ep 17 RSS 11/1/4712 Scent of Lavender

XP
Win over remaining Gray Maidens in Barracks (4): 900
Recover Perfumes of Sorshen from trapped Perfumery (CR 7): 2900
Shrine of Nocticula - Defeat Shadow Mastiffs CR 5 (3): 1800x3 = 5400
Teleport Chamber - Defeat 4 Lust Sinspawn CR 2 (4): 450x4=1800
Total: 11000/8 (counting NPC Gray Maidens as one share)  = 1375

Exploration Bonus: 100 (Perfumery) 100 (Hidden Shrine) 100 (New Level) = +300 each.

Total: 1675 each.

Session account bonus xp: 300 to Keelan, 150 to other party members.

Lust Sinspawn garments equivalent to Studded Leather (Light Armour AC 12+DEX) on appropriate wearer.   Each had a guisarme.

Keelan's Account - by Joe.

Part 1:

Keelan's mental journal. Day... Errr... I have no idea. It feels like we've been underground for a good few days but without daily sun rises and sunsets I've lost track. We rest when we can and mostly we can't, everything is trying to kill us and I've died once already... Best not to dwell on that just yet.

After getting some much needed rest following the intense struggle – in which I ended up unconscious (again) - with another Sorshen impersonator (and let's face it, I'm the most qualified for that now) I feel a bit more at ease. A few of the spells I'd been working on are finally feeling like I could pull them off on demand and I'm feeling pretty good all in all. We gather our now considerable Grey Maiden forces and decided it's time to head further in and see what wants to kill us today. We've got Gert and Ralin who seem to be largely in charge (if I'd wanted to be fully versed in military ranks I'd have joined an army). There's one called Ara who seems to be making herself known and then there's Helanda and... You know what, I can't remember their names, hopefully it won't be important. I'm not even sure what name I should use really...

We set back off over the infested waters again but only have enough boats for nine of our twelve, excluding my roguish faerie dragon friend Trix who seems to be less fazed by my death than me. I remember that I must start teaching her the common tongue at some point. We leave two of the Grey Maidens behind with Geddout. I'm not sure they realise they drew the short straw but, quite frankly, he's stopped starring at me as much lately which is fine. Sephiria mentions a puzzle about a boat, some corn, a chicken, and a fox in that way she does when seemingly oblivious to the fact she has more smarts than most folks. I'd have just said we'll send boats back and left it at that. I then wonder if I only understand the puzzle because of the headband I've had for over a year now and whether I'd just be confused like the Maidens without it. Best not to dwell on that either...

Amazingly the passage across the water was this time incident free, perhaps our luck is changing. We beach the boats next to two more and Ara goes into what we believe is some sort of outpost for the Maidens near a teleportation pad like we'd used yesterday. Once again we explain the situation and they seem satisfied enough to join with our mission goals. We have of course failed to mention the Shard in those mission goals but why potentially complicate matters, these ladies have clearly had a bad run of it under their previous commanders and we're being truthful. Mostly. I of course fail to mention I was robbing Sorshen when I awoke in her body. The thought does cross my mind, as I'm sure it does the others, that we're slowly accumulating a force we could not expect to defeat if they turned back against us. I hope it does not come to that.

While we peer around a cooking room I notice Quillax eyeing up a tiny vent for the fire smoke and then visually measuring up Trix. No chance I'm letting that happen. Thankfully we are suddenly distracted by the discovery of a fine lavender smelling bath. I have to admit I'm not exactly feeling fresh but the women go first and I'm not allowed in. I'm sure as hells not going with the men if Geddout plans to... I start to realise there's probably some serious life choices to be made when I get back. Still they do show me how they apply perfume. That's something I guess? I'll not dwell on it right now...

Part 2:

After a brief chat with the Maidens (I wonder if they'd prefer the nickname Greys instead) they explain the local layout: A room with an iffy door that leads to a pit trap, a teleportation pad that leads to some sort of 'death by perfume' room (I am dubious about the use of the word 'perfume'), and a teleportation pad that leads us further on. Even the Maidens don't seem to go through here much. Still there's only really one choice. Before that decision can be made, or at least expressed, Eagle-Eyes Neril, that's what I call him, well as of just now, in my head, spots a secret door. I swear I'd just noticed something odd too but it's good to see he's always got his wits about him, it's certainly served us well so far.

He leads the investigation and stumbles upon another secret door (like I say, served us well so far) and your basic regular door. We gather in the secret room for a quick nose around. This is essentially how we earn our pay after all. There's an alter at one end of the room with a bloodied cup and dagger which, inevitably, draws Anastasia's attention. I've never quite figured her out, I'm not sure any of us have. She seems pretty deep in this occult stuff but I'm never actually convinced she quite knows what she's doing a lot of the time. Still her tale is quite tragic, like the Maidens but worse, and I'm not sure what we can really do to help. Or even if she really wants any help. Still she seems more with it today than yesterday and that's something. Maybe she'll know something about what's been happening here. She cuts her wrist to get a small amount of blood into the cup. Things get weird. Oh for [expletive deleted]'s sake, three semi corporeal / mist hounds congeal out of the ether around me. ALWAYS AROUND ME! They don't look pleased. What was I just saying about Anastasia not knowing what she was doing...

A significant skirmish ensures during which our Tiefling gets knocked out twice but is brought back both times by Quillax, and I manage to pull one of the Maidens back from a potentially sticky (fatal) patch. Sephiria drops a fireball amongst a few other spells we fling around but these beasts are made of tough stuff, well tough mist; nothing seems to cause them significant hurt but we manage to grind them down until Geddout and Ara arrive and dispatch the final one with some old fashioned pointy metal and elbow grease. Amazingly I manage to not take a scratch and feel smug enough with myself to look past Anastasia's unintentional summoning ritual. At least I presume it was unintentional and she didn't quite know what she was doing... Best not to dwell on it.

We examine the room and I clamber up a wall carving after seeing through the illusion covering it - with the help of my pendant alerting me to the magic – and take a rubbing of some ancient Thassilonion text for the others to decipher. Neril seemed hesitant climb up. I wonder if my reckless nature makes the others as weary of me as I was with Anastasia. There's probably a lesson here but then heeding it would probably not be a great deal of fun. More importantly it turns out that this was some sort of secret worship room used by Sorshen, the real one, for some nefarious purpose to do with those bound to the Lady's Light. It also looks as though the names on the carving have been changed magically over the years and currently implicates Anastasia's half sister. Also it states that speaking the name of the creator of this artwork will lead to something happening. Before we can fathom whether this would even be a good idea we realise we have no idea who it could be anyway. I take a sly look on the artwork for a signature or some kind. Nothing. “I guess they weren't that proud of this piece then,” I chuckle to myself. We grab the loot and move on.

