PZO90152 Pathfinder 2E - Extinction Curse AP - Part 2 of 6 - Legacy of The Lost God

Second Edition

Legacy of the Lost GOD By Jenny Jarzabski

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AUTHOR Jenny Jarzabski ADDITIONAL WRITING Stephen Glicker, Luis Loza, Ron Lundeen, Andrew Mullen, and David N. Ross DEVELOPERS Ron Lundeen and Patrick Renie DESIGN LEADS Stephen Radney-MacFarland and Mark Seifter EDITING LEADS Avi Kool and Lu Pellazar EDITORS Judy Bauer, James Case, Avi Kool, Lyz Liddell, Adrian Ng, and Lu Pellazar COVER AND PAGE BORDER ARTIST Miguel Regodón Harkness INTERIOR ARTISTS Olivier Bernard, Vlada Hladkova, Jason Juta, Artur Nakhodkin, Ian Perks, RicardoPadierneSilvera, Darko Stojanovic, and Jessé Suursoo ART DIRECTION Sonja Morris and Sarah E. Robinson CREATIVE DIRECTOR James Jacobs PROJECT MANAGER Gabriel Waluconis PUBLISHER Erik Mona

Adventure Path 2 of 6

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD Legacy of the Lost God by Jenny Jarzabski

Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall Chapter 3: Echoes Under Escadar Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie

Catfolk of Golarion

Adventure Toolbox

by David N. Ross

by Stephen Glicker, Luis Loza, Ron Lundeen, and Andrew Mullen

Circus Magic Items Animal Trainer Archetype Circus Spells Bogeyman Iridescent Animal Muse Phantom Visitant Xulgath Spinesnapper Zuipnyrn Chief Constable Andera Paldreen Mistress Dusklight Ulthadar

paizo.com

4 18 32 44

Among the Xulgaths by Andrew Mullen

Paizo Inc. 7120 185th Ave NE, Ste 120 Redmond, WA 98052-0577

73 76 77 78 80 81 82 84 85 86 88 90

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall

Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance ..................................... 4

The Circus of Wayward Wonders arrives in Escadar, but the heroes must clear the dangerous plot of land they’ve been given before the circus can perform. Furthermore, rivals from the Celestial Menagerie try to sabotage the opening performance.

Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall ............................. 18

To follow up on their information from Erran Tower, the party seeks permission to enter the buried temple of Aroden known as Moonstone Hall. They soon learn that xulgaths have infested the abandoned structure, and that their enemy Mistress Dusklight is negotiating with them.

Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar ..........................32

Deep beneath Moonstone Hall, the heroes work with the ghost of a peevish priest to learn about the xulgath presence and the secrets of Aroden’s aeon orbs.

Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie ....44

After presenting the information discovered in Moonstone Hall, the heroes are deputized to take Mistress Dusklight into custody. The canny catfolk ringmaster is ready for them though, and they face their greatest challenges on their rival’s turf.

Advancement Track Legacy of the Lost God is designed for four characters.

5 6 7 8

NEW PERFORMERS This adventure, as well as all subsequent volumes of the Extinction Curse Adventure Path, present six new circus performers on the inside covers. The adventure provides ways to meet and hire each of these performers, but sometimes they’re found in very unlikely places! As managers of the Circus of Wayward Wonders, the heroes should always be on the lookout for new talent. The heroes gain XP when they acquire a new performer, and they unlock the ability to take that performer’s traits in their own signature tricks (unlike the heroes, NPCs don’t ever switch out their tricks or increase them in level). There’s no telling which of these NPCs are likely to resonate with the heroes, so play up anyone they really enjoy interacting with and don’t worry about leaving other performers by the wayside. These new performers are also great opportunities to flesh out the heroes’ backstories and present new romantic relationships or friendships throughout the campaign.

Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie Among the Xulgaths Catfolk of Golarion Adventure Toolbox

The heroes begin this adventure at 5th level. The heroes should reach 6th level by the start of Chapter 2. The heroes should reach 7th level around the time they delve below Moonstone Hall in Chapter 3. The heroes should reach 8th level by the start of Chapter 4.

The heroes should reach 9th level by the time they complete the adventure.

CHAPTER 1: A GRAND ENTRANCE The powerful xulgath nation that once thrived in the subterranean realm known as Vask bears little resemblance to the fragmented tribes of degenerate xulgaths that eke out a living in the Darklands today. Few among the xulgaths now have any inkling that they are heirs to an ancient civilization that once mastered occult knowledge and powerful magic. Six hovering, life‑giving orbs gave Vask its vitality, creating a lush, primeval jungle far underground, and the xulgath empire thrived within this subterranean cradle for countless generations. Five millennia ago, a visitor from the surface changed everything. When the god Aroden raised the Isle of Kortos and the Isle of Erran from the Inner Sea, the islands were merely barren, slime‑covered rocks. Aroden sought a method to breathe life into his sacred islands and discovered the magical orbs nurturing Vask. In his mind, the orbs would serve

humanity far better than they would the xulgaths. He stole all but one, leaving a single orb behind in what he believed was an act of mercy to maintain Vask’s fragile ecosystem. Aroden didn’t realize it, but a single orb wasn’t enough to sustain Vask. Without the protective barrier provided by all six orbs, the radioactive crystals in Vask’s surrounding stone destroyed the ecology, transforming the entire region into a land of irradiated black sand now known as the Black Desert. Aroden called his prizes aeon orbs, naming them after his Azlanti tradition, and installed them in five key locations across the islands he had drawn from the sea. He placed each atop a mudbrick tower, which he then named aeon towers. Four of these towers stood on the western half of the Isle of Kortos, and the fifth stood upon the Isle of Erran, which Aroden reserved for his clergy’s use. The aeon orbs orbited these aeon towers, emanating their life‑giving magic across the islands.

Even the orbs’ considerable power was not enough to transform a rock into a verdant island suitable for human habitation. Aroden supplemented the aeon orbs’ magic with his own essence, boosting their power using a ritual performed at a stronghold he named the Verdant Beacon, high in the Kortos Mountains. The islands quickly flourished in the shadow of the empowered aeon towers, and these beacons of plenty became wondrous landmarks that were honored by locals. Over time, the towers gradually came to be taken for granted, but Aroden’s essence continued to empower the aeon orbs, and his islands thrived for millennia. Aroden’s mysterious death disrupted the power of the aeon orbs. Over the past century, residents of the isles have noted a steady decline in their land’s ecology as the orbs began to fail. Left alone, the aeon orbs’ slow decay is certain to doom the Isle of Kortos. But the xulgaths aren’t content to wait. An ambitious priest of the demon lord Zevgavizeb, Sarvel Ever‑Hunger, learned of his ancestral homeland in Vask through communion with his god, including the truth of Aroden’s ancient theft and its staggering consequences. Outraged at the crime that doomed his people millennia before, Sarvel concocted a plan to wreak vengeance on the surface‑dwellers. Rather than reclaim the five stolen aeon orbs, which might allow the surface dwellers to migrate elsewhere or otherwise survive, he intends to use them to wipe the islands clean of life in one deadly blow. To enact this plan, Sarvel needed to learn more about Aroden’s theft and his construction of the aeon towers. This lore could be found, he suspected, in one of Aroden’s temples on the surface, but lest his plans be discovered too soon, he sought out a temple the soft‑skinned surface dwellers had abandoned. He found the ideal site: a temple called Moonstone Hall, abandoned a century ago and covered by the growing city of Escadar. The constables of Escadar had an unknowing hand in keeping intruders out of the buried temple: fearing smugglers and criminals might use the site as a hideout, the constables guarded its only known surface access and kept anyone from entering. Moonstone Hall therefore lay undisturbed until Sarvel arrived with his retinue. Sarvel plundered the lore of Moonstone Hall, drawing the wisdom contained in the site’s magical repositories of knowledge and prophecy called moonstone pools. Through the moonstone pools, Sarvel learned of the aeon towers, the Verdant Beacon, and a powerful ritual that could harness their power to shake the entire Isle of Kortos back into the sea from whence Aroden raised it. While the Last Azlanti intended this ritual as a fail‑safe in case something terrible threatened the Starstone, Sarvel saw the potential to strike a powerful blow of revenge against the hated surface‑dwellers. There, in the halls of his detested enemy, Sarvel directed his most powerful and loyal retainers to infiltrate each of the aeon towers and destroy the aeon orbs there. Most of the xulgaths then left Moonstone Hall, and Sarvel himself departed for the Verdant Beacon. But Sarvel decreed that several xulgaths must remain behind to continue to plunder the temple’s lore and befoul its grandeur. The remaining xulgaths’ work within Moonstone Hall is slow, both because they lack Sarvel’s domineering leadership and because the ghosts of the site harry their efforts to subvert Aroden’s legacy. These xulgaths are a fractious, squabbling lot, but they have taken Sarvel’s primary directive seriously: they must not allow the surface dwellers to learn of their presence or their plans.

CHAPTER 1 SYNOPSIS The heroes’ circus, the Circus of Wayward Wonders, arrives in the city of Escadar to put on its first significant shows and start building a name for itself. Some of the circus members are nervous, as Escadar is also the home of the Celestial Menagerie, a rival circus led by a cruel catfolk ringmaster. The heroes must secure permission from Chief Constable Andera Paldreen to perform and then clear their granted site of its dangers. Agents of the Celestial Menagerie threaten to sabotage the opening performance of the Circus of Wayward Wonders, and the heroes must discover and stop these attempts so their opening night can succeed.

CHAPTER 1 TREASURE LISTING The permanent and consumable items available as treasure in Chapter 1 are as follows. • beckoning cat amulet • chime of opening • clandestine cloak • clear spindle aeon stone, • dust of appearance • invisibility potion • lesser elixir of life • moderate darkvision elixir • moderate mistform elixir • persona mask • type I bag of holding • +1 rapier

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie Among the Xulgaths Catfolk of Golarion Adventure Toolbox

ENTER MISTRESS DUSKLIGHT Despite their best efforts, the xulgaths did not remain undiscovered for long. The devious Mistress Dusklight, catfolk ringmaster of an Escadar‑based circus called the Celestial Menagerie, has scoured the city for powerful relics and forgotten lore she could use to supplement her own abilities or display at a profit. She first thought to bribe the constables guarding Moonstone Hall to gain entrance—as she already had a senior constable named Darricus Stallit on her payroll—but the chief constable’s recent crackdown on corruption made such bribery challenging. She instead found another entrance concealed in a nearby basem*nt. Mistress Dusklight was surprised to find xulgaths residing just beneath the city’s streets. She promised to help them unlock the temple’s secrets in exchange for her freedom to come and go. When the xulgaths demanded more, the ringmaster offered her own disloyal or unsuspecting circus hands as sacrifices for the xulgaths’ bloody rites. Meanwhile, she’s stealing everything of value from beneath the xulgaths’ snouts. Her actions are dangerous and illegal, but Mistress Dusklight hasn’t ever let the law or morality stop her before.

Welcome to Escadar

In The Show Must Go On, the heroes learned that a contingent of xulgaths had been sent to the Erran Tower by more powerful xulgaths in Moonstone Hall beneath Escadar. The temple is bound to have more information about the aeon orbs and the xulgath menace, so investigating it is the heroes’ next logical step. Escadar is also a good next stop for the Circus of Wayward Wonders. Having honed their acts in the small town of Abberton, the performers are ready for larger crowds, bigger payouts, and greater prestige. Yet Escadar is not entirely enticing, nor is setting up there

without risk. Many performers and hands are anxious about Mistress Dusklight, the cruel circus master who manages the rival circus Celestial Menagerie in Escadar. Performers whisper stories about her kidnappings, mistreatment of animals, and use of magic and drugs to force performers into compliance. The heroes may also have a past within the Celestial Menagerie, based on the backgrounds they chose. The circus’s overland journey to Escadar is largely uneventful, beyond a growing restlessness among the circus performers and hands. When the circus finally arrives in town, read or paraphrase the following. The sharp tang of salt permeates the air, and the gulls that swoop and cry overhead mark the city’s proximity to the sea. Grandiose buildings at the city’s center rise above sprawling markets and squalid tenements. Proud ships sail in and out of the harbor with the wind as laborers and travelers mill about the docks and quays. The tide of humanity ebbs and flows throughout the port city. Hawkers pace the crooked streets and shout various offers to passersby. Fishmongers sing out the daily catch, traipsing in meandering paths through crowded markets. Armed guards in navy‑blue uniforms with bronze badges patrol the busy intersections, their eyes scanning the crowds. Dirty‑faced urchins dart underfoot, seeking dropped coins or untendedpurses. Walking through the streets of Escadar is similar to peering through the pages of history, as newer projects are built practically on top of older buildings. Foundations millennia old support brand‑new structures, the city growing proudly higher and higher.

Darricus Stallit

Though Escadar teems with distractions and their investigation into Moonstone Hall beckons, the heroes have a significant concern that demands immediate attention: their performers need to make a

living. They require a plot of unused land to house their circus, and every circus owner knows that good relations with the local law helps prevent trouble. Veteran circus performers—such as the Professor or Mistress Elizia—suggest the heroes speak with the head of Escadar’s city guard. Escadar’s civic functions are based in the massive structure known as Conclave Square. Once a collection of closely constructed buildings where Aroden’s priests handled the island’s civic matters, the buildings were expanded and connected generations ago. Now a single sprawling structure with several blended architectural styles, Conclave Square is the home of Escadar’s Lesser Council, city guard, and licensing offices. Heroes who have visited Escadar (including those who once worked for Mistress Dusklight) know where it is, and any citizen can point the heroes there. A hero who succeeds at a DC 15 Diplomacy check to Gather Information learns that the right person to speak to is Andera Paldreen, Escadar’s sternly efficient chief constable. Even without learning Andera’s name ahead of time, the heroes are directed to her office when they ask around Conclave Square about licenses for entertainers and merchants. Escadar has always been known as a city of vices, with more than its share of smugglers’ warehouses, illicit brothels, and gladiatorial pits. Chief Constable Paldreen has been working hard to legitimize the city’s entertainment businesses.

PERFORMANCE NEGOTIATIONS It takes 1d6 hours for Andera’s schedule to open up. A talkative senior constable named Darricus Stallit comes to fetch the heroes after that time and takes them to his boss. Darricus accompanies the heroes into Andera’s office after giving her door a quick knock. This circular office, paneled with rich brown wood, contains a writing desk, shelves stacked with records, and a row of chairs positioned near the door for visitors. A framed painting of a kestrel in flight hangs in a place of prominence behind the desk. A metal stand to the west displays an ornate falchion and a battle‑worn breastplate polished to a brilliant shine. A small, muscular human woman sits behind the desk, dressed in a dark‑blue uniform with a golden badge of office pinned to the left shoulder. The shield‑shaped badge bears an engraving of an osprey with a fish clutched in its talons. The woman listens intently to the individual sitting across from her, a smarmy human man in a striking, royal‑purple suit only a few buttons and ruffles shy of garish. The woman’s hawklike gaze darts to the opened door, and she holds up a hand apologetically to the man in purple.

“Thank you, Delamar, for bringing this issue to my attention. If that’s all, though, it appears that I have another appointment.” Creatures: When the heroes arrive, the overworked and plain‑speaking chief constable, is meeting with Delamar Gianvin, an employee of Mistress Dusklight’s Celestial Menagerie. Delamar is here to prevent the Circus of Wayward Wonders from opening in Escadar. Andera has little patience for the smarmy man, but he’s already convinced her that he has relevant information about the Circus of Wayward Wonders and should be present for this meeting. Andera invites the heroes into her office and insists that Delamar stay. Darricus smoothly moves behind Andera and stands at attention, observing the ensuing conversation. Darricus has secretly been on Mistress Dusklight’s payroll for years, but no one else in the room is aware of Darricus’s arrangement with her— to Andera and Delamar, Darricus is simply a loyal senior constable. The heroes can discover and expose Darricus’s treachery later in this adventure.

ANDERA PALDREEN

CREATURE 10

Female human chief constable (page 87) Initiative Perception +22

DARRICUS STALLIT

CREATURE 8

Male human deputy constable (page 57) Initiative Perception +17

DELAMAR GIANVIN

CREATURE 6

Male human agitator (page 16) Initiative Perception +14 Skills Acrobatics +15, Circus Lore +10, Criminal Lore +10, Deception +14, Diplomacy +14, Society +12, Stealth +17, Thievery +15 Convincing Andera: Andera asks the heroes to present their request to her and encourages them to get to the point quickly. While the heroes attempt to convince Andera, Delamar rebuts their points, insisting that the Circus of Wayward Wonders brings a dangerous element to her city. Delamar has a reasonable understanding of the events that took place in Abberton, and he presents facts in a way that paints the heroes in the worst possible light (such as pointing out the circus harbored a murderer or that the heroes got into a fight in a church of Abadar). Delamar is also perfectly willing to lie to make the heroes look bad. To run this social encounter, use the following rules and track Andera’s response with Resistance Points, representing her disinclination to approve the

heroes’ request. First, have Delamar and each hero roll initiative using their Deception or Diplomacy skills; Andera lets everyone present have their say in turn. Andera has some reluctance toward granting the heroes’ request due to her prior conversation with Delamar and starts with 5 Resistance Points. On his turn, Delamar automatically adds 1 Resistance Point with hurtful statements. He also attempts a DC 20 Diplomacy or Deception check. On a success, he adds 1 additional Resistance Point. On a critical success, he instead adds 2. On a critical failure, his poor argument removes 1 Resistance Point.

Delamar Gianvin

Each hero can do one of the following on their turn: Sway Andera: The hero attempts a DC 20 check using Diplomacy, Deception, or a relevant Lore skill to convince Andera to allow their circus to perform in Escadar. If the hero mentions that a circus increases happiness or satisfaction among the people, reduce the DC to 18. A success removes 1 Resistance Point, while a critical success removes 2 Resistance Points. A critical failure instead adds 1 Resistance Point. Support an Argument: The hero attempts to bolster an ally’s argument by attempting a DC 20 check using Diplomacy, Deception, or a relevant Lore skill. On a success, the indicated ally gains a +1 circ*mstance bonus to their next check. On a critical success, the hero also removes 1 Resistance Point due to insightful support. On a critical failure, the ally’s next check to sway Andera takes a –1 circ*mstance penalty instead. Demonstrate Talents: The hero attempts a DC 20 Performance check to prove their ability to impress a crowd. Andera normally allows only a single Performance attempt before losing her patience, insisting that her office is not a circus tent. A success removes 1 Resistance Point, while a critical success also entertains Andera sufficiently that she allows another attempt to demonstrate talents. A critical failure instead adds 1 Resistance Point. Discredit Delamar or the Celestial Menagerie: The hero relays a damaging fact about Delamar or the Celestial Menagerie and attempts a DC 20 check using Circus Lore or Society. If the hero mentions a fact they personally witnessed (such as one tied to the hero’s background, or the attack by the Celestial Menagerie performers in Abberton), reduce the DC to 18. A success puts Delamar on the defensive, and his next Deception or Diplomacy check uses an outcome one step worse than what he rolled (for example, from a failure to a critical failure). On a PC’s critical failure, Delamar seizes on the hero’s bumbling, and his next Deception or Diplomacy check instead uses an outcome one step better than what he rolled. If Andera’s Resistance Points reach 0, the heroes succeed at their negotiation. Andera approves the heroes’ request to perform with a warning not to make her regret it. She explains that all entertainment companies are required to pay the city 5% of their earnings as a tax (this comes out of their Payout from each performance). The heroes have up to 2 weeks to set up their first public performance. Andera’s attitude becomes friendly (Pathfinder Core Rulebook 620). If Andera’s Resistance Points reach 10, the heroes fail the negotiation. Andera approves their request, but requires a 20% tax on each performance. The heroes have only 7 days to put on their first public

performance, and the city’s constables must search the circus’s belongings thoroughly for contraband before this opening show. Andera warns the heroes that she’ll revoke her permission if she hears of any illegal actions, and her attitude becomes indifferent. In either case, she dismisses Delamar to discuss the site for the heroes’ circus in more detail with them. The agitator departs with a final, unpleasant sneer. XP Award: If the heroes succeed at the negotiation, award them 80 XP.

Dangerous Plot

Regardless of the negotiation outcome, Andera explains that the only large plot of land available for the circus is on Escadar’s outskirts. The area is easily accessible from the city, but it’s badly overgrown and rumored to hold treacherous terrain and dangerous creatures. Andera honestly admits she sees two advantages in leasing the site to the heroes: she doesn’t risk her guards in the difficult task of clearing the area, and the city can put the site to productive use once the circus has moved on. After addressing any lingering questions, Andera politely but firmly dismisses the heroes to explore their new plot of land. The plot is a bramble‑filled valley along dirt roads about a mile north of Escadar. The mouth of the valley is mostly flat and screened by several old‑growth trees; when cleared of thorns and large stones, it makes an ideal place to set up the Circus of Wayward Wonders. The hills that bound the valley to the east contain a sprawling cave system, and the river that flows along the valley’s south side drains into a swath of swampland. Both the caves and the swamp contain dangers the heroes should confront while other members of the circus work to clear the site. If the heroes successfully negotiated with Andera, they have 2 weeks to clear out the site and prepare their first performance; if not, they only have 1 week. XP Award: Once the heroes have dealt with the dangers in the valley, award them 80 XP.

NOCTURNAL VISITORS

MODERATE 5

A greater barghest named Kalkek escaped from the Celestial Menagerie a week ago and settled in a nearby cave, dominating a pack of wolves that lived there. The wolves had previously hunted to the north, but Kalkek forces the wolves to remain close as his guards. The abuse Kalkek underwent during his time as a sideshow act in the Celestial Menagerie has made him distrustful of all circus folk. When the heroes’ circus appears practically at his doorstep, he’s certain it has come for him—particularly if he recognizes any of the heroes as former members of the Celestial Menagerie.

ABOUT THE CELESTIAL MENAGERIE Once they realize Mistress Dusklight is taking an active interest in their circus, the heroes may want to learn more about the Celestial Menagerie. This is particularly likely during Chapter 4, but they can seek information at any time by attempting a DC 20 Diplomacy check to Gather Information or a DC 20 Circus Lore check to Recall Knowledge. On a success, the hero learns the first fact from the below list that they don’t already know; on a critical success, they learn two facts. On a failure, the hero gains a false fact of your invention. A hero formerly employed by the Celestial Menagerie already knows the first three facts. • Mistress Dusklight is the charismatic catfolk ringmaster and owner of the Celestial Menagerie. The Celestial Menagerie’s ever‑changing roster of performers combined with its interactive circus grounds makes it popular with Escadar’s citizenry. • Mistress Dusklight employs a variety of performers, including magical monsters and creatures of legend under her firm control. Audiences cheer for cavorting azatas, juggling giants, and mammoth riders. • Mistress Dusklight uses dubious means to keep her performers in line. Nebulous rumors of blackmail, withholding wages, and outright abuse surround the Celestial Menagerie. No evidence has ever surfaced to back these claims, however, and disgruntled circus employees tend to mysteriously disappear. • Mistress Dusklight uses magic and drugs to control her more dangerous acquisitions. Creatures like azatas and giants don’t willingly perform in her big top; she either magically binds them to her will or doses them with powerful opiates to keep them docile. • Subjects who break free of Mistress Dusklight’s rigid control disappear entirely and are rumored to have been slain. • Mistress Dusklight has stolen many hearts over the years. Her current consort is an aasimar named Mazael who is blissfully ignorant of her villainous nature.

Kalkek does his best to use his wolf empathy to scare the circus away. During the heroes’ first night in their temporary home, the wolves prowl around the edges of the circus camp but don’t attack. A hero keeping watch at night spots them; otherwise, circus workers find tracks the next day as they’re clearing the land. A hero who succeeds at a DC 17 Survival check to Track can follow the wolves to their lair in area A7. On the second night, two wolves make a brief, exploratory attack around midnight. If the heroes are keeping watch, the wolves attack the heroes but flee as

DANGEROUS PLOT A5 A1 A3 A6 A4 A2 A7

A9 A11 A10

A14

A13

A12 1 SQUARE = 5 FEET soon as either wolf is hurt. If the heroes aren’t keeping watch, the wolves kill and drag away an unlucky NPC. On the third night, Kalkek spies on the camp while invisible and then sends all six wolves and their dire wolf leader to attack. Their howling alerts the heroes to the assault. Kalkek doesn’t participate, as he plans to kidnap a circus member during the confusion. Creatures: The hungry dire wolf leads six smaller wolves as its pack. When they make their attack together, the wolves fight to the death until the dire wolf is defeated; after that, any injured wolf flees the area and doesn’t return.

DIRE WOLF

CREATURE 3

Pathfinder Bestiary 334 Initiative Perception +10

WOLVES (6)

A1. CLEARING CREATURE 1

Pathfinder Bestiary 334 Initiative Perception +7 The Kidnapping: At some point when the heroes are fighting off the wolves, Kalkek seizes his chance

to capture an isolated NPC. This victim should be someone whose absence spurs the heroes into action. The kidnapping isn’t discovered until after the attack, when bits of torn cloth and a trail of blood lead through the forest to the cave entrance (area A4). Add other clues based on the victim; for example, if the bird trainer Axel was kidnapped, a few bloody feathers are along the trail as well. Following the trail requires a successful DC 15 Survival check to Track. Kalkek intends to torture his victim for as much information as possible about the circus then return the corpse. If the heroes don’t recover the kidnapped victim within 2 days, Kalkek hangs the eviscerated corpse in a tall tree for everyone in the circus to see.

The dirt road from Escadar ends abruptly at the bramble‑choked mouth of a forested valley. Granite hills rise to the east and south, providing a sheltered area where the trees have grown thick and wild. Two rough trails lead into the forest, one blocked by an enormous fallen oak, rotted and sprouting with mushrooms.

This clearing is overgrown with weeds and thorny brambles that must be cleared away before the Circus of Wayward Wonders can set up. The heroes have a more important task than aiding in this labor: they need to scout the area and ensure no dangers can prey upon the circus. Preparing the land takes a week of work by the circus laborers, which should give the heroes enough time to explore the area and perhaps even spread the word in Escadar about their circus. The unblocked trail is normally used by the wolves to hunt. A hero Searching while traveling on the trail notices paw prints. With a successful DC 22 Perception or Survival check, the hero notes that two different sets of paw prints are much larger than the others (one set belongs to the dire wolf, and the other belongs to the barghest Kalkek).

A2. FALLEN LOG

LOW 5

A heavy, fallen log blocks the westernmost path into the forest. Although it isn’t necessary to move it out of the way for the Circus of Wayward Wonders to claim the site, the heroes might want to take a closer look. Identifying the signs of the centipede colony living in the log requires a successful DC 18 Nature check or DC 22 Perception check. Climbing over the fallen log is easy but disturbs the centipedes living inside it. Creatures: Two centipede swarms surge forth to attack when the log is disturbed.

ELITE CENTIPEDE SWARMS (2)

CREATURE 4

Pathfinder Bestiary 6, 61 Initiative Perception +11 A Later Problem: If the heroes haven’t dealt with the centipedes by the third day, a worker moving the log out of the way is attacked and cries out for aid.

A3. SHELTERED GLADE An overgrown hunting path ends at a small glade with a spring‑fed pool beneath the boughs of a huge oak tree. A hero who succeeds at a DC 18 Perception check while on the path notices old bear tracks; on a critical success, the hero also notices paw prints of an enormous wolflike creature. The clearing contains the savaged corpse of a grizzly bear. Kalkek killed this bear while it was drinking from the pool. Once the bear’s remains have been hauled away, this pool makes a good source of water for the circus. A hero who succeeds at a DC 22 Perception check notices a knot in the oak tree’s trunk carved with the initials JW. The knot’s bark crumbles away easily, revealing a shallow niche. An outlaw named Juniper Winzel left a cache of stolen items here for safekeeping.

Treasure: The cache in the tree consists of a chime of opening, a moderate darkvision elixir, and 10 pp.

A4. CAVE ENTRANCE The forest ends abruptly where a sheer slab of quartz‑ studded granite looms over the treetops. A cave mouth yawns open in its side. The cave is dark, and its mossy walls are studded with patches of ghostly white fungus. A narrow tunnel at the back of the cave leads deeper into the hill, forking into paths leading north and southeast. This cave is only 6 feet high, making it wide but low. This cave system has hosted myriad inhabitants over the years, including animals, travelers, and outlaws. The passage north has several rusty caltrops (Core Rulebook 287) scattered on the floor to keep animals out. Covered in dirt and dried leaves, these old caltrops are hard to spot; Searching characters notice them, but unaware heroes simply blunder into them. Trailing the Kidnapper: If the heroes come this way following the trail of a victim Kalkek kidnapped, this trail leads to the southeast passage.

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie

A5. ABANDONED HIDEOUT

Among the Xulgaths

Torches burnt out years ago jut out from crude holes in the walls of this cavern. A fire pit and the remnants of a makeshift camp stand at the center of the chamber. Chunks of granite and dirt are heaped against the rocky walls, as if someone attempted to clear the cave’s floor.

Catfolk of Golarion Adventure Toolbox

The ceiling in this cave is about 7 feet high. The infamous thief Juniper Winzel used this chamber as a hideout and safe place to stash her stolen goods until her arrest 8 years ago. A dry patch in the western edge of the cavern is swept clean of rubble and contains a threadbare bedroll and an old, cracked waterskin near a disused fire pit. Tucked in the bedroll is Juniper’s old notebook; heroes Searching the area locate it. Juniper’s Journal: This loose‑leaf parchment notebook is bound in burgundy leather and tied shut with a knotted silver cord. The journal details the exploits of a pickpocket‑turned‑cat burglar on the streets of Escadar. These entries are dated beginning in 4700 ar. The scale of Juniper’s crimes grows as the entries’ dates approach the present, progressing into ambitious heists targeting banks and temples. Toward the end of her journal, Juniper confides her fears that Andera Paldreen, a competent deputy working to rise in the constabulary, has obtained evidence of Juniper’s guilt. The journal’s final entry is dated 4712 ar.

In addition to her memoirs, the text contains a sketch of the cave system, with area A6 labeled “Wanderer’s Folly – Danger!” Juniper’s journal also references stolen items hidden in a tree in a nearby glade. If the heroes previously failed to discover the cache of treasure in area A3, the notes reduce the Perception DC to find it to 15. Treasure: If the heroes Search this area, they find several useful items left by Juniper in a shallow pit in the cave’s northeastern corner. A chest buried in the pit holds a clandestine cloak, infiltrator thieves’ tools, infiltrator picks, and eight garnets worth 10 gp each.

A6. WANDERER’S FOLLY This cavern is lower than other sections of the cave system, with a 5‑foot‑high ceiling. A natural pillar in the center of the cave appears defensible, and the carpet of lichen looks like a comfortable place to rest. A discarded cloth sack lies near the pillar. Hazard: On the hidden east side of the pillar, the lichen becomes dangerous yellow mold.

YELLOW MOLD

HAZARD 8

Pathfinder Core Rulebook 524 Stealth DC 28 (trained) Treasure: The cloth sack is a type I bag of holding containing a dust of appearance, a lesser elixir of life, and a silver lensatic compass worth 30 gp engraved with the words “Always find your way back to me.”

A7. WOLVES’ DEN

MODERATE 5

This oblong cave has a strong smell of animals. Bones, antlers, and scraps of fur are piled to the east and west. Low passages lead out of this chamber to the north and south, with a foul smell emanating from the south passage. The ceiling in this cave is only 6 feet high. The foul‑smelling passage to the south leads to Kalkek’s lair, and thus stinks of the rotted meat piled in that chamber. Creatures: Six wolves and their dire wolf leader lair in this cave. They don’t like living so close to Kalkek, but the domineering barghest likes having the wolves close by for his protection. The heroes most likely encounter these wolves outdoors at night, as described in the Nocturnal Visitors encounter on page 9, but when they aren’t hunting on Kalkek’s orders, they are encountered here. While in their lair, the wolves fight to the death.

DIRE WOLF

CREATURE 3

Pathfinder Bestiary 334 Initiative Perception +10

WOLVES (6)

CREATURE 1

Pathfinder Bestiary 334 Initiative Perception +7

A8. KALKEK’S LAIR

Kalkek

MODERATE 5

Fragments of bone glint among blood‑soaked scraps of fabric, tufts of fur, and unidentifiable fleshy masses that once belonged to living things. Jagged claw marks gouge the cave’s granite walls, and a fetid odor hangs heavy in the humid air.

This cave is 9 feet high and smells like rotted meat and fresh blood. A pool of water in the cave’s lowest point buzzes with insects. Creature: The greater barghest Kalkek lairs in this cave and can be found here most of the time. Kalkek has his wolves bring him food rather than spending his own time hunting; when he leaves his lair, he does so only at night and never ventures far. Kalkek has dark orange fur and an overlarge jaw that gives his entire face a lopsided smile—features he bears in both his goblin and wolf forms. In any form, he bears a circular brand on his shoulder with the letters “CM.” This brand is the symbol of the Celestial Menagerie, as anyone familiar with that circus knows. Kalkek’s reticence stems primarily from fear, although he won’t admit it to himself. He worked in the Celestial Menagerie for years as a sideshow feature called the “Grinning Goblin.” Mistress Dusklight kept Kalkek in check with magical manipulation and powerful drugs, but he broke free a week ago and fled to this cave. For now, he’s content with abusing the local wolves to protect him from being recaptured. Initially, Kalkek uses his wolves to scare the Circus of Wayward Wonders away, but as the circus lingers, he decides to kidnap, interrogate, and murder a circus member. If the heroes have come here within 2 days after the kidnapping, Kalkek has been engaging in this interrogation with increasing frustration. Kalkek is convinced the heroes are after him personally, and he fights as best he can. If reduced to fewer than 20 Hit Points, he panics and flees.

KALKEK

CREATURE 7

Male greater barghest (Pathfinder Bestiary 37) Initiative Perception +16 Wolf Empathy (divination, divine) Kalkek can communicate with lupines and gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus on Intimidation checks against lupines. Melee [one‑action] jaws +17, Damage 2d10+6 piercing plus 1d6 persistent bleed Mutations Kalkek has two minor mutations: an uncanny empathy with wolves and a startlingly large grin that gives him a powerful, tearing bite. Talking with Kalkek: Parleying with Kalkek is unlikely, given his fearful nature and violent demeanor. Even heroes who worked in the Celestial Menagerie don’t recognize the barghest from their time there, as Kalkek no longer assumes his distinctive goblin form. However, heroes who note his brand might question him about it. Kalkek only speaks to the heroes if defeated and physically restrained—a difficult proposition given his ability to cast dimension door. He can describe

some of the current layout of the Celestial Menagerie (areas D1 to D7) and all the denizens of the Sanctum of Sublime Spectacles (area D5) where he lived. Since he was a drug‑addled captive while there, he has little other valuable information.

A9. SWAMP The stream flowing into the valley empties into a small swamp on the valley’s south side. Harboring slick muck and thick reeds, the swamp is greater difficult terrain for Medium creatures. Smaller creatures must Swim to cross the swamp (DC 10 Athletics). Three islands of earth rise above the swamp water. Years ago, industrious settlers connected these islands with felled trees to act as makeshift bridges, and these logs remain the easiest way to access the islands (although one bridge is gone and another is seriously weakened, as described in area A12).

A10. OLD RUINS The largest of the islands in the swamp contains the stone foundation of a small building that once stood here. The foundation is now overgrown with weeds and almost entirely obscured. Near the log leading west from this island sprawls a mostly intact halfling skeleton. This unfortunate explorer fell victim to the will‑o’‑wisps in area A11 and was unable to escape. The skeleton still clutches a leather satchel containing a sodden map of the area indicating the three islands of the swamp and the crumbled keep to the east that isn’t visible from the valley floor. The westernmost island is marked with the words “St. Alkitarem’s Eye?” Treasure: The skeleton’s satchel also contains an invisibility potion and 14 gp. Although the skeleton’s leather armor is now merely tatters, it has an intact beckoning cat amulet (page 73) affixed to it.

A11. WISP LAIR

SEVERE 5

This small island in the oldest part of the swamp is ringed by large trees whose roots grow together to form a nearly impassable barrier. The only opening in this ring of trees is the enormous fallen log leading to the swamp’s larger, central island. Hazard: The ground on the island looks stable but is in fact a large patch of quicksand.

