance to badmouth the other, but 
  no one in town really understands the reason behind their rivalry. 
  Of greater concern to Ameiko is the long-running feud with her 
  family—leaving town to become an adventurer scandalized her 
  family enough, but when she returned, rich and successful (and 
  with a seemingly endless supply of eccentric hairstyles), with a 
  desire to purchase and renovate Sandpoint’s oldest tavern, her 
  family oﬃ  cially took to shunning her. Ameiko claims not to care, 
  but becomes evasive when anyone asks her why she returned to 
  Sandpoint when she was obviously doing well as an adventurer. 
  Some believe she has a secret lover in town, while others theorize 
  that something happened on her last adventure that took the brav-
  ery out of her. In any event, the Rusty Dragon is probably the most 
  adventurer-friendly establishment in town, with its ubiquitous 
  “Help Wanted” board near the bar and Ameiko’s “discount rooms 
  for anyone who tells an exciting adventure story” policy.
  38. Goblin Squash Stables
  The sign above this door perpetuates one of the greatest fears of 
  the lowly goblin—being trampled underfoot by a horse. Tended by 
  a retired hunter named Daviren Hosk (N male human ranger 4), 
  Daviren’s hatred of goblins is nearly legendary in Sandpoint. In a 
  somewhat grisly display, over the entrance to the stable’s covered 
  barn is his collection of goblin ears: preserved and nailed to three 
  diﬀ erent rafters, each bearing the goblin’s name burned into the 
  leathery ﬂ esh—mostly because Daviren knows that writing down a 
  goblin’s name is one of the worst things you can do to desecrate his 
  memory. The bitter ranger’s pride and joy is a large glass bottle ﬁ lled 
  with brine in which he’s preserved the body of Chief Whartus of the 
  now extinct (due in large part to Daviren) Bonegrinder Tribe.
  39. Two Knight Brewery
  While Sandpoint’s taverns serve a wide variety of spirits, they 
  all proudly serve the mead, ale, and rum brewed here at the Two 
  Knight Brewery. Established almost 40 years ago by two brothers 
  (both worshipers of Abadar and cousins of Mayor Deverin) only a 
  few years after Sandpoint was founded, their expertise at brewing 
  has only increased over the years. Tragically, Wade Deverin was 
  one of the ﬁ rst of Chopper’s victims, a murder that has shaken 
  his brother Gaven’s (LG human male paladin 2/expert 3) faith. 
  Locals whisper that since Wade’s death, the brew from here sim-
  ply hasn’t tasted as good, but they would never say something to 
  this eﬀ ect to Gaven’s face.
  40. Sandpoint Mercantile League
  This large building serves many purposes. One can book pas-
  sage on a ship bound for other ports, arrange for caravans or 
  carriages for overland travel, or send messages to folk in town 
  or as far away as Korvosa or even Riddleport. Inquiries into land 
  ownership, building construction, and founding new businesses, 
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  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  both in Sandpoint proper and in the surrounding hinterlands, 
  must begin their processes of oﬃ  cial foundation here. Although 
  ownership of the league remains split evenly between Sandpoint’s 
  four noble families, few of them take part anymore in the actual 
  day-to-day business, leaving such matters in the capable hands of 
  Sir Jasper Korvaski (LG male human paladin 3/expert 1). In his 
  younger years, Jasper was a paladin of Abadar, and although he’s 
  long since given up the more dangerous lifestyle of a crusader, he 
  remains loyal and devout. Despite his best eﬀ orts, his romance 
  with Cyrdak Drokkus (area 23) has become one of Sandpoint’s 
  worst-kept secrets. The Scarnettis, easily 
  Sandpoint’s most conservative family, 
  ﬁ nd the rumors of this relationship 
  scandalous and oﬀ ensive, but it’s 
  unclear if they’re more oﬀ ended 
  by the relationship itself or the 
  fact that the majority of Sandpoint 
  is so accepting of it. In any event, 
  the Scarnettis have been doing their 
  best to make things diﬃ  cult for Jasper 
  in an attempt to not-so-subtly convince 
  him to move back to Magnimar, but the 
  support of the other three families has, 
  so far, kept the Scarnettis from becoming 
  too obnoxious.
  41. Sandpoint Boutique
  This large boutique and shop sells all manner 
  of clothing, weapons, toys, artwork, books, 
  and tools imported from throughout the 
  world, although most of the wares here are 
  Varisian in nature. The place is owned by Hayliss 
  Korvaski (LN female human cleric 2/expert 2), who 
  is, like her brother Jasper, a devout worshiper of Abadar. 
  Yet unlike her brother, her temper isn’t braced by a desire 
  to keep everyone happy. Hayliss isn’t afraid of making enemies 
  and wears her disdain for the Scarnettis on her sleeve. She’s even 
  gone as far as sometimes upcharging her goods for members 
  of the Scarnetti family, in spite of Mayor Deverin’s repeated 
  requests to keep the peace.
  42. Fatman’s Feedbag
  If the Hagﬁ sh is Sandpoint’s most popular tavern, Fatman’s Feed-
  bag is its most notorious. Bar ﬁ ghts are common, and Sheriﬀ  
  Hemlock typically has to come down here two or three times 
  a week to sort them out when they grow particularly violent or 
  loud. The majority of the clientele here are Varisian scoundrels 
  or less-reputable sailors.
   
  Most believe this tavern is owned and operated by an 
  enormous man named Gressel Tenniwar (CN male human 
  rogue 2/expert 1), but in fact the owner is a lanky thug named 
  Jubrayl Vhiski (NE male human rogue 7), one of the Feedbag’s 
  regulars. Jubrayl is also the leader of the local gang of Sczarni, 
  an extended network of Varisian thieves, highwaymen, con 
  artists, graverobbers, smugglers, and murderers. Nearly 
  two dozen of the Varisians in Sandpoint are members of the 
  Sczarni, all cruel and self-serving men and women who take 
  care to maintain respectable jobs as laborers, fishermen, 
  and hunters, but who draw their true income taking part in 
  various illegal Sczarni scams and stunts. Sheriff Hemlock 
  suspects that Jubrayl is the local leader, and would like 
  nothing more than to bring him in, but the Sczarni are experts 
  at walking the line between legalities and taking the blame 
  for their direct superiors. So while Sheriff Hemlock’s sent many 
  of Jubrayl’s boys to jail over the last several years, he’s never 
  come close to the ringleader himself, much to Jubrayl’s 
  continued amusement.
  43. The Pixie’s Kitten
  Many of Sandpoint’s crasser locals have 
  a much more colorful name for this 
  establishment, but Kaye Tesarani (CG 
  female human rogue 3/sorcerer 1) runs 
  the town brothel with class and distinguished 
  grace. She pays her girls and boys quite 
  well, and the three Shoanti bouncers she 
  employs (CG human male barbarian 3) are 
  more than enough to handle troublemak-
  ers. Although prostitution isn’t illegal in 
  Sandpoint, the Scarnettis have long lobbied 
  for it being outlawed, viewing the Kitten 
  as a place where vice and criminal activity 
  can take root. Certainly, Jubrayl has tried 
  for the last ﬁ ve years to get in on the brothel 
  business, but Kaye’s not-so-secret friendship 
  (and romance) with the town’s sheriﬀ  make this 
  a delicate, long-term goal for the Sczarni at best.
  44. The Feathered Serpent
  This cramped and cluttered shop smells of a strange 
  mixture of incense, spice, and dust. Its sole proprietor, 
  Vorvashali Voon (LN male human wizard 2/rogue 2/expert 
  2), an exotic-looking character with bright blue eyes, long red 
  hair, and almost bronze-colored skin, is gregarious and excited 
  about every customer. Not everything in his shop is for sale, ren-
  dering it part museum in its eclectic collection of strange relics, 
  statues, and monument fragments. Vorvashali’s stock changes 
  constantly, as his dozens of contacts from Magnimar come in 
  weekly to buy and trade stock. Adventurers seeking magic items 
  and other tools of the trade can ﬁ nd what they’re looking for here 
  more often than not.
  45. Hannah’s
  While Abstalar Zantus (area 1) does his best to take care of 
  Sandpoint’s truly sick and needy, he can’t help everyone. For 
  minor aches, pains, and illnesses, most of Sandpoint’s citizens 
  depend on Hannah Velerin (NG female elf cleric 3/expert 1). 
  Hannah spends most of her mornings out in the surrounding 
  JUBRAYL 
  VHISKI
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  S A N D P O I N T
  wilds, gathering herbs or simply enjoying Gozreh’s bounty. In 
  the afternoons, she returns to her shop and home here to prepare 
  medicines and receive patients. Hannah’s ironically the one to go 
  to when either one wants to end a pregnancy or needs a midwife 
  to aid in a birth; Hannah encourages all of the women she sees 
  to carry to term, and advises the use of pinberry extract to young 
  women as a way to prevent unwanted pregnancies from happening 
  in the ﬁ rst place, but in cases where there’s no other option, her 
  other services are discrete and conﬁ dential.
  46. Sandpoint Shipyard
  The southern facade of this long building is open to Sandpoint 
  Harbor, allowing its small army of shipwrights, ropemakers, and 
  sailmakers to work their trade in one of four drydocks right on 
  the shore. The shipyard is owned by the Valdemars, with Belven 
  Valdemar (NG male human aristocrat 1/expert 5), old Ethram’s 
  eldest son, overseeing the constant work here. Belven is a hand-
  some and quite available bachelor, but his dedication to his craft 
  and family have so far left him little time to entertain the dozens 
  of young women who’ve been trying to catch his eye for the past 
  several years.
  47. Valdemar Manor
  This manor house commands a breathtaking view of the town of 
  Sandpoint and the harbor below, as beﬁ ts the family most con-
  nected to the town’s shipbuilding and ﬁ shing industries. The family 
  itself remains under the patriarchal rule of old Ethram Valdemar
  (NG male human aristocrat 5/expert 2), the only one of the original 
  members of the Sandpoint Mercantile League still alive. Ethram’s 
  years are numbered, though, for the old man has a lung infection 
  that keeps coming back, no matter how often the family pays to 
  have it cured.
  48. Scarnetti Manor
  Perhaps Sandpoint’s most notorious noble family, many of Sand-
  point’s elderly Varisian locals still haven’t forgotten or forgiven 
  Alamon Scarnetti’s assault on their people more than 40 years 
  ago, even with Alamon 20 years in the ground at the Sandpoint 
  Cemetery. The Scarnetti family, now headed by Alamon’s only 
  surviving son Titus (LN male human aristocrat 6), controls 
  Sandpoint’s mills and the lumber industry. The control of the 
  lumber the Valdemars need for their enterprises is not lost on the 
  Scarnettis, and they use this fact as often as possible to leverage 
  Valdemar support. The Scarnettis are easily Sandpoint’s most 
  traditional family, who cling to old Chelish values that are, in 
  many cases, outdated today.
  49. Kaijitsu Manor
  This manor is the smallest of the four noble houses overlook-
  ing Sandpoint, yet the Kaijitsus are perhaps the richest family 
  in town. What this manor lacks in stature and size it more than 
  makes up for in the exotic and impressive furnishings within. 
  Lonjiku Kaijitsu (LN aristocrat 3/expert 2) has carried on his 
  father’s proud work as glassmaker, and the Sandpoint Glassworks 
  is perhaps the town’s most prosperous business, with its products 
  regularly shipped as far as Korvosa. Lonjiku’s accomplishments 
  are all the more impressive when one takes into account that he 
  and his family are newcomers to Varisia, the survivors of an exiled 
  family from Minkai sent over the crown of the world a half cen-
  tury ago for unknown crimes. Lonjiku was born in Magnimar and 
  has never visited his motherland, but he carries memories of its 
  wonders in the form of stories told to  him by his now deceased 
  parents. Yet for all of his success at business, Lonjiku has found 
  the role of father to be one he’s particularly ill-suited for. His 
  eldest son Tsuto, in addition to being proof of his wife’s aﬀ air 
  with an unknown elf, left the region several years ago after an 
  argument that resulted in Lonjiku striking his son with his cane. 
  His eldest daughter Ameiko shamed him not only by becoming 
  an adventurer, but by opening and running a tavern and ﬂ op-
  house—“hardly women’s work,” he’s fond of telling anyone who’ll 
  listen. Of course, those who know Lonjiku know his short temper 
  is his real problem.
  50. Deverin Manor
  Living within the largest manor, the Deverins have traditionally 
  held the role of “leader” in Sandpoint. Old Amos Deverin served 
  as the town’s mayor for its ﬁ rst 23 years, and his son Fenchus served 
  for the next 11. Both Deverins perished to unfortunate accidents 
  (Amos to a runaway horse on Festival street and Fenchus to a snake-
  bite while on a boar hunt), leaving Amos’s youngest daughter as the 
  heir to the family fortune and a likely candidate for mayor. Kendra 
  Deverin (NG female human aristocrat 4/expert 3) didn’t initially 
  want the job, but after she was nominated for the role by her close 
  friend Casp Avertin, she won the election by a landslide, something 
  her primary opponent in the election, Titus Scarnetti, has never 
  quite come to terms with. For some time there was talk of her and 
  Casp becoming wife and husband, but Casp’s death at Chopper’s 
  hands cut that short. Kendra’s recovered now from the shock, but 
  has put aside all interest in romance for politics. She shares this 
  manor with her brother’s rather large family, and although her sis-
  ter-in-law Vana constantly complains about needing even more 
  space and luxuries, Kendra has done a saintly job so far in keeping 
  her temper under control.
  The Hinterlands
  On page 33 of this volume of Pathﬁ nder, you’ll ﬁ nd a map of the 
  farmlands and wilderness that immediately surrounds the town of 
  Sandpoint. “Burnt Oﬀ erings” sends the PCs to Thistletop and on 
  a short boar hunt into Tickwood, but a signiﬁ cant portion of the 
  next adventure in the campaign, “The Skinsaw Murders,” takes 
  place outside of town and along the Lost Coast. Additional details 
  on locations like the Devil’s Platter, Foxglove Manor, Habe’s Sani-
  tarium, and the Dragon’s Punchbowl, including wandering monster 
  charts for the hinterlands, can be found in Pathﬁ nder #2. In the 
  meantime, there should be plenty in the town of Sandpoint, in the 
  Catacombs of Wrath, and in the dungeons of Thistletop to keep 
  your PCs busy before they turn their attentions to other mysteries 
  of the Lost Coast.
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  THASSILON
  N O T E S  O N  A  F A L L E N  E M P I R E
  THASSILON
  72
  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  The Thassilonian wizard is a ﬁ gure straight from legend: rune-marked, sneering, 
  and powerful enough to destroy armies with a word or summon creatures who are 
  now myths themselves. Their empire rose on the back of a prudent king and his 
  seven greatest wizards, but magic and the corruptions of power unraveled it in the 
  end. When wizards runemark their goods, they take part in the traditions of the 
  Empire, where runes marked all the property of the great wizards, and giants and 
  dragons bent to human will.
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  T H A S S I L O N
  INTRODUCTION TO 
  THASSILON
  The sprawling empire of Thassilon was powered by conquest and its 
  sophisticated rune magic. That magic deﬁ ned the empire’s rulers 
  and included various forms of blood sacriﬁ ce, powerful glyph-laying, 
  and dimensional warping. Without rune magic and the binding of 
  the rune giants, the Thassilon legions would never have conquered 
  their vast lands. With them, though, they were unstoppable.
  The Laying of Runes
  The early empire was not founded by the runelords who later grew 
  to dominate it, but rather by the First King Xin, who was hon-
  ored in the names of the empire’s seven capital cities. More than 
  11,000 years ago, Xin established lawful orders of knighthood and 
  wizardry, endowed monastic traditions, and devoted donations of 
  the kingdom’s wealth to charity and the end of hunger. Yet, more 
  than a benevolent ruler, Xin was a visionary. In seeking to create 
  a paradise of civilization within the span of his own lifetime, 
  he called out to beings from beyond reality and bargained with 
  ancient dragons. These mysterious accords granted Xin an under-
  standing of rune magic—said by some to be the written language 
  of creation—and brought the worship of the mysterious goddess 
  Lissala to Thassilon. Inscribing his orders, contracts, and writs 
  with these symbols of power, he regulated trade, established 
  justice, and arranged his ever-growing lands into seven great 
  domains with an eﬃ  ciency inspired by magical aid and compul-
  sion. Xin’s just, magic-suﬀ used decrees became known as the 
  Rune Law, and brought about incredible works, empowered the 
  servants of the domain, and compelled the creation of wonders, 
  all of which motivated Thassilon’s swift ascendance in power and 
  inﬂ uence. This was called the Celestial Age of the Empire.
  Runelords and Rune Giants
  Xin outlived his creation in some ways. Unable to keep track of all 
  his swiftly growing empire’s provinces, taxes, armies, and subjects, 
  he appointed governors, favoring arcanists for their knowledge and 
  the ease with which they could be bribed with insights into rune 
  magic. The greatest of these magistrates were the seven runelords, 
  powerful wizards who showed especial skill and passion for the use 
  of runes and the imperial arcana, which would later be known as 
  sin magic (see sidebar). Yet, as these wizards’ powers increased, 
  they grew discontent with servitude and living at the whim of the 
  First King. In secret, they forged their own pacts with mysterious 
  extraplanar powers, covetous dragons, and the devious aboleths. 
  From these bargains, the ﬁ rst rune giants were born, 40-foot-tall 
  paragons of strength and obedience that could in turn control the 
  other giant races. With these armies of giant slaves the runelords 
  erected not just roads and walls, but immense monoliths and stat-
  ues in honor of—at ﬁ rst—the empire, but later, their own images.
   