Part 3:

From the Maidens' description half the group feel that the regular (not secret) door leads to the perfumery of death, I'm not convinced. Nevertheless we decided to go in. I say 'we', after seeing Gedout urinate on a cloth and place it over half his face 'to stop the bad smells' I decide to take a back seat for this investigation. A few of the others go in too but just use some more mundane liquid to dampen their rudimentary masks. Needless to say after a minute or two a slight cracking of glass is heard followed by a hasty retreat by the three. There seems to be some noxious fumes traipsing from the Bag of Holding Gedout is carrying. He'd better not have damaged it, that cost us a small fortune! It turns out a number of the vials contain a toxic concoction and were essentially rigged to smash when meddled with which occurred just after we'd got them in the Bag... I guess our luck isn't changing after all. Neril takes the bag near the vent Quillax had earlier eyed up and opens the Bag to release the remaining fumes away safely. While Neril carries out this task I keep an eye on him from a safe distance in case things go south, like our plans often seem to. Shortly it occurs to me we have no idea who or what we may have gassed. Still it seems unlikely there was much in this place that probably didn't deserve it. Best not to overthink it...

With the Bag poison free, Quillax manages to clean out the rest of the glass fragments while Sephiria investigates the non-lethal potions. Looks like they're some sort of rich perfume and worth a pretty penny, that's more her world than mine so I trust her judgement. Apparently there's still some more left in the room too. At this point I remember I have my trusty alchemist's kit I've been meaning to use and there's still a few vials of unbroken poison... It'd be a shame to let it go to waste...

A few of us enter into the room, including myself this time, in our makeshift damp rag masks (I USE WATER!). Sephiria and Quillax identify the mysterious goo hanging in a large orb above us as being bad. Very bad. It seems secure to me so we send Gedout out of the room for reasons of self preservation and with a little help I manage to transfer a few fragile vials of poison into some more secure vials and pocket them. I must remember to use them, I've still got a few fire bombs lying around somewhere. We also clean out the rest of the perfume flasks.

So far today I've not taken scratch so it's going well. I mean a few of the others have seen some hair raising moments but we're all still in one piece so onwards and upwards. The Maidens explain how this teleporter works and about the Sinspawn guards on the other side. Wait. What? There's a couple of us who don't have the fondest memories of Sinspawn. We spend some time coming up with a plan and once again if I'm not fighting someone pretending to be Sorshen, I'm trying to pacify someone by pretending to be Sorshen. I'll simply go through an explain that the Maidens are coming with some prisoners captured with Anastasia's help. I saw a similar ruse in a play as a child called Wars in the Stars. What could possibly go wrong. As I step through the teleporter I realise I should probably command rather than explain to these creatures... No time to dwell on it!

Yup. Four hideous creatures await on the other side. Keep it cool, I got this. “Stand down!” I command. Then proceed to explain why. Was that too much? Gods be damned, I wasn't going to 'explain' anything, like five seconds ago I'd agreed that with myself... They fall to a knee and bow their heads. Boom, who's the man! Wait, woman! Whatever. I start leading the group through the room. Suddenly it occurs to me we never agreed when to attack, now seems the opportune moment, most of us are here. I'm going to drop one of these creatures with one of the new spells I've been learning, that should get things rolling. 5. 4. 3... I hear the sound of metal swinging and a thud. Gedout has eviscerated one of them... I mean, I guess we could do it that way. Note to self, no plan is ever thorough enough.

A short fight ensues, they're certainly not as tough as those hounds thankfully. However, Gedout takes a bite from one and instantly turns to attack Anastasia. At least I think he's attacking. Wait he's just pinned her and. Oh. I see. I explode the final Sinspawn causing the effect to drop (in a somewhat underwhelming way, I'll save that new spell to show off another time, I'm sure there'll be one – soon). Thankfully Gedout didn't manage to get past the pinning down of poor Anastasia but she repays his actions in kind with a swift knee to his nether regions. I chuckle to myself, wonder if anyone else saw the funny side of the situation and cast my eye to some of the armour left by the slain creatures, it looks like it might fit my new body a little more than my current set.

“Well, you know what?” I think to myself. “Our plan worked!” I dwell on that for a few minutes with a faint grin on my face as we deicide our next steps...
___________________

To Zimandi, Baroness Kaddren, from her sister, Sephiria. 
Greetings honoured sister. I trust all is well with you and that you are finding Magnimar’s delightful ruling Council as stimulating as ever…
For my part I must thank you for your recommendation to join Sheila Heidmarch’s little group. Despite knowing it was a ploy of yours to get me away from certain people (who I was apparently offending?), it has been quite an interesting experience thus far. 
My new companions are rather unusual people, but none the worse for that. There is Quillax, a druid with a passable tactical bent who delights in transforming into bears, sharks and such like; a formidable barbarian warrior – Gedout - whose approach almost redefines recklessness; Anastatsia, a tiefling of dubious morality (and, I think, equally dubious sanity) with a fondness for the grotesque; a monk – Neril - whose bare hand attacks can damage creatures of shadow; and a bard who is presently inhabiting a body once belonging to Runelord Sorshen – but more on that later.
By the way, did you know how unpleasant it is to wade through swamps? The sea captain that Mistress Heidmarch hired for our journey delivered us as planned to the Lady’s Cape, but we still had to traverse part of the Mushfens and then talk to an extraordinarily eccentric half-orc hermit – whose cooking is worse than yours, dear sister – as well as try to negotiate the politics of warring tribes of bullywugs and troglodytes. As has been pointed out (repeatedly), diplomacy is not my strong suit.
We ended up allying with the troglodytes – they use a bastardised form of Draconic that is very unpleasant on the ear, and they seem to have decided that noun declensions are a forgotten mystery that should remain consigned to history. The bullywugs are rather worse, even if one of them possessed an interesting bow with the apparent, if somewhat messy, ability to explode troglodytes.
There are also in the area a group of the Grey Maidens, late of Korvosa, who are attempting to ally with the Runelord Sorshen. We have since met several of them and I’ve offered them a job if we get out of this, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
It’s at this point that the situation really started getting interesting. On entering the Lady’s Light, the bard Keelan decided – against my advice – to interfere with a sarcophagus containing the uncorrupted body of Runelord Sorshen: almost certainly a clone prepared long ago for emergency use. Needless to say, powerful magic warded it, but even a Runelord’s plans sometimes do not survive the millennia: the trap spell obliterated Keelan’s body as it was surely intended to do, but then the clone drew his discorporated spirit into it and Keelan awoke in the body of an Azlanti Runelord.
It is slightly unnerving but rather useful to be travelling through the lady’s light escorted by “Sorshen” as it seems there is already a Sorshen pretender here – a relation of Anastasia’s, it seems. A number of demons had been bound here to serve Sorshen, but it would appear that most have escaped. Most of the remaining inhabitants seems to be less than sane, and frequently quite deluded. Of particular note in that respect has been a Cave Giant – there’s rather a good picture of one in the copy of Kelthun’s Miscellany that I brought back from the Arcanamirium – that was also convinced she was Sorshen. It would have been funny if she hadn’t been so dangerous.
Back to the subject of the Grey Maidens: they appear to have been duped by this Sorshen pretender but they do seem to be quite effective warriors and I’d much rather have them with us as opposed to having a cadre of well-trained mercenaries wandering around Varisia looking to foment revolution – hence the job offer. And I’ve also picked up a few books to add to the library.
We’re presently ascending the tower of the Lady’s Light, so we expect to meet the next fake Sorshen soon. To have survived so long bound in this tower I imagine she’s likely to be quite formidable, though like its other long time inhabitants, I wouldn’t want to make any claim as to her state of mind… 