QUICKSAND

HAZARD 3

Pathfinder Core Rulebook 526 Initiative Stealth +12 Creatures: Two immature will‑o’‑wisps haunt the western half of the swamp, occasionally venturing elsewhere in the valley to lure victims with their

bobbing light. When the heroes first explore the swamp, one will‑o’‑wisp rests between the roots of a tree, blazing with an orange light that resembles a sheltered campfire. The other is invisible, but calls out in Common, using its Deception skill to pretend to be a traveler resting unseen amid the roots near the “campfire.” If the heroes venture close enough to be snared by the quicksand, the will‑o’‑wisps attack. A will‑o’‑wisp goes dark and retreats if reduced to fewer than 40 Hit Points, only to renew its attacks later— preferably when it can catch a hero alone.

WEAK WILL-O’-WISPS (2)

CREATURE 5

Pathfinder Bestiary 6, 333 Initiative Perception +14 Expanded Territory: If the will‑o’‑wisps hear the heroes but don’t encounter them, the creatures explore the woods to see who has come to the area. The lights and activity of the circus give them pause, but they attack anyone entering the forest. Treasure: Concealed amid the tree roots is a simple silver chain bearing a brass housing with tiny brass wings. At the center of the housing is a clear spindle aeon stone, positioned so it resembles an open eye. This is necklace is known as St. Alkitarem’s Eye. The housing can bear a single aeon stone in the same manner as a wayfinder, allowing the necklace’s wearer to benefit from the aeon stone just as though it were orbiting their head. The necklace can bear only a clear spindle aeon stone, not other types of aeon stones. It allows the bearer to use the aeon stone’s resonant power and doesn’t restrict the wearer from investing other aeon stones (even those slotted in a wayfinder). St. Alkitarem’s Eye otherwise has the same statistics (including Price) as a wayfinder.

A12. WEAKENED LOG

MODERATE 5

This moss‑encrusted log extends from the swamp’s eastern island to the dry and rocky ground to the east. Unlike the other logs that serve as bridges in this swap, this log is unsafe—its underside is almost entirely dissolved by the ooze living beneath it. When subjected to more than 30 pounds of weight, the log splits and falls into the swamp. A creature near the island or the rocky ground can attempt a DC 18 Reflex save to jump to safe ground; otherwise, the creature falls into the swamp. Creature: A black pudding lurks in the water beneath the weakened log, subsisting on organic matter washed into the swamp from the stream. It eagerly moves to attack prey, particularly creatures in the water. The ooze fights until destroyed.

BLACK PUDDING

CREATURE 7

Pathfinder Bestiary 255 Initiative Perception +9 Expanded Territory: The ooze doesn’t travel deeper in the swamp to the west due to the painful rebuffs of the will‑o’‑wisps in area A11. A few days after the will‑o’‑wisps are defeated, the black pudding realizes the aberrations are gone and expands its hunting grounds to encompass the entire swamp. It might then be found anywhere in the southern valley, perhaps surprising the heroes in an area they previously thought safe.

A13. TRAPPED STAIRS The head of the valley is higher and rockier than the overgrown area at the valley’s mouth, and the stream flowing into the valley is clean and clear here. The stream runs near a set of broad stairs carved into the granite hillside. Badly weathered and quite old, these stairs lead up to the crumbled keep (area A14). Trap: The ratfolk living in the keep set a trap on the stairs to alert them to any intruders.

THUNDERSTONE CASCADE TRAP UNCOMMON

MECHANICAL

HAZARD 7

TRAP

Stealth DC 25 (expert) Description A trip wire halfway up the stairs releases half a dozen spherical thunderstones that bounce down the stairs and explode. Disable DC 27 Thievery (expert) to safely cut the trip wire AC 26; Fort +15, Ref +13 Hardness 0; HP 54; Immunities critical hits, object immunities, precision damage Thunderstone Explosion [reaction] Trigger The trip wire is disturbed; Effect Several thunderstones bounce down the stairs and explode. Each creature within 10 feet of the lower half of the stairs takes 6d10 sonic damage (DC 24 basic Fortitude save). Creatures that fail this save are additionally deafened for 1 minute; creatures that critically fail this save are instead deafened for 1 hour.

A14. CRUMBLED KEEP

MODERATE 5

An ancient keep stands atop the hill, its crumbled stones blending with the natural granite. The south side of the keep bears a weathered wooden door beneath a squat tower of gray stone. This old keep, once a watch post to monitor inland dangers, provides a commanding view of the countryside but is set too far back to see into (or to be seen from) the valley below it. The door’s lock is long gone, and it’s now held closed by a loop of leather.

The roof of the keep collapsed long ago, and its interior is one large room open to the sky. The sole exception is the relatively intact northeast tower, which contains sufficient remnants of an upper story 10 feet above to provide a shelter from the elements. Several old campfires and graffiti attest to years of sporadic occupation by squatters. It currently contains three small bedrolls and a pile of alchemical gear. The interior of the keep is difficult terrain due to the chunks of crumbled stone within it. Creatures: The keep’s current occupants are three ratfolk named Calim, Fidget, and Lish. The trio fled Escadar after they ran afoul of a gang of violent thieves, taking several bags of valuable alchemical equipment with them. They’re now lying low here, biding their time until they feel it’s safe to return to the city. Of the three, Fidget is the youngest and most restless; she enjoys making colorful alchemical displays, but her siblings have insisted she restrain herself. Lish and Calim are both quiet by nature, but Fidget is talkative, with a tendency to ramble. All have mottled white‑and‑brown fur with numerous scorch marks. If the heroes triggered the trap on the stairs, the ratfolk hide amid the debris and prepare to attack anyone who enters; they’re convinced it’s either the wolf‑creature they know lairs nearby, or the thieves come to enact revenge. If the heroes instead show peaceful intentions, the ratfolk agree to talk. The ratfolk have strong self‑preservation instincts but are loyal to each other; a ratfolk reduced to 30 Hit Points or fewer flees or surrenders, whichever seems the most likely to ensure their survival and the survival of their siblings. In any event, they know they need to find a new hideout since this keep has been discovered.

CALIM, FIDGET, AND LISH

CREATURE 4

Ratfolk grenadiers (3) Pathfinder Bestiary 277 Initiative Stealth +12 Hiring Fidget: If the heroes explain their roles as circus managers to the ratfolk, Fidget grows visibly excited, bouncing from paw to paw. She has always wanted to display her colorful alchemical spectacles to a crowd and believes she’d make an excellent circus performer. If the heroes offer Fidget a role in the Circus of Wayward Wonders, provide them with her trick on the inside cover of this adventure. Treasure: The alchemical gear in the keep consists of expanded alchemist’s tools, a greater leaper’s elixir, and formulas for lesser and greater leaper’s elixir. If the heroes agree to keep the ratfolk’s flight a secret, the grateful ratfolk offer this gear in exchange.

XP Award: If the heroes deal peaceably with the ratfolk, award them XP as though they had defeated the ratfolk in combat. If the heroes recruit Fidget, award an additional 30 XP.

Escadar Opening Night

Once their plot is clear and the surrounding environs cleared of dangerous creatures, the heroes can put on their first show in Escadar. This show uses the circus rules found in Pathfinder Adventure Path #151: The Show Must Go On. Heroes who failed their negotiations with Andera receive a visit from Darricus at the end of the week to review the site preparations. In addition to throngs of city‑dwellers curious about the new circus, several unwelcome guests from the Celestial Menagerie arrive on opening night looking to cause trouble. These troublemakers include Delamar, the unctuous representative from the Celestial Menagerie whom the heroes have already met, and two other agents. Aives is a tiefling with long horns and facial tattoos that make him resemble a reptile; he performs as the Smoke Dragon, exhaling toxic clouds that take on fanciful and fearsome shapes. The unscrupulous half‑elf Ruanna Nyamma is a bard turned barker with spiky red hair and a cunning smile. This trio takes several actions to disrupt the opening performance, as detailed below. The heroes can attempt several checks to spot the troublemakers and undo the sabotage; if they intercept the troublemakers directly, go to the Showstoppers encounter on page 16.

AGGRESSIVE RECRUITING

Just before the show is about to go on, one of the performers comes to the heroes and report that Delamar Gianvin is offering higher payments for the performers to come work for Mistress Dusklight, delivering these employment offers with vague threats about consequences of refusal. None of the performers want to leave, but the sly agitator’s offers have many of them rattled. Calming the performers requires a successful DC 20 Diplomacy check. On a critical success, the performer that most recently heard from Delamar points out where he’s lurking in the audience; if the heroes confront the troublemakers, see the Showstoppers event on page 16. On a failure, all NPC performers take a –2 circ*mstance penalty to checks when performing their evening’s tricks. XP Award: If the heroes calm their performers, award them 10 XP.

COMPETITIVE TICKETING Just as the audience is starting to arrive in large numbers, one of the circus hands presents the heroes

with silvery tickets marked with the ornate “CM” logo of the Celestial Menagerie. Delamar and Ruanna are selling these rival tickets cheaply to the crowd. Quashing the competing ticket sales requires a successful DC 18 check using Deception, Diplomacy, Society, or a relevant Lore skill, such as Mercantile Lore. On a critical success, someone in the crowd points out Delamar and Ruanna as the culprits; if the heroes confront the troublemakers, see the Showstoppers event below. On a failure, excitement about the competing circus reduces the heroes’ Anticipation for their show by 5. XP Award: If the heroes stop the competing ticket sales, award them 10 XP.

POISONED ANIMALS During the opener, Aives sneaks backstage to sicken the circus animals with his poisonous breath. Backstage heroes who succeed at a Perception check against Aives’s Stealth DC of 20 spot him lurking backstage; if they confront him, see the Showstoppers event below. If he’s not spotted, Aives sickens the animals. Checks for all Animal tricks after the opener take a –4 circ*mstance penalty. XP Award: If the heroes intercept Aives before he sickens their animals, award them each 10 XP.

THE SHOWSTOPPERS

SEVERE 5

If the troublemakers haven’t been discovered before the show’s big number, they enact their most audacious plan to sabotage the performance. Safely concealed in the crowd, Ruanna casts silence and invisibility on Aives. During the next minute, Aives makes his way to the front of the audience. As soon as the silence spell ends, Aives casts darkness to conceal the performance of the big number. Delamar loudly heckles the circus as bumbling amateurs, and the crowd swiftly takes up his scorn. If the heroes spot Aives despite his invisibility and stop him, or if the heroes immediately counteract his darkness, the big number proceeds as normal. Otherwise, the big number automatically fails and the circus’s Excitement is decreased by 10. This overt sabotage is sufficient for the heroes to locate the troublemakers and confront them. Creatures: Even though Delamar, Aives, and Ruanna work independently, they are quick to come together as soon as any of them are confronted individually. Delamar and Ruanna are hostile to the heroes, so Diplomacy checks to Request actions of them fail and the DC of attempts to Lie to them or otherwise trick them (normally the troublemaker’s Perception DC or Will DC) increases by 5. If a hero attempts something more overtly threatening, such as to Coerce, Grapple, or Shove a troublemaker, this plays right into their

hands: the troublemakers immediately start a fight, claiming they were provoked. Aives is merely indifferent to the heroes and is even toying with the idea of defecting from the Celestial Menagerie to join their circus, as described on page 17. If a fight breaks out, any troublemaker reduced to fewer than 20 Hit Points flees.

AIVES THE SMOKE DRAGON UNIQUE

MEDIUM

HUMANOID

CREATURE 4 TIEFLING

Male tiefling poison artist Perception +8; darkvision Languages Abyssal, Common Skills Acrobatics +10, Athletics +8, Deception +8, Performance +8, Stealth +10, Thievery +12 Str +2, Dex +4, Con +0, Int +1, Wis +0, Cha +2 Items dagger (4),leather armor, thieves’ tools AC 21; Fort +9, Ref +14, Will +9 HP 56; Immunities poison Surprise Attack On the first round of combat, if Aives rolled Deception or Stealth for initiative, creatures that haven’t acted are flat‑footed to him. Speed 25 feet Melee [one‑action] dagger +13 (agile, finesse, versatile S), Damage 1d4+4 piercing plus Smoke Exhalation Ranged [one‑action] dagger +13 (agile, thrown 10 feet, versatile S), Damage 1d4+4 piercing plus Smoke Exhalation Divine Innate Spells DC 18; 2nd darkness Quick Draw [one‑action] Aives draws a weapon with an Interact action, then Strikes with the weapon he just drew. Smoke Exhalation [one‑action] (poison) Aives breathes out a cloud of poisonous smoke that he can make curl around him or cling to his weapons. Until the cloud dissipates at the start of his next turn, Aives is concealed, his Strikes deal an extra 1d8 poison damage, and targets of his Strikes must succeed at a DC 22 Fortitude save or become sickened 1. Sneak Attack (precision) Aives deals an extra 1d6 precision damage to flat‑footed creatures.

DELAMAR GIANVIN UNIQUE

MEDIUM

HUMAN

CREATURE 6 HUMANOID

Male human agitator Perception +14 Languages Common, Elven Skills Acrobatics +15, Circus Lore +10, Criminal Lore +10, Deception +14, Diplomacy +14, Society +12, Stealth +17, Thievery +15 Str +1, Dex +5, Con +0, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4 Items hand crossbow (10 bolts), leather armor, +1 rapier AC 24; Fort +11, Ref +17, Will +14 HP 90 Deny Advantage Delamar isn’t flat‑footed to creatures of

6th level or lower that are hidden, undetected, flanking, or using surprise attack. Nimble Opportunist [reaction] Trigger A creature within Delamar’s melee reach is hit by a melee attack from one of his allies; Effect Delamar makes a Strike against the triggering creature with a –2 penalty to the attack roll. He can’t deal sneak attack damage on this Strike. After this Strike, Delamar can Stride without triggering reactions. Surprise Attack On the first round of combat, if Delamar rolled Deception or Stealth for initiative, creatures that haven’t acted are flat‑footed to him. Speed 30 feet Melee [one‑action] rapier +17 (deadly 1d8, disarm, finesse, magical), Damage 1d6+5 piercing Ranged [one‑action] hand crossbow +16 (range increment 60 feet, reload 1), Damage 1d6+5 piercing Quick Draw [one‑action] Delamar draws a weapon with an Interact action, then Strikes with the weapon he just drew. Sneak Attack Delamar deals an extra 2d6 precision damage to flat‑footed creatures.

RUANNA NYAMMA UNIQUE

MEDIUM

Wayward Wonders over the evening and realized it might be a better fit for him than the Celestial Menagerie. If the heroes treat Aives reasonably, such as by successfully using Diplomacy to Request that he stand down, the tiefling asks to join the Circus of Wayward Wonders once the evening’s performance is over. He claims that his ability to breathe smoke isn’t just good in a fight, but is a proven crowd‑pleaser. If the heroes accept, provide them with his trick on the inside cover of this adventure. XP Award: If the heroes put on a successful show despite the troublemakers’ intervention, award them each 120 XP. If they give Aives a place in their circus, award them 30 XP.

HUMAN

Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie

CREATURE 4 ELF

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD

HUMANOID

Female half‑elf carnival barker Perception +9; low‑light vision Languages Common, Elven Skills Acrobatics +11, Deception +11, Diplomacy +11, Occultism +6, Performance +14, Society +6, Stealth +11 Str +1, Dex +3, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +1, Cha +4 Items kukri, leather armor, persona mask, shortbow (20 arrows) AC 20; Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +11 HP 66 Speed 25 feet Melee [one‑action] kukri +11 (agile, finesse, trip), Damage 1d6+3 slashing Ranged [one‑action] shortbow +11 (deadly d10, range increment 60 feet, reload 0), Damage 1d6 piercing Occult Spontaneous Spells DC 19, attack +12; 2nd (3 slots) invisibility, mirror image, silence; 1st (3 slots) fear, soothe, true strike; Cantrips (2nd) daze, mage hand, message, prestidigitation, telekinetic projectile Bard Composition Spells 2 Focus Points, DC 21; 2nd counter performance (Core Rulebook 386), lingering composition (Core Rulebook 387); Cantrips (2nd) inspire competence (Core Rulebook 386), inspire courage (Core Rulebook 386) Elaborate Feint [two-actions] Ruanna attempts to Feint using Performance rather than Deception. On a success, the target is flat‑footed to any melee attack, not just Ruanna’s. Ruanna then Strides.

Among the Xulgaths Catfolk of Golarion Adventure Toolbox

Ruanna Nyamma

Hiring Aives: Aives has observed the Circus of

CHAPTER 2: INTO MOONSTONE HALL The morning after the circus’s first performance, the workers cheerfully attend to their morning rituals. As the circus settles into its routine, the heroes can turn their attention to the somber reason they traveled to Escadar: to find information about the failing aeon orb atop the Erran Tower. Although the heroes should probably begin their investigation fairly quickly, they might first engage in downtime activities related to promoting their circus, even putting on a few additional performances to cement the circus’s grand introduction to Escadar’s entertainment scene. Give the heroes however much time they’d like to bask in the glory of their successes. Eventually, however, the heroes should realize that the port city holds darker secrets, and that somewhere within the secluded ruins of Moonstone Hall, wicked xulgaths plan to sabotage the failing aeon orbs for an as‑yet‑unknown reason. The heroes likely focus next

on gaining access to Moonstone Hall, but despite their good intentions, they encounter several roadblocks to reaching the site.

Discovering Moonstone Hall

The heroes have several avenues to learn more about Moonstone Hall and find its location beneath Escadar’s dangerous Woodworkers District. The most likely means are presented below, but since the heroes must discover Moonstone Hall to continue the adventure, whatever attempts they make should ultimately meet with success. XP Award: When the heroes discover the mermaid fountain entrance to Moonstone Hall, award them 30 XP. When the heroes arrange to enter it (either by deceiving the constables guarding it or by obtaining a writ allowing formal access), award them an additional 80 XP.

QUESTIONING LOCALS

CHAPTER 2 SYNOPSIS

Few people in Escadar remember Moonstone Hall, and those who do believe the structure was demolished long ago. Heroes seeking information regarding Moonstone Hall or ancient ruins are met with confusion, indifference, or well‑meaning yet misguided directions to ruined sites located miles into the countryside. If asked about ruins below the city, locals impart the common knowledge that all the old ruins under the city were converted into an expansive sewer system several decades ago (although this popular assumption is erroneous). However, a hero who succeeds at a DC 22 Diplomacy check to Gather Information about Arodenite ruins beneath the city learns that constables guard the “sewer entrance” near a crumbling mermaid fountain in the city’s dangerous Woodworkers District. This doesn’t seem particularly unusual, as criminals and black‑marketeers have a reputation for using the city’s vast sewer network in this dodgy part of the city.

In this chapter, the heroes make their first investigations of Moonstone Hall, a buried temple to the dead god Aroden. They must learn where the guarded entrance to Moonstone Hall lies and secure official sanction to enter. In the temple’s upper level, the heroes discover demons, xulgaths, and stranger creatures. They also find the temple’s public moonstone pool, which they can cleanse and, using a moonstone diadem, experience a vision of the past.

RESEARCH

CHAPTER 2 TREASURE LISTING

Escadar has few institutes of higher learning, and its civic records are not particularly well indexed. Heroes seeking information on Moonstone Hall are directed to one of two repositories, based on whether they’re seeking historical or religious records. Historical Records: Heroes seeking historical records are directed to the Magistratum, a monumental granite building that serves as Escadar’s primary courthouse for minor offenses as well as its legal records storage site. The Magistratum’s record chambers also contain archived civic records, although the storage is, at best, haphazard from generations of well‑meaning clerks each utilizing their own filing methods. The heroes can obtain permission to peruse the records from a bored functionary; the fee is 10 sp per hour. Each hour, the heroes can attempt a DC 22 Society check (or a check using a relevant Lore skill) to discover pertinent information. On a failure, the hero conclusively rules out certain parts of the archive and provides all heroes a +2 circ*mstance bonus to future research checks in the Magistratum; this bonus is cumulative for repeated failures. On a critical failure, however, the heroes confuse themselves; they receive no bonus, and any bonus they have previously earned is reduced to 0. On a success, the heroes discover that Moonstone Hall was buried shortly after Aroden’s death to make way for civic improvements to the Woodworkers District, and that its only remaining entrance is near a specific mermaid fountain. On a critical success, the heroes also discover an old writ of passage; the guards at the fountain allow heroes displaying the writ to enter unimpeded. Religious Records: Heroes seeking information regarding Moonstone Hall’s nature as a temple are directed to the monastery of St. Sarnax, one of the oldest buildings in Escadar. This imposing white marble structure is the home of three elderly Knights of the Aeon Star, inheritors of a long Azlanti tradition of sword‑mages. Heroes arriving at the monastery are met by an elderly knight named Sir Ohlarick Wheem. Ohlarick is courteous but deliberate in his old age, and he slowly escorts the heroes to the monastery’s archives. Ohlarick easily discovers that Moonstone Hall was buried a century ago, and that its founding priest was a pious human man named Ulthadar. Ohlarick has some difficulty determining how to reach the now‑buried site, however, and requires some assistance reading and cross‑referencing the texts. A hero who succeeds at a

The permanent and consumable items available as treasure in Chapter 2 are as follows. • candy constrictor wondrous figurine • grim trophy • holy prayer beads • invisible net • lesser sturdy shield • +1 light mace • +1 longspear • ringmaster’s staff • salve of antiparalysis • scroll of heroism • +1 striking spiked gauntlet • tree feather token • type I bracers of armor

UPPER MOONSTONE HALL

B7 B4 B5

TO B7

B3 B11

B10

1 SQUARE = 5 FEET DC 20 Religion or Society check to Decipher Writing learns of Moonstone Hall’s entrance at a mermaid fountain in the Woodworkers District. On a critical success, the hero learns that the temple contained three magical moonstone pools used for prophecy.

RETURNING TO CONCLAVE SQUARE The heroes’ best course of action might be to return to Conclave Square to speak with Chief Constable Andera Paldreen. The heroes may have discovered the entrance to Moonstone Hall in another way than the one listed, but they likely need to circle back to Andera to obtain permission to enter. In either case, Andera can arrange a short meeting with the heroes after 1d4 hours of clearing her other appointments. When the heroes finally meet with her, she congratulates them on clearing their plot of land and establishing their circus in town. If the heroes’ opening night was a success, she expresses appreciation for uplifting the civic mood. If the heroes instead had a poor opening night or failed to prevent Delamar’s sabotage, her disappointment in the heroes is obvious, but she remains superficially polite to them.

If the heroes ask about Moonstone Hall, Andera explains that it’s an abandoned and buried temple to Aroden that the city wants to keep clear of smugglers or other criminals. She’s therefore posted guards at its only entrance in the Woodworkers District. Because the heroes showed some initiative in clearing the plot of land for their circus, Andera concludes that they could prove useful in making a full exploration of the site and clearing out any criminals or troublesome monsters that occupy the site. As with the overgrown site outside of town, Andera realizes she can utilize the heroes without jeopardizing any of her city guards. Andera provides the heroes with a quickly drafted writ stating that its bearers have her permission to enter the site, tells them where to find its entrance in the Woodworkers District, and asks that they report back to her with whatever they find. She adds that the heroes are free to keep anything of value they discover as recompense for their trouble, except for any evidence of criminal wrongdoing (which Andera wants returned to her, along with their report). During their interaction with Andera, the heroes can attempt a Diplomacy check to Make an Impression

on her. If the circus’s opening night was a success, the DC is 26; if not, the DC is 31. If the heroes increase her attitude condition to helpful with this check, Andrea agrees to make herself available whenever the heroes need her, despite her busy schedule. Juniper’s Journal: If the heroes present Juniper’s journal from area A5 to Andera, the chief constable breaks into a rare smile. Her attitude condition automatically improves to helpful, even if they hadn’t attempted (or even if they failed) a check to Make an Impression upon her. “This brings back memories. Winzel eluded the law for a long time. Finally apprehending her was more than just a feather in my cap—it was the start of my career. Really, I just had a hunch and the luck to be in the right place at the right time.” Andera pauses and flips through the journal’s brittle pages. She snaps the book closed with a look of triumph. “I always knew she had another hideout! I don’t believe in fate, but for you to find something of hers on that plot, at this point in my career? It’s a remarkable coincidence. I’m going to give your names to my staff; you’ll be able to reach me without an appointment any time you’d like.” If the heroes question Andera what she means by her statement about her career, Andera confides that she’s frustrated with the corruption within Escadar and worried about who will succeed her as chief constable should she lose the upcoming election. There’s little the heroes can do about this directly, although she asks them to keep on the right side of the law as much as they’re able, pointing out that she’s trusting them to avoid jeopardizing her position.

AT THE FOUNTAIN The heroes should eventually learn about the entrance at the mermaid fountain in the Woodworkers District. Although the toughs in the district sometimes make trouble for strangers, the heroes look sufficiently dangerous and travel in a large enough group that the locals leave them alone. When the heroes arrive, read or paraphrase the following. The eastern neighborhoods of Escadar are filled with drug houses, gambling dens, and overcrowded tenements. In a courtyard at the end of a deserted side street, sequestered from the cacophony of touts and peddlers, a gaping sinkhole yawns next to a dry and crumbling fountain depicting a frolicking mermaid. A metal fence surrounds the sinkhole and the fountain. Four people dressed in constable uniforms stand near the fountain, at ease but alert for trouble.

Four guards watch over this courtyard at all hours. They’ve been told the sinkhole is dangerous and likely to be used by criminals, so they actively keep people from approaching it. As a result, the courtyard and the side street leading to it are usually empty (and particularly avoided by the neighborhood’s shady residents, who want nothing to do with these vigilant and scrupulous constables). These guards refuse to allow heroes entry to the area without permission from “higher up.” The heroes can easily deduce from their uniforms that these guards report to Andera Paldreen. The guards have an unfriendly attitude toward anyone bothering them at their work, and they have a Perception DC and Will DC of 26 for purposes of sneaking past them, tricking them, or convincing them to let someone pass. The guards won’t be drawn into a fight with the heroes, instead threatening to report the heroes’ illegal actions to their superiors. At your discretion, any of the guards might recognize the heroes as members of the new circus in town and threaten to have the circus ejected from Escadar if they’re breaking the law. On the other hand, if the heroes have acquired a writ of passage (either from Andera or the Magistratum), the guards let the heroes pass. So long as the heroes have been polite and respectful, the guards warn them that they’ve recently heard movement and the clinking of metals from the chamber at the bottom of the stairs, but it isn’t in their directive to investigate. These noises come from the chained basilisks in area B1.

Upper Moonstone Hall

The heroes descend 100 feet into the ground beneath Escadar by way of wide stone steps. The subterranean chamber around the ruined temple is almost entirely self‑contained; its only entrances are the stairs leading up to the Woodworkers District, the access through the temple’s former bell tower that only Mistress Dusklight knows, and the lower tunnels through which the xulgaths arrived. The city built atop the temple is held up by several support pillars, including many pillars that once supported the temple itself. The upper level of Moonstone Hall once served as a place of worship dedicated to Aroden and was open to the public. Generous donors spared no expense in its construction; the structure’s walls and ceilings are an amalgam of white marble and alabaster blocks, and polished pink marble floors are found throughout the building. The temple’s doors are reinforced wood, and the ceilings rise to a height of 20 feet unless otherwise stated. The temple is entirely dark except where indicated. Although the temple is dusty and timeworn, it retains its stately grandeur.

B1. TEMPLE EXTERIOR

LOW 6

Far beneath the restless city lies a monument to the past. Sturdy doors of reinforced ebony guard the entrance to an impressive building constructed of gleaming white stone. One of the doors is slightly ajar. White stone pillars support the cavern’s ceiling above. Broken stained‑glass windows along the temple’s walls peer like sightless eyes. This open area is completely encased in stone and debris, including the foundations of buildings above. A collapsed passage to the south once provided an opening to Escadar’s sewers, which smugglers or criminals sometimes used. The xulgaths collapsed this passage upon their arrival to make certain their presence remained undetected for as long as possible. It is now impassable and would take many days of work to clear away. One of the temple doors is slightly ajar, and a stinky residue on the door retains the unmistakable stench of xulgaths.

Corrupted Pool

Creatures: The xulgaths posted two basilisks here as guards. They curl up behind the pillars on either side of the temple entrance. Their pale coloration makes them difficult to see against the white stone of the pillars. Each is leashed to its pillar with a chain and can’t venture more than 40 feet from it. The basilisks are trained to look away if they smell xulgaths approaching, but they attack anyone else they detect.

BASILISKS (2)

CREATURE 5

Pathfinder Bestiary 38 Initiative Stealth +8 A Noisy Fight: If the heroes are particularly noisy in their battle with the basilisks, the demon in area B2 hears the noise and hides, as described there.

B2. ATRIUM

MODERATE 6

This palatial chamber’s domed ceiling rises twenty feet above the stone floor. Stained‑glass windows portray a radiant human figure raising two islands from a tumultuous sea. Though the artwork is breathtaking, jagged cracks disrupt the images, and shards of colorful glass litter the floor. Heavy ebony doors stand in the east and west walls. The atrium’s alabaster walls are marred with crude paintings of humanoid figures, demons, and profane symbols drawn in blood. An unpleasant, coppery odor lingers in the air. In centuries past, brilliant sunlight streamed through the tinted glass of the massive front windows as the faithful came to worship at Moonstone Hall. This atrium is where the temple’s priests would greet the congregation of locals or the occasional visiting pilgrim. Congregants chatted with each other or waited in quiet reverence for a chance to look upon the only moonstone pool accessible to the public, located in an adjoining chamber (area B3). The stained‑glass windows depict Aroden raising the Isle of Kortos and the Isle of Erran from the sea; even though many windows are shattered, enough remain to determine their subject matter. These durable windows survived intact for years until the xulgaths crept into Moonstone Hall through the tunnels below and broke many of them. The xulgaths added their own vile artwork to the atrium, scrawling their interpretation of their

people’s history using the blood of sacrificial victims. The humanoid figures are recognizably xulgaths, and a hero who succeeds at a DC 22 Religion check to Recall Knowledge identifies the profane symbols interspersed throughout these images as invocations to Zevgavizeb, their reptilian demon lord. Creatures: Two xulgath skulkers are often found in this room. They’re supposed to be tending to the basilisks in area B1 and keeping watch in case city dwellers raid the temple, but they’re instead adorning the paintings here, using the blood of a dead dog stolen from the city above. If they notice intruders in this room, they immediately attack and fight to the death. The two xulgaths are accompanied by a blood demon summoned from Gluttondark, Zevgavizeb’s Abyssal realm, who is far more alert for danger. If the demon hears the sounds of combat from area B1, it slips away from the unsuspecting xulgath scribblers to hide just inside the entrance to area B3. It waits to see how the xulgaths fare in combat against intruders before launching its own attack.

GLUTTONDARK BABAU CE

MEDIUM

DEMON

Speed 25 feet Melee [one‑action] longspear +19 (evil, magical, reach), Damage 1d6+8 piercing plus 1d6 evil Melee [one‑action] jaws +18 (evil, magical), Damage 2d6+8 piercing plus 1d6 evil Melee [one‑action] claw +18 (agile, evil, magical), Damage 1d6+8 slashing plus 1d6 evil Divine Innate Spells DC 26; 5th dimension door; 4th darkness, dimension door (at will); Constant (5th) see invisibility

Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie

CREATURE 7

Among the Xulgaths

FIEND

Elite babau demon (Pathfinder Bestiary 2) Perception +15; darkvision, see invisibility Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic; telepathy 100 feet Skills Acrobatics +14, Athletics +15, Intimidation +16, Religion +12, Stealth +18, Thievery +16 Str +4, Dex +4, Con +4, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +2 Items +1 longspear AC 26; Fort +16, Ref +18, Will +15; +1 to all saves vs. magic HP 135; Immunities acid; Weaknesses cold iron 5, good 5 Mercy Vulnerability Babaus revel in the gore of a well‑timed attack, and when brutal wounds are restored, they recoil in pain. When a creature heals from damage that the babau dealt on their last turn with Grievous Strike, sneak attack, or a critical hit, the demon takes 4d6 mental damage. The babau can take this mental damage only once per round. Reactive Slime [reaction] Trigger A creature within the babau’s reach successfully hits the babau with a Strike; Effect The babau excretes a gout of acidic, bloodlike slime against the attacker and its weapon. The attacker must attempt a DC 26 Reflex save. Critical Success The attacker avoids the reactive slime. Success The attacker takes 1d6 acid damage. Failure The attacker takes 2d6 acid damage. Critical Failure As failure, except the weapon used to Strike the babau automatically becomes broken unless the weapon is made of a material that is immune to acid.

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD

Catfolk of Golarion Adventure Toolbox

Gluttondark Babau

Divine Rituals DC 26; Abyssal pact Grievous Strike [two-actions] (attack) The babau makes an attack with the intent of creating a particularly horrific and gory wound. It make a melee Strike. This counts as two attacks when calculating their multiple attack penalty. If this Strike hits, the babau deals an additional 1d6 damage and the creature struck is sickened 2 for 1 round; this sickened condition cannot be removed by retching. Sneak Attack A babau deals an additional 1d6 precision damage to flat‑footed creatures.

XULGATH SKULKERS (2)

CREATURE 2

Pathfinder Bestiary 337 Initiative Perception +7 Treasure: One of the skulkers has been stealing from the temple. Her pouch contains a salve of antiparalysis and six polished moonstones worth 30 gp each.

B3. CORRUPTED POOL

MODERATE 6

Walls of smooth rose marble surround a pool filled with a purplish sludge. A golden statue of a winged eye rises from the center of the pool, dripping dark tears from its corners into the noxious substance below. Faded mosaics on the walls surrounding the pool have been disfigured with ghastly illustrations painted with smeared blood. This area contains one of three of the temple’s prized moonstone pools. Centuries ago, Aroden’s clergy realized that spring water collected into vessels constructed of the natural moonstone found within this site granted a type of prophetic clairvoyance. The priests created three moonstone diadems, magical circlets capable of magnifying the moonstone’s oracular powers. Over the following years, priests used the moonstone diadems to transfer their memories into the three pools, visually recording the living history of their order. Future generations used the moonstone diadems to peer into their forebears’ recollections, establishing a strong historical tradition within Moonstone Hall. Of the three moonstone pools within the temple, only this one was located in an area the public could access. Esteemed or particularly wealthy worshippers would occasionally be granted use of a moonstone diadem to receive visions from this pool. When the xulgaths came to Moonstone Hall, a group of ambitious demon‑callers tried to use the moonstone diadems to their advantage. However, all they managed to do in their efforts was desecrate this moonstone pool and destroy one of the moonstone diadems in the

process. Frustrated with their failure, they vandalized the ancient mosaics with depictions of their unholy rituals. Yet the botched attempt had a side effect the xulgaths didn’t realize: the demon‑caller Uzensshel managed to transfer some of her own recollections into the corrupted pool. A hero who succeeds at a DC 22 Religion check identifies the statue within the pool as a depiction of the Eye of Aroden, the god’s religious symbol. A hero who inspects the stonework around the room and succeeds at a DC 24 Arcana or Occultism check realizes the pool is carved out of moonstone, a rare type of rock rumored to have magical properties. Even a cursory look at the fluid in the pool identifies it as tainted, but a hero who succeeds at a DC 22 Arcana, Occultism, or Religion check realizes the taint can be removed, and hints to do so are in the defaced mosaics in this room. Removing the dried blood that obscures the mosaics takes an hour of scrubbing. Once cleaned, the mosaics depict three day‑to‑day tasks considered sacred to Aroden: a carpenter building a chair, a musician playing the lute, and a scholar copying a text. Creatures: As soon as the heroes begin the ritual to cleanse the pool (described below) or touch its vile waters, the sludge extrudes three pseudopods that each form into a gibbering mouther. The aberrations attempt to drain the heroes of blood, pursuing foes that flee the room if necessary. The gibbering mouthers don’t work well together, simply fighting whichever foe is closest, and fight until slain. The gibbering mouthers attack only if the heroes attempt to purify or otherwise disturb the moonstone pool; If the heroes don’t interact with the pool, the creatures remain hidden.

