Cheben

Cheben

Michael LaBossiere RPG Adventure for Levels 1-3 Josh Bohm (order #5872211)

cHEBEN By Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere

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Josh Bohm (order #5872211)

Copyright Information 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 proper names (including but not limited to organizations, names of places, characters, monsters, locations, countries, regions, deities, and magic items), any and all stories, storylines, histories, plots, thematic elements, and dialogue; and all artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, illustrations, maps, and cartography, likenesses, poses, logos, trade dress, or graphic designs. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content are not included in this declaration.) Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this 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. This adventure is Copyright 2006, 2012, 2013 by Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere. It is published under the Open Game License Version1.0a Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast. Compatibility with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game requires the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game from Paizo Publishing, LLC. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Paizo Publishing, LLC does not guarantee compatibility, and does not endorse this product. Pathfinder is a registered trademark of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility Logo are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility License. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/compatibility for more information on the compatibility license. Pathfinder and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under license. See paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

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Contents Introduction .................................................... 3 Getting the PCs Involved.................................. 3 The Town of Cheben........................................ 4 The Accursed Graveyard .................................. 5 The Armory ..................................................... 8 The Shadowy Woods ......................................10 The Abandoned Library ..................................12 Conclusion......................................................14 Maps ..............................................................15 About the Author ...........................................19 OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a .............20

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Introduction

You won’t have to be there very long and the pay is quite good. You’ll get 25 gold pieces up front and then a bonus for each task you are able to complete for the townsfolk. Naturally, your passage to the island will be paid for. Do you want the job?”

The following provides a starting adventure for new 1st level PCs. It is set on Leskalisem Island in the Kingdom of Maarin. It can, of course, be modified to fit in other campaign settings.

If the PCs accept, Kulthen will shake their hands and provide them with the contracts, gold and writs of passage. If the PCs don’t accept, then the GM will have to run another adventure, perhaps one involving a tarrasque.

Getting the PCs Involved The following provides a plausible way of getting the PCs involved in the adventure. Recruitment As new adventurers, the PCs will be looking for challenges suitable to their lack of experience. As per tradition, it is assumed that the PCs begin looking for adventure leads in a local tavern. There they will learn that the Kingdom of Maarin regularly hires adventurers for various tasks because the regular army is generally busy protecting the borders. As the PCs wait their turn to speak with the hiring agents, they will see various adventuring types accept or refuse various jobs. Finally, their turn will come. The official, a veteran named Sergeant Kulthen, will look the PCs over and ask them questions about their abilities and background. After considering for a moment, he will say the following:

Cheben Assuming the PCs accept, the trip to Cheben will be uneventful. They will arrive on the docks and will be met by a guardsman. The guard will lead the PCs to the town hall and introduce them to Mayor Rufek, Militia Captain Alchen and Father Rollin. After the introductions are made, the Mayor will say the following: “We greatly appreciate your being here and your decision to help us out. We’d take care of these problems ourselves, but we are rather busy trying to build a normal life. Besides, if we took care of everything ourselves, what would you adventurers do? There are four problems you can help us with. The first is the graveyard near the town. The militia scouts have reported seeing skeletons walking about there at night and something else skulking around the old mausoleum. Father Rollin would go deal with them himself, but he is busy ministering to the spiritual needs of the community. There is also an old church near the graveyard that dates back to the time of the Empire. You should investigate that as well. The second problem is the old auxiliary armory. In the days of the Empire it was used as a secondary cache in case the troops had to fall back from the garrison. Our soldiers have killed a few goblin intruders in the area and we suspect that they might be using the old armory as a base of operations. We’d like you to go there and deal with them. The third problem is an area of woods that is permanently in shadow. Obviously, this effect is magical. Some of our hunters have reported that there are strange creatures in the area and two hunters have gone missing. Because of this, these

“You young bucks should be just what Cheben needs. Cheben, as you may know, is a fairly new town located on the island of Leskalisem. We recently reclaimed the island, but there are still a few rough and…weird spots left there. If you know your history, then you know the island was once held by the Empire. Before you get too worried about things, you’ll be reassured to know that it was just a small garrison with a few civilian structures around it. The garrison really didn’t get touched by the Cataclysm and, as far as we know, the soldiers and their families survived to escape to Rykos. The town is doing well, but as I mentioned there are still a few rough spots left. Nothing too major, but the townsfolk have their hands full building up the community. Also, you and I both know that townsfolk just aren’t cut out to handle anything too much. So, it is up to fellows like us to handle things for them.

