TEXT: A PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL FOR TIER 1–12+
  A Pathfinder Society Special
  By Kyle Baird and Tim Hitchcock
  RACE FOR THE  
  RUNECARVED KEY
  RACE FOR THE  
  RUNECARVED KEY
  
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  A PAthfinder Society SPeciAl
  Authors • Kyle Baird and Tim Hitchcock
  Contributing Artists • Miguel Regodón Harkness, 
  Jason Rainville, and Kieran Yanner
  Cartographers • Jason Engle, Rob Lazzeretti, 
  Sean Macdonald, and Corey Macourek
  Creative Director • James Jacobs
  Editor-in-Chief • F. Wesley Schneider
  Senior Editor • James L. Sutter
  Development Lead • Mark Moreland
  Editing • F. Wesley Schneider
  Editorial Assistance • Logan Bonner, Jason Bulmahn, 
  Adam Daigle, Rob McCreary, Stephen Radney-
  MacFarland, Patrick Renie, and Sean K Reynolds
  Editorial Intern • Savannah Broadway
  Senior Art Director • Sarah E. Robinson
  Graphic Designer • Andrew Vallas
  Production Specialist • Crystal Frasier
  Publisher • Erik Mona
  Paizo CEO • Lisa Stevens
  Chief Operations Officer • Jeffrey Alvarez
  Director of Sales • Pierce Watters
  Sales Representitive • Adam Lovell
  Finance Manager • Christopher Self
  Staff Accountant • Kunji Sedo
  Chief Technical Officer • Vic Wertz 
  Senior Software Developer • Gary Teter
  Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator • Mike Brock
  Project Manager • Jessica Price
  Customer Service Team • Cosmo Eisele, Erik Keith, and 
  Sara Marie Teter
  Warehouse Team • Will Chase, Michael Kenway, Matt 
  Renton, Jeff Strand, and Kevin Underwood
  Website Team • Ross Byers, Liz Courts, Lissa Guillet, 
  and Chris Lambertz
  Pathfinder Society Special: Race for the Runecarved Key is a Pathfinder Society Special designed for 1st- to 12th-level 
  characters (Tier 1–12+; Subtiers 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 8–9, 10–11, and 12+). This scenario is designed for play in the Pathfinder 
  Society Organized Play campaign, but can easily be adapted for use with any world.
  This product makes use of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook, the Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide, the Pathfinder 
  RPG Bestiary, the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3, the Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide, and 
  Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic. These rules can be found online for free as part of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game 
  Reference Document at paizo.com/prd.
  Paizo Publishing, LLC
  7120 185th Ave NE, Ste 120
  Redmond, WA 98052-0577
  paizo.com/pathfindersociety
  This product is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game or the 3.5 edition of the world’s oldest 
  fantasy roleplaying game.
  Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open 
  Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress. 
  (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content or are in the public domain are not included in this declaration.)
  Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Paizo Publishing game product are Open Game Content, as 
  defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced 
  in any form without written permission.
  Pathfinder Society Special: Race for the Runecarved Key © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Paizo Publishing, LLC, the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, 
  Pathfinder Society, and GameMastery are registered trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC; Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, Pathfinder 
  Module, Pathfinder Player Companion, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and Pathfinder Tales are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC.
  
  3
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIALS
  Race for the Runecarved Key is a special Pathfinder 
  Society Organized Play event that gives players and 
  GMs the opportunity to take part in major events that 
  shape the campaign while attending large conventions 
  or game days. This Pathfinder Society Special is 
  designed specifically for large-scale events, allowing 
  any number of participants to play simultaneously 
  and all have an impact on the adventure’s outcome. 
  Race for the Runecarved Key is designed to be run with 
  a minimum of four tables of tiered players, one Table 
  GM per table, and one Overseer GM. Race for the 
  Runecarved Key is also a tournament-style adventure, 
  meaning that participants will be competitively scored 
  on their overall performance.
  struggle to wrest political favor from the mercantile 
  stranglehold of the Aspis Consortium. Fortunately, 
  the Heidmarchs’ wealth—earned during their days as 
  adventurers—has allowed them a certain amount of 
  stability and security, though they cannot rely on this 
  forever. For this reason, the Heidmarchs have taken a 
  great interest in the the forthcoming public auctioning 
  of an ancient artifact dubded the Runecarved Key.
  During one of their salvage runs of Magnimar’s 
  harbor, workers from the Golemworks dredged up a large 
  rune-covered key from the bottom of the bay. Since the 
  artifact fell outside their area of interest, the head of the 
  Golemworks, Bretcher Toth, presented it as a gift to the 
  Lord Mayor’s office, which has in turn decided to auction 
  the key off as a way to raise funds for municipal projects. 
  The Heidmarchs see their participation in the auction as 
  a way to impress the Lord Mayor’s office and increase the 
  public and political standing of the Pathfinder Society 
  in Magnimar. The opportuinity offers a means of legally 
  obtaining the key, which is now a relic of high enough 
  profile that gaining it through other means could prove 
  problemeatic for the Society as the organization works to 
  grow its influence in Magnimar.
  T
  he Pathfinder Society is truly a world-spanning 
  organization, with agents, allies, and waystations 
  throughout the Inner Sea region and beyond. 
  But its strategically placed Pathfinder Lodges don’t 
  spring up through magic, and each requires the hard 
  work and dedication of a number of loyal Pathfinders 
  and venture-captains to ensure its viability and long-
  term survival. The Pathfinder Lodge at Heidmarch 
  Manor in the Varisian city of Magnimar is just such 
  a burgeoning lodge, and though it was formed over 5 
  years ago, it is still in its infancy and in a vulnerable 
  state. Under the guidance of Magnimarian aristocrats 
  Sheila and Canayven Heidmarch, the lodge has grown 
  significantly in the last few years and now stands on the 
  verge of truly establishing itself among the elite and 
  powerful institutions within the city. A forthcoming 
  auction being held by the Magnimarian government 
  could provide the Society an opportunity to show itself 
  as a major player in local politics and earn it a rare 
  ancient artifact from the lost empire of Thassilon. The 
  Decemvirate is sending a veritable army of Pathfinder 
  agents to the City of Monuments to aid the Heidmarchs 
  in their efforts. But the Pathfinder Society isn’t the only 
  powerful organization with its sights set on retrieving 
  the Runecarved Key, and when opposed forces collide, 
  the potential for conf lict becomes a near certaintly.
  ADVENTURE BACKGROUND 
  Until recently, Magnimar stood just beyond the eager 
  reach of the Pathfinder Society—an entire city built 
  in the shadow of an ancient Thassilonian ruin that 
  lay upon the Varisian coast like a lost jewel waiting to 
  be discovered. In the city’s early days, the Pathfinder 
  Society’s longstanding nemesis, the Aspis Consortium, 
  entrenched itself in Magnimar’s burgeoning economy 
  by financing and controlling the flow of much of the 
  city’s foreign trade. To this day, the Consortium holds 
  the favor of dozens of powerful merchants and has 
  allies in both the Lord Mayor’s office and the Council 
  of Ushers. But now, with the arrival of Sheila and 
  Canayven Heidmarch, the Society has finally started to 
  gain a foothold in the City of Monuments, even as they 
  RACE FOR THE 
  RUNECARVED KEY
  By Kyle BAird And tim hitchcocK
  
  REFERENCED SOURCES
  This adventure makes use of the following Pathfinder 
  RPG game products: the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook, 
  the Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide, the Pathfinder 
  RPG Bestiary, the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2, Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 3, the Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide, and 
  Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic. These rules can be found 
  online for free as part of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game 
  Reference Document at paizo.com/prd.
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  4
  ADVENTURE SUMMARY
  At the request of hosts Canayven and Sheila Heidmarch, 
  the PCs attend a private meeting at Heidmarch Manor. 
  Once the doors close and the lights dim, the Heidmarchs 
  present a semi-formal mission brief in which the PCs 
  learn that the venture-captains have secretly summoned 
  all of them to Magnimar to help the new lodge compete 
  in an auction for a mysterious Thassilonian relic known 
  as the Runecarved Key. 
  Prior to the auction itself, the Pathfinders must work 
  to ensure the Society’s victory when bidding begins, 
  first by attending the pre-auction gala at the Cathedral 
  of Abadar. There they can view the key and scope out 
  prospective buyers. The PCs objective here is to find out 
  who are the most serious potential bidders on the item, 
  where their funding is coming from and what their 
  limits are, and if they represent themselves or bid on 
  behalf of another party.
  Learning of a caravan brining monetary resources 
  into Magnimar on behalf of the Aspis Consortium—
  who are likely compeitors for the Runecarved Key—the 
  Heidmarchs send the Pathfinders to perform a covert 
  raid on the caravan beyond the city’s walls. Here the PCs 
  have the opportunity to both deplete the funds of their 
  competitors as well as build up their own stores.
  Upon the PCs’ return to Magnimar, Sheila Heidmarch 
  briefs the Pathfinders on the auction’s remaining 
  competitors, identified from the reconnaissance gained 
  at the pre-auction gala. All present a serious threat to 
  the Society’s chances of winning the auction, and thus 
  must somehow be “removed” from the bidding. Here the 
  PCs may choose which competitors to go after, and are 
  encouraged to legally eliminate as much competition as 
  possible before the auction begins in a matter of hours.
  At sundown, the Pathfinders return to the Cathedral 
  of Abadar to participate in the auction for the Runecarved 
  Key, where they bid on the Society’s behalf against their 
  (hopefully depleted) competitors. Just as the auction 
  comes to a close, a mysterious cultist magically teleports 
  into the cathedral, slays the auctioneer, steals the key, and 
  flees. To assist the cultist in her escape, dozens of other 
  cultists storm the cathedral to waylay any attempting to 
  catch the thief. The PCs must fight their way through 
  the cultists and chase the thief through the streets of 
  Magnimar, using the GameMastery Chase Cards deck 
  or the chase mechanic presented in the Pathfinder RPG 
  GameMastery Guide. 
  Once the PCs catch the thief, they must fight her for 
  the key. With her dying breath, the cultist utters an oath 
  to Lissala, and summons increasingly difficult waves 
  of extraplanar foes to assail the PCs in revenge for her 
  defeat. The Pathfinders must defend the regained key 
  from the attack until reinforcements arrive.
  RUNNING THE EVENT
  Because Pathfinder Society Specials are more complex 
  than normal scenarios, involving multiple tables and over 
  12 levels of scaled encounters, special rules exist to run 
  them, as outlined below. Both GMs of individual tables, 
  the room’s Overseer GM, and event organizers should be 
  familiar with all of these special rules to make the event 
  run smoothly and to answer any logistical questions 
  players may have about the event.
  Glossary of Terms
  Race for the Runecarved Key uses several terms unique to 
  its Pathfinder Society Special format, as listed below. 
  Each participants’ role in the event is outlined under his 
  respective entry. 
  House: All the PCs participating in the adventure 
  across all subtiers.
  Acts: Because so many players participate and need to 
  remain caught up with one another, the event is broken 
  into separate acts which are run in a set time limit. While 
  each individual table can move through encounters at 
  its own pace, the entire House starts and ends each act 
  simultaneously.
  Overseer GM: This game master is responsible for 
  keeping the entire room on point. She sets the pace for 
  the event, as unlike in a typical scenario, each of the 
  acts is timed to keep the event progressing despite the 
  large number of participants. The timing for each act 
  may speed up depending on how quickly the tables from 
  each subtier meet their objectives. The Overseer GM is 
  responsible for introducing the event, stating the rules 
  and terms of play, and performing the opening and 
  closing readaloud text for each of the major acts.
  The Overseer GM should have some means of 
  signaling to the entire room, especially Table GMs, who 
  are her liaisons to the players. This may be a bell or other 
  auditory signal that can permeate the din of a room full 
  of excited gamers, or a visual signal like a flashing light 
  or waving flag. The Overseer GM should inform all Table 
  GMs what this signal is prior to the event’s start and 
  
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  5
  performance to determine how various parts of the 
  adventure unfold. The Table GM is responsible for 
  tracking player performance using Key Points. These 
  are recorded on the Key Point Tracker provided on page 
  47. Specific actions and their point values are listed both 
  in the various acts and on the tracking sheet. To keep 
  suspense high for players, GMs are encouraged to keep 
  details of the scoring system and the team’s running total 
  hidden from the players until the event calls for you to 
  provide them such information.
  Success Slips
  At the end of this adventure, on page 50, GMs will find a 
  series of success slips designed to be quickly handed in 
  to the Overseer GM or runners for the event coordinator. 
  These success slips allow the Overseer GM to track the 
  overall success or failure of tables within the House. At 
  various stages throughout the adventure, usually after 
  the PCs complete a mission or encounter, the Table GM 
  will be prompted to hand in his table’s success slip for 
  that encounter. What system you use to turn these in is 
  up to the event organizer, but printing them on brightly 
  colored paper and simply holding them up for collection is 
  a simple solution. If no other method presents itself, GMs 
  are encouraged to send a runner from the table to deliver 
  success slips to the Oveseer GM or her respresentative. 
  The Table GM is also responsible for writing the party’s 
  table number on the success slip in the space provided.
  Props
  While no props are absolutely required to run this event, 
  there are several which the adventure assumes and which 
  can make running the event easier and more memorable 
  for all involved. 
  The first such prop is a life-sized version of the 
  Runecarved Key itself. This key is illustrated on the cover 
  of this document and on page 35. It stands roughly 3 feet 
  tall when set on its Sihedron-shaped base, and is made of 
  stone etched with glowing arcane symbols. Having this 
  prop on hand should focus the event’s many parts on the 
  attainment of the key for the Pathfinder Society. If the 
  event organizer is especially generous, one player at the 
  randomly selected winning team (see page 35) can even 
  keep the prop as a memento of the event.
  The second prop is more of an organizational aid, in 
  that it serves in keeping the auction running smoothly, 
  especially when the event is run for more than 10 tables. 
  These are the auction paddles each table uses to indicate 
  that it is still in the running during the auction. Paddles 
  should come in 5 different colors, one for each subtier, 
  so that all present can tell what tables they’re competing 
  with as all reveal their scores in Act Four. These can 
  be simple pieces of construction paper cut to resemble 
  ensure that they are all positioned to be able to see or 
  hear it during the event.
  Table GMs: These GMs each run a subtiered table. 
  Tables are run exactly like one would run a standard 
  Pathfinder Society table, with the following exceptions. 
  Table GMs must follow the timing of the event as set by 
  the Overseer GM. Whenever the Overseer GM announces 
  the end of an act, that act is finished and the Table GMs 
  must follow the instructions for getting the PCs to the 
  next act provided in the next act’s description. Likewise, 
  if a Table GM has a group that finishes the act before the 
  Overseer GM calls time, she must notify the Overseer 
  GM. Because the Overseer GM changes the scenes, Table 
  GMs aren’t responsible for presenting the adventure’s 
  introduction or the descriptions for major act changes, 
  though they should be familiar with them in the event 
  that their PCs require a recap or further clarification of 
  the events. 
  Table GMs should make a special note of their 
  table’s average party level (APL) as calculated using the 
  formula in the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play. 
  In addition to determining the appropriate subtier to 
  use for each encounter, the table’s APL will be used 
  to determine several important skill and save DCs 
  throughout the adventure.
  Rewards
  Rewards are handled differently in this event than in 
  a normal scenario. PCs may collect loot during the 
  encounters that comprise it, however it is expected that 
  any gold they find will be added to the collective pool in 
  order to outbid competitors during the auction. Instead, 
  the PCs receive a blanket reward at the end of the event 
  for successfully recovering the Runecarved Key. 
  Prestige
  All participating PCs advancing on the normal 
  advancement track receive 2 Prestige Points for 
  recovering the Runecarved Key and surviving the event; 
  PCs on the slow advancement track earn 1 PP for meeting 
  the same conditions. While the are no faction missions 
  for this event, the Pathfinder Society’s factions still hold 
  the PCs in high regard for their contributions. Indeed, 
  the factions are very interested in having their members 
  earn the respect of the Heidmarchs and city officials 
  of Magnimar. By aiding the Heidmarchs in winning 
  the key, the PCs can help both their factions and the 
  Pathfinder Society as a whole.
  Key Points
  Race for the Runecarved Key includes a competitive element 
  not normally present in Pathfinder Soceity adventures. 
  Throughout the event, teams will be scored on their 
  
  WHERE ON GOLARION?
  Race for the Runecarved Key takes place in the Varisian 
  city of Magnimar, one of the three independent city-
  states vying for control and influence in the burgeoning 
  wilderness nation. Magnimar is known as the City of 
  Monuments, for its streets overflow with marble edifaces, 
  memorials to the city’s brave founders, and the stolid ideals 
  that make it unique among Varisian settlements. For more 
  information on Magnimar, see Pathfinder Campaign Setting: 
  Magnimar, City of Monuments, available where ever gaming 
  books are sold, or online at paizo.com.
  VAR
  isiA
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  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  6
  auction paddles or painted wooden ping pong paddles. 
  Ultimately, as long as each table has at least one paddle of 
  the color corresponding to its subtier, they will meet the 
  needs of the auction and provide a visual signal to other 
  tables of what’s going on.
  GETTING STARTED
  The focus of the start of the event should be getting all the 
  players divided into four- to six-person tables of like-level 
  PCs and seating them for play as quickly as possible. The 
  Overseer GM should coordinate the marshalling of the 
  room, and all Table GMs should be ready to accept a table 
  of eager players and get started quickly when they arrive.
  Once all tables have been seated, the Overseer GM 
  begins the entire event with the following address, in 
  character as Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch:
  “Dear friends, welcome to Magnimar and the newest 
  Pathfinder Lodge—Heidmarch Manor. For those of you who 
  do not yet know me, my name is Sheila Heidmarch—venture-
  captain of Magnimar. This lodge is also my home, which I 
  share with my husband Canayven. While we are far from the 
  comforts of the Grand Lodge at Absalom, we shall do our best 
  to accommodate you with our humble Varisian hospitalities. 
  My husband and I both spent many years in the field, so we 
  know well what you do and appreciate that you have answered 
  our summons. We are both extremely grateful to receive you 
  and your support.
  “As you well know, Heidmarch Manor is a new lodge. 
  Presently it is funded almost entirely from my own resources. 
  Although I adore Magnimar, we have as many enemies here as 
  friends. This being the case, I seek to court the favor of more 
  powerful allies, specifically members of the Council of Ushers 
  and the Office of the Lord Mayor. 
  “This brings the conversation to our current situation. On 
  one of their more recent salvage runs, the wondrous artificers 
  of the Golemworks uncovered a strange relic while dredging 
  stone from the bottom of Magnimar’s harbor. The relic appears 
  to be some sort of a giant key, etched with ancient Thassilonian 
  runes that their learned arcanists speculate may even predate 
  the coming of the mysterious runelords. Because the key falls 
  outside their area of expertise, the Golemworks donated the 
  curious aritfact to the Office of the Lord Mayor. In turn, the 
  Lord Mayor intends to auction off the key to the highest bidder 
  in short order, to fund municipal projects. The auction will 
  be run by the Cathedral of Abadar, gold in hand—meaning 
  immediately after the final bid is accepted, the bidder must pay 
  for his prize in full.
  “We want the key. However, we want it legally. Our 
  establishment in Magnimar is relatively new and our footing 
  tenuous. We need to secure more stable political relationships 
  with the Lord Mayor’s office and the Council of Ushers to 
  ensure the Society’s long term success in this city; especially 
  since the Aspis Consortium already has such a strong foothold 
  here. The legitimate purchase of the Runecarved Key from the 
  local authorities would demonstrate our respect for the city’s 
  government, which would go a long way toward improving our 
  public image with these people.
  “That said, we can greatly increase our chances of winning 
  the auction by persuading our competition to back out. While 
  there are some we believe we can outbid, we are a new lodge 
  with far fewer funds than many. Thus, we must find out who 
  else is interested in the key, how much they can bid, and 
  whether or not we can knock them out of the auction.
  “To assure our success, our espionage must be extensive. 
  Therefore we have divided the task between our agents. While 
  division stands to place field operatives in greater danger, we 
  cannot risk revealing ourselves by working en mass. If you 
  are discovered, we will disavow any association with you. We 
  cannot aid you if you get arrested or fall into the clutches of the 
  enemies of our Society. While this is unfortunate, I hope you 
  can understand our position.
  “For now, please make yourselves at home. We have provided 
  accommodations for each of your groups. Feel free to drop 
  off your things and prepare yourselves. Then meet me in the 
  manor’s theater in five minutes.”
  Table GMs: Allow the players at your table to introduce 
  themselves and prepare for the start of the adventure.
  At the end of 5 minutes, the Overseer GM calls for the 
  House’s attention and starts Act 1. 
  
  Sheila Heidmarch
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  7
  ACT ONE: PRE-AUCTION GALA
  The adventure begins with Sheila Heidmarch’s private 
  briefing which takes place in the theater at Heidmarch 
  Manor. The Overseer GM should read or paraphrase the 
  following text to kick off the action:
  Even before the venture-captain arrives, the theater in Heidmarch 
  Manor is crammed with Pathfinders. Heidmarch enters quietly, 
  then slips through the crowd, takes the stage, and speaks.
  “Tonight, the Council of Ushers is sponsoring a pre-
  auction gala, to be hosted at the Cathedral of Abadar. 
  During the party, the auctioneers intend to display 
  the Runecarved Key in order to entice potential 
  bidders. Anyone serious about entering the 
  auction will be required to place a deposit of ten 
  thousand gold coins in an escrow account at the 
  cathedral.
  “We need you to attend this event, both to 
  submit our deposit as well as to determine who 
  else might be interested in the key. While most 
  of those attending received invitations, the event 
  is semi-private and open to anyone with enough 
  money to place serious bids. While the city 
  provided me with an invitation, my appearance 
  would give our many enemies cause for 
  suspicion. For this reason, I ask that all 
  of you go in my stead, and enter as my 
  proxies. Still, we do not want out enemies 
  to speculate on our own intentions. For 
  this reason, you must keep a low profile and avoid seeming too 
  eager about the key. Each of you will be given a portion of the 
  full deposit to take to the temple to present to Proctor Imikar.” 
  Overseer GM: The following section should run 
  around 5 minutes.
  Table GMs: Once the PCs receive their briefing, Sheila 
  gives them a strong box containing a portion of the 
  10,000 gp deposit. At this time, the PCs may proceed to 
  the Cathedral of Abadar. 
  Upon their arrival, the PCs witness a steady stream of 
  guest as they ascend the stairs and enter the cathedral’s 
  main sanctuary, where the viewing is being held. Rows 
  of paladins donning white tabards stitched with the 
  golden key of Abadar flank the main entrance. Their 
  hands clench tightly around their gleaming swords as 
  they stand almost motionless, ever-vigilant stares upon 
  their faces. 
  As the PCs enter, various low-level priests greet 
  them and invite the Pathfinders to partake in food and 
  beverages while they mingle about. If the PCs ask about 
  the deposit, one of the acolytes directs them to Proctor 
  Jyronn Imikar (LG male Garundi cleric of Abadar 13) a 
  pleasant Osirian priest who runs the temple. Imikar 
  is responsible for taking the bids and logging entries. 
  When the PCs present their deposit, they have the 
  opportunity to peek at his ledger to see who else might 
  be participating in the auction. The list of participants 
  is provided in Handout 1: The Cathedral Ledger on 
  page 8. Initially, GMs should keep this aid concealed 
  from the players until their PCs make the requisite skill 
  checks to catch a glimpse of its contents.
  If a Pathfinder attempts to peek at the 
  proctor’s ledgers, allow the PC to attempt 
  a Perception check to glean some of the 
  names on the list. If a PC succeeds, the 
  Table GM should allow the player to peek 
  at the list for short number of seconds, as 
  detailed below. After the given time, the 
  GM once again conceals the list, allowing 
  the PCs no further attempts to scan it.
  DC 1 + APL = 5 seconds
  DC 4 + APL = 10 seconds 
  DC 8 + APL = 15 seconds
  DC 12+ APL = 20 seconds
  DC 16 + APL = 30 seconds
  The PCs can attempt to seek out 
  any of the individuals whose names 
  they pick out from the ledger by making 
  DC 10 + APL Diplomacy checks to 
  gather information. On a successful 
  check, a church official or another gala 
  guest points out the person in question.
  Overseer GM: During this time, the Overseer GM 
  casually finds an appropriate spot in the room to display 
  the Runecarved Key (see Props on page 5). About 5 minutes 
  after setting the key in place, the Overseer GM reads the 
  following passage.
  A squat man in white robes steps upon the cathedral dais to 
  address the room. Introducing himself as the as the sexton of 
  Magnimar’s High Cathedral of Abadar, he greets his guests 
  with a broad, welcoming smile.
  “Good evening, friends! I’m pleased to see so many of our 
  distinguished and honored guests could attend. For those 
  of you not fortunate enough to have participated in our pre-
  auction festivities, please feel free to take part in all the luxuries 
  and wonders within these halls. And with my welcome, I have 
  the pleasure unveiling the auction’s feature lot. Enjoy!”
  Overseer GM: With the utterance of the final word pull 
  aside the veil from the prop key, displaying it to the House. 
  Then immediately initiate the next section to keep the event 
  open, giving the Table GMs 10 minutes to complete the rest 
  of Act 1. 
  Table GMs: Begin this section by reading or 
  paraphrasing the text below.
  