ep 16 RSS 10-11/1/4712 The Hag & Mochtau-Sorshen

Mochtau

Daefu

Quillax persuades the 2 Gray Maidens (stocky L.Cpl. Gert & slim Pvt Ralin, who Gedout has a crush on) to join the PCs despite their own Sorshen being false too. Ghoul attack on the lake. Pass cave morays underwater and reach Sea Hag caves, kill the hag Daefu & her gremlins, rescue another Gray Maiden (Helanda Mertien).
Returning by boat they encounter the Cave Giant Mochtau (who thinks she's Sorshen), Quillax summons earth elemental to rip the bloody doors off... Mochtau defeated, group fetch remaining 3 grey maidens from below and rest overnight in her lair.

PC Group (all level 5):
Quillax (Druid), Keelan-Sorshen (Bard) 5>6, Neril (Monk), Gedout (Barbarian), Sephiria Kaddren (Wizard). Anastasia in Psychic Commune with her sister.
NPC Gray Maidens Gert Ralin & Helanda.

Quillax's Account - By Keelia.

Part 1
---
We have decided to come clean with the Grey Maidens. I feel for them - their lives have not been easy and Anastasia's half-sister cannot be an easy mistress, but that doesn't make me or my party stupid. Should they feel so betrayed as to attack us, we stand a better chance taking two of them down now rather than if they turn on us later when more of their sisters are standing against us.
It seems that our desire to not kill them has helped sway the armoured Maidens to our side, despite Keelan not being Sorshen. I am not the only one that pities these poor women. Sephiria has kindly offered her family's employ to the Grey Maidens that take our side, provided she lives, of course. Though, I fear I may need to let Anastasia have a word with our Barbarian, as his ardour for the Grey Maidens is not best timed.
Speaking of our daemonic companion, Anastasia looks unwell to me and has been in a trance most of the day. She can be easily led and will sometimes speak, but she drifts primarily in her own mind, sometimes murmuring softly in a language I cannot understand. Most unsettling is her soft giggles, though from what I know of trances, I am glad her dream state makes her laugh and not cry. We can only hope she can rouse herself if we find ourselves in a dangerous situation.
The Grey Maidens have revealed more of the trauma they suffer here. Anyone that does not fanatically believe that Anastastia's half-sister is the Rune Lady is given to a Sea Hag to be tortured and killed. One of their number may yet still be alive. It is in our best interest to try to rescue her - another loyal Grey Maiden will help persuade their sisters not to fight us - and I find all this talk of torture to bring up things I prefer not to think about.
I put forth my plan and the party agrees, including the Grey Maidens. We clamber into the boats and row along. Lichen lights our path, a familiar thing to me that brings a touch of homesickness, but we have more important matters afoot. We have been warned that things lurk in the water and we must be vigilant.
Neril raises the warning from the rear boat, giving us time to draw our weapons against a large number of water ghouls. I hate the undead - their rotten stink cloys my senses, but we are well armed. I can hear fighting in the boats behind but my attention is on my own two enemies. The Grey Maidens are too heavily armored to swim and it shows in the tentative sweeps from the one in my boat. I can hear struggles from behind and a few victorious shouts, so they are holding their own. I leap into the water as a crocodile, taking heavy damage as I pick an enemy and close my jaws around it.
I can hear and see little until my enemy is dead and I clamber back into the boat. A quick head count reveals my friends are all standing, or in Sephiria's case, flying, and our two Maidens are accounted for. No one seems badly injured; Gedout and Neril had successfully defended their boat as well as the middle boat, and the Grey Maidens overcame their fear of tipping the boats to bisect at least one enemy so we proceed forward.
Sephiria's startled sound brings my attention upward and I can just make out the whisper of wings. Bats loom out of the darkness, guardian beasts belonging to Sorshen, or perhaps the false one, as once Sephiria displays the symbol on her cloak, the one most of us have repainted on our skin, the bats seem less bothered by us. They ignore us completely once Sephiria moves closer to the boat.

Some odd sounds tickle at my ear, reminding me of Spring in the forests but with less pheromones. It is annoying but not encompassing and quickly blocked by Sephiria passing around the wax that defends against mind magics. The Maidens seem uncomfortable, but not likely to strip off their armor, of which we can only be glad. We spot dark shadows deep under the water. Moray eels from the look of them; they can be dangerous but in the boats we look like a larger eel as long as we stick close together, so as hoped, they disappear into the depths.
We beach the boats on a small bit of land, and the Grey Maidens narrow our search for the Sea Hag down to two tunnels. I peer around and spot some tracks which strongly indicate the right-hand tunnel. We prepare ourselves with Neril casting a Pass Without A Trace spell, allowing us to creep up. We leave the Grey Maidens and their heavy armour behind to guard Anastasia. The tunnel does not go too deeply and we soon spot the Sea Hag and an unfortunate woman we can assume is our missing Maiden. There are other small beasts who tracks I spotted.
With soft whispers and hand motions, we make a plan. I provide the ability to walk on water, whilst Keelan aims to put our enemies to sleep. Gedout and Neril move swiftly to take on our enemies as the Sea Hag looks set to kill the poor woman. Some strange malady takes over Neril after he does some damage and he retreats past us, face pale. He recovers himself after some distance but I must keep focused to not hurt the unconscious woman with my fire.
We win the battle, beating down the little beasts, and rousing the woman. We clothe her and Gedout carries her across the water back to her sisters, whom Neril has fetched. We search the Sea Hag and find some things of interest. After ensuring the rescued woman is in safe hands, we explore the rest of the area, looking for a place to rest and ensuring there are no further enemies. Further hostages are unlikely to be found alive.