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mainland to provide food. Much of it is traded to the dwarfs for fine iron and steel goods. Cheben has a population of 1,200 people. There is an 800 gp limit on items available for sale to the adventurers and the local economy can absorb 50,000 gp in sold items. Most mundane items can be found in town. Since Cheben is an active port, the PCs can order items from larger cities or go there themselves. The town has a standing force of 24 1st level warriors (studded leather, light wooden shield, long sword, and light crossbow) led by 2 3rd level sergeants (chainmail, large wooden shield, long sword and light crossbow) and the militia captain. The town has a militia force of 240 men (leather armor, light wooden shield, light crossbow or short spear). The militia is on call, but have regular occupations.

shadowy woods are shunned. We would like you to investigate the woods and, if possible, put an end to the shadow. Finally, Kovren, our town wizard, says that there is a small Imperial library located nearby. Apparently the garrison commander was also a man of some learning and, rumor has it, something of a dabbler in wizardry. If you have the chance, Kovren would like you to investigate the library and secure it.” If the PCs agree, the town leaders will be pleased and will send out word that the PCs are to be aided as much as possible. If the PCs inquire about awards and possible support, the mayor will say the following: “We have raised a sum of money to reward you for your success. It has been agreed that we will pay you 50 gp each in advance and then provide a reward of 50 gp for each problem you solve for us. Naturally, you will also be entitled to whatever treasures you find. Structures and land, of course, remain the rightful property of the Kingdom of Maarin. Because of our gratitude in agreeing to help us, the merchants have agreed to provide you with a 10% discount on purchased items. They have also agreed to purchase items from you at a 5% bonus. Good Father Rollin has agreed to provide holy water at cost as well and to provide you with a 20% discount on healing potions. He also has agreed to tend to your wounds and provide what other divine aid he can at no charge. Kovren has agreed to provide a 15% discount on scrolls that you might wish to purchase from him. If you succeed, you will have all that is promised as well as our gratitude. Should you fall, we will see to it that your memory is preserved and hire the next adventurers to retrieve your remains.”

The Old Tower The most interesting feature of the town is the old Imperial Tower. The old tower dates from the time of the Empire. Like many of the old structures, the tower was constructed by masterful artisans and reinforced with magic. Thus, the tower survived the Cataclysm and still stands strong. The tower is guarded by two iron golems. They are called “Tevor” and “Kevet.” When the troops left the islands, these guardians were commanded to protect the tower and still do so. They will move forward to face intruders and say the following: “Halt and identify yourself. If you come closer, we shall be forced to destroy you.” If the golems are given the proper identity, they will allow entry into the tower. If not, they will take steps to deal with intrusions. The townspeople are quite familiar with the golems and warn visitors to stay a safe distance from them. The townspeople have grown rather fond of them and refer to them as “their golems.” The tower windows and doors have been sealed and locked. The interior contains stored masterwork weapons and armor as well as an Imperial Transport circle. The circle is a metal ring embedded into the floor marked with runes. There are two gems (one inside one outside the circle) that are used to select another circle. The circle instantly transports those standing within it to the circle which has been selected.

The Town of Cheben The town of Cheben is built on the site of an old Imperial garrison. The town is bustling and is clearly growing. The main industry of the town is fishing. Each morning, the brave fishermen set sail out to sea and return with their holds spilling over with fish. The fish is then dried, salted and shipped to the 4


The Salty Fish Inn: This is the town’s main inn and the finest drinking establishment. The proprietor, Jeh, charges standard rates for room and board.

her overall profits by allowing her to deal in more expensive items. She is young and dreams of becoming a merchant princess through diligent efforts and shrewd dealings.

Town NPCs Most of the townsfolk are normal people doing normal things. There are some NPCs of interest. As the PCs are not intended to fight them, only basic information is given.

Kovren the Wizard: Kovren is a 5th level neutral human wizard. He left Rykos to avoid being punished for stealing Imperial era texts from a library. He discovered that there was a small Imperial library on the island and decided to investigate. Being rather averse to danger, he decided that it would be best to have others secure the library for him. He can scribe scrolls and is willing to do so, for a suitable fee.

Mayor Rufek: The mayor is a 3rd level lawful neutral human expert. He is a 30 years old and is a competent administrator. He is loyal to Maarin and devoted to his duties.