GIBBERING MOUTHERS (3)

CREATURE 5

Pathfinder Bestiary 176 Initiative Perception +15 Cleansing the Pool: To cleanse the moonstone pool, the heroes must perform the following three tasks within sight of the Eye of Aroden, in any order. A hero who succeeds at a DC 20 Religion check or a DC 22 Arcana or Occultism check discerns a clue about the actions required to complete the tasks. As each task is successfully performed, the leakage from the Eye of Aroden becomes more like clear water. Creation: Use the Crafting skill to successfully Craft or Repair any item. Using a spell to repair a broken item also completes this task. History: Use Religion, Society, or a relevant Lore check to Recall Knowledge about Aroden or the

ancient Azlanti civilization, then either recount this information out loud or commit it to writing. Performance: Use the Performance skill to successfully Perform. Successfully performing a circus trick also completes this task, regardless of the skill used in the trick. If the heroes successfully complete all three tasks, the pool’s water runs clear and regains its magical properties, as detailed further starting on page 42. Discarded Memory: If the heroes bring a moonstone diadem into this room after cleansing the moonstone pool, the pool glows with a blue light and relays a vision drawn from the xulgath Uzensshel’s memories. (This effect works even if the heroes bring in the broken diadem that Uzensshel wears, as it remains linked to her memories deposited here.) Although the xulgaths in the vision speak in Draconic, anyone witnessing the vision understands it. Faint reflections appear within the waters of the pool. Robed humans kneel in a sun‑drenched atrium beneath stained‑glass murals proclaiming the glorious deeds of their god. Dark blotches form around the images, spreading like ink spilled upon a clean page. As the darkness spreads, the scene changes. A tall, fierce xulgath with two tentacles waving from his back stands before an audience of his kind in the temple’s atrium. He bellows, “I speak with the voice of Zevgavizeb, and I do his will. Will you join me in this sacred quest for vengeance?” A familiar xulgath with a hefty maul holds his weapon aloft in salute and agreement. A hulking, muscular xulgath at the front of the crowd nods her head, her mouth twisted into a snarl. A female xulgath with stonelike skin steps forward, raising a hand to indicate the group crowded around her. “We are with you, Sarvel Ever‑Hunger,” she growls. “Why not take the orbs?” A timid voice interrupts. A collective silence falls over the assembled xulgaths, and all eyes turn to the creature that spoke. His eyes dart around the room and he bows deeply to Sarvel before continuing. “Zevgavizeb commands fury and violence, but life could be better for us here below. Why do we not steal the orbs back, and remake our home of Vask?” “Our holy vault is lost to us now,” Sarvel proclaims. “Most of our people are like you, Vesshak, unimaginative and fallen from the grace of our forebears. You would rebuild a great civilization with your stone tools, fight House Shraen with your brittle spears?” Sarvel laughs and shakes his head. “No, Vesshak. Our destiny is tied to destruction, not creation. We must repay the sun‑drinkers for their ancient crime. When the orbs are sundered and the isles made barren, Zevgavizeb will show us the way.” Murmurs of assent drift through the mass of xulgaths as

the scene fades, replaced by clear water rippling over a bed of pearlescent stone. Treasure: Once the waters of the fountain are cleared, the heroes spot a pair of white leather type I bracers of armor resting in the water of the pool. XP Award: Award the heroes 80 XP for cleansing the moonstone pool. If the heroes bring a moonstone diadem into this room and view Uzensshel’s memories, award them an additional 80 XP.

B4. BACK HALL This spacious hall connects several rooms of the upper temple level. Several crude, heavy packs piled against the north wall contain food and supplies hauled up from the Darklands by the xulgaths. A small rear door to the east once served as a back door for the temple’s clergy, but it now leads only to blank stone. Treasure: The xulgath packs contain little of value other than a grim trophy in the shape of a shrunken dero head and a pouch with nineteen cracked rubies worth 5 gp each.

B5. DEFILED CHAPEL

MODERATE 6

This abandoned chapel is shrouded in gloom. To the east, a broken slab surrounded by marble debris is all that remains of a large statue. Atop the broken slab stands a crude altar of wood and stone bearing a human corpse. A gash splits the dead man’s throat, his decaying face frozen in a final mask of terror. A strange symbol carved into the man’s abdomen undulates with foul energy.

What was once a glorious statue of Aroden now serves as an altar to the demon lord Zevgavizeb. This chamber has seen dozens of sacrifices in the past months, most recently supplemented by Dusklight’s twisted “gift” of a disobedient employee. A hero who succeeds at a DC 22 Arcana or Religion check identifies the sigil carved into his body as that of Zevgavizeb. The symbol’s movement is disturbing but harmless—it reacts to the presence of faithful xulgaths and ceases moving when no living xulgaths remain in the room. Creatures: A pompous xulgath demon‑caller named Yaashka and three xulgath war leaders are gathered here, making prayers to Zevgavizeb. Yaashka, who has been blind in one eye since hatching, insists that his cloudy, large eye gives him supernatural visions of his god, although these claims are bluster Yaashka uses to bolster his position among the xulgaths. Yaashka has convinced the other xulgaths that the carved symbol to his patron will grant them might, but at the moment, all it does is squirm. As the xulgaths are wrapped

harm, vampiric touch; 2nd death knell, dispel magic, spiritual weapon (×2); 1st bane, command (×2), heal; Cantrips (3rd) detect magic, forbidding ward, guidance, shield Cleric Domain Spells 1 Focus Point, DC 24; 3rd athletic rush (Core Rulebook 389) Demonic Condemnation The target must succeed at a DC 22 Fortitude save or become frightened 2 (frightened 4 on a critical failure). The target is enfeebled 1 for as long as it is frightened.

XULGATH LEADERS (3) Givzib

up in their ritual, they take little notice of any goings‑on in adjacent rooms and have a –2 circ*mstance penalty to initiative rolls.

YAASHKA UNIQUE

CREATURE 5 MEDIUM

HUMANOID

XULGATH

Male xulgath demon‑caller Perception +11; darkvision Languages Draconic, Undercommon Skills Arcana +9, Athletics +13, Intimidation +11, Religion +9, Stealth +10, Survival +11 Str +4, Dex +1, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +4, Cha +2 Items religious symbol of Zevgavizeb, +1 striking spiked gauntlet AC 22; Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +13 HP 80 Stench (aura, olfactory) 30 feet. A creature entering the aura must attempt a DC 22 Fortitude save. On a failure, the creature is sickened 1, and on a critical failure, the creature also takes a –5‑foot status penalty to its Speeds for 1 round. While within the aura, the creature takes a –2 circ*mstance penalty to saves to recover from the sickened condition. A creature that succeeds at its save is temporarily immune to all xulgaths’ stench for 1 minute. Speed 25 feet Melee [one‑action] spiked gauntlet +16 (agile, magical), Damage 2d4+4 piercing plus demonic condemnation Melee [one‑action] jaws +15, Damage 2d8+4 piercing Melee [one‑action] claw +15 (agile), Damage 2d6+4 slashing Ranged [one‑action] javelin +12 (thrown 30 feet), Damage 1d6+4 piercing Divine Prepared Spells DC 24, attack +16; 3rd blindness,

CREATURE 3

Pathfinder Bestiary 337 Initiative Perception +9 Treasure: Mistress Dusklight tricked her ill‑fated employee to come to Moonstone Hall by promising treasures and a promotion. The corpse still has an invisible net (page 74) folded up in its pocket, which the xulgaths haven’t discovered. This diaphanous item is marked with the “CM” logo of the Celestial Menagerie, and is a piece of evidence that Mistress Dusklight has been trespassing within Moonstone Hall that the heroes can use in Chapter 4.

B6. HIGH PRIEST’S OFFICE

MODERATE 6

This chamber once served as a place of study and contemplation for Moonstone Hall’s acting high priest. The fine mahogany desk that stood here for centuries was hacked into pieces by the xulgaths and used to build their demonic altar in the chapel. Now the room contains only a scattering of splinters and a bookshelf with several tomes of Arodenite lore. A tall cabinet has fallen on its back, its doors missing and its interior filled with mosses and shredded cloth to serve as a nest. A spiral staircase to the northwest ascends to the bell tower (area B7). Creatures: A xulgath mage named Zunkri lairs here with her ferocious spinesnapper bodyguard. Zunkri is carefully reviewing the books here, attempting to master Common and learn more about the hated surface‑dwellers. Zunkri hasn’t yet realized that the books are long out of date and tell very little about the lives of common people. Zunkri has met Mistress Dusklight on a few occasions and knows that she comes and goes through the adjacent bell tower. The canny catfolk has stoked Zunkri’s natural misgivings, convincing the xulgath that other surface‑dwellers are thieves, murderers, or worse—something that Zunkri, herself prone to larceny and violence, is all too eager to believe. These xulgaths waste no time engaging the heroes in battle. Zunkri prefers to use destructive spells at

a distance and uses dimension door to remain out of melee. The spinesnapper rushes forward to defend her. The cowardly quasit Givzib serves as Zunkri’s familiar. When confronted with danger, Givzib casts invisibility on herself and hides until combat ends, at which point she surrenders, as described below.

ZUNKRI CE

MEDIUM

CREATURE 7 HUMANOID

XULGATH

Female xulgath mage Perception +12; darkvision Languages Common, Draconic, Undercommon Skills Acrobatics +15, Arcana +12, Athletics +13, Deception +15, Intimidation +17, Society +9, Survival +12 Str +1, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +1, Cha +5 Items +1 light mace AC 23; Fort +12, Ref +13, Will +14 HP 115 Stench (aura, olfactory) 30 feet. A creature entering the aura must attempt a DC 25 Fortitude save. On a failure, the creature is sickened 1, and on a critical failure, the creature also takes a –5‑foot status penalty to its Speeds for 1 round. While within the aura, the creature takes a –2 circ*mstance penalty to saves to recover from the sickened condition. A creature that succeeds at its save is temporarily immune to all xulgaths’ stench for 1 minute. Counterspell [reaction] Trigger A creature Casts a Spell the xulgath mage has in her repertoire; Effect The xulgath mage expends one of her spell slots to counter the triggering creature’s casting of the spell in her repertoire. The xulgath mage loses the spell slot as if she had cast the triggering spell and attempts to counteract the triggering spell. Speed 25 feet Melee [one‑action] light mace +15 (agile, magical, shove), Damage 1d4+4 bludgeoning Melee [one‑action] jaws +14, Damage 1d8+2 piercing Melee [one‑action] claw +14 (agile), Damage 2d6+2 slashing Arcane Spontaneous Spells DC 26, spell attack +18; 4th (3 slots) acid arrow, dimension door, lightning bolt; 3rd (4 slots) fireball, haste, magic missile; 2nd (4 slots) create food, dispel magic, flaming sphere, see invisibility; 1st (4 slots) burning hands, fear, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement; Cantrips (4th) acid splash, detect magic, mage hand, read aura, shield Bloodline Spells 3 Focus Points, DC 26; 4th ancestral memories (Core Rulebook 402), extend spell (Core Rulebook 404)

XULGATH SPINESNAPPER Page 84 Initiative Perception +11

CREATURE 5

GIVZIB

CREATURE 1

Female quasit (Pathfinder Bestiary 76) Initiative Perception +7 Givzib’s Surrender: When the fighting ceases, Givzib calls out to the heroes: “Givzib surrenders! Please, don’t hurt Givzib! Givzib is good friend, you’ll see!” If the heroes sheathe their weapons, the quasit demon appears perched on a broken wall sconce. Givzib makes a case for sparing her life in a rapid‑fire monologue. “Givzib can tell you all about the nasty xulgaths here! Yes! The ruins are big and scary, you need a friend like Givzib to help. Givzib knows their secrets. Givzib sees their deal with the pretty cat‑lady, sees how she tricks them. But they never listen to Givzib. Givzib’s new friends will listen, yes?” If the heroes accept Givzib’s surrender, the quasit relays what she knows. Givzib was conjured by a xulgath demon‑caller named Kalagash. She was summoned right here in the temple many weeks ago, and the xulgaths were already here. Givzib knows that there are currently about two dozen xulgaths present, including four demon‑callers who usually work together but sometimes fight among themselves. They are spread out around this level, which Givzib can describe, and a lower level that Givzib doesn’t know well. There used to be more xulgaths, including a powerful priest of Zevgavizeb named Sarvel Ever‑Hunger, but Sarvel and many others left a while ago for tasks Givzib doesn’t wholly understand. Givzib knows that a female catfolk sometimes comes and goes through the bell tower. Givzib doesn’t know Mistress Dusklight’s name but can describe her. The catfolk occasionally brings humanoids with her that she gives to the xulgath demon‑callers as sacrifices to summon more demons. She also sometimes brings gifts, like the staff in this room that she gave to Zunkri (see Treasure below). Despite her persuasive nature, the catfolk is no friend to the xulgaths—Givzib suspects Mistress Dusklight is lying to the xulgaths to steal the temple’s relics. If requested, Givzib agrees to repeat her testimony to Andera Paldreen (see Chapter 4 of this adventure). As long as the heroes deal peacefully with Givzib, she decides to accompany them. This is the case whether the heroes wish it or not (if not, Givzib simply follows them invisibly). Givzib’s fearful nature prevents her from being a useful ally in combat, but she cheers the heroes on from a safe distance whenever they fight. Givzib is fundamentally disloyal, however, and she might betray or abandon the heroes at an inconvenient time before the adventure’s conclusion. Treasure: A ringmaster’s staff (page 74) leans up

against a wall in the corner of the room. Mistress Dusklight gave the polished staff to Zunkri as a peace offering, but the xulgath hasn’t yet decided what to do with it. XP Award: If the heroes gain useful information from Givzib, award them 30 XP.

B7. EMBEDDED BELL TOWER

MODERATE 6

Stairs worn smooth by countless footsteps traverse a dizzying spiral leading to a circular stone chamber. An enormous, cracked bronze bell buckles under the weight of the partially collapsed stone ceiling. The air seems to warp and shimmer, with tangles of thick cobwebs appearing over the rubble, then vanishing upon second glance. A desiccated xulgath corpse hangs in the room, suspended in midair by the ephemeral webs.

The old bell tower is Moonstone Hall’s tallest point. In fact, it is taller than the cavern in which Moonstone Hall now rests, so the bell tower is incorporated into the structure of the city above and now forms part of the basem*nt of an abandoned pottery shop‑turned‑drug den. Only the bricks in the floor and crumbled remnants of the bell tower’s former walls show where the bell tower ends and the basem*nt begins. A pair of ether spiders live in this room, and the dangling xulgath was the first to discover their nest. The xulgaths have since left the bell tower alone, but this is more from a desire to avoid exposing their presence to the city above rather than fear of the spiders. The ether spiders sometimes hunt in the Escadar slums, but they are cautious and canny enough that their presence has thus far gone unnoticed in the city at large. Mistress Dusklight, however, learned of the spiders’ presence and traced them to their lair. Rather than fight them, Mistress Dusklight plied the spiders with esoteric lore and unusual baubles; they now consider Mistress Dusklight a friend and let her come and go as she desires. To her delight, Mistress Dusklight realized the spider nest sits atop a veritable treasure trove of Arodenite relics. After allying with the xulgaths in the ruined temple, Mistress Dusklight began plundering its treasures in earnest. Hazard: Rather than eat the foul‑smelling xulgath corpse, the ether spiders formed it into a crude trap. When touched or disturbed, the corpse explodes to release a cloud of tiny ectoplasmic crystals.

GHOST CRYSTAL CLOUD UNCOMMON

Uzensshel

HAZARD 8

ENVIRONMENTAL

Stealth DC 28 (trained) Description The xulgath corpse splits open to release a cloud of tiny ectoplasmic crystals which, when they are inhaled, disorient and devitalize living creatures. Disable DC 26 Arcana or Occult (expert) to render the crystal cloud inert AC 27; Fort +17, Ref +13 HP 70; Immunities critical hits, object immunities, precision damage Ectoplasmic Explosion [reaction] Trigger A creature touches or disturbs the corpse containing the growth of crystals; Effect All creatures within 10 feet of the corpse are exposed to the ghost crystal cloud. Ghost Crystal Cloud (inhaled, poison) Creatures with the ethereal trait are immune; Saving Throw DC 26

Fortitude; Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage 1 1d10 poison damage and stupefied 1 (1 round); Stage 2 2d10 poison damage and stupefied 2 (1 round); Stage 3 3d10 poison damage and stupefied 3 (1 round) Reset The crystals regrow into a number sufficient to form another dangerous cloud after 1 week. Creatures: The pair of ether spiders are usually found here, watching over this room from the Ethereal Plane. They step into the Material Plane to surprise attack, and they defend their nest to the death.

ETHER SPIDERS (2)

CREATURE 5

Pathfinder Bestiary 155 Initiative Stealth +15 Treasure: A few strange items Mistress Dusklight brought for the ether spiders are encased in a gauzy knot of webbing under the bell. The cache includes a tree feather token, a candy constrictor wondrous figurine (page 75), and a pair of broken spectacles with a bone frame. If repaired, the spectacles are worth 10 gp.

B8. SANCTUARY

SEVERE 6

Rows of splintered wooden pews face an oval marble dais three feet high. Wide marble steps lead up to the dais, and a polished mahogany pulpit stands at its center. A glorious fresco on the curved wall behind the dais depicts Aroden engaging in several tasks: battling an imperious necromancer, raising a pair of islands from the sea, and standing atop a mountain with his hands outstretched, wreathed in blue flames. Hideous images scrawled in tar and old blood painted over the fresco tell a vastly different story. A reptilian humanoid climbs a tunnel from the depths to the surface in one scene. In the next, he reaches out to snatch an orb from a tower drawn on one of the islands, then crushes the orb in his fist. This image repeats four times in slightly different‑looking towers, followed by a final scene of dead trees and skulls around the mountain. Though xulgaths generally prefer oral history and visual representations to written language, some of the demon‑callers are literate. A few Draconic phrases narrate the paintings, among which the words “Sarvel Ever‑Hunger,” “orbs,” and “vengeance” are legible. Additionally, the word for “thief” in Draconic is written across Aroden’s face in the original fresco every time Aroden is depicted. The xulgaths defaced these spectacular paintings of Aroden’s deeds with their own narrative: that of Sarvel and his minions

venturing from the Darklands to destroy the aeon orbs before bringing death to the Starstone Isles. Haunt: The spirits of the clergy who once dedicated their lives to speaking from the pulpit have coalesced into a dangerous haunt to repel any who do not venerate Aroden. The xulgaths inadvertently triggered the haunt and have avoided the dais ever since; although the haunt has since reset, the xulgaths aren’t aware that it takes several hours to reset once triggered.

ECHOES OF FAITH

HAZARD 6

HAUNT

Stealth DC 24 (expert) Description The restless spirits of clergy who once inhabited this now‑defiled temple of Aroden remain within the sanctuary and pulpit. Disable DC 26 Occultism (expert) to exorcise the spirits, or Deception or DC 28 Religion (trained) to imitate the Arodenite faith and render the haunt harmless until it resets AC 24; Fort +13, Will +15 HP 60; Immunities critical hits, physical damage; Weaknesses positive 10 Phantom Sermon [reaction] (divine, necromancy) Trigger A non‑Arodenite creature approaches within 5 feet of the lectern; Effect A spectral minister appears before the pulpit, resembling an ever‑shifting amalgamation of several past priests. The spectral minister delivers fervent exhortations about faithlessness. Each creature on the dais must succeed at a DC 24 Will save or become drained 2. On a critical failure, the creature is drained 4. Reset The spirits return in 1d8 hours as long as any xulgaths remain in Moonstone Hall.

Creatures: The heroes interrupt an unholy ritual when they enter the chapel. A xulgath demon‑caller named Uzensshel is anointing three hulking xulgaths with a mixture of blood and foul‑smelling fungus. Uzensshel is slight for a xulgath, and her grayish skin is pulled tight over her bones, giving her a vaguely skeletal appearance. Her mouth is set in a ghastly grin, which she knows unnerves those who look upon her. She wears a delicate circlet perched incongruously atop her head. Uzensshel is a bully who enjoys using her unsettling visage and divine abilities to intimidate underlings. All four xulgaths are quick to intercept intruders, although they’ve learned to avoid the dais. The spinesnappers simply rush into combat, but the cunning Uzensshel might try to lure the heroes onto the dais, such as by using ranged attacks from the far side or casting command to compel foes to cross it to

approach her. All of these foes fight to the death with fanatical fervor.

UZENSSHEL

CREATURE 5

Female xulgath demon‑caller (page 26, as Yaashka) Initiative Perception +11

XULGATH SPINESNAPPERS (3)

CREATURE 5

Page 84 Initiative Perception +12 Treasure: Uzensshel wears a silver circlet set with cracked moonstones. This is the remnant of one of the temple’s moonstone diadems, irreparably broken when she and her allies befouled the moonstone pool in area B3. Although this circlet is no longer magical, it’s worth 40 gp. A shelf in the pulpit contains a strand of standard holy prayer beads with Aroden’s iconography, a scroll of heroism, and a leather‑bound religious text detailing common prayers and rituals honoring Aroden. The book is rare and in good condition; it is worth 75 gp.

B9. WARDED HALL

MODERATE 6

The marble walls of this short hall are smeared with blood. A thin, greenish haze fills the air, giving off a smell of sodden leaves and decay. One of Sarvel Ever‑Hunger’s more powerful demon‑callers placed a summoning trap in this short hall soon after the xulgaths arrived. At the time, the xulgaths thought the city might discover and attack the xulgath invaders, and they planned this hall to be a defensive fallback point. As the xulgath infiltration has gone unnoticed until now—largely due to Sarvel’s insistence on secrecy—the summoning trap hasn’t been sprung. Mistress Dusklight discovered the trap and bypasses it when she comes this way by carrying a religious symbol of Zevgavizeb with her. Trap: When a creature crosses the point where the hall turns, the trap summons a reptilian monster called a krooth from Gluttondark. The haze and smell are due to constant leakage from that plane. Xulgaths and demons don’t trigger the trap, nor does anyone bearing a religious symbol of Zevgavizeb.

KROOTH SUMMONING RUNE UNCOMMON

COMPLEX

MAGICAL

HAZARD 8

TRAP

Stealth +14 (expert) Description The haze conceals a rune that summons a krooth in front of the door to area B10. Disable DC 24 Acrobatics to approach without triggering

the trap followed by DC 26 Thievery (expert) to erase the rune, or dispel magic (4th level; counteract DC 24) to counteract the rune Summon Monster [reaction] (arcane, conjuration, summon) Trigger A non‑xulgath, non‑demon creature that isn’t carrying a religious symbol of Zevgavizeb crosses from the north part of the hall to the south part of the hall; Effect The trap summons a krooth (Bestiary 215). The krooth rolls initiative and remains for 2d6 rounds, after which the spell ends and the krooth disappears. The krooth also disappears if someone disables the trap before the duration expires. Unlike most summoned creatures, the krooth can use 3 actions each round and can use reactions. Reset The trap resets after 24 hours.

B10. STORAGE These two identical rooms once contained mundane items used routinely in worship services. A few moth‑eaten priests’ robes still hang from brass pegs in both areas, and shelves stocked with metal pendants, candelabras, and bells line the walls. Empty spaces on the shelves suggest that some items here have been removed, and a broken bottle of scented sacramental water on the floor of the western storage room hints at the intruder’s disrespect for the site. The xulgaths had previously taken items of obvious value such as magic scrolls and gold goblets. They tasted one of the bottles of wine, learned it had gone sour, and smashed it on the floor in disgust. Mistress Dusklight later pilfered the less obviously useful items, such as dust‑covered silk stoles and valuable books of Arodenite prayer chants. If Givzib accompanies the heroes, the quasit chatters away about how “the cat‑lady made a big mess searching this place. She found a few valuable things, though, and seemed pretty happy to take them.” Treasure: The eastern storage room contains a battered iron shield on a rusted stand. Mistress Dusklight and the xulgaths assumed the shield isn’t useful, but it’s a lesser sturdy shield that is perfectly serviceable despite its dented appearance.

B11. STAIRWELL GUARDIAN

MODERATE 6

This chamber has towering ebony doors to the east and west. A stone statue of a human man clad in a flowing robe has one hand raised in a gesture of warning and a burning brazier held in its other hand. The statue looks as though it has been broken and reassembled several times. It stands directly in front of the western door. Other than several chunks of stone and black wood scattered across the floor, the room is bare.

The imposing stone statue of Aroden stands guard in front of the double door atop the stairs to the lower chambers of Moonstone Hall (area C1). In addition, the door behind the statue is locked. It can be Forced Open with a successful DC 19 Athletics check, or opened with three successful DC 25 Thievery checks to Pick a Lock. Each day at dawn, if the door was unlocked, it locks again. If it is broken, it is magically restored; however, small cracks remain and the DC to Force Open the door is reduced by 1 each time. Once the Athletics check DC would be reduced to 14, the magic can no longer restore the broken door. The xulgaths haven’t figured out how to stop the door or its guardian from being restored each day; initially, they simply used brute force each time they had to bypass this room. They’ve since learned that bearers of a moonstone diadem can control the statue, but they must bash down the door each time. The xulgaths therefore try to make all necessary trips before the door magically repairs itself. The chunks of stone and wood around the room are evidence of this past destruction; after Aroden’s death, the magic that restores the door and the guardian is fading and is a little weaker each time. A hero who succeeds at a DC 20 Perception check while looking around this room notices a folded piece of parchment discarded amid the debris. The parchment contains an itemized list of several objects written in Amurrun, the language of catfolk, most of which have been crossed off. The remaining items include “ghost’s diadem,” “goblet,” “balm,” and “white stole.” This list is Mistress Dusklight’s inventory of potentially valuable or magical relics; she carelessly dropped it here the last time she was sneaking through this room. If the heroes discover it, they can see its handwriting matches the letter found in area C19. The list is another important piece of evidence the heroes can use in Chapter 4 to accuse Mistress Dusklight of illegal trespassing. Creature: The giant animated statue here was originally commanded to admit only authorized priests to the lower level. The construct attacks anyone entering this room except those who bear a religious symbol of Aroden or wear a moonstone diadem (even Uzensshel’s broken diadem suffices). Furthermore, anyone wearing a moonstone diadem or presenting an Arodenite religious symbol can command the statue to stand down. The construct fights until destroyed, although it doesn’t leave this room.

GUARDIAN OF THE FAITHFUL

Initiative Perception +15 HP 90, fast healing 5; Hardness 10; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed Divine Restoration Each day at dawn, if the guardian has been destroyed, it re‑forms in this room. Its maximum Hit Points are permanently reduced by 10, but it is otherwise restored to its full, lower Hit Point total. Once the statue’s maximum Hit Points would be 60 or fewer, it can no longer be restored in this manner and is permanently destroyed. XP Award: Award the heroes 30 XP for uncovering the discarded list providing evidence of Mistress Dusklight’s thefts.

Guardian of the Faithful

CREATURE 8

Elite giant animated statue Pathfinder Bestiary 6, 21

CHAPTER 3: ECHOES UNDER ESCADAR The heroes have learned that xulgaths are using Moonstone Hall as a base of operations. They may also have uncovered clues—but not incontrovertible proof—that Mistress Dusklight has been stealing from the site. The heroes must descend to Moonstone Hall’s lower level to learn more. If they report their findings to Andera, she urges them to continue their investigation. She regrets that she can’t spare any guards, as her resources are stretched thin and she suspects ongoing corruption among her constables. However, she provides the heroes with a writ to come and go from Moonstone Hall, if she hasn’t already provided it, and promises to deal with Mistress Dusklight if the heroes can produce solid evidence against her.

Lower Moonstone Hall

Unlike Moonstone Hall’s upper level, the underground chambers of the ancient temple were reserved for clergy

and dedicated temple staff. The walls and ceilings are made of masonry, and the worn flagstone floors are made of hewn stone. Doors are made of wood reinforced with iron and are unlocked except where indicated. Ceilings rise to 12 feet, and the entire level is unlit unless otherwise indicated. The lower levels are not quite as grand as the public upper levels but are nevertheless functional and aesthetically pleasing. Fraying rugs thick with dust cover the floors through much of the lower halls, granting a +2 circ*mstance bonus to Stealth checks to Sneak and Survival checks to Track.

WANDERING FEY

MODERATE 7

Opportunistic redcaps made their way into Moonstone Hall weeks ago, despite its divine trappings. After drinking their way through the stores of wine in area C7 and culling their numbers with fractious infighting, the fey now wander the lower level making trouble.

Creatures: The four redcaps ambush creatures they spot. They flee when two of their number are defeated, but only to retreat, heal, and set up another ambush. During their second attack, the redcaps fight to the death. If the heroes try to negotiate with the redcaps, the only thing the fey are interested in is more alcohol or the chance to inflict bloody mayhem on someone else. They don’t listen to anyone bearing a religious symbol, but other heroes can get the redcaps to listen with a successful DC 22 Deception check to Lie or a DC 20 Intimidation check to Coerce them.

REDCAPS (4)

CREATURE 5

Pathfinder Bestiary 278 Initiative Stealth +13

C1. HAUNTED INTERSECTION

SEVERE 7

Smooth stone stairs, worn down by countless generations of footsteps, wind downward to an intersection of hallways adorned with dusty rugs and ornamented with symbols of winged eyes. Discarded bones, bits of broken weapons, and an awful smell all provide evidence of recent xulgath occupation. The stairs descend 30 feet to this cross‑shaped intersection. In addition to obvious doors and passageways, the intersection contains three concealed doors. Discovering the doors to the storage closets (area C2) requires a successful DC 21 Perception check; the slightly better‑hidden door to the pantry (area C6) requires a successful DC 23 Perception check to find. Creatures: The ghostly high priest Ulthadar and three poltergeists approach the heroes from each direction in this intersection. The poltergeists arose from the disturbed remains in area C15 and are initially invisible; if a hero can see the poltergeists, or when the poltergeists use their Frighten ability, they appear as priests of Aroden. Ulthadar wants to learn more about these newcomers, so he keeps the poltergeists in check unless the heroes attack first. Ulthadar is authoritative and peevish by nature, but he knows he needs aid to cleanse his temple from the intrusive xulgaths and the thieving catfolk. Ulthadar demands to know why the heroes have come and introduces himself as the high priest who oversaw Moonstone Hall’s construction many lifetimes ago. He asks the heroes to destroy the intruders in Moonstone Hall; in exchange, he allows them to keep whatever they find—the temple’s contents, he reasons, are less important than its sanctity. If the heroes ask about the aeon towers, the aeon orbs, or the moonstone pools, Ulthadar says he knows more, but for now he points to the door to area C3 with a cranky, “Scholars put their knowledge into books, you’ll find.” If they ask about the xulgaths, he suspects that a dozen or more are occupying Moonstone Hall. After answering any specific questions the heroes have, Ulthadar and the poltergeists vanish. He reappears in other areas, as indicated in the following room descriptions. Ulthadar wears a moonstone diadem, but it can’t be removed from his head unless he is willing. The ghost might give the moonstone diadem to the heroes once they eliminate the xulgaths, and show interest in the prophetic powers of the moonstone pools; see area C19 for details.

ULTHADAR

CHAPTER 3 SYNOPSIS The heroes complete their exploration of Moonstone Hall in this chapter, discovering more xulgath occupiers and more clues as to Mistress Dusklight’s crimes. While in the temple, the heroes meet the ghost of a priest of Aroden named Ulthadar. This cranky ghost soon realizes the heroes are his best bet to eject the trespassing xulgaths and shares his knowledge with them. Most importantly, the heroes begin to learn Sarvel Ever‑Hunger’s plans and develop their primary goals in the Extinction Curse Adventure Path.

CHAPTER 3 TREASURE LISTING The permanent and consumable items available as treasure in Chapter 3 are as follows. • moderate antidote • everburning torch • Grail of Twisted Desires • jade bauble • +1 light mace • +1 longspear • moonstone diadem • potion of quickness • scroll of favorable review • scroll of spell immunity • scroll of pyrotechnics • +1 striking spiked gauntlet • stole of civility • tourmaline sphere aeon stone • wounding rune

CREATURE 8

Male ghost high priest of Aroden (page 90) Initiative Perception +20

C17 C15

C12 C19

C16 C18

C13

C14

C11 C7

C6 C8

C9 C1

C3 C2

C9 C10

LOWER MOONSTONE HALL 1 SQUARE = 5 FEET POLTERGEISTS (3)

CREATURE 5

Pathfinder Bestiary 264 Initiative Perception +11 Another Chance at Diplomacy: If the heroes defeat Ulthadar, he approaches them again after he rejuvenates, chiding them for their hot‑headedness. Negotiations with him can proceed as described on page 33. XP Award: If the heroes negotiate with Ulthadar, award them 120 XP (unless they already gained XP for defeating the undead).

C2. STORAGE ROOMS These storage rooms were used for centuries by temple workers to secure mundane cleaning supplies out of sight. Ironically, thick dust and tangles of cobwebs blanket the abandoned cleaning equipment.

C3. LIBRARY

MODERATE 7

Towering mahogany bookcases line the walls of this chamber, their shelves crammed with thousands of ancient texts. A thick layer of dust covers the shelves’ contents

and the round reading table to the south. Rickety wooden ladders affixed to the ceiling provide access to the highest shelves of books. Faded, threadbare brocade rugs stretch luxuriously across the floor. The ceiling in this great library are higher than the surrounding halls and rooms, reaching 20 feet above the floor. Most books here are religious in nature, but the library also contains philosophical treatises, medical textbooks, maps, and historical records. Creatures: A xulgath mage named Garzukaal recently summoned a babau demon from Gluttondark using a binding ritual he learned here. The xulgath is now negotiating for the fiend’s allegiance and has already met the babau’s first condition: that Garzukaal destroy the tome containing the ritual. They are both eager for a break from diplomacy and fight together against the heroes. The babau fights until slain, but Garzukaal flees if reduced to fewer than 20 Hit Points.

GARZUKAAL Male xulgath mage (page 27, as Zunkri) Initiative Perception +12

CREATURE 7

GLUTTONDARK BABAU

CREATURE 7

Page 23 Initiative Perception +15 Searching the Library: A hero can spend 1 hour and attempt a DC 21 Arcana, Occultism, or Religion check (or a check using an applicable Lore skill) to search the library for any works of general interest or value. On a success, the hero locates a random book described below; on a critical success, the hero instead finds two books. On a critical failure, the hero misunderstands the filing system and doubles the time required for future checks. Regardless of the success or failure of this check, until all three books are located, the heroes realize there might be more to find in this library with further searching. A hero who commits a day of downtime to searching the library automatically finds all three books. The key books for the heroes are the following. The Deeds of Aroden: This dusty tome’s onionskin pages detail various legendary acts of Aroden before and after he ascended to godhood. This book is more than a century old and therefore doesn’t mention his death. A hero who perseveres through the author’s long‑winded narrative locates an interesting passage that relates to this adventure’s background. Give the heroes Handout #1: From The Deeds of Aroden. The Moonstone Oracles: This text describes Moonstone Hall’s primary wonder, the moonstone pools that transform natural spring water into conduits for powerful divination. This book details how Arodenite priests created items keyed to each pool—magical circlets called moonstone diadems—to deposit visual history using the pools as receptacles. The book mentions that later generations of priests used the moonstone diadems to view these repositories of knowledge and explains that a diadem brought into proximity with a pool unlocks its knowledge. The Spells of Man: This book proposes human spellcasters as the originators of many common spells, although the claims aren’t particularly well reasoned. More valuable are the three pages that serve as scrolls, as described in Treasure below. Ulthadar Appears: Ulthadar appears after the heroes read Handout #1. He lets out a mournful wail and sobs, “Aroden is gone! The aeon orbs fail! Who can save us?” He then gazes at heroes, who acquired the reflection of life at the end of “The Show Must Go On.” He moans, “You! You possess his touch, his reflection, but how can this be? You must gain a reflection from each of his five aeon orbs. As Aroden poured his essence into them, so must you gain the reflections of these essences. Then you can reignite

their power from his high throne in the Kortos Mountains.” Ulthadar doesn’t know where this high throne is, only that it is referred to in some texts as the Verdant Beacon. He encourages the heroes to reclaim the moonstone pools here, as the memories stored within them can tell them more. Treasure: The Spells of Man contains a scroll of favorable review (page 77), a scroll of pyrotechnics (page 77), and a scroll of spell immunity. XP Award: Award the heroes 30 XP when they hear Ulthadar’s information.

