Pathfinder core rulebook 6th download .pdf

A PAthfinder Society ScenArio for tierS 1–7

TheDalsineAffair

By Alex Greenshields

TheDalsine affair

Pathfinder Society Scenario 2–21

Design: Alex Greenshields

Development: Mark Moreland

Editing: Judy Bauer

Senior Art Director: Sarah Robinson

Layout: Crystal Frasier

Interior Artists: Mariusz Gandzel, John Gravato, and McLean Kendree

Cartographer: Corey Macourek

Publisher: Erik Mona

Paizo CEO: Lisa Stevens

Vice President of Operations: Jeff Alvarez

Director of Sales Pierce Watters

Finance Manager: Chris Self

Staff Accountant Kunji Sedo

Technical Director: Vic Wertz

Marketing Director: Hyrum Savage

This product makes use of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary, the

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Player’s Guide, the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 2, and Pathfinder Roleplaying

Game Ultimate Magic. These rules can be found online as part of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document

at paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd.

Pathfinder Society Scenario 2–21: TheDalsineAffair is a Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 1st to 7th level characters

(Tiers 1–2, 3–4, and 6–7). This scenario is designed for play in Pathfinder Society Organized Play, but can easily be

adapted for use with any world. This scenario is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use

with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

The OGL can be found on page 25 of this product.

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Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License

version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters,

deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously

been designated as Open Game Content or are in the public domain are not included in this declaration.)

Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Paizo

Publishing game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No

portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without

written permission.

Pathfinder Society Scenarios are published by Paizo Publishing, LLC under the Open Game License version 1.0a

Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Paizo Publishing, LLC, the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, and GameMastery

are registered trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Campaign Setting,

Pathfinder Player Companion, Pathfinder Module, Pathfinder Society, and Pathfinder Tales are trademarks of Paizo

Publishing, LLC. © 2011 Paizo Publishing, LLC.

®

TheDalsine affair

Chalfon Dalsine should have led a charmed life. The

third son of one of Taldor’s wealthiest senatorial

families, Chalfon grew up with everything a young

boy could want. He lived in his family’s vast country

estate outside of the capital city of Oppara with servants

at his beck and call. Not being the eldest, Chalfon wasn’t

burdened with the responsibility of someday taking over

as head of the family, and spent his youth indulging

every whim. As he matured into young adulthood,

however, he slowly began to resent his parents’ emotional

distance, their burdensome rules, and their insistence on

tradition, station, and family pride, and he began to look

for diversions outside of Taldor’s strict social hierarchies.

He found such an outlet in the easy camaraderie and

fantastic adventures promised to members of the

Pathfinder Society in Absalom.

At first, life as an initiate in the Society was everything

he had hoped for. Because of his family’s wealth, he

was able to circumvent some of the more stringent

requirements the Society places on its initiates, and live

a life of relative luxury. He paid others to complete his

chores and assignments, and spent his days and nights in

Absalom’s brothels and taverns. He did not care that his

actions violated the Pathfinders’ basic rules, believing

that his ancestry and social class placed him above such

boring, petty concerns. But when the Three Masters (the

Pathfinders charged with overseeing initiates’ training)

discovered Chalfon’s indiscretions, he was summarily

expelled.

Chalfon left Absalom angry and bitter, and spent the

next few years roaming the Inner Sea region in search

of distractions. He sampled the more exotic wares found

in the markets of Sothis and Katapesh, lost and gained

fortunes in the darkest gambling dens of Ilizmagorti

and Riddleport, and drank strong mead in the cold

longhouses of Kalsgard. When his gambling debts began

to mount up, he fled his many creditors and went into

hiding in rural Taldor. With nothing else to do so far from

“civilization,” the bored noble began dabbling in esoteric

arcana under the tutelage of a local, reclusive magic

theoretician named Banell Half-Drowned, who followed

the way of the magus, preaching the blending of magical

By alex GreenShieldS

3

Where On GOlariOn?