The Accursed Graveyard

Militia Captain Alchen: The militia captain is a 5th level lawful neutral human warrior. He has +1 chainmail, a large steel shield and a +1 shortsword. He is a fairly no-nonsense commander and is rather conservative. He plans to retire in Cheben and is quite devoted to protecting the town.

The graveyard dates back to the time of the Empire’s occupation of the island. While the effects of the Cataclysm on the island were relatively limited, mindless spirits of evil did enter the world and took possession of the bodies of the dead. One particularly evil man, Rajig, was transformed into a ghoulperhaps a just punishment for his robbing of the dead. There is an old church, once dedicated to the deities of the Empire, near the graveyard. The church is untainted and still retains some trace of divine power. Any undead creature must make a will save DC 13 to enter the building.

Father Rollin: Rollin is a 3rd level lawful good human cleric. He can brew potions and has a stock of six cure light wounds potions on hand. He has also been given two potions of neutralize poison, one potion of cure moderate wounds and one potion of cure disease. He also has ten vials of holy water in the temple. Thorreck the Smith: Thorreck is a 7th level lawful good dwarf expert. He claims that his great love of fresh fish led him to move away from the mountains and to the town. This is only partially true—he is also an agent for the dwarf kingdom of Adrabben and has been sent to keep an eye on things. Thorreck has light and medium armor for sale as well as a variety of steel weapons. He has a masterwork chain shirt, a masterwork long sword and a masterwork war hammer for sale.

Map The church is a well built stone structure that has held up against the ravages of time and the weather quite well. The wooden exterior doors have decayed and small animals have made their homes in the building. When the people left the island, they removed almost everything of value from the church. 1. Pews: The pews are still present but have decayed due to time. 2. Recess: A recessed area. There are bird nests in the upper parts. 3. Recess: Another recessed area. 4. Altar: This altar is dedicated to the various deities of the Empire. There is a secret panel in the altar (DC 20 search check). Behind the panel is a hollow holding a scroll case. The case contains the following divine scrolls: cure light wounds (caster level 1), cure

Mellena the Merchant: Mellena is a 3rd level neutral half-elf expert. Her primary business is the export of fish (she manages local operations for her father’s business) but she also owns a few shops in the town. She is strictly devoted to profit and business. She reluctantly agreed to the discounts for the adventurers, but hopes that it will ultimately increase 5


moderate wounds (caster level 3), remove paralysis (caster level 3) and spiritual weapon (caster level 3). 5. Priest’s Office: This was the priest’s office. Squirrels nest in the desk and long ago shredded all the papers in the desk. 6. Priest’s Chamber: The priest’s bedroom. The furniture is ruined and various small furry mammals nest in the remains of the bed. A small locked iron box (DC 18 to pick or break) is under the ruins of the bed. The box contains 213 sp, 45 gp and 3 pp. 7. Graveyard: The graveyard contains weather worn grave stones, many of which are toppled and broken. While the elements have eroded the earth, it is still evident that the graves have been opened. Seven skeletons and three zombies are still active within the graveyard. During the day, they tend to lie in the graves. At night, they wander about the yard. If they notice the PCs, they will rush at them to attack. There is always a faint grey-green mist in the graveyard that smells of rotten flesh. When the last of the undead are destroyed, the mist will fade. 8. Mausoleum: The mausoleum was used to hold corpses for burial. It is now the home of Rajig the ghoul. He spends most of his time sitting on a slab counting the wealth he stole from the dead. In addition to the treasure he carries, he has the following valuables: 367 cp, 256 sp, 121 gp, an ivory comb worth 10 gp, a silver cup worth 15 gp, a rotted leather belt set with gold and silver worth 15 gp, and a small copper statue of a cat worth 10 gp.

remaining in the mausoleum. If the PCs go into the mausoleum, his greed will overcome his cowardice— he will fight savagely to protect his ill gotten gain.