C4. REFECTORY

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall

Faded tapestries adorn the walls of this dining hall. Two oak tables occupy the room, and the polished wooden floorboards are warped in places.

Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar

Clergy and temple workers alike once took their meals here. The xulgaths don’t eat here, though their odor is strong as they frequently pass through here. Treasure: Two tarnished gold candlesticks worth 15 gp each stand on one of the tables.

Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie

C5. KITCHEN

Among the Xulgaths

A large stone fireplace occupies the kitchen’s northwestern corner. Remnants of charred wood and ash rest in the hearth beneath a cast‑iron cauldron. A dozen pans and skillets dangle from hooks. The kitchen is remarkably clean.

Catfolk of Golarion

This kitchen bears a minor enchantment that keeps everything stored here clean. The xulgaths haven’t been here other than to steal the sharpest knives for weapons. The hearth’s vent is blocked at the top, so fires here produce choking smoke. Mistress Dusklight once tried to cook here, but she abandoned the effort.

Adventure Toolbox

C6. PANTRY Many of the dried goods that once stocked this pantry have crumbled to dust over time, but a few withered bundles of desiccated herbs and glass jars filled with gray, viscous sludge stand on wooden shelves built into the western wall. The secret door leading to the intersection is obvious from inside the pantry.

C7. WINE STORAGE This room is filled with the strong smell of spilled wine. Puddles of wine cover the floor amid smashed bottles. The redcaps skulking around the temple made this mess during their days‑long drinking binge. They have

From The Deeds of Aroden

The Last Azlanti saw how the vile dwellers of the Lands Below squandered the orbs’ life-giving power. He wept for the six beacons of creation forced to illuminate twisted monoliths and bloodstained altars. He descended into the bowels of the world to pluck the radiant orbs from their cradles in that fell land. One he left, in his infinite mercy, to sustain the vault, which was called Vask. The other five he named aeon orbs and carried them up to light his new land, still mere rocks drawn from the raging sea. Five towers he built: the Marsh Tower to tame the mire, the Forest Tower to sustain the great woods, the Liferoot Stone to guard the Sulwen Hills, and the Wellspring Tower to shine across the lush plains. The fifth he placed upon Erran to illuminate the isle of his chosen. He smiled upon the blazing aeon orbs from his throne in the high mountains. As his beacons shone across the land, Aroden poured his essence into them. The light of his five orbs woke the islands, coaxing the fields and forests into abundant growth, and for so long as he reigns, his aeon orbs shall shine in bounty, Aroden’s eternal promise of life to humanity. HANDOUT #1

consumed all of the wine worth drinking; the only intact bottles contain spoiled wine or are empty. Treasure: An empty bottle contains a small, sealed vial with a potion of quickness. A hero Searching the room discovers it.

C8. CHAMBER OF BLESSINGS

SEVERE 7

Twelve statues ring the perimeter of this round, cavernous chamber. The exquisitely detailed stonework depicts humans facing inward toward the room’s center, each wearing a mask of cloth, leather, or stranger materials. Low stone steps lead to a circular dais at the center of the room, where an inscription has been carved deeply into the gray stone. Double doors exit to the north and east. Reserved for Moonstone Hall’s high‑ranking clergy, this room is one of the temple’s truly wondrous places. Each statue represents a follower of Aroden, and the masks they wear symbolize each of Aroden’s twelve legendary guises. The text carved into the central dais is written in Azlanti and reads “Aroden blesses those who share his guises.” A hero who succeeds at a DC 21 Religion check or a DC 25 Occultism or Society check recalls that Aroden sometimes walked the world disguised as the practitioner of a common profession, such as a farmer or shepherd. On a critical success, the hero knows all 12 guises. These statues formerly allowed anyone donning one of the masks to cast a single divine innate spell within the following hour. Only one mask could be active at a time; the other masks do nothing while a mask is worn. When the spell is cast, when a creature wearing a mask removes it, or after 1 hour, all masks

in Moonstone Hall reappear on the statues. A mask taken from Moonstone Hall doesn’t function. Mistress Dusklight stole two masks (a mask made of coins on the merchant statue and a mask of fine silk on the tailor statue). Because two masks are gone, the room’s magic has been disrupted, and the statues now function as a hazard rather than granting blessings. Aroden’s Guises: The 12 statues are described below, along with the innate divine spell the mask imparts when working properly. Artisan (3rd‑level mending): A muscular woman swings a carpenter’s hammer. This statue wears a patchwork mask of balsa wood, iron, and leather. Artist (3rd‑level heroism): A willowy man carries a sculptor’s tools and a painter’s palette. This statue wears a mask woven of boar’s bristles. Beggar (3rd‑level locate): A stooped, elderly man with an empty bowl in one hand reaches out with the other. This statue wears a mask of burlap cloth. Farmer (2nd‑level create food): A broad‑shouldered woman clutches a sheaf of wheat and a sickle. This statue wears a mask woven of dried grain stalks. Fisher (3rd‑level enhance victuals; counteract +18): A burly man hauls a net laden with fish. This statue wears a mask of silvery netting. Hunter (3rd‑level endure elements): A cloaked woman crouches low, aiming a heavy bow toward the center of the room. This statue wears a mask of brown leather adorned with autumn leaves. Merchant (3rd‑level comprehend language): A pudgy man carries a scale under an arm and holds out a hand with a palm full of coins. Its mask is missing. Scholar (2nd‑level dispel magic; counteract +18): This statue depicts a wizened woman hauling a stack of

books in both arms, a quill tucked behind her ear. This statue wears a mask constructed of stiff parchment. Shepherd (3rd‑level spirit link): A young man holds a crooked staff and reaches down to stroke a stone lamb. This statue wears a mask of spun wool. Soldier (2nd‑level shield other): A stocky woman stands at attention, a crossbow strapped to her back and longsword and daggers at her belt. This statue’s mask is constructed of pieces of broken blades. Tailor (2nd‑level remove fear): A lanky man displays lengths of cloth draped over and arm and holds a needle and thread. This statue’s mask is missing. Thief (2nd‑level silence): A grinning woman touches the dagger at her belt and holds up a purse with cut strings. This statue wears a mask of black satin. Trap: If any of the 10 remaining masks in this room are disturbed, the trap triggers. If the entire trap is disabled by replacing the missing masks and succeeding at a DC 27 Religion check, the trap is permanently destroyed and again imparts its innate divine spells as described above.

MASKS OF ARODEN’S GUISES RARE

COMPLEX

MAGICAL

or temple workers. They were used only rarely, as most people working in Moonstone Hall had residences in Escadar. In each room, twin beds flank a towering mahogany wardrobe filled with a half‑dozen outer robes of threadbare silk, which bear a simple religious symbol of Aroden. The xulgaths infiltrating Moonstone Hall have used these rooms as sleeping chambers, befouling the beds and idly vandalizing the room’s contents.

C10. HIGH PRIEST’S QUARTERS

MODERATE 7

This room has furnishings identical to those in area C9, except it contains a large desk rather than a second bed. The acting high priest of Aroden commanded their own chamber, but the lack of decoration suggests either a nod to the ascetic lifestyle common among

HAZARD 10

Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar

Among the Xulgaths

Stealth +20 (expert) Description Ten masks adorn twelve stone statues. Disable DC 29 Religion (expert) or Occultism or DC 31 Thievery (expert) to dismiss the magic on a single statue. Replacing the two missing masks (a mask made of or incorporating coins on the merchant statue and a mask made of any valuable fabric on the tailor statue) and succeeding at a DC 27 Religion check disarms the trap. AC 30; Fort +20, Ref +16 Statue Hardness 18; Statue HP 48 (BT 24); Immunities critical hits, object immunities, precision damage Unmasked Statues [reaction] (occult) Trigger A creature removes the mask from a statue; Effect The trap casts phantasmal killer (DC 27) against the creature, creating an image of the statue lunging forth. The trap then rolls initiative. Routine [three‑actions] An unmasked statue casts phantasmal killer (DC 27) against a target in the room for each of the trap’s actions, creating an image of the statue lunging forth. It doesn’t affect the same creature more than once; if there are fewer targets than it has actions, the trap doesn’t use its remaining actions. Unmasking an additional statue increases the hazard’s actions by 1, and replacing a mask reduces its actions by 1. Reset The trap deactivates and resets 1 minute after it has no target creatures.

C9. QUARTERS

Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance

Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie

TRAP

Each of these rooms was prepared as personal quarters for a pair of Arodenite priests

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD

Catfolk of Golarion Adventure Toolbox

Shepherd Statue

cloistered holy people or previous looting. The desk contains a ledger detailing the mundane transactions of the temple, including a partial listing of the relics on display in the temple’s hall of reliquaries (area C16). Creatures: The xulgath demon‑caller Shrashek currently in area C19 sleeps in this chamber, although she’s rarely ever here. She instructed two babaus she commands to wait here until needed. They attack the heroes if disturbed and fight to the death.

GLUTTONDARK BABAUS (2)

CREATURE 7

Page 23 Initiative Perception +15

C11. DESPERATE IMPOSTERS

LOW 7

This room resembles the other clergy quarters (area C9), except it hasn’t been vandalized quite as much. Creatures: When the heroes arrive, four xulgaths appear to be living in this room. They keep their hands up and away from their weapons. These aren’t xulgaths at all, but faceless stalkers who impersonated xulgaths and joined in the guise of warriors. They’ve decided to leave the xulgaths and seek their fates in Escadar, but they aren’t sure about how to leave Moonstone Hall and don’t want to provoke suspicion by asking questions or skulking around. When the heroes arrive, they seize on the opportunity to escape by asking the heroes to escort them. The faceless stalkers pretend to be xulgaths who are defecting from Zevgavizeb’s service and want to seek peace with “surface dwellers.” They claim to have whatever information the heroes ask of them, simply making up facts they think the heroes want to hear (such as that they’ve seen a catfolk around, which they haven’t). The largest clue that these people aren’t who they claim to be is the desiccated xulgath corpse stuffed under each bed. If examined, the corpses bear the telltale triple puncture wounds of a faceless stalker’s feeding. Once the faceless stalkers think their ruse is exposed, or when the heroes escort them to Moonstone Hall’s exits (areas B1 or B7), they attack. A faceless stalker reduced to fewer than 10 Hit Points flees.

FACELESS STALKERS (4)

CREATURE 4

Pathfinder Bestiary 13 Initiative Deception +13

C12. MEDITATION CHAMBER

SEVERE 7

Unlike other doors in Moonstone Hall, the doors to this room are made of iron and are locked. A hero can Force a door Open with a successful DC 32 Athletics check, or a hero can open it with three successful DC 27 Thievery checks to Pick a Lock.

Ulthadar Appears: Ulthadar materializes long enough to warn them that priests after his time installed the doors and locks to protect something dangerous. He doesn’t know what it is, but assumes it’s locked away for a good reason. Read or paraphrase the following if the heroes enter anyway. Opalescent stones inlaid into the floor of this chamber form a spiral pattern reminiscent of a nautilus’s shell. A clay statue stands at the spiral’s center, its hands palm up and bearing a tin chalice with a rim of silver, gold, and ebony. A few years before Aroden died, the priests obtained a dangerous item called the Grail of Twisted Desires. They sought a safer place to put it than with the other items in the reliquary, so put it here, under the ageless guardianship of a clay golem depicting Aroden that formerly stood in the Moonstone Sanctum (area C19). The xulgaths haven’t yet bothered to get through these doors. Mistress Dusklight, however, picked the lock and investigated this room on an earlier visit. She quickly backed out before activating the golem and hasn’t yet determined how she’ll claim this treasure. Creature: The clay golem animates if it is attacked or if someone takes the chalice. It seeks to recover the chalice; if it does so, or if attackers return the chalice to it and leave, the golem resumes its position. The soothing spirals in this room prevents the golem from going berserk as long as it’s in this area. If it’s berserk and returns to this room, its berserk frenzy ends.

CLAY GOLEM

CREATURE 10

Pathfinder Bestiary 186 Initiative Perception +16 Treasure: The chalice is a Grail of Twisted Desires (page 73).

C13. WASHING CHAMBER

LOW 7

This room is awash in blood. Two large steel washtubs stand on the west side of this room, underneath ceiling hooks holding tattered remnants of curtains. The tubs are half full of blood and meat. Priests of Moonstone Hall would wash themselves here before entering the Moonstone Sanctum. The xulgaths found the setup convenient for butchering meat, and they simply discard scrap meat in the tubs. Ancient garments lay folded and stacked in a cabinet and are, almost miraculously, undisturbed. Robes, muslin shifts, and shirts and trousers of green wool offer a glimpse into the priests’ daily fashion.

Creatures: Some of the meat in the tubs comes from two sacrificial victims Mistress Dusklight brought to the xulgaths. Their spirits arose as malevolent wraiths. They appear in a burst of blood and bone, allowing them to roll Intimidation for initiative.

WRAITHS (2)

CREATURE 6

Pathfinder Bestiary 335 Initiative Intimidation +15

C14. COLLAPSED HALL The west side of this hallway has crumbled away into an enormous natural cavern. A crude ramp of crumbled stone and earth leads from the cavern floor up to the hallway.

The slabs are incredibly heavy, and even the strongest xulgaths had a hard time gaining sufficient purchase to open them. Moving a slab aside is an activity that takes 10 minutes and successful DC 30 Athletics check. A few smoky torches illuminate this room for the dinosaur’s convenience. The slabs are difficult terrain, and the open grave pits are greater difficult terrain. A secret hall connects the crypts to the reflection room (area C17). A hero who searches the area and succeeds at a DC 23 Perception check notices the secret door. The xulgaths aren’t aware of its existence.

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar

Part of this tunnel collapsed several decades ago, exposing a large entry to the Darklands. Sarvel brought an army of xulgaths and dinosaurs here, but most only came as far as this temporary camp. When Sarvel left, he took the forces gathered here with him. Filthy nests, cold fire pits, and broken tools show that there were once hundreds of xulgaths or more camped here. The cavern still bears their lingering, pungent odor. Tunnels from this chamber lead deeper into the Darklands, but they aren’t relevant to this adventure. Treasure: Heroes who Search the abandoned camp discover a jade bauble and an iron disk bearing a wounding rune amid the debris.

Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie Among the Xulgaths Catfolk of Golarion Adventure Toolbox

C15. CRYPT SEVERE 7 The double door to this large, open crypt leads to a small balcony and a short flight of stairs. The stone railing on the balcony has been knocked onto the floor a few feet below. Several metal slabs protrude a few inches above the floor, each bearing a life‑sized representation of a reclining human priest. That the slabs cover graves is obvious, as three of the lids have been torn from the ground to reveal shallow pits. The honored dead of Moonstone Hall rest in this vaulted crypt with 20‑foot‑high ceilings. The metal slab over each grave depicts the priest buried beneath it. The slab in the northwestern corner—the oldest one— depicts Ulthadar. The xulgaths only recently realized that these slabs conceal corpses, and they’re now trying to open them up to get at any hidden treasures.

Sarshellix

Creatures: A xulgath mage named Sarshellix had an idea: she rigged a harness to a triceratops and is using the beast’s strength to pull up the slabs. The triceratops knocked over the stone balcony railing while maneuvering into the room. Sarshellix has opened only three graves so far, but she is resolved to open them all. When the heroes arrive, Sarshellix is riding the triceratops while two xulgath leaders pick through the open grave pits. All these foes attack intruders. The xulgaths fight tactically, but the ill‑tempered triceratops simply charges anyone it can reach, even pursuing foes into the halls (which are difficult terrain for it) to reach them.

SARSHELLIX

CREATURE 7

Female xulgath mage (page 27, as Zunkri) Initiative Perception +12

TRICERATOPS

CREATURE 8

Pathfinder Bestiary 98 Initiative Perception +16 Harnessed The triceratops’s hauling harness impedes it, giving it the clumsy 1 condition until another creature uses an Interact action to free it from the harness.

XULGATH LEADERS (2)

CREATURE 3

Pathfinder Bestiary 337 Initiative Perception +9 Ulthadar Appears: When the heroes defeat the xulgaths plundering the crypt, Ulthadar appears over his grave site and says, “My worldly possessions are yours, in gratitude for your aid.” The lid over Ulthadar’s grave moves smoothly and silently aside. “But I ask that you respect my peers in the way these trespassers would not. Sanctify and shelter their remains.” Ulthadar then fades away. Consecrating the Remains: The heroes can consecrate the remains in an open grave with a successful DC 25 Religion check followed by them covering the graves with stones or their original metal slabs. A hero bearing an item with Aroden’s iconography, such as a religious symbol of Aroden or the prayer beads from area B8, gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to this Religion check. A critical failure on this Religion check causes a poltergeist from area C1 to appear, rejuvenating it immediately if necessary, and attack the heroes. Treasure: Ulthadar’s grave contains a moderate antidote, a tourmaline sphere aeon stone, an amethyst necklace worth 20 gp, and a silver athame worth 30 gp. None of the graves other than Ulthadar’s contain any treasure.

XP Award: For each of the three open graves the heroes consecrate, award them 10 XP.

C16. HALL OF RELIQUARIES

MODERATE 7

Deep recesses are carved into the stone walls of this room, although most are empty. Above each is a brass plaque. Splintered wood, broken glass, prayer beads, dried bones, and other debris are heaped in large piles. This chamber once displayed a collection of sacred relics, including holy oils, blessed scrolls, lintels from long‑gone temples, skulls of famous Arodenite saints, and more. The xulgaths ransacked the room, hurling many relics to the floor and destroying them. Three display cases that once stood in this room are now little more than smashed glass and broken wood. Mistress Dusklight later picked through the debris and took several valuable items, most of which she’s already sold. Once she discovered the ledger in the high priest’s desk in area C10, she could make a targeted search for specific items. However, she inadvertently dropped the list in area B11 on her latest trip. Creatures: A demon‑caller named Kalagash noticed that Mistress Dusklight has taken a suspicious amount of interest in this chamber each time she’s been here. Kalagash is a broad‑shouldered xulgath with a noticeable hunch and a vestigial third arm hanging from his armpit. The xulgath now picks carefully through the debris while his bound demon, a hulking vrock, waits impatiently. Both attack intruders. If the quasit Givzib is with the heroes, she hides rather than face the xulgath who initially summoned her.

KALAGASH

CREATURE 5

Male xulgath demon‑caller (page 26, as Yaashka) Initiative Perception +11

VROCK

CREATURE 9

Pathfinder Bestiary 78 Initiative Perception +18 Treasure: Heroes who Search through the heaps here discover a stole of civility (page 75) and a black marble jar containing a single dose of saint’s balm (page 75). A hero who succeeds at a DC 23 Perception check when Searching also discovers a platinum religious symbol of Aroden worth 75 gp.

C17. REFLECTION ROOM

MODERATE 7

Vibrant tapestries adorn the east and west walls of this room. The woven masterpieces are in remarkably pristine

condition considering the damage elsewhere in the temple. Fragrant smoke wafts through the room from elegant silver sconces built into each of the room’s four corners. A large engraving of a winged eye stares from the north wall above a stone shelf piled high with half‑melted candles. Aroden’s clergy meditated here. Two secret doors (DC 21 Perception) are hidden behind tapestries and lead to area C15 and area C19. Creature: The xulgaths haven’t trashed this room because of the guardian placed here by Arodenite priests long ago. The eye at the center of the carving on the north wall hides a stone mauler that unfolds from the center of the eye whenever a creature other than a divine caster of Aroden descends the stairs. The creature fights until destroyed, but it doesn’t leave this chamber. It returns to the eye carving when no targets remain.

STONE MAULER

carved entirely from a deposit of translucent, pearlescent rock. Gentle steps descend from two openings on the south side of the room. Four golden spigots jut from the walls, emitting trickles of clear spring water. The rivulets run across the floor and down the steps to collect in twin pits carved into the smooth, opaline stone. Torches flicker from golden sconces set into the walls, illuminating a mosaic of a winged eye peering down from the ceiling.

Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie

CREATURE 9

Pathfinder Bestiary 147 Initiative Perception +16

Among the Xulgaths

Treasure: Four everburning torches scented with sweet‑smelling incense burn in the chamber’s corners.

Catfolk of Golarion

C18. ANTECHAMBER The rugs in this room are badly scorched, and the walls are painted with blood and fouler fluids in the shape of jagged runes. A dead xulgath lies near one wall, their throat torn out. The xulgaths used this antechamber to bind demons, and the evidence is painted on the walls. The corpse is a xulgath demon‑caller who botched a summoning ritual and paid with his life. A hero who succeeds at a DC 23 Arcana or Religion check recognizes the room’s use and realizes the dead xulgath was slain when a summoning went badly. Treasure: The xulgath corpse still grips a large ruby worth 250 gp. All the demon‑caller’s other gear is blackened and useless from the ritual’s backlash.

C19. MOONSTONE SANCTUM

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD

Adventure Toolbox

Kalagash

SEVERE 7

Unlike the gray stone architecture found throughout the temple’s lower levels, this cavernous oval chamber is

Mighty Shrashek— I humbly regret that I have not yet unraveled the secrets of the moonstone pools within the temple. I agree that the knowledge they contain could elevate you among your peers, and I’m working diligently with the diadem you provided. The occult phrases below should help draw the pools’ power, if pronounced with sufficient care. If they do not function, I will need more time to explore the site and examine other relics (the diadem your rival Uzensshel destroyed with her tampering is no use, and there seems to be no way to wrest the diadem the peevish ghost wears from his head). I will, of course, bring you more victims. Your god demands sacrifice. Let their flesh empower your rituals. Sincerely, Dusklight HANDOUT #2

The domed ceiling soars to a height of 25 feet above the ground. The entire room is constructed of moonstone, painstakingly carved from a natural deposit of the material discovered years ago by Moonstone Hall’s builders. To the north, two 10‑foot‑deep pools collect water piped into this chamber from an underground spring. These are two of the moonstone pools for which the temple was named. A concealed passage leads to the reflection room (area C17). A DC 25 Perception check is required to spot its hidden door. Creatures: A demon‑caller named Shrashek is currently investigating the moonstone pools. She’s working hard to unlock the secrets of the pools but, lacking a moonstone diadem, has been frustrated in her endeavors. She keeps her favorite dinosaur by her side, as well as a bored babau who keeps an eye out for intruders. Shrashek realizes that any intruders who have delved this far into Moonstone Hall have likely eliminated her allies, so she and her stegosaurus fight to the death. The babau isn’t so resigned; if reduced to fewer than 20 Hit Points, it seeks aid from the vrock in area C16 or the other babaus in area C10 before returning to the fight.

SHRASHEK

CREATURE 5

Female xulgath demon‑caller (page 26, as Yaashka) Initiative Perception +11

STEGOSAURUS

CREATURE 7

Pathfinder Bestiary 98 Initiative Perception +15

GLUTTONDARK BABAU

CREATURE 7

Page 23 Initiative Perception +15 Shrashek’s Missive: Shrashek bears a note of interest to the heroes. This missive is written in Draconic and was penned by Mistress Dusklight. If the heroes can read it, give them Handout #2. The rest of the note is covered with meaningless but mystic‑sounding phrases; a hero who succeeds at a DC 21 Occultism or DC 28 Arcana check realizes that the phrases are gibberish and intended to waste time. This note is written in the same handwriting as the discarded list in area B11. Treasure: The stegosaurus has a dozen chunks of obsidian embedded in its hide to make it appear more ferocious. These obsidian chunks can be removed only when the stegosaurus is dead and are worth a total of 100 gp. In addition, the stegosaurus has knocked several pounds of moonstone loose from the floor while walking around. These moonstone pieces collectively weigh 40 pounds and are worth 200 gp.

ULTHADAR’S FINAL APPEARANCE When the heroes have driven all of the enemies from Moonstone Hall, Ulthadar materializes before them. Read or paraphrase the following. The ghostly priest bows his head and says, “You have driven the heretics from my home before they could corrupt the heart of our temple. For that, you have my thanks. You have proven yourselves dependable allies to my order. If you wish to peer into the moonstone pools, I will not stop you.” He removes the delicate circlet from his brow, which appears more solid than his translucent body. “This moonstone diadem can grant you sight into the pools before you. I can teach you to unlock its power, but the truth carries a heavy weight.” Ulthadar instructs a hero who accepts the moonstone diadem to clear their mind, concentrate on what they wish to see within one of the moonstone pools, and then speak the diadem’s command word. Ulthadar demonstrates how linking hands with others can grant them a shared vision in the pool’s waters.

Without Ulthadar’s instruction, the heroes must succeed at a DC 21 Arcana or Occultism check to learn how to properly use the diadem. When they activate the moonstone diadem above a moonstone pool, the heroes can view anything that occurred within Moonstone Hall or any memory imparted to the pool by a past user. Specifically, the heroes can see scenes of Ulthadar’s mortal life more than 600 years ago, Mistress Dusklight’s dealings with the xulgaths, or even their own activities in the temple. The most significant memories are those of the aeon orbs—when the heroes seek out these memories, read or paraphrase the following.

Although this vision doesn’t speak to the xulgaths’ involvement, it shows the heroes that their task to restore the land is to obtain resonant reflections from all of the aeon orbs and then enact a ritual at Aroden’s high throne in the Kortos Mountains. This information should set the heroes on their goal in the next adventure in the Extinction Curse Adventure Path, “Life’s Long Shadows.” XP Award: Award the heroes 80 XP for experiencing this vision.

Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall

Ripples appear on the pool’s placid surface, then a vision swims clearly into view. The god Aroden stands atop a lofty peak. Across the islands below him, five towers crowned with five gleaming orbs rise into the dawn sky. Aroden’s hands have touched each aeon orb, and the reflection from each orb sparkles upon him. He lifts a longsword and gemstone cut into a five‑pointed star and begins to chant in a powerful, ancient language. His words evoke images of green growth, clear flowing waters, and radiant sunlight. As he completes his ritual, the aeon orbs flare and brilliant lines of golden light link each tower, crossing the miles between the structures and flowing toward the mountain where Aroden stands. The sun rises and sinks overhead, first slowly, then repeating the pattern at dizzying speeds. The land flourishes, and humans walk its surface. Above them, the five orbs orbit their towers like jewels in glistening crowns. Suddenly, the throne atop the peak is empty: mighty Aroden has died. The orbs lose their links to one another and begin to fade. Desolation creeps across the land as the bounty provided by the aeon orbs fades. Then, faintly, a new figure arises, the figure’s indistinct features overlaid with five separate, gleaming reflections. This new figure reaches out, light emerging from outstretched fingers to bolster the failing orbs. The heroes should guess that the vision holds special importance. A hero who succeeds at a DC 18 Religion check or a DC 23 Nature or Occultism check realizes that the reflections carried by the final figure match the resonant reflection are all similar to those the heroes gained at the end of “The Show Must Go On.” One of the five is, in fact, that same reflection, and the indistinct figure is one of the heroes destined to restore the aeon orbs in Part 6 of the Extinction Curse Adventure Path, “The Apocalypse Prophet.” Obtaining reflections from five aeon orbs will empower the heroes to restore the orbs’ life‑giving magic. Should no hero conclude this on their own, Ulthadar helps them unravel the vision.

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD

Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie Among the Xulgaths Catfolk of Golarion Adventure Toolbox

Shrashek

CHAPTER 4: AGAINST THE CELESTIAL MENAGERIE By the time the heroes complete their exploration of Moonstone Hall, they likely have several pieces of evidence implicating Mistress Dusklight in illegal trespassing on the site. At the same time, the canny ringmaster has been taking steps to drive the Circus of Wayward Wonders out of “her” town of Escadar. When the heroes return to their circus, they spot several injured workers and evidence of a few fires. The Professor, the elderly performer responsible for the circus’s sideshow, explains what happened. “A half dozen people came with torches and clubs. We were rehearsing, so we were too scattered to make a good defense. They wore masks, but plenty of us recognized them anyway—ruffians from the Celestial Menagerie. They didn’t kill anyone, thank the stars, but a few of our performers are going to need weeks to recover. Some of the animals died in the fires, but we’ve put everything out.

“The message was clear: we’ve been told to get out of Escadar or expect something worse. Mistress Dusklight is behind this, and all of us know it. An attack like this goes too far. She’s got to answer for what she’s done, either within the law or outside of it.” Although the heroes might want to move against Mistress Dusklight directly without involving the law, they still owe a report to Andera. The heroes’ next stop should be to Conclave Square.

A Time for Justice

As usual, the heroes interrupt Andera working diligently in her office when they arrive. She questions the heroes about their exploration of Moonstone Hall and thanks them for eliminating the dangerous creatures that could have become a threat to her city. She presses the heroes for any hard evidence of

Mistress Dusklight’s trespassing in Moonstone Hall or her arrangements with the xulgaths. The heroes must present at least three pieces of evidence to convince Andera to provide an arrest warrant, which likely include the following: • The invisible net with the CM logo on the sacrifice victim in area B5. • The discarded list written in Amurrun in area B11. • Eyewitness testimony that Mistress Dusklight has been in Moonstone Hall. Andera even listens to creatures such as Givzib or xulgaths, but multiple eyewitnesses still count as only one piece of evidence. • The note from Mistress Dusklight to Shrashek in area C19, which counts as two pieces of evidence. Along with providing them the warrant, Andera temporarily deputizes the heroes to arrest Mistress Dusklight and return her to Conclave Square. Andera prefers that the heroes bring Mistress Dusklight back alive, but she understands that the heroes have the right to defend themselves. She can’t spare any constables to assist the heroes, but by now Andera realizes the heroes are certainly capable of handling things themselves.

The Celestial Menagerie

The Celestial Menagerie circus grounds sprawl across a huge plot just south of Escadar. The neatly maintained forest surrounding the site conceals a high iron fence to deter trespassers from entering other than through the main gate. Lights and reflective metal ornaments hang in the trees surrounding the circus, illuminating the site with dazzling colors. The Celestial Menagerie typically hosts a single performance each evening just after sunset, but the grounds open to the public 2 hours before the show. If the heroes arrive at the circus grounds during this time window, citizens of Escadar swarm the area, playing carnival games, wandering past sideshows, and filing into seats in the big top. If the heroes infiltrate the circus during its off hours, only a few workers and performers mill about. The midway stands and sideshow podiums are abandoned, and the area is quiet save for the braying of animals. Despite appearances, the Celestial Menagerie is far from abandoned; Mistress Dusklight and her minions are preparing to confront the heroes.

D1. FRONT GATE

MODERATE 8

A wall of pruned thorny bushes gives way to a delicate wrought‑iron gate bearing the words “Celestial Menagerie” in large letters. A wooden sign above them, decorated with winged animals, reads, “The Delights of Nirvana Await.” Creatures: Two bruisers loyal to Mistress Dusklight loiter near this gate at all hours. These two bruisers know the heroes by sight—in fact, they participated in the recent attack on the Circus of Wayward Wonders—and rudely insist the heroes leave if they don’t want a beating. If the heroes arrive when the grounds are closed, the bruisers are standing in front of the gates to encourage customers to come back later. If the heroes arrive while the grounds are open, the bruisers hang back from the gate, keeping an eye on the circus’s ticket taker, a female halfling named Tusconna Sprightly. “Little Sprightly,” as she’s known, stands at the gate taking entrance money from guests and welcoming them to the Celestial Menagerie with a charming, nonstop patter. Like the bruisers, Tusconna keeps an eye out for the heroes (her Perception DC and Will DC are both 26, although

CHAPTER 4 SYNOPSIS In the adventure’s final chapter, the heroes confront Mistress Dusklight in her Celestial Menagerie and gain some long‑overdue justice against the evil ringmaster. Although this chapter assumes that the heroes have already reached 8th level and that they assault the rival circus after hours, neither of these may be true. The heroes might move against Mistress Dusklight earlier in this adventure, or they might try to apprehend her while her circus grounds are filled with patrons. In any case, Mistress Dusklight’s loyal circus members attempt to confuse and delay the heroes so the ringmaster can finish them off in her inner sanctum.

CHAPTER 4 TREASURE LISTING The permanent and consumable items available as treasure in Chapter 4 are as follows. • bullhook • dust of disappearance • gallow’s tooth • greater smokestick • inspiring spotlight • malyass root paste • marvellous calliope • moonstone diadem • rod of wonder • scroll of cone of cold • +1 striking bastard sword • +1 striking greatclub • +1 striking scimitar • wand of magic mouth • wand of ray of enfeeblement • whip of compliance • wyvern poison

THE CELESTIAL MENAGERIE

D13

D12

D11

D7 D10d

D10c

D10b

D10a

D2 D3 D4

1 SQUARE = 5 FEET

she doesn’t participate in combat). If the heroes want to pay for admission, Tusconna flatly tells them the price is 50 gp each, more than a hundred times the going rate. If the heroes don’t either pay or leave right away, the bruisers intervene. In any event, the bruisers are eager to defeat the heroes. They surrender or flee only when reduced to fewer than 10 Hit Points.

inspection to identify. When the circus is closed, the only person here is a stout wererat named Kagrud. The booth at the far western end is the prize booth, where tickets from these games can be redeemed. It’s locked, but the heroes can Force it Open with a successful DC 19 Athletics check or unlock it with two successful DC 21 Thievery checks to Pick a Lock. Kagrud keeps the key to the prize booth.

CELESTIAL MENAGERIE BRUISERS (2) CREATURE 8 NE

MEDIUM

HUMAN

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall

HUMANOID

Perception +14 Languages Common Skills Athletics +17 (+20 to Shove), Circus Lore +12, Intimidation +16, Stealth +13, Survival +12, Thievery+13 Str +5, Dex +1, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +2 Items chain shirt, dagger, face mask, +1 striking greatclub AC 27; Fort +16, Ref +15, Will +13 HP 135 each Opportunistic Brawler [reaction] Trigger A creature hits the bruiser with a melee Strike; Effect The bruiser attempts to Shove the creature. On a success or a critical success, the target is also knocked prone. The bruiser can’t Stride after a target it successfully Shoves in this way. Speed 25 feet Melee [one‑action] greatclub +20 (backswing, magical, shove), Damage 2d10+10 bludgeoning Melee [one‑action] fist +19 (agile, nonlethal), Damage 1d4+8 bludgeoning Ranged [one‑action] dagger +15 (agile, thrown 10 feet, versatile S), Damage 1d4+8 piercing Terrifying Sneer [one‑action] Frequency once per turn; Requirements The bruiser must target a creature they Shoved since the end of the bruiser’s last turn; Effect The bruiser attempts to Demoralize the target. If the bruiser rolls a success, they gets a critical success instead.

Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie Among the Xulgaths Catfolk of Golarion Adventure Toolbox

D2. TICKET BOOTH This large plywood booth is painted white and decorated with images of animal‑headed angels holding streamers and musical instruments. This is where tickets for specific attractions, such as big‑top shows and events in the Heavenly Gallery, are sold. After hours, it is boarded up.

Celestial Menagerie Bruiser

D3. MIDWAY The southwestern section of the circus grounds is a colorful midway containing a variety of carnival games, such as a ring toss and darts. All of the games are rigged, although a specific game’s rig requires close

Creature: Kagrud remains in his human form as much as possible to hide his nature. He’s responsible only for keeping the games maintained and the vermin away; he’s too cowardly to get into a fight and tries to flee or hide if he sees the heroes. If the heroes interrogate him, Kagrud can explain the layout of the circus. He says that Mistress Dusklight is ready for them, and she’s reconfigured the circus grounds so the only way to reach her is through the Heavenly Gallery and the maze of mirrors beyond it. He knows little else, as he keeps to the midway most of the time.

KAGRUD

CREATURE 2

Male wererat carny (Pathfinder Bestiary 329) Initiative Perception +8 Treasure: The prize booth has cheap toys and stuffed animals, but it also contains a greater smokestick and a slide whistle that is a marvelous calliope (page 74).