Part 2
-----
We find a net filled with interesting things under the water in one room, including two elemental gems, which Gedout and Neril swam down to fetch. The other direction, we encounter another pair of the little beasts, which we give chase to and kill. In total, we have found five dead women. Two were recently dead and easily returned to their sisters, who move to bury them on the beach. The other three have been there far longer and it takes us some careful work to bring them back to be buried. They all bear marks of torture.
I want away from this dreadful place and not just because there is no safe place to sleep. The Grey Maidens also wish to return to their sisters who will undoubtedly be worried. The women discuss the odd situation where patrols have been getting ever rarer and their lack of energy to protest against their sisters being thrown to the hags. Sephiria suggests it may be a lassitude-type spell, something actively making them uncaring.
We climb back into the boats and with another Pass without a Trace from Neril, we glide along silently. It is purely bad luck that the giantess the Maidens warned us about decides to step out of her cave as we are passing.
Perhaps ill advisedly, we taunt Mochtau's belief that she is Sorshen. I am getting heartily annoyed with the number of beings who believe they are the Rune Lady and I believe the rest of my companions feel the same.
We regret it swiftly as we find ourselves laid low quicker than expected. Keelan is struck by a boulder and Gedout fetches her and brings her to be healed while the giantess threatens to fetch more weapons. One Grey Maiden is struck down by the door she had been asked to guard upon Mochtau's return. Neril goes to rescue the Maiden with a potion but he gets struck whilst he defends her and is also knocked out.
We engage with magic or blade, Gedout charges forward. I choose a bear form, hoping the weight and size of this body will act as coverage for my allies, but I also grab an elemental gem from my bag. Sephiria spots me and recommends the earth gem. I head into the fray and the earth elemental is soon summoned and acts as coverage for those struggling to get up. Sephiria blasts Mochtau with her wand, overcharging it to do amazing damage, and the giantess retreats behind magic'd doors.
I am enraged now, and am not prepared to let this fight drop. I order my elemental to beat down the doors and cast Dispel Magic in the hopes to unlock the doors. It does end up making things worse as I inadvertently turned off the door-opening mechanism, which was not the plan. Still, the hunt is in my blood as it is in my companions'. We get our party to their feet and tend to our injuries while the elemental beats at the door. Eventually it crumples and we face the giantess again.
In the short time, she also tended her injuries and her rage at being mocked, no pun intended, gives her strength. We are forced to our limits to take her down, but we emerge victorious in the end. With the blood lust sated, we move around tending injuries and searching for treasure, of which we find some. Unfortunately, the treasure chests are outnumbered by the chest of rotten meat by a great number. Neril volunteers for the disgusting task of checking those chests for treasure, only to come up empty handed.
We limp back and collect our three other Grey Maidens and return to the Giantess' hold as it is easily defended, even with the broken doors.
We gather together for a rest, well deserved and desperately needed, and with Sephiria placing guard spells and our little troop of Grey Maidens taking turns guarding the door. After we rest, we will proceed with our plans.

ep 15 RSS 9-10/1/4712 - Gray Oozes, Gray Maidens

Group explore the hidden laboratories of Sorshen, discovering powerful magics and accidentally releasing a pair of oozes who give them a tough fight. The group settle to rest; Anastasia seduces Gedout.

The next morning as the group are waking, they hear a Gray Maiden patrol. Gedout kills the leader, three are captured and made to swear allegiance to 'Sorshen' - Keelan. Two more Gray Maidens appear, but are captured before they can escape to warn others. They reveal the teleporter up to the next level, kissing the foot of a Sorshen statue. The first three are set to guard the lower level, while the other two accompany the group through the teleporter to a quay on the shore of an underground lake. They notice Keelan-Sorshen getting to her feet after kissing the Sorshen statue's foot...
____________________

Quillax's Account - by Keelia.

Part 1

--

As I shake the water from my clothes, I look around the now-crowded room, trying to find where to put myself without falling in the grate or bumping into others. I dislike leaving my Clank behind, but he would not fit. I will ensure we return for him.

The room is small, barely three strides across, and has four doors. Whilst I was tying up the boat, our casters have found it is an anti-magic spell that nearly caused me to drown. This is worrying as our magic users wear no real armour and depend upon magic heavily. And I cannot retain an animal form, to me, that is more unsettling, being forced from my nature by magic. Still, what is, is. I have blades but I sense no danger, although it is hard to smell anything over the smell of wet barbarian or hear over the complaints of wet clothes.

We find there are four exits from the room, excluding the grate through which we entered. A door is chosen at random and, after a quick listen and a casual check for traps, it is opened.

There are four rectangular shapes, larger than adult human sized, covered with sheets. There are short chains with cuffs at each corner of the rectangle. After what happened with Keelan and the last rectangular object we interacted with, I am very wary. Gedout rips the sheet from one to reveal an empty stone surface. The sheets are all removed and to my relief, there appears to be no further coffins. After a reminder not to trap themselves in the cuffs, I leave the team to investigate, keeping my senses attuned to the room we left. There were three other doors, after all, and we are not quiet.

A book found causes quite a stir with Sephiria, who exclaims with delight over three spell parchments tucked inside. If I understand her excited babble, they are very powerful. perhaps written by the runelord's apprentices, or even the runelord herself. They are safely tucked away and the book is pored over by those who can read it.

Gedout and Neril have expressed an interest in the next door now to our right, and it is opened. The smell of sulphur causes me to recoil and refuse to enter the debris-scattered room very far. Sephiria and Anastasia push their way through the group as a book has been spotted. As has a pentagram on the floor. I pull back, remembering the last summoning circle. The fire elemental was not something I would have wanted to fight. After some discussion, spell casting, and investigation, it is determined the pentagram is a summoning circle for a powerful monster. It is also unstable and our very presence could set it off. But the book is coveted by Sephiria so it is snatched away from its lectern home with mage hand, careful to avoid the pentagram. Apparently, this one was written by the runelord and is worth a great deal, both intellectually and monetarily. I will have to watch and intervene should someone make off with it to the market. With nothing more worth risking summoning the beast, I insist we leave and close the door.

We cross the room to the opposite door and find an abandoned alchemy lab. Knowing my companions, I quickly check for anything dangerous and find three unstable potions to be avoided. We find four more that are not dangerous to handle and those with the abilities to determine what they are investigate. I keep an eye on Gedout, who seems overly fascinated with a corroding urn that has place of pride in the room. Until we know what is in there, it's best not to touch. When I look back, the four potions we found had been secreted amongst robes and packs. I care not who has what, with the exception of perhaps Keelan and Gedout. I fear they might drink something questionable out of curiosity.

After running out of things to investigate, the Urn draws attention. General consensus is we want to know what's in the sealed, corroding jar, but we're fairly sure it's bad as it's corroding from the inside out. After further discussion, we decide to secure a safe path first and find at least two rooms' distance in case it's poisonous gas.