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  8
  The crowd is an eclectic mix of landholders, merchants, 
  and other notable figures from all over Varisia, wide-eyed 
  and curious to glimpse the mysterious Runecarved Key. 
  Hired servants weave through the crowd bearing luxurious 
  platters of fruits, sweetbreads, and oysters or trays topped 
  with crystal goblets of heady red wine. Guests mingle 
  slowly, socializing amicably but cautiously with longtime 
  acquaintances, as they feel out potential competitors.
  At this time, PCs can attempt to scope the crowd to 
  try to deduce who are their most serious competitors 
  if they haven’t already glanced at the cathedral’s 
  ledger. If the PCs state that they are seeking specific 
  types of buyers (such as political figures, aristocrats, 
  Aspis Consortium members, or wealthy merchants) 
  allow them to make a Diplomacy, Knowledge (local or 
  nobility), Perception, or Sense Motive check to locate 
  individuals that best resemble the PCs’ descriptions of 
  who they seek (see the skill DC for each NPC in their 
  respective sections below). If the PCs have not yet given 
  Proctor Imikar their portion of Sheila’s deposit, they 
  may do so now (and attempt to glance at the ledger 
  should they wish to do so).
  Whether they locate a potential bidder through a 
  skill check or by seeking him out specifically after 
  reading the ledger, a PC who succeeds on a Diplomacy 
  check to gather information or a Knowledge (local or 
  nobility) check at the appropriate DC for identifying 
  the given NPC gains a brief insight into the individual’s 
  background and earns a number of Key Points. Once the 
  party identifies an NPC, the PCs can choose whether 
  or not to engage them to determine their motives. The 
  various NPC competitors are listed below. 
  The Aspis Agent
  A gaunt, fashionably dressed Chelaxian handshakes his way 
  through the room, accompanied by a half-dozen followers 
  who appear to be equal parts attendant and bodyguard.
  HANDOUT 1: THE CATHEDRAL LEDGER
  Deposit of 10,000 Sails  
  or Greater
  Signed 
  Representing:
  Maiveer Sloan  
  Aspis Consortium
  Falrig Sneve 
  —
  Kresch Vaor 
  Underbridge Exports
  Sheila Heidmarch 
  Pathfinder Society
  Dymal Rinks 
  independent
  The Duchesses  
  NONE
  Doctor Ernst Landis  
  Museum of Ages
  Zimandi Kaddren 
  
  Jyronn Imikar
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  9
  Identify/Locate: DC 15 + APL
  Interaction: Rinks has little to say, especially to those 
  he doesn’t know. If approached, he attempts to remain 
  polite and diplomatic while also extremely cautious. If 
  asked about his interest in the Runecarved Key, he lies and 
  says he’s only come to appraise it for one of his wealthier 
  clients, who has expressed interest in it (see page 22 for his 
  subtier-appropriate Bluff modifier). To back his claim, he 
  explains what it is he does as a merchant’s arbitrator. He 
  keeps the conversation light and superficial, and politely 
  attempts to extract himself from the situation as soon 
  as possible. 
  Motives: A DC 10 + APL Diplomacy check to gather 
  information reveals that Rinks is a compulsive 
  gambler and spent the past three months in 
  Magnimar betting on the bullfights at the Matador’s 
  Lodge. The halfling has run up a sizable debt with 
  the lodge’s sadistic proprietor Master Basaale 
  Minvandu (NE male Chelaxian ranger 6), a 
  sadistic and ruthless businessman who 
  likely wants to break the halfling’s 
  legs. If the PCs ask him too many 
  prying questions, Rinks becomes 
  edgy and begins to suspect 
  they might be bounty-hunters 
  seeking to turn him over to 
  Minvandu and his knee-breakers, 
  making it tougher for the halfling 
  to maintain his composure. If he 
  suspects the PCs may be a little too interested in him, he 
  leaves the PCs with several complaints about the horrid 
  accommodations at the Old Fang Inn where he claims to 
  be staying, all as part of the normal flow of conversation. 
  Of course, he only claims to have a room at the Old Fang 
  to throw the PCs off his trail.
  The Collector
  Toward the back of the room stands a gray-haired man in his 
  early fifties, dressed in fine silken robes and flanked by two 
  muscular guards. The man nervously fingers a small silver 
  coin, flipping it about in his fingers. 
  This nervous man is Falrig Sneve (LN male human 
  expert), and eclectic, wealthy, and extremely superstitious 
  merchant and artifact collector from the Capital District.
  Identify/Locate: DC 10 + APL
  Interaction: Almost as soon as he arrives at the gala, 
  Falrig Sneve displays an obvious interest in the Runecarved 
  Key. If the PCs engage him, Falrig readily declares his 
  great interest in the piece, but soon after confesses, “I 
  do hope this auction goes better than the last one. The 
  last time I bought a similar piece, it was cursed.” At this 
  This is Maiveer Sloan (NE male Taldan rogue 11), head 
  of Magnimar’s chapter of the Aspis Consortium.
  Identify/Locate: DC 10 + APL
  Interaction: The Consortium boss keeps his intentions 
  hidden, feigning total disinterest in the key altogether, and 
  claiming he’s only arrived for the party and to see what 
  kind of fools are actually showing up to bid on a “stupid 
  key to a lock long lost to time.” If asked whether or not he 
  plans to participate in the auction, he once again denies his 
  interest in the key, attempting a Bluff skill check 
  (+16 bonus) to maintain his lie.
  If the PCs make their affiliation as 
  Pathfinders known, Sloan spends the rest 
  of the conversation attempting to insult 
  and belittle them and their “deplorable 
  little organization of thieving rats.” Even 
  after the PCs walk away, he outspokenly 
  defames them to other guests, accusing 
  the Pathfinder Society of being a bunch of 
  duplicitous grave robbers. 
  Motives: Sloan has two goals in 
  provoking the PCs. First, he hopes 
  to get them to slip up and reveal 
  their intentions, for he too wants 
  to size up the competition for the 
  forthcoming auction. To this end, 
  he goads them with insults like, “are 
  you here to bid on something? Why 
  you’re all a bunch of cheap criminals. 
  Don’t you just take what you want?” If the PCs mention 
  anything about bidding on the key or even attending the 
  auction, they confirm Sloan’s suspicions.
  Second, after Sloan gets the information he needs (or 
  after realizing the PCs aren’t foolish enough to reveal 
  anything) his goal is to provoke the PCs enough to 
  initiate a dramatic altercation. If he succeeds, not only 
  do the PCs’ actions justify his accusations of the Society’s 
  true nature, but their violent acts immediately get them 
  ejected from the gala by both Sloan’s bodyguards and the 
  Abadaran paladins overseeing the event.
  The Merchant Arbitrator
  A squat halfling, dressed in plain clothes skates about the 
  edge of the crowd, his eyes flitting back and forth between 
  the key and the exit.
  This is Dymal Rinks (CG male halfling rogue 3), a 
  regional merchant’s arbitrator, who has made a name for 
  himself using of his sharp wit and quick tongue to broker 
  deals between many of Varisia’s most powerful merchants. 
  Over the past decade, he’s traveled throughout most of 
  Varisia and has made hundreds of business contacts.
  
  Cathedral of Abadar
  1 square = 5 feet
  N
  GameMastery Flip-Mat: Cathedral
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  10
  point, he notices an acquaintance across the room, and 
  politely excuses himself from the PCs’ company to go and 
  speak with his friend.
  Motives: Falrig Sneve is incredibly supersititious, so 
  much so that it often hinders his ability to function in 
  normal society. His obsession with collecting strange 
  artifacts is only matched by his sometimes crippling 
  superstitiousness. A DC 10 + APL Sense Motive check 
  identifies Falrig’s behavior as somewhat compulsive, 
  such as knocking three times on doors before he passes 
  through them, counting certain objects or groups of 
  people, and deliberately avoiding the cracks of mortar 
  between the cathedral’s tiled floor.
  A DC 15 + APL Diplomacy check to gather information 
  reveals rumors that Falrig is extremely superstitious.
  The Aristocrat
  A strikingly handsome Chelaxian woman with deep, dark 
  eyes and black hair steps forward to admire the key. She 
  is richly dressed in a flowing gown cut to the very latest in 
  Magnimarian fashion.
  This woman is Zimandi Kaddren (N female Chelaxian/
  Varisian aristocrat 3/wizard 9), the current matriarch 
  of one of Magnimar’s founding families. Among other 
  things, the Kaddrens are noted for sending their scions to 
  study the arcane arts in the Inner Sea’s most prestigious 
  schools and are known supporters of the Golemworks. 
  Identify/Locate: DC 10 + APL
  Interaction: Kaddren is amiable and the epitome 
  of aristocracy. She talks with the PCs about arcane 
  theories of the key’s true nature, about rumors among 
  Magnimar’s upper crust, and any other topic the PCs 
  may bring up. If, however, she discovers that they are 
  Pathfinders—or even that the Pathfinder Society is 
  interested in the Runecarved Key—her entire demeanor 
  changes, and she vindictively assures them that she will 
  take every effort to outbid them in the auction, after 
  which she storms out of the gala in an outrage.
  
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  11
  Landis initially reveals to the PCs only that he has a 
  donor and that he believes he stands a good chance of 
  buying the key, but he refuses to reveal his source (or that 
  the donor is anonymous). If pressed, he admits the latter 
  detail, and states that he only accepted funds on such a 
  condition because of his greater fears of what the auction 
  will mean for his collection.
  The Wererat
  Moving slowly through the crowd is an uncomely woman 
  with large teeth and a shrewlike nose, dressed unbecomingly 
  in the drab clothing of a stevedore. Slight in stature with a 
  slightly stooped posture, she behaves in a mostly standoffish 
  manner. Slipping to the edge of the crowd, she nervously 
  waits for the key. Spotting the artifact, she make a few quick 
  notes then slips off.
  The woman is Kresch Vaor (NE female human natural 
  wererat), a wererat hailing from Underbridge. She’s not 
  particularly well-known (resulting in the relatively high 
  skill DC to identify her) but her clothing is threadbare 
  and doesn’t fit her well, making her stick out among the 
  gala’s generally fashionable guests. Wearing secondhand 
  clothes is common among residents of Magnimar’s 
  poorer districts, who are otherwise not well represented 
  at the event.
  Identify/Locate: DC 20 + APL to identify; DC 15 + APL 
  to locate
  Interaction: If the PCs approach her, she does her best 
  to shrug them off. If pressed, she excuses herself and 
  leaves quickly, hoping to prevent anyone from tailing 
  her. She makes a quick two circles around the outside of 
  the Cathedral then ducks down a side alley. As soon as 
  she gets a few blocks away, she disappears into the sewers, 
  transforms into her dire rat form, and hurries back to a 
  storehouse in Underbridge.
  Motives: Kresch is in charge of a small clan of wererats 
  who runs a modest exporting company that often deals 
  with stolen or illegal goods. Her clan is only interested 
  in putting down a deposit as a means of laundering 
  payment from a mysterious benefactor in exchange 
  for their scattering of strange seeds in the vacinity of 
  the cathedral. For more information on the wererats’ 
  business arrangement, see encounter 3D on page 26.
  The Rushlight Thugs
  Two women stand to the side of the cathedral, conversing 
  softly between themselves. Both are dressed in Varisian 
  travelers’ clothes draped with thick cloaks. 
  Motives: Zimandi only recently inherited her position 
  after her parents vanished during an expedition to 
  mysterious fortress known as Viperwall in central 
  Varisia. A DC 10 + APL Sense Motive or Diplomacy check 
  reveals that Kaddren blames the disappearance of her 
  parents upon the Pathfinder Society. 
  The Good Doctor
  Near the front of the gathering, vying for a look at the key, 
  stands a balding, weathered old man wearing heavy robes 
  stitched with runes. Despite his age, his face beams with a 
  boyish grin as he gazes at the curious artifact.
  This is Doctor Ernst Landis (N male Chelaxian expert 
  5/wizard 5), curator of Magnimar’s publically funded 
  Museum of Ages.
  Identify/Locate: DC 10 + APL
  Interaction: Pathfinders approaching Landis find 
  him pleasantly chatty and excited to rub elbows with 
  adventuring relic collectors. He is quick to introduce 
  himself and to tell the PCs his title. Landis loves 
  historic artifacts and talking about relics of the past, 
  and naturally assumes Pathfinders share his interests. 
  He shows great enthusiasm for the Runecarved Key and 
  shares his speculation that he believes it is an item of 
  great historical significance, and that it was created by 
  Emperor Xin to unlock a temple of seven paradises. If the 
  PCs show interest (either real or feigned) in his theories, 
  he confidently reveals his intent to purchase the key, 
  and that he is sure to win it with the backing of a very 
  generous donor.
  Motives: Since the majority of the museum’s funding 
  comes from the city, Landis cannot rightly bid on the 
  Runecarved Key using the museum’s budget—which 
  would defeat the entire purpose of the city hosting 
  the auction. To remedy this situation, he put out 
  feelers among philanthropists and other well-to-do 
  Magnimarians for private donors to bolster his personal 
  funds. One such patron, who has remained anonymous 
  in all dealings with Landis, came forward with enough 
  funds for the doctor to feel confident in his ability to 
  win the auction.
  Doctor Landis feels obligated to purchase the key 
  and accepted the anonymous donations to ensure he 
  could do so. He fears the auction might set a terrible 
  precedent for generating future municipal funds and 
  holds great concern that, should the auction succeed, the 
  Lord Mayor’s office might start auctioning off some of 
  the museum’s prize pieces to help subsidize more civic 
  projects. If he wins, however, the city may not try that as 
  it would just end up running auctions for Landis to buy 
  his own relics from himself.
  
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  12
  These Varisian women go only by the shared name 
  Duchess, which they use when refering to one another 
  and introducing themselves. Their clothing reflects 
  typical Varisian fashion, while its practical material 
  and multiple layers reflect the functional styles worn 
  by the people of Magnimar’s hinterlands. They are not 
  immediately recognizable or identifiable, but a high 
  enough skill check can confirm that they are not notable 
  residents of Magnimar—these women are likely from 
  out of town.
  Identify/Locate: DC 15 + APL
  Interaction: If the PCs attempt to engage the 
  Duchesses, the women respond amicably, with affected 
  Varisian accents. They claim they live in Ordellia 
  where they work as caravan guards. Beyond that, they 
  have little to say and if the PCs attempt to continue the 
  conversation, the Duchesses let their attentions wander 
  elsewhere and barely respond to questions, if they 
  respond at all.
  Motives: The women belong to a clandestine 
  organization of bandits known as the Rushlight Society, 
  and serve as the trusted agents of one of its most 
  powerful leaders, Miior Duvanti (LE female Chelaxian 
  bard 13). While the key itself is of little interest to 
  Miior, the auction immediately sparked her interest. 
  A Korvosan loyalist, her society of crude bandits and 
  cutthroat highwaymen has long dedicated itself to 
  shattering Magnimar’s economy. In a recent raid, 
  Duvanti’s thugs pilfered a cache of Minkaian coins from 
  a caravan traveling the Lost Coast Road from Sandpoint 
  to Magnimar. She sees the auction as an opportunity 
  to launder the coins in exchange for the key, all at the 
  expense of the Lord Mayor’s office.
  Duvanti assigned the task of entering the auction to 
  a pair of her most-trusted agents, who she refers to as 
  the Korvosan Duchesses. Other than using the stolen 
  coins, the Duchesses were instructed to act legally and 
  under no circumstances reveal their allegiance to the 
  Rushlight Society.
  Concluding the Act
  Table GMs: If your table finishes this section before 
  time is called, you may skip to the beginning of Act Two 
  and allow the PCs to prepare themselves for the next 
  encounter. Otherwise, allow the PCs to keep playing until 
  the Overseer GM calls time.
  Overseer GM: After 8 minutes, make the following 
  announcement in character as the cathedral’s sexton:
  “The pre-auction gala will be ending in two minutes! Please, 
  wrap up your business promptly or make arrangements to 
  take it elsewhere.”
  After 2 more minutes pass, make the following 
  announcement to close out Act One before moving 
  directly into Act Two.
  “The pre-auction gala has ended; all must leave the cathedral 
  immediately. Thank you for attending and we’ll see many of 
  you back here for the auction.”
  Key Point Awards
  Table GMs should award Key Points to their tables as 
  follows:
  +1 point for each name gleaned from the cathedral 
  ledger. [max 7]
  +1 point for each competitor identified. [max 7]
  ACT TWO: ASPIS GOLD
  With the pre-auction gala ended, Sheila Heidmarch 
  expects the PCs to return to Heidmarch Manor. Upon 
  the PCs’ arrival, the manor’s gatekeeper informs them 
  that the venture-captain will be hosting a meeting in the 
  theater shortly.
  Overseer GM: Begin Act Two with the following 
  passage: 
  The theater is filled with your fellow Pathfinders, all buzzing 
  with excitement. Sheila Heidmarch, raises her hands and quiets 
  the room before speaking.
  “Well my colleagues, I trust you were successful this evening? 
  Anyone have information to share? Lets see some hands.”
  After asking the question, the Overseer GM (in 
  character as Sheila Heidmarch) mediates a brief 
  information gathering session by calling on tables with 
  raised hands and allowing them a few seconds to share 
  a bit of intelligence gathered at the gala. The venture-
  captain thanks each table for the intelligence and quickly 
  moves on to another. After hearing from four to five 
  tables, someone should hand the Overseer GM a note. The 
  Overseer GM (still in character) should briefly ponder the 
  note and then tell the house the following:
  “Well, my friends, it seems Desna smiles upon us. My sources 
  have just informed me that the Aspis Consortium has fewer 
  funds than we first imagined. Thus, they have sent word to an 
  ally in Korvosa to ship them more gold. Fortunately, I still have 
  a few spies in Korvosa. 
  “A few days ago, the Consortium hired a Varisian caravan to 
  carry a sizable shipment of gold to Magnimar, presumably to 
  help them secure the Runecarved Key’s purchase.
  “The caravan was traveling along the Yondabakari River 
  and should be nearing the outskirts of the city in a few hours. 
  I need you to ride out to the caravan before it gets within 
  
  Varisian Forest
  1 square = 5 feet
  to 
  Road
  N
  F
  F = Fire
  W = Wagon
  W
  W
  GameMastery Flip-Mat: Deep Forest
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  13
  Allow the PCs a DC 10 + APL Perception check to spot 
  the symbol of the Aspis Consortium painted onto the 
  caravan wagons’ wheels.
  The caravan is led by one Barsuvius Geed, a rotund 
  wizard of some renown within the Aspis Consortium, 
  who specializes in the capture of dangerous creatures. 
  Naturally, when he was ordered to play nursemaid to a 
  cache of Aspis gold, he saw an opportunity. He ordered 
  his Varisian escorts to help him net a vicious creature 
  born of magic, one which he could sell for a small fortune 
  to Jorston “Axetongue” Droaeb, the gamesmaster at 
  Serpent’s Run, Magnimar’s famous coliseum. He now 
  sleeps in comfort next to his caged beast while the rest 
  of the caravan has been forced to sleep under the stars.
  A second covered wagon rests slightly farther from the 
  road. This wagon is empty save for the oversized chest 
  containing the only thing the Consortium cares about in 
  this caravan: its gold. The chest is trapped with an audible 
  alarm spell set to go off if anyone but Geed approaches 
  within 10 feet (CL based on subtier).
  sight of the city walls and ensure that gold never reaches 
  the Aspis Consortium at Bronze House. Take whatever 
  gold you can, but try not to draw attention to yourselves as 
  Pathfinders. It’s bandit territory out there anyway, so caravan 
  raids aren’t uncommon. That said, rest assured the caravan 
  will be armed. As soon as you’re finished, hurry back here. 
  We don’t want Maiveer Sloan to catch on to our plot. I’ll send 
  a white raven to signal you to return before the situation 
  becomes too risky.”
  Table GMs have 45 minutes to run the following encounter.
  2A. Varisian Forest
  Several miles outside of the city walls, a side trail branches 
  off and away from the Yondabakari and winds south into 
  a forest of ancient evergreens. Off to the side of the path, 
  nestled into a deep pocket of spruces, sleeps a small Varisian 
  caravan, only two wagons strong.
  