D4. GLEN OF UNCOMMON WONDERS MODERATE 8 Mistress Dusklight keeps several cages here to show off some of her more intriguing but uncooperative sideshows. Three captive creatures inhabit iron cages in this area. When the heroes arrive, the gregarious satyr Adrivallo greets them. Even if the heroes are skulking around after hours, Adrivallo announces himself just as he does when the grounds are open. “Behold, the Glen of Uncommon Wonders!” a sonorous voice bellows. A blond satyr rises from a wooden stool at the base of a willow tree. He pushes the willows’ fronds back in a dramatic gesture, giving the impression of an actor stepping from behind a curtain and onto a stage. “Feast your eyes on our celestial sights! Converse with the winged keeper of wisdom, the talking pegasus! Admire the sylvan beauty, our delightful dryad! Cower in fear from caged ferocity, the savage manticore!” The satyr grins and waves his set of panpipes with a flourish. “Or perhaps you’re patrons of more refined taste? In that case, allow this mischievous piper to serenade you.” The satyr Adrivallo is one of Mistress Dusklight’s most loyal followers. He uses his magic to help keep performers obedient and circus patrons charmed. Although Adrivallo delivers his practiced speech with a cheerful demeanor, it’s a thin veneer over his jaded weariness with circus life. He currently serves as the barker for the creatures in the Celestial Menagerie’s Glen of Uncommon Wonders. Over recent months, he’s realized that his role as a glorified jailor is perhaps not the best use of his talents. Still, he continues to work for Dusklight out of a combination of apathy and duty.

Captive Wonders: Several unfortunate creatures languish under Adrivallo’s watch in their locked cages. The satyr allows the heroes to speak with these creatures but insists that they remain caged, threatening violence if the heroes try to free them. The heroes can Force Open a cage with a successful DC 24 Athletics check or unlock it with three successful DC 24 Thievery checks to Pick a Lock. Adrivallo carries the keys to all the cages. The three captive creatures are as follows. The Delightful Dryad: The baleful dryad Verinnelle desperately struggles to keep her potted sapling alive in captivity. She stares out at circus‑goers with sad eyes, dreaming of the ancient Verduran Forest, where she lived before Mistress Dusklight captured and imprisoned her. Verinnelle ignores the heroes unless they speak to her in Sylvan; if they do, she begs to be freed to return to her forest and give her sapling a proper home. Winged Wisdom: Mistdancer, a pegasus capable of speaking Common and Sylvan, is a haughty creature insulted by being caged. He stands close to the bars, his folded wings uncomfortably cramped in the enclosed space. Mistdancer initially claims to perform of his own free will, bragging that Mistress Dusklight pays him his weight in the finest apples and oats. He’s practiced at uttering wise‑sounding platitudes like “Those who set their sights high achieve wondrous goals,” although he often delivers his lines with an apathetic snort. Even a cursory conversation reveals that Mistdancer is unhappy with his current captivity, although he likes the attention the crowds give him. The Savage Man‑Beast: A surly manticore named Gnasher occupies the third cage. The bars of this cage are surrounded by a metal mesh with openings too small for Gnasher’s spikes to penetrate. Nevertheless, several spikes are jammed into the mesh and litter the floor of the cage, demonstrating Gnasher’s predilection for violence. If freed, Gnasher attacks its would‑be rescuers indiscriminately. The Piper’s Game: If the heroes let him play his pipes, Adrivallo attempts to charm them, then uses suggestion to get them to leave the Celestial Menagerie and stay away. The satyr is aware this is, at best, a short‑term effect, but it amuses him. If the heroes don’t want Adrivallo to play his pipes, or if they prove resistant to his spells, he’s still willing to talk with them out of boredom. Adrivallo explains the layout of the circus. He says that Mistress Dusklight has reconfigured the circus grounds so the only way to reach her is through the Heavenly Gallery and the maze of mirrors beyond it.

The heroes can attempt to get more information out of Adrivallo with a successful DC 24 Diplomacy check. On a success, they obtain one of the facts from the following list that they don’t know. A critical success gives them two facts. On a critical failure, Adrivallo makes up a believable‑sounding lie, such as that there are two lillends in the Heavenly Gallery or that Evora likes to befriend people before murdering them. • There’s an oubliette behind the big top where Mistress Dusklight punishes disloyal performers. • Kagrud at the midway is a wererat and a coward. • Many creatures in the Heavenly Gallery aren’t what they appear. • Mistress Dusklight has recently acquired several relics from somewhere in the city. When she goes, she sometimes takes a surly or disobedient worker with her, who isn’t seen again thereafter. • Mistress Dusklight has the law on her side; a senior constable visits her a lot. Adrivallo doesn’t know his name but describes Darricus Stallit in specific detail. He doesn’t know whether this constable is currently on the circus grounds. • The Hallowed Wheel is a prize wheel most of the time, but Mistress Dusklight transformed it into a magical trap. Adrivallo thinks it’s more fun, as you don’t know what its effects will be. Creatures: If the heroes are violent, Adrivallo unleashes Gnasher from his cage to fight. Even if the heroes deal peaceably with Adrivallo, out of whimsical malevolence, he lets Gnasher loose anyway after they’ve left. The manticore then hunts down the heroes and can be fought on his own or used as an unexpected addition to another encounter.

ADRIVALLO UNIQUE

AC 28; Fort +18, Ref +17, Will +14 HP 210; Weaknesses cold iron 10 Nimble Dodge [reaction] Trigger Adrivallo is targeted with a melee or ranged attack by an attacker he can see; Effect Adrivallo gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to AC against the triggering attack. Speed 35 feet Melee [one‑action] dagger +23 (agile, finesse, versatile S), Damage 1d4+11 piercing Ranged [one‑action] dagger +23 (agile, thrown 10 feet, versatile S), Damage 1d4+11 piercing Primal Innate Spells DC 29; 4th charm, fear, sleep, suggestion; Cantrips (5th) dancing lights, dirge of doom

LEVEL 10 MEDIUM

FEY

Male satyr sideshow barker Perception +16; low‑light vision Languages Common, Sylvan Skills Athletics +16, Circus Lore +16, Deception +21, Diplomacy +21, Intimidation +19, Nature +16, Performance +21, Stealth +19, Thievery +16 Str +3, Dex +5, Con +1, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +7 Items dagger, keys to all the cages in the Glen of Uncommon Wonders, panpipes, wineskin Sylvan Wine (enchantment, mental, primal) Adrivallo’s wineskin magically enchants any alcohol inside. With an Interact action, a living creature can imbibe the alcohol and gain a +1 item bonus to Will saves and a +3 item bonus to Will saves against fear effects for the following hour. When the wineskin is removed from a satyr’s person, the magic remains only until the wine spoils. The wineskin holds up to 8 draughts of wine.

Adrivallo

(Core Rulebook 386), ghost sound, inspire competence (Core Rulebook 386), inspire courage (Core Rulebook 386), triple time (Core Rulebook 387) Fleet Performer When Adrivallo Plays the Pipes to cast a spell, he can Step or Stride as part of the activity. Play the Pipes [three‑actions] (auditory, primal) Requirements Adrivallo is holding a musical instrument; Effect The satyr plays a melody on his instrument to cast charm, fear, sleep, or suggestion without expending the spell slot and using his music in place of providing the spell’s component actions. The spell gains the auditory trait and targets all creatures in a 60‑foot emanation instead of its usual targets. A creature that succeeds at its Will save against any spell cast using this ability is then temporarily immune to spells played from Adrivallo’s pipes for 1 minute. Satyrs are immune to this music.

MANTICORE

CREATURE 6

Pathfinder Bestiary 232 Initiative Perception +14 Hiring Mistdancer: Of the creatures here, only Mistdancer actually enjoys performing for crowds. However, he hates being caged and controlled by Adrivallo’s magic. If the heroes free Mistdancer and agree to never keep him caged, he offers to join their circus as a high‑flying act. If the heroes offer Mistdancer a role in their circus, provide them with his trick on the inside cover of this adventure. XP Award: If the heroes deal with Adrivallo diplomatically, award them 80 XP, as though they had defeated him in combat. Award them 30 XP for freeing Mistdancer and offering him a position in their circus.

D5. SANCTUM OF SUBLIME SPECTACLES This white plywood building showcases individuals whose physical traits distinguish them from others of their ancestries. Each performer in Dusklight’s exploitative sideshow has their own stage in the tent. Creatures: While some of the performers here agreed to this degrading practice as a way to make a living, others were tricked or blackmailed into performing against their will. These performers are all indifferent to the heroes, but they aren’t willing to leave the Celestial Menagerie for their own reasons. Although they talk about themselves freely, they are tight‑lipped if asked about the rest of the circus. A hero who succeeds at a DC 24 Diplomacy check convinces these performers to open up about the Celestial Menagerie. Any of these performers can provide the same information as Adrivallo in area D4 (including additional information on subsequent successful Diplomacy checks). These NPCs are as follows.

The Dancing Quarterlings: The halfling twins Hylda and Hera Potterstone were each born without legs, yet mastered a variety show involving coordinated gymnastics and singing. Mistress Dusklight lured the teenagers away from their family by promising the glamor of circus life. Forced to work long hours and denied “a proper social life,” as Hylda puts it, the sisters want to leave the Celestial Menagerie but constantly argue about how to escape. Hylda angrily rants about Mistress Dusklight’s wrongdoings, but timid Hera is hesitant to cause trouble. Whenever one of the twins upsets Mistress Dusklight, she beats the other one—and Hera has been punished for Hylda’s tirades before. Hera won’t leave as long as Mistress Dusklight is still at large. The Living Atlas: “Carmine” Iolara is a Varisian woman with the location of her family’s fabled treasure tattooed on her thigh. She befriended Mistress Dusklight in a tavern and, under the influence of drink, confided her secret. Mistress Dusklight’s agents found the treasure, which turned out to be a buried cache of family heirlooms of little monetary value. She blackmailed Iolara into working for her in exchange for the items’ return. Over the next 3 years, the artistic Iolara added to her own inkwork at Mistress Dusklight’s urging, and her skin is now covered from head to toe in detailed maps of Golarion. Iolara wants to use her maps to explore Golarion and resents Mistress Dusklight for her blackmail. Iolara won’t leave unless her heirlooms are returned to her (they are in Mistress Dusklight’s quarters in are D13). The Marvelous Bat Boy: The half‑orc Arzo was born with a cleft palate and clawlike hands. After he joined the Celestial Menagerie, Dusklight pressured Arzo to undergo surgeries and alchemical transformations to make his appearance more bat‑like, including the grafting of membranous “wings” stretching along his forearms. For his performance, he simply hangs upside down from a bar suspended over his stage. Arzo is addicted to analgesic drugs as a result of his chronic pain and spends most of his time in a drug‑addled haze. So long as Mistress Dusklight remains in charge, Arzo won’t leave—she’s his source of painkillers. Matchstick Flynn: When he was a child, the tiefling Flynn survived a fire that destroyed his orphanage. He took advantage of his innate fire resistance to earn coin on the streets of Absalom with fire swallowing and torch juggling, which he practiced until Mistress Dusklight recruited him to the Celestial Menagerie. Now, Flynn’s act involves setting his entire body on fire, to the horror and delight of crowds. Although his resistance protects him somewhat, the process

is nonetheless extremely painful and has resulted in extensive scarring. Flynn is the most eager to flee the Celestial Menagerie, but he’s developed protective feelings for the other sideshow members and won’t leave unless they’re also freed. The Repulsive Frog Girl: A small and underfed boggard (Bestiary 44), “Sump Sadie” has been abused since she was a tadpole by Mistress Dusklight and is subservient to the ringmaster. She wears a pink chiffon dress, and her stage is decorated to look like a wealthy child’s bedroom. Mistress Dusklight has Sadie’s tongue surgically removed each time it grows back, so Sadie lacks a tongue attack and speaks only deliberately and with difficulty. She can still emit her terrifying croak, which she does to thrill crowds as part of her performance. Sadie fears Mistress Dusklight’s reprisals and won’t leave the sideshow as long as the catfolk is in charge. Hiring Flynn: If the heroes free all the members of this sideshow, Flynn offers to join their circus. His only condition is that he not be immolated as part of his act; he is an exceptionally talented juggler, and his natural fire immunity allows him to safely juggle flaming rings or knives. If the heroes offer Flynn a role in their circus, provide them with his trick on the inside cover of this adventure. XP Award: If the heroes free all the members of the Sanctum of Sublime Spectacles, award them 30 XP. Award an additional 30 XP if Flynn joins the Circus of Wayward Wonders.

D6. HALLOWED WHEEL

MODERATE 8

This booth contains a large prize wheel decorated with eight wedges, each with a different rune. Several prizes, such as angel dolls and crystal goblets, rest on shelves in the booth. One of the menagerie’s more popular attractions is the prize wheel called the Hallowed Wheel, “Carmine” which patrons can pay to spin and win prizes. The wheel isn’t rigged, but the valuable‑looking prizes are worth less than the game costs to play, so the circus always makes money.

Trap: With the flip of a hidden switch, the Hallowed Wheel becomes a powerful magical hazard that bestows helpful or harmful magic. Anticipating the heroes’ arrival, Mistress Dusklight transformed the wheel into a hazard and commanded her minions to keep away from it. The only person who doesn’t obey this command is Adrivallo; he loves the Hallowed Wheel best when it’s dangerous. If he’s with the heroes, the satyr tries to goad the heroes into approaching it with him, promising that its potential benefits outweigh its dangers (which is true only in Adrivallo’s mind).

HALLOWED WHEEL RARE

COMPLEX

MAGICAL

HAZARD 10 MECHANICAL

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall

TRAP

Stealth +19 (expert) to detect the magical sensor; noticing the wheel has a DC of 0 Description An ornate wheel, divided into eight segments with a rune painted on each, is mounted on a pole and controlled by a lever that can be triggered manually or a sensor that detects creatures within 30 feet in front of it. Disable DC 31 Thievery (master) on the wheel to flip the switch returning it to a harmless carnival game, DC 26 Thievery (expert) to erase each rune, or dispel magic (5th level; counteract DC 28) to counteract each rune AC 30; Fort +21, Ref +15 Hardness 16; HP 80 (BT 40); Immunities critical hits, object immunities, precision damage Wheel Spin [reaction] Trigger A creature pulls the lever or enters the sensor’s detection area; Effect The wheel begins to spin and rolls initiative. Routine [two-actions] On its initiative, the trap uses its first action to spin, then stops. Roll 1d8 to determine which segment is topmost when the wheel stops spinning. The wheel uses its second action to replicate the spell listed for that segment (5th level, DC 27, spell attack roll +17). This spell’s target is centered on or otherwise includes the nearest creature in the spell’s area. This increases Iolara the spell’s range to 30 feet if necessary. Any spell cast by this trap is occult. 1 black tentacles 2 blindness

Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie Among the Xulgaths Catfolk of Golarion Adventure Toolbox

3 confusion 4 death ward 5 outcast’s curse 6 shadow blast (force damage in a 30‑foot line) 7 sound burst 8 spider climb Reset The trap deactivates and resets if 1 minute passes without any creature moving within range of its sensor. Treasure: The only valuable item in the booth is a colorful pinwheel on a stick, which is a rod of wonder.

D7. BIG TOP

MODERATE 8

This big‑top tent is plainly the centerpiece of the Celestial Menagerie, its striped canvas towering taller even than the surrounding trees. Close‑set seating surrounds three rings in the tent’s center. Flaps to the south provide access for the audience. The northern section of the big top, where performers prepare for their acts, is concealed with hanging curtains bedecked with sequins and towering images of animal‑headed angels. The big top is always crowded during Mistress Dusklight’s shows, where huge spotlights illuminate the various acts. After hours, only a few lights illuminate the center ring so performers can rehearse. Creatures: One of the circus’s most dedicated performers is a burly Kellid half‑orc brawler named Evora Yarket. With heavy, square features, cropped hair, and an imposing physique, Evora quickly became Mistress Dusklight’s favored strongwoman performer. A few months ago, Mistress Dusklight bought a mammoth to add to her menagerie, and Evora and the mammoth—whom she calls Gigi—formed an immediate rapport. Evora wants to perform in the ring riding Gigi and showing off the mammoth’s tricks, but Mistress Dusklight hasn’t yet permitted it. When Mistress Dusklight heard the heroes were coming, she found Evora and Gigi where they usually are: training together in the darkened big top. The ringmaster promised Evora a starring role if she and Gigi eliminated the heroes, but this request has clued Evora in to Mistress Dusklight’s cruel nature. Evora addresses the heroes when she spots them. “There you are! I was told you would come. I was told to eliminate you. This circus is my home. Mine and Gigi’s.” The brawny woman pats the flank of her shaggy mastodon. “You will not take our home from us.” The heroes might attempt to parley with Evora, such as by enumerating Mistress Dusklight’s crimes or

offering her a new home. If a hero succeeds at a DC 24 Deception check to Lie or a Diplomacy check to Request a discussion, Evora stands down. Characters accompanied by any animal have a +2 circ*mstance bonus to this check, as Evora is inclined to trust them more. Evora can provide the same information as Adrivallo in area D4 (including additional information on subsequent successful Diplomacy checks). If the heroes fail the check to get Evora to stand down, or if they don’t bother talking with Evora at all, the strongwoman attacks alongside Gigi. Gigi attacks whomever Evora is fighting, even though the mastodon isn’t an animal companion or minion.

EVORA YARKET UNIQUE

MEDIUM

CREATURE 7 HUMAN

HUMANOID

ORC

Female half‑orc mammoth trainer Perception +14; low‑light vision Languages Common, Hallit, Orc Skills Athletics +19, Acrobatics +11, Intimidation +10, Nature +13, Performance +10, Survival +13 Str +5, Dex +0, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha –1 Items bullhook (page 73) AC 22; Fort +16, Ref +11, Will +13; successful Fortitude saves are critical successes instead HP 115 Orc Ferocity [reaction] Frequency once per day; Trigger Evora would be reduced to 0 Hit Points but not immediately killed; Effect Evora avoids being knocked out and remains at 1 Hit Point, and her wounded condition increases by 1. Stand Still [reaction] Trigger A creature within Evora’s reach uses a move action or leaves a square during a move action it’s using; Effect Evora makes a melee Strike against the triggering creature. If this attack is a critical hit and the trigger was a move action, she disrupts that action. Speed 35 feet Melee [one‑action] falling stone unarmed attack +18 (forceful, nonlethal, unarmed), Damage 2d8+6 bludgeoning Flurry of Blows [one‑action] (flourish) Effect Evora makes two unarmed Strikes. If both hit the same creature, combine their damage and apply resistances and weaknesses only once. She applies her multiple attack penalty to the Strikes normally. As it has the flourish trait, Evora can use Flurry of Blows only once per turn. Mountain Stance [one‑action] (stance) Requirements Evora is unarmored and touching the ground; Effect Evora enters the stance of an implacable mountain until she is knocked out or the encounter ends. She gains a +4 status bonus to AC and a +2 circ*mstance bonus to any defenses against being Shoved or Tripped. Her Speed is reduced by 5 feet. Mountain Stronghold [one‑action] Requirements Evora is in Mountain Stance; Effect Evora gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to AC until the beginning of her next turn.

GIGI

CREATURE 9

Weak mammoth Pathfinder Bestiary 6, 154 Initiative Perception +16 Hiring Evora: If the heroes promise Evora the opportunity to work with Gigi in their show—whether during successful negotiations with her or in showing her mercy after Evora attacks them—she is willing to join the Circus of Wayward Wonders. Provide them with her trick on the inside cover of this adventure. Treasure: A high platform near the center stage has an inspiring spotlight (page 73) in an ordinary metal swivel mount. Removing the spotlight from the mount is straightforward. If the heroes are on good terms with Evora, she points out the magical spotlight to them; otherwise, noticing it requires a successful DC 24 Perception check. The heroes can also take the other spotlights here to add the spotlights upgrade to their circus (The Show Must Go On 69) at no cost. XP Award: If the heroes deal with Evora diplomatically, award them 90 XP, as though they had defeated her and Gigi in combat. Award them 30 XP if they hire Evora.

D8. BACKSTAGE The backstage area is filled with private wagons, animal pens, supply crates, and training rings. This area is busy during shows but quiet otherwise, as Mistress Dusklight warned everyone to stay in their wagons while she deals with the rival circus managers.

D9. OUBLIETTE This deep pit dug into the sandy ground is covered by a heavy metal grate. Wooden scaffolding‑style stairs on either side rise to support observation platforms five feet above it. The pit is 10 feet in diameter and 15 feet deep. A heavy iron grate covers the hole, preventing any occupants from escaping. Dusklight utilizes this pit for a twofold purpose. Primarily, the oubliette serves as solitary confinement Evora for particularly rebellious performers. Secondly, she allows trusted and amoral customers a peek at whatever dangerous or pathetic

creature is inside, for a fee. The grate is locked, and Mistress Dusklight carries the only key. The heroes can Force Open the grate with a successful DC 29 Athletics check or unlock it with three successful DC 24 Thievery checks to Pick a Lock. The oubliette currently contains a forlorn azarketi named Ufi. Mistress Dusklight kidnapped the unfortunate azarketi and had him forcibly tattooed to make him look even more fishlike, including patterning scales all over his somewhat translucent skin. Ufi nearly escaped a day ago and almost made it to the Wet House, the azarketi embassy in Escadar, before Mistress Dusklight’s bruisers recaptured him and brought him here. Ufi has an uncanny affinity with water, and can cause water to expand, distort, or even flow through the air. Unfortunately, this ability requires at least a gallon of water for Ufi to manipulate, and the oubliette is dry. Ufi is suffering badly from cracked skin and failing organs. He dies 4d6 hours after the heroes first enter the Celestial Menagerie unless he’s fully submerged in fresh or salt water. If the heroes provide him with at least a gallon of water, Ufi can cause it to multiply to fill the oubliette and save himself. Of course, Ufi would prefer to be freed so he can escape the Celestial Menagerie entirely. Hiring Ufi: If the heroes offer their circus as a home to Ufi, he takes them up on it after first checking in at the Wet House to let his family and friends know he’s okay. Ufi’s natural grace and his ability to put on delightful shows with water are sure to please crowds; give the heroes Ufi’s trick on the inside cover of this adventure. XP Award: If the heroes hire Ufi, award them 30 XP.

D10. HEAVENLY GALLERY

Yarket

The Heavenly Gallery is a series of rooms and stages that circus workers can reconfigure into a series of enticing displays for paying customers. The walls and ceilings are

made of thick wood bolted into place, and ceilings are 20 feet high. Mistress Dusklight has reconfigured the gallery into a gauntlet of rooms to prevent the heroes from reaching her—or to at least seriously weaken them if they do. The galleries are each separated by thick white curtains decorated with cloud motifs. Mistress Dusklight placed a magic mouth effect in each room that triggers when it detects anyone who isn’t part of the Celestial Menagerie. She selected phrases to taunt the heroes and encourage tactical blunders.

If the heroes enter the gallery and retreat, Mistress Dusklight does her best to revive or replace slain guardians. It normally takes her a few days to do so, and some guardians (such as the moon mole in area D10c) can’t be replaced at all.

D10a. Heavenly Hosts

Moderate 8

This wide room is filled with thick banks of clouds. Faint, slow harp music echoes around the chamber, and a smooth, white glow illuminates the area. A strong, feminine voice echoes throughout the room. “Come to vanquish a rival, have you? Consider whether you’re on the wrong side of this confrontation. I have the forces of good at my service!” The banks of clouds are magically created. They are 10 feet high and don’t move from where they are indicated on the map. Creatures wholly within the clouds are concealed, and creatures outside the clouds are concealed to creatures wholly within it. The soft music and lights are also permanent magical effects. Creatures: Two lamia matriarchs in Mistress Dusklight’s employ occupy this room. Each wears artificial wings and carries a lyre in addition to a scimitar. They approach the heroes pretending to be lillend azatas; a successful secret DC 30 Perception check is required to see through their disguises. The “lillends” offer to inspire the heroes with their spells to aid their upcoming trials, but they really want to trap the heroes here and kill them. If the heroes don’t pierce their disguises, the lamias cast enthrall and use their Matriarch’s Caress. If the heroes balk, the lamias attack. Although they relish bloodshed, the lamias aren’t fanatics. If reduced to 30 or fewer Hit Points, a lamia casts invisibility and flees.

LAMIA MATRIARCHS (2)

CREATURE 8

Pathfinder Bestiary 217 Initiative Deception +20 Treasure: Hidden in one of the cloud banks is a pouch containing the lamias’ latest payment: two sapphires worth 50 gp each, a jar of malyass root paste, and a scroll of cone of cold. Anyone Searching the clouds finds this pouch.

D10b. Terrors of the Jungle Heavenly Host 54

Moderate 8

This room contains two large cages, their bars decorated to appear as tree trunks. Each cage has a large door that hangs open. Vines hang from the ceiling, and thick leaves

cover the floor. The same voice cries out, “For our next act, can our intrepid stars tame the terrors of the jungle, or will they end up at the bottom of the food chain?”

ZUIPNYRN

The cages in this room are already opened, although the animals are trained to stay within them until they hear Mistress Dusklight’s voice—which they do when the magic mouth speaks. Encounter mode therefore begins right away, although a particularly quick hero might shut a cage door before the animals get out. Closing a cage door requires a successful DC 22 Athletics check made as an Interact action. Some of the leaves scattered on the floor are oiled underneath, making footing treacherous. The indicated squares on the map are uneven ground, requiring a DC 22 Acrobatics check. Failing this check, or moving across the slick squares without attempting an Acrobatics check at all, causes a creature to fall prone. Creatures: The north cage contains a giant anaconda, while the east cage holds a pair of saber‑toothed tigers. These animals know where the slippery leaves are and try to avoid them. They fight until slain, but they don’t leave this room.

Treasure: Underneath the cage lies a silk purse dropped by a former customer. The purse itself is worth 10 gp, and it contains a gallow’s tooth and a single diamond earring worth 180 gp.

GIANT ANACONDA

CREATURE 8

Pathfinder Bestiary 303 Initiative Perception +17

SMILODONS (2)

CREATURE 6

Pathfinder Bestiary 53 Initiative Perception +14

D10c. The Alien Oddity Images of moons and celestial bodies adorn the walls of this small room. A small cage made of wooden bars painted a garish red stands against the north wall. The disembodied voice coos, “Shh! Wouldn’t want to wake the Moon Mole!” The cage is locked with a steel padlock. Opening it requires three successful DC 25 Thievery checks to Pick a Lock. Alternatively, a hero can Force Open the cage with a successful DC 24 Athletics check. Creature: Unlike the previous rooms, which contained dangerous creatures, this smaller room contains only a single, alien creature called a zuipnyrn. To Mistress Dusklight’s knowledge, she has the only one in existence. A round, furry creature not much bigger than a halfling, it has a single eyestalk and a mouth almost entirely obscured by its fur. It doesn’t try to leave its cage, but it uses its Beguiling Gaze on any creatures affected by its aura. It uses its Blinding Flare only if attacked, then huddles in the corner of its cage.

CREATURE 3

Page 85 Initiative Perception +7

D10d. Beauty and the Beasts

Moderate 8

Garish swirls and splatters of paint cover the walls and floor of this room, along with several overturned paint buckets. Dozens of trapezes hang from the ceiling, each suspended ten feet above the floor. A purple‑haired gnome woman stands upon one of them, watching a pair of hulking clowns fight. “Nothing is what it seems in the Celestial Menagerie,” purrs the disembodied voice, “except perhaps our beautiful Jasmaile and her boys.” Mistress Dusklight’s two largest clowns are a pair of hill giant brothers named Kreel and Pidkin. Their wrangler is a dandasuka rakshasa named Jasmaile. Jasmaile was supposed to get Kreel and Pidkin ready to trick the heroes when they arrived, but the giants got into a paint fight instead, hurling paint buckets from their bags at each other and making a mess of this room. Jasmaile has found it best to stay out of the line of fire up on the trapezes and, as a result, hasn’t prepared her intended scheme other than to change her appearance to resemble the beautiful trapeze artist she sometimes plays in the circus’s big top. Creatures: Jasmaile and the giants turn to look at the heroes when they arrive, plainly surprised to see the heroes here so soon. Kreel and Pidkin waste no time in attacking. They begin by hurling buckets of paint from their bags (which are treated as rocks that also splatter the target with a random color), then close into melee with their greatclubs. Jasmaile feigns helplessness and remains out of melee, swinging from trapeze to trapeze to get within 30 feet of the heroes so she can cast charm and mind reading. Each move action Jasmaile uses along the trapezes requires a successful DC 15 Acrobatics check; she doesn’t move on a failure, and she falls on a critical failure. Once the hill giants are defeated, Jasmaile surrenders, but only long enough to figure out a good way to escape or betray the heroes. Loyal to Mistress Dusklight, Jasmaile lies as much as she can to protect the ringmaster.

JASMAILE

CREATURE 5

Female dandasuka trapeze artist (Pathfinder Bestiary 274) Initiative Deception +14

KREEL AND PIDKIN

CREATURE 7

Hill giant clowns (2; Pathfinder Bestiary 170) Initiative Perception +13

D11. MAZE OF MIRRORS

LOW 8

Beyond the curtain is a large alcove. A single door stands beneath a sign reading “Welcome to the Maze of Mirrors.” The door is slightly ajar, and the dancing reflections of several tiny lights is visible within. The Celestial Menagerie’s maze of mirrors has

confused and thrilled hundreds of patrons, as it’s enchanted to disorient those within it and subtly rearrange its mirrors. Tapered candles hang from the ceiling throughout the maze of mirrors, providing dim light, and long brocade carpets cover the floor. The mirrors aren’t glass but polished, durable steel. Reflections shift and warp in the flickering light, giving the mirrors the illusion of movement. Trap: Mistress Dusklight rearranged the mirrors so that the only entrance to her private quarters is through the maze. She’s also trapped a powerful spirit in the maze that takes the form of a stalking minotaur. A switch in area D12 deactivates the trap, reverting the maze to a mundane maze of mirrors.

MAZE OF MIRRORS RARE

Kreel

COMPLEX

MAGICAL

HAZARD 9 MECHANICAL

TRAP

Stealth +18 (trained) to detect the magical runes in the maze; noticing the maze itself has a DC of 0 Description Invisible runes in the maze disorient those within it and cause its mirrored walls to shift about. Disable DC 26 Thievery (expert) or dispel magic (5th level; counteract DC 28) to stop the mirrors’ shuffling; DC 28 Occultism or Religion (expert) to dispel the minotaur AC 28; Fort +29, Ref +14 Hardness 18; HP 64 (BT 32); Immunities critical hits, object immunities, precision damage The Maze Awakens [reaction] Trigger A creature enters the maze; Effect Creatures in the maze can’t escape it except by use of teleportation magic or as described in Trapped in the Maze. The trap rolls initiative. Trapped in the Maze Once each turn after it has taken a move action within the maze, each target in the maze can spend 1 action to attempt a DC 26 Perception or Survival check to escape it. A group traveling the maze together is treated as a single target; no more than one creature in the group can attempt this check each round, but accompanying creatures can Aid this check. The possible outcomes follow. A target attempting to leave the maze the same way it entered uses the outcome for one degree of success better than the result of its roll when attempting this check (failure to success, for example). Critical Success The target escapes the maze. Success The target is on the right path to the exit. If the target was already on the right path, it escapes the maze. Failure The target makes no progress toward escape. Critical Failure The target makes no progress toward escape, and if it was on the right path, it no longer is.

Routine [three‑actions] The trap uses its first action to magically shuffle the mirrors, rendering markings or maps of the maze ineffective. Creatures in the maze that fail a DC 26 Will save are stupefied 1 until they leave the maze. If the target fails additional saves against this ability, the condition value increases by 1 (to a maximum of stupefied 4). For its second action, the trap’s ghostly minotaur attacks a random creature in the maze with its spectral gore. For its third action, the trap makes another spectral gore attack against a random creature. Melee [one‑action] spectral gore +21, Damage 2d8+8 mental Reset The trap deactivates and resets if 1 minute passes without any creature in the maze.

Near the door to the south is a switch to deactivate the hazard in area D11. Darricus knows that it’s there and casually flips it so the heroes can more easily leave—a clue that Darricus is suspiciously familiar with the Celestial Menagerie. If the heroes refuse to leave or otherwise seem to have clued into Darricus’s ploy, the constable attacks with Cobbin at his side. Creatures: Darricus and Cobbin fight well together. Cobbin keeps foes from ganging up on Darricus, while the constable makes powerful strikes against one or two foes at a time. Neither has a wish to die for Mistress Dusklight, however, and they surrender when reduced to fewer than 20 Hit Points.

D12. FOYER

DARRICUS STALLIT

MODERATE 8

UNIQUE

Bamboo room partitions and crimson velvet curtains decorate this large receiving room. Subdued lanterns illuminate delicate paintings of cranes in flight. One of the bruisers who works for Mistress Dusklight is bound on the floor with thick ropes, his club lying just outside of his reach. The curtain stirs and an armed man emerges into the foyer from a room to the west. The familiar face of deputy constable Darricus Stallit relaxes into a friendly grin. “Thank all the gods it’s you,” he pants, lowering his blade. “She put up quite the fight, that one. If you hadn’t distracted her minions in the gallery, I would never have been able to apprehend her.” Darricus wipes the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. “You’ve done enough. I’ll get her transported and booked—she’ll be in a cell by sunrise, along with this goon Cobbin. I’ll make sure the chief knows how much you helped. Now, go get some rest. You’ve certainly earned it.” This is all a ploy, hastily planned by Darricus when he saw the heroes were likely to reach him. He knows Mistress Dusklight, if captured, is sure to expose him, so he’s hoping to convince the heroes to stand down. He got the bruiser Cobbin—a friend of his—to help. Several things ring false about Darricus’s ruse. First, the heroes might have heard that a constable meeting Darricus’s description has a good relationship with Mistress Dusklight (such as from Adrivallo or Evora). Second, a hero who succeeds at a DC 26 Perception check notices that the ropes aren’t actually binding the bruiser at all. They might also think it suspicious that Darricus knows Cobbin’s name. Finally, the heroes can detect a hint of desperation in Darricus’s voice with a successful Perception check opposed by his Deception DC of 24. Cobbin doesn’t like parting with his greatclub, so if a hero tries to grab it, he attacks, shrugging off his false bonds as he does.

MEDIUM

CREATURE 8 HUMAN

HUMANOID

Male human deputy constable Perception +17; sharp eyes Languages Common Skills Athletics +17, Criminal Lore +13, Deception +14, Diplomacy +16, Intimidation +16, Society +14 Str +5, Dex +1, Con +0, Int +1, Wis +3, Cha +4 Items +1 striking bastard sword, composite shortbow (10 arrows), constable’s badge, half plate, steel shield (Hardness 3, HP 20, BT 10) Sharp Eyes Darricus doesn’t need to succeed at a flat check to target concealed creatures, and he is not flat‑footed to creatures that are hidden from him. AC 28; Fort +14, Ref +15, Will +15 HP 122 Attack of Opportunity [reaction] Speed 25 feet Melee [one‑action] bastard sword +21 (magical, two‑hand d12), Damage 2d8+9 slashing Ranged [one‑action] composite shortbow +16 (deadly 1d10, propulsive, range increment 60 feet, reload 0), Damage 1d6+6 piercing Power Attack [two-actions] Darricus makes a melee Strike that counts as two attacks when calculating his multiple attack penalty. If this strike hits, it deals an extra die of weapon damage. Swipe [two-actions] Darricus makes a melee Strike and compares the attack roll result to the AC of up to two foes, each of whom must be within his melee reach and adjacent to each other. He rolls damage only once and applies it to each creature he hit. This Strike counts as two attacks for calculating his multiple attack penalty.

CELESTIAL MENAGERIE BRUISER

CREATURE 8

Page 47 Initiative Perception +14 Treasure: A small glass jar on a table contains dust of disappearance that floats like shiny motes of light.

D13. DUSKLIGHT’S QUARTERS

SEVERE 8

This large room is decorated with colorful curtains and low, comfortable furniture. An exquisitely carved mahogany four‑poster bed stands in one corner, piled high with luxurious satin sheets, plump pillows, and a damask coverlet in midnight blue. Circus posters showing Mistress Dusklight’s acts over many years—as an acrobat, an animal tamer, and a ringmaster—adorn the walls in gilded frames.