With Neril literally climbing the walls with boredom and Gedout resorting to investigating the contents of his left nostril, I urge the team towards the final door.

That door opens to a large room with a starburst pattern on the floor, some rather graphic wall art (I didn't know someone could bend like that), and some stone couches. Paranoia following the summoning circle in the other room determines we take care here. We determine the starburst is actually a suggestion spell - relatively harmless generally but I attempt to radiate the understanding that if anyone tries this on me, I will hurt them when it wears off. Thankfully, I slip through the room towards the opposite door without incident. Others are not so lucky.

Gedout, still fascinated with Keelan's gender/body switch, decides to have some fun after being bored for the last few hours. Although, I admit that Keelan did perform an admirable handstand.

We continue past the room and into a proper boudoir. While Anastasia investigates the bed, I spot a hidden door in the far wall. Interesting.

Remembering the urn, I suggest that now is a good time to check it. We have a door which will allow us to proceed forward if need be and two rooms' distance. Another mage hand (from Anastasia -ed.) and a quick retreat. As expected, inside was a bad thing. We retreat from the ooze which is unlike the ones we've seen before. It proves it is more unusual by giving chase.

We find out quickly that it is acidic, which explains the corrosion of the urn. I'm going to stay well back as an animal form is going to do me no good unless I want burned paws or mouth. Spell casting it is. Luckily, the monstrous slime does not fare well against magic or weapon. We nearly destroy one when a second appears. Hopefully, there are no more than that. Once both are destroyed, we wait but no more appear.

Part 2
-------

Despite my suggestion to rest, some of the party decide to explore the next door's contents. It reveals a hallway with ten more doors. Nine are identical. I stay put, suggesting rest now that there is no immediate threat. Ignored again as there might be something behind those doors, the nine identical doors are opened to reveal bedrooms.

The final door on the right (ed. - north wall) is ominously cold. Most of the party agrees it should be investigated when we are rested. Gedout has a different idea.

Thank Mother Nature that I was not in that hall as, due to a sudden wave of cold, most of the group is unconscious. Neril, who barely avoided the same fate, starts to recover our friends by dragging them towards safety. I start to cast healing spells, beginning with Keelan as he, no she, can also heal.

We are fortunate to be able to get everyone up to their feet once more. After that, the consensus is to rest - finally.

I watch with amusement as the tiefling tries her hand at seducing the barbarian with the suggestion star. I wonder if she was too subtle with her suggetion as he brushes off her advance. Instead, she goes for reward and shares her water. Which she drugged with a love potion. This makes me displeased. You do not drug anyone in the group while in enemy land. I ponder what she could be playing at for a moment and resolve not to take anything from her until I am certain of her once more.

We discuss sleeping arrangements, and most decide to stay in the main room so as not to split the group. Whilst not comfortable, at least we are safely together. Except for Gedout. And shortly after, also Anastasia.

And it suddenly becomes clear. She is a succubus, of course. Silly me. I appreciate that at least they took a different room, although the thick stone walls and the two closed doors did little to quiet the sounds of their coupling. Neril casts a silence spell which gives us peace until they are through and finally, we are allowed to sleep with the protective alarm set on all the doors, courtesy of Sephiria.

However, Neril's hissed warning is the first notice I get that there is something wrong. Although my own ears soon pick up the whispered voices. Voices that do not belong to our group. We ensure our group within this room is awake and quietly prepare ourselves. Listening at the door reveals that touching the frost door is still haunting our steps as apparently puddles of water that gave our presence away.

I glanced to my companions when the sounds showed they had discovered our companions in the next room. But why has Keelan stiffened? Did he, she, hear something I missed? But it quickly turned out that we had a plan. Keelan does have the body of a RuneLord, after all, and the door was thrown open as our ruse that Keelan was a RuneLord began. But our sleep addled states worked against us, so we entered into battle.

We killed one but subdued three of these armoured enemies that smell of hatred. A liberal use of Keelan's new form (hair neatly straightened) and the suggestion star, resulted in us getting three 'followers' turned to our side. I hide their dead leader's body so as not to distract them from their belief that Keelan is who he, she, is pretending to be.
After liberal questioning, we determine the plan of Anastasia's newly found half-sister, who was bound in her mother's place in the Lady's Light. Anastasia has a knack for deceit and Sephiria uses her noble background to support it. Even Neril gets in on it. I keep my distance. I do not want to spoil their work.

Unluckily, two more Grey Maidens spot me and the distance or my own lack of acting weakens my intimidation. They flee rather than fall in supplication of our bard. We give chase. They will not listen to reason, but we do not dare kill them lest we shake the faith of the three which we healed. If we do, we would be outnumbered as they are heavily armored.

Neril, Sephiria, and Keelan are able to subdue one heading for some doors. I head quickly for the other Maiden, who has lit a grey flame. It is unsettling and I don't want to see what can be done with it. I have heard tales of these Grey Maidens, a bear is better suited for this. I cast my hopes that my superior weight should help pin her and it does. Little Tricks gets the torch away when it falls from her hand.

Our converts manage to talk these two new ones into believing our story, so we now have five Maiden converts. It will go badly if they turn against us now, so we must be careful. We find what the torch can do - it opens the door to a teleporter! Apparently, out the other door is a series of enemies we would have struggled against, likely finding defeat if they had been summoned.

We decide to use the teleporter. We quickly realize a problem. For our ruse to continue, these Grey Maidens must not know that Keelan is not the real RuneLord, so they cannot see him, her, use the teleporter. We send some away to guard the doors after the others have gone ahead. Then, Gedout goes through to act as a distraction in the hopes that they do not see Keelan rising from the crouch. I follow through immediately and see Keelan still rising as I do. I try to bluff that I caused him, her, to stumble. I do not think the Grey Maidens believed it though. I do not lie well. They make no movement of threat, at least.

Now, we must decide our next course of action.

ep 14 RotSS 9/1/4712 - Sorshen

9/1/4712
The troglodytes hold a great victory feast of dead bullywugs through the night, and Uggilo preaches to his flock of how Zevgizab has smote down their enemies with furious vengeance.
After resting the group check out the Lady's Light above ground; they find no entrances but Quillax senses the sinister presence of a Will-o-Wisp.
Anastasia's alligator is too large to pass through the tunnel beyond the Bullywug caves, and has to be left behind.
In the caverns beyond, the group dispatch three giant solifiguds and reach a chamber guarded by pillars - caryatid golems! Too powerful to defeat in melee, Gedout & Keelan barely survive; Neril places the Lust Run on his chest - the caryatids allow him through. The Runed-up party descend a black feather fall shaft into a shining hall. There they see a sarcophagus painted to show Sorshen.
Bullywugs follow from behind - Mama Beballa and her survivors. They are swiftly defeated, Gedout taking Beballa's enchanted longbow.
The group open the sarcophagus, revealing a stasised Sorshen, apparently a Clone. Keelan tries to steal her jewelry... And is struck dead by a Phantasmal Killer spell. Runelord Sorshen awakes... Only Keelan's mind is within this new body!
Leaving the dead Keelan in the sarcophagus, the group press on, finding boats by an underground river they head upstream. Quillax-shark finds an underwater side tunnel before a waterfall/portal and investigates it in otter form; this is dispelled but luckily human-Quillax pushes open a brass grate and emerges into a small chamber. The others follow; except Clank the mechanical man who gets stuck in the tunnel and has to be pulled out. Eventually the group regather in the grate-room, Neril listens at the doors...