  SCALING ENCOUNTER 2A
  For tables of only 4 players, remove one sleeping Varisian 
  mercenary from the encounter in all Subtiers but 12+; in 
  Subtier 12+ remove 2 Varisian mercenaries.
  In Subtier 12+, if the party’s APL is 15 or higher, increase 
  the number of Consortium wizards to 3 and replace the 
  advanced catoblepas with a jubjub bird (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 3 157), which must squeeze into the cage inside 
  the covered wagon.
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  14
  Creatures: A single Varisian mercenary scouts the 
  immediate vicinity of the encampment. A pair of 
  unarmed Varisian wagon drivers and the remaining 
  hired mercenaries sleep around the campfire. Barsuvius 
  Geed rests in the wagon closest to the fire, sleeping next 
  to his prized magical beast, locked in a cage only inches 
  away. In some subtiers, Barsuvius is accompanied by 
  additional Aspis cohorts who share his wagon.
  All Subtiers
  Varisian Wagon Drivers (2)  
  CR 1/3
  Human expert 1
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +4
  DEFENSE
  AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex)
  hp 5 each (1d8+1)
  Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +2
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee club +0 (1d6)
  STATISTICS
  Str 11, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 13
  Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 11
  Feats Animal Affinity, Skill Focus (Handle Animal)
  Skills Handle Animal +10, Heal +4, Knowledge (geography) +3, 
  Perception +4, Ride +7, Survival +4
  Languages Common, Varisian
  Subtier 1–2 (CR 4)
  Varisian Mercenaries (2)  
  CR 1/2
  Human ranger (guide) 1 (Advanced Player’s Guide 125)
  LN Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +3; Senses Perception +5
  DEFENSE
  AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +3 Dex)
  hp 12 each (1d10+2)
  Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee rapier +3 (1d6+2/18–20)
  Ranged composite longbow +5 (1d8+2/�3)
  Special Attacks ranger’s focus +2 (1/day)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The Varisian Mercenary on guard duty moves 
  stealthily through the thick undergrowth of the surrounding 
  woods looking for any threats to the encampment. The 
  other Varisians are asleep next to the fire.
  During Combat The Varisian Mercenaries attempt to identify 
  any intruders. They are quick to engage and warn the 
  rest of the camp should their challenges not be met with 
  prompt answers. They begin combat using blunt arrows 
  until they are attacked with lethal force.
  Morale Having been compensated well for the safe delivery of 
  the Aspis Consortium’s gold, the Varisian Mercenaries are 
  willing to lay down their lives to protect their charge.
  STATISTICS
  Str 15, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
  Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 16
  Feats Point-Blank Shot, Weapon Focus (longbow)
  Skills Climb +5, Handle Animal +3, Knowledge (nature) +4, 
  Perception +5, Ride +6, Stealth +6, Survival +5
  Languages Common, Varisian
  SQ track +1, wild empathy +0
  Combat Gear blunt arrowsAPG (20), tanglefoot bag; Other Gear 
  studded leather, composite longbow (+2 Str) with 20 arrows, 
  rapier
  APG See the Advanced Players Guide.
  Consortium Wizard 
  CR 1
  Male human abjurer 2
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +1
  DEFENSE
  AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex)
  hp 18 (2d6+9)
  Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +2
  Resist fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee quarterstaff +1 (1d6)
  Abjurer Spells Prepared (CL 2nd; concentration +5)
  1st—alarm, grease, mage armor, magic missile, shield
  0 (at will)—detect magic, read magic
  Opposition Schools Divination, Necromancy
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The Consortium Wizard is sound asleep in the 
  wagon next to his prize beast.
  During Combat Startled in the night, the Consortium Wizard 
  responds quickly to any sounds of attack by using a scroll of 
  invisibility and then surveying the situation. If the camp is 
  under attack, he releases the beast from its cage and either 
  continues to buff or uses his wand of web depending on the 
  
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  15
  situation. He continues to fight with a mix of controlling 
  and damaging spells.
  Morale The Consortium Wizard continues to fight until the 
  cause is lost after which he drops to his knees and pleads 
  for his life. If he hasn’t found out already, he attempts to 
  identify the attackers.
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 8, Cha 12
  Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 12
  Feats Combat Casting, Scribe Scroll, Toughness
  Skills Diplomacy +2, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge 
  (nature) +7, Knowledge (planes) +7, Linguistics +8, 
  Perception +1, Sense Motive +0, Spellcraft +8
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven, Infernal, Shoanti, 
  Varisian
  SQ arcane bond (amulet), protective ward (3 rounds, +1 
  deflection, 6/day)
  Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, scroll of create pitAPG, 
  scroll of invisibility, wand of web (4 charges); Other Gear 
  quarterstaff, spell component pouch, spellbook (contains all 
  prepared spells), 70 gp
  Shocker Lizard 
  CR 2
  hp 19 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 248)
  Subtier 3–4 (CR 6)
  Varisian Mercenaries (4) 
  CR 1/2
  hp 12 each (use the Varisian Mercenary stats from Subtier 1–2)
  Consortium Wizards (2) 
  CR 1
  hp 18 each (use the Consortium Wizard stats from Subtier 1–2)
  Young Basilisk 
  CR 4
  hp 38 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 29, 295)
  Subtier 5–6 (CR 8)
  Varisian Mercenaries (2)  
  CR 3
  Human ranger (guide) 4 (Advanced Player’s Guide 125)
  LN Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +3; Senses Perception +8
  DEFENSE
  AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +3 Dex)
  hp 34 each (4d10+8)
  Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +2
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee rapier +7 (1d6+3/18–20)
  Ranged mwk composite longbow +9 (1d8+3/�3)
  Special Attacks ranger’s focus +2 (2/day)
  Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +2)
  1st—gravity bowAPG
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The Varisian Mercenary on guard duty moves 
  stealthily through the thick undergrowth of the surrounding 
  woods looking for any threats to the encampment. The 
  other Varisian Mercenaries are asleep next to the fire.
  During Combat The Varisian Mercenaries attempt to identify 
  any intruders. They are quick to engage and warn the 
  rest of the camp should their challenges not be met with 
  prompt answers. They begin combat using blunt arrows 
  until they are attacked with lethal force.
  Morale Having been compensated well for the safe delivery of 
  the Aspis Consortium’s gold, the Varisian Mercenaries are 
  willing to lay down their lives to protect their charge.
  STATISTICS
  Str 16, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
  Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 20
  Feats Deadly Aim, Endurance, Point-Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, 
  Weapon Focus (longbow)
  Skills Acrobatics +6, Climb +6, Handle Animal +3, Heal +5, 
  Knowledge (local) +1, Knowledge (nature) +7, Linguistics 
  +1, Perception +8, Ride +6, Sense Motive +2, Stealth +9, 
  Survival +8, Swim +6
  Languages Common, Shoanti, Varisian
  SQ favored terrain (forest +2), terrain bond, track +2, wild 
  empathy +3
  Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, potion of cure 
  moderate wounds, blunt arrowsAPG (20), tanglefoot bag; 
  Other Gear +1 chain shirt, masterwork composite longbow 
  (+3 Str) with 20 arrows, rapier, 30 gp
  APG See the Advanced Players Guide.
  Consortium Wizard 
  CR 5
  Male human abjurer 6
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +5
  DEFENSE
  AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +1 natural)
  hp 47 (6d6+24)
  Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +5
  Defensive Abilities energy absorption (18/day); Resist fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee quarterstaff +3 (1d6)
  Abjurer Spells Prepared (CL 6th; concentration +10)
  3rd—d ispel magic, displacement, fireball (DC 17), fly
  2nd—daze monster (DC 16), extended mage armor, 
  glitterdust (DC 16), mirror image, resist energy (DC 18)
  1st—alarm, expeditious retreat, grease, magic missile, shield
  0 (at will)—detect magic, read magic
  Opposition Schools Divination, Necromancy
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The Consortium Wizard is sound asleep in 
  the wagon next to his prize beast. He is still protected by 
  
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  16
  an extended mage armor spell cast earlier in the day (already 
  included in his stats).
  During Combat Startled in the night, the Consortium Wizard 
  responds quickly to any sounds of attack by using a scroll 
  of invisibility and then surveying the situation. If the camp 
  is under attack, he releases the beast from its cage and 
  either continues to buff or uses his wand of black tentacles 
  depending on the situation. He continues to fight with a 
  mix of controlling and damaging spells.
  Morale The Consortium Wizard continues to fight until the 
  cause is lost, after which he drops to his knees and pleads 
  for his life. If he hasn’t found out already, he attempts to 
  identify the attackers. 
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 8, Cha 12
  Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 15
  Feats Combat Casting, Extend Spell, Greater Spell Focus 
  (abjuration), Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (abjuration), 
  Toughness
  Skills Diplomacy +5, Disguise +2, Intimidate +2, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +13, Knowledge (nature) +8, Knowledge (planes) +12, 
  Linguistics +9, Perception +5, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft 
  +13, Use Magic Device +5
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven, Infernal, Shoanti, 
  Varisian
  SQ arcane bond (amulet of natural armor), protective ward (4 
  rounds, +3 deflection, 7/day)
  Combat Gear scroll of invisibility, wand of black tentacles (CL 
  10th, 2 charges), wand of create pitAPG (3 charges); Other 
  Gear quarterstaff, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of 
  resistance +1, gold dust (25 gp), spell component pouch, 
  spellbook (contains all prepared spells), 5 gp
  APG See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  Young Bulette 
  CR 6
  hp 68 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 39, 295)
  Subtier 8–9 (CR 11)
  Varisian Mercenaries (6) 
  CR 3
  hp 34 each (use the Varisian Mercenary stats in Subtier 5–6)
  Consortium Wizard  
  CR 8
  Male human abjurer 9
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +8
  DEFENSE
  AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +1 natural)
  hp 70 (9d6+36)
  Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +6
  Defensive Abilities energy absorption (27/day); Resist fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee quarterstaff +4 (1d6)
  Abjurer Spells Prepared (CL 9th; concentration +14)
  5th—dismissal (DC 22), feeblemind (DC 20), persistent slow 
  (DC 18)
  4th—dimension door, dimensional anchor, greater 
  invisibility, solid fog
  3rd—dispel magic, displacement, fireball (DC 18), fly, 
  stinking cloud (DC 18)
  2nd—arcane lock, extended mage armor, flaming sphere, 
  glitterdust (DC 17), mirror image, resist energy
  1st—alarm, expeditious retreat, grease, hold portal, magic 
  missile (2), shield
  0 (at will)—detect magic, read magic
  Opposition Schools Divination, Necromancy
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The Consortium Wizard is sound asleep in 
  the wagon next to his prize beast. He is still protected by 
  an extended mage armor spell cast earlier in the day (already 
  included in his stats).
  During Combat Startled in the night, the Consortium Wizard 
  responds quickly to any sounds of attack by casting greater 
  invisibility and then surveying the situation. If the camp 
  is under attack, he releases the beast from its cage and 
  either continues to buff or uses his wand of black tentacles 
  depending on the situation. He continues to fight with a 
  mix of controlling and damaging spells.
  Morale The Consortium Wizard continues to fight until the 
  cause is lost, after which he drops to his knees and pleads 
  for his life. If he hasn’t found out already, he attempts to 
  identify the attackers. 
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 21, Wis 8, Cha 12
  Base Atk +4; CMB +4; CMD 16
  Feats Combat Casting, Extend Spell, Greater Spell Focus 
  (abjuration), Magical Aptitude, Persistent SpellAPG, Scribe 
  Scroll, Spell Focus (abjuration), Toughness
  Skills Appraise +9, Diplomacy +8, Disguise +4, Fly +5, 
  Intimidate +2, Knowledge (arcana) +17, Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) +9, Knowledge (nature) +9, Knowledge 
  (planes) +16, Knowledge (religion) +9, Linguistics +11, 
  Perception +8, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +19, Use Magic 
  Device +12
  Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Elven, Infernal, 
  Shoanti, Varisian
  SQ arcane bond (amulet of natural armor +1), protective ward (5 
  rounds, +3 deflection, 8/day)
  Combat Gear scroll of stoneskin, scroll of true strike, wand of 
  black tentacles (CL 13th, 2 charges), wand of create pitAPG 
  (3 charges); Other Gear quarterstaff, amulet of natural 
  armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, headband of vast intelligence 
  +2, gold dust (25 gp), spell component pouch, spellbook 
  (contains all prepared spells), 220 gp
  *See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  17
  Aurumvorax 
  CR 9
  hp 114 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 35)
  Subtier 10–11 (CR 14)
  Varisian Mercenaries (2) 
  CR 8
  Human ranger (guide) 9 (Advanced Player’s Guide 125)
  CN Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +3; Senses Perception +15
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +3 Dex)
  hp 81 each (9d10+27)
  Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +6
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee rapier +12/+7 (1d6+3/18–20)
  Ranged +1 composite longbow +14/+9 (1d8+4/�3)
  Special Attacks ranger’s focus +4 (3/day)
  Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 6th; concentration +7)
  2nd—barkskin
  1st—entangle (DC 12), gravity bowAPG, longstrider
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The Varisian Mercenary on guard duty 
  moves stealthily through the thick undergrowth of 
  the surrounding woods looking for any threats to the 
  encampment. The other Varisian Mercenaries are asleep 
  next to the fire.
  During Combat The Varisian Mercenaries attempt to identify 
  any intruders. They are quick to engage and warn the 
  rest of the camp should their challenges not be met with 
  prompt answers. They begin combat using blunt arrows 
  until they are attacked with lethal force.
  Morale Having been compensated well for the safe delivery of 
  the Aspis Consortium’s gold, the Varisian Mercenaries are 
  willing to lay down their lives to protect their charge.
  STATISTICS
  Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
  Base Atk +9; CMB +12; CMD 26
  Feats Alertness, Deadly Aim, Endurance, Improved Precise 
  Shot, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Rapid 
  Shot, Weapon Focus (longbow)
  Skills Acrobatics +11, Climb +7, Handle Animal +6, Heal +6, 
  Knowledge (local) +1, Knowledge (nature) +10, Knowledge 
  (planes) +1, Linguistics +1, Perception +15, Ride +8, Sense 
  Motive +7, Stealth +14, Survival +13, Swim +7
  Languages Common, Shoanti, Varisian
  SQ favored terrain (forest +4, mountain +2), ranger’s luck (1/
  day), terrain bond, swift tracker, track +4, wild empathy +8, 
  woodland stride
  Combat Gear blunt arrowsAPG (20), tanglefoot bag; Other Gear 
  +1 chain shirt, +1 composite longbow (+3 Str) with 20 arrows, 
  rapier, cloak of resistance +2, ring of protection +1, 30 gp
  APG See the Advanced Players Guide.
  Consortium Wizard 
  CR 10
  Male human abjurer 11
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +10
  DEFENSE
  AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +1 deflection)
  hp 85 (11d6+44)
  Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +10
  Defensive Abilities energy absorption (33/day); Resist fire 10
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee quarterstaff +5 (1d6)
  Abjurer Spells Prepared (CL 11th; concentration +16)
  6th—globe of invulnerability, summon monster VI
  5th—break enchantment (DC 20), dismissal (DC 22), 
  feeblemind (DC 20), persistent slow (DC 18)
  4th—dimension door, dimensional anchor, greater invisibility, 
  solid fog, wall of fire
  3rd—dispel magic, displacement, fireball (DC 18), fly, magic 
  circle against chaos, wind wall
  2nd—arcane lock, glitterdust (DC 17), disruptive magic missile, 
  extended mage armor, mirror image, resist energy
  1st—alarm, expeditious retreat, grease, hold portal, magic 
  missile (2), shield
  0 (at will)—detect magic, read magic
  Opposition Schools Divination, Necromancy
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The Consortium Wizard is sound asleep in 
  the wagon next to his prize beast. He is still protected by 
  an extended mage armor spell cast earlier in the day (already 
  included in his stats).
  During Combat Startled in the night, the Consortium Wizard 
  responds quickly to any sounds of attack by casting greater 
  invisibility and then surveying the situation. If the camp 
  is under attack, he releases the beast from its cage and 
  either continues to buff or uses his wand of black tentacles 
  depending on the situation. He continues to fight with a 
  mix of controlling and damaging spells.
  Morale The Consortium Wizard continues to fight until the 
  cause is lost after which he drops to his knees and pleads 
  for his life. If he hasn’t found out already, he attempts to 
  identify the attackers. 
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 21, Wis 8, Cha 12
  Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 17
  Feats Combat Casting, Disruptive SpellAPG, Extend Spell, 
  Greater Spell Focus (abjuration), Iron Will, Magical Aptitude, 
  Persistent SpellAPG, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (abjuration), 
  Toughness
  Skills Appraise +9, Diplomacy +12, Disguise +4, Fly +5, 
  Intimidate +2, Knowledge (arcana) +19, Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) +9, Knowledge (nature) +9, Knowledge 
  (planes) +18, Knowledge (religion) +9, Linguistics +11, 
  
  SUCCESS SLIP 2A
  As soon as a table completes this mission, the Table 
  GM should place the table’s number on the Encounter 
  2A success slip and turn it in to the Overseer GM or 
  designated event volunteer. During Act Four, these will be 
  tallied to determine the overall success of the room and 
  how Maiveer Sloan will perform during the auction when 
  bidding on behalf of the Aspis Consortium.
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  18
  Perception +10, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +23, Use 
  Magic Device +16
  Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Elven, Infernal, 
  Shoanti, Varisian
  SQ arcane bond (amulet of natural armor +1)
  Combat Gear scroll of locate creature, scroll of spell turning, 
  scroll of stoneskin, scroll of true strike, wand of create pitAPG 
  (6 charges), wand of black tentacles (CL 15th, 2 charges); 
  Other Gear quarterstaff, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak 
  of resistance +2, headband of vast intelligence +2, gold dust 
  (25 gp), spell component pouch, spellbook (contains all 
  prepared spells), 35 gp
  APG See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  Catoblepas 
  CR 12
  hp 161 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 52)
  Subtier 12+ (CR 16)
  Varisian Mercenaries (6) 
  CR 8
  hp 81 each (use the Varisian Mercenary stats from Subtier 
  10–11)
  Consortium Wizard (2) 
  CR 10
  hp 85 each (use the Consortium Wizard stats in Subtier 10–11)
  Advanced Catoblepas 
  CR 13
  hp 161 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 52, 292)
  Development: If the PCs are recognized as Pathfinders 
  and any Varisian survives the encounter, word of the raid 
  spreads immediately upon the PCs’ return to the city. In 
  this instance, if the PCs killed any of the drivers, the PCs 
  take a penalty on all Diplomacy checks within the city 
  limits equal to the table’s APL. If any of the mercenaries 
  are killed, the PCs take a –2 penalty on Diplomacy checks 
  throughout the city (this penalty does not stack with the 
  previous penalty). If the PCs kill all of the hired Varisian 
  mercenaries and drivers, no one is left alive to identify 
  the party. While no one can say with certainty that it was 
  the Pathfinder Society, rumors circulate on the streets. 
  The PCs may find it more difficult to hire services or deal 
  with the common folk of the city in the future.
  Should the PCs spare Barsuvius Geed’s life (or that 
  of any of his unnamed Aspis Consortium cohorts), he 
  reports back to the Aspis Consortium all the details 
  of the attack, including the identities of the culprits 
  responsible and their affiliation with the Pathfinder 
  Society, if he knows them.
  If the PCs manage to capture the magical beast instead 
  of killing it, they can complete Geed’s mission and sell it 
  to Jorston Droaeb. 
  Treasure: The large chest in the northern wagon 
  contains gold bars. The PCs may find a note in Barsuvius‘s 
  pocket regarding the terms of sale of a non-intelligent 
  rare magical beast for 20,000 gp.
  Key Point Awards
  Table GMs should award Key Points to their tables as 
  follows:
  +2 points for not triggering the alarm spell during 
  their approach to the chest. 
  +2 points for recovering the Aspis Consortium’s 
  gold bars.
  +2 points if the PCs are not recognized as Pathfinders.
  +2 points for not killing any of the Varisian wagon 
  drivers.
  +3 points for capturing the magical beast and selling it 
  in Magnimar to Jorston Droaeb.
  Concluding Act Two
  After 40 minutes have passed, the Overseer GM should 
  make the following announcement.
  A white raven begins circling overhead. The bird is Sheila 
  Heidmarch’s signal that you should wrap things up and 
  head back to Heidmarch Manor with or without the Aspis 
  Consortium’s gold.
  After 45 minutes have elapsed, the Overseer GM calls 
  time. Table GMs should conclude the encounter and get 
  the PCs back to their accommodations at Hiedmarch 
  Manor however possible to keep the event moving. 
  There they can rest up a bit and prepare themselves 
  for the auction, which is scheduled to be held on the 
  following day, just after supper. At this time, Table GMs 
  should allow their players 5 minutes to make whatever 
  preparations they need before Act Three commences.
  ACT THREE:  
  NARROWING THE FIELD
  The Overseer GM initiates Act Three by reading the 
  following passage aloud.
  