  Over time, the emperor’s generals, advisors, and runelords saw 
  that Old Xin (as he was called in his dotage) could not maintain his 
  mastery of the realm or his potent magics. After ruling 110 years, 
  Xin’s magic consumed him in a conﬂ agration of scarlet ﬂ ames 
  that destroyed much of the imperial palace, and left no remains 
  of the First King. Careless of their emperor’s mysterious end, the 
  runelords seized their domains for themselves, subjugating Xin’s 
  most powerful generals and viziers and leaving his eldest son a pup-
  pet emperor in the city of Xin—a small mountain prison where he 
  could be controlled. The runelords themselves turned to greater 
  plans, furthering their own control of the runes in hopes of sub-
  jugating their peers. Each meant to claim the empire for himself, 
  master the runes as Xin had, and reap the wealth of the nation to 
  fuel magics beyond any the First King had ever imagined.
  SIN 
  MAGIC
  Each runelord was a master of a school of magic, a specialist 
  wizard of the deadliest caliber. In Thassilon, there were only seven 
  recognized schools of magic (their wizards lumped divination 
  magic into the universal school), and each school was associated 
  with one of the seven virtues of rule. 
   Envy: The art of suppressing magic other than your own. Related 
  School: abjuration. Prohibited Schools: evocation and necromancy.
  Sloth: Calling agents and minions to perform your deeds for you, or 
  creating what you needed as you need it. Related School: conjuration. 
  Prohibited Schools: evocation and illusion.
   Lust: Magically controlling and dominating others to satisfy your 
  desires, and controlling other creatures’ minds, emotions, and 
  wills. Related School: enchantment. Prohibited Schools: necro-
  mancy and transmutation.
   Wrath: Mastery of the raw destructive powers of magic, and 
  channeling those destructive forces. Related School: evocation. 
  Prohibited Schools: abjuration and conjuration.
   Pride: Perfecting your own appearance and your domain through 
  trickery and illusions. Related School: illusion. Prohibited Schools: 
  transmutation and conjuration.
   Gluttony: Magic that manipulates the physical body to provide 
  an unending thirst for life. Related School: necromancy. Prohibited 
  Schools: enchantment and abjuration.
   Greed: Magically transforming things into objects of greater value 
  or use, and enhancing the physical self. Related School: transmutation. 
  Prohibited Schools: enchantment and illusion.
  CAMPAIGN 
  OUTLINE
  Spanning the first six volumes of Pathfinder, the Rise of the 
  Runelords Adventure Path takes PCs from 1st level and pastoral 
  Sandpoint to higher than 15th level and the impenetrable spires of 
  Xin-Shalast. For GMs preparing to run this campaign, the following 
  pages present a brief outline of the upcoming adventures. GMs are 
  encouraged to use these previews to foreshadow upcoming events 
  and create side adventures custom suited to their campaigns.
  Positive  Thassilonian Runes
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  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  Ways of the Empire
  At its height, the Empire of Thassilon covered an area more than 
  a thousand miles wide, from the oceans to soaring mountains, 
  over deserts and along rivers—a region vast in scope and natural 
  riches. This empire’s ﬁ gureheads were the sons and daughters of 
  Xin, but they were almost powerless. In practice, Thassilon was 
  ruled by the seven powerful runelords, maniacal arcanists who 
  used magic to fuel their own decadence. It’s unclear from records 
  whether the same seven extended their lives over hundreds of 
  years or their apprentices took their names and titles upon their 
  masters’ deaths.
   
  Virtues of Rule: Stemming from the teachings of First King Xin 
  and the goddess Lissala, the runelords held that wealth, fertility, 
  honest pride, abundance, eager striving, righteous anger, and rest 
  were the seven virtues of rule—rewards one could enjoy for being in 
  a position of power. But the runelords soon abandoned the positive 
  side of these traits and embraced greed, lust, pride, gluttony, envy, 
  wrath, and sloth as the rewards of rule. Since the fall of Thassilon, the 
  original seven virtues are remembered as the great sins of the soul, 
  although only a few scholars who have studied ancient Thassilon 
  know of their true sources.
  Castes: Thassilon had two castes of people: the militia and the 
  providers. The militia followed martial pursuits, and they praised 
  battle and the simple pleasures in life. The providers were the 
  farmers, miners, artists, and skilled craftsmen who were more 
  mystical and, as a rule, less content under the runelords’ yoke. 
  Today, the descendants of the militia caste exist as the Shoanti 
  barbarian tribes of the Storval Plateau, while the descendents 
  of the provider caste, the Varisians, are a nomadic people who 
  still practice mystical traditions from Thassilonian times. Both 
  peoples remember the tyranny of the empire—if not the wizards 
  themselves, nor even the title “runelord”—in their histories and 
  legends. Barbarian tales, passed on by storytellers for thousands 
  of years, remember the runelords as the Azghat, a larger-than-life 
  pantheon of war-bringers and punishers of the dishonorable. The 
  Varisians remember the rulers of Thassilon as demons and speak 
  of them only in hushed tones.
  DOMAINS OF THE EMPIRE 
  Thassilon consisted of seven individual domains, each of which 
  was ruled by one of the seven runelords. Under distinct and 
  exploitive law, each domain embodied its ruler’s favored virtues 
  of rule. Each runelord had a capitol city that shared the name of 
  his domain, but was prefaced by the word “Xin”—ancient Thas-
  silonian for “imperial” and “throne of,” after the ﬁ rst emperor. 
  Thus, the capitol of Shalast was called Xin-Shalast.
  Bakrakhan, the domain of wrath, shared its eastern border 
  with Shalast, and the two domains were locked in an enduring war 
  until Bakrakhan was destroyed and sunk under the sea during the 
  cataclysm that precipitated Thassilon’s fall. Bakrakhan was a place 
  of many warring tribes who all served the runelord but hated each 
  other. They raided Shalast constantly, stealing gold and mithral 
  ore from caravans, plundering small settlements, and loosing 
  their rage on anyone who dared oppose them. Bakrakhan’s thick 
  forests were said to be home to hundreds of tribes of sinspawn 
  and humanoids, with goblins, gnolls, and bugbears chief among 
  them. Enslaved forest giants were common in Bakrakhan.
   
  Cyrusian, the domain of pride, was traditionally the most 
  powerful domain and de facto capitol of the empire. Its great 
  river connections and centralized location allowed it to exert 
  power over trade routes and communications, and its cities were 
  larger and more numerous than the outlying provinces: names 
  like Corveilles, Xin-Cyrusian, and Justnoque are remembered, 
  though Torandey is the only great Cyrusian city still inhabited. 
  At the same time, its rune giants and enslaved dragons built more 
  and greater monuments to Cyrusian glory than any other domain. 
  The dragons that ﬂ ew through Cyrusian’s skies were signs both 
  of its power (for many were tamed) and its boundless arrogance, 
  as many dragons were allowed to pillage outlying lands as they 
  pleased in reward for work well done. 
  Edasseril, the domain of striving ambition and envy, was rich 
  in timber, precious gems, and iron, as well as in enslaved giants, 
  powerful horses, bisonlike aurochs, and large herds of sheep. 
  In other respects, it was less blessed: wild elves raided from the 
  forests, as did ettercaps and ettins. The marshy river city of Xin-
  Edasseril suﬀ ered frequent plagues, despite the best eﬀ orts of 
  the priests of Desna, and in modern times has been gutted for 
  stone to build the city of Melesa nearby, on higher ground.
   
  Eurythnia, the domain of fertility and lust, was largely built 
  on its sea-going traﬃ  c and trade with distant lands, counting 
  on spices and brothels to ﬁ ll its coﬀ ers. Lust for exotic lovers 
  also brought the slave trade to Eurythnia, making it the only 
  THE 
  SKINSAW 
  MURDERS
  By Richard Pett, Level 4–6
  A murderer terrorizes Sandpoint. Victims are left mutilated and face-
  less, and carved into their chests is a mysterious rune left by a madman 
  calling himself “The Skinsaw Man.” The PCs investigate, encounter the 
  Skinsaw Man’s ghoul minions, and confront the murderer—the PCs’ 
  acquaintance Alden Foxglove—in  a haunted mansion near Sandpoint. 
  There, it’s revealed that he is but an agent of a larger cult based in the 
  city of Magnimar.
   Hearing of the PC’s involvement with the Skinsaw Man, vexed Magni-
  marian guards attempt to hold the PCs as suspects. The PCs must travel 
  to the city and avoid being jailed while investigating the Skinsaw cult, 
  whose agents prove all too aware of their pursuit. The search leads to a 
  decommissioned clocktower, which the PCs must infiltrate, then battle 
  the cultists and confront their leader, a sadistic lamia from the ruins of 
  Xin-Shalast. Unknown to the PCs, the lamia has been charged with 
  harvesting “souls of greed,” to aid in the Runelord Karzoug’s awakening, 
  and her use of the Sihedron Rune—the same symbol both Nualia and 
  the Skinsaw Man employed—hints at a larger conspiracy.
  Neutral 
  Thassilonian 
  Runes
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  T H A S S I L O N
  domain to import slaves, especially elves, from over the sea. Its 
  people were often disturbed by ghosts and will o’wisps along the 
  shores, where ships frequently wrecked and sailors drowned. 
  Raids from sahaugin were also a regular danger for the coastal 
  domain, though in the years of the empire, enslaved ocean giants 
  guarded Eurythnia’s shipping from piracy.
  Gastash was the domain of abundance and gluttony, but was 
  largely a peaceful and plentiful home for its citizens. The land 
  was fertile and blessed with good harvests, which were in turn 
  sold to the less agriculturally rich domains. Peace and satiety 
  were Gastash’s advantages, but even so, things were often dif-
  ficult. Anhkheg infestations were common, bulettes ate many 
  farmers and servants of the runelord, and bandits from other 
  kingdoms were frequent visitors. The lands of Old Gastash 
  remain fertile, including the region around the modern city-
  state of Korvosa and its holdings.
  Haruka, the domain of rest and sloth, in the imperial south, 
  was slow, indolent, and cunning. Its vicious priesthoods of the 
  Peacock Spirit and Lissalaa both fought pitched battles about their 
  faiths and heresies, one of the few topics that moved the populace 
  to action. Most of the Harukans worked as slavers, selling ﬂ esh 
  from their markets or enjoying the abuse of their property. It 
  was widely considered a cruel and often hypocritical domain, 
  lazy by nature. The main enemies to peace in Haruka (other than 
  the riots), were the wild gnoll tribes, frog-like humanoids called 
  boggards, and the free hill giants who frequently sided with rebel 
  slaves in the hills against their masters. Stories claim a council 
  of metallic dragons razed the city of Xin-Haruka to the ground, 
  though this is surely exaggeration.
  Shalast was the domain of wealth and greed, and an ancient 
  home of the giants of the Storval Plateau and of the monaster-
  ies of the Peacock Spirit. As the second largest domain, after 
  Cyrusian, Shalast collected wealth from its gold, mithral, and 
  copper mines, but it was never enough. Runelord Karzoug 
  always wanted more, and the capitol of Xin-Shalast was said 
  to be paved with gold; though in fact, most of the gold went 
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  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  into the treasury and the alchemical furnaces of the capital and 
  never returned. 
   
  Shalast was known for wild ogres and forest giants, as well as 
  enslaved stone giants and exotic dwarven artiﬁ cers. Its treasures 
  were sometimes carried on powerful mammoth-drawn caravans. 
  Normal people survived largely as miners, smiths, and traders, 
  providing further wealth. Many abandoned mines still litter the 
  Storval Plateau; the mountain passes of Shalast still contain mon-
  asteries and ruins now abandoned to the wilderness.
  RULERS OF THASSILON
  Although the great and wise First King Xin forged the realm that 
  would become Thassilon, the division of his empire and the cruel 
  decadence of his governers, the runelords, are the only memories 
  that remain of this once-great land. Each of these megalomania-
  cal rulers reshaped their fraction of the empire as they willed, 
  scarring the land with monuments to their glory and shapes of 
  their boundless corruption.
   