TheDalsineAffair takes place in Oppara, the gilded capital

city of the crumbling empire of Taldor. Once the center

of human civilization in the Inner Sea region, Oppara—

like much of the empire—has deteriorated into a gaudy

display of hollow decadence. Here nobles flaunt their

wealth and influence, while the working classes struggle

to keep the streets clean for aristocrats who pay them no

mind. For more information on Oppara and the nation of

Taldor, see Pathfinder Player Companion: Taldor, Echoes of

Glory, available at bookstores and game stores everywhere,

or online at paizo.com.

Isle of

KorTos

• Ab s A l o m

Inner Sea

op pA r A •

Taldor

and martial techniques. Being a rebel at heart, Chalfon

found personal validation in the rejection of wizard

orthodoxy inherent in this approach, and saw it as a way

of achieving wealth and true power. Not surprisingly, he

soon became one of Banell’s most promising students.

During his 4 years of study under Banell Half-Drowned,

Chalfon occasionally visited some of Taldor’s larger, if not

most metropolitan, cities in disguise to blow off steam

and escape the drudgery of rural living. On one of these

trips, Dalsine met a young Pathfinder named Kormiggon

Sussworth in a seedy tavern. Kormiggon was slowly

becoming disenchanted with the Society and spoke of a

group called the Shadow Lodge, which aimed to supplant

the inefficient and feckless Decemvirate. Since Chalfon

blamed the Pathfinder hierarchy for many of his own

problems, he and Kormiggon quickly became friends.

When he felt he had learned all he could from Banell,

Chalfon left his master’s house and began exploring

remote ruins and forgotten places of power throughout

Avistan, hoping to discover powerful magical artifacts that

would help him in his ascent to power and limitless wealth.

Although he ultimately failed in that endeavor, he made

contact with a group that would change his life: a small

tribe of ugothol, or faceless stalkers, living in a marshy bog

among the River Kingdoms. For their own unknowable

reasons, these shapechanging aberrations agreed to ally

themselves with Chalfon in exchange for access to the

upper crust of Taldan society. At first, Chalfon was hesitant

to return to Oppara, not wishing to once again be ruled

by his family. The faceless stalkers quickly convinced him

that he had outgrown their feeble restrictions, and could

now use his family’s position to help him achieve the

wealth and power he so desperately craved.

Chalfon hired a ship, brought the faceless stalkers

back to Oppara, and began reingratiating himself with

the Dalsine family. Playing the part of the prodigal

son, Chalfon did his best to seem contrite and was soon

accepted back into the family fold. When the opportunity

presented itself, however, Chalfon acted with utter

ruthlessness. He secretly killed his only surviving older

brother (the other had been slain in a duel years before) and

took control of the family’s fortune. Within a few years he

had placed faceless stalkers in prominent positions not

just at the royal court, but also in both the secretive Lion

Blades (Taldor’s spy organization) and Oppara’s largest

thieves’ guild, the Brotherhood of Silence.

But even though his wealth and power kept increasing,

it was not enough. Through his continued correspondence

with the Shadow Lodge member Kormiggon Sussworth,

he made contact with an influential and radical member

of the Lodge’s hierarchy—a secretive agent known only

as the Spider. The Spider offered Chalfon an incredible

opportunity: if the Taldan noble helped bring down the

Pathfinder Society in Taldor, he would receive his pick of

the artifacts found in the Society’s vault in Absalom once

the Shadow Lodge brought the Decemvirate to its knees.

Soon afterward, Chalfon’s spies came across some

incredible secrets that would allow him to put this plan

into motion. A faceless stalker placed in the Lion Blades

informed Chalfon that they had been spying on a secret

and illegal cult of Sarenrae worshipers hiding in Oppara

who called themselves the Dawnflower Blossoms. A

Keleshite member of the cult named Khismia happened

to be the youngest sister of a Qadiran noblewoman named

Pasha Muhlia Al-Jakri, the faction leader for the Qadiran

loyalists within the Pathfinder Society.