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  19
  Two hours before the auction is slated to begin, Sheila 
  Heidmarch calls everyone back to the theater for another 
  emergency briefing. She appears greatly aggitated and her 
  tenor is one of immediacy.
  “My friends, we have little time and much work to do, so I’m 
  going to make this simple. While you were dealing with the 
  Aspis Consortium, my informants in the city investigated the 
  individuals you reported on from last night’s gala. It seems a 
  number of them have sufficient funds to jeopardize our efforts. 
  In what little time remains, I need you to prevent as many of 
  them from participating in the auction as possible. My agents 
  will provide each of your groups with a mission brief. Once 
  you complete the task, return here to inform us of the results, 
  and we shall quickly set you upon another mission. Again, we 
  need you to complete as many missions as you can before the 
  auction starts. But remember to keep your efforts clandestine 
  and try not to kill anyone important. We’re still trying to win the 
  auction somewhat legally.”
  Table GMs: Your players have 2 hours in which to 
  complete as many of the included missions as possible. 
  Each of the eight missions contained in the act affects 
  the auction in Act Four. It isn’t expected for tables to 
  complete all eight missions, only that they complete as 
  many as possible within the limited time. Table GM can 
  assign the missions in any order, or let the PCs choose 
  their opponents. Table GMs present each mission in-
  character with hints and suggestions on ways that the 
  PCs might manipulate things.
  During the missions, the PCs earn Key Points by 
  performing tasks that help increase the odds that the 
  Pathfinder Society will win the auction. These task 
  include eliminating rivals from the running, recovering 
  debts, and earning money to increase funds. 
  To begin this section of the adventure, Sheila 
  Heidmarch asks if the PCs would like her to suggest a 
  mission or if they would feel more comfortable choosing 
  themselves. If the PCs request the venture-captain pick 
  their missions, the Table GM can choose her own order, 
  roll randomly (1d8) or run them in numeric order. If the 
  PCs request the choice, read off the titles of each mission, 
  but only offer a brief explanation of the mission.
  3A. The Curse
  “I think we got lucky with our merchant friend, Falrig Sneve. 
  He mentioned that he was trying to conserve funds for 
  the auction, so we sent him an invitation to stay at Haruka 
  House on the grounds of our manor. If you have yet to see it, 
  Haruka House sits alone on the west side of the main house 
  and is the most luxurious of the four Thassilonian cottages 
  on the property. As far as I can tell, Sneve suspects us of no 
  foul play. Still, we can’t have him mucking up the auction, 
  can we? Thankfully, I doubt we have to do much. Ensure no 
  actual harm comes to him, though, as such would reflect 
  poorly upon Heidmarch Manor and the Pathfinder Society. 
  Rather, somehow trick him into believing the Runecarved Key 
  is cursed and he should withdraw from the auction without 
  any further urging.”
  How the PCs attempt to convince Sneve is entirely up 
  to them. They can attempt to fool him through the use 
  of social skills, create some kind of phantasm to haunt 
  Haruka House, or use a combination of the two. For 
  each successful use of a skill the PCs perform or for each 
  failed save Sneve makes against a fear or illusion spell, 
  he moves one step closer to backing out of the auction. 
  Alternatively, each time the PCs fail a skill check or Sneve 
  saves against a spell effect, he becomes more suspicious 
  of the PCs and moves one step closer to packing up 
  and leaving Haruka House for other lodgings where he 
  won’t be molested. If the PCs can move Sneve three steps 
  toward abandoning the auction before he moves three 
  steps in the opposite direction, they succeed at their 
  task. Table GMs should do their best to encourage and 
  reward the efforts of players seeking creative solutions 
  to scaring off the superstitious collector. If the PCs take 
  any violent action toward Sneve or he is made hostile 
  toward the Pathfinders, he immediately starts packing 
  his belongings and leaves Haruka House, regardless of 
  the PCs’ past successes.
  Subtier 1–2
  Falrig Sneve
  LN male human expert 3
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 18; Diplomacy DC 16 (indifferent); 
  Intimidate DC 14
  Will Save +3 (+1 vs. fear)
  Special Sneve is incredibly superstitious and takes a –2 
  penalty on Will saves against fear effects. When Sneve fails 
  a save against a fear effect or an illusion with the figment 
  descriptor, or if convinced of some curse or potential 
  danger through the use of Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate, 
  the skill DCs listed above are reduced by 2 for the duration 
  of such effects or attitude shifts. This effect is cumulative.
  Subtier 3–4
  Falrig Sneve
  LN male human expert 5
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 20; Diplomacy DC 16 (indifferent); 
  Intimidate DC 16
  Will Save +4 (+2 vs. fear)
  Special Sneve is incredibly superstitious and takes a –2 
  penalty on Will saves against fear effects. When Sneve fails 
  
  SUCCESS SLIP 3A
  As soon as a table completes this mission, the Table 
  GM should place the table’s number on the Encounter 
  3A success slip and turn it in to the Overseer GM or 
  designated event volunteer. During Act Four, these will be 
  tallied to determine the overall success of the room and 
  how Sneve will perform during the auction, if he shows 
  up at all.
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  20
  a save against a fear effect or an illusion with the figment 
  descriptor, or if convinced of some curse or potential 
  danger through the use of Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate, 
  the skill DCs listed above are reduced by 2 for the duration 
  of such effects or attitude shifts. This effect is cumulative.
  Subtier 5–6
  Falrig Sneve
  LN male human expert 7
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 25; Diplomacy DC 16 (indifferent); 
  Intimidate DC 17
  Will Save +5 (+3 vs. fear)
  Special Sneve is incredibly superstitious and takes a –2 
  penalty on Will saves against fear effects. When Sneve fails 
  a save against a fear effect or an illusion with the figment 
  descriptor, or if convinced of some curse or potential 
  danger through the use of Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate, 
  the skill DCs listed above are reduced by 2 for the duration 
  of such effects or attitude shifts. This effect is cumulative.
  Subtier 8–9
  Falrig Sneve
  LN male human expert 9
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 29; Diplomacy DC 22 (unfriendly); 
  Intimidate DC 19
  Will Save +6 (+4 vs. fear)
  Special Sneve is incredibly superstitious and takes a –2 
  penalty on Will saves against fear effects. When Sneve fails 
  a save against a fear effect or an illusion with the figment 
  descriptor, or if convinced of some curse or potential 
  danger through the use of Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate, 
  the skill DCs listed above are reduced by 2 for the duration 
  of such effects or attitude shifts. This effect is cumulative.
  Subtier 10–11
  Falrig Sneve
  LN male human expert 11
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 32; Diplomacy DC 22 (unfriendly); 
  Intimidate DC 22
  Will Save +8 (+6 vs. fear)
  Special Sneve is incredibly superstitious and takes a –2 
  penalty on Will saves against fear effects. When Sneve fails 
  a save against a fear effect or an illusion with the figment 
  descriptor, or if convinced of some curse or potential 
  danger through the use of Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate, 
  the skill DCs listed above are reduced by 2 for the duration 
  of such effects or attitude shifts. This effect is cumulative.
  Subtier 12+
  Falrig Sneve
  LN male human expert 15
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 37; Diplomacy DC 23 (unfriendly); 
  Intimidate DC 27
  Will Save +11 (+9 vs. fear)
  Special Sneve is incredibly superstitious and takes a –2 
  penalty on Will saves against fear effects. When Sneve fails 
  a save against a fear effect or an illusion with the figment 
  descriptor, or if convinced of some curse or potential 
  danger through the use of Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate, 
  the skill DCs listed above are reduced by 2 for the duration 
  of such effects or attitude shifts. This effect is cumulative.
  Key Point Rewards
  Table GMs should award Key Points to their tables as follows:
  +1 point for each Will save Falrig fails against a PC’s 
  fear or illusion effect [max 2].
  +1 point for each successful use of a social skill against 
  Falrig [max 2].
  +2 points if Falrig never fails a Will save and no PC fails 
  a single skill check against him.
  3B. The Debtor
  “While we’re not sure how much of a threat Dymal Rinks 
  poses to our winning the auction, we don’t want to take 
  any chances. Our informants tell us that Rinks owes a 
  considerable debt to the proprietor of the Matador, Master 
  Basaale Minvandu. Short on the funds to cover his debts, 
  Dymal Rinks hopes to cash in on the Runecarved Key as 
  part of a wild investment scheme. Unfortunately for Rinks, 
  Minvandu wants his debts paid immediately and has sent 
  his collectors to track the halfling down. I suspect we can 
  easily knock Rinks out of the auction by turning him over 
  to Minvandu’s thugs. Still, I’m a little wary of this course 
  of action as handing Rinks over to the bone-breakers may 
  very well result in his death. Despite being a desperate little 
  imp, Rinks is a decent arbitrator and if word gets back that 
  we played a part in his death, it might make things difficult 
  in the future. If you can avoid getting him killed it might 
  help. Perhaps you can pretend to be thugs and scare him 
  off or simply threaten to rat him out to Minvandu if he 
  doesn’t back out of the auction. In any event, do whatever 
  
  Act Three: Narrowing the Field
  3A. Haruka House
  3D. Underbridge Exports
  3F. Windon Lander’s Manse
  3G. Cranstone’s Tower
  3B. The Galesford Inn
  3C. Kaddren Manor
  = Guard
  The Duchess’ Room
  Floor 3
  S
  S
  Floor 1
  Floor 2
  T2
  T3
  T2
  T1
  T
  G
  G
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  21
  
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  22
  you need to do to drive him away. Oh, and he lied about 
  his whereabouts. Our informants say he’s hiding out at the 
  Galesford Inn in Dockway.”
  Rinks is holed up in his room at the Galesford Inn 
  and doesn’t intend to show himself before the auction. 
  In order to confront him, the PCs are going to need to 
  find some way to sneak or break into his room. How they 
  do this is up to them, however the paranoid halfling has 
  placed some deadly snares about the room for added 
  protection.
  Creature: If the PCs confront him, Rinks immediately 
  assumes they are debt-collecting thugs sent by Minvandu 
  to break his bones. Initially, he attempts to fight back 
  (giving the PCs the opportunity to kill him and commit 
  a murder). If captured or subdued, the strong-willed 
  halfling refuses to be intimidated or threatened, and 
  dares the PCs to hand him over to their boss. The PCs will 
  need to make an Intimidate check to finally break him, at 
  which point he attempts to bargain with the PCs for his 
  life. If this check fails, the PCs may continue to attempt 
  to break Rinks, though each successive failed attempt 
  applies a –2 penalty on any future Intimide checks made 
  to break him. PCs that successfully break Rinks can use 
  Diplomacy to further attempt to convince him to “loan” 
  his deposit to the Pathfinder Society. Alternately, the PCs 
  can choose to pretend they work for Minvandu and try to 
  get him to hand over his sizable deposit to them.
  Traps: Rinks has set a number of poison dart traps to 
  guard against possible ingress into his room. Since the 
  number of such traps is different in each subtier, employ 
  the traps in ascending order based on the map on page 21.
  Subtier 1–2 (CR 3)
  Poisoned Dart Trap 
  CR 1
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset none
  Effect atk +10 ranged (poison dart; 1d3 plus greenblood oil)
  Dymal Rinks  
  CR 2
  Male halfling rogue 3
  CN Small humanoid (halfling)
  Init +3; Senses Perception +10
  DEFENSE
  AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, + 1 size) 
  hp 20 (3d8+3)
  Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +2; +2 vs. fear
  Defensive Abilities evasion, trap sense +1
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee mwk short sword +3 (1d6/19–20)
  Ranged dagger +5 (1d4/19–20)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 10
  Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 15
  Feats Alertness, Throw Anything
  Skills Acrobatics +10 (+6 when jumping), Appraise +6, Bluff 
  +6, Climb +7, Craft (trapmaking) +8, Diplomacy +6, Disable 
  Device +9, Disguise +4, Escape Artist +7, Knowledge (local) 
  +7, Perception +10, Sense Motive +7, Sleight of Hand 
  +9, Stealth +9, Use Magic Device +4; Racial Modifiers 
  Acrobatics +2, +2 Climb, +2 Perception
  Languages Common, Elven, Halfling
  SQ rogue talents (fast stealth), trapfinding +1
  Combat Gear potions of cure light wounds (2); Other Gear +1 
  studded leather, masterwork short sword, dagger, 63 gp
  Subtier 3–4 (CR 5)
  Poisoned Dart Traps (2) 
  CR 2
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset none
  Effect atk +15 ranged (poison dart; 1d3 plus greenblood oil)
  Dymal Rinks  
  CR 2
  hp 20 (use the stats from Subtier 1–2)
  Subtier 5–6 (CR 7)
  Poisoned Dart Traps (3) 
  CR 2
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset none
  Effect atk +15 ranged (poison dart; 1d3 plus greenblood oil)
  Dymal Rinks 
  CR 6
  Male halfling rogue 7
  N Small humanoid (halfling)
  Init +7; Senses Perception +14
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +1 deflection, +3 Dex, 
  +1 size)
  hp 60 (7d8+25)
  Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +5; +2 vs. fear
  Defensive Abilities evasion, trap sense +2, uncanny dodge
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee +1 short sword +10 (1d4+1/19–20)
  Ranged mwk dagger +10 (1d3/19–20)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +4d6
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 10
  
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  23
  Base Atk +5; CMB +4; CMD 18
  Feats Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Throw 
  Anything, Toughness, Weapon Finesse
  Skills Acrobatics +14 (+10 when jumping), Appraise +9, Bluff 
  +10, Climb +11, Craft (traps) +10, Diplomacy +8, Disable 
  Device +13, Disguise +6, Escape Artist +9, Knowledge (local) 
  +8, Perception +14, Sense Motive +11, Sleight of Hand 
  +9, Stealth +15, Use Magic Device +6; Racial Modifiers +2 
  Acrobatics, +2 Climb, +2 Perception
  Languages Common, Elven, Halfling
  SQ rogue talents (combat trick, fast stealth, finesse rogue), 
  trapfinding +3
  Combat Gear potions of cure light wounds (2); Other Gear +1 
  studded leather, +1 short sword, masterwork dagger, ring of 
  protection +1, 113 gp
  Subtier 8–9 (CR 10)
  Poisoned Dart Traps (3) 
  CR 6
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 25
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset none
  Effect atk +20 ranged (poison dart; 1d3 plus medium spider 
  venom)
  Dymal Rinks 
  CR 6
  hp 60 (use the stats in Subtier 5–6)
  Subtier 10–11 (CR 12)
  Poisoned Dart Traps (3) 
  CR 6
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 25
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset none
  Effect Atk +20 ranged (poison dart; 1d3 plus medium spider 
  venom)
  Dymal Rinks 
  CR 10
  Male halfling rogue 11
  CN Small humanoid (halfling)
  Init +8; Senses Perception +19
  DEFENSE
  AC 21, touch 16, flat-footed 17 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +4 Dex, 
  +1 size)
  hp 92 (11d8+39)
  Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +6; +2 vs. fear
  Defensive Abilities evasion, improved uncanny dodge, trap 
  sense +3
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee +2 short sword +15/+10 (1d4+2/19–20)
  Ranged mwk dagger +14/+9 (1d3/19–20)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +6d6
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 10
  Base Atk +8; CMB +7; CMD 22
  Feats Alertness, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Improved 
  Initiative, Iron Will, Throw Anything, Toughness, Weapon 
  Finesse
  Skills Acrobatics +15 (+11 when jumping), Appraise +11, Bluff 
  +13, Climb +14, Craft (traps) +16, Diplomacy +11, Disable 
  Device +17, Disguise +9, Escape Artist +13, Knowledge 
  (local) +10, Perception +19, Sense Motive +12, Sleight 
  of Hand +12, Stealth +21, Use Magic Device +9; Racial 
  Modifiers +2 Acrobatics, +2 Climb, +2 Perception
  Languages Common, Elven, Halfling
  SQ rogue talents (combat trick, defensive roll, fast stealth, 
  finesse rogue, opportunist), trapfinding +5
  Combat Gear potions of cure moderate wounds (2), potion of 
  invisibility; Other Gear +2 studded leather, +2 short sword, 
  masterwork dagger, ring of protection +1, 663 gp
  Subtier 12+ (CR 13)
  poisoned dart traps (4) 
  CR 8
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 25
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset none
  Effect atk +20 ranged (poison dart; 1d3 plus wyvern poison)
  Dymal Rinks 
  CR 10
  hp 92 (use the stats from Subtier 10–11)
  Development: Some parties may wish to go directly 
  to Minvandu and instead deal with the Matador’s 
  proprietor. This is certainly a safer option for the 
  Pathfinders, as Minvandu—sadistic and evil as he is—
  has no conflict with them. If told Rinks’ location or 
  that the halfling plans to attend the auction later that 
  night, Minvandu sneers a sinister smirk and thanks 
  them for the information, promising that Rinks “won’t 
  be making an appearance at the auction due to other 
  obligations.”
  Key Point Rewards
  Table GMs should award Key Points as follows:
  +1 point for entering the room without setting off 
  a trap.
  +1 point for fighting defensively and not dealing any 
  lethal (hp) damage to Rinks.
  +2 points for avoiding any physical altercation with 
  Rinks that results in injury to either party.
  +1 point for convincing Rinks to drop out of the auction 
  or inform Minvandu of the rogue’s whereabouts*
  +2 for convincing Rinks to drop out and loan his 
  auction funds to the Pathfinder Society*.
  
  SUCCESS SLIP 3B
  As soon as a table completes this mission, the Table 
  GM should place the table’s number on the Encounter 
  3B success slip and turn it in to the Overseer GM or 
  designated event volunteer. During Act Four, these will be 
  tallied to determine the overall success of the room and 
  how Rinks will perform during the auction, if he shows 
  up at all.
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  24
  +3 for convincing Rinks that the PCs are Minvandu’s 
  thugs and getting him to hand over his auction funds as 
  repayment of his outstanding debt*.
  * Each party may only receive one reward thus marked.
  3C. The Scandal
  “I need not warn you how much of a threat Lady Kaddren is 
  to our mission—she is wealthy, powerful, a wizard, and she 
  hates us. Thankfully, our talented informants seem to have 
  uncovered her weakness: scandal! It seems the lady has been 
  seen slipping in and out of the tower of the Golemworks’s 
  master wizard, Toth Bhreacher, at unusual hours. If the two 
  of them are involved in an affair, it could imply Lady Kaddren 
  might be showing Toth political favoritism—an illicit act that 
  would also break her family’s long-standing efforts to keep 
  nobility and business separate. Such evidence might stand 
  to ruin her if it fell into the hands of her rivals. I need you to 
  collect, fabricate, or purchase enough hard evidence to be 
  able to blackmail her. While blackmailing her won’t help ease 
  her opinion of the Pathfinder Society, it is perhaps the only 
  way we can get her to back out of the auction.”
  How the PCs gather evidence against Lady Kaddren 
  and ultimately blackmail her is up to them, but some 
  possible solutions are to forge love letters, hire a goon to 
  steal a ledger from the Golemworks and plant it at her 
  residence, or even disguise themselves to resemble Lady 
  Kaddren, Toth, or both and put on an incriminating 
  public performance. Still, real evidence is better than 
  fake evidence. Pathfinders attempting to forge evidence 
  of the affair can only pull off the forgery if they attempt 
  to fabricate something written by Toth, as the Lady 
  would immediately recognize any forgery of her own 
  writings. A successful forgery requires a DC 20 + APL 
  Bluff or Linguistics check. Alternatively, a DC 20 + APL 
  Diplomacy or Knowledge (local) check allows the party to 
  find a scoundrel willing to plant incriminating evidence 
  on the lady or in her chambers, though the thug requests 
  a payment of 50 gp � APL to perform the task. 
  Should the PCs attempt to gather their own evidence, 
  they can do so by breaking into Lady Kaddren’s private 
  chambers and stealing a hidden collection of erotic 
  poems penned by Toth that highlight the couple’s affair 
  in detail. Lady Kaddren’s chambers are most easily 
  breached at night, after she leaves for the evening. Her 
  bedroom is on the third floor of her manse with a window 
  overlooking the lower districts. Only a handful of guards 
  watch her courtyard and the walls are a relatively easy 
  climb with rope or a DC 20 otherwise. Kaddren keeps 
  her window locked (Disable Device DC 10 + APL), and 
  breaking the glass to gain entry alerts the nearby guard.
  Once the PCs enter the bedchamber, they are free to 
  search it, however Lady Kaddren keeps a lone guard in the 
  corridor just outside her door. A DC 10 + APL Perception 
  check uncovers her stash of Toth’s erotic poems in the 
  top drawer of a locked jewelry box (Disable Device DC 20 
  + APL) that she keeps on her vanity. 
  Creature: A guard in the employ of House Kaddren 
  stands watch over his mistress’s chambers from the 
  corridor outside. If he hears any sound from the other 
  side of the door, he peers in to investigate, immediately 
  attacking anyone caught trespassing. 
  Trap: Kaddren’s jewelry box is not only locked but 
  also warded with a trap that automatically alerts the 
  guard outsider her door if triggered. The box can only be 
  opened by Kaddren, who set herself as the sole creature 
  able to pass through the area of the trap’s alarm spell.
  Subtier 1–2 (CR 3)
  Burning Hands Trap 
  CR 2
  Type magic; Perception DC 26; Disable Device DC 26
  EFFECTS
  Trigger proximity (alarm); Reset none
  Effect spell effect (burning hands, 2d4 fire damage, DC 
  11 Reflex save for half damage); multiple targets (all targets 
  in a 15-ft. cone)
  House Kaddren Guard 
  CR 1/2
  hp 12 each (use the Subtier 1–2 Varisian Mercenary stats on 
  page 14)
  Subtier 3–4 (CR 5)
  Acid Arrow Trap 
  CR 3
  Type magic; Perception DC 27; Disable Device DC 27
  EFFECTS
  Trigger proximity (alarm); Reset none
  Effect spell effect (acid arrow, Atk +2 ranged touch, 2d4 acid 
  damage for 4 rounds)
  House Kaddren Guard 
  CR 3
  hp 34 (use the stats for the Subtier 5–6 Varisian Mercenary on 
  page 15)
  
  SCALING ENCOUNTER 3C
  Make no adjustments for parties of only 4 PCs. If the 
  party’s APL is 15 or higher, replace the maximized fireball 
  trap in Subtier 12+ with the following trap.
  Empowered Disintegrate Trap 
  CR 16
  Type magic; Perception DC 33; Disable Device DC 33
  EFFECTS
  Trigger sight (true seeing); Reset none
  Effect spell effect (empowered disintegrate, +9 ranged 
  touch, 30d6 damage plus 50%, DC 19 Fort save reduces 
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  25
  Subtier 5–6 (CR 7)
  Fireball Trap 
  CR 6
  Type magic; Perception DC 28; Disable Device DC 28
  EFFECTS
  Trigger proximity (alarm); Reset none
  Effect spell effect (empowered fireball, 6d6 � 150% fire 
  damage, DC 14 Reflex save for half damage); multiple 
  targets (all targets in a 20-ft.-radius burst)
  House Kaddren Guard 
  CR 3
  hp 34 (use the stats for the Subtier 5–6 Varisian Mercenary on 
  page 15)
  Subtier 8–9 (CR 10)
  Shocking Floor Trap  
  CR 9
  Type magic; Perception DC 26; Disable Device DC 26
  EFFECTS
  Trigger proximity (alarm); Duration 1d6 rounds; Reset none
  Effect spell effect (shocking grasp, Atk +9 melee touch [4d6 
  electricity damage]); multiple targets (all targets in a 40-ft.-
  square room)
  House Kaddren Guard 
  CR 8
  hp 81 (use the Subtier 10–11 Varisian Mercenary stats on page 17)
  Subtier 10–11 (CR 12)
  Cone of Cold Trap 
  CR 11
  Type magic; Perception DC 30; Disable Device DC 30
  EFFECTS
  Trigger proximity (alarm); Reset none
  Effect spell effect (cone of cold, 15d6 cold damage, DC 
  17 Reflex save for half damage); multiple targets (all targets 
  in a 60-ft. cone)
  House Kaddren Guard 
  CR 8
  hp 81 (use the Subtier 10–11 Varisian Mercenary stats on page 17)
  Subtier 12+ (CR 13)
  Maximized Fireball Trap 
  CR 13
  Type magic; Perception DC 31; Disable Device DC 31
  EFFECTS
  Trigger proximity (alarm); Reset none
  Effect spell effect (fireball, 60 fire damage, DC 14 Reflex save 
  for half damage); multiple targets (all targets in a 20-ft.-
  radius burst)
  House Kaddren Guard 
  CR 8
  hp 81 (use the Subtier 10–11 Varisian Mercenary stats on page 17)
  Development: Once the PCs have evidence (real 
  or faked), they must confront Lady Kaddren and use 
  it to blackmail her in order for her to back out of 
  the competition. Kaddren won’t allow herself to be 
  blackmailed on another individual’s suspicion alone, 
  however. Thus the PCs must have at least some solid 
  evidence against her. Once they can produce evidence, 
  they may attempt to convince her with a DC 15 + APL 
  Intimidate check; grant PCs who have solid evidence (or 
  effective forgeries) a circumstance bonus equal to their 
  APL on this check.
  Key Point Rewards
  Table GMs should award Key Points as follows:
  +1 point for successfully forging evidence.
  +1 point for hiring a scoundrel to plant false evidence.
  +2 points for recovering Toth’s erotic poems from Lady 
  Kaddren’s bedchambers.
  +1 point for entering and leaving the bedchambers 
  without alerting the guard.
  +2 points for successfully blackmailing Lady Kaddren, 
  convincing her to pull out of the auction.
  3D. Underbridge Exports
  “It seems the Runecarved Key has attracted the attention of a 
  small exporting company run by the dubious Vaor family of 
  Underbridge. Why the Vaors are interested in the key, or even 
  how they came up with the deposit, is beyond my imaginings. 
  I doubt they have much in the way of finances, but one 
  can never tell. Perhaps they represent someone else more 
  powerful, perhaps not. In any event, I need someone to head 
  down to Underbridge and find out. This map should get you 
  to their warehouse quickly. Best of luck, Pathfinders.”
  The PCs have no trouble following Heidmarch’s 
  explicit map, and soon arrive at the warehouse in 
  Underbridge. Inside, members of the Vaor family bustle 
  around cases of supplies hauled in from their various 
  business operations. Most of the crates contain salvaged 
  