This chamber was once part of a sturdy storehouse before Mistress Dusklight took over the area for her circus. She’s since managed to make the bare stone welcoming and even opulent with her exquisite taste in furnishings. Dusklight’s personal effects are strewn untidily throughout the room, including costume jewelry, gaudy trinkets, and sequined entertainer’s garments scattered across the floor and bed. Among the clothing and worthless baubles is a burlap sack embroidered with colorful thread. This sack contains several mundane items of marginal worth, including several small family portraits, a tattered scarf, and a rusted hunting knife. These items are part of the family treasure Mistress Dusklight stole from Iolara. The ringmaster already knows the heroes are coming for her. When they arrive, her tail writhes in agitation as she faces them. “You,” Mistress Dusklight hisses, the corners of her mouth drawn back into a hideous snarl. A low growl rumbles in her throat as she narrows her eyes in anger. “You don’t know when to stop, do you? Do you think killing me will make you better performers? Will your Circus of Washed‑Up Wonders fare better without my competition?” Suddenly, her demeanor changes. Her eyes widen and she clutches at her chest, an expression of feigned terror on her feline face. “Help!” She screams. “Assassins!” A handsome, golden‑haired young man in gleaming half plate bursts through a curtain at the rear of the tent, drawing a longsword. Dusklight smirks as her champion stands in front of her protectively. “Mazael, these villains threatened to kill me and force my performers to join their second‑rate show. Please, don’t let them ruin what I’ve built here!” “I won’t let you hurt her,” the man says solemnly. “Leave now, or I’ll end you!”

Mazael

Creatures: The young aasimar Mazael, a devout follower of Shelyn, joined the Celestial Menagerie as a teenager after Mistress Dusklight convinced him to leave home and travel with her troupe. It didn’t take long for the naive young aasimar to fall in love with the charismatic and talented circus master. The misguided champion refuses to believe that the woman he adores could commit evil acts. To him, Mistress Dusklight is nothing less than a living incarnation of art and beauty. The catfolk enjoys her position on Mazael’s pedestal and manipulates his affections to her advantage. She ruthlessly sacrifices him if necessary to ensure her own escape. The heroes likely realize that Mazael has been duped by the cunning ringmaster and

might try to get him to see reason by performing the following activity.

CONVINCE MAZAEL [three‑actions] AUDITORY

CONCENTRATE

You present evidence of Mistress Dusklight’s guilt and attempts a Deception or Diplomacy check against a DC of 31 (Mazael’s Will DC + 5). The result of this check determines Mazael’s action. Critical Success Mazael immediately stands down, conflicted, and doesn’t interfere with the heroes. Success Mazael ceases attacking the heroes but still protects Mistress Dusklight to the best of his ability; the heroes can attempt this activity again, getting a critical success for any success rolled. Critical Failure Mazael becomes convinced the heroes are evil liars; they can’t attempt this activity again. Mistress Dusklight likes to divide and confound her foes using her spells and her whip of compliance. She favors spells that stupefy her foes, such as feeblemind and touch of idiocy, then follows up with her Beguile the Addled ability. If reduced to fewer than half her Hit Points, she hurls her Black Cat Curse as often as possible. Unwilling to give up her circus to her rivals, Mistress Dusklight fights until defeated.

MISTRESS DUSKLIGHT

CREATURE 11

Page 88 Initiative Deception +24

MAZAEL

CREATURE 5

Male aasimar redeemer (Pathfinder Bestiary 263) Initiative Perception +11 Treasure: Mistress Dusklight’s tent contains several treasures amid the clothing and accoutrements in several haphazardly packed travel chests. These include a moonstone diadem stolen from Moonstone Hall, a vial of wyvern poison, and fine clothing worth 110 gp. The golden frames are worth 20 gp in all. XP Award: If the heroes successfully convince Mazael to stand down, award them each 30 XP.

Reporting to Andera

Chief Constable Andera Paldreen waits anxiously for the heroes’ report on Mistress Dusklight. Andera is especially pleased if the heroes manage to capture the ringmaster alive. She promises that Dusklight will receive a fair and speedy trial. If the heroes killed Mistress Dusklight in battle, Andera furrows her brow and demands an explanation. After the heroes recount their version of events, she sighs and says, “I won’t gain

anything by reprimanding you. I believe you acted in self‑defense. Thank you for your honesty.” If Mistress Dusklight escaped, Andera orders a full search of the city and the docks, but it’s too late. If the heroes inform Andera of Darricus’s treachery— or if Mistress Dusklight does so during her arrest proceedings—the chief constable’s face betrays a moment of shock before she regains her composure. Andera confides that she suspected ongoing corruption within her ranks but never distrusted Darricus. She had considered him a friend, and though she doesn’t want to see him publicly dishonored, she knows that she can’t make exceptions where justice is concerned. Treasure: Andera rewards the heroes with 100 gp for bringing in Mistress Dusklight at all, and an additional 100 gp if she is alive. Andera also rewards the heroes with 100 gp if they report Darricus’s treachery. XP Award: Award the heroes 80 XP for bringing in Mistress Dusklight alive and 30 XP for bringing in Darricus Stallit alive.

Concluding the Adventure

Evening the score with Mistress Dusklight proves beneficial to the heroes in many ways. No longer under the cruel ringmaster’s paw, the performers and workers in the Celestial Menagerie scatter in search of other opportunities. Adrivallo and Verinnelle seek passage back to the Verduran Forest with Verinnelle’s sapling. Iolara escorts Hylda and Hera back to their village before embarking on her own travels with Arzo, whom she helps overcome his addiction. Sump Sadie makes for the marshes outside of Escadar, resolved to leave civilization behind forever. Any performers the heroes recruited into their circus arrive quickly and are ready to perform almost immediately. The closure of the Celestial Menagerie leaves a hole in Escadar’s entertainment scene. In the weeks following Mistress Dusklight’s defeat, the heroes can continue to put on shows, although their Prestige can’t exceed 9 no matter how many shows they put on. All good things must come to an end, and the Circus of Wayward Wonders can’t stay in Escadar forever. Most importantly, the heroes have learned that they must visit the other aeon towers to gain the resonant reflections necessary to restore the network of aeon orbs. The xulgaths’ schemes are as yet unclear, but the heroes are bound to encounter more of the brutal creatures in the future. Their next stop is the town of Kerrick on the Isle of Kortos, the hub of many farming communities in need of entertainment and a good base to scout out several aeon towers. These adventures are detailed in the third adventure of the Extinction Curse Adventure Path, “Life’s Long Shadows.”

AMONG THE XULGATHS

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall

None of Golarion’s Darklands denizens are as prolific— or as underestimated—as xulgaths. Called troglodytes by the surface‑dwellers who see them as little more than foul‑smelling brutes, these lizard‑like humanoids once ruled a vast empire beneath Golarion’s surface during the Age of Legends, and powerful xulgath psychic leaders commanded legions of formidable warriors amid grand obsidian temples and stone ziggurats. Now, xulgath civilization—if it can even be called that—exists in disparate fragments spread throughout the Darklands and in the dark corners of the world’s outer crust, and craven groups of scavengers, backstabbers, and cannibals fight among themselves for control of petty caverns and scraps of food. Ancient xulgath civilization spread from a massive subterranean vault called Vask, in the deepest layer of the Darklands, Orv. In the time of xulgath dominance, Vask was filled with lush vegetation and kept safe from the Darklands’ ambient radioactive energies by the nurturing glow of six mysterious orbs known as "cavern hearts." Beneath this quickening luminescence, the xulgaths thrived, establishing large communities around mysterious stepped pyramids. Impressive aqueducts, fungus farms, and vermin ranches supported the xulgaths’ orderly—if bloody— society as it spread throughout the vault. Over time, the xulgaths outgrew their ancestral homeland and set their sights elsewhere. Xulgath armies, led by scions of their species who wielded tremendous psychic might, rent flesh and crushed minds throughout the Darklands. Other subterranean peoples fell before the ascendant legions’ stone clubs and obsidian knives, and the xulgaths’ large numbers gave them an edge against even more advanced societies such as those of the serpentfolk. The xulgaths’ armies might even have reached the surface world, if not for the Ravening. The Ravening is the xulgaths’ name for the current millennia‑long period of hunger, fractiousness, and violence that characterizes modern xulgath society. The era began almost five thousand years ago and draws

its name from “ravenings,” the xulgaths’ term for their calamitous and all‑too‑common interspecies conflicts. No one knows exactly why these conflicts began. Some point to the emergence of demon worship among xulgath communities, and the resulting doctrinal conflicts. Members of mythologically inclined clutches often recount tales of a thief—a powerful, scaleless wizard from the blinding world above—who stole all but one of the six cavern‑hearts”of their ancient home. Still others believe that nothing but the xulgaths’ own hubris caused their downfall, though no xulgath would never utter such heresy aloud. Whatever the reason, the Ravening came, and the xulgaths began to change. Their wits, once razor‑sharp, dulled with each generation, and paranoia and increasingly scarce resources led to breakouts of violence among once‑cooperative communities. The species’ patience and capacity for farming and husbandry waned. Hatchlings began to show greater and greater physiological variations. Whereas before most xulgath exuded psychogenic oils into the air, they instead began to ooze a foul stench that blighted their crops and animals. Xulgath civilization crumbled as the degenerating members of their species began to consume one another. Where xulgaths once ruled over entire nation‑sized caverns, small groups now feud over miniscule and desolate grottoes. Xulgath demon worshippers believe this new order is as it should be—a chance for the true leaders of xulgath‑kind to demonstrate their prowess and appease their Abyssal masters. Not all xulgaths are content to continue this cycle of infighting and hunger, however. Some instead look to the grand stone structures around them, draw inspiration from the remnants of their past glory, and even exhibit signs of their ancestors’ psychic mastery. Should these few powerful xulgaths gather enough numbers to reestablish a foothold in some new domain and reassert their people’s dominance, Golarion will surely tremble.

Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie Among the Xulgaths Catfolk of Golarion Adventure Toolbox

Xulgath Society

Xulgath communities are called clutches, a term denoting any group of xulgaths that share living space and some semblance of purpose. Clutches vary in size from a dozen individuals to several hundred. On rare occasions, several clutches may band together to form a larger community, but the complicated power dynamics between potential leaders mean longer‑term cooperation is nearly impossible. This unwillingness to set aside differences and work together is a result of xulgath society’s two core values: strength and dominance. When surface‑dwellers think of xulgath strength, they picture servile reptilians rallying around one hulking, monarchic leader. Such arrangements are common in the isolated xulgath clutches that occupy swamps or cave complexes near Golarion’s surface, but most clutch leaders have a more nuanced interpretation of strength. Shrewd planning that turns an enemy’s spear against themself, an innate talent for shaping the world with magic, or the supernatural power to wrench enemies’ minds into subservience are all equally viable ways to exhibit strength. The members of a given clutch tend to recognize one of these models for determining the leader of their group, though sometimes philosophical differences can

spark inter‑clutch conflict, with the victor determining the clutch’s new plan to obtain power. Strength, in turn, enables dominance, a virtue that is equally important in xulgath society. For contemporary xulgaths, exhibiting mastery over their foes or surroundings is not just useful, but a sign of personal worth. Whereas another society’s mason might be proud of the skill evident in a well‑crafted stone wall, xulgath masons delight in bending the earth to their will and in the wall’s implicit challenge to would‑be attackers. To a xulgath, no single act demonstrates more dominance than the vanquishing of a foe. By slaying their enemies, burning their corpses, and devouring the remains, xulgaths believe they not only best their adversaries—they obliterate their essence from the world completely and gain the strength of what little remains. Most aspiring xulgath leaders prove that they deserve authority through physical confrontation or social manipulation. A new leader either bests the previous leader in combat, arranges alliances to make the elder’s reign untenable, or uses more esoteric methods such as Abyssal rituals or psychic duels to take the reins of rulership from behind the scenes. Despite their independent subcommunities, xulgaths adhere to fairly similar hierarchies across their species. The name of a clutch’s highest authority roughly translates to “devourer,” while any subservient leaders are known as hardscales. The prevalence of xulgath demon worship means that most devourers are also deepmouths: religious authorities with an intimate connection to the Abyss. Non‑religious devourers from smaller, secular clutches usually maintain authority through physical strength or exhibiting a talent for conniving and backstabbing. Larger clutches deeper in the Darklands might instead be led by a thoughtmaw, a xulgath with a spark of the latent psychic power that once defined their species. Ordinary xulgaths hold thoughtmaw devourers in awe, above even the demon‑worshipping deepmouths, who in a thoughtmaw‑led clutch usually take on advisory roles or tend to their lay followers. Some thoughtmaws’ psychic prowess is such that they eschew demonic assistance altogether and

forbid deepmouths entirely from their clutch. Their arrogance is well‑founded, for while thoughtmaws’ psychic capabilities vary, some possess enough power to hold dozens of xulgaths in direct thrall, directing legions of brainwashed soldiers in alarmingly coordinated attacks. Lower‑ranking xulgaths are mostly unconcerned with the posturing of devourers and any potential usurpers; their own concerns keep them more than busy enough. Like members of any society, xulgaths require resources and shelter to survive. Devourers and hardscales organize their subjects by general aptitude for specific tasks. Simple clutches engage in hunting, reptile or vermin husbandry, guard duty, fuel‑gathering, or any of the myriad other tasks to keep the clutch functioning. More ambitious or organized clutches might arrange search parties to look for rare materials and magical reagents, search for new sources of water, reconnoiter enemy holdings, and plan large‑scale raids.

Demon Worship

To surface‑dwellers, any mention of troglodytes is nearly always accompanied by talk of demons. This is not just because xulgaths embody the same fears and dangers as demonic beings to many other peoples, but because xulgaths’ penchant for demon worship is as well‑known as their appetite for flesh. The specific origins of xulgath demon worship are unknown, but the practice has dramatically influenced xulgath cultural norms and development, and the vast majority of xulgath clutches practice the doctrine of one or another demon lord— especially Zevgavizeb, the so‑called God of the Troglodytes. Demons’ innate lust for destruction and depravity complement the bloodlust of particularly bellicose xulgaths, and so the most warmongering clutches are often the most devout. The xulgaths’ demon‑worshipping priests, called deepmouths, wield power and respect among their kin, gracing their favored devotees with Abyssal powers channeled from the depths of that unholy plane. Zevgavizeb, the bestial demon lord of reptiles, commands more xulgath devotion than any other deity. The demon lord’s hunger and might mirror contemporary xulgaths’ own approaches to life. They kill, consume, and spread their dominion in his name, believing it brings them glory—and because they fear that if they don’t, their patron will devour them body and soul. Those xulgaths that do not worship Zevgavizeb may place their faith in other demon or qlippoth lords such as Oaur‑Ooung, Shiggarreb, or Yhidothrus; to the predominant Zevgavizeb‑worshipping xulgaths,

XULGATH ROLES Millennia of exposure to the mutating energies of the Vask’s ambient radiation has permanently warped the physiologies of xulgaths. Whereas in ancient times xulgaths exhibited remarkable autonomy for such a rigidly structured society, now a xulgath’s role in its clutch is almost always defined by its unique mutations or physical quirks. Xulgath mutations span a nearly infinite range of characteristics, though xulgaths group individuals with similar mutations into just a few categories to make it easier to distinguish an individual’s role within the group. The following are some of the most common names for xulgath roles and descriptions of the mutations that lend themselves to such roles. These roles are in addition to the six xulgath varieties described in greater detail in the Adventure Toolbox of each volume of the Extinction Curse Adventure Path. Bloodleaker: Some xulgaths are born with soft, almost fleshy hides that easily rupture and spill copious amounts of blood. While many so‑called bloodleakers are culled from the clutch at birth, some instead find use as blood donors for xulgath warriors injured in the field, and yet others are caged and used as renewable sources of blood for deepmouths’ foul Abyssal rituals. Goregut: Ravenous even by xulgath standards, goreguts display distended bellies and an insatiable hunger that makes their existence both beneficial and problematic to the clutches into which they are born. On the one hand, goreguts take more than their fair share of food stores, but on the other hand they are more than happy to subsist on the cast‑off dregs of xulgath society, and so some clutches use goreguts as a reliable means of garbage disposal. Twinskull: Conjoined twins are more common among xulgaths than in other species. Known as twinskulls, those who live to adulthood often assume the role of hardscales or devourers, owing largely to xulgaths’ belief that such individuals are blessed by Zevgavizeb. However, superstitious xulgaths or deepmouths covetous of their own stations may claim that twinskulls are in fact a result of the foul influence of the demon lord Abraxas, a patron of the xulgaths’ long‑time rivals, the drow.

members of these smaller cults are considered fools worthy only of obliteration. Zevgavizebian clutches structure their settlements around the demon lord’s demonic rites. One such tradition prescripts a meal of warm‑blooded flesh each day, and so faithful clutches keep a pen of non‑reptilian prey animals or captives for just this purpose. Another tradition mandates the slow

impaling of a sacrificial victim accompanied by dancing and screaming song. To meet this ritual need, subterranean clutches often establish their holdings around a centrally located stalagmite sharpened to a point, around which the xulgaths build their largest cooking fires and concentric rings of ritual space and butchery tables. Most deepmouths are fearful of their lord’s displeasure and believe that if they do not appease his— and their own—hunger through ravenous violence, they will be devoured by the demon lord. This belief persists in part due to infrequent epidemics of sudden and unstoppable aggression and cannibalism among Zevgavizeb’s followers. These ravenings were once common enough that the word now signifies the entire post‑empire period of xulgath history. The faithful believe that ravenings occur when Zevgavizeb stirs in his Abyssal realm of Gluttondark, and so they are quick to correct any acts they believe might so much as slight their demonic deity. A small number of xulgaths do not worship Abyssal powers. Some think xulgaths’ innate strength requires no supernatural assistance, while others tap into their psychic heritage to forge their destinies. A group of xulgaths who practice the Green Faith look to the whispers of natural spaces, the brutally simple relationship of hunter and prey, or the echo of water dripping in a cavern for answers. These rare adherents eschew the violence of xulgath society and typically choose self‑exile in favor of death at the hands of their kin. Xulgaths who follow the Green Faith are the most likely among xulgaths to be peaceful or even friendly toward surface dwellers—a fact that only further reinforces other xulgaths’ beliefs that these outcasts are traitors to their own people.

Resources and Artifice

Members of most xulgath clutches live underground, where resources can be hard to come by. War, ravenings, and cultural values that promote infighting further limit xulgath development. Nevertheless, xulgaths make extremely good use of what other civilizations see as simple materials. Fire is a central part of xulgath life, often literally in the case of Zevgavizebians. Charring food on a spit in a clutch’s ubiquitous cook fires is the preferred food preparation method, to the point where any other

creature would consider the meat inedible. A xulgath’s unique anatomy enables it to turn scorched food into nutrition, and most relish the taste of any meat so long as its final form resembles charcoal. This is all made possible by xulgath society’s mastery of living flame, which they see as dominance over their environment and even nature itself. However, fire also produces smoke and consumes oxygen, a serious hazard in the close confines of a clutch’s lair, so xulgaths do well to know the importance of proper ventilation and means of extinguishing fires that get out of hand. Even so, withstanding asphyxiation and immense heat in a smoke‑filled chamber is a common xulgath rite of passage. Not only do successful individuals prove their physical fortitude, but they also demonstrate their ability to overcome and dominate the power of flame firsthand. Fire requires fuel, which can be hard to find underground. Most clutches cultivate flammable fungus, gather refuse, or burn the inedible dead. Those xulgath spellcasters capable of evoking and wielding flame are held in high esteem, and coals from ritual flames serve as important supplies for magic and art. Xulgaths believe that sigils scribed with an enemy’s charred remains hold special power, and that such materials are especially potent spell reagents. Some remains are instead specially treated to create strange percussion instruments called shattertroughs. Since they live mostly underground, xulgaths have a ready supply of stone. They shape this material with the only technique that survives from their storied past, a process they call inflection. Very few xulgaths understand the exact mechanisms of inflection. Deepmouths call on the magic of otherworldly patrons, thoughtmaws exercise their mental control of physical reality, and less talented xulgaths use crude alchemy to soften stone to clay‑like or looser states. Once shaped and allowed to set, the inflected stone is harder than it was in its raw state. Larger clutches are more likely to employ advanced inflections, injecting the malleable earth into hide, bone, and even other xulgaths—the latter process is called stone‑binding. Like fire, xulgaths see their mastery of stone as proof of dominance over their environment. Just as they wield the bones of their enemies, they shape and wield the bones of the earth. Obsidian is considered by most xulgaths to be the height of their people’s environmental mastery.

Xulgaths see obsidian as tamed fire, a captured primal force. Obsidian is rare and fragile, however, and thus usually reserved for delicate tools or ornaments for devourers or hardscales. Despite its brittleness, obsidian can still be inflected. This is a longer and much more difficult process than inflecting stone, but the resulting iridescent material—which xulgaths call brightbone—is as strong as mithral.

Minions and Allies

Xulgaths have learned to tame a variety of creatures over the centuries. Domesticated beasts have spent enough generations among xulgaths that they’re inured to their masters’ noxious stench. Monitor lizards, cave geckos, and other large reptiles are most common and serve the same functions that horses and hunting dogs do in surface societies. Most clutches lack sufficient space and resources to support large populations of these hungry animals, but deeper settlements can field impressive numbers of combat‑trained reptilian mounts. Xulgaths share a certain affinity with brontosaurs, triceratops, tyrannosaurs, and other massive reptiles that dwell in Orvian vaults such as Deep Tolguth. They train these dinosaur allies as living cranes, plows, and other enormous tools for construction and maintenance, but also as living siege engines and terrifying combat mounts. Some clutches, led by powerful deepmouths, even use secret rites to draw saurian abominations from the Abyssal realm of Gluttondark. Demons are frequent sights in clutches devoted to Abyssal powers. Abrikandilus, babaus, and vermleks answer deepmouth calls, while the more dangerous mariliths and Zevgavizeb’s favored vavakias respond to the most powerful priests. Demons are usually summoned for a specific purpose, but some stay on the Material Plane as advisors or to slake their thirst for blood. A demon’s prolonged presence sometimes results in the crafting or birth of slaugraks—hideous hybrids of demon and xulgath. Drow and duergar occasionally use xulgaths as mercenaries. Clutches that answer these calls tend to be desperate or overly excited by violence, as they rarely receive a fair deal or the ability to advance their own goals. More established clutches instead attract the attention of demon worshipping saurians, giant humanoids with reptilian heads. The few saurians dwelling in the Darklands are outcasts from greater saurian society fueled by faith, hunger, or worse. The balance of power between a clutch’s devourer, hardscales, and any saurian allies is delicate, and it is not unheard of for xulgaths to find themselves serving a new and foreign master.

While xulgaths are prone to warfare, they are not always unreasonable. Leaders of clutches have been known to make temporary alliances with explorers, adventurers, and other visitors to the Darklands. As long as the interlopers make it worth the xulgaths’ effort, they will guide newcomers through twisting tunnels or grant passage through their holdings. The acquisition of a surface dweller’s specialized or magical equipment is a rare chance to advance a xulgath warrior’s ambitions.

Invading the Surface

Xulgaths are not unheard of on Golarion’s surface. The Darklands are dangerous, and weaker clutches sometimes flee to the lands above for self‑preservation, while others go there in search of resources that are unavailable in the sunless lands below. The majority of xulgaths, however, come to the surface to conquer. They establish clutches deep within swamps or caves, building their strength and striking out to seize new territories, although their attempts at expansion are rarely successful. Most invading clutches, confronted by unfamiliar environs or hostile locals, manage to claim only a few square miles. Others are wiped out entirely. Surface‑ dwellers have repelled numerous xulgath invasions over the centuries. Western Nidal celebrates the Hungering Gloom, when darkness descended from the sky to tear apart several thousand xulgath invaders. The region still uses the image of split scales in its iconography. Al‑Zabriti tribes in the Meraz Desert periodically oust clutches from limestone caverns beneath their oases, driving xulgaths into the desert to be consumed by sand and beasts. Small‑scale xulgath invasions persist in remote Ustalavic counties, where dilapidated forts and somber forests host hardened clutches. The Marshworth Clutch in Odranto worship the vampiric demon lord Zura, and their knowledge of vampirism inspires them to “conquer” what they see as vampiric practice; they don tattered finery and drink blood from battered goblets. This may sound ludicrous, but their demonic obedience and numerous test subjects have borne fruit—Marshworth deepmouth apprentices are said to be able to inflect the blood coursing through their horrified enemies. Other clutches have established more secure holdings, such as in the Candlestone Caverns of Andoran and the winding caverns of Earthnavel in the Realm of the Mammoth Lords. Although they are a species in diaspora, xulgaths are nothing if not persistent, and their continued presence throughout the Inner Sea region inspires as many fireside ghost stories as actual attacks on unsuspecting populaces.

CATFOLK OF GOLARION With many of the most prominent physical features of felines, catfolk make an impression virtually everywhere they are encountered—which is all over, considering their propensity for travel and adventure. In addition to catlike personality features such as curiosity and pride, they have a rich shared culture and often know much more about the situations they find themselves in than they let on. Indeed, the story of catfolk is a story of nobility and confidence, of wit and guile, and of exploration and friendship to the highest degree. While catfolk are well known for their strong sense of individuality, they share a number of common characteristics that differentiate them from other people of Golarion. They are almost universally curious, making them natural adventurers and voyagers as well as scholars and researchers. Many are gregarious and talkative—social traits reinforced by upbringings that emphasize strong bonds with close friends, whom catfolk refer to as their found kin. They are equally at home in cities as well as in the wild, though their tendency to inadvertently meddle in others’ affairs sometimes pushes them to the fringes of non-catfolk societies, where they socialize with similarly capricious people such as tengus and kitsunes. Catfolk vary widely in how feline they appear. Some display few catlike features: just feline ears, a tail, claws, and a little fur or other features. Others are so catlike that they’re hard to distinguish from true panthers when not standing upright or wielding weapons. This wide range persists even between closely related families. Catfolk themselves make little of this phenomenon, which reflects the general catfolk attitude that what matters most is an individual’s character, not their appearance. Catfolk call themselves amurruns, but do not readily share this name with non-catfolk. Among others, they accept the name “catfolk” as amusingly appropriate given their origin myths.

History

Amurrun legends tell that catfolk were once great cats, guardians made by mighty creator spirits. These cats were tasked with hunting down lingering threats to Golarion when the world was new, and the great creator spirits gifted them with intelligence and forms better suited to using tools so that they could hunt down even the mightiest horrors that stalked the lands. Amurruns have protected their ancestral city-state of Murraseth in southern Garund since at least the Age of Legend. Although the government of Murraseth has been reformed or overthrown several times throughout its long history, each of its leaders has understood the grave responsibility of keeping their people’s secrets from the rest of the world. Indeed, the catfolk’s greatest secret— the reason for the seclusion and secrecy of Murraseth in the first place—is so well kept that even the common catfolk citizens of Murraseth know nothing of its details, in no short part thanks to the work of the Pridekillers: shadowy government-sponsored spies and researchers who serve the safety of the realm above any government. Murraseth’s precursor was another catfolk nation, but any information more than this has been scrubbed from all known records. Whatever doomed this progenitor city, it came before Earthfall and drove many of its people to serve enigmatic agents thousands of miles away in the Valashmai Jungle. Strangely, the Age of Darkness was seen as a blessing by most amurruns, who rebuilt their nation and renamed it Murraseth under a series of sister-queens. Catfolk claim they have avoided repeating the downfall of the past by destroying all records of the mysterious schism and declaring a refuge at the heart of their lands forbidden to all but the royal family and chosen mystics. The catfolk’s dark secret—if there truly is one—supposedly lies within this refuge. In the Age of Destiny, Murraseth and other catfolk tribes allied with the Shory and derhii against demons and the spawn of Rovagug. This was a time of conflict in Murraseth, when the old government of the sisterqueens stepped down after widespread anger at their

detachment from common needs. After the rise and fall of several experimental governments, during which large groups of amurruns migrated to Iobaria and Arcadia, the modern Council of Elect was eventually formed during the Age of Enthronement. In the new Age of Lost Omens, catfolk continue to vanquish evil and aid the worthy. Numerous of their kind helped evacuate Sarkoris as the Worldwound opened, and others currently help the elves of Kyonin in their campaign to reclaim the blighted Tanglebriar. Wherever there is need of a valiant hunter, catfolk are sure to be in attendance.

Society and Culture

Most catfolk learn from a young age to prize knowledge and respect those who have more experience. Their culture also values preserving untamed wilderness, sharing discoveries, and collecting novelties. Traditionalist catfolk believe they must protect the world from forces of evil, which means stewardship of nature and protecting the Material Plane against intruders from other parts of the Great Beyond.

YOUTH AND EDUCATION Amurruns are usually born into large extended families. A family might be itinerant, traveling in search of work and good hunting grounds or pastures for herds, or it might stay in one place for years at a time. Those who live in Murraseth or other catfolk territories are the exception, with most of the family members calling the same abode home over the years, even though their travels likely see them come and go throughout their lifetime. Traditional catfolk communities make much of the moment when a child is old enough to explore on their own, celebrating the milestone with a simple challenge to find a hidden object such as a pendant or arrowhead. Catfolk cherish their comingof-age treasures for life as good luck charms. Young catfolk reach their next milestone when they are mature enough to travel outside the community on their own, though in this case it is up to the youth to devise their own memento—typically a rock, piece of wood, or other natural trinket from the first place to which they travel alone. Advanced education, from the art of combat to the practice of powerful magic, traditionally takes the form of apprenticeship. Most masters have one or a few apprentices, and rare is the amurrun crafter, warrior, or mage who doesn’t have at least one pupil. Indeed, catfolk norms consider it a significant mark against an individual’s prowess and prestige if they can’t be bothered to pass on what they know to others.

TRAVEL Catfolk keep in touch with the closest of the few major amurrun cultures around the world by sharing news whenever they cross paths with other traveling catfolk. Amurruns in traditional catfolk settlements generally believe travel is an opportunity for personal growth that all should pursue—an activity undertaken by an individual to gain a fresh perspective and develop a more nuanced understanding of the world. Catfolk who never travel are often either pitied or looked down upon by their fellows.

Travel is also considered a good way to deal with personal conflict, wounded pride, or political disagreement. Rather than feud with a rival or an undesired leader, an amurrun might just leave for a year or three and let matters sort themselves out. While other cultures might consider this tactic flighty or even cowardly, catfolk don’t see it that way. To catfolk, self-imposed, temporary exile is a completely valid means of waiting out circ*mstances that are beyond their control. Of course, context plays an outsized role in determining whether an amurrun takes a journey or stays and confronts the source of their ire.

Adventurers

A number of factors conspire to make adventuring a popular and well-respected profession among amurruns. As a result, there are far more catfolk adventurers in the world than might be expected from their small population. Although catfolk follow a range of pursuits, their predilections for grace, curiosity, and gregariousness make them natural bards, rangers, and rogues. Their wide variety of interests and commitment to fighting evil lead catfolk to join any number of adventuring organizations. They are relatively common in the Pathfinder Society and Andoran's Eagle Knights. The Riftwardens and the academicians of the Magaambya have long held a traditional place of respect for the catfolk, and some of the greatest catfolk heroes have belonged to these elite groups. Catfolk’s tendency to explore remote threats to the world and their natural aptitude for martial arts leads others among them to join the secret martial arts organization known as the Kusari-Gama.

MAGIC Catfolk have traditions of magic stretching back thousands of years, primarily focused in three areas: luck, discovery (both general and specific), and dispelling harmful magic. Spellcasters tend to learn their magic via apprenticeships, through bargains with nature spirits or chance encounters with eldritch beings, or through their own individual experimentation and practice. Bards, druids, and sorcerers are all relatively common among amurruns. The few catfolk who prefer to share information by text rather than by dialogue sometimes take to wizardry, studying either in an apprenticeship or in schools in other humanoid communities. Spells cast by catfolk tend to feature invocations of nearby spirits, and catfolk magic-users take care to learn the names of spirits in the lands they travel. Divination and abjuration are the most common specialties among catfolk wizards, though catfolk consider it only practical to dabble in a wide variety of magic. Most catfolk

CATFOLK NAMES Personal names are highly varied and individualistic for catfolk and are often borrowed from other cultures. It is common for a young adult to take a new name if the old one doesn’t feel fitting. Amurrun do not typically use family names, but might note their heritage by naming their most famous relation, such as Talina, Daughter of Raknirr. Catfolk are very fond of titles and honorifics. Whenever an amurrun returns from travel after accomplishing or discovering something, they are customarily given an honorific name suitable to their feats by the eldest surviving person among those who helped raise them. A catfolk with an honorific name—such as Demon Killer or Seeker of Sapphires—often proudly uses it in the presence of strangers or acquaintances to the exclusion of all other names. Below are some popular amurrun birth names. Feminine: Crissto, Espes, Telen, Tespa, Zathira Masculine: Diminsio, Engirr, Hierkem, Samirr, Yonsol Gender-Neutral: Haelest, Menze, Pnin, Ruun, Zakkar

spellcasters adventure in search of lost or new magical techniques. The rest research their own new spells in academies around the world.

PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION Catfolk generally view religion as an unnecessarily slavish way to codify ideals and philosophical teachings. Most practice a form of improvisational animism and try to maintain a balanced relationship with the many spirits of the natural world. Amurruns see their personal relationship with spirits as a way to take control of personal circ*mstances. To catfolk, problems are puzzles, and every puzzle has a solution that can mitigate the problem, or even transform it into a useful opportunity. In addition to propitiating spirits for luck, many amurruns make pragmatic offerings to the Osirian goddess Bastet or another convenient and sympathetic deity. The popular catfolk view of gods is as extremely powerful spirits who accept supplication in exchange for granting access to the afterlife. When catfolk deign to worship gods, they most often pray to Sarenrae (as patron of sharing and protecting the world), Shelyn (as patron of personal expression), Cayden Cailean (as patron of freedom and joy), Erastil (as patron of family and bountiful harvests and hunts), Desna (as patron of travel and discovery), and Calistria (as patron of defiance and sharing secrets).

COMBAT In part because catfolk rarely have the advantage of numbers, amurrun martial traditions are designed

HABITS AND MANNERISMS Just like cats, catfolk purr or chuff when content and hiss or roar to intimidate; similar to human smiling or frowning, these behaviors are for the most part involuntary. Amurrun ascetics, including many monks, priests, and divine spellcasters, purr as part of meditation or to soothe others, and catfolk healers can enhance their restorative powers by purring while treating a patient. “Fresh hands make quick work,” is a common truism among catfolk. In this spirit, catfolk expect work to be done in quick bursts of intense focus. Dwarves, halflings, and humans sometimes confuse this attitude for laziness, not realizing that an amurrun who takes frequent breaks is happier and accomplishes just as much in a day than someone who works steadily without rest. This is particular true for nocturnally inclined catfolk, many of whom take dozens of short naps throughout the day in order to feel rested and keep their senses sharp during a long night. Amurruns are inculcated from an early age with a tender sense of pride, which makes it hard for many to admit wrongdoing or accept apologies. When a catfolk is upset with someone, their most common response is the cold shoulder. Reconciliation is usually achieved through either a very private conversation or an unspoken agreement to let the matter pass after a sufficient amount of time. If avoidance is impractical or the hurt is deep, the amurrun who can more readily travel may just take leave until tempers have cooled. Catfolk share one other habit of note with common felines: it is customary for an amurrun parent to calm a child by firmly grasping the scruff of the child’s neck. Adult siblings and close friends sometimes use this kind of touch to soothe each other in times of great upset, but acquaintances who attempt to initiate this form of intimacy—especially non-catfolk—risk committing a grave faux pas.

to make combat rare and short. Stealth, spying, and magic are popular means to mislead foes, learn about dangers, and attack with sudden and terrible power. When combat is necessary, combatants use the element of surprise to end a fight as soon as it starts. For catfolk, the idea of honor in mortal combat is seen as laughable—particularly if such honor would mean forgoing an obvious tactical advantage. If combat drags on, retreat is seen as only prudent.