  The symbols of the runelords were as pervasive as their graven 
  images. As each ruler became associated with a particular virtue of 
  rule, so too did their images imply mastery of a certain school of 
  arcana and one of seven weapons of rule.  Although arcanists ﬁ rst 
  and foremost, each ruler was regularly depicted bearing an imperious 
  looking ceremonial pole arm, which once marked him as a guardian 
  of the Thassilonian empire and defender of Xin himself. Although 
  these symbols became meaningless in the face of the runelords’ 
  varied depravities, each ruler retained his traditional, scepter-like 
  weapon as a public reminder of his connection to the Celestial Age 
  and as a physical embodiment of his mastered magic.
  Alaznist, Runelord of Wrath, was a powerful, blood-cloaked 
  wizard and raging arcane knight. Her magic-, drug-, and mutation-
  enraged legions carried her thunderbolt-lance blazon and terrorized 
  the neighboring lands of Shalast. Known for her charisma (some 
  would say her ability to terrify her followers), she ruled Bakrakhan 
  and seemed close to forcing a humiliating peace treaty on Karzoug 
  when the world shook and her entire kingdom sank below the 
  waves. Stories occasionally tell of coins of Bakrakhan being drawn 
  up in ﬁ shing nets. Alaznist was said to wield an ancient ransuer of 
  charred adamantine—impaled with the skull of the ﬁ rst Runelord 
  of Wrath—as her weapon of rule. 
  Belimarius, the Runelord of Envy and the Queen ofEdasseril, was 
  a bitter and poisonous politician, consumed by her magic to always see 
  her peers as scheming and ﬂ ourishing beyond her reach. As a result, 
  she stewed and plotted against all of them with intrigues, poison, and 
  assassins. It’s unclear how her kingdom functioned; almost all records 
  of it are clearly written to show only a completely false paradise of 
  perfect rulership, perfect harmony, and perfect arcane skill. According 
  to the oﬃ  cial accounts, nothing ever went wrong in Edasseril. The 
  other runelords seem to have avoided discussing her. She was a 
  heavyset woman who looked to be the eldest of the runelords and 
  always carried a wand of ebony and a speaking mirror—an antique even 
  in those ancient times—with which she often consorted. Her halberd-
  like weapon of rule was said to be capable of stealing memories but was 
  rarely used in battle by the paranoid queen.
  Karzoug, Runelord of Greed, was a wizard known for his 
  calculating mind and utter mercilessness. Rumored to be either 
  half-vampire or descended from draconic stock, absolute greed 
  powered his every action. Certainly Karzoug was covetous and 
  deeply corrupt—famed for ordering the immolation of an entire 
  city for its tax collectors’ shorting of a few silvers—but that was 
  the reward granted him by the runes for his power and dedication 
  to magic. He long fought the silent war of assassins, mage-poison, 
  and demon-fetches against Alaznist, the queen of Bakrakhan. In 
  the end, something sank her kingdom below the waves, even as the 
  Thassilonian empire fell. Karzoug was enough of a master of the 
  arcane that many suspect his hand in triggering the murder of an 
  entire kingdom. His weapon of rule was a burning glaive, studded 
  with priceless meteoric gemstones.
  Krune, Runelord of Sloth and Lord of Haruka, was the least 
  active of the Runelords, as his reward for rulership was apathy 
  and pleasant indolence. Krune is remembered as a mild runelord, 
  unconcerned with war, and yet powerful when attacked. He was 
  the chief priest of the rune-goddess Lissala, and his mastery of 
  the runes was complete. His weapon was a rod marked with all the 
  secret runes of the priesthood and his ﬂ esh was said to be inscribed 
  with the symbols of a hundred secret spells. This might explain his 
  survival over time—few runelords wished to confront the one of 
  their number who could potentially turn their runic powers against 
  them. He enjoyed the defense of his weapon of rule, a dragon tooth 
  longspear capable of moving and attacking of its own volition.
  THE HOOK MOUNTAIN MASSACRE
  By Nicolas Logue, Levels 7–9
  The heroic PCs are approached by the Sandpoint garrison to rees-
  tablished contact with a strangely silent border fort to the east, on 
  rugged Hook Mountain. They arrive to find it overrun by ogres and 
  join a rag-tag band of rangers in an attempt to retake it.
   Impressed with their success, the Sandpoint garrison grant the 
  PCs stewardship over the fort. Developing ties to their new base, 
  the party becomes embroiled in local events, including a mysterious 
  haunting in the nearby woods. The haunt is the ghost of a nymph who 
  was once the lover of the fort’s ex-commander. In order to placate 
  her, the PCs must either rescue her lover from the ogres or return 
  his mortal remains to be buried in the nymph’s grove.
   The PCs travel north to confront the ogres in their village, a forti-
  fied complex now ruled by a stone giant warlord, the priest Barl 
  Breakbones, who openly wears the Sihedron Rune and is forcing 
  the ogres to forge additional weapons for a rising stone giant army.  
  By defeating him, the PCs prevent a greater ogre offensive, but 
  learn of stone giant forces already marching on Sandpoint.
  Negative 
  Thassilonian 
  Runes
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  Sorshen was the Runelord of Lust and Lady of Eurythnia. 
  She always wore red and white garments of the richest and most 
  enticing design and carried a slim, lewdly-shaped staﬀ  made 
  entirely of mithral. In battle, she was said to wield a double-
  headed guisarme, marked with masculine and feminine ends and 
  said to be capable of summoning two seductive guardians. Her 
  skill at magic was said to be matched only by her beguiling voice. 
  With song, glance, and touch, she seduced and betrayed all of 
  the other runelords over the years. Although they knew she was 
  treacherous, they trusted her time and again, as her propositions 
  always seemed eminently reasonable (though they invariably gave 
  her the advantage in every future dealing). In her private life, 
  stories agree that Runelord Sorshen was a whore, rutting with 
  anything that took her fancy. Accusations of rape, perversion, and 
  violent outbursts might have been exaggerated by her enemies, 
  but if so she was remarkably consistent in her outrages. The one 
  person’s privacy she took seriously was her own; the servants 
  who worked in her private palace were all blinded and most were 
  mute, communicating through fawning touches.
  Xanderghul, the Satrap of Cyrusian and Runelord of Pride, 
  was the devoted keeper of the Peacock Throne and a master of the 
  body, mind, and spirit. The only one of the runelords to follow the 
  Peacock Spirit, he claimed that his lands were the ancient capital 
  of the empire and he was ﬁ rst among equals. The amazing thing 
  is that he was probably right. His features were said to be severe 
  and imperious, marking him as a descendant of kings. He prided 
  himself on single-handedly holding the empire together, and 
  thus created his realm to be a paradise for the nation’s most elite 
  and aﬄ  uent citizens, guarded over by legions of enslaved angels. 
  Among the runelords, he took great pride in avoiding political 
  squabbling and warmongering, seeing himself and his kingdom 
  as above such things and saving his angelic armies for truly great 
  causes. A master of diplomacy and the arts, he carried a feathered 
  staﬀ  of lignum vitae. In wartimes, though, he displayed incredible 
  prowess with his godscepter, a polearm like a lucerne hammer 
  said to have been created by Xin himself. In many respects, he 
  was the closest runelord to those of the Celestial Age, though his 
  arrogance grew greater every year.
  The Sunken Queen
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  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  Zutha, the Lord of Gluttony, hungered for myriad exotic 
  vices, but none more so than pure life energy. As ruler of 
  Gastash, he controlled fertile lands and rich seas. His body, 
  however, required constant renewal befitting his unique, 
  undead state. Still capable of experiencing all the sensations 
  of life, it was said the morbidly obese runelord never supped on 
  the same meal twice and imported exotic foods and meal-slaves 
  from across the world. Despite his disconcerting nature, he was 
  a clever merchant, often described as “more deadly with a pen 
  than with a pike”—his favored weapon was a set of magical rings 
  and ioun stones, whose resonances he had mastered in some 
  way that no other wizard understood, preferring these even to 
  his scythe-like weapon of rule. Zutha’s domain sold supplies 
  and foodstuffs to every side in every war; those who crossed him 
  soon found their copper, tin, wool, oil, wheat, rye, and other 
  supplies running thin. 
  FAITH IN THASSILON
  Most of the runelords were not very religious and discouraged 
  the worship of the gods among their people, other than the cult 
  of Lissala. They generally crushed religions that threatened their 
  rule, but the people of Thassilon (particularly those of the provider 
  caste) still worshiped in secret.
  Lissala
  Lissala was the goddess of runes, fate, and the reward of service, 
  a goddess of harsh duty and obedience, but also of generous 
  bounty. Her faith reinforced the belief in a ruler’s price, but also 
  the belief that all workers receive their due, that all works are 
  rewarded, and that faith is an answer to adversity. Her stoicism in 
  the early years of the empire turned to harsher practices in later 
  years; her cult is remembered for its ﬂ agellation, mortiﬁ cation 
  of the ﬂ esh, and extravagant “Feasts of Sigils” on high holidays. 
  Though Lissala’s faith is dead, some believe her runes and their 
  power may yet be restored.
  The Peacock Spirit
  God of mind, body, and soul, the Peacock Spirit was worshiped 
  by mages, scholars, and ascetics, and was well-known for 
  sponsoring the runelords’ knights of the Order of the Green 
  Feather. Difficult to understand, neither male nor female, and 
  never depicted as more than an eye or feather in illustrations 
  or statuary, the true nature of the spirit-god was deliberately 
  hidden under many veils. The god’s hidden name and extensive 
  mysteries were known only to initiates and priests, and these 
  secrets seem to have died out with the sect itself. The follow-
  ers of the Peacock Spirit often displayed remarkable powers of 
  mind and body, and the end of their faith was a great loss. The 
  early emperors were all initiates of the Peacock Spirit, and its 
  symbols were drawn upon their thrones.
  Minderhal
  Lord of giants, the god of strength and giantkind, Minderhal was 
  depicted both as a powerful giant smith and a raging stone behe-
  moth in his numerous shrines—the faith seems to have changed 
  over time or varied between the numerous giant races honoring 
  him. His worship was concerned with matters of law, justice, and 
  architecture, as well as stonework and metalwork. In later years, 
  the god was a patron of the rune giants, and his priests enforced 
  obedience to the runelords. 
   
  While Minderhal is still worshipped among a few scattered tribes 
  on the Storval Plateau, his faith is scattered and largely forgotten. 
  His great temples, smelters, and quarry-shrines are all gone, and 
  the sacriﬁ ces of blood and treasure that once ﬁ lled his temple 
  treasuries are little more than a trickle now. Even at the empire’s 
  height, Minderhal was a god for the common people and the slave 
  giants, not a god of the empire’s powerful monument-builders.
  Desna
  Goddess of dreams, stars, travelers and luck, the goddess Desna 
  was born from the western ocean, brought to land by a powerful 
  SINS OF THE SAVIORS
  By Stephen S. Greer, Levels 12–13
  The PCs return to the Catacombs of Wrath beneath Sandpoint 
  in search of a map to the runeforge. Daring the ruin’s perilous 
  deeper levels, they discover the device’s location far to the north 
  on the shore of a frozen mountain lake. Upon venturing there, 
  the PCs run afoul of a white dragon as they seek the entrance 
  to the runeforge’s dungeon. Below lies a trap-laden complex 
  guarded by ageless minions of ancient Thassilon. Fighting to the 
  center, the PCs gain the opportunity to empower their gear with 
  the runeforge’s primal energy. They must still, however, visit the 
  outer seven sections of the dungeon to etch runes of arcane might 
  upon their weapons. Ultimately, the PCs gain their own personal 
  sigils to combat the power of the ancient rune magic of Thassilon, 
  including the Sihedron Rune itself.
  FORTRESS OF THE STONE GIANTS
  By Wolfgang Baur, Levels 10–11
  The PCs must repel a warband of stone giants in a deadly clash 
  to defend Sandpoint. Repulsing the invaders, they learn that 
  their enemies were but a scouting party and the actual army is 
  still marshalling in the mountains. They also learn that one tribe, 
  the giants of Jorgenharth, is responsible for gathering the giants 
  against humanity and that their defeat might forestall Sandpoint’s 
  ruin. Only by infiltrating the giants’ citadel and defeating the seer 
  Mokmurian and his cabal of disguised lamia priests can they hope 
  to disrupt these plans.
   Upon ending the giants’ threat, the PCs discover that Mokmurian 
  was but the agent of Karzoug, and that by killing the greedy giants 
  the PCs  have unwittingly provided the half-risen runelord with nearly 
  all the souls he needs to complete his awakening. Yet, there’s still 
  time before Karzoug can fully regain his powers. Using Mokmurian’s 
  library of Thassilonian lore, the PCs learn that a runewell is being 
  used to gather Karzoug’s power, and that its magic might be coun-
  tered by employing an ancient arcane device known as a runeforge.
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  T H A S S I L O N
  storm. Luck and travel are two of her domains; over the years, she 
  shared her gifts of prophecy, auguries, and omens. Her faith alone 
  among the religions of Thassilon has survived into the modern 
  age, and worshipers are relatively common in the world today. 
  Her travelers’ shrines are always stocked with 
  candles, food, and ﬁ rewood by an order of 
  itinerant priests.
  Fiend Worship
  The indulgence of the seven virtues of rule 
  throughout Thassilion attracted the 
  interests of foul beings across Golar-
  ion and from beyond. Thaumatuges, the 
  agents and missionaries of such fundamentally 
  evil beings, spread their cultic beliefs throughout 
  the empire, extolling them as ways in which the com-
  mon people might experience the virtues of their 
  masters. Although widely damned by the runelords—hypocriti-
  cally, as more than one drew power from ﬁ endish accords—these 
  dark faiths ﬂ ourished under their rule. Of especial size and inﬂ u-
  ence were the cults of Mamon, Orcus, Pazuzu, Rubicante, and 
  especially Lamashtu—whose popularity in Thassilon proved an 
  early step toward her eventual ascension to godhood.
  CYCLOPEAN MONUMENTS OF 
  THASSILON
  With their enslaved giant armies, the wizards of Thassilon built 
  massive tombs, enormous magical constructs, and staggering mon-
  uments that survive today, mute testimonies of a mysterious age 
  long past. Many of these monuments still exist, built to an inhuman 
  scale, as beﬁ ts the works of rune giants and stone giants. For all of 
  them, their meaning and true purpose is lost to time. A few of the 
  most famous include:
   
  The Black Squares of Ungevick
   
  Desgard’s Thousand Columns
   
  The Dome Hive
   
  The Falling Runewheel
   
  The Great Temple of Lissala
   
  The Green Spire of Lemriss
   
  Hollow Mountain
   
  The Irespan
  SPIRES OF XIN-SHALAST
  By Greg Vaughan, Levels 14–15+
  The PCs journey high into the mountains to the vast and ruined 
  Thassilonian city of Xin-Shalast to confront Karzoug and his min-
  ions. While Karzoug still can’t leave the boundaries of Xin-Shalast, 
  he’ll be able to do so soon if the PCs don’t defeat the lamias, 
  cloud giants, dragons, and creatures of ancient magic bound to 
  his service. Yet, before the PCs can use their rune-empowered 
  weapons to destroy his runewell, they must finally do battle with 
  Karzoug, the Runelord of Greed, himself.
   
  The Lady’s Light
   
  Minderhal’s Anvil
   
  The Obelisk Forest of Mundatei
   
  The Rune Mausoleum
   
  The Storval Stairs
   
  The Sunken Queen
   
  Ygrath’s Pier
  THE FALL OF THASSILON: 
  GLORY AND DECLINE
  Why Thassilon fell remains a mystery, but as the end drew near, 
  the seven wizard kings of Thassilon retreated into the depths of 
  their greatest monuments, entombing themselves with orders for 
  their minions to release them later to reclaim their empire. Alas, 
  Thassilon’s minions deﬁ ed their orders, were enslaved, or were 
  slaughtered. With no one left to waken them, the wizard-kings of 
  Thassilon slumbered for countless ages. The few scholars who 
  research the ancient empire maintain three 
  common theories for its collapse. 
  The Aboleth’s Revenge: One theory is 
  that aboleths destroyed the empire in a long-
  delayed retaliation for the runelords’ theft 
  or corruption of aboleth glyph and life-
  creation magic. The invasion is said to 
  have come from the sea, driving inland 
  along the rivers and lakes, and ultimately 
  subverting and destroying anyone who professed 
  allegiance to the runelords. Evidence for this theory 
  is sketchy at best, as most scholars are unwilling to 
  consult primary sources among the aboleths.
   