Rajig CR 2 XP 600 Ghoul Expert 1 CE Medium Undead Init +3; Senses darkvision; Perception +10 Defense AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, +3 Dex, +2 natural) hp 19 (3d8+6) Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +7; +2 bonus vs. channeled energy Defensive Abilities channel resistance +2; Immune ability drain, bleeds, death effects, energy drain, exhaustion, fatigue, physical ability damage, disease, mind-affecting, non-lethal damage, paralysis, poison, sleep, stunning, undead traits Offense Speed 30 ft. Melee Bite (Ghoul) +4 (1d6+3/x2) and Claw x2 (Ghoul) +4 x2 (1d6+3/x2) Special Attacks paralysis (1d4+1 rounds, elves are immune) (dc 13) Statistics Str 16, Dex 16, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 14 Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 17 Feats Alertness, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +5, Appraise +5, Climb +8, Intimidate +8, Perception +10, Sense Motive +9, Stealth +9, Swim +5 Languages Common, Dwarven SQ disease (dc 13) Combat Gear Potion of hide from undead; Other Gear Masterwork Leather armor, 23 PP, 74 GP, and 125 gold pieces in assorted jewelry. Special Abilities Channel Resistance +2 +2 bonus to save vs. Channel Energy. Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).

Action The skeletons and zombies are mindless and will simply attack the PCs when they become aware of their presence. They can leave the graveyard but generally do not. If the PCs are noisy in dealing with the undead in the graveyard, Rajig will know they are coming. He will peep out of the mausoleum and watch the fight. Despite being a ghoul now, he is still a coward by nature and will try to avoid the PCs by 6


Disease (DC 13) (Su) Ghoul Fever: Bite-injury; save Fort DC 13; onset 1 day; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based. Paralysis (1d4+1 rounds, elves are immune) (DC 13) Undead Traits Undead are immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, phantasms, and patterns), paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects

Melee Longsword* +2 (1d8), claw –3 (1d4+1) or 2 claws +2 (1d4+2) STATISTICS Str 13, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10 Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 12 Feats Improved Initiative Treasure Chain shirt, large steel shield, masterwork longsword Description These are skeletons that have been animated by mindless spirits of evil. The bones once belonged to imperial soldiers who were buried with their weapons and armor. They are ‘normal’ animated skeletons, but wear the remains of their armor and fight with masterwork long swords. They do not use much in the way of tactics-they simply bash away at any living being they encounter. Once destroyed, they will not animate again. *These particular skeletons are armed with masterwork long swords, hence the +1 to hit.

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Description When he was alive Rajij was a cautious but greedy grave robber. Unfortunately for him, his greed got the better of his caution and he participated in a job to rob a mausoleum with a sinister reputation. The person who hired him provided him with two potions of hide from undead—unfortunately the potion failed to protect him and during his attempted robbery, Rajij was infected with ghoul fever. The sole survivor, he turned while hiding in the basement of an associate’s house. After killing and feasting on his associate, Rajij set out to continue his career as a grave robber. Although his interests have changed somewhat, he still keeps valuables (in a bag tied to his belt) that other ghouls would typically ignore. His extensive experience as a robber has provided him with skills beyond those of a typical ghoul as well as somewhat greater restraint. He sometimes deals with evil humanoids and trades them valuables for his favored meats (he is especially fond of Halfling).

HUMAN SKELETON CR 1/3 XP 135 NE Medium undead Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0 DEFENSE AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 ( +2 Dex, +2 natural) hp 4 (1d8) Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2 DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune cold, undead traits OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee 2 claws +2 (1d4+2) STATISTICS Str 15, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10 Base Atk +0; CMB +2; CMD 14 Feats Improved InitiativeB Description These are skeletons that have been animated by mindless spirits of evil. The bones once belonged to human civilians. They do not use much in the way of tactics-they simply bash away at any living being they encounter. Once destroyed, they will not animate again. One of the skeletons has a 100 gp silver necklace (DC 10 perception check to notice it).

Armed Skeleton CR 1/3 XP 135 NE Medium undead Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0 DEFENSE AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 18 (+4 armor, +2 shield +2 Dex, +2 natural) hp 4 (1d8) Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2 DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune cold, undead traits OFFENSE Speed 30 ft.

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2. Storage: This storage area has been searched through. The items stored here (foodstuffs, supplies and tools) are rusted and rotted away (as appropriate).

HUMAN ZOMBIE CR 1/2 XP 200 NE Medium undead Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0 DEFENSE AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+2 natural) hp 12 (2d8+3) Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +3 DR 5/slashing; Immune undead traits OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee slam +4 (1d6+4) STATISTICS Str 17, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10 Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 14 Feats ToughnessB Special Qualities staggered

First Floor The first floor has been cleaned up. The interior doors are intact, but the locks have been broken (by the goblins). 1. Entrance: The entrance hall. There will always be two goblins on guard duty here. 2. Storage: This area holds arrows and bolts stored in boxes full of sawdust. There are 600 arrows and 600 bolts stored here. 3. Storage: This area held dried foodstuffs, which decayed into dust long ago. 4. Storage: This area holds weapon and armor racks. Many of the items are rusted and rotted, but the following items are still intact and usable with some cleaning and minor repairs: 3 masterwork long swords, 10 long swords, 1 masterwork heavy crossbow, 7 light crossbows, 6 spears, 1 masterwork breastplate, 3 suits of chainmail, 5 light steel shields, 2 heavy steel shields, 1 composite long bow.