  SUCCESS SLIP 3C
  As soon as a table completes this mission, the Table 
  GM should place the table’s number on the Encounter 
  3C success slip and turn it in to the Overseer GM or 
  designated event volunteer. During Act Four, these will be 
  tallied to determine the overall success of the room and 
  how Lady Kaddren will perform during the auction, if she 
  shows up at all.
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  26
  junk, various items pilfered from homes in wealthier 
  neighborhoods, currently set to be packed up and 
  shipped off for sale in the  black markets of other cities. 
  The storeroom itself is poorly organized.
  Creatures: Most of the Vaor family isn’t actually related. 
  Instead, their strong physical resemblance is due to their 
  common affliction: wererat lycanthropy. The entire clan 
  was infected by their leader, Kresch Vaor, the only natural 
  lycanthrope in the gang (except in Subtiers 10–11 and 12+, 
  where she is joined by her sisters, who are also natural 
  lycanthropes). They immediately attack any trespassers 
  within the warehouse.
  Subtier 1–2 (CR 3)
  Kresch Vaor (hybrid form) 
  CR 2
  Female human natural wererat rogue 2 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 197)
  hp 18
  Warehouse Thugs (2) 
  CR 1/2
  hp 12 each (use the Subtier 1–2 Varisian Mercenary stats on 
  page 14)
  Subtier 3–4 (CR 5)
  Kresch Vaor (hybrid form) 
  CR 2
  Female human natural wererat rogue 2 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 197)
  hp 18
  Warehouse Thugs (4) 
  CR 1/2
  hp 12 each (use the Subtier 1–2 Varisian Mercenary stats on 
  page 14)
  Subtier 5–6 (CR 7)
  Kresch Vaor (hybrid form) 
  CR 2
  Female human natural wererat rogue 2 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 197)
  hp 18
  Vaor Wererats (human form) (3) 
  CR 2
  Human afflicted wererat rogue 2 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 197)
  hp 18 each
  Warehouse Thugs (4) 
  CR 1/2
  hp 12 each (use the Subtier 1–2 Varisian Mercenary stats on 
  page 14)
  Subtier 8–9 (CR 9)
  Kresch Vaor (hybrid form) 
  CR 7
  Female human natural wererat druid (pack lord) 6/rogue 1 
  (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 197, Ultimate Magic 38)
  NE Medium humanoid (augmented humanoid, human, 
  shapechanger)
  Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +9
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, +2 natural)
  hp 61 (7d8+27)
  Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +11; +4 vs. fey and plant–targeted effects
  Defensive Abilities resist nature’s lure; DR 10/silver
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee +1 scimitar +7 (1d6+2/18–20), bite +0 (1d4+1 plus disease 
  and curse of lycanthropy)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6, wild shape 1/day
  Druid Spells Prepared (CL 6th; concentration +11)
  3rd—dominate animal (DC 18), poison (DC 18), spike growth 
  (DC 18) 
  2nd—heat metal (DC 17), flaming sphere (DC 17), spider climb, 
  summon swarm 
  1st—entangle (DC 16), produce flame, longstrider, magic fang, 
  speak with animals
  0 (at will)—detect poison, flare (DC 15), know direction, 
  resistance
  STATISTICS
  Str 12, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 20, Cha 6
  Base Atk +4; CMB +5; CMD 18
  Feats Combat Casting, Great Fortitude, Stealthy, Toughness, 
  Weapon Focus (scimitar)
  Skills Appraise +9, Bluff +5, Craft (alchemy) +7, Diplomacy +5, 
  Disable Device +8, Disguise +5, Escape Artist +5, Handle 
  Animal +4, Intimidate +3, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +5, 
  Knowledge (local) +7, Knowledge (nature) +8, Perception +9, 
  Sense Motive +10, Sleight of Hand +8, Spellcraft +5, Stealth 
  +10, Survival +12, Swim +5, Use Magic Device +3
  Languages Common
  SQ change shape (human, hybrid, and dire rat; polymorph), 
  improved empathic link, lycanthropic empathy (rats and dire 
  rats), nature sense, pack bond (6 dire rats), trackless step, 
  trapfinding +1, wild empathy +4, woodland stride, 
  Combat Gear potion of invisibility; Other Gear +1 studded 
  leather, +1 scimitar, belt of incredible dexterity +2, cloak of 
  resistance +1, 210 gp
  
  Place the deposit with the proctor at the temple in 
  your name. When the bidding is over, collect it and keep 
  it. Just make sure you sow the seeds carefully or you 
  won’t have the chance to collect your payment.
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  27
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Disease (Ex) Bite—Injury; save Fort DC 15; onset 1d3 days; 
  frequency 1 day; effect 1d3 Dex and 1d3  Con damage; cure 2 
  consecutive saves.
  Dire Rat Companions (6)  
  CR —
  hp 5 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 232)
  Vaor Wererats (hybrid form) (6) 
  CR 2
  Human afflicted wererat rogue 2 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 197)
  hp 18 each
  Subtier 10–11 (CR 11)
  Kresch & Myori Vaor (hybrid form) (2) 
  CR 7
  hp 61 each (use the stats from Subtier 8–9)
  Dire Rat Companions (12)  
  CR —
  hp 5 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 232)
  Vaor Wererats (hybrid form) (8) 
  CR 2
  Human afflicted wererat rogue 2 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 197)
  hp 18 each
  Subtier 12+ (CR 12)
  Vaor Sisters (hybrid form) (4) 
  CR 7
  hp 61 each (use the Subtier 8–9 Kresch Vaor stats)
  Dire Rat Companions (24) 
  CR—
  hp 5 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 232)
  Vaor Wererats (hybrid form) (12) 
  CR 2
  Human afflicted wererat rogue 2 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 197)
  hp 18 each
  Development: As soon as the PCs begin to overwhelm 
  the wererats, the Vaors surrender, demanding to know 
  why the PCs invaded their storehouse. Vaor and her 
  clan actually have no interest in the bidding, and can be 
  quickly and easily convinced to drop out of the auction. 
  Vaor only intends to show up to collect her deposit, for the 
  money was a gift from a mysterious woman in exchange 
  for Vaor’s aid in another matter (see Treasure below). 
  Treasure: A DC 23 + APL Perception check while 
  searching Vaor’s office uncovers a strange note shoved 
  beneath the piles of paper on her desk. If the PCs find 
  the note, give them Player Handout 2: Mysterious Note 
  on page 27.
  Player characters examining the note can attempt a DC 
  20 + APL Linguistics check to determine it was written 
  by a well-educated individual whose native language 
  is Varisian. If the PCs threaten Vaor with her life, they 
  may attempt an Intimidate check to learn that a strange 
  woman hired her for the sum of the deposit, to walk 
  around the outside of the Abadaran cathedral and scatter 
  “some seeds or dust or something.” What Vaor doesn’t 
  know is that the woman was a Lissalan cultist, and the 
  small “seeds” she scattered are arcane spell components 
  the cultist and her allies will use to open extraplanar 
  gates during Act Four.
  Key Point Rewards
  Table GMs should award Key Points as follows:
  HANDOUT 2: MYSTERIOUS NOTE
  
  SUCCESS SLIP 3D
  As soon as a table completes this mission, the Table 
  GM should place the table’s number on the Encounter 
  3D success slip and turn it in to the Overseer GM or 
  designated event volunteer.
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  28
  +1 point for getting Vaor to surrender.
  +2 points if no PC is afflicted with the curse of 
  lycanthropy.
  +4 points for recovering the note in Vaor’s office.
  3E. The Good Doctor
  “I’m not sure yet how we can get Doctor Landis to back out 
  of the auction, or if we fail, if we can outbid him; at least 
  not until we know who is acting as his anonymous patron. 
  I have a strange feeling about the whole thing. I doubt his 
  patron has noble intentions and I suspect the good doctor 
  is probably in a lot more trouble than he realizes. Go to the 
  museum and see if you can get Doctor Landis to introduce 
  you to his anonymous patron, or at least his patron’s 
  contact. Once we know who it is, we can hopefully drive a 
  wedge between the doctor and his benefactor.”
  Unfortunately, 
  Sheila’s 
  suspicions 
  hold 
  true. 
  Nothing comes without a price, and Doctor Landis is 
  in a fair amount of danger. His patron is none other 
  than Paralictor Darean Halst, commander of the Order 
  of the Nail Hellknights in Magnimar, who in his 
  dealings with Landis ultimately seeks to recover King 
  Chadris Porphyria III of Korvosa’s gemstone regalia 
  among other notable relics from the collection of the 
  Museum of Ages.
  The PCs can use whatever methods they want to 
  convince Doctor Landis to introduce them to his 
  mysterious 
  benefactor’s 
  contact, 
  a 
  lower-ranking 
  Hellknight named Elixia Makorios. If they succeed, 
  that evening the Doctor invites his contact to supper to 
  further discuss the auction. Makorios accepts, giving 
  the PCs an opportunity to meet with and interview the 
  guest over a fancy meal. Makorios arrives promptly, 
  seemingly unarmed and dressed in the clothes of a 
  wealthy noblewoman. Outwardly, she shows no signs 
  of her Hellknight affiliation. Makorios sours when she 
  realizes Landis has invited other dinner guests and 
  makes for poor company during the entire meal. 
  At this point, allow the PCs a DC 15 + APL Perception 
  check to spot two small tattoos on either side of 
  Makorios’s neck, which she carefully attempts conceal 
  with her high collar and neatly coifed shoulder-length 
  hair. A second Perception check (DC 20 + APL), identifies 
  each tattoo as a nail. A DC 15 + APL Knowledge (local 
  or nobility) check correctly identifies the nail as a 
  symbol of the Order of the Nail sometimes “branded” 
  on Hellknight initiates when they take their oaths.
  Throughout dinner, Makorios says little, though she 
  seems to enjoy her wine. She tries to wait the PCs out, 
  hoping they eventually leave so she can speak with 
  Landis privately. Still, if PCs wait for her to consume 
  three drinks (GMs should count 5 minutes of real time 
  to signify the time the PCs invest in waiting), she drops 
  her guard and can be tricked into making her affiliation 
  with the Hellknights obvious. If openly confronted 
  about her status as a Hellknight, Makorios pauses for a 
  moment of reflection, then turns stone-faced and politely 
  excuses herself from the dinner. As she exits, she curtly 
  adds, “Thank you for the meal Doctor, and best of luck at 
  tomorrow’s auction.”
  Subtier 1–2 
  Elixia Makorios
  LN human female fighter 4
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 14; Diplomacy DC 17 (indifferent); 
  Intimidate DC 16
  Will Save +3 (+1 vs. fear)
  Subtier 3–4 
  Elixia Makorios
  LN human female fighter 5/Hellknight 1
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 19; Diplomacy DC 17 (indifferent); 
  Intimidate DC 18
  Will Save +3 (+1 vs. fear)
  Subtier 5–6 
  Elixia Makorios
  LN human female fighter 5/Hellknight 3
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 21 (can use discern lies as a spell-like ability 
  5/day at caster level 8th); Diplomacy DC 22 (unfriendly); 
  Intimidate DC 20
  Will Save +4 (+1 vs. fear, +2 vs. spells with the charm 
  descriptor)
  Subtier 8–9 
  Elixia Makorios
  LN human female fighter 6/Hellknight 5
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 25 (can use discern lies as a spell-like ability 
  5/day at caster level 11th); Diplomacy DC 22 (unfriendly); 
  Intimidate DC 23
  Will Save +6 (+2 vs. fear, +2 vs. charms)
  
  SUCCESS SLIP 3E
  As soon as a table completes this mission, the Table 
  GM should place the table’s number on the Encounter 
  3E success slip and turn it in to the Overseer GM or 
  designated event volunteer. During Act Four, these will be 
  tallied to determine the overall success of the room and 
  how Doctor Landis will perform during the auction, if he 
  shows up at all.
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  29
  Subtier 10–11
  Elixia Makorios
  LN human female fighter 7/Hellknight 6
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 27 (can use discern lies as a spell-like ability 
  5/day at caster level 13th); Diplomacy DC 22 (unfriendly); 
  Intimidate DC 25
  Will Save +8 (+2 vs. fear, +4 vs. charms, +2 vs. compulsions)
  Subtier 12+
  Elixia Makorios
  LN human female fighter 9/Hellknight 7
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 30 (can use discern lies as a spell-like ability 
  5/day at caster level 16th); Diplomacy DC 23 (unfriendly); 
  Intimidate DC 28
  Will Save +10 (+2 vs. fear, +4 vs. charms, +2 vs. compulsions)
  Development: If the PCs identify and expose the 
  connection between the anonymous donor and the Order 
  of the Nail, Doctor Landis backs out of his deal, and 
  disappointedly recuses himself from the bidding.
  Key Point Rewards
  Table GMs should award Key Points as follows:
  +1 point for spotting and identifying Makorios’s 
  tattoos.
  +1 point for identifying Makorios as a Hellknight.
  +3 points for getting Makorios to admit her Hellknight 
  affiliation to Doctor Landis.
  3F. Glow of the Rushlights
  “There were two women at the pre-auction who paid their 
  deposit in Minkaian coins which, according to our sources, 
  may have been stolen during a recent caravan raid. If such 
  is the case, the duo no doubt have dubious intentions. The 
  women call themselves the Duchesses and they likely have 
  ties to one of Magnimar’s criminal organizations; I suspect 
  the Rushlight Society. Still, it is their finances and not their 
  intentions that most concern us. Some of our more reliable 
  street contacts informed me that the two women were last 
  seen entering the home of a local merchant named Windun 
  Landers. Perhaps not so coincidentally, Landers has a 
  wrought iron rushlight mounted on his door casing. Head 
  to the man’s residence, and see if you can’t figure out how 
  much money these “Duchesses” have. If all is as I suspect, 
  they don’t have enough to bid competitively. I’m also near 
  certain they’re using stolen funds, so leave whatever gold 
  you find. I don’t want us bidding with illegally gotten 
  coin—that’ll create more problems for us than it will 
  solve. Lastly, whatever you happen to find, do not involve 
  the authorities. I cannot risk the courts subpoenaing your 
  testimony during the auction.”
  Sheila gives the PCs the address of Windun Landers’s 
  residence. When they arrive, the Duchesses aren’t about, 
  though Windun is. The PCs must cleverly devise some 
  way to sneak or charm their way into his home.
  Windun at first denies he has visitors, though a DC 20 
  Sense Motive check notes that he becomes visibly nervous 
  at the mention of guests. If the PCs openly accuse him 
  of lying, a successful Diplomacy or Intimidate check 
  causes him to relent and admit he has two guests who 
  he refuses to name. In truth, he knows them only as the 
  Duchesses. After that, he shuts down and refuses to talk, 
  however he can again be intimidated into playing a sort 
  of guessing game (like “hot and cold”) to reveal where in 
  his home they’re staying—the north bedroom. A DC 15 + 
  APL Perception check locates an iron strongbox stashed 
  beneath the bed in the Duchesses’ room. The locked box 
  contains 5,000 gp in Minkaian coins. If the PCs take the 
  coins, instead of merely counting them, the Duchesses 
  report the theft to the authorities after gathering 
  descriptions of the Pathfinders from Landers, accusing 
  them as being the original caravan raiding bandits. If this 
  occurs, several officers from the Lord Mayor’s office corner 
  the PCs when they next return to Heidmarch Manor and 
  demand they come in for questioning. If the PCs don’t 
  have the coins, there isn’t enough evidence to hold them, 
  however the incident delays them, likely hurting their 
  ability to complete other missions.
  Subtier 1–2
  Windun Landers
  LE human male expert 3
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 18; Diplomacy DC 17 (indifferent); 
  Intimidate DC 14; Stealth DC 18
  Will Save +5
  Subtier 3–4
  Windun Landers
  LE human male expert 5
  
  SUCCESS SLIP 3F
  As soon as a table completes this mission, the Table 
  GM should place the table’s number on the Encounter 
  3F success slip and turn it in to the Overseer GM or 
  designated event volunteer. During Act Four, these will be 
  tallied to determine the overall success of the room and 
  how the Duchesses will perform during the auction, if 
  they show up to participate at all.
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  30
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 22; Diplomacy DC 17 (indifferent); 
  Intimidate DC 17; Stealth DC 22
  Will Save +6
  Subtier 5–6
  Windun Landers
  LE human male expert 7
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 24; Diplomacy DC 17 (indifferent); 
  Intimidate DC 19; Stealth DC 24
  Will Save +7
  Subtier 8–9
  Windun Landers
  LE human male expert 10
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 35; Diplomacy DC 22 (unfriendly); 
  Intimidate DC 22; Stealth DC 29
  Will Save +9
  Subtier 10–11
  Windun Landers
  LE human male expert 12
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 37; Diplomacy DC 23 (unfriendly); 
  Intimidate DC 24; Stealth DC 31 
  Will Save +12 (Improved Iron Will)
  Subtier 12+
  Windun Landers
  LE human male expert 13
  Skill DCs Bluff DC 38; Diplomacy DC 28 (hostile); Intimidate 
  DC 25; Stealth DC 32
  Will Save +12 (Improved Iron Will)
  Key Point Rewards
  Table GMs should award Key Points as follows:
  +1 point for gaining access to Landers’s home.
  +1 point for getting Landers to admit he has guests.
  +2 points for determining the Duchesses’s maximum 
  possible bid (5,000 gp).
  +1 point if the PCs don’t take the coins as instructed.
  3G. Dead Woman’s Debts
  “Prior to the founding of our lodge, the Pathfinder Society 
  had few contacts and fewer resources here in Magnimar. 
  One of our best was an alchemist and a sage name 
  Darga Cranstone. Cranstone kept a small lab in Ordellia, 
  performing specialized research using rare herbs that 
  grow wild in the Mushfens. Yesterday, word from Absalom 
  arrived that several years ago, our organization paid the 
  alchemist an advance of over a three thousand crowns 
  for some research. Several months later, Cranstone had 
  only turned over half her findings, and eventually failed 
  to complete the commission. Then for a short while, 
  the Society lost all contact with her. Just days before the 
  Decemvirate sent a debt collector to hunt down Darga, her 
  apprentice suddenly sent word that his mistress was still 
  working on the project. This kept on for several seasons, 
  with the apprentice’s notes becoming more infrequent, 
  until they simply petered off. While the sum was fairly 
  significant, other matters put recouping the lost sum on 
  hold, and after a few years, it was eventually forgotten. Now 
  that we have again been reminded of this debt, I need you 
  to go to Cranstone’s tower and collect the fee she owes us, 
  with interest.”
  The Pathfinders arrive at Cranstone’s rundown tower 
  to find it long abandoned. The doors and windows 
  have been boarded up and dozens of old, faded notices 
  plastered on the door warn trespassers to keep out and 
  that the property has been seized by the lord mayor’s 
  office. Still, it appears like a long time has passed since 
  anyone from the government has paid the premises a 
  visit. The boards pry off easily, allowing access to the 
  ground floor. Long looted of all valuables, it contains 
  nothing but rubbish and rats. A rickety wooden staircase 
  curls about the exterior wall leading a good 60 feet 
  upward to a second floor.
  Creature: A dilemma surfaces when, upon their arrival, 
  the PCs discover the reason the sage never finished her 
  research: halfway through the process she dropped dead 
  from unknown causes. Her undead spirit still haunts her 
  lonely laboratory and the PCs must destroy it in order to 
  safely recover the missing funds.
  Traps: The funds the PCs seek are split into two 
  coffers, each hidden in separate compartments beneath 
  the floorboards. A DC 10 + APL Perception check to 
  search the room uncovers a locked box and 1,000 gp 
  within. A DC 20 + APL Perception check locates a second 
  box containing 3,000 gp. Both boxes are locked (Disable 
  Device DC 10 + APL). In Subtiers 1–2, 3–4, and 5–6, the 
  box containing the greater sum is trapped, while both are 
  trapped in Subtiers 8–9, 10–11, and 12+.
  