  Thassilon and Beyond: In time, the law and charity of the early 
  empire gave way to corruption, cronyism, and the summoning of 
  aberrations from beyond the planes. These included the shining chil-
  dren, the scarlet walkers, the inverted giants, and the Oliphaunt of 
  Jandelay, a creature so powerful and yet so diﬃ  cult to control that it 
  was summoned only once to destroy an invading army—and even so, 
  dismissing it afterwards destroyed a quarter of the Peacock Legion. 
  This theory holds that the madness of these unknowable creatures 
  warped all they touched, turning the rune magic of Thassilon into a 
  mockery of its former glory. Without its magic, inherently corrupted 
  Thassilon fell apart into squabbling ﬁ efdoms, none potent enough to 
  restore a central throne. Unfortunately, no one can prove a change 
  in the quality of the empire’s magic, which is long since lost.
   
  Revolt of the Giants: This theory holds that the rune giants 
  who served the runelords and secured their power revolted against 
  their masters one summer just before the harvest, setting ﬁ elds 
  and forests ablaze, tearing down monuments they had built, and 
  devouring every soldier, every priest of Lissalaa, every monk of the 
  Thassilonian Order, and every wizard and sorcerer they could ﬁ nd. 
  They destroyed every sign of the Rune Goddess and the Peacock 
  Spirit, and forbade anyone from learning or using the runes ever 
  again. After destroying the ruling class, the rune giants wandered 
  into the north, never to return. Some scholars claim this was a 
  symptom of the empire’s fall, not its cause.
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  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  To Eando Kline, Adventurer,
  Street of a Thousand Idols, Magnimar.
  Greetings and salutations from the city of Absalom, center of 
  enlightened humanity  and Jewel  of the Inner Sea. The Decemvirate 
  sends its warmest regards and strong support for your affairs in distant 
  Varisia. May your exploits prove bountiful and  memorable, your 
  cohorts trustworthy, and your rewards sublime. At your request, 
  I have enclosed information on the history and duties of the 
  Pathfinder Society—our society—so that you might establish 
  a front of operations for us in the City of Monuments. Our agents 
  in the ﬁ eld report that Varisia, with its ties to ancient Thassilon, 
  remains a steady source of lost artifacts and lore. I expect regular 
  reports as you prepare your exploits for publication, and as you 
  spread the inﬂ uence  of  the Society  to  distant  lands. 
  Yours, 
  Shevala, 
  Venture-Captain  of the Pathﬁ nder Society, 
  Absalom.
  Opening Moves
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  81
  E
  ven in Golarion, a world rife with adventure and marvelous 
  beasts, the exploits of heroes still stir hearts and inspire 
  the masses. Those who seek moral lessons from their myths 
  follow the deeds of Aroden, last of the ﬁ rst humans, who emerged 
  from the tumult that sunk the continent of Azlant, gave culture to 
  the people of Taldor, and reclaimed the Starstone from the depths 
  of the Inner Sea. Those who seek excitement prefer saga heroes 
  like Bragi Balehammer or the indefatigable Molaho Khem, whether 
  or not these fanciful adventurers ever really existed. But those who 
  seek to claim the mantle of fame for themselves, who seek to enrich 
  themselves by unwinding the secret history of the world, turn to 
  champions whose exploits can be read, veriﬁ ed, and followed. Such 
  bravos tread the footsteps of the elusive Pathﬁ nder Society.
   
  Members of the society are part archeologist, part histo-
  rian, and part foolhardy adrenaline addict. They chase rumors 
  of treasure like miners prospect gold, and often come out 
  richer in the end. Their mother lodes are the crumbling ruins 
  of ancient civilizations and the forgotten funeral chambers of 
  centuries-dead monarchs. Such places often boast powerful 
  guardians or recalcitrant squatters, so the life of a pathﬁ nder 
  is wrought with danger. Most do not survive. 
   
  The greatest of their exploits live forever in the form of 
  the Pathfinder Chronicles, a multi-volume series of chapbooks 
  published by the order’s inner circle in the city of Absalom 
  and distributed throughout the world by members of the 
  society. Upon the completion of a particularly notable dis-
  covery or journey, society members send a record of their 
  exploit to their venture-captain superior, who in turn reviews 
  it for accuracy before forwarding the manuscript to Absalom, 
  where the masked rulers of the Pathfinder Society and much 
  of the order’s infrastructure are housed. 
   
  Venture-captains work directly for the Decemvirate, an 
  inner circle of 10 experienced pathfinders that publishes 
  the Pathfinder Chronicles and guides the overall organization’s 
  activities. Because most in the society consider themselves 
  adamant individualists, this direction is often quite subtle, 
  allowing individual pathfinder agents to believe they act of 
  their own accord when actually doing the bidding of the Ten. 
  Members of the society often joke about the inscrutable “will 
  of the Ten” to justify unusual or indefensible orders from 
  above, and few refrain from privately blaming their unknown 
  superiors when some gambit goes terribly wrong. 
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  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
   
  But when things go right, a pathfinder agent has much to 
  gain. If his exploits reach the Pathfinder Chronicles he achieves 
  a certain notoriety and respect in life, and a certain immortal-
  ity in death. For as long as the society itself strives to unlock 
  the world’s secrets, so long as the Chronicles circulate among 
  eager adventurers, the exploits of the greatest pathfinders 
  will live forever.
  PATHFINDER DUTIES
  The society recognizes no formal bylaws, but 
  adherence to a general code of behavior 
  is expected of all members, and reports 
  of activity in contrast to this code are 
  grounds for removal from the organi-
  zation. Most of the time this ostra-
  cism involves a venture-captain fail-
  ing to respond to queries from ﬁ eld 
  agents, but in especially egregious 
  cases powerful pathﬁ nders have been 
  tasked with eliminating rogue members 
  of the organization who have brought 
  shame to the order.
   
  Loosely summarized, the three 
  “understood” member duties follow:
  Explore: Pathﬁ nders are expected to 
  further the knowledge and reputation of the 
  society by traveling to distant lands, unearth-
  ing forbidden secrets, and piecing together 
  the secret history of the world. The organi-
  zation ﬁ rst took form in the mighty, ancient 
  city of Absalom, and while countless secrets 
  remain undiscovered even on the ruin-laden 
  Isle of Kortos, agents are encouraged to travel 
  uncharted lands on the fringes of known cartog-
  raphy in search of ever-more-fantastic mysteries.
  Report: In the course of their adventures, pathﬁ nders are 
  expected to keep detailed journals, maps, and accounts of their 
  exploits. At the conclusion of a successful venture, the agent 
  sends a copy of his notes to his immediate superior, a regional 
  venture-captain, who makes a full analysis (often involving 
  divination). Especially noteworthy exploits make their way to 
  Absalom and the Decemvirate, who compile the best tales into 
  irregularly published editions of the Pathﬁ nder Chronicles, which 
  make their way back to venture-captains for distribution to path-
  ﬁ nder agents in the ﬁ eld. 
  Cooperate: The society places no moral obligations upon 
  its members, so agents span all races, creeds, and motivations. 
  At any given time, a pathﬁ nder lodge might house a ﬁ end-sum-
  moning Chelaxian, an Andorian freedom ﬁ ghter, an antiqui-
  ties-obsessed necromancer, and a friendly halﬂ ing raconteur. 
  Anything can (and often does) happen in the ﬁ eld, but the 
  lodge is inviolate, and agents are forbidden from battling 
  within its conﬁ nes. Even beyond the lodge, pathﬁ nder agents 
  are expected to respect one another’s claims and stay out of 
  each other’s aﬀ airs unless to oﬀ er a helping hand. According to 
  long-held tradition, pathﬁ nders must attempt to parley before 
  a potential conﬂ ict, regardless of potential enmity based on 
  national aﬃ  liation, personal allegiances, or other factors. 
   
  This doesn’t always happen, and rogue pathfinders often 
  gain great wealth and notoriety by manufacturing accidents 
  in the field that leave treasure and arcane lore unclaimed. 
  Many believe that such treachery in the earliest days of the 
  organization led to the masking of the Decemvirate and the 
  subsequent execution or exile of dozens of treach-
  erous agents. To this day, nervous pathfinders 
  speak of the “twenty eyes” monitoring all 
  pathfinder behavior, with the implica-
  tion that the hapless agent about to 
  suffer betrayal might be one of the 
  masked leaders of the organization.
  THE PATHFINDER 
  LODGE
  Most pathﬁ nders wander the world in 
  search of riches and adventure, set-
  tling down only long enough to plan 
  their next caper or fully exploit an 
  ancient ruin of its treasure and secrets. 
  These adventurers are responsible for the 
  reputation of the Pathﬁ nder Society 
  across the world, from the howling 
  plains of Varisia in the north to the 
  magic-wracked kingdom of Geb to 
  the south. But another class of path-
  ﬁ nder exists, a group unknown to the 
  populace at large yet integral to the success of the 
  organization. These are the venture-captains who manage 
  regional aﬀ airs and their at-times-considerable cadres of 
  cohorts, retainers, menials, and guardians. Venture-cap-
  tains generally station themselves in pathﬁ nder lodges, secret 
  locales meant to house the paperwork, plans, and infrastruc-
  ture of the society that also occasionally serve as the temporary 
  residences of wandering pathﬁ nder agents.
   
  With a few notable exceptions positioned on the out-
  skirts of oft-explored locales such as the sunken continent of 
  Azlant or the distant shores of fair Arcadia, most lodges are 
  situated in major cities, where crossroads of trade and adven-
  ture attract pathfinders with rumors of forgotten lore and 
  unclaimed riches. Lodges vary in form, ranging from secret 
  underground lairs to decommissioned temples to stately 
  manor houses. Each boasts a library of transcribed exploits, 
  at least one set of the Pathfinder Chronicles, and a trove of maps, 
  historical treatises, and enchiridions of fabulous and danger-
  ous beasts. Particularly influential venture-captains often 
  keep a small store of magic items provided by the Decemvirate 
  to be distributed to agents to fulfill specific quests of interest 
  to the directing council in Absalom. Most lodges offer mod-
  est accommodations to visiting pathfinder agents and their 
  VENTURE-CAPTAIN
  SHEVALA
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  companions, as well as comfortable sitting rooms where a 
  venture-captain might receive reports from his field agents. 
  All lodges are considered safe havens for pathfinders, so that 
  even bitter enemies must eschew violence when within their 
  sanctuary (a rule often used to trick rivals into working with 
  one another).
   
  A brief summary of important pathﬁ nder lodges follows:
  Absalom: The Grand Lodge of Absalom stands alone among 
  its fellows. Unlike lesser chapter houses in towns throughout the 
  continent, who mask their purpose behind facades of commerce 
  or domesticity, the Grand Lodge wears its aﬃ  liation proudly. 
  The Glyph of the Open Road, so often hidden in a map’s compass 
  rose or a book’s embellishment to show the covert approval of 
  the Pathﬁ nder Society, blazes above the gate of a sheer-walled 
  redoubt at the heart of Absalom. The wall circles seven sturdy 
  fortresses that date back to the city’s founding, perhaps the 
  estate of a long-dormant noble house or the bastion of a forgotten 
  government. For the last 400 years this has been the stronghold 
  of the Pathﬁ nders, the seat of the Decemvirate, and the reposi-
  tory of the order’s greatest treasures and legends.
   
  Few outside the society know what lies beyond the gate. 
  The largest of the seven structures, a five-towered palace 
  known as Skyreach, looms over the city district, one of the 
  half-dozen architectural marvels that define Absalom’s 
  renowned skyline. Within its white walls dwell the eldest 
  members of the Decemvirate and a hundred menials to sup-
  port them, as well as dozens of display chambers and 
  trophy rooms boasting centuries of exploration 
  and accomplishment. On the rare occasions in 
  which the Ten summon pathfinder agents to 
  Absalom for a general assembly, gatherings 
  take place in the massive oratory chamber 
  at the center of Skyreach, under natural 
  illumination cast down through an intri-
  cate and ancient skylight. 
   
  Other structures within the walls of the 
  Grand Lodge include a combat training arena, a 
  rickety old wooden dormitory for the use of visit-
  ing pathﬁ nders, and a vast open-air menagerie. The 
  strange calls of foreign beasts on display here often 
  emerge from the Grand Lodge’s gate or over its walls, ter-
  rifying the neighborhood. Near the back of the compound squats 
  a doorless, windowless structure known as the Repository. Within 
  its chambers, reachable only by magic, dwell 66 tongueless con-
  victed criminals who, under a powerful geas approved by Absalom’s 
  Directors, transcribe approved reports from ﬁ eld agents to create 
  new editions of the Pathﬁ nder Chronicles for later distribution to 
  pathﬁ nders throughout the world.
  Almas: The proud nation of Andoran, on the northern coast 
  of the Inner Sea sandwiched between diabolical Cheliax to 
  the west and the ancient, moribund empire of Taldor to the 
  east, has long suﬀ ered at the whims of its neighbors. Founded 
  3,000 years ago as the western frontier of Taldor, it eventually 
  became a crossroads with the annexation of Cheliax, which 
  easily surpassed it as the jewel of Taldorian expansion. As 
  centuries passed Taldor became more and more decadent and 
  eﬀ ete, allowing its outer dependencies to fall one by one to 
  secession or neglect, leaving former vassal states like Andoran, 
  Cheliax, and Galt to fend for themselves. Andoran, Galt, and 
  other nations began setting their own path, but Cheliax, rife 
  with religious and political refugees from “proud” Taldor and 
  ﬂ ush with a related sense of entitlement and manifest des-
  tiny, decided to replace one empire with another. Following 
  a century of conﬂ ict now known as the Everwar, almost all of 
  Taldor’s former marchlands—including Andoran—fell under 
  Chelaxian control. Despite the warfare that accompanied the 
  expansion of this new empire, the dependencies assimilated 
  well and enjoyed relative peace for centuries.
   
  Then, a century ago, a great thunder shook the heavens and 
  savage storms inundated all of Golarion. When the weather 
  cleared, the church of Aroden, patron god of Cheliax and Tal-
  dor before it, lost all contact with its powerful deity. Some-
  how, they knew deep within their hearts, Aroden was dead. 
  Any notion of the Chelaxian Empire as a place of safety and 
  prosperity soon died with him. The empire’s heartland fell to 
  petty squabbling between opportunistic nobles and religions, 
  washing the ﬁ elds of Cheliax with blood and cutting oﬀ  border 
  nations from the imperial support they had come to expect over 
  centuries of relative safety. When the devil-worshiping House 
  of Thrune cowed the warring factions into submission 
  and assumed the Chelaxian throne, Andoran and Galt 
  embraced the sermons of their most radical secular 
  philosophers, casting aside their own aristocra-
  cies in the name of the People in hopes of forging 
  a more egalitarian society.
   
  In Andoran, at least, the initial revolu-
  tion succeeded, catapulting radical but wise 
  philosopher-merchants to the heights of local 
  government. This new aristocracy, claiming 
  to better represent the will of its citizens than 
  the old divinely inspired monarchs, embraced 
  new ideas and new opportunities, welcoming rep-
  resentatives of the Pathﬁ nder Society with open arms. 
  Outside Absalom, Andoran is the nation most accepting of 
  pathﬁ nder activity, allowing agents to openly go about their 
  business in the local ruins and places of mystery so long as their 
  aﬀ airs are registered with the proper authorities in the capital 
  city of Almas. Even in the ﬁ eld, Andorian pathﬁ nders are far 
  more likely than their fellows from other nations to declare 
  their aﬃ  liation to the society and to their nation, so that some 
  even ﬂ y the Eagle Crest of Andoran. The Decemvirate and 
  non-Andorian venture-captains frown on such ostentation, of 
  course, but the growing power of the Almas Lodge leaves little 
  room for criticism.
   