The Armory The armory tower was constructed by the Empire to serve as a rally point in case the garrison fell. The tower is well constructed and has stood up to the elements. The tower was quickly sealed when the people left the island. The most valuable weapons and armor were taken when the armory troops left. The tower was recently occupied by a small band of goblins lead by a young hobgoblin. The hobgoblin hopes to earn status by his actions.

Second Floor The second floor served as quarters for the soldiers assigned to the armory. The roof of the armory is reached via trap door from this floor. 1. Entrance: The entrance to the second floor. There will always be one goblin on guard here. 2. Sergeant’s Quarters: This was the sergeant’s quarters. It is now used by the goblins. Two goblins sleep here. 3. Barracks: This was once the barracks chamber. The bunks have been crudely repaired and the goblins sleep here. 4. Barracks: This was once the barracks chamber. The bunks have been crudely repaired and the goblins sleep here. 5. Officer’s Quarters: This was once the officer’s quarters. The hobgoblin sleeps here. He has repaired the furniture in the room to some degree and has cleaned it meticulously. He has been drawing maps of the area and has reports on the town.

Maps The tower is in good shape. A DC 10 spot check will reveal that some small repairs have been made to the structure and that there are signs of recent activity. The exterior door, which rotted away, has been replaced with a crude door made of thick branches (DC 13 to smash through, 20 HP, hardness of 5). The ground around the tower has been clearer of brush and cover for about 200 yards, making sneaking up on the tower something of a challenge. Basement The basement is dark and a bit damp. 1. Well: The well is a magical well. The enchantment keeps the water fresh, clean and cool.

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Longbow, Comp. (Str +0) +3 (1d8/x3) Statistics Str 12, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12 Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 12 Feats Iron Will, Weapon Focus (Longsword) Skills Acrobatics -6 (-10 jump), Climb -7, Escape Artist -6, Fly -6, Intimidate +5, Ride -6, Stealth -2, Survival +4, Swim -7 Languages Common, Goblin Combat Gear Potion of cure light wounds; Other Gear Masterwork Half-plate, Heavy steel shield, Dagger, Longbow, Comp. (Str +0), Masterwork Longsword, 12 GP, 25 SP Special Abilities Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only). Hero Lab® and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at http://www.wolflair.com Pathfinder® and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC®, and are used under license. Description Hegem is a young hobgoblin fighter who is determined to follow the path of greatness. As his first (and mostly likely his last) step on that path, he decided to take a small force of goblins to the island of Leskalisem to find an Imperial Armory he had learned about from his older brother, a hobgoblin priest and avid historian. The potion he carries was a present from his brother. The sword he wields is of Imperial make—he found it in the armory. Hegem will open the battle with ranged attacks if possible and use intelligent tactics-ordering his goblins to flank, for example. If he is wounded, he will fall back and use his potion. It is easily on hand in a belt sheath. Since he believes he has a great destiny, he will fight until he is rendered unconscious or killed. If he is captured, he will realize that his faith in his destiny might have been misplaced and will tell the PCs that his older brother would pay a ransom for his return. If the PCs agree, the brother will be willing to trade four potions of cure light wounds as a ransom. The brother is a fourth level hobgoblin priest and will bring a force of guards with him to any meeting.