Settlements

While most agree that catfolk originated at least in large part in the jungles of southern Garund, schisms and outflows of migrants have created diverse groups of amurruns in various corners of Golarion.

MURRASETH The catfolk city-state of Murraseth in southern Garund is the largest known settlement of catfolk, and they believe it to be their people’s ancestral home. A massive timber bulwark surrounds the city proper, though most of the buildings within the walls are made of ancient carved stone. Murraseth is the most prominent among several city-states that have been informally allied for so long that non-catfolk often mistake them for a single formal nation. Its sister cities, Frowiseth, Eserowaan, and Ulemsaleth line the borders of their shared territory deep in the heart of southern Garund. Murraseth and its sister cities are each ruled by their own Councils of the Elect, which consist of skilled adventurers, spellcasters, and diplomats who bring unique insights to bear. Urgent matters and the arbitration of inter-council disputes fall under the purview of the current Voice of the Council. Murraseth’s current voice is Kassiel of the Five Trials, a retired adventurer known for having slain five mighty fiends, each on a different continent. Rumors swirl that this ring of catfolk cities contains some dire threat to the world, but the region is so well defended that no visitors have ever reported penetrating into the interior of the catfolk lands, much less learning the truth behind the legends. Even most amurruns are banned from exploring certain parts of the jungle within the allied territory.

SORROCLAAN Sorroclaan is a settlement built in and around a sturdy Iobarian ruin adopted and refined by catfolk who discovered it after leaving Murraseth during the Age of Enthronement. Its people are monster hunters, bardic explorers, and worldly traders. The catfolk here tend to be much taller and broader than other catfolk and tend to have pale or striped fur and skin. The catfolk hero Eye Thief and his husband the scholar Morukel led their followers here many centuries ago in protest of bans on the study of Mwangi ruins deemed dangerous by the Council of Elect. In Iobaria, these dissidents are free to explore the countless nameless ruins on which Sorroclaan was built. Sorroclaan’s location within the Fangard forest has given the catfolk nearly a monopoly on exploring the site’s sprawling ruins, since many humans fear to travel there. The relatively high rate of lycanthropy in the Fangard has led to many superstitions and legends about “half-catfolk” among people of Sorroclaan. The citizenry is split in its attitude toward beast-touched individuals such as weretigers and their skinwalker kin; some catfolk believe they are demons or spirits meant to test amurruns’s resolve against evil, while

others regard these beings as powerful emissaries of nature and thus treat them with a mixture of fear and reverence.

USCLAETH Usclaeth is an enclave of catfolk descended from adventurers who long ago accompanied Arcadian traders back to their homeland from Murraseth. The city consists of treetop buildings and tall, narrow fortifications hidden in a steep valley within easy travel of multiple trade routes. Rumors have it that its founders chose not to return to Murraseth because they learned something in Arcadia that made them fear doom after returning. Catfolk from Usclaeth most often have yellowish or black fur with few markings. Arcadian amurruns have a reputation for attracting the attention of noble couatls, who seek them out when allies are necessary in the fight against evil. As a result, most good creatures who are familiar with Usclaeth have a positive predisposition toward and high expectations of catfolk.

WANDERERS OF VUDRA Catfolk in Vudra are traditionally itinerant wanderers who belong to caravans that ramble across the vast subcontinent. They commonly serve as traders and peddlers of good luck charms, though they sometimes struggle with distrust or even prejudice from other Vudrans due to their superficial resemblance to rakshasas, notorious shapeshifters common in that land. Vudran amurruns tend to have dark gray or orange fur and favor dress imported from other parts of Golarion. The largest and most famous of catfolk caravans in Vudra is the Leaping Bazaar, named for the tamed tigers that pull or even carry its dazzling array of carts and mobile stages across the region.

been thorns in the side of the fire yai who style themselves lieges of those peaks. Valashmai catfolk hate attempts to rule them by force, and they are wary of strangers who might be disguised oni agents. If convinced of visitors’ good intentions, however, these catfolk know many safe hiding places and caches of useful items that might help bring down such tyrants. Valashmai amurruns are particularly intrigued by the ruins of the Valashmai and the legendary kaiju that sometimes awaken and stalk that ancient jungle. Catfolk kaiju hunters are rumored to have many small fortresses throughout the Valashmai Jungle—outposts from which they follow up on potential kaiju sightings and report to other settlements across the jungle. These skilled monster hunters are constantly shorthanded and are more willing to accept (or even seek) aid from outsiders than other Valashmai amurruns.

WATCHERS OF VALASHMAI The Valashmai Jungle in southern Tian Xia is home to numerous amurrun tribes, who are among the most populous and peaceful of humanoids in that otherwise hostile wilderness. They tell tales of how the legendary ancestral matriarch Rubble Dancer led the overthrow of godlike slavers who had enslaved amurruns and many others. Valashmai catfolk have alliances with some anadi and lizardfolk, but they have learned to tread carefully with nearly everyone else. They have gold or silver fur, often with distinctive leopard-like markings. Amurruns who dwell near the Chenlun Mountains have long

ADVENTURE TOOLBOX UNCOMMON

FORTUNE

ITEM 6 MAGICAL

TRANSMUTATION

Price 235 gp Usage held in 2 hands; Bulk 2 This +1 striking bo staff is particularly long, making it useful as a balancing pole. While you wield it, the acrobat’s staff releases chalk dust to make your grip more secure, granting you a +1 circ*mstance bonus to your Reflex DC against checks to Disarm you of it. Activate [reaction] command; Trigger You fail or critically fail an Acrobatics check to Balance and would fall; Effect Reroll the Acrobatics check and take the better result.

BECKONING CAT AMULET UNCOMMON

ITEM 5

CONSUMABLE DIVINATION FORTUNE MAGICAL TALISMAN

Price 26 gp Usage affixed to armor; Bulk — Activate [free-action] envision; Trigger You use a feat or ability to reroll a failed or critically failed Reflex saving throw (such as Cat’s Luck or Halfling Luck). This clay figurine resembles a white cat with a paw outstretched. When it’s activated, any allies within 10 feet who also just failed or critically failed a Reflex saving throw from the same source (such as a fireball spell) can also reroll their saving throw and use the better result.

BULLHOOK UNCOMMON

Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall

Circus Magic Items ACROBAT’S STAFF

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD

ITEM 3+ ENCHANTMENT MAGICAL

Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk 1 A bullhook is a stout rod about 4 feet long with a blunt hook on the end. Too dull to be useful as a weapon, a bullhook is instead used to direct animals in training or in performing their tasks. A bullhook grants you an item bonus to Nature checks to Command an Animal while you are holding it. Activate [two-actions] command, Interact; Frequency once per day; Effect You wave the bullhook to produce the effects of a command spell. This spell loses the linguistic trait and can target only animals.

Type standard; Level 3; Price 55 gp The item bonus is +2, the command spell is 1st level, and the DC is 18 Type greater; Level 12; Price 1,900 gp The item bonus is +2, the command spell is 5th level, and the DC is 30. Craft Requirements Supply a casting of command of the appropriate level.

GRAIL OF TWISTED DESIRES UNIQUE

CONJURATION

ILLUSION

ITEM 10

MAGICAL

Price 850 gp Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk L This timeworn chalice is constructed of dull tin. It has an unassuming appearance save for the gold, silver, and ebony rings that encircle its rim. Activate [one-action] envision; Frequency three times per day; Effect The chalice fills with one of three different wines of your choosing, as described below. The wine looks, tastes, and smells the same regardless of which type you choose, and detect magic has no effect on the liquid beyond indicating that it is magical. • Ordinary wine. • Wine that, when imbibed, casts a 2nd-level restoration spell on the drinker. • Wine that, when imbibed, casts a 4th-level nightmare spell on the drinker. If you aren’t chaotic, the first time each day you activate the chalice, there is a one-in-six chance that the liquid you conjure is a different type (the GM should roll 1d6 as a secret roll) instead. The second and third times you activate the chalice in the same day, the odds of this happening increase to two-in-six or three-insix, respectively. If you are chaotic, the chalice always works as intended.

INSPIRING SPOTLIGHT UNCOMMON

Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie Among the Xulgaths Catfolk of Golarion Adventure Toolbox

ITEM 9

ENCHANTMENT LIGHT MAGICAL

Price 650 gp Usage held in 2 hands; Bulk 3

An inspiring spotlight is a bulky contraption consisting of a drum-shaped metal housing around several reflective metal plates. Two handles on either side, each with a small button, allow you to aim the spotlight outward from your body. Activate [one-action] Interact; Frequency once per hour; Effect When you push the left-hand button, the inspiring spotlight emits a beam of bright magical light in a 120-foot line that hangs in the air and remains in place even if you move the spotlight. If the line passes through an area of magical darkness or targets a creature affected by magical darkness, the inspiring spotlight attempts to counteract the darkness. Creatures within the line gain a +1 item bonus to saving throws and Charisma-based skill checks. In addition, creatures in the line who are frightened reduce the value of their frightened condition by 1 at the beginning of each turn they start in the area of the line. The beam remains in place for 1 minute or until you push the righthand button with another Interact action to extinguish the light.

INVISIBLE NET UNCOMMON

ITEM 7

ABJURATION CONSUMABLE MAGICAL

Price 60 gp Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk — Activate [one-action] Interact You activate this folded lace handkerchief by spreading it out on the ground, where it grows to cover a 30-footby-30-foot square area. Pale and diaphanous, the spread handkerchief is exceptionally difficult to see from more than 30 feet away and evaporates entirely after 1 minute. Any creature that falls on the net doesn’t take falling damage.

MARVELOUS CALLIOPE UNCOMMON

ITEM 4

CONJURATION MAGICAL STRUCTURE

Price 100 gp Bulk L (when not activated) This large slide whistle appears to be made of fine brass, the sides of which are engraved with musical notes and dancing clowns. Activate 1 minute (command, envision, Interact); Effect You blow a tune upon the slide whistle, causing the whistle to expand. The whistle sprouts from one into several, and then creates a large wooden frame and keyboard. By the time the unfolding is complete, the whistle fully transforms into a calliope, a wagon-sized contraption consisting of several steam whistles played like an organ. The calliope is heavy and anchored in place. You have a +1 item bonus to Performance checks to play the calliope. The calliope has a tendency to produce music for a few seconds after you cease

playing it, adding a jaunty and overlong conclusion to your music. If you use an Interact action to pull the small metal ring on the underside of the marvelous calliope, the calliope collapses back down into a slide whistle. Activate [two-actions] Interact; Frequency once per hour; Effect You play the calliope, causing it to cast charm on one of the listeners.

MOONSTONE DIADEM RARE

ITEM 8

DIVINATION INVESTED MAGICAL

Price 500 gp Usage worn circlet; Bulk L This delicate and elegant diadem is woven of intricate silver wires set with three tear-shaped pearlescent moonstones. You gain a +1 item bonus to Religion checks. Activate [three-actions] focus; Frequency once per hour; Requirements You are within 10 feet of a moonstone pool; Effect You peer into the moonstone pool and gain access to all the visual history recorded within the receptacle by concentrating on the specific subject you wish to see. Conversely, you can choose to deposit your own memories into the pool by concentrating for 1 hour on the information you wish to impart.

RINGMASTER’S STAFF UNCOMMON

ITEM 6+

ILLUSION MAGICAL STAFF

Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk 1 This highly polished black wooden staff resembles an aristocrat’s oversized walking cane, complete with a silver head shaped like a large circus animal such as a horse or elephant. Ringmasters or announcers use ringmaster’s staves to draw attention from their audiences or to salvage acts that fall flat mid-performance. While wielding a ringmaster’s staff, your normal voice can be clearly heard by all creatures within 300 feet regardless of intervening barriers or ambient noise, although your voice can’t penetrate magical silence and you can’t use this to extend an auditory or sonic effect through barriers that would otherwise block it. Activate Cast a Spell; Effect You expend a number of charges from the staff to cast a spell from its list. Type ringmaster’s staff; Level 6; Price 230 gp • Cantrips dancing lights • 1st feather fall, floating disk • 2nd glitterdust, illusory creature, obscuring mist Type greater ringmaster’s staff; Level 12; Price 1,800 gp • 3rd enthrall, pyrotechnics (page 77) • 4th freedom of movement, summon animal • 5th cloak of colors, command Craft Requirements Supply one casting of all listed levels of all listed spells.

SAINTS’ BALM UNCOMMON

ITEM 7

CONSUMABLE HEALING MAGICAL

NECROMANCY

OIL

Price 70 gp Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk — Activate [one-action] Interact This luminescent paste is made from the powdered bones of a long-forgotten saint, mixed with herbs and blessed by a priest. It typically comes in a tightly sealed, palmsized dish etched with holy symbols. Applying saints’ balm to yourself or a creature within reach restores 3d8+10 Hit Points to the creature to which it’s applied.

SPANGLED RIDER’S SUIT UNCOMMON

DIVINATION

INVESTED

ITEM 9 MAGICAL

Price 700 gp Usage worn armor; Bulk 1 This +1 resilient studded leather armor is adorned with colorful sequins that sparkle in even the faintest light. While wearing the spangled rider’s suit, you gain a +2 item bonus to Command an Animal you are riding. Any animal you ride automatically knows the Drop Prone and Step basic actions, in addition to any other basic actions it knows (normally only Leap, Seek, Stand, Stride, and Strike). Activate [reaction] (move); Trigger You take damage while mounted or your mount Drops Prone; Effect You dismount, moving off your mount into a space adjacent to it.

STOLE OF CIVILITY UNCOMMON

ENCHANTMENT

ITEM 9 INVESTED

MAGICAL

Price 700 gp Usage worn cloak; Bulk L Woven from swaths of rich brocade silk and embroidered with ancient Azlanti script in golden thread, this stole imparts a noble appearance to even the homeliest of individuals when draped over the shoulders. While wearing a stole of civility, you receive a +2 item bonus to Diplomacy checks to Make an Impression with humans or Make a Request of humans, and a +2 item bonus to Intimidation checks against humans. The stole also grants you full understanding of the Azlanti language. Activate [one-action] envision; Frequency once per day; Requirements You are a human; Effect You gain 10 temporary Hit Points, which last for 10 minutes.

WHIP OF COMPLIANCE UNCOMMON

ENCHANTMENT MAGICAL

Price 3,000 gp

ITEM 9

Usage held, 1 hand; Bulk 1 Activate [one-action] command The handle of this braided leather +1 striking whip is made from the hairs of a variety of rare and mythical animals. When used against an animal, the whip of compliance can potentially force the target to follow your commands. Activate [one-action] command; Effect Until the end of your current turn, any animals you Strike with the whip must attempt a DC 25 Will save. On a failed or critically failed saving throw, the whip casts a 4th-level suggestion spell on the animal with a base duration of 1 round, and the spell loses the linguistic trait. The course of action must still fulfill suggestion’s requirements. If you can cast spells, you can expend one of your spells of 4th level or higher as a part of activating the whip; if you do so, the suggestions this turn have their normal base duration.

WONDROUS FIGURINES UNCOMMON

ITEM 5+

CONJURATION MAGICAL

Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk L The magical statuettes known as wondrous figurines are described on page 576 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. The following additional figurines are less common versions sometimes found in the pockets of menagerie owners who often find themselves in need of a quick act or diversion. Type candy constrictor; Level 5; Price 140 gp Although appearing as a multicolored piece of stick candy, this figurine bears a narrow snake head at one end and is as durable as stone. When activated, it becomes a rainbowstriped ball python (Pathfinder Bestiary 302) except it lacks the Stealth skill. The snake can be used once per day, and it can remain in snake form for up to 20 minutes. Type rubber bear; Level 7; Price 350 gp This small, stretchable statuette depicts a bear wearing a tutu and a fez and balancing on a ball slightly larger than its head. When activated, it becomes a grizzly bear (Pathfinder Bestiary 40) with similar attire. The bear remains balanced upon its rubber ball, and is therefore ungainly: it cannot Climb or Swim, has a –10foot circ*mstance penalty to its Speed, and is always flat-footed. If the bear leaves its ball, such as if it is repositioned with forced movement or knocked prone, it immediately reverts to statuette form. The bear can be used once per day, and it can remain in bear form for up to 1 hour.

Animal Trainer Archetype

MATURE TRAINED COMPANION

You have befriended an animal to serve as an able assistant and loyal guardian.

ANIMAL TRAINER DEDICATION UNCOMMON

FEAT 2

ARCHETYPE DEDICATION

Prerequisites Trained in Nature You gain the services of a young animal companion that travels with you and obeys simple commands as best as it can (Core Rulebook 214). This trained animal is trained in Performance instead of the skill listed for its type. Special You can’t select another dedication feat until you’ve gained two other feats from the animal trainer archetype.

BEAST SPEAKER UNCOMMON

FEAT 4

ARCHETYPE

Prerequisites Animal Trainer Dedication You constantly have the effects of speak with animals as a 2nd-level innate primal spell. You gain a +2 circ*mstance bonus to Diplomacy checks to Make a Request of animals while this spell is active.

UNCOMMON

FEAT 6

ARCHETYPE

Prerequisites Animal Trainer Dedication Your animal companion grows up, becoming a mature animal companion. Increase its proficiency rank in Performance to expert instead of one of the three skill increases for mature. It gains the Mesmerizing Performance advanced maneuver (see below), rather than the normal advanced maneuver for its type.

MESMERIZING PERFORMANCE [one-action] UNCOMMON

CONCENTRATE

EMOTION

Requirements The companion’s last action was a successful Performance check to Perform. The companion maintains its performance to captivate a single target within 30 feet that witnessed its successful performance. The target must attempt a Will save. Success The target is unaffected and is temporarily immune for 1 hour. Failure The target is fascinated by the companion for its next action and then is temporarily immune for 1 hour. Critical Failure The target is fascinated by the companion for 1 round. While it remains fascinated, it can’t use reactions.

INSISTENT COMMAND UNCOMMON

ARCHETYPE

FEAT 8

SKILL

Prerequisites Master in Nature, Animal Trainer Dedication When you roll a success to Command an Animal, you get a critical success; if you roll a critical failure, you get a failure.

SPLENDID COMPANION UNCOMMON

FEAT 12

ARCHETYPE

Prerequisites Mature Trained Companion Your animal companion continues to develop. It becomes a nimble or savage animal companion (your choice), gaining abilities determined by its type. Increase its proficiency rank in Performance to master instead of Athletics or Acrobatics.

SPECIALIZED COMPANION UNCOMMON

FEAT 18

ARCHETYPE

Prerequisites Splendid Companion The animal companion you gain from the Animal Trainer Dedication feat gains one specialization of your choice (Core Rulebook 217). Increase its proficiency rank in Performance to legendary instead of one of the specialization’s skill increases.

Circus Spells

PYROTECHNICS

CLOWNISH CURSE UNCOMMON

ATTACK

CURSE

SPELL 4 ENCHANTMENT

MENTAL

MISFORTUNE

Traditions arcane, occult Cast [two-actions] somatic, verbal Range touch; Targets 1 creature Saving Throw Will; Duration varies You afflict the target with a curse that causes it to emit ridiculous noises as it moves. Furthermore, the target’s hands and feet become awkward and uncoordinated, as though it were wearing oversized gloves and shoes. Critical Success The target is unaffected. Success For 1 round, the target must roll twice and use the worse result whenever attempting an Acrobatics, Stealth, or Thievery check. If the target rolls a failure at an Acrobatics, Stealth, or Thievery check, it gets a critical failure instead. Failure As success, but the effect is 1 hour. Critical Failure As success, except the effect is permanent.

FAVORABLE REVIEW UNCOMMON

ENCHANTMENT

SPELL 4 INCAPACITATION

MENTAL

Traditions arcane, occult Cast [two-actions] somatic, verbal Range touch; Targets 1 creature Saving Throw Will; Duration varies You enchant a creature to ensure they have only good things to say about your show. Identify a single creature, location, or performance, such as “Dame Ellendia,” “Savories Meats,” or “the Theater of the Mind’s latest magic show.” The target must attempt Will save. You can Dismiss the spell. Critical Success The target is unaffected and knows you tried to trick it. Success The target is unaffected but thinks your spell was something harmless instead of favorable review, unless it identifies the spell (usually using Identify Magic). Failure The target cannot speak unfavorably about the subject for 1 week. This doesn’t change the target’s opinion about the subject, but the target’s attempts to speak ill of the subject—whether in speech, writing, or other communication—always twist into compliments and praise instead. The target likely becomes aware of this effect quickly and can avoid speaking about the subject entirely if they choose. Critical Failure As failure, except the duration is permanent and the target genuinely holds a favorable opinion about the subject, with their attitude toward the creature (or creatures associated with the subject, such as the owner of a location or artists in a performance) becoming two degrees better (for example, helpful instead of indifferent). Heightened (8th) The range increases to 60 feet and you can target up to 10 creatures.

UNCOMMON

FIRE

SPELL 3 TRANSMUTATION

Traditions arcane, occult Cast [two-actions] material, somatic Range 120 feet; Targets 1 fire Saving Throw Fortitude; Duration sustained up to 1 minute You turn a fire into either a burst of blinding fireworks or a thick cloud of choking smoke, chosen when you Cast the Spell. The spell targets one fire source, which is immediately extinguished if it is a non-magical fire the size of a campfire or smaller. If the fire source is a creature, the creature takes 1d6 points of cold damage and is not extinguished. Fireworks The targeted fire explodes into a colorful array of flashy, fiery, glowing aerial fireworks in a 20-foot-radius burst. The first time you Sustain the Spell each round, you can cause the area of fireworks to ascend up to 20 feet, but you cannot move the area laterally. Creatures that start their turn within the area of the fireworks must attempt a Fortitude save, and are then temporarily immune for 1 minute. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is dazzled for 1 round. Failure The creature is blinded for 1 round. Critical Failure The creature is blinded for 1 minute. Smoke Cloud Thick smoke billows out from the fire and coalesces into a cloud that spreads to fill a 20-foot-radius burst centered on the targeted fire. Creatures within the smoke cloud take a –4 circ*mstance penalty to visual Perception checks, and creatures outside the smoke cloud take a –4 circ*mstance penalty to visual Perception checks to detect creatures or objects within it. The first time you Sustain the Spell each round, you can cause the smoke cloud to descend up to 20 feet, but you cannot move the area laterally. Creatures that start their turn within the smoke cloud must attempt a Fortitude save, and are then temporarily immune for 1 minute. Success The creature is unaffected. Failure The creature is sickened 1. Critical Failure The creature is sickened 1 and cannot recover from the sickened condition while in the area of the smoke cloud.

PILLAR OF WATER UNCOMMON

EVOCATION

SPELL 3 WATER

Traditions arcane, primal Cast [three-actions] material, somatic, verbal Range 120 feet Duration 1 minute You create a large, self-contained cylinder of still fresh water. The pillar has a maximum radius of 15 feet and a maximum height of 60 feet. Creatures inside the pillar can swim through the water as normal (Swim DC 10), or, if the spell was cast on solid ground, walk along the bottom (which is difficult terrain). Any creature that exits the pillar falls or lands accordingly.

Bogeyman EPIDEMIC OF TERROR Bogeymen and their lesser kin delight in instilling fear in small communities where gossip can quickly amplify their shadowy deeds. In such locales, bogeymen use peoples’ natural tendency to spread misinformation to sow discord and escape notice— for who would rightfully believe that an actual bogeyman is behind the latest murder?

Bogeymen are stealers of innocence and devourers of souls. Few targets who survive an encounter with them remain unchanged. Different names are given to bogeymen according to their varying sizes and degrees of power, which typically advance as the monsters consume more souls.

BOGEY A bogey typically hunts a single creature at a time, usually a small child or elderly person, methodically stalking and tormenting their prey. Often hiding under a bed, amid a dark attic space, or in a closet left slightly ajar, the bogey delights in the slow, methodical cultivation of fear in its victims.

BOGEY UNCOMMON

CREATURE 3 NE SMALL FEY

Perception +9; low-light vision Languages Aklo, Sylvan Skills Acrobatics +10, Deception +10, Intimidation +8, Stealth +10 Str +2, Dex +3, Con +2, Int –2, Wis +1, Cha +3 AC 20; Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +8 HP 35; Immunities fear; Weaknesses cold iron 4 Speed 30 feet Melee [one-action] claw +10 (agile, finesse, magical), Damage 1d8+3 slashing Occult Innate Spells DC 18; 1st fear (×2); Cantrips (1st) ghost sound, message Devour Soul [three-actions] (necromancy, occult) Requirements The bogey has killed a creature within the last round and is adjacent to the creature; Effect The bogey consumes the creature’s soul. The soul is utterly destroyed—nothing short of wish or a similar effect can restore it to life, and only after the bogey has been slain. The bogey regains Hit Points equal to double the level of the consumed creature. After devouring three souls within a year, the bogey transforms into a bugaboo. Surprise Attack On the first round of combat, creatures that haven’t acted yet are flat-footed to the bogey.

BUGABOO After devouring enough souls, a bogey transforms into the more powerful and sophisticated bugaboo.

BUGABOO UNCOMMON

CREATURE 6 NE

MEDIUM

FEY

Perception +14; low-light vision Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan Skills Acrobatics +15, Deception +14, Intimidation +14, Stealth +15, Thievery +13 Str +4, Dex +5, Con +3, Int –1, Wis +2, Cha +4 AC 24; Fort +11, Ref +17, Will +14 HP 95; Immunities fear; Weaknesses cold iron 6 Speed 30 feet; mobility Melee [one-action] claw +15 (agile, finesse, magical), Damage 2d8+6 slashing plus striking fear Occult Innate Spells DC 22; 3rd fear, paralyze; 2nd invisibility, knock; Cantrips (3rd) ghost sound, message Devour Soul [three-actions] (necromancy, occult) As bogey. After devouring six souls within a year, a bugaboo transforms into a bogeyman.

Mobility When the bugaboo uses a Stride action to move half their Speed or less, that movement does not trigger reactions. Sneak Attack The bugaboo deals 1d6 extra precision damage to flat-footed creatures. Striking Fear (emotion, fear, mental) If a bugaboo scores a critical hit with a claw Strike, the target must attempt a DC 24 Will save. Critical Success The target is unaffected. Success The target is frightened 1. Failure The target is frightened 2. Critical Failure The target is frightened 3 and fleeing for 1 round. Surprise Attack As bogey.

BOGEYMAN These nocturnal stalkers tail their chosen quarry for days, even weeks at a time, ominously showing up in back alleys, shadowy street corners, and even in victims’ own homes before going in for the kill. For unfathomable reasons, a bogeyman may spare a victim’s life and instead kidnap them, absconding to a far-off location before returning years later with a fresh bogey in tow.

BOGEYMAN UNCOMMON

CREATURE 10 MEDIUM

FEY

Perception +19; low-light vision Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan; tongues Skills Acrobatics +23, Athletics +19, Deception +22, Intimidation +22, Society +16, Stealth +23, Thievery +21 Str +5, Dex +7, Con +4, Int +0, Wis +3, Cha +6 AC 30; Fort +16, Ref +23, Will +19 HP 175, fast healing 10; Immunities fear; Weaknesses cold iron 10 Deepest Fear (aura, emotion, fear, illusion, mental, visual) 60 feet. A bogeyman’s aura of terror manifests as a shifting haze of images that reflect the viewers’ deepest fears. Whenever a creature ends its turn within the aura, it must succeed at a DC 28 Will save or become frightened 1. A creature’s frightened condition (including from striking fear) does not reduce as long as the creature remains in the aura. If the creature succeeds at its saving throw, it becomes temporarily immune to the aura for 24 hours. Speed 30 feet; mobility Melee [one-action] claw +21 (agile, finesse, magical), Damage 2d12+9 slashing plus striking fear Occult Innate Spells DC 27; 4th gaseous form, invisibility, nightmare, phantasmal killer; 3rd fear, mind reading; 2nd knock (at will); Cantrips (4th) ghost sound, message; Constant (4th) tongues Devour Soul [three-actions] (necromancy, occult) As bogey. Each time the bogeyman consumes 10 souls, it increases its level by 1, and its statistics improve accordingly. Mobility As bugaboo. Sneak Attack As bugaboo. Striking Fear (emotion, fear, mental) As bugaboo, but DC 29. Surprise Attack As bogey.

BOGEY ORIGINS While bogeymen stem from bugaboos and bugaboos from bogeys, it is unknown where, exactly, bogeys come from. If superstitious storytellers are to be believed, then bogeys arise from the unfortunate victims kidnapped by bogeymen. According to these tales, victims go missing for months or even years before returning as bogeys to the town they once called home.

Iridescent Animal IRIDESCENT BEASTS Intelligent beasts can also become iridescent animals, though they are never willing to undergo such a change and typically do anything in their power to exact revenge on the magician who transformed them.

An iridescent animal is a wild or domesticated animal that has undergone a magical transformation to become a luminescent beast that can glow in the dark and use dazzling light-based powers. Although the effect is glamorous, the life of an iridescent animal is a sad one. The change drastically weakens the animal, diminishing both its strength and its vitality. This effect is desirable for some—particularly the circuses, menageries, and royal courts that typically purchase these glowing beasts—but never for the animal itself. Because the effects of the transformation are so deleterious, the act of creating an iridescent animal is strongly frowned upon by druids and other naturalists, some of whom dedicate their lives to rescuing and fostering these maltreated creatures. The procedure cannot be reversed, and few iridescent animals are fit to live in the wild after the transformation, cementing their lot in life to serve as showy beasts of burden or objects of entertainment and ridicule.

IRIDESCENT ELEPHANT UNCOMMON

HUGE

CREATURE 7

ANIMAL

Perception +11; scent (imprecise) 30 feet Skills Athletics +15, Survival +13 Str +7, Dex +0, Con +2, Int –4, Wis +2, Cha +0 AC 21; Fort +16, Ref +9, Will +14 HP 110 Glowing Bones An iridescent animal emits phosphorescent bright light in a 15-foot aura. The animal can suppress this display until the end of its next turn as a single action, which has the concentrate trait. The color of the light is determined by the iridescent animal’s creator. Speed 40 feet Melee [one-action] tusk +14 (reach 10 feet), Damage 3d8+7 piercing Melee [one-action] trunk +16 (reach 15 feet), Effect grabbing trunk Melee [one-action] foot +14 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d10+7 bludgeoning plus color splash Color Splash (visual) When the iridescent elephant stomps its foot, a bright, disorienting burst of light pulses through its leg. Each creatures adjacent to the iridescent elephant when it makes a foot Strike (regardless of whether or not it hit) must succeed at a DC 24 Will save or be flat-footed until the beginning of the elephant’s next turn. Grabbing Trunk A Medium or smaller creature hit by the elephant’s trunk is grabbed. If the elephant moves, it can bring the grabbed creature along with it. Trample [three-actions] Large or smaller, foot, DC 22 Trunk Beam (light, visual) Frequency once per day; Effect The iridescent elephant blasts a beam of light from its trunk in a 30-foot line. Each creature in the area must attempt a DC 22 Fortitude save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is dazzled for 1 round. Failure The creature is blinded for 1 minute. Critical Failure The creature is blinded permanently.

Muse Phantom

For performers who die before their time and whose love of the theater is stronger than death’s grasp, the show does indeed go on. Such actors rise from the grave to become muse phantoms—undead spirits that haunt opera houses or auditoriums and possess the bodies of living actors to continue their art. A host is often utterly unaware of being possessed by a muse phantom. Like egotistical parasites, muse phantoms assume command of their unwitting thespian shells only during big shows with packed audiences, and even then the host might chalk up their sudden lack of control to the transcendence of performance, not the nefarious influence of some paranormal entity. In time, a performer’s mind can become utterly warped by the spirit’s domination, twisting artistic temperament and vanity into evil selfishness and tireless obsession.

MUSE PHANTOM UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

CREATURE 5 INCORPOREAL

SPIRIT

UNDEAD

Perception +10; darkvision Languages Common, Necril Skills Deception +14, Diplomacy +14, Performance +16, Occultism +13, Theater Lore +11 Str –5, Dex +4, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +3, Cha +5 Thespian Aura (aura, emotion, mental, occult) 30 feet. The muse phantom inspires a supernatural emotional response—either comedy or drama. Each creature that begins its turn in the aura must attempt a DC 20 Will save; on a failure, the creature is affected as long as it remains within the aura. If the muse phantom is emitting a comedic aura, affected creatures become clumsy 1; if it is emitting a dramatic aura, affected creatures instead become stupefied 1. The muse phantom can change its aura from comedic to dramatic or viceversa, or cease or activate this aura, by spending a single action, which has the concentrate trait. A creature possessed by a muse phantom is immune to this aura. AC 21; Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +14 HP 50, negative healing; Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, precision, unconscious; Resistances all damage 5 (except force, ghost touch, or positive; double resistance vs. non-magical) Speed fly 25 feet Melee [one-action] phantom hand +13 (agile, finesse, magical), Damage 2d6+5 negative Ranged [one-action] resonating note +15 (magical, range 60 feet, sonic), Damage 2d4+5 sonic Occult Spontaneous Spells DC 22, attack +14; 2nd hideous laughter, invisibility (at will; self only); 1st charm, fear, mindlink; Cantrips (2nd) ghost sound, telekinetic projectile Grand Finale [three-actions] (mental, occult) Requirements The muse phantom’s thespian aura is active; Effect The muse ceases its thespian aura and deals 4d8 mental damage to creatures in a 30-foot burst, including the creature it is possessing, if any (DC 22 basic Will save). Creatures that fail their Will saves are fascinated by the muse phantom for 1 minute. The muse phantom can’t use Grand Finale again for 1d4 rounds. Muse Possession [two-actions] The phantom muse attempts to possess an adjacent corporeal creature. This has the same effect as the possession spell (DC 20), except the duration is 1d4 hours, and since the phantom muse doesn’t have a physical body, it is unaffected by that restriction of the spell. If the target is at least trained in Performance, the DC of this ability is 24.

WILLING HOSTS Some actors who have felt the touch of a muse phantom come to relish and even desire the feeling of giving oneself over to what they consider a divine theatrical spirit. Such willing hosts voluntarily and routinely let themselves become possessed by a muse phantom, or even allow the spirit to reside within their body permanently. This symbiotic relationship allows the actor to advance their acting career and the phantom to continue performing to admiring masses.

Visitant CREATING VISITANTS To create a visitant animal, use one of the stat blocks on this page as a starting point. Adjust the size as necessary and give its Strikes reach if it’s Huge or larger. Visitants can also be made using a zombie stat block (Pathfinder Bestiary 340) as a base; in this case, adjust the creature’s Intelligence to –4. All visitants have imprecise lifesense as an additional sense.

Although the wild creatures seen at traveling circuses can entertain and amaze, the lives of such animals and beasts are sometimes sad and cruel. Circus owners who mistreat their animals through harsh discipline or overtraining see little wrong with their mercilessness, even going so far as to slaughter their entertainers—supposedly “by accident”—via neglect or abuse. The victims of such cruelty who cannot move onto the afterlife—either because they somehow become infused with negative energy or their spirits cannot rest without first enacting revenge on their assailants—occasionally rise from the dead as visitants. These undead monsters haunt the sites of their demise and search out the masters who made their lives so hellish with only one goal in mind: vengeance. When they can’t locate their particular abuser, or if they are still unable to rest even after confronting their aggressor, visitants seek out similarly evil harmers of animals, becoming torturers of torturers. However, visitants are for the most part unable to distinguish between individual members of a species; thus, if a visitant was abused by a human trainer, any human that crosses its path may become a target of its rage. A visitant resembles a zombified animal, but it retains a spark of the animal intelligence it had in life, making it all the more dangerous as a result. Visitants’ bodies are marred by the horrors of their brutal existences: Their mouths are furrowed in a constant snarl, with a black ichor dripping from their cracked, rotten lips. Whip scars from their hours of “training” glow with an unnatural purple light. And perhaps above all, their eyes mark them as touched by undeath—sunken horribly deep into their skull, leaking blood or other fluid, and glowing with an aura of dread and palpable anger.