  The lodge itself is situated in Andoran’s capital Almas, in 
  a massive cathedral once dedicated to Aroden but converted 
  completely to the design of the local venture-captain, a hawk-
  nosed middle-aged swordsman named Brackett. Andorian ﬂ ags 
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  R I S E  O F  T H E  R U N E L O R D S
  line the walls next to immense tapestry maps of the Inner Sea 
  region, adorned with sewn-in notes on sites of interest ranging 
  from Cheliax and Mwalgi in the west to the southern rim of 
  Qadira in the east. Andorian pathﬁ nders tend toward sword-
  play over magic, and the most junior often serve as additional 
  muscle or protection for pathﬁ nder agents of all nationali-
  ties. The growing fear that these mercenaries send reports to 
  Brackett that eventually ﬁ nd their way to the Executive Oﬃ  ce 
  of Andoran is beginning to cause problems throughout the 
  society, but no immediate resolution to this burgeoning crisis 
  suggests itself.
  Woodsedge: Whereas the People’s Revolt of 
  Andoran resulted (after limited bloodshed) in 
  a new form of participatory government based 
  on the political philosophies of notable Gal-
  tan scholars like Jubannich and Hosetter, 
  Galt itself has never pulled out of the cycle of 
  revenge killings and show trials that accom-
  panied its own Red Revolution. For 40 years 
  the heavily forested nation has run with the 
  blood of patriots and pariahs alike, eroding 
  the culture and sanity of its residents. Many 
  institutions and museums have fallen to 
  riot or plunder, and much of what was 
  once Galtan culture and soci-
  ety has been lost.
   
  In happier days, the 
  Galtan Lodge at Wood-
  sedge, where the Gorrish 
  River meets the eastern borders 
  of the ancient Verudran Wood, served 
  as the repository of some of Galt’s most famous 
  historical and magical artifacts. Notable among 
  these fabled treasures were the Thorncrown of Iome-
  dae, Vesper’s Rapier (rescued from a little-known fey 
  enclave at the heart of the forest), and the Golden Carriage of 
  Gaspar Longfellow, which famously carried a king of Old Galt to 
  the headwaters of the vast Sellen river system, in the northern 
  kingdom of Numeria. The lodge fell to banditry three years 
  ago, spreading its treasures and secrets to all corners of the 
  kingdom and beyond. Fanatical revolutionaries put the lodge’s 
  venture-captain to the sword and hanged her servants from the 
  high parapets of the lodge’s three towers.
   
  Few Galtans know that the Ten have dispatched a trio of 
  venture-captains from Absalom to Woodsedge in an effort to 
  recover what was lost and to avenge the cruel murders. The 
  three agents pose as natives to deflect the suspicions of ner-
  vous Galtans on the lookout for treachery from blood-hungry 
  revolutionaries or reactionary killers in the employ of this 
  month’s “stable” government. They are Lofton, an elderly for-
  mer adventurer who poses as a barrister arguing futilely for 
  the condemned in a series of ostentatious show trials spon-
  sored by the Revolutionary Council, Senri Stenn, a scheming 
  sorceress who poses as a popular actress, and Thuurv, a mangy 
  half-orc brute who spends his days as a gate-guard for one of 
  the city’s few surviving nobles. The latter is much smarter 
  than he looks, and actually leads the contingent. When not 
  otherwise engaged in their cover activities, the trio sponsors 
  foreign and domestic pathfinders on missions to reclaim lost 
  treasures and discover the still-hidden secrets of the faerie-
  haunted Verduran Wood or the numerous independent River 
  Kingdoms to the north. They base their operations in the hid-
  den basements of the so-called Barren Museum, a looted and 
  near-forgotten ruin near the city’s central square, just out of 
  sight of the blood-soaked guillotines.
  THE PATHFINDER 
  CHRONICLES
  From the Repository in Absalom to the edge 
  of the known world, the Pathfinder Chronicles
  chart the secret history and unknown corners 
  of Golarion. Heroes of the Chronicles serve as 
  role models to the current generation of con-
  tributors, whose own legends spread with each 
  new edition. All copies are written by hand, and 
  the oldest volumes bear countless margin notes, 
  corrections, observations, and travel sug-
  gestions (some centuries out of date). 
  Many pathfinders travel with 
  a bard companion (often 
  referred to as a “chroni-
  cler”) who observes the 
  agent’s adventures and con-
  veys them in a lyrical, often some-
  what exaggerated fashion to ensure publi-
  cation. Outright braggadocio carries significant 
  risk, however, as an exploit that makes its way from 
  the field to a venture-captain to the Decemvirate is 
  bound to encounter divination spells to confirm the 
  basic truths behind the tall tales. The Chronicles are meant to 
  do more than entertain, after all, and are intended as guide-
  posts for future travel and exploration. Too many errors put 
  the entire society at risk.
   
  Pathﬁ nders share information extensively with one another, 
  but they protect their secrets from outsiders with near-reli-
  gious zeal. Agents believe they are engaged in a noble goal, 
  even while exploiting tombs, indigenous peoples, and every 
  opportunity that crosses their path. Lesser scholars, which is 
  to say tomb-robbers unaffiliated with the Pathfinder Soci-
  ety, are crass villains who contribute nothing to the greater 
  understanding of the world, selling off their treasures with-
  out bothering to record the stories behind them or further 
  understanding of lost races, cultures, and times. For this 
  reason, pathﬁ nders attempt to keep distribution of the Path-
  ﬁ nder Chronicles to members of the society alone. Because most 
  volumes come packed with maps, trap diagrams, and detailed 
  explanations leading to highly proﬁ table and extraordinarily 
  fragile locales, common treasure-hunters, bizarre cultists, and 
  PATHFINDER
  EANDO 
  KLINE
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  wealthy artifact collectors do their best to acquire copies of the 
  journals, and a multi-volume set can often fetch thousands of 
  gold pieces in the right markets.
   
  Some of the most famous volumes of the Pathfinder Chroni-
  cles include:
  Volume 1: The original edition of the Pathﬁ nder Chronicles
  is the most widely circulated book in the series; copies can be 
  found in markets throughout the continent. Its three protago-
  nists enjoy saint-like reputations within the society, and have 
  even become folk heroes outside the pathﬁ nders, inspiring 
  many children and would-be adventurers to set out on a life of 
  exploration. The best-known tale features the most famous path-
  ﬁ nder of all, Durvin Gest, the allegedly immortal bon vivant who 
  discovered and explored the towering remnants of the sunken 
  continent of Azlant thousands of miles west of the Arch of 
  Aroden, at the heart of the Arcadian Ocean. There Gest rescued 
  a cache of priceless ioun stones from the lair of a ﬁ erce roc and 
  explored time-lost dungeons opened to the air by the collapse of 
  the continent in ancient days. Items discovered on this quest still 
  adorn the treasure galleries of Skyreach, and the Azlanti “tech-
  nology” discovered within serves the society hundreds of years 
  after its discovery. In the volume’s other pulse-pounding tales, 
  marooned sailor Gregaro Voth explores monolithic 
  ruins in the simian-choked Forbidden Jungle, and 
  the merchant prince Selmius Foster of Absa-
  lom opens the spice markets of distant Vandu to 
  western traders by racing a marid and an efreet 
  through a series of heroic challenges.
  Volume 2: Durvin Gest catalogues 31 Siege 
  Castles outside Absalom. Borden Thalian discov-
  ers the headwaters of the Vanji River in a moun-
  tain lake deep in the interior of the southern 
  continent. There he discovered a lost city of 
  elaborate jade statuettes and sculptures, 
  possibly crafted by the ancient cyclopes 
  who ruled the southlands before the fall 
  of the Starstone that formed the Inner Sea 
  and cast the world into a thousand years of 
  utter darkness.
  Volume 3: Widely circulated among 
  members of the society but almost unknown 
  to the populace at large, this volume tells the sorry 
  tale of Selmius Foster’s death at the hands of a ravenous pack 
  of dog-men on the Far Eastern Isle of Bhopan, off the southern 
  continent’s east coast, as related by his servant and chroni-
  cler, Adolphus. After a series of escalating misadventures, 
  Adolphus weds Princess Ganjay, the Opal of Bhopan. The two 
  abscond with the royal treasury, which they use to found a 
  pathfinder lodge in Quantium, the shining capital of Nex. 
  Elsewhere, Gojan the Sharp endures a decade of hardship 
  under the oppressive Ontar, the Black Sovereign of Numeria, 
  in order to gain access to the Silver Mount, a titanic edifice of 
  steel that looms over Numeria’s capital, Starfall. Included in 
  this volume is a complete catalogue of seven different types of 
  skymetal littered about the plains of Numeria and the (wildly 
  outdated) prices each variety is likely to garner in the markets 
  of Taldor and Absalom.
  Volume 4: Durvin Gest commandeers The Silken Purse from 
  the pirate queen Mastrien Slash and pilots the ship around 
  the horn of the southern continent, encountering a bizarre 
  matriarchal society with origins dating back thousands of 
  years. Gest abandons Slash at the continent’s southern cliffs 
  in an apparent sacrifice, but history tells that the pirate queen 
  eventually wrested control of the nation, whipping it into a 
  frenzy of military expansion that ended only when it reached 
  the southern borders of the land of Geb. The supremely pow-
  erful archmage who ruled that land turned most of the army 
  into the stone statues that now litter Geb’s southern frontier, 
  sometimes referred to as the Field of Maidens.
  Volume 5: This mysterious volume has never been read in 
  modern times, and no known copies exist outside the Grand 
  Lodge of Absalom. Sketchy records dating back hundreds of 
  years recall a Decemvirate-sponsored eﬀ ort to recall the vol-
  ume, but other than a few scholarly sources that suggest one 
  of its exploits involved Durvin Gest, little is known about the 
  volume’s contents.
  Volume 23: The Galtan warrior-mage Escobar Vellian 
  braves the waterlogged temple of Xanthuun in the Sod-
  den Lands, battling a horde of drowned zombies 
  to reach the fabled treasure holds of Ammelon 
  VI, last patriarch of the ancient kingdom of 
  Ghol-Gan. References to submerged cham-
  bers below the Gold Phoenix Aviary have led 
  hundreds to their deaths in the years since the 
  publication of this exploit, and the bulk of 
  Ammelon’s treasure remains undiscovered. 
  Volume 56: Published within the last 
  decade, this volume details venture-captain 
  Shevala’s exploration of the Spire of 
  Nex, an impossibly tall tower situ-
  ated about 10 miles from Absalom’s 
  northeast walls. Along with El Raja 
  Key, the Red Redoubt of Karamoss, 
  and dozens of other so-called Siege 
  Castles littering the abandoned bat-
  tlefields outside Absalom, no one in 
  a thousand years had penetrated the eldritch tower until a 
  team of mathematicians in Shevala’s employ cracked a com-
  plex cipher keyed to the structure’s “unopenable” door. Her 
  now-famous exploit includes a full catalogue of the unusual 
  treasures and beasts encountered within.
   
  Much of the remainder features detailed sketches, maps, 
  and accounts of the Gozarin Necropolis in central Osirion, 
  penned by a pathfinder with the unlikely name “Scepter.” A 
  short appendix outlines the halfling Vurano’s trek to the fro-
  zen northlands beyond the Hold of the Mammoth Lords and 
  the unusual covens of human witches encountered there.
   
  Countless volumes have yet to be written.
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  ural terrors, crazed goblinoid cronies, and nightmares to 
  haunt the dreams of Sandpoint’s populace comprise this 
  month’s Bestiary. While making names for themselves as 
  heroes in “Burnt Oﬀ erings,” PCs encounter mangy goblin dogs, a 
  wall-crawling giant gecko, and the reborn horror of the sinspawn. 
  Yet these aren’t the only foes PCs might encounter in and around 
  the seemingly peaceful town of Sandpoint. In addition to the new 
  monsters directly referenced in this month’s adventure, the attic 
  whisperer, goblin snake, and Sandpoint devil might easily ﬁ nd 
  their way into any Rise of the Runelords campaign. 
  Goblin Snake: Although goblin snakes typically dwell in the 
  Brinestump Marsh, where they live among goblins of the Lick-
  toad tribe, they have been sighted now and then elsewhere along 
  the Varisian coast. If you wanted to add a few of these creatures 
  to the southern section of Thistletop, they should ﬁ t right in. You 
  also never know what might be living beneath Sandpoint’s docks, 
  and the townsfolk rarely investigate for merely that reason.
  Attic Whisperer: The attic whisperer might make for an 
  interesting additional encounter after the PCs return to Sand-
  point from a preliminary excursion to Thistletop—just because 
  they’ve moved beyond the “Local Heroes” chapter doesn’t mean 
  the call for help dries up. Turandarok Academy is a good place to 
  have an attic whisperer show up in Sandpoint. 
  The Sandpoint Devil: Although a bit tough to throw at a 
  1st–3rd-level party,  you should certainly drop in hints about 
  this monster early on. While it’s not scheduled to make an offi-
  cial appearance in the campaign, the players don’t know this.
  And in the end, you can spring a sighting of the Sandpoint devil 
  on them at any point you think the campaign needs a sudden 
  injection of horror. With numerous overland travels planned 
  for the campaign—beginning as early as the PCs’ journey to 
  Thistletop in this volume’s adventure—there should be ample 
  opportunities for eerie howls in the night and half-glimpsed, 
  strangely equine forms.
   