Action The tower is occupied by a force of 10 goblins and one hobgoblin. There will always be four goblins on guard duty at any time (three inside the tower and one on top). The hobgoblin takes 4 goblins and patrols around the tower twice per day. Every few days he will go near the town to observe. If the PCs openly approach the tower during the day, the goblin sentry will almost certainly spot them and warn the others. Four goblins will take up position within the entrance. The other six goblins and the hobgoblin will take up positions on the roof, using the parapet walls for cover (+4 to AC). They will shoot arrows until the PCs are defeated or reach the tower. Then they will rush downstairs to meet the PCs. If the PCs are able to sneak up on the tower, the goblins will be less prepared. They will put up a spirited defense but will be willing to surrender if it comes to that. The hobgoblin would like to have prisoners to question, if it comes down to that for the PCs. If the PCs attack the goblins but retreat, the hobgoblin will assume that the PCs will return with forces from the town and he will decide to leave the island. The sailboat they used to reach the island is concealed on the coast. There is no evidence that the hobgoblin was acting under orders (because he was not) but the town leaders will suspect he was, if they learn about things from the PC. The Kingdom of Maarin will step up random patrols because of this. Hebrem Hobgoblin Fighter 1 LE Medium Humanoid (goblinoid) Init +2; Senses darkvision; Perception +0 Defense AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 20 (+8 armor, +2 shield) hp 13 (1d10+2) Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +2 Offense Speed 20 ft. Melee Dagger +2 (1d4+1/19-20/x2) Masterwork Longsword +4 (1d8+1/19-20/x2) Ranged 9


Description These goblins find Hegrem’s faith in destiny appealing and believe that he will lead them along the path of greatness. They assume that there will be plenty of opportunities to burn things along this path.

Goblin CR 1/3

The Shadowy Woods Many centuries ago a primitive shrine was erected on the island. After the people who made it vanished from the world, the site remained infused with power. When the Cataclysm struck, bursts of terrible energy scattered around the island and some of it was absorbed by the shrine. This energy produced strange changes in the local fauna and flora thus giving rise to rage wolves, whip plants and shadow lilies. The woods are permanently in shadow due to the shadow lilies. These strange plants seem to be solid shadows. They create darkness (as per the spell and as a 3rd level caster) around them as long as they are alive. If a shadow lily is uprooted and replanted it can be kept alive and producing darkness for 1D4 weeks if properly cared for. If just pulled out of the ground, the darkness will last 1D6 hours. The shadowy woods have many normal animals that seem oddly unaffected by the darkness (they drink from the pool, see below). There are also two types of hostile creatures the PCs might encounter: rage wolves and whip plants. It is suggested that the PCs encounter 1D4 rage wolves while heading into the woods and 1D2 whip plants. The number can be adjusted to match the party. A strong party can encounter the alpha and accompanying wolves. A weaker party should only encounter the normal rage wolves. If the PCs are extra careful and sneaky, the numbers encountered can be less (or perhaps even avoided completely). If the PCs are rather loud and take actions that will attract attention, they can have more encounters.

XP 135 Goblin Warrior 1 CE Small Humanoid (goblinoid) Init +2; Senses darkvision; Perception -1 Defense AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, +1 shield, +2 Dex, +1 size) hp 6 (1d10) Fort +2, Ref +2, Will -1 Offense Speed 30 ft. Melee Shortsword +4 (1d4/19-20/x2) Ranged Shortbow +4 (1d4/x3) Statistics Str 10, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 6 Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 12 Feats Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +1, Climb +3, Escape Artist +1, Fly +3, Ride +5, Stealth +13, Swim -1 Languages Goblin Other Gear Leather armor, Light wooden shield, Shortbow, Shortsword, 3 GP Special Abilities Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).

The Pool Located in the center of the woods is a poll of sparkling water. It seems to be lit with an internal light and the darkness is broken for ten feet around the waters. In the center of the pool are four standing stones and one slab. Upon the slab lies a badly decayed humanoid skull. The skull radiates a faint

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Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail. Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell. Trip (Ex) You can make a trip attempt on a successful attack. Rage (Ex): A rage wolf that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage on its next turn, biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and –2 to Armor Class. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily. Hero Lab® and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at http://www.wolflair.com Pathfinder® and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC®, and are used under license. Description These wolves have been tainted and maddened by the corruption of the area. Because of this they will attack humanoid and fly into an insane rage if wounded. A DC 10 Knowledge(Nature) check reveals that their behavior and appearance is unusual.