Chalfon knew very well who Pasha Al-Jakri was.

Chalfon’s older cousin was none other than Baron Jacquo

Dalsine, head of the rival Taldor faction, and Chalfon

PAthfinder Society ScenArio

4

knew that the two of them hated each other. Not caring

for his cousin any more than he did for the rest of his

family, he devised a plan to pit the two faction heads

against one another.

Chalfon could not believe his luck when he received

further news—that the venture-captain for the Opparan

Pathfinder lodge, a man named Muesello, had been using

the Dawnflower Blossoms to smuggle Taldan artifacts

out of the country in order to circumvent Taldor’s high

export taxes on such items. The situation seemed almost

too perfect. With a few well-placed manipulations, he

would not only be able to expose the venture-captain’s

crimes and discredit the Pathfinder Society in his home

country, but hopefully also create an all-out war within

the Society by pitting Baron Jacquo Dalsine and Pasha

Al-Jakri against each other. All the Shadow Lodge would

have to do then is come in and pick up the pieces. All he

needed was a little luck.

Summary

The adventure begins with the PCs’ arrival at the

Pathfinder Lodge in Oppara, Taldor’s gilded capital

city. As they quickly receive a recap of recent events by

Venture-Captain Muesello, the local militia knocks at

the door, claiming the Pathfinders are harboring known

criminals. In fact, lodge currently houses a number

of outlawed Sarenite cultists, and it falls to the PCs to

quickly get them out of the lodge and into the catacombs

beneath the city. Alternatively, the PCs may choose to

distract or openly combat the encroaching guard.

Once the PCs have successfully evacuated the

Sarenites, they must navigate the dangerous catacombs

to locate a long-hidden temple of Sarenrae beneath the

city. There, they encounter a faceless stalker infiltrating

the organization, taking the form and role of the cult’s

leader. The false priest does his best to keep the PCs from

leaving the temple, but ultimately provides too much

information about his “master” Chalfon Dalsine, leading

the PCs to the treacherous noble’s opulent estate.

The PCs arrive at the estate to find a standoff between

a series of Taldan manor guards and several Keleshite

soldiers. The Taldans are servants of House Dalsine and

have come to the manor with their master, Baron Jacquo

Dalsine, who is currently in the manor with his cousin,

while the Keleshites are the personal bodyguards of Pasha

Muhlia al-Jakri, here to exact revenge on Chalfon, who

she sees as being responsible for her sister’s death. The

PCs much act as diplomats, calming the tension between

the two groups of guards in order to prevent an open

conflict as well as to gain entry into the estate’s grounds.

When the Pathfinders finally reach the manor house,

they enter to find a gruesome scene: Baron Jacquo is dead,

and his blood stains the blades of Pasha al-Jakri’s twin

kukris. Noticing the PCs’ approach, the Qadiran assassin

renounces her role as head of the faction, spits on Jacquo’s

corpse, and uses a magic item to teleport away. At the top

of the stairs, Chalfon Dalsine laughs maniacally at his

plan’s success. Bringing justice to the man responsible for

so much strife falls to the PCs, who must see through his

continuing deception and significant defenses in order

to bring an end to the Shadow Lodge threat in Oppara.

GettinG Started

In the middle of the night, the PCs are summoned to

the Grand Lodge. It is abuzz with rumors of something

monumental happening in Oppara. In the formal briefing,

the PCs are informed that transport has been arranged

and the team of agents is being sent to the Oppara Lodge.

Allow the players a chance to prepare for the adventure by

memorizing spells or buying any equipment they need.

A swift boat ride, a quick trip through Taldor’s gilded

capital, and a coded knock at the front door lead to the

unassuming, windowless Pathfinder Society lodge

masquerading as a bait and tackle shop called Rods and

Reels. The strong smell of old fish permeates the dwelling,

which has somewhat of a ill cared-for, haphazard

appearance. The light of a single, whale-oil lantern forms

strange shadows on the floor among the nets and buckets

that fill the lodge’s ground floor.