  While the attic whisper and goblin snake come straight 
  from Richard Pett and Wes Schneider’s diseased minds, the 
  Sandpoint devil is a result of mass hysteria—the best place to 
  find new monsters—and legends of the Jersey Devil. 
  SIZE COMPARISON
  BESTIARY
  THE PATHFINDER BESTIARY
  Every month, Pathfinder features a lengthy bestiary of new creatures 
  related to the volume’s adventure, campaign supplements, and 
  Pathfinder’s Journal. A brief introduction explains how these beasts 
  might be used to enhance your game and offers a comparison of 
  the new creatures’ sizes, giving you a feel for how the month’s offer-
  ings stand compared to the average adventurer. On the following 
  pages, organized by Challenge Rating, you’ll find new monstrosities 
  with full game statistics, ecological details, ideas for potential trea-
  sures, variations found throughout the world, and more—all built 
  to challenge characters of roughly the same levels as the volume’s 
  adventure. The variety changes every month, building a campaign-
  specific bestiary that ranges from the lowest-level fodder to the 
  most intimidating high-level abominations. 
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  G D 
  CR 1
  N Medium animal
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Listen +1, 
  Spot +1
  DEFENSE
  AC 13, touch 12, ﬂ at-footed 12
  (+2 Dex, +1 natural)
  hp 9 (1d8+5)
  Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +1
  Immune disease
  OFFENSE
  Spd 50 ft.
  Melee bite +2 (1d6+3 plus allergic reaction) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Goblin dogs usually squeal for help then hide if they 
  know danger is coming, hoping to surprise opponents. They typically 
  only attack prey smaller then them or that they outnumber.
  During Combat Erratic attackers, goblin dogs are constantly moving, 
  squealing and barking all the while.
  Morale Once incensed by battle, a goblin dog is likely to ﬁ ght until 
  mortally wounded or outright killed.
  STATISTICS
  Str 15, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 8
  Base Atk +0; Grp  +2
  Feats Toughness, TrackB
  Skills Balance +6, Hide +6, Move Silently +6, Jump +14
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Allergic Reaction (Ex) Goblin dogs constantly shed copious amounts 
  of dander to which all creatures (except for those with the goblinoid 
  subtype) are violently allergic. Any non-goblinoid creature that is 
  damaged by a goblin dog’s bite attack, deals damage with a natural 
  weapon or unarmed attack, or attempts to grapple, ride, or otherwise 
  come into close contact with the creature, must make a DC 12 Fortitude 
  save or break out in an itching rash. Any creature aﬀ ected by this rash 
  takes a –2 penalty to Dexterity and Charisma for 1 day (multiple allergic 
  reactions do not stack). The spell remove disease or any magical healing 
  removes the rash instantly. The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Skills Goblin dogs have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Hide, and 
  Move Silently checks. 
  ECOLOGY
  Environment Any temperate forest, swamp, or underground
  Organization Solitary or pack (2–12)
  Treasure None
  Alignment Always neutral
  Advancement 2–6 HD (Medium), 7–12 HD (Large) 
  Level Adjustment —
  Goblin dogs are loathed by men and beasts alike. Ugly, stinking, 
  craven, and foul-tempered, only the lowest creatures bother with 
  the rat-faced canines. It’s no surprise that goblins ﬁ nd kindred 
  spirits in the shunned, disgusting beasts. Constantly itching, 
  aﬄ  icted with a species-wide case of mange exacerbated by 
  proliﬁ c dander, even the healthiest goblin dogs look sickly and 
  starved. What creatures their malformed and diseased appear-
  ance don’t ward oﬀ , their constant reek—like a dozen dogs wet-
  ted by sewer water—undoubtedly does.
  ECOLOGY
  Nocturnal hunters, goblin dogs possess remarkable sight, allow-
  ing them to see in complete darkness. Despite their skin disor-
  ders, the ugly hounds are quite resilient to diseases, but their 
  skin aﬄ  iction has given rise to all manner tales about people 
  catching “goblin rash.”
  HABITAT & SOCIETY
  Goblin dogs hunt in packs, working together to prey upon 
  larger creatures. If an individual finds its own source of food, 
  though, it abandons its pack mates to avoid sharing its find.
   
  Goblins and their kin—being the sole creatures unaf-
  fected by the canines’ irritating dander—often keep goblin 
  dogs in and around their lairs, finding uses for them as guards 
  and mounts. Remarkably, goblins seem to actually enjoy the 
  beasts’ hideous stink.
  GOBLIN DOG
  This mang y dog’s face has the ﬂ at nose, beady eyes, and protruding 
  teeth of a rat grown grotesquely large. Tiny clawed forelimbs and 
  a long, hairless pink tail add to its verminous appearance, and the 
  smell of sun-baked sewage practically steams oﬀ  its patchy fur.
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  G S 
  CR 1
  CE Small aberration (goblinoid)
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Listen +3, Spot +5
  DEFENSE
  AC 14, touch 13, ﬂ at-footed 12
  (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
  hp 13 (2d8)
  Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +4
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft., burrow 5 ft.
  Melee bite +2 (1d6) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
  Special Attacks goblin breath, lunge
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If a goblin snake expects danger, it uses its menace 
  and snake empathy to convince any goblins or serpentine allies to 
  defend it. Afterward, or if its alone, it spends a round ﬁ nding an 
  advantageous position, coiling to lunge at the ﬁ rst creature to near.
  During Combat A goblin snake lunges and belches its goblin breath as 
  often as possible, shrieking all the while to attract aid or predators 
  more dangerous than its attackers.
  Morale Ultimately cowardly creatures, goblin snakes ﬂ ee from most 
  larger creatures, ﬁ ghting only if no other options remain.
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 13
  Base Atk +1; Grp  –3
  Feats Alertness
  Skills Bluﬀ  +2, Hide +7, Intimidate +2, Listen +3 Spot +5
  Languages Common, Goblin
  SQ snake empathy +6
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Goblin Breath (Ex) Once every 1d4 rounds a goblin snake can 
  release a disgusting belch. Any creature within 5 feet of the 
  goblin snake must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or be 
  sickened for 1d6 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based. 
  Creatures that successfully save cannot be aﬀ ected by the 
  same goblin snake’s goblin breath for 24 hours. A delay poison
  or neutralize poison spell removes the eﬀ ect from the sickened 
  creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are unaﬀ ected, and 
  creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their 
  saving throw.
  Lunge (Ex) A goblin snake can coil itself to attack normally out-of-
  reach opponents. First, a goblin snake must spend a full-round 
  action tightly coiling itself. In any following round, it can attack 
  a creature within 10 feet as if it had double its normal reach. It 
  gains a +2 bonus on this attack. Moving before it attacks causes a 
  goblin snake to uncoil, preventing it from lunging. A goblin snake 
  must spend a round recoiling between lunge attacks.
  Snake Empathy (Ex) This ability functions similarly to a druid’s wild 
  empathy ability, but allows goblin snakes to verbally communicate 
  with and be understood by snakes and similar serpentine reptiles. 
  Goblin snakes have a +4 racial bonus on these checks. Its base 
  check equals its racial Hit Dice.
  ECOLOGY
  Environment Any underground
  Organization Solitary, pair (2), nest (3–16)
  Treasure None
  Alignment Usually chaotic evil
  Advancement 3–9 HD (Medium), 10–18 HD (Large)
  Level Adjustment +1
  Tenacious predators and bullies, goblin snakes are shrill, impul-
  sive, and endlessly hungry. When their instinctual cunning takes 
  hold, though, these maniacal goblinkin exhibit all the stealth 
  and deadly cunning of the serpents they resemble.
  HABITAT & SOCIETY
  Cruel and selﬁ sh, goblin snakes care for little more than their next 
  meal and indulging their unfounded arrogance. Although stupider 
  than goblins, their cruelty and terrifying shape allow them to take 
  positions of inﬂ ated prominence within goblin society, as fear-
  ful goblins typically defer to the beasts. Enjoying the company 
  of snakes, goblin snakes are often accompanied by 1d6 normal 
  smaller serpents.  A goblin snake and ﬁ ve small vipers make a CR 
  4 encounter. 
  GOBLIN SNAKE
  Blank white eyes, broad torn ears, and a wide maw ﬁ lled with 
  jagged yellow teeth and oversized fangs sway atop the body of 
  this serpent. Combining the worst features of a rabid maniac 
  and an oversized snake, scales that look more greasy than slick 
  form a powerful, black, and limbless trunk. At the top, from its 
  gray, lipless goblin head, ﬂ icks a long, thin, forked tongue.
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  G G 
  CR 1
  N Medium animal
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, scent; Listen +2, 
  Spot +2
  DEFENSE
  AC 14, touch 12, ﬂ at-footed 12
  (+2 Dex, +2 natural)
  hp 11 (2d8+2)
  Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2
  OFFENSE
  Spd 40 ft., climb 40 ft.
  Melee bite +2 (2d4+1) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
  TACTICS
  Before Combat When hunting, giant geckos prefer to grab smaller prey 
  from above, often waiting in ambush on unexpected surfaces.
  During Combat Giant geckos make full use of the terrain, scaling walls 
  and attacking from higher ground whenever possible.
  Morale Clever beasts, giant geckos know when they are outmatched 
  and ﬂ ee if reduced to fewer than half their hit points.
  STATISTICS
  Str 13, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6
  Base Atk +1; Grp  +2
  Feats Improved Initiative
  Skills Balance +10, Climb +22
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Expert Climber (Ex) The unique physiology of gecko feet allow geckos 
  to climb any surface, no matter how slick or sheer. In eﬀ ect, giant 
  geckos are treated as constantly being under a natural version of the 
  spell spider climb. This ability also provides them with an additional 
  +8 bonus on Climb check, which stacks with their racial bonus.
  Skills Giant geckos have a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb 
  checks. They can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if 
  rushed or threatened.
  ECOLOGY
  Environment Any warm forest or mountains
  Organization Solitary, pair, or nest (3–6)
  Treasure None
  Alignment Always neutral
  Advancement 3–7 HD (Medium), 8–14 HD (Large) 
  Level Adjustment —
  Oversized lizards, giant geckos rarely threaten creatures larger 
  than dogs or halﬂ ings. Known for their relative intelligence, 
  some savage humanoids employ them as watchdogs or some-
  times even mounts.
  ECOLOGY
  Omnivorous reptiles, giant geckos eat more meat than their 
  smaller cousins but still enjoy fruits, nectars, and other sweet 
  plants. The unique structure of geckos’ widely-spaced toes 
  make them peerless climbers, able to scamper across any sur-
  face with ease.
   
  Numerous species of giant geckos exist, like the Storval 
  Plateau’s spire striders, the frostleapers that dwell in the Land 
  of the Linnorm Kings, and Geb’s urbane glitterscale geckos. 
  GIANT GECKO
  An oversized lizard the size of a horse scans the area, its 
  bulging eyes darting this way and that, completely indepen-
  dent of one another. Every few moments a long pink tongue 
  snaps from its wide mouth, either to snatch up some unseen 
  insect or moisten an eye.
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  SINSPAWN
  A horribly deformed humanoid, hairless and emaciated, lurches 
  out of the shadows. Its unnaturally long arms end in three-ﬁ ngered 
  talons, and its legs bend like those of a dog. A writhing network of 
  bulging veins form dark blue patterns across its pallid skin. But 
  worst of all is its face—its nose is little more than a pair of slits, 
  and its eyes are bulging and red. The lower jaw splits in half at the 
  chin into two wretched arms that end in tiny three-ﬁ ngered hands 
  to either side an open gullet with a lolling tongue.
  S 
  CR 2
  Always NE Medium aberration
  Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent sin; Listen +1, Spot +1
  DEFENSE
  AC 13, touch 10, ﬂ at-footed 13
  (+1 Dex, +2 natural)
  hp 19 (3d8+6); fast healing 1
  Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +4
  Immune mind-aﬀ ecting eﬀ ects; SR 11
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft.
  Melee 2 claws +2 (1d4+1) and
  bite +0 (1d6 plus wrathful bite)
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
  TACTICS
  During Combat A sinspawn that faces a single foe generally attempts 
  to capture its enemy alive, making untrained Heal checks to stop 
  bleeding if necessary, so the victim can be returned to the nearest 
  runewell before he is murdered. Against multiple foes, the sinspawn 
  focuses its attacks on the weakest-looking foes ﬁ rst.
  Morale Sinspawn ﬁ ght to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 13, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 12
  Base Atk +1; Grp +2
  Feats Improved Initiative, Multiattack
  Skills Hide +11, Move Silently +11
  Languages Thassilonian
  SQ martial proﬁ ciency
  ECOLOGY
  Environment Any (near runewells of wrath)
  Organization Solitary, pair (2), or cult (3–9)
  Treasure No coins, no goods, standard items (weapons  
  and armor only)
  Alignment Always chaotic evil
  Advancement By character class; Favored Class barbarian
  Level Adjustment +3
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Martial Proﬁ ciency (Ex) A sinspawn is proﬁ cient in all 
  simple and all martial weapons, and in all forms of armor and shields 
  except tower shields.
  Scent Sin (Su) A sinspawn has the scent ability, but only against 
  extraordinarily wrathful creatures. This includes any creature under 
  the eﬀ ects of a barbarian rage or similar eﬀ ect, a creature with the 
  evil subtype, a creature under the eﬀ ects of the sinspawn’s wrathful 
  bite, or a creature (GM’s discretion) that is excessively wrathful.
  Wrathful Bite (Su) A creature bitten by a sinspawn must make a DC 
  12 Will save or become overwhelmed by feelings of wrath, anger, 
  and rage. These emotions are so powerful that the aﬀ ected creature 
  ﬁ nds it hard to do anything but rage impotently. For 1d6 minutes after 
  succumbing to a sinspawn’s wrathful bite, the victim is eﬀ ectively 
  sickened, and takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage 
  rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. A victim suﬀ ering 
  from this eﬀ ect who is bitten again by a sinspawn must make a DC 12 
  Will save or the wrath increases, leaving him staggered and thus able to 
  take only a single move action or standard action each round (but not 
  both, nor can he take full-round actions). Further bites increase the 
  duration of the eﬀ ect, but not the magnitude.
  Skills Sinspawn have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks.
  Sinspawn are a mockery of the ﬂ esh, the shape of humanity warped 
  and twisted by an all-encompassing wrath, transforming their 
  familiar shape into one of horror and ruin. Sinspawn were origi-
  nally created by Runelord Alaznist, who used life-shaping magic 
  she and her fellow runelords stole from the alien aboleths to fashion 
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  shock troops she could use in her endless confrontations with her 
  numerous enemies (primarily the Runelord Karzoug). She invested 
  in these monsters not only anger and the capacity to murder, but a 
  twisted sense of free will to encourage the desire to gain in power 
  and strength—not just to please their mistress, but to please them-
  selves. This ﬁ nal stroke of twisted brilliance made all the diﬀ erence, 
  and what could have manifested as little more than a new form of 
  intelligent construct became an entirely new form of aberrant life.
  ECOLOGY
  Sinspawn are magically created from profane pools of quickened 
  soul-energy fueled by the departed spirits of creatures ﬁ lled with 
  wrath in life. The primal ooze that results must manifest in a spe-
  cially prepared container known as a runewell, otherwise the har-
  vested ectoplasm quickly evaporates and is lost. When a wrathful 
  creature dies near a functional runewell, the device duplicates its 
  wrath, allowing the soul to go on to its ﬁ nal reward but retaining an 
  imprint of its anger. Normally, a runewell can only harvest wrathful 
  souls that die within a radius of no more than a mile, but with the 
  use of a magical scrying device called a soul lens, one can harvest 
  souls from the world over provided they have been marked with 
  the Sihedron Rune (the seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven 
  schools of Thasilonian magic) and have been properly prepared 
  with certain rituals just prior to their death.
   
  It takes four souls to provide enough raw wrath for a sinspawn 
  to emerge, fully grown, from a runewell. Once created, a sin-
  spawn is its own creature; no vestige but anger remains from 
  the original souls. It has no capacity to procreate, but those 
  sinspawn intelligent enough to understand the nature of their 
  creation often seek out victims to capture alive and return to a
  runewell. Their, the sinspawn uses its wrathful bite and quickly 
  murders it prey, the dead creature’s rage-infected soul fueling 
  the creation of more monstrosities.
   
  The average sinspawn stands nearly 5 feet tall, and weighs 
  about 100 pounds. Although they can live as long as humans, 
  most succumb to violent ends long before their time. A sin-
  spawn normally feeds on flesh (preferring it still living as 
  it’s consumed), but as long as a sinspawn is within a mile of 
  a functioning runewell, the magic can sustain the creature 
  without food or water indefinitely.
  HABITAT & SOCIETY
  In ancient Bakrakahn, Alaznist kept entire villages of sinspawn 
  at her beck and call. The bickering creatures, left to their own 
  devices, required near-constant policing from more powerful 
  agents to prevent them from murdering each other. This typi-
  cally consisted of periodic oﬀ erings of slaves into the walled 
  compounds, to give the sinspawn victims to enact their rage 
  upon. After the fall of Thassilon, the few surviving sinspawn 
  perished after only a few decades. With Karzoug’s awakening, 
  and the sympathetic activation of long-dormant runewells, these 
  creatures may well return to life—the recrudescence of sinspawn 
  under Sandpoint in “Burnt Oﬀ erings” showcasing how most such 
  events would pan out.
  TREASURE
  Sinspawn have little interest in gold or jewelry but take a par-
  ticularly keen liking to armor and weapons, be they standard, 
  masterwork, bejeweled, or magical in nature.
  ADVANCED SINSPAWN
  While sinspawn often advance as ﬁ ghters, rangers, or rogues, 
  their favored class is barbarian. Spellcasting sinspawn are 
  uncommon, and often serve not as leaders but as valued advisers 
  and ranged support in sinspawn conﬂ icts. They make excellent 
  sorcerers and clerics (typically worshiping violent deities like 
  Rovagug or Lamashtu), but lack the patience to become wizards. 
  Sinspawn druids and bards are unheard of.
   