VISITANT ABILITIES You can modify visitants by applying the following abilities. Most visitants have one of these abilities, but more powerful visitants might have more, in which you might consider increasing the visitant’s level and statistics. Noxious Breath [two-actions] The visitant exhales sharply, releasing pungent fumes from its lungs in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in the area must succeed at a Fortitude save or become sickened 1 (sickened 2 on a critical failure). Roar [one-action] (auditory, concentrate, emotion, enchantment, fear, mental, primal) The visitant lets out a loud and horrifying roar. Each creature within 100 feet must attempt at a Will save. No matter the result, affected creatures are then temporarily immune to the effect for 1 minute. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is frightened 1. Failure The creature is frightened 2. Critical Failure The creature is frightened 3. Vengeful Presence (aura, emotion, enchantment, mental) 20 feet. A creature that starts its turn within the visitant’s aura must succeed at a Will save or be overcome with a thirst for vengeance. For 1d4 rounds (1 minute on a critical failure), if the affected creature was attacked within the last round (whether or not the attack hit), the creature must use at least 1 action per round to Strike or use a hostile action toward its last attacker as long as the attacker is still alive. Failure to do so deals the affected creature 1d6 mental damage, plus 1d6 for every 5 levels the visitant has. Wrestle [one-action] The visitant makes a claw Strike against a creature it has grabbed. If the attack hits, that creature is knocked prone.

CHIMPANZEE VISITANT Common circus animals viewed as expendable by their caretakers are perhaps the most likely to rise as visitants. Animals that die en masse—such as in a tent fire or other disaster—can even form packs of roving undead.

CHIMPANZEE VISITANT NE

SMALL

ANIMAL

CREATURE 3

UNDEAD

Perception +9; darkvision, lifesense (imprecise) 60 feet Skills Acrobatics +11, Athletics +10 Str +3, Dex +4, Con +3, Int –4, Wis +1, Cha –1 AC 18; Fort +8, Ref +11, Will +10 Vengeful Presence (aura, emotion, enchantment, mental) 20 feet, DC 16. See previous page. HP 55, negative healing; Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Weaknesses positive 5, whip vulnerability Whip Vulnerability A chimpanzee visitant takes 5 additional damage from whips. Speed 25 feet Melee jaws +12 (agile), Damage 2d6+5 piercing plus rabies Melee claw +13 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d4+3 slashing plus Grab Mauler The visitant gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to damage rolls against a creature it has grabbed. Rabies (disease) Visitants can be carriers of diseases, even if they are immune to their effects. Saving Throw DC 16 Fortitude. Stage 1 sickened 1 (1 day); Stage 2 sickened 2 (1 day); Stage 3 confusion (1 day); Stage 4 dead

LION VISITANT Scars and other marks of obvious mistreatment are the clearest indicators that an undead animal is no mere zombie.

LION VISITANT NE

LARGE

ANIMAL

VISITANT SPELLS Some visitants can cast the following innate occult spells. If you give a visitant the following spells, consider removing one of its other special abilities. Occult Innate Spells DC varies, spell attack varies; 1st fear, ray of enfeeblement; Constant (1st) detect alignment (evil only)

CREATURE 5 UNDEAD

Perception +13; darkvision, lifesense (imprecise) 60 feet Skills Acrobatics +13, Athletics +13, Stealth +13 Str +6, Dex +4, Con +2, Int –4, Wis +2, Cha +0 AC 22; Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +15 HP 95, negative healing; Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Weaknesses positive 7, whip vulnerability Whip Vulnerability A lion visitant takes 7 additional damage from whips. Speed 30 feet Melee [one-action] jaws +15, Damage 2d6+8 piercing plus Grab Melee [one-action] claw +15 (agile), Damage 2d4+8 slashing Pack Attack The visitant deals an extra 1d4 damage to any creature that’s within reach of at least two of the visitant’s allies. Pounce [one-action] The visitant Strides and makes a Strike at the end of that movement. If the visitant began this action hidden, it remains hidden until after the ability’s Strike. Roar [one-action] See page 82. Sneak Attack The visitant deals an extra 1d8 precision damage to flat-footed creatures.

Xulgath Spinesnapper UNUSUAL ORIGINS Not all spinesnappers are the result of typical xulgath mutations. Some are created by botched stonebindings—where the process merely increases their size and strength instead of granting them full earthen power—or even demonic rites. In the latter case, such fiendtouched spinesnappers might grow additional limbs, hyperextended jaws, or other fearsome signs of their brush with the Abyss.

Xulgath physiological diversity doesn’t always imply drastic change; some xulgaths are simply much larger and stronger than their clutchmates. Most xulgaths call such siblings spinesnappers, though terms like bonebreaker, marrowvent, or similarly violent epithets are equally common. A typical spinesnapper is 9 feet tall and weighs 350 pounds. In battle, spinesnappers have all the speed, grace, and strength of a sledgehammer. They are ideal shock troops and make a good first line of defense. When an inter-clutch conflict leads to a duel, spinesnappers are typically called upon to rise to the challenge. In this case, a spinesnapper representative from each clutch squares off for what is in theory a nonlethal wrestling match, after which the winner scrapes off some of the loser’s scales as a trophy.

XULGATH SPINESNAPPER CE

LARGE

HUMANOID

CREATURE 5

XULGATH

Perception +11; darkvision Languages Draconic, Undercommon Skills Athletics +15, Intimidation +11 Str +6, Dex +1, Con +4, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha +0 Items maul AC 21; Fort +15, Ref +10, Will +9 HP 95 Stench (aura, olfactory) 30 feet. A creature that enters the aura must attempt a DC 21 Fortitude save. On a failure, the creature is sickened 1, and on a critical failure, the creature also takes a –5-foot status penalty to its Speeds for 1 round. While within the aura, the creature takes a –2 circ*mstance penalty to saves to recover from the sickened condition. A creature that succeeds at its save is temporarily immune to all xulgaths’ stench for 1 minute. Speed 25 feet Melee [one-action] maul +15 (shove), Damage 1d12+10 bludgeoning Melee [one-action] jaws +15, Damage 2d8+8 piercing Melee [one-action] claw +15 (agile), Damage 2d4+8 slashing plus Grab Brutal Blow [two-actions] The spinesnapper makes a claw or weapon Strike. If it hits, in addition to dealing damage, the creature must attempt a DC 22 Fortitude saving throw, with the following effects. Critical Success The creature is unaffected and the spinesnapper is flat-footed until the start of its next turn. Success The creature is unaffected. Failure The creature is pushed 10 feet. Critical Failure The target is pushed 10 feet and knocked prone. Choke Slam [one-action] Frequency once per round; Requirements The spinesnapper has a creature grabbed or restrained; Effect The spinesnapper slams the creature against a nearby surface. The target and the surface struck each take 4d6 bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed at a DC 22 Fortitude save or become slowed 1 for 1 round, or stunned for 1 round on a critical failure.

Zuipnyrn (Moon Mole)

This spectacularly odd creature appears every now and again in various traveling circuses around the Inner Sea. Although carnival barkers make any number of claims about this strange being’s origins, the so-called “moon mole” is in fact an alien creature called a zuipnyrn, hailing from a distant planet beyond Golarion’s star system. In their infancy, zuipnyrns are spherical and furry, with few features other than a single eye stalk and a round, toothless feeding hole. A zuipnyrn’s body is particularly soft and malleable, allowing it to withstand falls and other hazards. Its eye stalk has the ability to produce a blinding burst of light as a defensive measure, which allows a zuipnyrn just enough time to escape in times of danger. Even more incredibly, a zuipnyrn can emit a hypnotic aura from its eye to entrance those around it—an ability it uses to avoid conflict and to persuade bystanders into helping it escape perilous situations. As they age and grow, zuipnyrns adapt to their environment by growing additional limbs, sprouting additional sensory organs, developing gills, or otherwise altering their anatomy to suit the area.

ZUIPNYRN RARE

SMALL

CREATURE 3 ABERRATION

Perception +9; greater darkvision Languages Common (can’t speak any language) Skills Stealth +11 Str +1, Dex +3, Con +3, Int –2, Wis +2, Cha +5 AC 20; Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +7 HP 35; Resistances bludgeoning 3 Alluring Aspect (aura, occult, visual) 30 feet. When a creature ends its turn in the aura, it must attempt a DC 22 Will save. On a failure, it becomes fascinated with the zuipnyrn for 1 minute. Once the fascination ends, the creature is temporarily immune to this ability for 1 hour. The zuipnyrn can deactivate or activate this aura by using a single action, which has the concentrate trait. Speed 20 feet, climb 10 feet Melee [one-action] eye stalk +8 (agile), Damage 2d4+2 bludgeoning Beguiling Gaze [three-actions] (occult, visual) The zuipnyrn attempts to charm a creature within 30 feet that is currently fascinated by the zuipnyrn. The target must attempt a DC 22 Will save. Whether it succeeds or fails the save, the target is temporarily immune for 1 hour. Critical Success The creature is unaffected and is no longer fascinated. Success The creature is unaffected. Failure The creature is helpful toward the zuipnyrn for 1 hour. Critical Failure The creature is helpful toward the zuipnyrn for 1 day and will actively attempt to defend the zuipnyrn and even risk its life for it. Blinding Flare [two-actions] (occult, visual) The zuipnyrn’s eye produces a bright flash of light. Each creature in a 30-foot cone must attempt a DC 22 Fortitude save. The zuipnyrn can’t use Blinding Flare again for 1 minute. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is dazzled for 1 round. Failure The creature is blinded for 1 round and dazzled for 1 minute. Critical Failure The creature is blinded for 1 minute.

CHARMING CHILDREN Zuipnyrns do not raise their own young; instead, infant zuipnyrns entrance other creatures with their hypnotic gaze, which thereafter feel an almost instinctual obligation to raise the beguiling alien as its own offspring. Thus, a zuipnyrn can turn would-be predators into caretakers instead.

CHIEF CONSTABLE ANDERA PALDREEN Working to combat widespread corruption in Escadar, the no-nonsense Andera Paldreen is willing to engage talented strangers to make her city safer.

Andera Paldreen, the chief constable of Escadar, is a beacon of law in an otherwise corrupt metropolis infected with a thriving criminal network. Though most of her constables affectionately call her “chief,” Andera has another nickname—the kestrel—inspired by her steely gray eyes and withering glare. She displays a portrait of her namesake in her office in Conclave Square, a gift from her fellow constables to commemorate her promotion to chief constable. Andera is rarely seen out of her official uniform and badge of office, and some of her subordinates joke that she even sleeps in uniform. The child of Hirana and Verno Paldreen, Andera was born and raised in Escadar. Hirana earned an honest living as a blacksmith, but Verno was a gambling addict who often dragged his young daughter to casinos and seedy taverns seeking his next win. As a child, Andera grew up idolizing her father’s devil-may-care attitude and exuberant personality. She enjoyed their colorful outings, and though Verno showed poor parental responsibility in bringing his child to gambling parlors, he doted on Andera and lavished her and her mother with gifts purchased with his winnings. Eventually, Andera came face to face with the darker side of her father’s lifestyle. At his lowest point, Verno agreed to work for a crime boss he owed money to in exchange for forgiveness of his gambling debts. One such ill-fated job resulted in an innocent man’s death at Verno’s hands. Verno was consumed with guilt and turned himself and his employer in to the authorities. Andera was thirteen when her father was sentenced to life in prison for manslaughter. The crime boss, however, blatantly bought his way out of trouble and went unpunished. Verno’s trial left a lasting impression on the young Andera. She admired Verno for admitting his guilt, but saw her mother consumed by grief and shame. From that moment on, she resolved to uphold the law and seek justice for the victims of crime. Andera enlisted in Absalom’s navy as soon as she came of age, and she returned from a four-year tour of duty as an accomplished young officer. Though she

initially planned to reenlist, it was difficult for Andera to ignore her city’s rampant crime. She left the military and joined the constabulary. After 5 years on the force, her career reached a turning point when she single-handedly captured the notorious thief Juniper Winzel. Andera’s investigations not only led her to Juniper’s capture, but to the realization that several fellow constables had been taking bribes from Juniper and other criminals to look the other way. With the outlaw behind bars, Andera turned her attention to the police force itself. After 6 years of helping expose the corruption within Escadar’s constabulary, she was elected as chief constable in a record landslide. For the past 2 years, Andera has worked long hours fighting an uphill battle to eliminate corruption and organized crime in Escadar. She desperately wants to change Escadar’s reputation, and she’s frustrated by the quasi-legal way in which much of the city operates. Even though allowing the corruption would probably prolong her career, Andera refuses to ignore her principles. Andera is a practical, by-the-book official who dislikes flattery or long-winded conversations. Her statements are brief and to the point, and she respects brevity in others. Andera is quick to smile and joke with her few trusted friends, but she presents a stern, unemotional face to the wider world. Though Andera’s personality can easily seem flat to acquaintances, her professional mask hides a jovial woman who loves the sea and appreciates fine whiskey. In her off hours, Andera helps care for her retired mother and maintains a friendship with the apprentice who took over the family smithy. The chief constable closely guards these personal connections, as she fears her enemies using her loved ones as collateral. Andera cannot be bribed or easily swayed by words, but those who prove themselves straightforward, resourceful, and honorable find themselves in the chief’s good graces. Despite her accomplishments, Andera is a controversial public figure in Escadar. While the majority of the constabulary supports her, some quietly resent her for putting an end to the illegal

but lucrative bribery that once ran rampant in the force. Plenty of criminals are more outspoken in their grudges against the meddling chief constable. With the upcoming election months away, Andera worries that the influential criminals and corrupt politicians she’s angered might oust her. Andera considers the most frustrating aspect of her position as the chief constable to be what she views as imprisonment in her office. Instead of actively investigating cases or chasing criminals, she’s relegated to overseeing her subordinates to carry out justice in her stead. Additionally, Andera’s responsible for many tasks that she sees as paper pushing, including the authorizing and licensing of economic enterprises in Escadar. Andera longs to be back doing casework again, but she realizes that her bureaucratic duties are necessary and a good way to keep tabs on many aspects of Escadar. Andera’s constables are severely overworked, and she occasionally deputizes citizens to aid her in specific investigations or even to make arrests. She’s particularly fond of using talented but ultimately expendable people for complicated missions. Andera is a small-framed but athletic middle-aged woman with cropped-short white hair and sharp gray eyes that are frequently narrowed in a stern glare. She wears a battered but well-polished breastplate over her uniform and keeps her badge of office—a golden shield engraved with an osprey clutching a fish in its talons—pinned to her armor.

CAMPAIGN ROLE Andera is the heroes’ primary point of contact in Escadar. When the heroes first arrive, Andera is focused on matters of greater importance than a wandering troupe of entertainers. She sees that the Circus of Wayward Wonders has value, however; she hopes that having another circus in town can distract citizens from illicit

entertainments and improve civic mood as her election approaches. Rather than simply dismiss the heroes, she asks them to earn their performance venue by clearing a dangerous parcel of land. As the heroes capably handle increasingly important affairs for Andera, she ultimately deputizes them to deal with Mistress Dusklight, who she suspects of illegal activities.

ANDERA PALDREEN CREATURE 10 UNIQUE

MEDIUM

HUMAN

HUMANOID

Female human chief constable Perception +21 Languages Common, Elven, Halfling Skills Athletics +19 (+22 to Disarm), Criminal Lore +19, Diplomacy +22, Intimidation +21, Society +19, Survival +17, Underworld Lore +19 Str +3, Dex +0, Con +5, Int +3, Wis +5, Cha+5 Items breastplate, chief constable’s badge (as diplomat’s badge), +1 striking falchion, AC 30; Fort +21, Ref +16, Will +21 HP 175 Attack of Opportunity [reaction] Andera can use Attack of Opportunity when a creature within her reach uses a concentrate action, in addition to its normal trigger. If her attack hits, and the trigger was a concentrate or manipulate action, she disrupts that action (rather than disruption on only a critical hit). Speed 20 feet Melee [one-action] +1 striking falchion +22 (forceful, sweep), Damage 2d10+7 slashing Call to Halt [two-actions] (auditory, concentrate, emotion, mental). Andera makes an Intimidation check and compares it to the Will DC of each creature she chooses within 30 feet. Regardless of her result, the targets are temporarily immune for 10 minutes. Critical Success The target is paralyzed for 1 minute and becomes frightened 2. Success The target takes a –10-foot penalty to all its Speeds for 1 minute and becomes frightened 1. Shrewd Eye Andera treats all Perception checks made to Sense Motive as one degree of success better than the result of her check.

MISTRESS DUSKLIGHT The cruel circus master of the Celestial Menagerie, Mistress Dusklight is a skillful entertainer who delights in controlling and abusing her performers.

Mistress Dusklight is a self-styled artiste, a veteran entertainer who embodies the worst aspects of the circus industry. Though her original name is forgotten, even to herself, the catfolk who would take the name Dusklight grew up in an Andoran fishing village, but her dreams of stardom led her to run away with a traveling circus. Her natural beauty and grace lent themselves well to circus life, and “Mistress Dusklight” quickly became a star performer. As the years passed, Dusklight curated a laundry list of grievances against the circus master: his circuit was monotonous, his exhibits bland, and his acts much too mundane. Dusklight voiced her concerns to no avail, and soon a dark idea blossomed in her mind. She convinced her fellow performers that their circus master was holding them back from renown and riches. When the circus master died suddenly, a victim of Dusklight’s secret poisoning, her supporters encouraged her to take over his position. Her first act as circus master was to establish a new identity, renaming her troupe the Celestial Menagerie and presenting it as a display of rare and fanciful marvels. She abandoned the circus’s usual haunts and set her sights on Absalom, but her ambitions were nearly crushed when she relocated the Menagerie. Her ragtag band of performers simply couldn’t compete with the city’s established entertainers. Upon retreating to the hinterlands of the Isle of Kortos, Dusklight courted unusual performers— individuals with unique physical traits, humanoids of uncommon heritage, and sapient magical creatures. She displayed these creatures as oddities and freaks, reveling in the acclaim and coin that came from exhibiting the unusual. When she couldn’t beguile or seduce her targets into willingly joining the Celestial Menagerie, she turned to blackmail, coercive magic, and even forceful abduction. Over time, she grew to enjoy exerting control over others, and any shred of decency she once had vanished beneath the entertainer’s mask. By the time the Celestial Menagerie arrived in Escadar, Dusklight’s reputation as a top-notch

ringmaster preceded her. Still, she wasn’t content with her lucrative shows and adoring fans. She sought more dangerous prizes, binding azatas, demons, and dragons to her will and exulting in her fantasy of absolute control over these powerful beings. Her increasingly cruel and domineering ways caused a mass desertion recently; several performers and workers fled the Celestial Menagerie to start their own circus far from Escadar. These defectors formed the core of what would become the Circus of Wayward Wonders. In seeking new help, Mistress Dusklight came to know of the interdicted Moonstone Hall. She dreamed of the holy treasures this temple might hold—treasures she could use to enhance the Celestial Menagerie even further. She quickly learned that xulgaths from the Darklands had crept into Moonstone Hall, but their presence didn’t bother her; she negotiated free passage with a combination of cunning flattery and promises of human sacrifices. Mistress Dusklight rarely dirties her own hands, preferring to manipulate her cronies in her drive to control the greatest circus in the Inner Sea region.

CAMPAIGN ROLE Mistress Dusklight acts as the ultimate villain of this adventure. As rumors of the Circus of Wayward Wonders reach her ears, Dusklight schemes to thwart her rival performers before they can gain a foothold in her territory. She initially relies on her agents, but she eventually learns that the heroes are closing in on her and, worse, they have the backing of the city guard. Though confronting Dusklight is the climax of this adventure, she first throws all of her minions and performers at the heroes to stop them. The one thing she’s unwilling to do is flee; she’d rather risk death than leave the Celestial Menagerie to her rivals. The heroes might try to capture Mistress Dusklight rather than kill her, to bring her in chains to Chief Constable Andera Paldreen. If they do, Mistress Dusklight is an uncooperative and sullen prisoner, spitting curses and promises of revenge.

MISTRESS DUSKLIGHT UNIQUE

MEDIUM

CREATURE 11

CATFOLK HUMANOID

Female catfolk ringmaster Perception +19; low-light vision Languages Amurrun, Celestial, Common, Draconic Skills Acrobatics +21, Arcana +19, Circus Lore +19, Deception +24, Diplomacy +22, Intimidation +24, Occultism +19, Performance +26, Society +19, Stealth+21, Thievery +21 Str +0, Dex +5, Con +1, Int +3, Wis +2, Cha +7 Items daggers (3), religious symbol of Aroden, religious symbol of Zevgavizeb, studded leather, wand of magic mouth, wand of ray of enfeeblement, whip of compliance (page 75) AC 30; Fort +17, Ref +23, Will +20 HP 195 Cat’s Luck [reaction] Frequency once per day; Trigger Mistress Dusklight fails or critically fails a Reflex saving throw; Effect Mistress Dusklight rerolls the saving throw and takes the better result. Speed 30 feet Melee [one-action] whip of compliance +23 (finesse, reach 10 feet, trip), Damage 2d4+12 slashing Melee [one-action] dagger +22 (agile, thrown 10 feet, versatile S), Damage 1d4+5 piercing Occult Spontaneous Spells DC 30, attack +24; 6th (2slots) feeblemind, paranoia; 5th (3 slots) cloak of colors, command, crushing despair; 4th (3 slots) phantasmal killer, soothe, vampiric touch; 3rd (3 slots) comprehend language, fear, magic missile; 2nd (3 slots) hideous laughter, spectral hand, touch of idiocy; 1st (3 slots) mindlink, magic aura, unseen servant; Cantrips (6th) daze, dancing lights, detect magic, forbidding ward, prestidigitation Bard Composition Spells 3 Focus Points, DC 30; 6th counter performance (Core Rulebook 386), house of imaginary walls (Core Rulebook 386); Cantrips (6th) inspire courage (Core Rulebook 386) Beguile the Addled [one-action] (enchantment, emotion, occult, visual) Mistress Dusklight shoots a captivating look at one creature within 60 feet, who must be stupefied. Until the end of its next turn, the creature is fascinated by Mistress Dusklight and can’t use hostile actions toward her. The victim is then temporarily immune for 10 minutes. Black Cat Curse [one-action] (auditory, curse, enchantment, occult, mental, misfortune) Frequency once per round; Requirements Mistress Dusklight must have fewer than 98 Hit Points; Effect Mistress Dusklight spews a hatefully uttered curse at one creature within 30 feet that she can see. If the target fails a DC 32 Will save, whenever it attempts an attack roll or saving throw, it must roll twice and use the lower result. The target

is then temporarily immune for 24 hours. The curse persists until it is removed or the target succeeds a later saving throw against it. The victim can attempt a new DC 32 Will save once per hour to end the curse. Steady Spellcasting If a reaction would disrupt Mistress Dusklight’s spellcasting, she attempts a DC 15 flat check. On a success, the action isn’t disrupted.

ULTHADAR Once a devout priest of Aroden, Ulthadar is a cantankerous ghost who haunts Moonstone Hall, a tragic and eccentric remnant of the site’s long history.

In life, Ulthadar was a cleric of Aroden and one of the founding priests of Moonstone Hall. Ulthadar was a young adult when the temple’s foundations were laid, and he remained active in the temple’s hierarchy until his death, dedicating his life to serving his deity through administration, prayer, and scholarship. Though he served as the temple’s first high priest for 20 years before his death, Ulthadar never excelled at ministering to the public. Like many who once dwelled within Moonstone Hall, he was an ascetic who preferred meditation and study to preaching and proselytizing. As high priest, he grudgingly spent time away from his true calling to give weekly sermons, but he was never a charismatic figure among his order. In fact, those who knew him considered him peevish at best; yet they suffered his abrasive personality for his deep well of religious knowledge and his talents for administering the many functions Moonstone Hall provided to the city of Escadar. Ulthadar left Moonstone Hall as rarely as possible, seeing in its gleaming walls and stately fixtures the truest connection to his god. When Ulthadar passed away in his sleep, his attachment to Moonstone Hall tethered his soul to it. Instead of moving on to dwell in Aroden’s extraplanar realm, his soul instead remained in his longtime home. In a twisted way, becoming a ghost granted Ulthadar his greatest wish: he was given an eternity to peruse the temple’s library, contemplate religious matters, and enjoy the silence of the Moonstone Sanctum. In death, Ulthadar relinquished his role as a guiding force for his order; in fact, many of those who lived and worked in Moonstone Hall remained unaware of the ghost’s presence. Ulthadar only rarely interacted with the physical world, such as to organize the library to his preferences when careless priests misfiled books. Over 100 years ago, Aroden’s death shook the foundations of Moonstone Hall and threatened Ulthadar’s tranquil existence. Bereft of their divine powers, the living priests abandoned the temple and the city soon claimed the site, erecting new buildings directly above the temple. Meanwhile,

in the temple that was now situated below ground, Aroden’s disappearance created fractures in Ulthadar’s consciousness. Even as a ghost, he’d always felt the presence of Aroden within the walls of Moonstone Hall. Now, this presence is gone, and Ulthadar restlessly searches for his lost connection to his deity. Ulthadar’s last century has seen him become increasingly forgetful and confused. Before Aroden’s death, Ulthadar understood and enjoyed his existence as one of Moonstone Hall’s resident spirits, most of whom knew and respected him. Now, he fluctuates between episodes in which he believes he and his god are alive, and painful moments of clarity during which Ulthadar agonizes under the realization that his god is dead and that he is virtually alone in a crumbling ruin. The recent xulgath incursion distracted Ulthadar from his personal torment. Now, the ghostly priest wants nothing more than to banish the invaders from his temple. He’s watched as these invaders from below and a thieving catfolk from the city above have plundered and vandalized his temple. He’s proven insufficiently powerful to repel the xulgaths, and the catfolk is far too skilled at slipping past him when he’s distracted by his troubles. Ulthadar may be impotent to stop the defilement of Moonstone Hall, but he’s managed to keep one of the temple’s moonstone diadems out of the intruders’ hands. He’s aware that the xulgath seek to corrupt the temple and use the moonstone pools for their own purposes, though he’s unsure what those purposes may be. He operates as he often has, from hiding, although this time he seeks to confound and undermine the invaders rather than spend his days in pious contemplation. As a ghost, Ulthadar appears much as he did in life: as a white-bearded, elderly human who wears priestly robes of green and gold. He wears a moonstone diadem on his brow, and his connection to Moonstone Hall is not only strong enough to allow him to interact with the item, but sufficient to prevent its removal from his head unless he wills it.

CAMPAIGN ROLE Ulthadar initially distrusts the heroes; he’s angry about the xulgaths vandalizing his temple and he assumes that the heroes are new threats to his home. If he learns the heroes oppose the xulgaths, he realizes the they might be able to expel the intruders. Ulthadar then becomes a staunch ally, although he remains an irritable, ancient ghost who’s prone to cryptic phrasing, long-winded explanations, and depressive episodes. Ulthadar isn’t a constant presence in Moonstone Hall, but his ability to move freely throughout the area means he can show up at any time. Several interactions with Ulthadar are included in the adventure’s text, but you can create unscripted encounters with the ghost if the heroes want to work more closely with him. Ulthadar is an ideal agent to steer the heroes’ exploration of Moonstone Hall without stealing their thunder, particularly if the players are struggling to interpret their findings or figuring out how to use the moonstone pools. Ultimately, Ulthadar’s role in the adventure depends on the players’ choices. They might strive to destroy him, or they can look past Ulthadar’s frustrating personality and undead nature to work toward their common goal of expelling the xulgaths. This is the best way for the heroes to learn what the aeon orbs do and why the xulgaths have come to destroy them.

MEDIUM INCORPOREAL SPIRIT

LEGACY OF THE LOST GOD Chapter 1: A Grand Entrance Chapter 2: Into Moonstone Hall Chapter 3: Echoes under Escadar Chapter 4: Against the Celestial Menagerie Among the Xulgaths Catfolk of Golarion

ULTHADAR CREATURE 8 UNIQUE

Moonstone Hall is restored to a position of prominence within Escadar and staffed with new priests. Speed fly 25 feet Melee [one-action] ghostly hand (agile, finesse, magical), Damage 2d6+10 negative Draining Touch [two-actions] Ulthadar attempts to drain a living creature’s life force. He makes a ghostly hand Strike but deals no damage on a hit. Instead, the target is drained 1 for 1 day and Ulthadar regains 4 Hit Points.

UNDEAD

Male ghost high priest of Aroden Perception +20; darkvision Languages Azlanti, Common Skills Arcana +16, Aroden Lore +18, Diplomacy +15, Religion +18, Society +16, Stealth +15 Str –5, Dex +3, Con +0, Int +4, Wis +6, Cha +3 Items moonstone diadem (page 74) Site Bound Ulthadar can’t leave Moonstone Hall. AC 24; Fort +13, Ref +16, Will +19 HP 95, negative healing, rejuvenation; Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, precision, unconscious; Resistances all damage 5 (except force, ghost touch, or positive; double resistance vs. non-magical) Existential Agony (aura, divine, enchantment, mental) 30 feet. Creatures entering the aura or starting their turn in the aura must succeed at a DC 26 Will save or be stupefied 1 for 1 minute. On a critical failure, the creature is also stunned 3. As a reflection of Ulthadar’s emotional state, this aura is active when Ulthadar is agitated or angry and is suppressed when he is calm. Rejuvenation (divine, necromancy) Ulthadar can’t move on to the afterlife until

Adventure Toolbox

Next Month LIFE’S LONG SHADOWS

ZEVGAVIZEB

by Greg A. Vaughan The Circus of Wayward Wonders arrives on the Isle of Kortos to build its fame. Strange hauntings and deadly plots threaten the people of these bountiful lands, and the heroes are the only ones who can stop them!

by Amber Stewart Unbury the dogma and mythos of the gluttonous demon lord Zevgavizeb, god of subterranean horrors, cavern‑dwelling reptiles, and debased xulgaths.

SWARDLANDS GAZETTEER

The Extinction Curse continues! This volume presents a new ancestry, archetypes, monsters, and much more. Don’t miss out on a single Adventure Path volume— visit paizo.com/pathfinder and subscribe today!

by Greg A. Vaughan Explore the breadbasket of the Isle of Kortos, including its towns, personalities, and mysteries! OPEN GAME LICENSE VERSION 1.0A

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0a © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. System Reference Document © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors: JonathanTweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams, based on material by E.Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Pathfinder Core Rulebook (Second Edition) © 2019, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Logan Bonner, Jason Bulmahn, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, and Mark Seifter. Pathfinder Adventure Path #152: Legacy of the Lost God © 2020, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Jenny Jarzabski, with Stephen Glicker, Luis Loza, Ron Lundeen, Andrew Mullen, and David N. Ross.

ADVENTURE TOOLBOX AND MORE!

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This product is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game (Second Edition). 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 Game Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper nouns (characters, deities, locations, etc., as well as all adjectives, names, titles, and descriptive terms derived from proper nouns), artworks, characters, dialogue, locations, organizations, plots, storylines, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content, or are exclusively derived from previous Open Game Content, or that are in the public domain are not included in this declaration.) Open Game Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity, the game mechanics of this Paizo game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. Pathfinder Adventure Path #152: Legacy of the Lost God © 2020, Paizo Inc. All rights reserved. Paizo, the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, the Pathfinder logo, Pathfinder Society, Starfinder, and the Starfinder logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; Extinction Curse, the Pathfinder P logo, Pathfinder Accessories, Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Pathfinder Adventure Card Society, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Adventures, Pathfinder Battles, Pathfinder Cards, Pathfinder Combat Pad, Pathfinder FlipMat, Pathfinder Flip-Tiles, Pathfinder Legends, Pathfinder Lost Omens, Pathfinder Pawns, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Tales, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Combat Pad, Starfinder FlipMat, Starfinder Pawns, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, and Starfinder Society are trademarks of Paizo Inc. Printed in China.

Second Edition

Core Rulebook BASED ON MORE THAN 10 YEARS OF ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT AND PLAYTEST FEEDBACK FROM MORE THAN 125,000 GAMERS, THE NEW PATHFINDER RULES ARE EASY TO LEARN AND EXCITING TO MASTER! THIS INDISPENSABLE VOLUME CONTAINS ALL RULES PLAYERS AND GAME MASTERS NEED TO START THEIR ADVENTURES.

HARDCOVER $59.99 and Deluxe Hardcover $79.99 © 2020, Paizo Inc. Paizo, the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, and the Pathfinder logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; the Pathfinder P logo, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and Pathfinder Lost Omens are trademarks of Paizo Inc.

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Second Edition

Bestiary MORE THAN 400 OF FANTASY’S FIERCEST FOES FILL THIS GIANT COMPENDIUM OF THE MOST POPULAR CREATURES IN THE PATHFINDER RPG! FROM FAMILIAR ENEMIES LIKE ORCS AND DRAGONS TO NEW BEASTS LIKE THE NIGHTMARISH NILITH, THIS TOME IS CRAWLING WITH CREATURES PERFECT FOR YOUR PATHFINDER ADVENTURES!

HARDCOVER $49.99 and Deluxe HARDCOVER $69.99 © 2020, Paizo Inc. Paizo, the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, and the Pathfinder logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; the Pathfinder P logo, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and Pathfinder Lost Omens are trademarks of Paizo Inc.

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Second Edition

Lost Omens World Guide THIS COMPREHENSIVE HARDCOVER OVERVIEW OF THE WORLD OF PATHFINDER PROVIDES EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR A LIFETIME OF ADVENTURE IN THE AGE OF LOST OMENS. THE GOD OF HUMANITY IS DEAD AND PROPHECY IS BROKEN, LEAVING HEROES JUST LIKE YOU TO CARVE THEIR OWN DESTINIES OUT OF AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE!

HARDCOVER $36.99 © 2020, Paizo Inc. Paizo, the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, and the Pathfinder logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; the Pathfinder P logo, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and Pathfinder Lost Omens are trademarks of Paizo Inc.

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Second Edition

GAMEMASTERY GUIDE Learn to build adventures, campaigns, and the denizens and treasures that lurk within. Make the game your own with variant rules like dual-class characters and free archetypes. Explore new types of magic items like artifacts, cursed items, and relics that scale with your character. Experience exciting subsystems like chases, duels, and infiltrations. Find more than 80 new NPCs to use in your game, from guards to assassins.

Coming Soon! HARDCOVER $49.99 and Deluxe Hardcover $69.99 © 2020, Paizo Inc. Paizo, the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, and the Pathfinder logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; the Pathfinder P logo, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Lost Omens, and Pathfinder Roleplaying Game are trademarks of Paizo Inc.

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: AITS TRLE, FIRE I AG

, CHECKS: INTIMIDATION +16 PERFORMANCE +16 LEVEL 8 GLES O JUG HE IS A LIVING (DC 24) MATCHSTICK WH AZING FLAMING KNIVES IN AN AM DELIGHT! D EXHIBITION C ERTAIN TO THRILL AN

AERIAL, ITS: B EAST , TRA E AGIL

CHECKS: A PERFO CRO RM BAT AN ICS +17, CE a +16 t s z r e r e ider PA Th ! o N ? r e RTS id r d n A horse a n a d , S M istdan t WING cer agnifIcen to reveal m e the crowds! v o b a r i a e h t o t n LEVEL 8 rises i (DC 24)

TS: TRAIDIENCE U A , AIR

CHECKS: DECEPTIO N THIEVERY +12 +8,

BREATHS THE MAN WHO MAKE FASMOKE LIKE A NCIFUL D OKE AND F RAGON! SEE HIS SM EARS O SHAPES WITH ONLY THE WAVE OF HIS HA ME ND!

LEVEL 5 (DC 20)

Adventure

Echoes of the Dead God Linger

he Circus of Wayward Wonders arrives in bustling Escadar, eager for fortune and fame. The heroes must confront foul forces in a buried temple to learn more about the looming threat facing the Starstone Isles. Their investigations put the heroes on a collision course with their circus’s greatest rival: the cruel catfolk Mistress Dusklight, ringmaster of the Celestial Menagerie! The Extinction Curse Adventure Path continues with “Legacy of the Lost God,” a complete adventure for 5th- to 8th-level characters.

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Printed in China.

PZO90152 Pathfinder 2E - Extinction Curse AP - Part 2 of 6 - Legacy of The Lost God - PDFCOFFEE.COM (2024)

References