The middle-aged venture-captain who runs the

lodge—a ruddy-skinned and pockmark-faced man named

Muesello—emerges from the narrow spiral stairs to the

lodge’s second floor and addresses the PCs. Read the

following text aloud to get the adventure underway.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice, Pathfinders. Let

me bring you all up to speed. It seems that I may have gotten

myself, and by extension the Society, into a bit of hot water. You

see, lately the Taldan government has been growing particularly

protective of what it considers its national treasures. Grand

Prince Stavian seems to have taken a personal interest in

anything older than last week’s fish stew, imposing heavy tariffs

on any antiquities being sent out of the country.”

The grey-haired man lets out a deep sigh and his shoulders

slump. “This is where my own idiocy comes in. I thought that

I could save the Society a few pieces of gold by smuggling

items out of the city, using my contacts in a secret cult of local

Sarenites known as the Dawnflower Blossoms. They receive

significant support from people in Qadira, and oversee regular

shipments to and from Katheer.

“Everything went very smoothly until last night. A group of

local guards known as the Porthmos Militia conducted a violent

raid on one of the cult’s safe houses here in the neighborhood

of Westport. A man named Chalfon Dalsine, a minor noble who

the dAlSine AffAir

5

was himself nearly a Pathfinder in his youth, led the attack. This

gang slaughtered half the members of the cult, even those who

didn’t fight back—it was horrible. A few members were able to

escape, but the rest were either slain or captured and dragged

away for interrogation.

Muesello goes on to explain that while the deaths

were tragic, his primary concern is that he had given the

Sarenites several parcels for transport just last week. The

parcels included a number of notes written in a personal

cypher, but anything involving codes eventually makes

its way to the Lion Blades, the secret spies of the Taldan

government. It’s only a matter of time before they crack

the code or use some divination magic to track him down.

Muesello continues his explanation.

“The Society is in a very delicate place at the moment, especially

here in Taldor. The upheavals caused by the Shadow Lodge

have only made things worse. If the government tracks those

packages back to me, they might formally expel all Pathfinders

from the country! Now what I need you to do is …”

A loud knock on the shop’s front door interrupts the venturecaptain

mid-sentence. A strong voice calls out from the other

side, “Open this door! This is the Porthmos Militia. Open this

door in the name of the Grand Prince!”

Venture-Captain Muesello (N male human sorcerer 5/

expert 3) plays up his age, and calls to the guards outside

the door that he must find the key, motioning for the PCs

to remain quiet. As he loudly fumbles around the shop to

make it sound as though he’s searching for something, he

whispers to the gathered Pathfinders. “Ten of the escaped

Dawnflower Blossoms members are hidden here in the

lodge. I was able to rescue them after the raid. They’re

all upstairs—five in my bedroom and another five in my

supply room.” He knocks over three hay bales along the

room’s east wall, revealing a trap door beneath. He flings

it open to reveal a ladder descending into darkness.

“You’ve got to get those people out of here,” he pleads,

gesturing frantically at the hatch. “In my basement there

is a staircase leading down to the ancient catacombs under

the city. At the bottom of that staircase, there is a large

lever on the right, just a few feet down the connecting

corridor. Once everyone is clear of the staircase, pull it

down and it will collapse behind you. That should keep

anyone from following you. Once you’re in the catacombs,

just ask the cult members for directions; they should

know their way around. Ask them to take you to the Vault

of Sarenrae—it’s their last hiding place. Oh, and track

down this Chalfon Dalsine, and see if you can find my

parcels: two beautiful sets of armor crafted by the fey of

the Verduran Forest. Last I heard, the Porthmos Militia

had taken them back to Dalsine’s home.”

GameMastery Map Pack: City, Shops

Stairs

Down

Hatch

Down

Second Floor First Floor Basement

act 1: Open up in the name

Of the Law

(cr 3 Or cr 5 Or cr 8)

Read the following text aloud.