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  31
  Subtier 1–2 (CR 3)
  Darga Cranstone 
  CR 2
  Poltergeist (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 211)
  hp 16
  Poisoned Chest 
  CR 1
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 15; Disable Device DC 15
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch (opening chest); Reset no reset
  Effect +3 melee touch attack (malyass root paste)
  Subtier 3–4 (CR 5)
  Darga Cranstone 
  CR 3
  Allip (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 12)
  hp 30
  Alchemical Gas Chest 
  CR 3
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 15; Disable Device DC 15
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch (opening chest); Reset no reset
  Effect poison gas (ungol dust); never miss; onset delay (1 
  round); multiple targets (all creatures in a 10-ft. by 10-ft. 
  cube)
  Subtier 5–6 (CR 7)
  Darga Cranstone 
  CR 5 
  Wraith (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 281)
  hp 47
  Alchemical Gas Chest 
  CR 5
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch (opening chest); Reset no reset
  Effect poison gas (ungol dust); never miss; onset delay (1 
  round); multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft. by 10-ft. cube)
  Subtier 8–9 (CR 11)
  Darga Cranstone 
  CR 8
  Greater shadow (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 245)
  hp 58
  Alchemical Gas Chests (2) 
  CR 8
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 28; Disable Device DC 28
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch (opening chest); Reset no reset
  Effect poison (insanity mist); never miss; onset delay (1 round); 
  multiple targets (all targets in a 20-ft. by 20-ft. cube)
  Subtier 10–11 (CR 13)
  Darga Cranstone 
  CR 11 
  Bhuta (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 41)
  hp 147
  Alchemical Gas Chests (2) 
  CR 9
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 30; Disable Device DC 30
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch (opening chest); Reset no reset
  Effect poison (insanity mist); never miss; onset delay (1 round); 
  multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft. by 10-ft. cube)
  Subtier 12+ (CR 15)
  Darga Cranstone 
  CR 13
  Banshee (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 41)
  hp 161
  Alchemical Gas Chests (2) 
  CR 12
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 30; Disable Device DC 30
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch (opening chest); Reset no reset
  Effect poison (burnt other fumes); never miss; onset delay 
  (1 round); multiple targets (all targets in a 20-ft. by 20-ft. 
  cube)
  Key Point Rewards
  Table GMs should award Key Points as follows:
  +2 points for putting Darga Cranstone’s soul to rest by 
  destroying her.
  +1 point for finding the lesser treasure.
  +2 points for finding the greater treasure.
  +1 for opening a trapped chest without triggering it.
  3H. Hydra Bait
  “We’re still a little short on funds and we need to make 
  some quick coin! If you’re daring enough, head over to the 
  Alabaster District and enter a hydra baiting competition 
  at the Serpent’s Run coliseum. The Master of Games, 
  Axetongue Droaeb, has offered a decent sized purse to 
  adventurers willing to get in the ring with one of his 
  ferocious multi-headed beasts. As always, this event draws 
  a tremendous crowd, one whose coin will more than double 
  the purse he pays to contest participants. “
  The 
  PCs 
  have 
  little 
  trouble 
  locating 
  Jorston 
  “Axetongue” Droaeb (LN male dwarf expert 4/fighter 3), 
  as the Master of Games eagerly seeks out contestants for 
  his most popular event. He offers the PCs a flat rate in 
  an amount gold appropriate to the CR of the following 
  encounter. All the PCs must do is fight the hydra for 6 
  
  SUCCESS SLIP 3G
  As soon as a table completes this mission, the Table 
  GM should place the table’s number on the Encounter 
  3G success slip and turn it in to the Overseer GM or 
  designated event volunteer. During Act Four, these will be 
  tallied to determine the overall success of the room.
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  32
  rounds, plus a bonus for each additional round they draw 
  the fight out (as longer fights make for more excitement 
  and more excitement makes him more money, especially 
  once the crowd starts betting). 
  After 6 rounds Axetongue asks if the PCs are ready to 
  call the fight. If they answer affirmatively, he gives his 
  signal for his guardsmen to storm the floor, and dozens 
  of them rush from the wings with chains, ropes, and 
  sedatives, quickly overwhelming and subduing the beast. 
  If the PCs request to continue, Axetongue readies his 
  guardsmen, and makes the same request at the start of 
  each round until the PCs decide to call the match, slay 
  the hydra, or lose one of their own to the crazed reptilian 
  beast. If at anytime during the match a PC is knocked 
  unconscious or killed, Axetongue calls the match, sadly 
  awarding favor to the beasts. The crowd considers the 
  loss a bad omen, and for the PCs it is. Pathfinders losing 
  this fight do not earn any Key Points.
  Subtier 1–2 (CR 3)
  Young Hydra 
  CR 3 
  hp 37 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 178, 295)
  Subtier 3–4 (CR 5)
  Advanced Hydra  
  CR 5
  hp 57 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 178, 294)
  Subtier 5–6 (CR 7)
  Advanced Cryohydra 
  CR 7
  hp 57 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 178, 294)
  Subtier 8–9 (CR 10)
  Six-Headed Pyrohydras (2)  
  CR 8
  Advanced 6-headed pyrohydra (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 
  178, 294)
  N Huge magical beast (fire)
  Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; 
  Perception +13
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 11, flat-footed 17 (+3 Dex, +9 natural, –2 size)
  hp 69 (6d10+36); fast healing 6
  Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +6
  Immune fire
  Weaknesses vulnerable to cold
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
  Melee 6 bites +9 (1d8+5) 
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks breath weapon (15-ft. cone, 3d6 cold damage, 
  DC 19 Reflex half, usable every 1d4 rounds), pounce
  STATISTICS
  Str 21, Dex 16, Con 22, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 13
  Base Atk +6; CMB +13; CMD 26 (30 vs. trip)
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes
  Skills Perception +13, Swim +13; Racial Modifiers +2 
  Perception
  SQ hydra traits, regenerate head
  Subtier 10–11 (CR 12)
  Ten-Headed Cryohydra  
  CR 12
  Advanced 10-headed cryohydra (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 178, 
  294)
  N Huge magical beast (cold)
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; 
  Perception +17
  DEFENSE
  AC 24, touch 11, flat-footed 21 (+3 Dex, +13 natural, –2 size) 
  hp 115 (10d10+60); fast healing 10
  Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +7
  Immune cold
  Weaknesses vulnerable to fire 
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
  Melee 10 bites +13 (2d6+5)
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks breath weapon (15-ft. cone, 3d6 cold damage, 
  DC 21 Reflex half, usable every 1d4 rounds), pounce
  STATISTICS
  Str 21, Dex 16, Con 22, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 13
  Base Atk +10; CMB +17; CMD 30 (34 vs. trip)
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural 
  Attack (bite), Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes
  Skills Perception +17, Swim +13; Racial Modifiers +2 
  Perception
  SQ hydra traits, regenerate head
  Subtier 12+ (CR 14)
  Miasma Hydra 
  CR 14
  Advanced miasma hydra (Pathfinder Campaign Setting: 
  Mythical Monsters Revisited 32, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 294)
  N Huge magical beast
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; 
  
  SUCCESS SLIP 3H
  As soon as a table completes this mission, the Table 
  GM should place the table’s number on the Encounter 
  3G success slip and turn it in to the Overseer GM or 
  designated event volunteer. During Act Four, these will be 
  tallied to determine the overall success of the room.
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  33
  Perception +14
  DEFENSE
  AC 26, touch 12, flat-footed 22 (+4 Dex, +14 natural, –2 size)
  hp 162 (12d10+96); fast healing 12
  Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +8
  DR 10/cold iron; Immune disease, poison
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
  Melee 12 bites +16 (1d8+6 plus poison)
  Space 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
  Special Attacks breath weapon (15-ft. cone, cloudkill, Fort DC 
  23 partial, usable every 1d4 rounds), pounce
  Statistics
  Str 21, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 13
  Base Atk +12; CMB +20; CMD 34 (38 vs. trip)
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, 
  Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Lightning 
  Reflexes, ToughnessB, SnatchB
  Skills Perception +14, Swim +23; Racial Modifiers +2 
  Perception
  SQ bloodspray, hydra traits, regenerate head
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Bloodspray (Ex) Whenever a creature sunders one of a miasma 
  hydra’s heads, strikes it with a melee attack that does bleed 
  damage, or confirms a successful critical hit against the 
  miasma hydra with a melee piercing or slashing weapon, 
  the creature must succeed at a DC 23 Fortitude save or be 
  affected by the miasma hydra’s poison as though it had 
  been bitten.
  Breath Weapon (Ex) A miasma hydra’s breath weapon is 
  identical in effect to cloudkill, except that it has a duration 
  of instantaneous, covers a 15-foot-cone area, and is usable 
  every 1d4 rounds by each of the miasma hydra’s heads. A 
  creature in the area of multiple breaths in the same round 
  must make multiple saves, but can only be affected by the 
  cloudkill effect once per round.
  Fast Healing (Ex) A miasma hydra’s fast healing ability is equal 
  to its current number of heads (minimum fast healing 
  12). This fast healing applies only to damage dealt to the 
  miasma hydra’s body.
  Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 23; frequency 1/round 
  for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Str damage and sickened for 1 
  minute; cure 2 consecutive saves.
  Key Point Rewards
  Table GMs should award Key Points as follows:
  +1 point for staying in the arena for at least 6 rounds.
  +1 point for each additional round the PCs stay in the 
  arena past round 6 [max +3].
  +1 point for each hydra head the PCs lop off and 
  deliberately allow to grow back double [max +3].
  Concluding Act Three
  After 1 hour and 45 minutes have passed, the Overseer 
  GM should call a 15 minute warning with the following 
  announcement.
  Ladies and gentlemen, the Cathedral of Abadar will soon 
  open its doors for the public auction! Anyone interested in 
  participating must be within the cathedral in fifteen minutes. 
  Once the auction starts, the doors will close. This is not an 
  open door auction and no one will be admitted to the auction 
  once the bidding starts. 
  Table GMs: your players have fifteen minutes to wrap up 
  their encounters and get to the Cathedral of Abadar for the 
  start of the auction.
  After another 10 minutes have passed (1 hour 55 minutes 
  total for Act Three), the Overseer GM should give a final 
  5-minute warning. At the 2 hour mark, the Overseer GM 
  should call time. Table GMs should end their table’s 
  actions at the end of the current players’ turn, award any 
  Key Points earned to that point, submit their cuccess 
  slips, and progress immediately to Act Four.
  ACT FOUR: THE AUCTION
  The auction takes place at the Cathedral of Abadar, 
  where the PCs attended the pre-auction gala in Act One. 
  During the beginning of the act, the Overseer GM serves 
  as the auctioneer and runs the bidding. Each table must 
  suspend disbelief and pretend they are the Pathfinder 
  Society’s sole representatives in the bidding (regardless 
  of the other tables) and that they are only bidding against 
  the Aspis Consortium and other rivals who also seek to 
  win the Runecarved Key. 
  The auction itself is a short interlude from tranditional 
  roleplaying and combat and the entire thing should take 
  no more than 10 minutes to complete. Ultimately, its 
  purpose is to let the house tables know their approximate 
  standing within the competition before the final push for 
  Key Points at the act’s conclusion.
  As the Overseer GM explains to the House how the 
  auction will work, tally up all Key Points your table 
  has earned to this point and refer to the table below to 
  determine how many Auction Notes their total earns 
  them. Auction Notes represent the PCs’ success (or 
  failure) in their missions against rival bidders. The 
  
  AUCTION SUCCESS SLIP
  Once each table’s Auction Note value has been 
  determined, write that value along with your table 
  number on the Auction success slip and turn it in to the 
  Overseer GM or designated event volunteer. These will be 
  quickly sorted to determine the highest possible bid from 
  the House, which is used to calculate the maximum bids 
  for NPC bidders.
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  34
  number of Auction Notes a table receives is based on their 
  current number of Key Points according to the Table GM 
  Score Sheet as determined by the Key Point Conversion 
  Scale below. Table GMs should let their tables know that 
  despite their current score, they are only halfway through 
  the adventure and still have the opportunity to earn 
  many more Key Points.
  KEY POINT CONVERSION SCALE
   Key Points 
  Auction Notes
   0–30 
  10
   31–40 
  20
   41–45 
  30
   46–49 
  40
   51–55 
  50
   56–60 
  60
   60–62 
  70
   63–65 
  80
   66–68 
  90
   69–71 
  100
   
  72 
  110
   
  73 
  120
   
  74 
  130
   
  75 
  140
  4A. Running the Auction
  Acting as the auctioneer, the Overseer GM starts the 
  auction by calling out an opening bid of 10 Auction 
  Notes. All tables with at least that many Auction 
  Notes raise their paddle. The auctioneer then raises 
  the bid by +5 Auction Notes each round, forcing both 
  players and NPCs to drop out when the bidding gets 
  too high. Throughout the bidding, players can look 
  about the house to see how many Key Points the other 
  teams earned, allowing them to estimate their current 
  standing in the competition.
  Bid values for all NPCs are odd, so there is no risk of 
  a table and NPC having identical maximum bid values 
  (PCs can only bid in intervals of 10 Auction Notes). After 
  counting the success slips collected during Act Three, 
  the Overseer GM should know the maximum number of 
  Auction Notes each of the NPCs will bid as determined 
  by the success of various house tables. All NPCs have a 
  High Bid and a Low Bid listed in the NPC Bid Values table 
  below.
  If the number of success slips for a given encounter 
  equals 50% or more than the total number of tables in 
  the House, the Overseer GM uses the Low Bid chart to 
  determine the maximum number of Auction Notes the 
  associated NPC will use during the auction. Conversely, if 
  fewer than 50% of the house tables successfully completed 
  the mission, then the NPC decides to hang in for the long 
  haul and bids up to their maximum as listed on the High 
  Bid column.
  If 75% or more of the house submitted a success slip for 
  a given mission, the associated NPC decides to back out 
  of the auction before it starts.
  If the auction reaches a point where there is only single 
  table of PCs betting against an NPC, the NPC should not 
  bid the next time the auctioneer raises the bid, regardless 
  of the NPC’s denoted High Bid.
  Use the passages below to describe what happens when 
  each of the bidders leave the competition (listed in the 
  order in which they drop out).
  Kresch Vaor: When the wererat boss reaches her limit, 
  she lets the house know by saying, “Bah, too much for 
  an old key. Proctor, I’m out. Have one of your clergymen 
  transfer my deposit to my personal account.”
  Dymal Rinks: Rinks doesn’t bid out, per se, rather, 
  Minvandu’s legbreakers arrive during the auction and 
  drag him off. He tries to protest, but they’re too tough. 
  They apologize to the proctor for the interruption, then 
  inform him whatever deposit Rinks tried to put down on 
  the auction belongs to their employer, Mr. Minvandu. 
  They say they shall send someone around later to collect 
  it, after their boss has a few private words with Rinks. 
  Rinks is then dragged out of the auction house, kicking 
  and screaming.
  Falrig Sneve: When the collector reaches his limit, he 
  lets the house know by saying, “Too rich for my blood. 
  Fold!”
  Doctor Landis: At some point Landis realizes that as 
  much as he wants the key, there’s only so much he wants 
  to be indebted to his mysterious (or not so mysterious) 
  benefactor. On his final bid, he starts making an offer, 
  then thinks better of it. He lowers his hand, and simply 
  gestures that he’s cut himself off by waving his hand 
  across his throat.
  Zimandi Kaddren: Lady Kaddren would love to stay in 
  the bidding, however her lover Bretcher Toth, eventually 
  interrupts her by sending her a note requesting she back 
  out to assure their privacy. As she is about to bid, a runner 
  presents her with a note which she quickly reads. After, 
  she grimaces at the House and in a threatening tone says, 
  “This time, you got lucky. From here out, you might want 
  to watch your backs.” Then she turns to the proctor and 
  
  The 
  Runecarved Key
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  35
  tells him, “You can close my bids out.” After, she tucks 
  the note into her cloak and storms out.
  Maiveer Sloan: Determined to win, Sloan holds out to 
  the last possible moment. When the bid raises beyond 
  his limit, he pleads with the auctioneer, “I don’t have the 
  funds on hand, but let my organization put 
  down credit on the key. I can have the 
  extra funds in a few months and you 
  know we’re good for it.”
  The Proctor denies Maiveer this 
  special treatment, restating that 
  the auction would be a fast sell only 
  with coin in hand. Maiveer pleads 
  further, though his efforts prove 
  fruitless. The proctor then informs 
  him to contain himself or the church 
  will have him removed.
  Final: Once the final NPC bids out, the 
  PCs are left holding the highest bid. At this 
  point, continue the bidding until the bid 
  hits 140 Auction Notes or there is 
  only one table still in the running. 
  Of those groups still in the bidding, 
  the Overseer GM acknowledges the 
  highest scoring table as the winning 
  bid. Once the winning bid is accepted, the auctioneer 
  calls out the closing:
  “Going, going, gone! And sold to [Table #] with the [X]-
  colored paddle for a final price of [Auction Notes � 1,000] 
  gold pieces! Table [#] please send one representative to the 
  front to the the room to claim your prize!”
  At this point, the winning table sends up one 
  representative to collect the key on behalf of the Society. 
  The auctioneer asks the individual’s name. As he or she 
  announces their PC’s name, the Overseer GM holds out 
  the giant prop key, but is suddenly stopped short from 
  handing it over.
  The auction is fated to end in chaos. Before the 
  auctioneer has the opportunity to present the key to the 
  winner of the auction, a mysterious assassin appears 
  from a magic portal, slices the auctioneer’s throat, and 
  snatches the artifact from his hands. Next, the assassin’s 
  form shatters into dozens of shimmering copies that run 
  screaming from the cathedral in every direction. 
  At the same time, the cathedral’s tall stained glass 
  windows suddenly shatter and, with little warning, a 
  horde of mysterious dark-robed cultists bursts into the 
  room and begin attacking from all sides.
  This event marks a dramatic turning point in the 
  adventure. How this cinematic scene is portrayed 
  to the audience is entirely up to the Overseer 
  GM, and largely depends on the 
  number of available actors to 
  perform. The Overseer GM 
  can read or paraphrase the 
  following paragraph or, more 
  dramatically, stage the event 
  with a helper and act it out.
  Without warning, a tremendous 
  flash of light and smoke appears behind 
  the auctioneer, and the very fabric of 
  reality is sliced open. Seconds later, a 
  black-robed figure steps through the 
  rift and pulls a jagged black-bladed 
  dagger across the auctioneer’s throat 
  sending a shower of blood into the screaming crowd of 
  bidders. The remorseless assassin snatches the Runecarved 
  Key and in a fit of mad laughter bursts into dozens of 
  shadowy black forms, each fleeing from the cathedral in a 
  different direction.
  With that, Table GMs should jump straight into the 
  next encounter, urging their PCs to quickly chase down 
  the assassin and retrieve the key, which is rightfully the 
  Pathfinder Society’s property.
  4B. Party Crashers
  Suddenly an ear-piercing whistle sounds. Without warning, 
  the stained glass windows of the cathedral simultaneously 
  shatter inward in a colorful barrage of flying glass.
  NPC BID VALUES
  NPC Name 
  Encounter 
  Low Bid 
  High Bid
  Kresch Vaor 
  3D 
  Max PC Bid – 85 
  Max PC Bid – 45
  Dymal Rinks 
  3B 
  Max PC Bid – 85 
  Max PC Bid – 55
  The Duchesses 
  3F 
  Max PC Bid – 85 
  Max PC Bid – 55
  Falrig Sneve 
  3A 
  Max PC Bid – 75 
  Max PC Bid – 45
  Doctor Landis 
  3E 
  Max PC Bid – 65 
  Max PC Bid – 45
  Zimandi Kaddren 
  3C 
  Max PC Bid – 55 
  Max PC Bid – 35
  Maiveer Sloan 
  2A 
  Max PC Bid – 55 
  Max PC Bid – 25
  
  Cathedral of Abadar
  1 square = 5 feet
  N
  GameMastery Flip-Mat: Cathedral
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  36
  The flying glass shards deal 1d6 points of piercing and 
  slashing damage for every two points of the table’s APL 
  (rounded down) to all targets in the cathedral (DC 10 + 
  APL Reflex save for half).
  Creatures: Amid the rain of glass shards, a horde of 
  Lissalan cultists comes crashing through the now empty 
  cathedral windows. With weapons drawn, they attempt 
  to surround all the patrons inside, blocking their escape 
  and delaying pursuit of the assassin, one version of whom 
  carries the true Runecarved Key.
  Cultist Apprentices (4) 
  CR 1/2
  Human conjurer 1
  LE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +6
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +1 Dex)
  hp 12 each (1d6+6)
  Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +3
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee dagger –1 (1d4–1/19–20)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +4)
  6/day—acid dart (1d6 acid)
  Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +4)
  1st—grease (2), mage armor, obscuring mist
  0 (at will)—acid splash, detect magic, read magic
  Thassilonian Specialization ConjurationISM; Opposition 
  Schools Evocation, Illusion
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The cultists cast mage armor in preparation 
  for their attack on the Cathedral of Abadar.
  During Combat The cultists’ goal is to slow down the PCs 
  and prevent them from catching the assassin fleeing with 
  the Runecarved Key. Half of the cultists use their scrolls of 
  summon monster III to summon 1d3 lemures. The other 
  half uses grease and obscuring mist to slow the party’s 
  advancement.
  Morale Driven by their loyalty to Lissala herself, the cultists 
  fight to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 8, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 10
  
  SCALING ENCOUNTER 4B
  For tables of only 4 players, remove one of the lowest-
  level cultists from the encounter. Make no adjustments 
  for parties of APL 15 or higher.
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  37
  Base Atk +0; CMB –1; CMD 10
  Feats Combat Casting, Scribe Scroll, Toughness
  Skills Disguise +1, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (history) 
  +7, Knowledge (planes) +7, Knowledge (religion) +7, 
  Spellcraft +7
  Languages Common, Infernal, Thassilonian, Varisian
  SQ arcane bond (ring), summoner’s charm (1 round)
  Combat Gear scroll of expeditious retreat, scroll of sleep, scroll of 
  summon monster III; Other Gear dagger, spell component 
  pouch, spellbook (contains all prepared spells as well as all 
  1st-level conjuration spells), 13 gp
  ISM See Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Magic.
  Subtier 3–4 (CR 5)
  Cultist Apprentices (3) 
  CR 1/2
  hp 12 each (use the stats from Subtier 1–2)
  Cultist Adept 
  CR 4
  Human conjurer 5
  LE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +6
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +4 shield)
  hp 40 each (5d6+20)
  Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +8
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee dagger +1 (1d4–1/19–20)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +9)
  7/day—acid dart (1d6+2 acid)
  Spells Prepared (CL 5th; concentration +9)
  3rd—deep slumber (DC 17), sleet storm (2), stinking cloud (DC 
  18)
  2nd—fog cloud, glitterdust (DC 17), scare (DC 16), web (2, DC 
  17)
  1st—expeditious retreat, grease (2), mage armor, obscuring 
  mist, shield
  0 (at will)—acid splash, detect magic, mage hand, read magic
  Thassilonian Specialization ConjurationISM; Opposition 
  Schools Evocation, Illusion
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The cultists cast mage armor and shield and 
  drink their potions of displacement immediately before their 
  attack on the Cathedral of Abadar.
  During Combat The cultists’ goal is to slow down the PCs 
  and prevent them from catching the assassin. Half of the 
  cultists use their scrolls of summon monster V to summon 
  bearded devils. The other half use spells like stinking cloud, 
  sleet storm, and web to slow the party’s advancement.
  Morale Driven by their loyalty to Lissala herself, the cultists 
  fight to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 8, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 10
  Base Atk +2; CMB +1; CMD 12
  Feats Combat Casting, Iron Will, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus 
  (conjuration), Still Spell, Toughness
  Skills Bluff +2, Disguise +3, Knowledge (arcana) +12, 
  Knowledge (engineering) +8, Knowledge (history) +12, 
  Knowledge (planes) +12, Knowledge (religion) +9, Perception 
  +6, Spellcraft +12, Stealth +2, Survival +2
  Languages Common, Infernal, Shoanti, Thassilonian, Varisian
  SQ arcane bond (ring), summoner’s charm (2 rounds)
  Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, potion of 
  displacement, scroll of summon monster V, wand of acid arrow 
  (5 charges), tanglefoot bag; Other Gear dagger, cloak of 
  resistance +1, spell component pouch, spellbook (contains all 
  prepared spells as well as all 1st- and 2nd- level conjuration 
  spells), 23 gp
  ISM See Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Magic.
  Subtier 5–6 (CR 8)
  Cultist Adepts (4)  
  CR 4
  hp 40 each (use the stats from Subtier 3–4)
  Subtier 8–9 (CR 11)
  Cultist Adepts (2)  
  CR 4
  hp 40 each (use the stats from Subtier 3–4)
  Cultist Masters (2) 
  CR 8
  Human conjurer 9
  LE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +10
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 19 (+4 armor, +1 deflection, +1 Dex, 
  +4 shield)
  hp 70 each (9d6+36)
  Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +10
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee dagger +3 (1d4–1/19–20)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +14)
  At Will—dimensional steps (270 feet/day)
  8/day—acid dart (1d6+4 acid)
  Spells Prepared (CL 9th; concentration +14)
  5th—cloudkill (DC 22), summon monster V, wall of stone (2)
  4th—black tentacles (2), confusion (DC 19), dimension door, 
  solid fog
  