Time ca 3.30pm.

ep 13 Runelords of the Shattered Star 8/1/4712 - Against the Bullywugs

A sunny morning. Keelan & Neril spot the Pyrohydra moving east to feast on the corpses on the battlefield. Quillax leads a group of troglodytes into the swamp to locate the herbs for her Filth Fever cure, while Anastasia the 'demon emissary of Zevgizab' stays to guard the trog caves and bond with the giant alligator. The trog priest Ugilo assigns to the group five trog warriors including his son Ugilo Junior, a powerful trog warrior, one of those healed by Quillax.

Three of the group (Neril Keelan Sephiria) sneak south to the Pyrohydra cave while it's out and grab the best items from its piles of treasure, then rendezvous with the five trogs at the stream and head west to the bullywug village, joined by Gedout.

Ugilo Junior sneaks into the village and rescues a diseased trog maiden, Azoresh, from the Filth Fever hut, then proceeds to ravish her. Two trogs take her home. The group then sneak into the village, but a strange frog/octopus monster in the central pit raises the alarm. A fat female bullywug emerges with several others and uses enchanted arrows to explode Ugilo Jnr's two trog warriors. The group fall back, but Keelan blinds the female bullywug leader - she hops into the tadpole-infested lake to escape - then uses a fireball orb to blast the pursuing bullywugs, turning the tide. The party counter-attack, cutting them down - three bullywug survivors flee.

The group loot the chief's hut then head west to the bullywug's temple-cave, dispatching four more bullywugs. The enemy chief Daghop appears, a bullywug barbarian who fights fiercely but falls before their combined onslaught. Further in some giant frogs are easily dispatched. The tunnels beyond are coated with an ochre substance Sephiria identifies as Solifigud repellent/soporific. The group return to the trog caves to report and rest overnight. Quillax has returned with the herbs to brew a cure for the filth-fevered troglodytes.

The Pathfinder Society

The Pathfinder Society
The Pathfinder Society has existed for more than
400 years. Members include treasure hunters,
explorers, tomb raiders, historians, and vagabonds
who roam the farthest reaches of the world seeking lost
relics and answers to the world’s most enigmatic and
dangerous riddles. These heroes brave vine-choked
jungle ruins, ascend snow-capped peaks, and comb
sun-seared desert sands in search of buried tombs and
monuments of bygone ages.
Society members send records of their exploits to
their venture-captain superiors, who in turn review
them for accuracy before forwarding the manuscripts
to the leaders of the Pathfinder Society. The most
exciting and enlightening of these have the potential
to be printed and distrubuted as volumes of the famed
Pathfinder Chronicles.
Though the Pathfinder Society itself isn’t concerned
with the specific actions of individual Pathfinder
agents, they require those agents and their actions to 
conform to the general code of exploration, reporting,
and cooperation. Those Pathfinders deemed incapable of
following these simple rules are removed from the Society.
Most Pathfinders are trained in the necessary skills
at the Grand Lodge in Absalom, but a few experienced
adventurers are given field commissions in the Society
once they’ve proved they’re capable. Such is likely the case
for most Pathfinders participating in the Shattered Star
Adventure Path.
The Society is directed by the Decemvirate—10 masked
and secret members whose identities are protected even
from each other. It’s not known how long each Decemvirate
member occupies the position; likewise, every aspect
of their existence, from nomination to election, from
meetings to formal public functions, and from day-today
functions to retirement, is utterly mysterious. The
identity of the Ten is the Society’s most closely guarded
secret—one, some say, that the Decemvirate is willing to
kill to protect.
The Pathfinder Society is based at the sprawling Grand
Lodge of Absalom, but the organization as a whole has
many official lodges spread throughout the Inner Sea
and toeholds across Golarion.
Goals of the Society: Explore, Report, and Cooperate
The Society recognizes no formal bylaws, but adherence
to a general code of behavior is expected of all members,
and evidence of behavior contrary to this code is grounds
for removal from the organization. The three most
important member duties are as follows.
Explore: Pathfinders are expected to further the
knowledge and reputation of the Society by traveling to
distant lands, unearthing forbidden secrets, and piecing
together the secret history of the world. Agents are
encouraged to travel uncharted lands in search of ever
more fantastic mysteries.
Report: In the course of their adventures, Pathfinders
are expected to keep detailed journals, maps, and
accounts of their exploits. At the conclusion of a
successful mission, agents send a copy of their notes to
their immediate superior, a regional venture-captain,
who makes a full analysis (often involving divination).
Records of especially noteworthy exploits make their
way to Absalom and the Decemvirate, who compile
the best tales into irregularly published editions of
the Pathfinder Chronicles, which in turn make their way
back to venture-captains for distribution to Pathfinder
agents in the field.
Cooperate: The Society places no moral obligations
upon its members, so agents span all races, creeds,
and motivations. At any given time, a Pathfinder
lodge might house a fiend-summoning Chelaxian,
an Andoren freedom fighter, an antiquities-obsessed
Osirian necromancer, and a friendly Taldan raconteur.
Pathfinder agents are expected to respect one another’s
claims and stay out of each other’s affairs unless offering
a helping hand.


Heidmarch Manor

Heidmarch Manor is the home of two of Magnimar’s
most eccentric citizens: esteemed hunters, explorers, and
Pathfinders Sheila Heidmarch and her husband Sir Canayven Heidmarch. 
The world-traveling adventurers
have retired to Magnimar, but have not been content to
settle into the quiet life, instead opening their sizable
manor to the Pathfinder Society. The first Pathfinder lodge
in Varisia welcomes all members eager to explore the still
relatively unknown land, including the surrounding region
and the mysterious City of Monuments itself. Visiting
members of the Pathfinder Society are welcomed to the
manor by comfortable lodgings, a well-stocked library of
far-flung lore, and its owners’ sagely advice.

