Intermission - to M12 4719 AR

Varisia, end 4719 AR

Faceless Angel of Guiltspur

With Quillax lost, Claw & Drakhaien return home & recruit more Pathfinders; Abbess Yukiko does a cleansing ceremony with the bones of the Curator taken before the Guiltspur as the sun rises, laying him to rest. They proceed on through Guiltspur defeating animate statues, but eventually are unable to get past a terrible lake-Kraken & its cult of spirit nagas that guards the way on to Leng. Claw takes time to court Rukvara, get her dad's approval for marriage and is adopted into her clan.
Meanwhile the Runelords are on the march, and two have returned to Golarion.  Krune Runelord of Sloth has entered Kaer Maga at the head of a vast legion of undead warriors from the Kallow Mounds and the stones of Mundatei, joined his Cult of Lissala agents there, and declared it to be the new capital of Haruka Reborn. He has sent 'friendly' emissaries to Tsadok, King of Korvosa, and to the Lord Mayor of Magnimar, but otherwise appears to be doing very little. However it is rumoured that he has designs upon the dwarven fortress city of Janderhoff, which falls within the traditional borders of Haruka, and that his agents are at work in subtly corrupting that realm.

In the Orc nation of Belkzen, east of Varisia, Zutha Runelord of Gluttony has emerged from The Sleeper, a gigantic monument found in the northeastern-most spur of the Mindspin Mountains, and has set about re-establishing Gastash, adding the Orc hordes to his own undead legions. While this is taking some time - orc warchiefs do not submit easily - few doubt that he will succeed within months. All wait to see whether he will then turn against a neighbour - most likely Lastwall or Varisia, or possibly Nirmathas. The armies of Molthune to the south of Nirmathas have seized on this pretext for yet another invasion of the forest realm, claiming it is necessary to ensure their own security against Zutha.

And high in the Mindspin mountains, the return of Karzoug Runelord of Greed draws ever nearer. Forces bearing the Rune of Greed have conquered Urglin, and a Rune-marked army of giants, orcs and ogres is mustering there. Pathfinder agents reporting to Sheila Heidmarch in Magnimar believe that Karzoug's army intends a pre-emptive invasion of Belkzen-Gastash.

Urglin

Drakhaien's investigations indicate that the rune-marked Shalast army mustering at Urglen, while significant by Varisian standards, would appear hopelessly inadequate for a full scale invasion of Belkzen, especially in the face of returned Runelord Zutha. Furthermore while there are hill and stone giants, it includes very few of the best Greed forces such as the fire giants - General Stom, for instance, remains at Guiltspur with all her men - and none of the 40' tall Rune Giants rumoured to roam the high peaks of the Kodar Mountains.

Khalib, First Apprentice of Runelord Karzoug

Most High Ceoptra, High Priestess of Karzoug the Claimer

Viorian Dekanti, Commander of the Armies of Shalast RIP 22/3/4720

General Stom, Fire Giant Castellan of Guiltspur

Runelord Krune of Haruka

Runelord Zutha of Gastash

Viorian Dekanti
A renowned mercenary commander of Riddleport formerly known to Drakhaien, now she commands the army of Shalast mustering at Urglin - and she wields Chellan, Sword of Greed, stolen from Quillax's automoton servitor Clank by the sorcery of Runelord Karzoug. Karzoug is able to speak directly through her, as he did with Mokmurian.

Khalib
The 'First Apprentice of Karzoug' is apparently a newly awakened Azlanti Thassilonian from before Earthfall. Little is known of him, and he rarely leaves Xin-Shalast, but as a master of Greed Magic his magical powers are likely considerable.

Most High Ceoptra
This great Lamia is High Priestess of the cult of Karzoug the Claimer, whether the cult is new or formerly hidden is unknown. She has been working to spread worship of the Claimer throughout the Cinderlands and beyond, spreading word of Karzoug's triumphant return.