The pounding on the door increases in volume and an annoyed

voice calls out again. “We don’t want to break the door down,

old man. Hurry up!”

“Yes, yes, I heard you. Hold on, I’ve got to find a candle.”

Muesello turns back and whispers once more, “I’ll hold them

off as best I can. Please get the cult members out of here,

or they’re all as good as dead, and please don’t try to kill the

guards! This is a large group of serious guards who obviously

mean business. Any lethal attacks or, gods forefend, a death

could spell doom for the Society! These are city guards acting

on the authority of the Grand Prince himself!”

Creatures: A group of local Porthmos Militia members

led by their captain have drawn up outside of the disguised

Pathfinder Lodge. They were ordered to bring in Muesello

for questioning, and are perfectly happy to break down his

doors to do so. This is not the same group that perpetrated

the raid on the Dawnflower Cult the night before. These

are ordinary, law-abiding militia members who were

simply ordered to bring in Muesello. They don’t attack

anyone in the house unless provoked, although they are

happy to club Muesello and anyone defending him into

unconsciousness if they do not obey the militia’s orders.

PAthfinder Society ScenArio

6

Stairs

Up

Rods and Reels

1 square = 5 feet

Ladder

Up

Down to

Catacombs

There are 10 Dawnflower Blossoms on the lodge’s

second floor, who become aware of the militia’s presence

on the first round of combat. Because every second counts

for the trapped Dawnflower Blossoms, combat rounds

begin immediately. If unassisted, the cultists take a total

of 12 rounds to reach the basement. Note that this time

frame only includes the Sarenites and not the PCs, who are

assumed to flee once everyone else is safe. If any PCs wish

to flee first, or in the middle of the cultists’ departure,

add 1 round to the cultist evacuation time for each PC,

as the Pathfinders block the stairs or ladder. Under no

circumstances does Muesello attempt to flee; he instead

plans on sacrificing himself so the others can escape.

At this point the PCs have several options. They should

be allowed to be as creative as they wish, but Muesello

pleads that they need to move quickly and get the cultists

out as fast as possible. The PCs can try to help Muesello

by bluffing or otherwise peacefully interacting with

the guards, and if that fails, can barricade the door.

Alternatively, they can help the 10 Sarenite cultists

escape by alerting them of the danger and helping them

through the trap door into the basement. Finally, the PCs

can simply attack the guards. The PCs don’t all have to

focus on the same objective; in fact, they will be more

successful if they each focus on different tasks. If the

players are having trouble coming up with actions, feel

free to have Muesello suggest some to them (see page 9).

Because of the layout of the building, only two militia

members can get within melee range of anyone standing

N

in the doorway. Any guard who falls in combat is dragged

away by those behind her and replaced the following

round with a fresh guard. Throughout the fight, Muesello

pleads with the PCs to escape, promising that he will use

his magic to cover their retreat.

If the situation looks bad for the militia, the captain

blows her horn to alert other guards in the area; the sound

of two responding horns in the distance follows on the next

round. Two more patrols of the Porthmos Militia members

show up to assist 2d4 rounds after the last member of the

original group falls unconscious or flees.

Tier 1–2 (CR 3)

porthmos militia captain cr 1

Female human fighter 1/rogue (investigator) 1 (Pathfinder RPG

Advanced Player’s Guide 133)

LN Medium humanoid

init +3; Senses Perception +9

defenSe

ac 16, touch 9, flat-footed 16 (+6 armor, –1 Dex, +1 shield)

hp 14 (2 HD; 1d10+1d8)

fort +2, ref +1, will +2

OffenSe

Speed 20 ft.

melee sap +2 (1d6+1 nonlethal) or

longsword +2 (1d8+1/19–20)

ranged light crossbow +0 (1d8/19–20)

Special attacks sneak attack +1d6

tacticS

during combat The captain attempts to knock opponents

out with her sap. If attacked for lethal damage, she

switches to her longsword.

morale The captain is not stupid, and flees if reduced to 5

hit points or fewer or if more than three of the guards are

killed or knocked unconscious, blowing her watch horn to

summon reinforcements.