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  38
  3rd—dispel magic, hold person (DC 18), ray of exhaustion (DC 
  18), sleet storm, stinking cloud (2, DC 20)
  2nd—false life, fog cloud, glitterdust (DC 19), see invisibility, 
  summon swarm, web (2, DC 19)
  1st—expeditious retreat, grease (2), mage armor, obscuring 
  mist, shield, true strike (2)
  0 (at will)—acid splash, detect magic, mage hand, read magic
  Thassilonian Specialization ConjurationISM; Opposition 
  Schools Evocation, Illusion
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The cultists cast mage armor and shield and 
  drink their potions of displacement immediately before their 
  attack on the Cathedral of Abadar.
  During Combat The cultists’ goal is to slow down the PCs 
  and prevent them from catching the assassin. Half of the 
  cultists use their scrolls of summon monster VII to summon 
  bone devils. The other half use spells like black tentacles, 
  cloudkill, and wall of stone to slow the party’s advancement.
  Morale Driven by their loyalty to Lissala herself, the cultists 
  fight to the.
  STATISTICS
  Str 8, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 21, Wis 12, Cha 10
  Base Atk +4; CMB +3; CMD 15
  Feats Combat Casting, Greater Spell Focus (conjuration), 
  Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus 
  (conjuration), Still Spell, Toughness
  Skills Bluff +5, Disguise +5, Fly +9, Knowledge (arcana) 
  +17, Knowledge (engineering) +10, Knowledge (history) 
  +17, Knowledge (planes) +17, Knowledge (religion) +10, 
  Perception +10, Spellcraft +17, Stealth +6, Survival +4
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal, Shoanti, Thassilonian, 
  Varisian
  SQ arcane bond (ring), summoner’s charm (4 rounds)
  Combat Gear potion of displacement, scroll of summon 
  monster VII; Other Gear dagger, ring of protection +1, 
  cloak of resistance +1, headband of vast intelligence +2, spell 
  component pouch, spellbook (contains all prepared spells as 
  well as all 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-level conjuration spells), 
  23 gp
  ISM See Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Magic.
  Subtier 10–11 (CR 12)
  Cultist Masters (4)  
  CR 8
  hp 70 each (use the stats in Subtier 8–9)
  Subtier 12+ (CR 14)
  Cultist Masters (8)  
  CR 8
  hp 70 each (use the stats in Subtier 8–9)
  Development: The PCs need to get past the Lissalan 
  cultists and exit the Cathedral through any broken 
  window or door to chase after the assassin. Should the PCs 
  manage to kill the Lissalan cultists before going after the 
  assassin, the PCs have saved the auction attendees from 
  certain death. The surviving members of Magnimar’s 
  elite remember this deed and look favorably upon the 
  Society’s push to establish a lodge in Magnimar.
  Once the PCs escape from the Cathedral proceed 
  directly into encounter 4C.
  Key Point Rewards
  Table GMs should award Key Points as follows:
  +1 point if the entire party exits the Cathedral of 
  Abadar in 4 rounds or less.*
  +2 points if the entire party exits the Cathedral of 
  Abadar in 3 rounds or less.*
  +3 points if the entire party exits the Cathedral of 
  Abadar in 2 rounds or less.*
  +4 points for killing all the Lissalan cultists before 
  going after the assassin.
  *These points are cumulative.
  4C. Catch the Thief
  As the PCs escape from the cathedral assault, they must 
  make a DC 10 + APL Perception or Survival check to spot 
  the fleeing assassin. If they pursue her, the cultist uses 
  her knowledge of the City of Monuments to lead the PCs 
  through a heroic chase. 
  Running a chase in a fast, cinematic manner is easy. 
  Just remember that all participants have the following 
  options each round. For more details on running a 
  chase using this system, see page 232 of the Pathfinder 
  RPG GameMastery Guide. It takes a move action to 
  move through a single square. When a character exits 
  from a square, he must choose one of that square’s two 
  obstacles to face as a standard action before moving to 
  the next square. Instead of exiting a square, a character 
  can choose to take another action not directly related to 
  navigating the chase’s course, such as casting a spell or 
  drinking a potion.
  A character may attempt to move three squares during 
  his turn by taking a full-round action. That character 
  must overcome both obstacles on the square he is leaving. 
  In this case, if a character fails either obstacle check by 5 or 
  less, he only moves one square forward and his turn ends. 
  If a character fails either obstacle check by more than 5, 
  he cannot move at all that turn. A character unfortunate 
  enough to fail two obstacle checks in a turn becomes 
  mired in his current square. A mired character must 
  spend another full-round action becoming unmired, 
  effectively losing his next turn. 
  A character can also choose to make a ranged attack or 
  cast a spell during his turn in a chase. If the action is a 
  full-round action, he can’t move at all. Use the number of 
  
  GAMEMASTERY CHASE CARDS DECK
  The chase scene in Race for the Runecarved Key 
  uses a number of the urban setting cards from the 
  GameMastery Chase Cards deck (available at your local 
  game store or online at paizo.com). If you have this 
  deck, use the first four obstacles as presented in the 
  encounter, then choose obstacles at random from the 
  urban selection to finish out the chase. If you don’t 
  have the cards on hand but still want to present a 
  sense of randomness for the players at the table, use 
  the obstacles presented below and roll randomly to 
  determine what order they present themselves to the 
  fleeing assassin (and later the PCs), laying them out like 
  cards in a row as you determine their order.
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  39
  squares and their established distances (in this case, 30 
  feet) to determine ranges as necessary. The terrain where 
  the chase takes place might provide the target partial 
  or even full cover or concealment. A character can only 
  choose to make melee attacks against targets that are in 
  the same square.
  Additional Chase Rules and GM Tips
  Keep the following rules and guidelines in mind when 
  running your chase scene.
  Distance: Each card represents a 30-foot distance. Use 
  this when estimating distances for ranged attacks and 
  spells. 
  Cover/Concealment: A creature more than 3 cards away 
  has total cover and total concealment. Creatures 3 cards 
  away have improved cover and concealment (see page 196 
  of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook). Creatures 2 cards 
  away have partial cover and concealment. Creatures 1 
  card away only have partial cover.
  Non-standard Forms of Movement: Allow for creative 
  methods of travel by the PCs. Should the PCs take to the 
  air, allow them to automatically succeed at checks to bypass 
  ground-based obstacles and move a number of cards equal 
  to the distance of a single move unless they state they are 
  attempting to move three cards at the beginning of their 
  turn. If the PCs use teleportation to move, keep in mind 
  that this chase is happening across the city, taking many 
  turns along the way. The PCs must have line of sight to the 
  chase square they wish to teleport to.
  Movement Rates: Remember that characters with 
  enhanced movement rates receive a +2 bonus on all 
  skill checks made to bypass an obstacle for every 10 
  feet of movement they possess beyond their initial 30-
  foot movement speed. Characters with movement rates 
  less than 30 feet receive a –2 penalty for every 10 feet 
  by which their speed is less than 30 feet. Regardless 
  of speed, characters traveling on the ground are still 
  restricted on the number of cards they can move per the 
  rules outlined above. 
  Creative Skill Use: Allow for alternative skills to be 
  used when it makes sense, but assign a higher DC for 
  the alternative skill use. For example, a PC may wish 
  to use Acrobatics to jump over some collapsed rubble 
  instead of using the Climb skill to clamber over the 
  obstacle as presented as an option for that chase card. 
  In this instance an increase of 5 in the DC would result 
  in a difficult obstacle, but still reward the player for his 
  creativity. This is especially important when the obstacle 
  calls for trained-only skills.
  Unskilled Characters: If players are having an 
  extremely difficult time succeeding at skill checks, allow 
  them to spend a full-round action “finding another way 
  around” after they’ve already failed at a given obstacle. 
  Immersion: While some GMs may wish to describe 
  obstacles exactly as they’re presented on the card, 
  describing obstacles and possible ways of overcoming 
  them in more details will enhance the immersive and 
  cinematic feel of the chase. Additionally, if possible, GMs 
  are encouraged to keep the exact skills required and the 
  associated DCs from the players, as this will go a long way 
  to improving the chase experience.
  Running the Chase
  If all the PCs exit the Cathedral of Abadar in 2 rounds 
  or less, the Lissalan assassin begins the chase only 
  2 cards ahead. If the PCs take longer than 2 rounds to 
  escape the cathedral, the cultist assassin begins 3 cards 
  ahead of the PCs, barely within sight. At this point, 
  either roll new initiatives or keep the initiative from 
  the Cathedral. Regardless of when the PCs emerge, the 
  cultist assassin always acts first (as if it were a surprise 
  round). The assassin begins the chase by attempting 
  to move one card. Once successful, she spends the next 
  round buffing according to her Before Combat tactics. 
  She then alternates between moving across cards and 
  buffing until all that remains is attempting to move. The 
  assassin never attempts to move three cards. When the 
  PCs get within 1 card of the assassin, she stops running 
  and uses an invisibility effect (depending on subtier). 
  When the first PC reaches the same chase card as the 
  assassin, place them on the city streets map in a location 
  logical to the flavor of the card they are on. If the assassin 
  has the chance to ready an action, the action goes off 
  first before starting the first round. Any PCs 1 or 2 cards 
  behind appear on the western edge of the map and can 
  act normally on their initiative in round 2. PCs 3 or more 
  cards away don’t appear and can’t act until their initiative 
  in round 3. Alternatively, PCs may choose to stay on 
  their cards and perform other actions. If they choose 
  this option, use the cover, concealment, and range rules 
  
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  40
  presented above and delay those PCs’ appearance on the 
  map according to their actions.
  The Obstacles
  The chase begins with the four set obstacles: 
  Crowded Street: Follow the Crowd (Sense Motive DC 15) 
  or Out of My Way! (Overrun CMD 20)
  Cluttered Alleyway: Up and Over (Acrobatics DC 10) or 
  Squeeze Through (Escape Artist DC 20) 
  Fruit Cart: Oh Yeah! (Strength Check DC 20) or Move 
  That Cart! (Intimidate DC 15)
  Pothole: Leap Across (Acrobatics DC 10) or Blindly 
  Forward (Reflex DC 15)
  As 
  the 
  chase 
  progresses, 
  determine 
  the 
  next 
  obstacles the assassin (and eventually the PCs) face by 
  randomly drawing the remaining urban cards from the 
  GameMastery Chase Cards deck or by selecting from the 
  following obstacles at random.
  Brick Wall: Up and Over! (Climb DC 15) or A Secret 
  Door?! (Perception DC 25)
  Blocked Path: One Step, Two Step, Leap (Acrobatics DC 
  15) or Scramble Up the Stack (Climb DC 10)
  Possible Short Cut?: Let Me Do the Talking (Diplomacy 
  DC 20) or I Know Where This Goes! (Knowledge [local] 
  DC 15)
  Angry Mutt: Nice Puppy! (Handle Animal DC 15) or 
  Sneak Past (Stealth DC 20)
  Rusty Drainpipe: Before it Breaks Away! (Acrobatics DC 
  10) or Stuff Keeps Falling Off! (Climb DC 20)
  Steep Rooftop: Easier Than a Dungeon Wall (Climb 
  DC 10) or Don’t Fall! (Reflex DC 20)
  Collapsed Roof: Bounding Past (Acrobatics DC 15) or 
  Rooftop Scramble (Climb DC 20)
  Mind the Gap: Leap (Acrobatics DC 15) or Short Cut 
  (Knowledge [local] DC 20)
  Befuddled Baker: Did You See That? (Bluff DC 10) or 
  Which Way Are You Weaving? (Knowledge [local] DC 15)
  Spooked Horse: Tumble Under (Acrobatics DC 25) or 
  Whoa, Boy! (Handle Animal DC 10)
  Agitated Drunkard: Sober Up! (Intimidate DC 20) or 
  Snatch and Chuck the Bottle (Sleight of Hand DC 15)
  Unexpected Fence: Boost and Hop (Climb DC 10) or 
  Bust on Through (Bull Rush CMD 20)
  Development: Once a PC catches up to the assassin, 
  proceed directly to encounter 4D. Note that a single PC 
  will likely have a very difficuly time against the assassin 
  if the other PCs don’t catch up soon.
  Key Point Rewards
  Table GMs should award Key Points as follows:
  +1 point if anyone in the party catches up to the assassin 
  in 5 rounds or less.*
  +2 points if anyone in the party catches up to the 
  assassin in 4 rounds or less.*
  +3 points if anyone in the party catches up to the 
  assassin in 3 rounds or less.*
  +4 points if anyone in the party catches up to the 
  assassin in 2 rounds or less.*
  *These points are cumulative.
  4D. The Assassin
  The streets of Magnimar narrow here, and the crowds one 
  expects of a city of this size are nowhere to be found. The 
  ambient sound of the hustle and bustle seems to die away, 
  leaving an eerie stillness in the air as though something 
  terrible is about to happen.
  Creatures: If the PCs chase down the assassin, without 
  hesitation the violent fanatic turns upon them and 
  furiously attacks. Two rounds later, more of her cultist 
  thugs rush from nearby alleys to aid her against the PCs. 
  If the assassin is defeated before the end of the second 
  round of combat, her allies do not come to her aid.
  Subtier 1–2 (CR 4)
  Cultist Apprentices (2) 
  CR 1/2
  hp 12 each (use the cultist apprentice stats from encounter 4B 
  on page 36)
  Lissalan Assassin 
  CR 3
  Female tiefling rogue 4 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264)
  LE Medium outsider (native)
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +6
  DEFENSE
  AC 18, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge)
  hp 33 (4d8+12)
  Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +0
  Defensive Abilities evasion, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; 
  Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk short sword +8 (1d6+2/19–20 plus poison)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +3)
  1/day—darkness
  TACTICS
  Before Combat When the cultist knows the PCs are closing 
  on her, she drinks her potion of protection from good and a 
  potion of invisibility, preparing to ambush them when they 
  come within striking distance. She has already placed one 
  dose of large scorpion venom on her short sword.
  During Combat The Lissalan assassin combines invisibility 
  and her darkness spell-like ability to gain sneak attacks on 
  
  Magnimar Streets
  1 square = 5 feet
  N
  GameMastery Flip-Mat: City Streets
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  41
  her foes, drinking healing potions and applying poison to 
  her sword as needed under the cover of invisibility. When 
  her allies arrive, she flanks enemies to gain sneak attacks 
  once she runs out of magical means of doing so.
  Morale Having never met a foe she couldn’t best and driven 
  by her zeal for Lissala, the Lissalan assassin fights until she 
  is likely too close to death to escape. If reduced to 10 hit 
  points or less, she attempts to flee.
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 8
  Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 20
  Feats Dodge, Toughness, Weapon Finesse
  Skills Acrobatics +11, Bluff +6, Climb +7, Craft (alchemy) +6, 
  Diplomacy +5, Disable Device +10, Disguise +4, Escape 
  Artist +10, Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledge (planes) +3, 
  Perception +6, Sleight of Hand +10, Stealth +13, Survival +0, 
  Swim +7, Use Magic Device +6; Racial Modifiers +2 Bluff, 
  +2 Stealth
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal
  SQ rogue talents (fast stealth, finesse rogue), trapfinding +2, 
  Combat Gear potions of cure light wounds (2), potion of cure 
  moderate wounds, potion of protection from good, potions of 
  invisibility (2), large scorpion venom (2 doses), tanglefoot 
  bags (2); Other Gear masterwork studded leather, 
  masterwork short sword, handy haversack, 5 gp
  Subtier 3–4 (CR 6)
  Cultist Apprentices (4) 
  CR 1/2
  hp 12 each (use the cultist apprentice stats from encounter 4B 
  on page 36)
  Lissalan Assassin 
  CR 5
  Female tiefling rogue 5/assassin 1 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264)
  LE Medium outsider (native)
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge)
  hp 47 (6d8+17)
  Fort +3, Ref +10, Will +1
  Defensive Abilities evasion, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; 
  Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
  
  SCALING ENCOUNTER 4D
  For tables of only 4 players, remove one cultist wizard 
  from the encounter. If the party’s APL is 15 or higher, the 
  Lissalan Assassin in Subtier 12+ begins the encounter 
  under the effects of fox’s cunning, mind blank, and true 
  seeing on top of the spell effects mentioned in her 
  statblock. Replace her +3 shortsword with a +1 brilliant 
  energy shortsword.
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  42
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk short sword +8 (1d6+2/19–20 plus poison)
  Special Attacks death attack (DC 13), sneak attack +4d6
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +5)
  1/day—darkness
  TACTICS
  Before Combat When the cultist knows the PCs are closing on 
  her, she drinks her potion of protection from good, her potion 
  of blur, and a potion of invisibility, preparing to ambush them 
  when they come within striking distance, preferably with 
  her death attack. She has already placed one dose of large 
  scorpion venom on her short sword.
  During Combat The Lissalan assassin combines invisibility 
  and her darkness spell-like ability to gain sneak attacks on 
  her foes, drinking healing potions and applying poison to 
  her sword as needed under the cover of invisibility. When 
  her allies arrive, she flanks enemies to gain sneak attacks 
  once she runs out of magical means of doing so.
  Morale Having never met a foe she couldn’t best and driven 
  by her zeal for Lissala, the Lissalan assassin fights until she 
  is likely too close to death to escape. If reduced to 10 hit 
  points or less, she attempts to flee.
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 8
  Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 20
  Feats Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Toughness, Weapon 
  Finesse
  Skills Acrobatics +12, Bluff +9, Climb +7, Craft (alchemy) +6, 
  Diplomacy +5, Disable Device +9, Disguise +4, Escape Artist 
  +9, Knowledge (local) +8, Knowledge (planes) +3, Perception 
  +8, Sleight of Hand +10, Stealth +14, Survival +1, Swim +7, 
  Use Magic Device +8; Racial Modifiers +2 Bluff, +2 Stealth
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal
  SQ poison use, rogue talents (combat trick, finesse rogue), 
  trapfinding +2
  Combat Gear potion of blur, potion of cure moderate wounds, 
  potions of invisibility (2), potion of protection from good, large 
  scorpion venom (2 doses), tanglefoot bag; Other Gear +1 
  chain shirt, masterwork short sword, cloak of resistance +1, 
  handy haversack, 30 gp
  Subtier 5–6 (CR 9)
  Cultist Adepts (3)  
  CR 4
  hp 40 each (use the cultist adept stats from encounter 4B on 
  page 37)
  Lissalan Assassin 
  CR 7
  Female tiefling rogue 5/assassin 3 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264)
  LE Medium outsider (native)
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge)
  hp 75 (8d8+37)
  Fort +6, Ref +11, Will +2
  Defensive Abilities evasion, improved uncanny dodge, trap 
  sense +1; Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk short sword +10 (1d6+2/19–20 plus poison)
  Special Attacks death attack (DC 15), sneak attack +5d6
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +7)
  1/day—darkness
  TACTICS
  Before Combat When the cultist knows the PCs are closing 
  on her, she drinks her potion of protection from good and her 
  potion of bear’s endurance, and uses one charge from her 
  wand of greater invisibility, preparing to ambush them when 
  they come within striking distance, preferably with her 
  death attack. She has already placed one dose of shadow 
  essence on her short sword.
  During Combat The Lissalan assassin combines greater 
  invisibility and Spring Attack to gain sneak attacks on her 
  foes, healing and applying poison to her sword as needed 
  under the cover of invisibility. When her allies arrive, she 
  flanks her foes to gain sneak attacks once she runs out of 
  magical means of doing so.
  Morale Having never met a foe she couldn’t best and driven 
  by her zeal for Lissala, the Lissalan assassin fights until she 
  is likely too close to death to escape. If reduced to 10 hit 
  points or less, she attempts to flee.
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 18, Con 17, Int 15, Wis 8, Cha 8
  Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 22
  Feats Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Toughness, Weapon 
  Finesse
  Skills Acrobatics +15, Bluff +9, Climb +8, Craft (alchemy) +6, 
  Diplomacy +5, Disable Device +10, Disguise +4, Escape 
  Artist +10, Knowledge (local) +8, Knowledge (planes) +3, 
  Perception +10, Sleight of Hand +10, Spellcraft +5, Stealth 
  +17, Survival +2, Swim +8, Use Magic Device +10; Racial 
  Modifiers +2 Bluff, +2 Stealth
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal
  SQ poison use, rogue talents (fast stealth, finesse rogue), 
  
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  43
  Feats Dodge, Iron Will, Mobility, Skill Focus (Use Magic 
  Device), Spring Attack, Toughness, Weapon Finesse
  Skills Acrobatics +19, Bluff +9, Climb +10, Craft (alchemy) +6, 
  Diplomacy +5, Disable Device +13, Disguise +4, Escape 
  Artist +13, Knowledge (local) +7, Knowledge (planes) +3, 
  Perception +13, Sleight of Hand +13, Spellcraft +6, Stealth 
  +21, Survival +2, Swim +10, Use Magic Device +19; Racial 
  Modifiers +2 Bluff, +2 Stealth
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal
  SQ hidden weapons, poison use, rogue talents (combat trick, 
  fast stealth), trapfinding +2
  Combat Gear potion of protection from good (CL 6th), potion 
  of fly, scroll of bear’s endurance, scroll of bull’s strength, scroll 
  of cure serious wounds, scroll of greater invisibility, scroll of 
  mirror image (CL 9th), scroll of shield (CL 12th), purple worm 
  poison (2 doses); Other Gear +1 mithral shirt, +1 short sword, 
  cloak of resistance +1, belt of incredible dexterity +2, handy 
  haversack, 5 gp
  Subtier 10–11 (CR 14)
  Cultist Masters (2)  
  CR 8
  hp 70 each (use the cultist master stats in encounter 4B on 
  page 38)
  Lissalan Assassin 
  CR 14
  Female tiefling rogue 6/assassin 9 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264)
  LE Medium outsider (native)
  Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +17
  DEFENSE
  AC 27, touch 16, flat-footed 21 (+7 armor, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 
  shield)
  hp 132 (15d8+66)
  Fort +10, Ref +17, Will +8
  Defensive Abilities contingent dimension door, evasion, 
  freedom of movement, trap sense +2; DR 10/adamantine (120 
  hp); Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee +3 short sword +19/+14 (1d6+7/19–20 plus poison)
  Special Attacks death attack (DC 22), quiet death, sneak attack 
  +8d6, swift death 1/day, true death (DC 24)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +14)
  1/day—darkness
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Prior to making her assault on the 
  cathedral, the Lissalan Assassin used her scrolls of bear’s 
  endurance, bull’s strength, and shield, drank her potion of 
  protection from good, and had an ally on the other side 
  of the portal cast freedom of movement and stoneskin on 
  her (both at caster level 12th). She has already applied 
  a dose of deathblade to her short sword. Additionally 
  she paid to have a contingent dimension door placed on 
  trapfinding +2
  Combat Gear potion of bear’s endurance, potion of protection 
  from good, scroll of cure moderate wounds, scroll of fly, wand 
  of greater invisibility (2 charges), shadow essence (2 doses); 
  Other Gear +1 mithral shirt, masterwork short sword, cloak 
  of resistance +1, handy haversack, 25 gp
  Subtier 8–9 (CR 12)
  Culstis Masters (2)  
  CR 8
  hp 70 each (use the cultist master stats from encounter 4B on 
  page 38)
  Lissalan Assassin 
  CR 10
  Female tiefling rogue 5/assassin 6 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264)
  LE Medium outsider (native)
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13
  DEFENSE
  AC 25, touch 16, flat-footed 19 (+5 armor, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 
  shield)
  hp 99 (11d8+49)
  Fort +7, Ref +13, Will +5
  Defensive Abilities evasion, freedom of movement, improved 
  uncanny dodge, trap sense +1; DR 10/adamantine (120 hp); 
  Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee +1 short sword +13/+8 (1d6+5/19–20 plus poison)
  Special Attacks death attack (DC 18), quiet death, sneak attack 
  +6d6, true death (DC 21) 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th; concentration +10)
  1/day—darkness
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Prior to making her assault on the cathedral, 
  the Lissalan Assassin used her scrolls of bear’s endurance, 
  bull’s strength, and shield, drank her potion of protection 
  from good, and had an ally on the other side of the portal 
  cast freedom of movement and stoneskin on her (both at 
  caster level 12th). She has already applied a dose of purple 
  worm poison to her short sword.
  During Combat The cultist assassin uses greater invisibility to 
  sneak attack using spring attack, and if possible, a death 
  attack on the first PC to catch up to her after the chase 
  through the streets. When she has the chance while under 
  the cover of invisibility, she applies her second dose of 
  purple worm poison to her blade.
  Morale Having never met a foe she couldn’t best and driven 
  by her zeal for Lissala, the Lissalan assassin fights until she 
  is likely too close to death to escape. If reduced to 10 hit 
  points or less, she attempts to flee.
  STATISTICS
  Str 18, Dex 20, Con 17, Int 15, Wis 8, Cha 8
  Base Atk +7; CMB +11; CMD 27
  