  A sinspawn’s spell resistance increases by +1 for each class 
  level it gains. Its ability score modiﬁ ers are Strength +2, Dexter-
  ity +2, Constitution +4, Wisdom +2, Charisma +2.
  VARIANT SINSPAWN
  As Runelord Alaznist created the ﬁ rst sinspawn near the end of the 
  Thassilonian rule, the other runelords had little time to build upon 
  her discoveries. Yet this does not mean that sinspawn associated with 
  the other six sins cannot exist. While sinspawn tied to the other sins 
  have nearly identical statistics to those presented here (their bite 
  attack inﬂ icting diﬀ erent urges but having the same game eﬀ ects), 
  they are quite diﬀ erent in appearance, have slightly diﬀ erent ability 
  score modiﬁ ers, and have diﬀ erent favored classes.
  Envyspawn: These sinspawn are short and thin, rarely taller 
  than four or ﬁ ve feet in height. They generally have fewer vein 
  markings on their skin than other sinspawn. Their ability score 
  modiﬁ ers are Strength +4, Dexterity +2, Constitution +4, Wis-
  dom +2, and their favored class is ranger.
  Gluttonspawn: Gluttonous sinspawn are grossly overweight, 
  yet retain their kins’ energy and speed. Their ability score modi-
  ﬁ ers are Strength +2, Constitution +6, Wisdom +2, Charisma 
  +2, and their favored class is ﬁ ghter.
  Greedspawn: The sinspawn of greed are the tallest of their 
  kind, generally seven feet in height and with a glittering gold 
  coloration to their veins. Their ability score modiﬁ ers are 
  Strength +2, Dexterity +4, Constitution +4, Charisma +2, 
  and their favored class is rogue.
  Lustspawn: Despite their monstrous faces and talons, lust-
  spawn have perfectly formed male or female bodies capable of 
  sexual intercourse (but not of actual procreation). Their ability 
  score modiﬁ ers are Strength +2, Dexterity +2, Constitution +2, 
  Charisma +6, and their favored class is sorcerer.
  Pridespawn: These sinspawn are particularly emaciated, with 
  larger eyes than most of their kin and often with full heads of hair. 
  Their ability score modiﬁ ers are Strength +2, Dexterity +2, Con-
  stitution +4, Intelligence +4, and their favored class is wizard.
  Slothspawn: Thick rolls of excess skin hang from the frames 
  of sloth sinspawn, and their legs are atrophied to nearly half the 
  normal length (yet they unnervingly retain the speed of their 
  kin). Their ability score modiﬁ ers are Strength +2, Constitution 
  +4, Wisdom +4, Charisma +2, and their favored class is cleric.
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  ATTIC WHISPERER
  The thing in the corner of the attic resembles an emaciated child. 
  It is a gray, forgotten remnant with cobwebs and dust covering the 
  leering, fox skull that serves as its head. In tiny, claw-like hands it 
  grasps a stuﬀ ed child’s toy—a ratty dolly with pins in its eyes. Worse 
  are the voices, the calling whispers that haunt the air, ﬁ lling it with 
  nursery rhymes, sobbing, and laughing at the same time, as if the air 
  around the creature were alive with lost invisible children.
  A W 
  CR 4
  NE Small undead
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +12, Spot +9
  Aura aura of sobs
  DEFENSE
  AC 18, touch 15, ﬂ at-footed 14
  (+4 Dex, +3 natural, +1 size)
  hp 39 (6d12)
  Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +8
  Immune undead traits
  OFFENSE
  Spd 20 ft.
  Melee bite +8 (1d4–1 plus steal breath) and
   
  touch +3 (steal voice)
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
  Special Attacks steal breath, steal voice
  Spell-like Abilities (CL 6th)
   
  3/day—ghost sound (DC 13), invisibility (DC 16), minor 
  image (DC 15)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat An attic whisperer never enters combat when its victim 
  is aware of it or there are multiple opponents. It uses its invisibility,
  skills at misdirection, and ambush tactics to surprise victims, or, 
  preferably, simply attack when its prey is asleep.
  During Combat Not physically powerful, attic whisperers try to use 
  their steal breath ability to render single opponents unconscious 
  and savage them while they’re defenseless.
  Morale Possessing the thoughts of children, attic whisperers are easily 
  intimidated. They often ﬂ ee after losing a third of their hit points.
  STATISTICS
  Str 9, Dex 19, Con —, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 17
  Base Atk +3; Grp  –2
  Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (bite)
  Skills Bluﬀ  +12, Climb +5, Hide +17, Knowledge (local) +8, Listen 
  +12, Move Silently +13, Spot +9
  Languages Common
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Aura of Sobs (Su) All the voices an attic whisperer steals linger 
  around it in an invisible but audible aura of unnerving—often 
  child-like—whimpers, limericks, songs, and sobs. This aura 
  surrounds an attic whisper in a 10-foot radius. Any sentient living 
  creature that enters this area loses the benefit of any bardic 
  music ability and takes a –1 penalty on all attack rolls, damage 
  rolls, and Will saving throws. An attic whisperer can suppress or 
  reactive its aura as a free action.
  Steal Breath (Su) A creature damaged by an attic whisperer’s 
  bite attack must make a DC 16 Will save or become fatigued 
  for 1 hour. A fatigued creature affected by this attack 
  becomes exhausted for 1 hour, while an exhausted creature 
  falls unconscious for 1 hour. This sleep is magically induced, 
  and a sleeper can only be roused by a targeted dispel magic 
  (dispel check DC 17), remove curse, or the attic whisperer’s 
  destruction. The save DC is Charisma-based.
  Steal Voice (Su) Any creature hit by this touch attack must make a 
  DC 16 Will save or lose its ability to speak for 1 hour. During that 
  time, the creature cannot talk, cast spells with verbal components, 
  use bardic music, turn undead, or use any other skill or ability that 
  requires speech. This ability has no eﬀ ect on creatures incapable of 
  speech. The save DC is Charisma-based.
  Once an attic whisperer has stolen a creature’s voice it can 
  perfectly mimic that voice (or any other it has previously stolen) 
  at any time, even after its victim’s voice has returned. While 
  mimicking a voice, the attic whisper can speak in any language 
  the voice’s owner knew, regardless of its prior knowledge of the 
  language. Those familiar with an individual’s voice can make a 
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  Sense Motive check opposed by the attic whisperer’s Bluﬀ  check 
  to realize a mimicked voice is inauthentic. 
  ECOLOGY
  Environment Any urban or ruins
  Organization Solitary, pair (2), generation (3–9)
  Treasure No coins, 10% goods, no items
  Alignment Usually neutral evil
  Advancement 7–18 HD (Small)
  Level Adjustment —
  Children  seem to experience emotions more intensely than 
  adults. Quicker to laugh and swifter to love, certainly, but also 
  more vulnerable to sorrow and faster to wither when abandoned. 
  It is such desertion, the desperation and hopeless freezing of an 
  innocent’s dreams, that gives rise to the tragic abominations 
  called attic whisperers.
  Attic whisperers haunt shadowy, forgotten places like old 
  buildings and dilapidated institutions, places that were once 
  homes to both young children and subtle evils. Hiding in drafty 
  attics and moldy basements, these creatures might lie dormant 
  for decades while the quick go about their lives—often a scant 
  ﬂ oor away. The coming of a child, though, rekindles some hope 
  in these creatures, their animating spirits motivated by lone-
  someness, ever-seeking comfort and companionship. Once 
  they ﬁ nd a potential playmate, an attic whisperer does all it 
  can to assure it will never be lonely again.
  With the ability to steal one’s voice, along with the air from 
  living lungs, these undead torment and terrify by circumstance 
  alone, misunderstanding fear for further rejection and their own 
  murderousness for love. And ever surrounding these creatures 
  murmur the lost whispers of others they sought comfort from, 
  voices of the long departed, oftentimes dead at the hands of these 
  broken-hearted undead.
  ECOLOGY
  An attic whisperer spawns as the result of a lonely or neglected 
  child’s death. Rather than animating the body of the dead 
  youth, the creature rises from an amalgam of old toys, cloth-
  ing, dust, and other objects associated with the departed—
  icons of the child’s neglect. The widely varying materials that 
  fuse together to form these creatures lead to attic whisperers 
  with wildly varying appearances.
  As attic whisperers are undead, they have no need for food and 
  no bodily processes. Thus, they rarely impact the urban or ruined 
  environments they haunt.
  HABITAT & SOCIETY
  Attic whisperers linger in the places where they were formed, 
  typically old homes, orphanages, schools, debtors’ prisons, 
  workhouses, and similar places where children might be dis-
  carded. Aﬄ  icted in death by the same boredom in loneliness 
  they knew in life, attic whisperers seek playmates and friends, 
  preferably those of the approximate age they were when they 
  died, or other simple or innocent folk. An attic whisperer might 
  spend years in motionless solitude in an abandoned building, 
  waiting for someone to come play.
  Should it ﬁ nd a potential playmate, an attic whisperer attempts 
  to lure its friend to it, singing nursery rhymes, leaving trails of 
  old toys, or calling out in the stolen voices of other children. 
  When the monster reveals itself it typically terriﬁ es its would-be 
  playmate. In a ﬁ t of disappointment and anger the attic whisperer 
  often steals the mortiﬁ ed child’s voice and breath, leaving him 
  unconscious. Yet, such an experience rarely dissuades an attic 
  whisperer, which might later sneak into the child’s bedroom, 
  stalk him from gable windows and closet doors, or seek to fulﬁ ll 
  his angry wishes against family and friends.
  Attic whisperers are typically jealous creatures and brook no 
  competition for their playmates’ aﬀ ections, even if the playmate 
  has no idea the attic whisperer actually exists. These undead can 
  prove especially dangerous to the parents, siblings, servants, pets, 
  and young friends of those they ﬁ xate upon. Although pitiful, attic 
  whisperers are wholly merciless in their selﬁ shness. By the same 
  token, an attic whisperer usually has no interest in other creatures 
  besides its playmate, turning invisible or otherwise hiding when 
  others come near. As such, many hauntings by these tragic crea-
  tures go ignored as a child’s nightmares and imaginary friends.
  TREASURE
  Destroying an attic whisperer reduces it to its component 
  parts, usually consisting of dusty junk left to molder in the 
  attics of old houses. While the creature’s destruction causes 
  much of its body to disintegrate, there’s a 20% chance that a toy 
  or trinket left among the remains might be worth something. 
  Such items usually take the form of china dolls, small lockets, 
  music boxes, precious marbles, ﬁ ne teacups, sculpted metal 
  soldiers, or the like.
  Can you hear him waking?
  Up above the stairs?
  Can you hear him weeping?
  Is he really there?
  Can you say ‘I’m speaking?’
  Are you saying naught?
  Is it you who’s weeping?
  Is it you he’s caught? 
  When the nursery rhyming
  Has whispered up above
  Is it you who sounds
  In the attic, my love?
  When you hear your voice
  Echoing on high 
  Is the voice a whisper 
  Is it just his lie?
  —Varisian nursery rhyme
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  THE SANDPOINT DEVIL
  An unnatural amalgam of loathsome animal parts, this mang y 
  beast skulks forward—walking perversely upright—on the 
  rear legs of a powerful horse. Its body and head grossly equine, 
  the torn wings of some giant bat sprout from the thing’s pox-
  spotted hide. Calloused, milky eyes glare balefully from a 
  nearly skeletal head as a rasping hiss escapes a muzzle filled 
  with broken yellow wolf teeth.
  S D 
  CR 8
  NE Large outsider (native)
  Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Listen +20, 
  Spot +20
  DEFENSE
  AC 21, touch 12, ﬂ at-footed 18
  (+3 Dex, +9 natural, –1 size)
  hp 102 (12d8+48)
  Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +7
  Immune ﬁ re; SR 14
  DR 5/cold iron
  OFFENSE
  Spd 40 ft., ﬂ y 60 ft. (poor)
  Melee 2 kicks +19 (1d8+8) and
  bite +14 (2d6+4)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks bay, hellﬁ re breath, trample (2d6+126)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th)
  At will—fog cloud (DC 15), gust of wind (DC 15), pyrotechnics (DC 
  15), scare (DC 15)
  3/day—dimension door (DC 17), phantasmal killer (DC 18)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Delighting in the fear of its prey, the Sandpoint devil 
  prefers to enter combat under the shroud of night and magically 
  created fog. It terrorizes its foes further by baying, circling overhead, or 
  allowing lone wanderers to momentarily glimpse its form. 
  During Combat As soon as its foes are suitably skittish the 
  Sandpoint devil charges into battle, trampling victims and 
  catching as many as possible in a blast of its hellﬁ re breath.
  Morale The Sandpoint devil ﬂ ees if reduced to fewer than 
  15 hit points.
  STATISTICS
  Str 26, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 16
  Base Atk +12; Grp +24
  Feats Alertness, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Stealthy
  Skills Climb +15, Disguise +9, Hide +16, Intimidate +8, Knowledge 
  (geography) +7, Listen +20, Move Silently +20, Search +6, Spot 
  +20, Survival +11
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Bay (Su) When the Sandpoint devil screams, all creatures within a 
  300-foot-radius spread must succeed on a DC 19 Will save or 
  become panicked for 2d4 rounds. This is a sonic, mind-aﬀ ecting, 
  fear eﬀ ect. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature is 
  thereafter immune to the Sandpoint devil’s bay for 24 hours. The 
  save DC is Charisma-based.
  Hellﬁ re Breath (Su) The Sandpoint devil can unleash blasts of 
  infernal ﬂ ame in a 30-ft cone, once every 1d4 rounds (damage 
  6d6 ﬁ re, Reﬂ ex 20 half). Any creature that fails the save also 
  takes a –4 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill 
  checks. This eﬀ ect lasts for a number of days equal to the damage 
  taken, but is otherwise treated and can be removed as per the spell 
  bestow curse. The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Trample (Ex) Reﬂ ex half DC 24. The save DC is Strength-based.
  ECOLOGY
  Environment Any coastal
  Organization Solitary (unique)
  Treasure None
  Alignment Always neutral evil
  Advancement 13–24 HD (Large)
  Level Adjustment —
  A shadow in the Lost Coast’s all-too common mists, it makes 
  its presence known by baying terrible half-howls, half-screams 
  that echo from the eerie stones of the Devil’s Platter. The 
  Sandpoint devil has haunted the lands around its namesake 
  town for more than 10 years. Those who have seen the beast 
  and borne witness to its horror describe it as a horse-like 
  thing, with a nearly skeletal head filled with sharp, lupine 
  teeth. From its lean, equine body jut a pair of ragged bat 
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  wings, its forelegs end in powerful hooves, capable of sup-
  porting it weirdly upright like a man. Details vary of its other 
  features, but eyes that glow a demonic red; a tail like a reptile; 
  and broken, stag-like antlers are also commonly reported.
   