StatiSticS

Str 13, dex 8, con 10, int 15, wis 14, cha 14

Base atk +1; cmB +2; cmd 11

feats Alertness, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Sense Motive)

Skills Bluff +7, Diplomacy +7, Intimidate +7, Knowledge

(local) +7, Perception +9, Ride +0, Sense Motive +12,

Stealth +0, Swim +1

Languages Common, Kelish, Osiriani

SQ follow up*

combat Gear potion of cure light wounds; Other Gear

masterwork breastplate, light steel shield, light crossbow

with 10 bolts, longsword, sap, watch horn, 60 gp

* See the Advanced Player’s Guide.

porthmos militia members (4) cr 1/3

Human warrior 1

the dAlSine AffAir

7

N Medium humanoid

init +0; Senses Perception +0

defenSe

ac 13, touch 10, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor)

hp 8 each (1d10+3)

fort +4, ref +0, will +0

OffenSe

Speed 30 ft.

melee sap +3 (1d6 +1 nonlethal) or

short sword +2 (1d6+1/19–20)

tacticS

during combat Militia members try to flank at any

opportunity and attack using their saps. If attacked for

lethal damage, they switch to their short swords. If three

or more are attacking the same target, one attempts to

demoralize the opponent instead of attacking.

morale These are not the bravest of Oppara’s guards; they flee

if reduced to 5 hit points or below.

StatiSticS

Str 13, dex 11, con 14, int 9, wis 10, cha 8

Base atk +1; cmB +2; cmd 12

feats Skill Focus (Intimidate), Weapon Focus (sap)

Skills Climb +4, Intimidate +6

Languages Common

combat Gear tanglefoot bag; Other Gear studded leather,

sap, short sword, 20 gp

Tier 3–4 (CR 5)

porthmos militia captain cr 3

Female human fighter 3/rogue (investigator) 1 (Pathfinder RPG

Advanced Player’s Guide 133)

LN Medium humanoid

init +3; Senses Perception +11

defenSe

ac 17, touch 9, flat-footed 17 (+6 armor, –1 Dex, +2 shield)

hp 25 (4 HD; 3d10+1d8)

fort +3, ref +2, will +5; +1 vs. fear

defensive abilities bravery +1

OffenSe

Speed 30 ft.

melee sap +5 (1d6+1 nonlethal) or

mwk longsword +6 (1d8+1/19–20)

ranged light crossbow +2 (1d8/19–20)

Special attacks sneak attack +1d6

tacticS

during combat The captain attempts to knock opponents out

with her sap. If attacked for lethal damage, she switches to

her longsword.

morale The captain is not stupid, and flees if reduced to 5

hit points or fewer or if more than three of the guards are

killed or knocked unconscious, blowing her watch horn to

summon reinforcements.

StatiSticS

Str 13, dex 9, con 10, int 15, wis 14, cha 14

Base atk +3; cmB +4; cmd 13

feats Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Skill Focus

(Sense Motive), Weapon Focus (sap)

Skills Appraise +7, Bluff +9, Diplomacy +9, Intimidate +7,

Knowledge (local) +7, Perception +11, Ride +2, Sense

Motive +13, Stealth +2, Swim +6

Languages Common, Kelish, Osiriani

SQ armor training 1, follow up*

combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds; Other Gear

masterwork breastplate, +1 light steel shield, light

crossbow with 10 bolts, masterwork longsword, sap, watch

horn, 100 gp

* See the Advanced Player’s Guide.

porthmos militia members (4) cr 1/2

Human warrior 2

N Medium humanoid

init +0; Senses Perception +0

defenSe

ac 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+3 armor, +2 shield)

hp 17 each (2d10+6)

fort +5, ref +0, will +0

OffenSe

Speed 30 ft.

melee sap +4 (1d6+1 nonlethal) or

short sword +3 (1d6+1/19–20)

tacticS

during combat Militia members try to flank at any

opportunity and attack using their saps. If attacked for

lethal damage, they switch to their short swords. If three

or more are attacking the same target, one attempts to

demoralize the opponent instead of attacking.

morale These are not the bravest of Oppara’s guards; they flee

if reduced to 5 or fewer hit points.