Magnimar

Magnimar City info - from the free Shattered Star Player's Guide 





Magnimar Major NPCs

Built in the shadow of megaliths, Magnimar
endlessly endeavors to surpass the overwhelming
scale and grandeur of the ancient wonders that
litter the Varisian landscape. A place of great opportunity,
social stress, and cold beauty, the city exudes the air of
a southern metropolis, seeking to rise above its ignoble
beginnings as a refuge for Korvosan outcasts to become
a beacon of culture and freedom in an unforgiving
land. Yet its towering monuments, elegant gardens,
ostentatious architecture, and elaborate sculptures form
but a cracked mask over a struggling government and a
desperate people in need of heroes.
Magnimar’s founders were adventurers, and the spirit
of the adventurer and explorer keeps the heart and soul
of Magnimar alive. It should thus come as no surprise
that the monuments the city is so well known for often
have ties to adventuring themes. In addition, many of
the major works have been magically empowered over
the years. The source of these enhancements are hotly
debated—some assume they were created by now-dead or
anonymous spellcasters as a gift to the city, while others
suspect these magical effects instead represent a legacy of
ancient Thassilonian wizardry lingering in the region’s
stones. In truth, these effects are manifestations of the
mysterious patrons of the Seacleft region, the ancient
empyreal lords so beloved and venerated over the past
several thousand years by Varisia’s native people. These
lords have welcomed the land’s newest settlers, though
their welcome is subtle.
With many of the monuments, boons are granted to
those who perform minor acts of worship and respect to
Magnimar, its monuments, and the empyreal lords who
watch over the city. Any nonevil intelligent creature who
performs a specific act before one of these magically
charged monuments and makes a successful skill check
awakens the monument’s magic, and, in return, gains a
small bonus of some sort with a duration of 24 hours. A
single person can never have more than one monumentgranted
bonus in effect at any one time; attempts to gain a
second bonus before the first wears off automatically fail.
In addition, a person can only attempt to benefit from a
monument bonus a number of times per week equal to
her Charisma modifier (minimum of once per week)—the
city of Magnimar responds most often to those who carry
themselves with greater poise and personality, after all.
Magnimar boasts a population of over 16,000
inhabitants, with the great majority of those being
humans. In turn, most of these humans are ethnic
Chelaxians and Varisians, and while Shoanti and Sczarni
maintain a large presence in the city, they are essentially
marginalized and considered troublemakers. Half lings
make up the next largest demographic, followed by elves
and dwarves. The remainder of the population consists of
gnomes and half-breed races.
The city is split in two by a massive cliff face, separating
the city into two major districts. The one atop the cliff
is called the Summit and the one below that meets
with Varisian Gulf is called the Shore. The slums of
Magnimar, known as the Shadow since that district sees
little sun during the day, lies below the Irespan, a colossal
and ancient bridge ruined ages ago. In terms of the trade
and purchase of magic items, Magnimar has a base value
of 12,800 and a purchase limit of 75,000 gp.
Heidmarch Manor, a Pathfinder Lodge and home base for
characters in this Adventure Path, is found in the Alabaster
District located in the Summit. Other districts throughout
the city offer locations that may interest adventurers. The
Bazaar of Sails, easily the largest free market in Varisia
where all manner of goods can be found, is located in
Dockway as well as in Old Fang, a popular watering hole.
Temples to various deities can be found in the City of
Monuments. The Dome of the Savored Sting, a temple of
Calistria, is found in the Keystone District; this district
is also home to the Church of Pharasma, which tends to
the city’s dead and newborns. Deadeye Lodge, a church of
Erastil, can also be found here, as can the Cynosure Tower,
a church dedicated to Desna. Up on the Summit in the Naos
District lies the Church of Iomedae, and just a few blocks
away stands the Cathedral of Abadar. While in the Keystone
District, those studying arcane magic might want to visit
the Stone of the Seers, a school that focuses on educating
casters in abjuration and divination magic.
On the edge of the cliff overlooking the Varisian
Gulf, many seek entertainment at Serpent’s Run, a huge
hippodrome that features all manner of exciting events
from decathlons, horse and dog races, displays of magic, 
circus performances, and mock-gladiatorial battles. Just
across the Capital District in the district of Naos rises
Magnimar’s tallest structure, the Arvensoar, home to
Magnimar’s military forces.
On the opposite banks of the Yondabakari River lies
Ordellia, known also as the Foreign Quarter. Those
seeking potions and other alchemical products often
search out Billivin’s Benevolent Balms and Effulgent
Elixirs, though some doubt the reliability of his wares.

PC Attributes

Keelan Nightsky (Sorshen Clone Body), Half-Elf Azlanti Human Bard:
ST 10 DE 17 CO 14 IN 19* (15) WIS 13 CHA 16
*'Natural' INT is 15 without the headband of intellect.
Trix, faerie dragon familiar:
ST 3 DE 20 CO 13 IN 14 WI 12 CH 16

Sephiria Kaddren, Human Bladesinger Wizard:
ST 8 DE 16 CON 14 INT 18 WIS 12 CHA 8
Feat - Resilient (Con).

Neril, Human Monk:
STR 12 (+1) DEX 18 (+4) CON 13 (+1) INT 8 (-1) WIS 16 (+3) CHA 10 (0)
Feat - Observant Feat

PC - Keelan Nightsky, Half-Elf Bard (RIP M1 4712 AR) (Joe)

Keelan is a Half-Elf orphan who was brought to the long gone Night Sky orphanage in Riddleport by a travelling band of Starstone Brewers. The exact nature of his origin is unknown to him and not something he has ever paused to give much thought.

The only memory he recalls is watching, with an intense and permanent fascination, one of the travellers playing some manner stringed instrument. Over the following years he would spend much of his free time learning to play a variety of instruments. This allowed him to earn a small amount of coin busking in the harbour or in the many taverns that he would split with his best friend and accomplice in mischief Aleana.

However, Riddleport would provide other opportunities as they grew up. The pair had a strong bent towards adventure and learning and would often spend nights breaking into the libraries’ of the many scholars present in the city. Keelan picked up particular interests in languages, storytelling and anything that detailed mechanical invention, most often of Gnomish origin.

Not all the opportunities the city would provide were so carefree however. Over time Keelan would put his musical gifts and regular residency in the taverns to fence many low key goods. Aleana would solicit business incoming at the docks while Keelan would organise the exchanges, for a small fee of course. A few pilfered sacks of grain here, some dubiously obtained casks of ale there, rarely anything of significance.

This provided a small but steady stream of income and kept them below the radar of the more organised criminal groups. Or so they thought. During one of his regular musical sessions several sizeable thugs burst into the tavern, weapons drawn, and made straight for Keelan. He managed to make a hasty exit and found his way back to the secluded, abandoned building he and Aleana called home.