  The Sandpoint devil most commonly appears on misty, 
  moonless nights. A thief of livestock, kidnapper of children, 
  and bringer of woes, countless tales surround the beast. Fully 
  half the farmers in the Sandpoint region claim to have seen the 
  creature on at least one occasion. Some stories say the devil is 
  a manifestation of evil and that its coming foretells times of 
  great woe—explaining its numerous sightings around the time 
  of the Late Unpleasantness. Others explain away the creature 
  as some ancient, wizard-warped beast that hides in the deepest 
  crags of the Devil’s Platter. 
   
  Yet, for all the talk and to-do about the legend, little concrete 
  proof ever lingers to widely conﬁ rm the creature’s existence. 
  Thus, many hold that the Sandpoint devil is but the drunken 
  fantasy of local boozers and simple yokels. But even cynics are 
  quick to change their minds when the mists rise on the lonely 
  moors and only a few timber walls protect against the lurking, 
  hungry things prowling the night.
  ECOLOGY
  Despite tales of its hell-spawned origins, the Sandpoint devil 
  is not an actual devil, but rather a creature of ﬂ esh and blood—
  though one possessed of a cruel cunning and innate malicious-
  ness. A strict nocturnal carnivore, it ﬁ nds penned livestock and 
  unwary travelers make easier prey than wild beasts and dines on 
  such creatures whenever possible—leading to no end of local 
  outcry. A wise hunter, it typically carries its meal back to its lair 
  to dine in safety, ever wary of those who would hunt it in turn or 
  attempt to follow it. Inexplicably, the thing seems to enjoy the 
  taste of fearful prey and often goes to great lengths to terrorize 
  its meals before slaying them. After particularly large meals, 
  the beast has been known to go into short cycles of hibernation, 
  lasting anywhere from a week to three months.
  HABITAT & SOCIETY
  The Sandpoint devil makes its home in a deep, vertical cave near 
  the center of the Devil’s Platter, preferring a lonely lair where few 
  other creatures can interrupt its rest. The creature haunts the 
  region merely because it was born nearby and food remains abun-
  dant, but it could comfortably survive in any temperate environs.
   
  As a unique creature, the Sandpoint devil has no complex 
  society and it will continue to spend its nights hunting prey and 
  terrorizing townsfolk until its menace is ended. Although some 
  claim the Sandpoint devil serves a master greater than its own 
  hunger, such rumors have never been proven.
  TREASURE
  While it carries no treasure, the bottom of the cave in which 
  the Sandpoint devil lairs is heaped with the remains of count-
  less meals. Rotting clothing, rent armor, rusted weapons, and 
  1d6×100 gp worth of useful equipment, coins, and rarer items 
  lie discarded amid the decade-old charnel mound. Among these 
  goods doubtlessly lie buried several personal items connected 
  with the monster’s past victims and other objects identiﬁ able 
  by local residents.
  VARIANTS
  Although the Sandpoint devil is a unique creature, similar mys-
  terious abominations might be found elsewhere in Golarion. 
  Once, a creature matching the description of the Sandpoint 
  devil was reported as far east as Darkmoon Vale, capering at the 
  whim of a local witch. Deep in the jungles to the south, statues 
  of a being very similar to the Sandpoint devil have been found in 
  the ruins of Wat Kyript. The tribes of the Ginji Mesa also have a 
  similar local legend, fearing the Nightsnake, a gigantic serpent 
  with bat wings and the power to transﬁ x a man with its gaze.
  Hypnotic Gaze (Su): As per the spell hypnotism, 30 feet, For-
  titude DC 19. The save DC is Charisma-based. A Sandpoint devil 
  with a hypnotic gaze has CR +1.
  “FACTS” ABOUT THE SANDPOINT DEVIL
  Rumors and legends of a rarely seen but terrible monster have 
  preyed upon the fears of Sandpoint’s populace for 10 years. 
  Here are several widely believed (though oft-conflicting) rumors 
  regarding the famed Sandpoint devil.
   Bad Omen: It’s bad luck to see the Sandpoint devil. Any who 
  do are cursed to suffer an ill fate. It’s said the devil flies over 
  Sandpoint in warning before tragedies, murders, and shipwrecks.
  Devil-Spawned: The Sandpoint devil is the son of a widow-
  woman named Agatha Leeds who used to live north of town and 
  was said to practice dark magics and consort with evil beings. 
  When she wandered into town round with child, she avoided all 
  questions about her pregnancy. Weeks later, Leeds’s home was 
  found reduced to cinders with its owner missing. Soon after, the 
  first sightings of the Sandpoint devil began.
   Disappearances: Evidence of the Sandpoint devil often 
  disappears before it can be widely studied. Tracks, bitten 
  animals, weapons with its blood, and similar such evidence 
  regularly vanish, no matter how well watched or guarded. 
  Many who have sought out the Sandpoint devil have disap-
  peared without a trace either during their hunts or in the 
  weeks following their return.
   Fire Starter: Descriptions, paintings, and other evidence 
  regarding the Sandpoint devil often mysteriously catch on fire, 
  sometimes burning entire homes to the ground.
   Immortal Protector: Some Varisians say the Sandpoint devil 
  has lived along the Lost Coast for thousands of years, pro-
  tecting it from those who would exploit the land. Its modern 
  misdeeds are merely its way of fending off the most recent 
  encroachment of civilization.
   One of Many: The Sandpoint devil is sometimes seen in the 
  company of other local legends and spooks, most commonly a 
  white stag, the ghost of a young girl, and a zombie without feet.
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  96
  C h a r a C t e r s
  str
  defense
  HP 11
  AC 17
  touch 12, flat-footed 15
  Fort +3, Ref +2, Will –1
  offense
  Melee longsword +4 (1d8+2)
  Melee longsword +1 (1d8+2) 
   
  shortsword +1 (1d6+1)
  Ranged shortbow +3 (1d6)
  skills
  Climb  
  +1
  Intimidate  
  +4
  Ride  
  +6
  Swim 
  –4
  feats
  Big Game HunterB, Improved 
  Initiative, Two-Weapon Fighting, 
  Weapon Focus (longsword)
  Combat Gear alchemist’s fire; Other Gear chainmail, longsword, shortbow with 20 arrows, shortsword, backpack, rations (2), silk rope, 1 gp
  Valeros
  Male HuMan figHter 1
  align NG 
  Init +6 
  speed 20 ft.
  dex
  con
  int
  wis
  cha
  14
  15
  12
  13
  8
  10
  abilities
  str
  defense
  HP 5
  AC 12
  touch 12, flat-footed 10
  Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +3
  offense
  Melee quarterstaff –1 (1d6–1)
  Ranged dagger +2 (1d4–1)
  Spells Known (CL 1st, 2nd with evocation)
  1st (5/day)—mage armor, magic missile
  0 (6/day)—acid splash, detect magic, daze 
  (DC 12), read magic
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL1st)
  1/day—dancing lights
  skills
  Bluff  
  +6
  Concentration 
  +8
  Spellcraft 
  +4
  feats
  Dodge, Spell Focus (evocation), 
  Varisian Tattoo (evocation)B
  Combat Gear smokestick, tanglefoot bag; Other Gear dagger, quarterstaff, backpack, sunrod (5), rations (4), 27 gp 
  seoni
  feMale HuMan sorcerer 1
  align LN 
  Init +2 
  speed 30 ft.
  dex
  con
  int
  wis
  cha
  8
  14
  12
  10
  13
  15
  abilities
  str
  defense
  HP 10
  AC 15
  touch 9, flat-footed 15
  Fort +4, Ref –1, Will +7
  offense
  Melee scimitar +1 (1d6+1/18–20)
  Ranged lt crossbow –1 (1d8/19–20)
  Special Attacks greater turning 1/day, turn 
  undead 4/day (+1, 2d6+2)
  Spells Prepared (CL 2nd)
  1st—bless, command (DC 13), cure light 
  woundsD
  0—detect magic, light, read magic 
  D domain spell (healing, sun)
  skills
  Concentration 
  +6
  Heal 
  +6
  Knowledge (religion) 
  +4
  feats
  Country BornB, Iron Will, Martial 
  Weapon Proficiency (scimitar)
  gear chain shirt, heavy wooden shield, light crossbow with 10 bolts, scimitar, backpack, rations (6), silver holy symbol, 12 gp
  Kyra
  feMale HuMan cleric 1 (sarenrae)
  align NG 
  Init –1 
  speed 20 ft.
  dex
  con
  int
  wis
  cha
  13
  8
  14
  10
  15
  12
  abilities
  str
  defense
  HP 7
  AC 15
  touch 13, flat-footed 12
  Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +1
  (+2 vs enchantment)
  Immune sleep
  offense
  Melee rapier +1 (1d6+1/18–20)
  Ranged dagger +3 (1d4+1/19–20)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6
  skills
  Combat Gear acid, alchemist’s fire (2), thunderstone; Other Gear leather armor, daggers (6), rapier, backpack, g rappling hook, hooded lantern, 
  oil (5), rations (3), silk rope, thieves’ tools, 25 gp
  Merisiel
  feMale elf rogue 1
  align CN 
  Init +3 
  speed 30 ft.
  dex
  con
  int
  wis
  cha
  12
  17
  12
  8
  13
  10
  abilities
  Climb 
  +3
  Disable Device 
  +4
  Hide 
  +7
  Intimidate 
  +2
  Jump 
  +3
  Listen 
  +5
  Move Silently 
  +7
  Search 
  +4
  Spot 
  +5
  Tumble 
  +7
  feats
  City Born (Riddleport)B, Dodge
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  P r e V i e w
  97
  Next 
  Month Pathfinder 
  the sKinsaw Murders
  by Richard Pett
  Murder most monstrous stalks fair Sandpoint! The PCs, now local 
  heroes, follow the trail of a killer who leaves an all too famil-
  iar calling card, and what their investigations reveal no one in 
  the terrorized town could have imagined. The murderer’s trail 
  ultimately leads west to Magnimar, the awe-inspiring City of 
  Monuments. There, the PCs must prevent more deaths, uncover 
  a plot thousands of years old, and prove that they themselves are 
  not the killer!  
  MagniMar, City of 
  MonuMents
  by F. Wesley Schneider
  Explore the city of Magnimar, the second largest city-state in 
  Varisia. Built within the shadow of countless monuments—
  including the Irespan, an ancient wonder known as the Giant’s 
  Bridge—a pioneering people live free of foreign oppressors or 
  tyrants. Walk the marble plazas and sculpture-lined streets of 
  Magnimar’s three distinct districts, the Summit, the Shadow, 
  and the Shore.
  desna, goddess of the 
  serene
  by Sean K Reynolds
  Revel in the inscrutable beauty of Desna, the Song of the 
  Spheres, goddess of dreams, luck, travelers, and the stars.  
  Discover the tales of her mystifying faith, join the ranks of her  
  elusive worshipers, and meet those who raise songs and  
  star-knives to her glory. Magic and myths, including Desna’s 
  6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to 
  include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying 
  or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the 
  COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.
  7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to 
  compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each 
  element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trade-
  mark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as 
  expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered 
  Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the 
  ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall 
  retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
  8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the 
  work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
  9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. 
  You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Con-
  tent originally distributed under any version of this License.
  10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game 
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  11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the 
  name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.
  12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with 
  respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regula-
  tion then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
  13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein 
  and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive 
  the termination of this License.
  14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be 
  reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0 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.
  rise of the runelords Player’s guide. Copyright 2007 Paizo Publishing LLC. Author: F. Wesley Schneider.
  tome of Horrors. Copyright 2002 Necromancer Games, Inc.; Author: 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.
  the Book of fiends. Copyright 2003 Green Ronin Publishing; Authors: Aaron Loeb, Erik Mona, Chris Pra-
  mas, and Robert J. Schwalb.
  oPen gaMe license Version 1.0a
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the 
  Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.
  1. Definitions: (a) “Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed 
  Open Game Content; (b) “Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and 
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  transmit or otherwise distribute; (d) “Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the meth-
  ods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and 
  is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by 
  the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under 
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  “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material 
  of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.
  2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating 
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  such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted 
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  3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms 
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  4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a 
  perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open 
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  5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Con-
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  the rights conveyed by this License.
  world-soaring harbinger, fill 
  this guide to one of the Rise of 
  the Runelords Adventure Path’s 
  most prominent deities.
  Pathfinder’s 
  Journal
  Pathfinder Eando Kline journeys 
  through Varisia to Kaer Maga, 
  den of dark magics! Along 
  the way he discovers much 
  about Varisia’s ancient ruins, 
  rural customs, and deadly, swamp-
  dwelling inhabitants. Croak!
  Bestiary
  Undead girlfriends, scaly stalkers, 
  angels of Desna, cranky frog men, 
  clouds of necromantic ravens, 
  and more!
  suBsCriBe to 
  Pathfinder!
  Don’t miss out on what comes next! Head 
  on over to paizo.com/pathfinder and 
  set up a subscription today. Have Path-
  finder delivered right to your door 
  every month so you’ll be ready to 
  confront your PCs with what 
  comes next! 
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  Find Your Path.
  Look for these upcoming Pathﬁ nder releases:
  Pathﬁ nder Rise of the Runelords Players Guide (5-Pack) 
  PZO9000  
   
   
  $9.99  
  Available now!
  Pathﬁ nder #2 Rise of the Runelords: The Skinsaw Murders 
  PZO9002  
   
   
  $19.99   
  September 2007
  Pathﬁ nder #3 Rise of the Runelords: The Hook Mountain Massacre 
  PZO9003  
   
   
  $19.99   
  October 2007
  Pathﬁ nder #4 Rise of the Runelords: Fortress of the Stone Giants 
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  November 2007
  Pathﬁ nder #5 Rise of the Runelords: Sins of the Saviors 
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  December 2007
  Pathﬁ nder #6 Rise of the Runelords: Spires of Xin-Shalast 
  PZO9006  
   
   
  $19.99   
  January 2008 
  All trademarks are property of Paizo Publishing®, LLC. ©2007 Paizo Publishing.
  TM
  098_PZO9001 AD.indd   3
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  T
  he Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path™ begins here, in the small coastal town of 
  Sandpoint. Five years after a tragic fire and spate of brutal murders, the people of Sandpoint 
  eagerly anticipate the Swallowtail Festival to commemorate the consecration of the town’s 
  new temple. At the height of the ceremony, disaster strikes!
   In the days that follow, a sinister shadow settles over Sandpoint. Rumors of goblin armies and 
  wrathful monsters in forgotten ruins have set the populace on edge. As Sandpoint’s newest heroes, 
  the PCs must deal with treachery, goblins, and the rising threat of a forgotten empire whose cruel and 
  despotic rulers might not be as dead as history records.
   This volume of Pathfinder™ includes:
  • 
  “Burnt Offerings,” an adventure for  
  1st-level characters, by James Jacobs.
  • 
  An exploration of your PCs’ new hometown  
  of Sandpoint, by James Jacobs.
  • 
  A history of the ancient empire of Thassilon, 
  by Wolfgang Baur.
  • 
  The first installment of the Pathfinder’s 
  Journal, by Erik Mona.
  • 
  Six new monsters by James Jacobs,  
  Richard Pett, and F. Wesley Schneider.
  We Be GoBlins—You Be Food!
  paizo.com/pathfinder
  Made in China. PZO9001
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pathfinder/Adventure Paths/Rise of the Rune Lords/Burnt Offerings 1.pdf