StatiSticS

Str 13, dex 11, con 14, int 9, wis 10, cha 8

Base atk +2; cmB +3; cmd 13

feats Skill Focus (Intimidate), Weapon Focus (sap)

Skills Climb +2, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (local) +3

combat Gear tanglefoot bag; Other Gear studded leather,

heavy wooden shield, sap, short sword, 40 gp

Tier 6–7 (CR 8)

porthmos militia captain cr 6

Female human fighter 3/rogue (investigator) 4 (Pathfinder RPG

Advanced Player’s Guide 133)

LN Medium humanoid

init +3; Senses Perception +14

defenSe

ac 17, touch 9, flat-footed 17 (+6 armor, –1 Dex, +2 shield)

PAthfinder Society ScenArio

8

hp 43 (7 HD; 3d10+4d8+4)

fort +4, ref +4, will +6; +1 vs. fear

defensive abilities bravery +1, evasion, trap sense +1,

uncanny dodge

OffenSe

Speed 30 ft.

melee mwk sap +9/+4 (1d6+1 nonlethal) or

+1 longsword +9/+4 (1d8+2/19–20)

ranged mwk light crossbow +6 (1d8/19–20)

Special attacks sneak attack +2d6

tacticS

during combat The captain attempts to knock opponents

out with her sap. If attacked for lethal damage, she

switches to her longsword.

morale The captain is not stupid, and flees if reduced to 5

hit points or fewer or if more than three of the guards are

killed or knocked unconscious, blowing her watch horn to

summon reinforcements.

StatiSticS

Str 13, dex 9, con 10, int 15, wis 14, cha 14

Base atk +6; cmB +7; cmd 16

feats Alertness, Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will,

Iron Will, Skill Focus (Sense Motive), Weapon Focus (sap),

Weapon Focus (longsword)

Skills Appraise +7, Bluff +12, Diplomacy +12, Disguise +12,

Intimidate +7, Knowledge (local) +12, Perception +14, Ride

+4, Sense Motive +17, Stealth +5, Swim +6

Languages Common, Kelish, Osiriani

SQ armor training 1, follow up*, rogue talents (follow clues*,

hard to fool*)

combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds; Other Gear

masterwork breastplate, +1 light steel shield, +1 longsword,

masterwork light crossbow with 10 bolts, masterwork sap,

watch horn, 150 gp

*See the Advanced Player’s Guide.

porthmos militia members (4) cr 2

Human warrior 4

N Medium humanoid

init +4; Senses Perception +0

defenSe

ac 16, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +2 shield)

hp 34 each (4d10+12)

fort +6, ref +1, will +1

OffenSe

Speed 30 ft.

melee mwk sap +8 (1d6+2 nonlethal) or

mwk short sword +7 (1d6+3/19–20)

tacticS

during combat Militia members try to flank at any

opportunity and attack using their saps. If attacked for

lethal damage, they switch to their short swords. If three

or more are attacking the same target, one attempts to

demoralize the opponent instead of attacking.

morale These are not the bravest of Oppara’s guards; they flee

if reduced to 10 or fewer hit points.