  SUCCESS SLIP 4D
  As soon as a table defeats the assassin, the Table GM 
  should place the table’s number on the Encounter 
  4D success slip and turn it in to the Overseer GM 
  or designated event volunteer. These will be used to 
  determine the general pace of the House and aid the 
  Overseer GM in maintaining a sense of timing in the 
  final encounter.
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  44
  her, activated by the casting of any spell designed to 
  negate an invisibility effect, upon which the assassin 
  dimension doors away from the effect or possibly next to 
  the effect’s caster.
  During Combat The assassin attempts to use her scroll of 
  power word stun on the first PC to catch her.  She then 
  moves in to coup de grace the PC as the rest of their party 
  catches up. She uses greater invisibility and hide in plain 
  sight to sneak attack using Spring Attack. Should the 
  assassin identify a PC as an arcane caster, she uses her swift 
  death ability to kill the PC.
  Morale Having never met a foe she couldn’t best and driven 
  by her zeal for Lissala, the Lissalan assassin fights until she 
  is likely too close to death to escape. If reduced to 10 hit 
  points or less, she attempts to flee.
  STATISTICS
  Str 18, Dex 20, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 8
  Base Atk +10; CMB +14; CMD 30
  Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Skill 
  Focus (Use Magic Device), Spring Attack, Toughness, 
  Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (short sword)
  Skills Acrobatics +23, Bluff +14, Climb +12, Craft (alchemy) 
  +9, Diplomacy +7, Disable Device +13, Disguise +4, Escape 
  Artist +15, Intimidate +3, Knowledge (local) +11, Knowledge 
  (planes) +4, Perception +17, Sleight of Hand +18, Spellcraft 
  +8, Stealth +25, Survival +4, Swim +12, Use Magic Device 
  +23; Racial Modifiers +2 Bluff, +2 Stealth
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal
  SQ hidden weapons, hide in plain sight, poison use, rogue 
  talents (combat trick, fast stealth, stand up), trapfinding +3
  Combat Gear potion of fly, potion of protection from good (CL 
  6th), scroll of bear’s endurance, scroll of bull’s strength, scroll 
  of dispel magic, scroll of greater invisibility, scroll of mirror 
  image (CL 9th), deathblade (2 doses); Other Gear +3 mithral 
  shirt, +3 short sword, cloak of resistance +2, belt of incredible 
  dexterity +2, handy haversack, 35 gp
  Subtier 12+ (CR 16)
  Cultist Masters (8)  
  CR 8
  hp 70 each (use the cultist master stats in encounter 4B on 
  page 38)
  Lissalan Assassin 
  CR 14
  hp 132 (use the stats from Subtier 10–11)
  Development: If the PCs defeat the cultist assassin, 
  with her dying breath she spits out an ominous and 
  vehement curse:
  “For ten thousand years we have slept, awaiting this day. 
  Think not that you shall take it from us. You and I are merely 
  pawns in a far greater game with a far greater purpose. In 
  the name of the mouthless mistress to whom all fates are 
  known, I damn you and all your descendents! Lissala, take 
  my spirit to pay for my vengeance!”
  The assassin’s curse is very real. As soon as she dies, 
  the PCs have a few quick moments to search her for 
  the Runecarved Key before her curse activates. Allow 
  the PCs 1 minute before running the final encounter, 
  Lissala’s Gates.
  Key Point Rewards
  Table GMs should award points as follows:
  +8 points for retrieving the Runecarved Key.
  +2 points for eliminating the cultist before her 
  reinforcements arrive.
  4E. Lissala’s Gates
  The PCs have little time to inspect the key, for as soon as 
  they recover it, more portals begin opening. The portals 
  connect to various parts of the multiverse and soon 
  powerful and terrifying monstrosities begin spilling 
  forth to attack. 
  Creatures: Waves of dangerous outsiders pour out of 
  the portals. Throughout the encounter, new portals begin 
  forming and expanding at a staggering rate. Whenever the 
  PCs defeat a wave, they have 2 rounds to decide whether to 
  stay and fight, or to flee and “tap out” before a new portal 
  opens releasing the next wave of creatures. If the table 
  decides to stay and fight, the next wave to appear is the 
  encounter for the next highest subtier (unless otherwise 
  noted). If the PCs defeat the second wave of creatures, 
  proceed again to the third wave or next subtier. Waves 
  continue until the Overseer GM runs the conclusion 
  or until a table taps out. At any time during the final 
  onslaught, a table may tap out, though Table GMs should 
  only suggest tapping out as a last resort. Players that tap 
  out are rescued by the Heidmarchs, who arrive at the 
  scene with a small force of Pathfinder reinforcements, 
  and quickly help the PCs put down their attackers. Tables 
  that tap out not only lose out on gaining additional Key 
  Points, but must also wait for the Overseer GM to call 
  final time to conclude the adventure.
  
  SCALING ENCOUNTER 4E
  If the party’s APL is 15 or higher, start with Wave 2, 
  applying the advanced simple template to the wendigo in 
  Wave 3 if they require a third wave.
  SUCCESS SLIP 4E
  As soon as a table completes this mission or if they tap 
  out, the Table GM should place the table’s number on the 
  Encounter 4E success slip and turn it in to the Overseer 
  GM or designated event volunteer. These will be counted 
  to determine when reinforcements arrive to assist all 
  Pathfinder parties, ending the event.
  RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY
  45
  Subtier 1–2 (CR 1)
  Lemure  
  CR 1
  hp 13 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 79)
  Subtier 3–4 (CR 3)
  Lemures (2) 
  CR 1
  hp 13 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 79)
  Subtier 5–6 (CR 5 or CR 7)
  Yeth Hounds (2) 
  CR 3
  hp 30 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 286)
  WAVE 2
  Yeth Hounds (3) 
  CR 3
  hp 30 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 286)
  Subtier 8–9 (CR 8)
  Shadow Mastiffs (3) 
  CR 5
  hp 51 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 241)
  Subtier 10–11 (CR 10)
  Hellcats (3) 
  CR 7
  hp 85 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 153)
  Subtier 12+ (CR 13 or CR 15 or CR 17)
  Advanced Bebiliths (2) 
  CR 11
  hp 174 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 32; 294)
  WAVE 2
  Xacarba 
  CR 15
  hp 210 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 288)
  WAVE 3
  Wendigo 
  CR 17
  hp 279 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 281)
  Key Point Rewards
  Table GMs should award Key Points for encounter 4E as 
  follows:
  +5 points for successfully fending off the first wave of 
  outsiders.
  +10 points for successfully fending off a second wave 
  of outsiders.
  +15 points for successfully fending off a third wave of 
  outsiders.
  +15 points for not using the tap-out option.
  CONCLUSION
  After 50% of the house submits a success slip for 
  encounter 4E (or the overall time of the event nears 
  the length of the event’s time slot—typically 5 hours), 
  the Overseer GM should draw the adventure to a close. 
  Just before giving the final signal, the Overseer GM 
  randomly draws one of the Encounter 4D success slips 
  to determine which table has the real key. Since the 
  assassin split her form, there is no way to know which 
  group followed the real assassin and who has the real 
  key. In actuality, there is no advantage to being the 
  group that recovers the real key and it should in no way 
  effect the group’s overall score, however the Overseer 
  GM should use this drawing to dramatically bring the 
  event to a close.
  After determining who holds the true Runecarved Key, 
  the Overseer GM initiates the closing by announcing 
  to the house that Sheila and Canayven Heidmarch have 
  arrived with a troop of reinforcements.
  A fanfare of trumpets blasts loudly, breaking through the 
  roar of the combat and ringing of clashing blades. Leading 
  a mounted battalion of armored warriors, Sheila Heidmarch 
  and her husband charge through the streets, driving through 
  the waves of summoned fiends and forcing them to retreat 
  back through their gates to the netherworlds from which 
  they were called. In a matter of minutes, their assault is 
  complete and the streets fall quiet.
  At this point, the Overseer GM walks to the winning 
  table, places the prop key in the victor’s hand and holds it 
  high for all to see, then issues the following conclusion in 
  character as Sheila Heidmarch:
  
  PATHFINDER SOCIETY SPECIAL
  46
  “Today, every one of you has contributed to a triumphant victory 
  for our Society, and you have cemented our place in Magnimar.
  “I’m deeply honored that you have granted me your services. 
  While my lodge is small, you have made it feel like a kingdom. 
  Yet our victory today is somewhat bittersweet. It seems dark 
  forces have surfaced in Varisia—forces which, before today, I 
  was unaware of. I’m sorry to have thrown you headlong into 
  the middle of such chaos. I have already sent word to the 
  Decemvirate of today’s events and await their response. When I 
  know more, I shall contact you, for I fear this key has somehow 
  placed all of us in danger. Still, we should go forth, for now is 
  the time to celebrate!”
  As the room celebrates their victory, Table GMs should 
  calculate their tables’ final Key Point totals and place the table 
  number, the table’s APL (and their subtier if they played up or 
  down at APL 7), and the name and Pathfinder Society Number 
  of all players at the table, and total number of points at the 
  top of the Key Point Tracker on page 47; turn this page in to 
  the event coordinator. These scores will be used to determine 
  which tables were the overall winners of the event within 
  their respective subtiers. If the event is being offered at Gen 
  Con or another venue offering a second round, the winning 
  tables will advance to this exclusive followup. Otherwise, 
  the winning table(s) in each subtier will receive a special 
  Chronicle sheet. These Chronicle sheets will be distributed 
  by the Overseer GM after the event or at the conclusion of the 
  second round at venues where it is being offered.
  Pathfinder Society Special:  
  Race for the Runecarved Key
  Osirion
  Taldor
  Event
  GM #
  GM Character #
  GM Prestige Earned
  GM Name
  Date
  Grand Lodge
  Cheliax
  Lantern Lodge
  Andoran
  Shadow Lodge
  Sczarni
  Silver Crusade
  Qadira
  Character #
  Prestige Points
  Character Name
  Grand Lodge
  Cheliax
  Lantern Lodge
  Osirion
  Andoran
  Shadow Lodge
  Sczarni
  Silver Crusade
  Taldor
  Qadira
  Character #
  Prestige Points
  Character Name
  Grand Lodge
  Cheliax
  Lantern Lodge
  Osirion
  Andoran
  Shadow Lodge
  Sczarni
  Silver Crusade
  Taldor
  Qadira
  Character #
  Prestige Points
  Character Name
  Grand Lodge
  Cheliax
  Lantern Lodge
  Osirion
  Andoran
  Shadow Lodge
  Sczarni
  Silver Crusade
  Taldor
  Qadira
  Character #
  Prestige Points
  Character Name
  Grand Lodge
  Cheliax
  Lantern Lodge
  Osirion
  Andoran
  Shadow Lodge
  Sczarni
  Silver Crusade
  Taldor
  Qadira
  Character #
  Prestige Points
  Character Name
  Grand Lodge
  Cheliax
  Lantern Lodge
  Osirion
  Andoran
  Shadow Lodge
  Sczarni
  Silver Crusade
  Taldor
  Qadira
  Character #
  Prestige Points
  Character Name
  Grand Lodge
  Cheliax
  Lantern Lodge
  Osirion
  Andoran
  Shadow Lodge
  Sczarni
  Silver Crusade
  Taldor
  Qadira
  
  KEY POINT TRACKER
  Table GMs should use this sheet to track their tables’ Key 
  Point scores throughout the event.
  FINAL SCORE
  APL
  TABLE #
  3B. THE DEBTOR [7 POINTS]
  Task 
   Points Earned
  +1 point for entering the room without 
  setting off a trap. 
  +1 point for fighting defensively and not 
  dealing any lethal (hp) damage to Rinks.
  +2 points for avoiding any physical 
  altercation with Rinks that results in 
  injury to either party. 
  +1 point for convincing Rinks to drop out 
  of the auction or inform Minvandu of 
  the rogue’s whereabouts.* 
  +2 points for convincing Rinks to drop 
  out and loan his auction funds to the 
  Pathfinder Society.* 
  +3 for convincing Rinks that the PCs are 
  Minvandu’s thugs and getting him 
  to hand over his auction funds as 
  repayment of his outstanding debt.* 
  *Each party may only receive one reward thus marked.
  Total Points: 3B 
  3C. THE SCANDAL [7 POINTS]
  Task 
   Points Earned
  +1 
  point 
  for 
  successfully 
  forging 
  evidence.  
  +1 point for hiring the scoundrel to plant 
  false evidence. 
  +2 points for recovering Toth’s erotic poems 
  from the lady’s bedchambers. 
  +1 point for entering and leaving the 
  bedchambers without alerting the 
  guard. 
  +2 points for blackmailing Lady Kaddren, 
  convincing her to pull out of the 
  auction. 
  Total Points: 3C 
  Act One: Pre-Auction Gala [14 points]
  Task 
   Points Earned
  +1 point for each name gleaned from the 
  cathedral ledger [max 7]. 
  +1 point for each competitor identified 
  [max 7]. 
  Total Points: Act One 
  Act Two: Aspis Gold [11 points]
  Task 
   Points Earned
  +2 points for not triggering the alarm 
  during their approach to the chest. 
  +2 points for recovering the Aspis 
  Consortium’s gold bars. 
  +2 points if the PCs are not recognized as 
  Pathfinders. 
  +2 points for not killing any of the Varisian 
  wagon drivers. 
  +3 points for capturing the magical beast 
  and selling it in Magnimar to Jorston 
  Droaeb. 
  Total Points: Act Two 
  Act Three: Narrowing the Field  
  [50 points]
  3A. THE CURSE [6 POINTS]
  Task 
   Points Earned
  +1 point for each Will save Falrig fails 
  against a PC’s fear or illusion effect 
  [max 2]. 
  +1 point for each successful use of a social 
  skill against Falrig [max 2]. 
  +2 points if Falrig never fails a Will save 
  and no PC fails a single skill check 
  against him. 
  Total Points: 3A 
  Team Name
  Player 
  PFS #
  Player 
  PFS #
  Player 
  PFS #
  Player 
  PFS #
  Player 
  PFS #
  Player 
  PFS #
  
  3D. UNDERBRIDGE EXPORTS [7 POINTS]
  Task 
  Points Earned
  +1 point for getting Vaor to surrender. 
  +2 points if no PC is afflicted with the 
  curse of lycanthropy. 
  +4 points for recovering the note in Vaor’s 
  office. 
  Total Points: 3D 
  3E. THE GOOD DOCTOR [5 POINTS]
  Task 
  Points Earned
  +1 point for spotting and identifying 
  Makorios’s tattoos. 
  +1 point for identifying Makorios as a 
  Hellknight. 
  +3 points for getting the Makorios to 
  admit her Hellknight affiliation to 
  Doctor Landis. 
  Total Points: 3E
  3F. GLOW OF THE RUSHLIGHTS [5 POINTS]
  Task 
   Points Earned
  +1 point for gaining access to Landers’s 
  home. 
  +1 point for getting Landers to admit he 
  has guests. 
  +2 points for determining the Duchesses’s 
  maximum possible bid (5,000 gp). 
  +1 point if the PCs don’t take the coins as 
  instructed. 
  Total Points: 3F  
  3G. DEAD WOMAN’S DEBTS [6 POINTS]
  Task 
   Points Earned
  +2 points for putting Darga Cranstone’s 
  soul to rest by destroying her. 
  +1 
  point 
  for 
  finding 
  the 
  lesser 
  treasure. 
  +2 points for finding the greater treasure.
  +1 point for opening a trapped chest 
  without triggering it. 
  Total Points: 3G 
  3H. HYDRA BAIT [7 POINTS]
  Task 
   Points Earned
  +1 point for staying in the arena for at least 
  6 rounds. 
  +1 point for each additional round the 
  PCs stay in the arena past round 6 
  [max +3]. 
  +1 point for each hydra head the PCs lop 
  off and deliberately allow to grow back 
  double [max +3]. 
  Total Points: 3H
  Half Time Score [max 75]:  
  Act Four: The Auction [75 points]
  4B. PARTY CRASHERS[10 POINTS]
  Task 
  Points Earned
  +1 point if the entire party exits the 
  Cathedral of Abadar in 4 rounds or 
  less.* 
  +2 points if the entire party exits the 
  Cathedral of Abadar in 3 rounds or 
  less.* 
  +3 points if the entire party exits the 
  Cathedral of Abadar in 2 rounds or 
  less.* 
  +4 points for killing all the Lissalan cultists 
  before going after the assassin. 
  *These points are cumulative.
  Total Points: 4B 
  4C. CATCH THE THIEF [10 POINTS]
  Task 
  Points Earned
  +1 points if anyone in the party catches up 
  to the assassin in 5 rounds or less.* 
  +2 points if anyone in the party catches up 
  to the assassin in 4 rounds or less.* 
  +3 points if anyone in the party catches up 
  to the assassin in 3 rounds or less.* 
  +4 points if anyone in the party catches up 
  to the assassin in 2 rounds or less.* 
  *These points are cumulative.
  Total Points: 4C 
  KEY POINT TRACKER
  Team Name
  Table #
  
  4D. THE ASSASSIN [10 POINTS]
  Task 
  Points Earned
  +8 points for retrieving the Runecarved 
  Key. 
  +2 points for eliminating the cultist before 
  her reinforcements arrive. 
  Total Points: 4D 
  KEY POINT TRACKER
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0a © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  System Reference Document © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors: 
  Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary 
  Gygax and Dave Arneson.
  Aurumvorax from the Tome of Horrors Complete © 2011, Necromancer 
  Games, Inc., published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott 
  Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax.
  Pathfinder Society Special: Race for the Runecarved Key © 2012, Paizo 
  Publishing, LLC; Authors: Kyle Baird and Tim Hitchcock.
  4E. LISSALA’S GATES [45 POINTS]
  Task 
  Points Earned
  +5 points for successfully fending off the 
  first wave of outsiders. 
  +10 points for successfully fending off a 
  second wave of outsiders. 
  +15 points for successfully fending off a 
  third wave of outsiders. 
  +15 points for not using the tap-out 
  option. 
  Total Points: 4E 
  Final Score [max 150]: 
  Team Name
  Table #
  
  SUCCESS SLIPS
  Encounter 2A: Aspis Gold
  Table # 
  Encounter 3F: Glow of the Rushlights
  Table # 
  Encounter 3A: The Curse
  Table # 
  Encounter 3G: Dead Woman’s Debts
  Table # 
  Encounter 3B: The Debtor
  Table # 
  Encounter 3H: Hydra Bait
  Table # 
  Encounter 3C: The Scandal
  Table # 
  The Auction
  Table #
  Auction Notes 
  Encounter 3D: Underbridge Exports
  Table # 
  Encounter 4D: The Assassin
  Table # 
  Encounter 3E: The Good Doctor
  Table # 
  Encounter 4E: Lissala’s Gates
  Table # 
  
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  NPC Codex
  NPC Codex
  NPC Codex
  
  Pathfinder Society Special 
  Race for the  
  Runecarved Key
   
  Player Name  
  A.K.A.
   
  Character Name 
  Pathfinder Society # 
  Faction
   
  EVENT  
  EVENT CODE  
  DATE 
  Game Master’s Signature 
  GM Pathfinder Society #
  Total
  GOLD
  Items Bought
  Items Sold
  Prestige Spent
  Final Fame
  Initial Fame
  Current Prestige
  Initial Prestige
  Final XP Total
  FAME
  EXPERIENCE
  GP Gained (GM ONLY)
  Day Job (GM ONLY)
  Prestige Gained (GM ONLY)
  XP Gained (GM ONLY)
  Start GP
  Starting XP
  Subtotal
  TOTAL VALUE OF ITEMS SOLD
  Add 1/2 this value to the “Items Sold” Box
  TOTAL COST OF ITEMS BOUGHT
  Items Found During This Scenario
  For GM Only
  +
  +
  +
  +
  +
  =
  –
  –
  =
  This Chronicle Certifies That
  GM’s
  Initial
  GM’s
  Initial
  GM’s
  Initial
  GM’s
  Initial
  Has Completed This Scenario.
  –
  Items Sold / Conditions Gained
  Items Bought / Conditions Cleared
  Scenario Chronicle #
  MAX GOLD
  SUBTIER
  SUBTIER
  SUBTIER
  SUBTIER
  SUBTIER
  SUBTIER
  Normal
  Slow
  SUBTIER
  1–2
  3–4
  5–6
  8–9
  10–11
  12+
  250
  625
  1,250
  2,667
  3,833
  7,500
  500
  1,250
  2,500
  5,334
  7,667
  15,000
  Magnimarian Debt: The many wealthy and influential attendees of the 
  auction for the Runecarved Key, among them some who actively bid against 
  the Pathfinder Society for the ancient relic, owe you a debt of gratitude 
  for dealing with the assault on the Temple of Abadar. In thanks for saving 
  their lives from the rampaging cultists, the citizens of Magnimar can be 
  called upon in the future to assist you when your life needs saving—or 
  restoring. When you would pay for the casting of a raise dead, resurrection, 
  or true resurrection, you may call upon this favor and reduce the price of the 
  spellcasting service by half. This discount applies to spellcasting services 
  paid for with either coins or Prestige Points. Once you have used this boon, 
  cross it off the Chronicle sheet.
  Formidable Renoun: Word of your defeat of the cultists of Lissala and your 
  tenacity in the face of the relentless onslaught of summoned outsiders 
  has quickly spread through the ranks of the secretive cult. When facing a 
  worshiper of Lissala, you gain a +2 bonus on Intimdate checks to demoralize 
  them, and can make one such attempt per encounter as a move action instead 
  of a standard action. 
  ALL
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pathfinder/1st Edition/Society/Season 4/S04 Special - Race for the Runecarved Key.pdf