To his horror upon entering he found that the already run down building had been completely turned over and in the middle of the floor laid the lifeless body of Aleana, a dagger in her chest with a single blood soaked playing card skewered upon the blade. Keelan hastily grabbed what possessions he could and abandoned the city.

He spent the next few years coping with the sorrow while learning to deal both with the confusion over what had occurred and the loss of his dearest friend and lifelong companion. He spent this time travelling from town to city plying his trade as a musician and labourer earning coin until recently arriving in Magnimar. It is time he got his life back on track, if only to honor the memory of his friend, and upon hearing the Pathfinders were recruiting his sense of adventure and love of learning are again piqued.

ep 12 Runelords of the Shattered Star 3-8/1/4712 - Curse of The Lady's Light #1

3/1/4712: On a drizzly winter afternoon, Sheila Heidmarch summons a group of Pathfinders to Heidmarch Manor for their latest mission - to find the next part of the Shattered Star! Group decides to take ship to the Lady's Light; on the way to the docks to meet the Captain they run into a dodgy busker Keelan recognises as Sambin Turshaw of Riddleport, and his youthful companions (Marlan & Shevy Grindsmord) who are picking the crowd's pockets... Gedout interrupts things, Sephiria loosens a lute screw, ending the peformance, and Keelan extorts half of Sambin's donations. Four sailors from the good ship Wanton Ways escort the party on deck; they speak with her captain Yarnelle Fessender and arrange transit to the Lady's Light.

5/1/4712: The Wanton Ways sets sail at dawn. Sheila has provided 2 weeks of iron rations. That night fellow passenger Dialla Marteme slits the throat of Chubby Sewel, the unpopular second mate (brother of first mate Pockeye Sewel), but when caught she persuades the group he had it coming for murdering her 13 year old sister back in Kaer Maga 17 months ago. Chubby's corpse is thrown overboard with the ship's boat, Dialla assumes his appearance.

6/1/4712: Next morning at breakfast everyone comments how much nicer Chubby is. The ship comes in close to shore northwest of the Lady's Light to let down the party's boat. Dialla hands over a dragonstooth dagger & ring of protection to Keelan in thanks/payment.
The Wanton Ways will be coming back this way in two weeks (20/1/4712) - the party can light a signal fire if they want picked up then.
With Quillax swimming alongside in shark form the boat rows in to shore, to a mossy hut atop a small island, home of Maroux, a one-eyed half-orc witch. Her seaweed, rat and swamp water broth does not sit well with Keelan or Quillax -  Gedout enjoys the home-style cooking. After some bickering the party agree to fetch her Kelpie's Hair seaweed from the wreck of the Impdrake - shark-Quillax does so, despite the objections of the skeleton crew. Maroux tells them of the Gray Maidens that have come to the Lady's Light under Captain Oriana. Sephiria  Kaddren recalls the tale of Oriana's many deaths at the hands (arrows) of Naglatha, a follower of Good King Tsadok Arabasti, who three years ago liberated the city of Korvosa from the tyrant Queen Ileosa and her Gray Maiden warrior knights. Not all the Maidens surrendered to King Tsadok's just mercy, some have become outlaws and mercenaries. According to Maroux, ten days ago Oriana visited Marou claiming that Sorshen, Thassilon's Runelord of Lust, had risen again in the Lady's Light. Oriana tried to recruit Maroux, who declined. Anastasia interrogates Maroux, who admits that there was a faint sulphurous stench around Oriana that time. Anastasia suspects a Succubus is at work.
That evening the party return again to the wreck to destroy the skeletons & seize the dead captain's enchanted rapier. Maroux lets them rest in her hut overnight. She seems to quite fancy Gedout, but declines his offer of 'help around the hut'.

7/1/4712: The party head south over Maroux's skull-bedecked bridge, through woods and around Lake Gaulos, to the scene of a recent battle between troglodytes and bullywugs. Amidst the carnage they find a filth-fever infected dagger and a trog holy symbol of their demon-god, Zevgavizeb.
Reaching the trog lair west of the lake, the party detect the trap in the trogs' oil-drenched barricade. Negotiations prove inconclusive until Anastasia appears as 'Emissary of Zevgavizeb' and is taken into the foul-smelling lair. Confronted by the trog priest Uggilo, she summons a great mass of writhing tentacles, apparently convincing the reptile-men of her bona fides. The others are permitted entrance. Anastasia demands and receives the service of Uggilo's giant crocodile, while Sephiria chats with a spell-tranced trog who reveals the back entrance tunnel to the lair, and Quillax cures several filth-fevered trogs; also teaching the trogs a brew that should help cure the disease.

8/1/4712: The group rest overnight in the dune-grass of the hillocks above the trog lair. Two trogs succumb to filth fever overnight. Next morning the party make plans to continue their quest, now with allies...

PC - Neril, Human Monk (Francis)

Some things are elementary mistakes when on the streets. You do not rob adventurers. You do not steal magic items. You do not run away from monks.  And in one fateful day Neril managed to break all three. And it then took the monk in question twenty minutes to run the exhausted and terrified ten year old to earth.

[Mechanics note: Urchin ability: Secrets of the City. Double your speed and that of the group you're with when crossing a city. Hence being able to turn a race with a high level monk on home turf into an endurance race.]

If Neril had been brought down in seconds it would probably have been no harm. A minute and he might well have been killed. Twenty minutes across the streets and decks of Magnimar against a master of the Night Wind temple? That sort of talent gets attention, and Neril was recruited (technically after a choice - but his choice was mostly scared nodding). The monk who recruited him went missing a year or two ago - not unexpected for a professional adventurer.

Most of what Neril knows and will say about the temple is complete and utter rubbish; Master Nichael was someone who fled from an older and more skilled temple, invented and stole a tradition he claims reaches back a thousand years, and added in some ridiculous heroes and fortune cookie style "wisdom". And half a dozen other apprentices to compete against/be exploited. And occasionally he'll drop nuggets of wisdom about his training. All true even if some of them sound as if they are from a horror movie.

Neril graduated about a year ago when he started to gain control of shadow magic - Nichael hadn't thought that that would work and made Neril a journeyman before Neril realised that he had tricks his magic-using master didn't (as opposed to elemental magic).
[Francis note: Nichael is LE who pretends to be LN/LG, but is corrupt, cruel, creepy, and sadistic (and possibly a highwayman, using "training excercises" to get carriages derailed) - and razing the temple to end many of the discipline drills and possibly solve a few missing persons cases might be an idea. Neril will resist this of course]

Since then he came back to Magnamar and joined the Pathfinder Society and relearned the city (some of his old routes don't work but he has some new ones). He's in demand for being impossible to sneak up on (a few rogues have tried - but passive perception 20) and by being willing and able to play decoy wizard.