StatiSticS

Str 14, dex 11, con 14, int 9, wis 10, cha 8

Base atk +4; cmB +6; cmd 16

feats Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Intimidate), Weapon

Focus (sap)

Skills Climb +4, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (local) +4

Languages Common

combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, tanglefoot bag;

Other Gear masterwork chain shirt, heavy wooden shield,

masterwork sap, masterwork short sword, 60 gp

Assisting Muesello

Some PCs may wish to help Venture-Captain Muesello in

his efforts to keep the guards from entering the lodge. He

is happy for any assistance the PCs can provide. Verbally

stalling the guards requires a Bluff check opposed by

the Porthmos Militia Captain’s Sense Motive check (see

the Tier-appropriate stat block above). Because both

Intimidate and Diplomacy checks each take a minute to

perform, these skills are not useful in this situation; the

guards simply don’t wait that long before forcing their

way in. PCs can either attempt the Bluff check themselves

or assist Muesello in his attempt (he has a +14 modifier

unaided). Any number of PCs may assist. Each successful

opposed Bluff check delays the guards from attempting

to enter the house for 1 round. Because the Porthmos

Militia Captain is not stupid and grows increasingly

suspicious as the seconds tick by, each subsequent Sense

Motive check that she makes gains a cumulative +2

modifier. If the PCs fail a Bluff check (or if Muesello does

so), the guards attempt to break down the door on the

following round.

If you wish to increase the roleplaying opportunities

in this scenario, you could allow players to come up with

actual excuses for not allowing the guards in. Particularly

clever reasons could be awarded a +2 circumstance bonus

on the PCs’ Bluff check.

Blocking the Door

Unless someone from inside the house deliberately opens

the double doors by unlocking them (Muesello has the

key), the guards have to break them down in order to get

in. The doors are good doors augmented by Muesello’s

hold portal spell (hardness 5, hp 15, Break DC 23).

Up to four Medium creatures can block the door with

their bodies, increasing the DC by +1 per two creatures

(rounded down). PCs may also drag barrels, tables, chairs,

or anything else they can find in the house in front of

the doors, increasing the DC by an additional point. The

militia members have a portable ram (Pathfinder RPG Core

the dAlSine AffAir

9

Rulebook 157), which means that with two people using it,

they receive a +4 bonus on this check.

Evacuating Cultists

Alternatively, the PCs can help accelerate the Sarenites’

escape into the lodge’s basement. As noted above, if

unassisted, the cultists take 12 rounds to fully evacuate.

Each PC who actively helps them reduces this time by a

number of rounds determined by the assistance given.

The easiest method is to help them via mundane means.

This can include verbally encouraging them or helping

them down the steps or the ladder into the basement.

Each PC engaged in this task reduces the total evacuation

time by 1 round, but must spend the entire encounter

helping the cult members; breaking off to cast spells or

participate in combat negates the effort. Any PC with at

least 1 rank in Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate decreases

the total evacuation time by 2 rounds per PC assisting.

A more effective method of helping the cultists escape

is magic. Any spell cast on a cult member that increases

his or her speed (such as blessing of fervor [see the Advanced

Player’s Guide], fly, or haste) decreases the total number of

rounds needed to evacuate by 1 round per person affected.

Note that mundane and magical means of speeding the

cultists’ evacuation stack.

Development: Venture-Captain Muesello is willing

to sacrifice himself to help the PCs and Dawnflower

Blossoms members escape. As the last person climbs down

the ladder, Muesello casts arcane lock on the trapdoor,

after which he loudly surrenders to any remaining

guards. Although the venture-captain has given the PCs

and fleeing Sarenites a moment to catch their breaths, the

danger has by no means passed.

If the PCs are all knocked unconscious by the Porthmos

Militia, they are held captive in the secret headquarters of

the Lion Blades for questioning. There they are tortured

for days before being released onto the streets of Oppara

weeks later.

Anyone who remains in the basement for more than a

few moments hears the Militia arguing in loud voices about

how to open the hatch. A short time later, the sound of axes

trying to cut through the hatch cover can be heard.

Following Muesello’s instructions and descending

down the tight spiral staircase takes the PCs and cultists

to a narrow tunnel that connects to the ancient catacombs

below Oppara. Just as the venture-captain promised, there