darkness and detects as evil. It has 3 hp and a damage reduction 5/bludgeoning. Smashing the skull releases a burst of negative energy in a 10 foot radius. This inflicts 1D6 points of damage, ½ on a will save DC 12. Destroying the skull will put an end to the corruption of the area—as the shadow lilies die off they will be replaced with normal lilies and the rage wolves’ pups will be normal wolves. The whip plants will still remain, however. The PCs should get 150 XP reward for removing the corruption. The pool itself is magical. In a quirk of fate, the water is enchanted so that it can undo magical darkness within 10 feet of at least one pint of the water (treat the effect as dispel magic against magical darkness only, caster level 5). This effect wears off in 1 week if the water is removed from the pool. Drinking the water yields a permanent magical effect: the drinker gains can see normally in magical darkness for 10 feet. There is usually one whip plant near the pool waiting for the chance to grab a meal. Rage Wolf CR 1 XP 400 CN Medium Animal Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +8 Defense AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 natural) hp 13 (2d8+4) Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1 Offense Speed 50 ft. Melee Bite (Wolf) +2 (1d6+1/x2) Special Attacks trip Statistics Str 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 14 (18 vs. Trip) Feats Skill Focus (Perception) Skills Acrobatics +2 (+10 jump), Perception +8, Stealth +6 Modifiers +4 to survival when tracking by scent Special Abilities +4 to Survival when tracking by Scent +4 to Survival when tracking by Scent.

Rage Wolf Alpha CR 2 XP 600 Wolf CN Medium Animal Init +4; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +10 Defense AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +4 natural) hp 17 (2d8+8) Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +3 Offense Speed 50 ft. Melee Bite (Wolf) +4 (1d6+4/x2) Special Attacks trip Statistics Str 17, Dex 19, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 10 Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 18 (22 vs. Trip) Feats Skill Focus (Perception) Skills Acrobatics +4 (+12 jump), Perception +10, Stealth +8 Modifiers +4 to survival when tracking by scent 11


Treasure incidental Description Whip plants are an unusual mobile predatory plant. Their lower body consists of a bark covered mass from which extends thick, root like growths. These function as legs. The top of the body mass has a mouth lined with grinding and ripping sections of hard bark. Surrounding the mouth are long, thorny whips. Whip plants close in on opponents and strike at them with their whips. They can reach out to 10 feet with these whips, but can only bite opponents that are within 5 feet. They are quite aggressive when hungry. They are almost always hungry.

Special Abilities +4 to Survival when tracking by Scent +4 to Survival when tracking by Scent. Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail. Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell. Trip (Ex) You can make a trip attempt on a successful attack. Rage (Ex): A rage wolf that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage on its next turn, biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and –2 to Armor Class. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily. Hero Lab® and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at http://www.wolflair.com Pathfinder® and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC®, and are used under license. Description This is the pack alpha. Like the others, he is tainted with corruption. He will lead the pack to attack any intruders, eager to kill and devour them.

The Abandoned Library One of the garrison commanders had a library built on the island. Because of the general boredom of garrison duty, the library was well used. When the island was abandoned, the library was quickly locked up and abandoned. The library seems to have been untouched since then. The Library The library is stone. The windows are covered with metal shutters which are still intact. The outer doors are weatherworn, but still locked. The doors have 30 HP left. The locks are DC 18 to pick. Smashing the doors down is a DC 16 strength check. The interior doors are unlocked. The town wizard will be willing to reward the PCs with 200 gp for bringing him the surviving books.

Whip Plant CR 1 XP 400 N Medium plant Init +0; Senses low-light vision DEFENSE AC 15, touch 9, flat-footed 15 (+6 natural, –1 size) hp 30 (2d8+2) Fort +4, Ref -1, Will +1 Immune, plant traits OFFENSE Speed 15 ft. 2 Whips +1 melee 1D4+1, bite -1 melee 1D4+1 Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. whips) STATISTICS Str 13, Dex 8, Con 13, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 9 Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 10 (can't be tripped) ECOLOGY Environment temperate forests Organization solitary, pair, or patch (3–6)

1. Entrance and Shelves: The entrance area contains many shelves as well as desks and chairs. There are many books which are in surprisingly good shape. The contents of the room are worth about 2 gp per pound of books recovered, should the PCs wish to just sell them. 2. Shelves: This area contains many books as well as a Silent Guardian. 3. Librarian’s Quarters: A faint whispering sound can be heard coming from this room. A DC 14 listen 12


grapple check. If it wins, it wraps itself around the opponent’s head, causing that creature to be blinded until removed. The paper continues to cut away as well, inflicting normal damage. Fire and Water Vulnerability (Ex): Being made of paper, they are especially vulnerable to fire and water based attacks. They take 1 ½ times damage from such attacks. If the attack permits a save for half damage, then multiply the damage by 1.5 before dividing it in half. ECOLOGY Environment libraries Organization solitary or chapters(3-12) Treasure none Description A Paper Phantom is a mass of swirling paper that has been animated by a mindless spirit of chaos. They have a vaguely humanoid appearance and move by an odd combination of walking and swirling. They can fly by swirling about but are not particularly fast when in the air. While not evil, they are driven by their chaotic nature to destroy and attack. They will generally attack living creatures they encounter. Paper phantoms fight with their whole bodies-they lash out at opponents and cut them with the sharp edges of the paper. Their magical nature makes the paper tough enough to cut through metal and flesh. Because of their nature, they use their DEX to modify their attack rolls (they get Weapon Finesse as a racial feat).

check will reveal that it sounds like wind blowing paper around and around. Within the room is a paper phantom, composed of paper torn from many once valuable books. Still intact in the chamber is a large, heavy book containing information on spells and spell research. Reading through the book will provide an arcane caster with the following spells (treat as a spell book): animate rope, chill touch, gust of wind, rope trick, whispering wind, blink. If the PCs defeat the paper phantom without burning it or otherwise destroying the paper, they will find that part of its body was a scroll of fireball (caster level 7). Action The library guardian will watch the PCs and wait for them to make the gesture that will allow them to pass. When they do not have it, it will gesture for them to leave. If they refuse, it will try to force them to do so. It will not leave the library. The paper phantom will simply attack intruders. It will pursue them out of the library. Paper Phantom CR 1 XP 200 CN Medium construct Init +3 Senses darkvision 60, low-light vision; Perception -5 DEFENSE AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 10 (+3 Dex) hp 15 (1d10+10) Fort +0, Ref +30, Will -5 Defensive Abilities Immune Construct Traits Weaknesses Vulnerability to fire, vulnerability to water OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Fly 10 ft. (good) Melee Slice +4 (1D4 18-20/X2) STATISTICS Str 10, Dex 16, Con -, Int -, Wis 1, Cha 1 Base Atk +1 CMB +1 CMD 13 Special Attacks Blind Feats Weapon Finesse SPECIAL ABILITIES Blind (Ex): A paper phantom can block the eyes of an opponent. It can grapple an opponent up to three sizes larger than itself. The object makes a normal

Silent Guardian, Least CR 1 XP 200 N Medium construct Init +0 Senses darkvision 60, low-light vision; Perception -5 DEFENSE AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+5 natural) hp 15 (1d10+10) Fort +0, Ref +0, Will -5 Defensive Abilities hardness 5 Immune Construct Traits OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee slam +3 (1D6+2) 13


STATISTICS Str 14, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 1, Cha 1 Base Atk +1 CMB +3 CMD 12 SPECIAL ABILITIES Wood (EX): Being composed of wood grants the silent guardian a hardness of 5 and a +1 bonus to its natural armor bonus. Silence (SU): A silent guardian radiates silence as per the spell (CL 3). If this effect is dispelled, the silent guardian can re-activate it as a standard action. ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or group (3-12) Treasure none Descriptions Silent guardians were created to protect libraries and to preserve the silence so critical to research. The least of the silent guardians are crafted from wood and are typically made in the form of abstract humanoids. They almost always have featureless faces. Another popular design is to have a face without a mouth. Their bodies are carved with magical signs that can be identified as relating to the silence spell with a DC 12 Spellcraft check. Silent guardians only attack when provoked and will stop attacking once an opponent falls, flees of ceases to engage in provocative behavior. When destroyed, the silent guardians’ silence ability ceases to function.

Conclusion The adventures on the island end when the PCs complete all the tasks, give up or die. If the PCs complete the tasks, they will be rewarded as promised and remembered as heroes in the village. The town council will encourage the PCs to move on to greater things-such as the next adventure.

14


Maps

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While acquiring his doctorate in philosophy at Ohio State University, he earned his ramen noodle money by writing for Chaosium, GDW, R. Talsorian Games, and TSR. After graduate school, he became a philosophy professor at Florida A&M University. His first philosophy book, What Don't You Know?, was published in 2008. He continues to write philosophy

About the Author Dr. Michael LaBossiere is a gamer/runner from Maine who went to school in Ohio and ended up a philosophy professor in Florida. 19


and gaming material. He is also a blogger, but these days who isn't? When not writing, he enjoys running, gaming and the martial arts. Thanks to a quadriceps tendon tear in 2009, he was out of running for a while, but returned to the trails and wrote a book about it, Of

Tendon & Trail. He can be contacted at [email protected]. Twitter: @drlabossiere Michael LaBossiere’s Amazon Author Page Michael LaBossiere’s Paizo Page Michael LaBossiere’s DriveThru RPG Page

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